Fall is always a great season to “get back to business” after a season of summer which is known for “fun and vacations”.
Besides the cooler weather, back to school activities, apple picking, daylight saving time and the beautiful change of leaves that creates a majestic fall; we are also inundated with marketing messages from external sources that are pushing us into the fall season.
Retailers are great at marketing new seasons as opportunities to drive more online orders, in-store traffic and transactions. With each new season brings new marketing messages and "must have" merchandise that attracts and taps into consumers’ emotions shouting it's time for change. The retailers have the marketing savvy to bring in "new" and "what's hot" so we (the consumer) feel the impulse to buy it NOW for the season.
Retailers help push the mind-set of the consumers to get ready for a different season through all the different ways they communicate with us. My email inbox has been full of them. I am referring to fall messages from retailers with subject lines like: Fall's must-have hues?; We have them; Ready for fall?; We have 20 NEW scents; fall hair color, halloween party and other search trends; 3 pants for fall; and use code FALL4ALL;
Do you get the message? I have.
These messages focus on the change of season as it relates to different colors that you probably don't have. Plus, they are very good at reminding us of things we have to do to prepare for the new season. And, I'm not just talking about clothing. I'm talking categories like paint, health and beauty care, housewares, outdoor living, etc. (Think of the transition of family fun around the pool to family fun around the fire pit).
Isn't it interesting how marketing communication messages do help us focus on getting ready for the new season? And, why not leverage the new season and piggy back on all of the external indicators that change is inevitably coming? We all should be using retail as a best practice and asking ourselves how we can optimize the season to promote and market our business. What are some seasonal trends that we can use in communicating our business assets?
Creating seasonal marketing programs and messages inevitably does help to officially usher in the next season of life. But more important, it helps to grow revenue. And, while many of us may grumble that it’s too early to see Halloween merchandise or leaf blowers; we must admit that we all need a nudge to get back to business and ready for the fall season. By the way, don't forget to change your clock on Sunday, November 6th this year.
Sonya Ruff Jarvis, is the Managing Member of Jarvis Consultants and Founder of the eRetailer Summit. Sonya has extensive experience in creating original innovative solutions to overcome major business challenges. Sonya has spent most of her career visiting headquarters across global industries and has built strong business relationships across diverse brands.
Sonya has a M.B.A. in Marketing. She is married and has a daughter and they live in Fairfield County Connecticut.