Spring Marketing Ideas

What do you think about when it comes to marketing this time of year?  There is so much to draw from for marketing ideas this time of the year for almost every business.  Using the seasons is a great strategy for developing marketing plans.  Be sure and plan your seasonal marketing strategy in advance so as not to miss a great window of opportunity.

Springtime typically plays on the senses of warmer happier times.  Here is a sample list of some ideas to get your creative juices flowing.  Please comment with your ideas and how you market your product(s) and/or service(s) this time of year.

• ·        The Time Change – Spring Forward – ‘It’s Time to Spring into Action’

o   Many businesses use the time change to send their clients and prospects a reminder to change their clocks and to ‘Spring into Action,’ i.e. Real Estate – To Sell their home and/or buy their Dream Home.

• ·        Talk about the Weather –

o   Example - Use gorgeous spring weather to help promote your business! Come up with deals that revolve around weather to attract customers. Weather can be particularly useful for restaurants with patios; these businesses can bring in customers by making deals on their meals and entice them with a nice patio table.  Also personal care products, businesses, or services, i.e. spas, weight loss, fitness – ‘Are you Beach Ready?’ 

• ·        Spring Cleaning – ‘Out with the Old and In with the New’ ‘Fresh Clean Start’  ‘New Inventory’

o   Example - Spring cleaning conjures up thoughts of getting rid of the old and bringing in the new, making the introduction of new products is ideal for this time of the year. Advertise an inventory sale to make room for the new stuff coming soon to generate interest. Another idea for a cleaning theme involves adding your company name, logo and website address to promotional cleaning materials, such as sponges, gloves or cleaning cloths, and handing them out or mailing the items to clients and prospects.

• ·        Using Holidays to Market – St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Passover, Earth Day, May Day, Mother’s Day, etc. 

o   Example - Tie your spring marketing campaigns to one of the holidays that fall during the season, such as Easter, Passover, May Day or Mother’s Day. Know your target market so the holiday you choose to tie your message to strongly appeals to prospects and clients, such as selling gifts for Mother’s Day or new clothing and shoes for Easter festivities. Implement promotional ideas to build traffic, such as if you own a floral shop, offer a “buy one, get one at 50 percent discount” on May Day bouquets.

• ·        Changing to Seasonal Colors - more pastel, spring like colors and/or using flowers, butterflies, etc.

o   Example - After a dreary winter, your customers are likely ready to see some bright, warm colors that will put them in a happier mood. You can use this to your advantage by posting social media statuses or pictures featuring brightly colored flowers or scenery and using in your email marketing.  Or if you have a storefront, re-decorating with spring colors and décor, flowers, etc.  Nothing is better than putting your customer in a good mood.  

• ·        Using Events like March Madness, Spring Break, April 15^th, etc.

o   Example - Create a marketing effort related to the annual celebration of Earth Day that takes place on April 22. Build your brand by sponsoring a road cleanup project or a tree planting event, and invite the community to join in. Design T-shirts with your company’s name, logo and the event name, and hand them out to everyone to wear while participating. Another green activity that’s ideal for spring includes sending your marketing message to prospects and clients on paper covered with seeds. After they have read your message, instead of sending the waste paper to a landfill, they can bury it and wildflowers will bloom.  Or send greeting cards with a packet of seeds with your springtime message.

We would love to hear your ideas for your Spring Marketing.

Happy Spring,

Annette

Painted Lady Enterprises

“Helping You and Your Business Look Good”

Material from: (More ideas are also available from these sites).

Small Business Chronicle - http://smallbusiness.chron.com/springtime-marketing-ideas-64289.html

Stella PR Marketing - http://stellaprmarketing.com/fresh-ideas-for-springtime-marketing/

A Time To Make Lists

I’m a list maker.  I have to write things down.  It seems that during the holidays, my lists multiply.  In addition to the normal to-do list, there’s the shopping list, the honey do list, the greeting card list, etc.  And then my lists have lists.

In business lists are very important, especially customer and prospect lists.   Past clients and prospects represent potential income.  It is extremely important for every business to keep contact records of past clients and prospects and keep in touch on a regular and consistent basis.  The reason a business should keep in touch with past clients and prospects is, you never know when they will 1) need your product/service again or 2) have an opportunity to refer you to someone who needs your product/service.   

How to build a list –

• As you meet potential clients, ask for their contact information.  Even if they don’t purchase at the time, you want to stay in touch.
• Offer something of value – information.  Start a newsletter with industry information that you publish on a periodic basis, like once a month.  As you meet people, ask if you may add them to your distribution lists.
• Have an ‘opt in’ feature on your website and/or blog to ‘Join your newsletter distribution list.’  You can also add this feature – ‘Join My List’ - to your Facebook business page.
• When you do trade shows and expos, give away a door prize by collecting contact information and having a drawing.
•  When doing speaking engagements, have a sign-up sheet for your newsletter.
•  When someone makes a purchase, be sure and get their contact information.  Send them a thank you and add them to your distribution list.

-      Also, keep track of where the names on your list come from.  I find it interesting to go back and see the source of the referral/sale.

So now that you have a list, how are some ways to use it? 

How to work a list –

• When you acquire a new client, you want to send them a thank you note.  You can send an email, but a good old fashion Thank You card sent through snail mail is even better, provided you have their snail mail address.

o   You can also use greeting cards to send them a birthday card, an anniversary card, and about any other type of holiday card.  I recommend sending a totally unexpected card for some unknown holiday at least once a year.  It gets their attention amongst all the junk mail and makes you and your business memorable.

• I mentioned above creating and sending a newsletter on a regular and consistent basis.  Make your newsletters informative about whatever industry you represent.  People love to be informed.
•  Use your social media channels.  When you publish your newsletter, post a link to it on all your social media platforms.  Do the same thing when you publish a new blog.  
•  Use your lists to inform your clients and prospects of sales and specials, however don’t constantly bombard them with only sales and specials or they will unsubscribe because they don’t perceive the value.  Think Givers Gain.  Give them information that is helpful to gain their trust.  They will value that and remember you when they get ready to purchase or have the opportunity to refer you.

If you're not building a list and keeping in touch, someone else is. I hope you found this information of value.  If you need help with newsletters or social media, please contact us.  This is our specialty.

Happy List Making!

Annette

Painted Lady Enterprises

‘Helping You and Your Business Look Good’