Seasonal Marketing Ideas

By Julie Thompson, eHow Contributor

Seasonal Marketing Calendar
Begin by creating a marketing calendar for the next 12 months. Write down major holidays like Valentine's Day and Thanksgiving, the four seasons, and seasonal lifestyle events like back-to-school and football season. Use this template to gather ideas that best fit your industry and business. In the fall, a butcher can develop a tailgate campaign for football fans, a landscape architect can send tips on how to prepare for the upcoming winter, and a furniture store can sponsor Thanksgiving tablescapes created by local interior designers.

Seasonal Marketing Campaigns
Once you've keyed in on the seasonal promotions that make sense for your business and fit your budget, the real planning begins. Who do you want to reach? Current customers? New customers? Both? Determine the best way to reach the intended audience, including email blasts, postcards, publicity, advertising and in-store signage. The marketing mix is important, so do your research on how long design and printing will take, how you'll acquire mailing lists, and all the costs involved.

Less-Hyped Holidays
Although the biggies like Christmas and Halloween will be part of your seasonal marketing strategy, try to find at least one less-hyped holiday around which to create a campaign. Doing this effectively will make your business stand out and give you more bang for your marketing buck. A video store can host a Groundhog Day raffle, in which the winner gets a copy of the movie "Groundhog Day" and free rentals for a period of time. These types of promotions are also a great way to increase your direct and email lists, as long as entrants know how their information will be used.

Memorable Seasonal Marketing
Include publicity as part of your goal. What can you do that is newsworthy? What will have great photo opportunities? How about a hair salon donating makeovers to low-income single moms re-entering the workforce around Mother's Day? Get signed photo releases from each participant, then display the before and after shots on your website and social media channels. Submit to the press along with a release.

'Tis the Season
A seasonal marketing strategy is an effective way to create memorable campaigns and increase publicity and word-of-mouth referrals. Brainstorm ideas that link your business to a holiday or season, plan the campaign, and have fun putting it together.

Article source: http://www.ehow.com/list_6162205_seasonal-marketing-ideas.html

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Seasonal Marketing Ideas