On Hold Marketing – It’s Time to Go Back to School!

As it usually does, summer is flying by once again, and soon it’ll be time to put the beach ball and pool floats away, and that can only mean one thing. Back-to-School will be here before you know it! We’ve previously posted back to school script ideas, and it’s that time again to put you’re marketing thinking cap on, and make sure your on hold message is ready to make the grade.

For many businesses, the back to school season holds plenty of marketing opportunities as  70 million students head back to school. This can translate into big bucks for retailers and huge opportunities for marketers.  Back to school affects a wide range of markets, from Millennial parents with young children starting kindergarten to Boomers with children in college – not to mention college students shopping for themselves.

It also affects a myriad of industries, from apparel and accessories to home furnishings (for dorm rooms), school supplies and electronics. But what if you’re not a retail brand, can your business still cash in on the back-to-school season? Absolutely! Here are some helpful ideas below for your slice of the the back-to-school shopping season.

Restaurants

Many families celebrate the new school year by going out to dinner as a family. Restaurants can offer a special family-friendly menu for the first few weeks of the new school year in their area, or actual discounts on existing menu items for families that come in during the first week of school. This is another great industry to give a special shout-out to teachers by offering a free or discounted meal for teachers during the first month of school.

Home Services

Home services businesses should consider the busy season of people moving in and out of apartments at the start of a college school year. Many students get new apartments cleaned professionally prior to moving in (even if they’ve already been cleaned by the landlord), so you can offer a special price on booking both the beginning and end of year cleaning services. Other home services businesses, like roofers, landscapers and plumbers can offer back-to-school specials or system tune-ups heading into the Fall. If a homeowner has been eyeing a new roof, this timing and deal might make them finally take the leap.

Grocery

School is starting again, which means packing a lot of lunches. Grocery stores can group ready-to-eat and healthy school lunch items in one part of the store so parents can build lunches in the same place, instead of searching for ingredients to balanced meals for their kids. Label the section “Lunchbox Ready Meals,” and maybe provide a discount or additional incentive, and you’re good to go.

Medical/Dental

Classrooms tend to breed germs. It’s just a fact of life and kindergartners through college students are sure to contract something from their learning environment. Doctors and hospitals can market back-to-school physicals for students to get a baseline for the year. Additionally, most schools require annual physicals for students who participate in gym classes and organized sports, so craft your messaging around making it an annual appointment. For the dental industry, parents and college students will want to get their biannual check-up in prior to school starting. Consider extending your hours — and publicizing them — for the month of August to accommodate more patients during the back-to-school rush. Clients will appreciate your flexibility, creating more loyalty to your dental practice.

Automotive

Family car interiors take a beating throughout the summer with carpools, swim and baseball practice and every other activity kids need to be shuttled to throughout the summer. Auto servicing businesses can offer discounts on car detailing to rid parents’ cars of the summer smells and loose french fries stuck between the seats. Craft your messaging around the start of a new school year and getting a car that feels like new again. These ideas should get you thinking about what promotion might be right for your business to snag some of the back-to-school revenue, but the options are truly endless. Think about the customer that normally comes in and who you would like to come in and craft a creative message or offer that appeals to that target audience.

Recreation/Entertainment

If your business offers special classes or events, consider “Last Chance” deals for the end of the summer. If you own a rock climbing gym or a small city museum, lead with marketing that asks patrons not to miss out on the “last hurrah” of summer they might been looking for.

Summer is not over yet, so you still have time to develop a dazzling Back-to-School message on hold campaign. But be sure to create the urgency to buy during this two-plus-month shopping event. Try incorporating a few of these marketing ideas into your strategy, and you’re bound to have a delightful influx of new sales.

Do you have a success story about ideas you use in your on hold marketing during the back-to-school season? Comment below or share it on facebook.