Overview
As a small business owner, you’ve probably faced your own busy season(s). If you’re a retailer, this can be around the holidays. If you’re a restaurant or a bar, maybe your busy season is in the summer when tourists are in town. During these busy times, you are likely stressed and pressed for personal time. This marketing activity is all about creating special limited-time offers for your customers who face busy seasons of their own!
Details
Those who experience busy seasons each year include…
- students (mid-year and final exams)
- tax professionals (end of the year)
- teachers (end of each semester)
- and other professionals.
An easy way to be seen as part of your community is to find ways to make the store more practical for customers during these times. Their time is precious, so make it easy (and fun!) for them to get in and out of your location.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Set up a gift-wrapping station during the Christmas season at your retail store to expedite customers in and out of the store.
- Offer discounts on late-night (0r early morning) meals at your restaurant when college customers show their school ID.
- Create special operating hours to meet the needs of a certain customer group.
- Host a “thank you” party for the teachers in your community. Offer discounts or special take-aways.
- See if you can set up a pop-up shop near libraries so students can grab and go on their way to and from studying.
- Send a special invitation to tax professionals in your neighborhood, with an special offer to come in and try your product celebrating end of tax season.
- Imagine that smiling faces if you were to sponsor free 5-minute back massages for free outside of your location during the busy holiday shopping times.
If your business is located on or near a college campus, you can find exam schedules and other academic events in the local college paper or on the schools’ website. Just knowing what’s going on at the school and figuring out how to become a part of it is half the battle!
Photo Source: flickr.com/photos/scubasteveo/296747958
