Marketing 101—Creating a First-Class Back to School Special

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It’s that time of the year again.

Back to school season brings the sounds of children chattering as they wait for the bus, the bright white reflection of sneakers that have yet to touch the blacktop, and a full-scale rush on pencils and graphing calculators. For students from kindergarten through college (and their parents), the month of August is hot with retailers one-upping each other with the best prices on clothing, school supplies, and more. As a small business–especially one that doesn’t deal in traditionally “back-to-school” goods and services–it can be difficult to stand out amongst big names offering doorbuster deals. However, we at FetchRev have a few tricks up our sleeves for capitalizing on the beginning of a new academic year–and we’re here today to educate you.

Think Beyond the Backpack

While three-ring binders and erasable pens may get the majority of the back-to-school buzz, it’s important to consider that the start of a new school year affects more than just young children. Parents are transitioning from a laid-back summer to a rushed morning schedule and after-school extracurriculars galore. Adults may be returning to get their college degrees–or heading off to medical school, law school, or even beauty school. Teachers’ and coaches’ calendars suddenly become stockpiled with lesson planning, football games, and conferences. If your business is not in the business of supplying to students, consider the others in your target audience who might be heading back to school in a different way.

Put On Your Thinking Cap

Now that you’ve identified who you’re talking to, it’s time to get creative with deals that are relevant and irresistible. Need a little inspiration? Consider some of these successful campaigns that our clients have run in the past.

  • $10 off a back to school haircut (Bring on home for homecoming)
  • 50% off Friday night family bowling (Everyone benefits from a bit of wholesome fun after a long school week)
  • 50% off massage every Tuesday afternoon for teachers (Relaxation on a budget for hardworking educators)
  • $10 off deluxe auto detailing (With so many drop-offs and pick-ups, it’s important to keep the family car looking slick)



Do Your Homework

It can be easy to get so caught up in the incredible campaign you’ve got cooking up that small, but important, details get missed. In the spirit of school, try creating a checklist of items to verify before sending out an email blast. Are you targeting the right segment of your customer base? Are you offering a discount that’s compelling but can still turn a good profit? Is your subject line concise, yet powerful? Do you have a clear call to action? Does your imagery reflect your brand aesthetic? Have you done a spelling and grammar review? Running through these checks is a great way to quality test your campaign–and high-quality offers often correlate with the greatest success.

Devin Pangaro & Vanessa Demske
FetchRev Digital Content Team

 

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