32 Back-to-School Marketing Tips for Retailers

Retailers are looking for ways to improve their in-store sales, and many have turned to marketing promotions as a means of doing so. With back-to-school season approaching, retailers should be planning ahead with these tips on how they can help boost retail traffic.

The “back to school marketing ideas” are the best way to market your product during this time of year. The tips that I have listed below will help you be successful in the upcoming season.

Back-to-school is the second-largest event on the retail calendar, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). Small companies, including those not directly selling back-to-school goods, can take use of the NRF’s consumer purchasing data and prepare for distinctive back-to-school marketing concepts.

Based on data we obtained, we’ve compiled a list of 32 back-to-school marketing suggestions for various businesses.

Back-to-School Marketing Suggestions for Any Company

This year’s back-to-school spending is predicted to reach $37.1 billion, shattering the previous high of $33.9 billion set last year. Families with school-aged children (K–12) expect to spend an average of $848.90 per household in 2021, compared to $1,200.32 for families with college kids.

This only indicates one thing: your retail marketing plan must be improved. Whether you manage a brick-and-mortar business, an internet company, or both, the following guidelines apply to all sectors.

1. Start Doing Promotions & Sales Early

According to the National Retail Federation, 51% of families began shopping for back-to-school supplies earlier this year. A quarter of back-to-school consumers had already begun researching and purchasing school-related things online as of early June. This is up from 21% last year and 17% in the year before to the epidemic. Back-to-school buying was scheduled around significant sale occasions like Prime Day, the Fourth of July, or Labor Day by 61 percent of respondents, up from 55 percent in 2019.

• To prepare for this and compete with huge shops like Amazon, make sure your goods is up to grade. Using your POS or retail management system, you may review your business history to see which goods were the most popular during last year’s back-to-school season.
• Check the price competitiveness of your items to check how other shops are pricing the same things you do to get a sense of what bargains to offer. Make a pricing and merchandising plan based on the facts. Learn how to strategically price things.
• Keep track of increasing retail trends to see which goods or promotions are popular so you can adjust.
• To get attention online and allow customers to prepare, announce your promos and sale events ahead of time. According to a survey, 71% of US customers are ready to wait more than two weeks before making a purchase if they are aware of a bargain, offer, or promotion.

2. Provide a seamless buyer experience across all channels

Back-to-school shoppers want an omnichannel purchasing experience, and this year’s back-to-school season is no exception. According to Shopkick, 85 percent of US customers plan to utilize their mobile devices throughout their shopping experience, from pricing comparison to item purchasing. More than half of shoppers check online for in-store delivery before walking into the store. Furthermore, 38% of customers intend to use BOPIS (buy-online-pickup-in-store) when it becomes accessible.

• Improve the experience of picking up items in stores. Customers may purchase online and pay in person at the store, or use the buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS) or curbside pickup options. Learn how to set up click and collect for your retail shop if you don’t already have it.
• To advertise shop items for nearby consumers, use local inventory ads in addition to other local advertising options. According to a Think with Google survey, more than half of back-to-school consumers (60 percent) want to conduct some of their buying from small companies this year. Make a local SEO investment.

3. Include Social Media in Your Marketing Plan

According to Deloitte’s back-to-school study (2021), 41% of back-to-school buyers intend to utilize social media to help them purchase. Although shopping straight from social media platforms is growing more popular, it is not the only reason why your retail company should be more active on social media.

People who use social media now visit shops’ social media accounts 42 percent of the time to evaluate their items and gain a feel of their brand’s personality and purpose, up from 30% in 2020. It’s also a means to keep in touch with consumers, keep them up to speed on new items, and teach them how to utilize them (via product photographs or real user reviews—social proof).

Tips for Ecommerce Stores on Back-to-School Marketing

Families have been looking forward to this year’s back-to-school season after a difficult 2020, even though just about half of pupils plan to return to in-class instruction for the school year. Even with the increasing desire to spend, pandemic-influenced buying behaviors are very certainly here to stay.

What exactly does it imply? In comparison to last year (37%) more families (39%) choose to buy online, and searches for offers and promotions also begin online, using devices such as smartphones (58 percent ). It’s the ideal moment to start planning your ecommerce marketing initiatives, which we’ll go over in detail below.

1. Make certain that your website is mobile-friendly.

Back-to-school customers may not even know you exist if you don’t have a mobile-friendly business. More individuals are opting for smartphone shopping since it is more convenient. Consumers feel that utilizing phone applications makes it simpler to study items and compare prices, enabling them to make a purchase.

Here are a few pointers on how to make your website a mobile-friendly online store:

• Make your website responsive. This implies that your website content will seem the same independent of the customer’s smartphone’s device, browser, or operating system.
• Keep both the text and the navigation elements as basic as possible.
• For incomplete or abandoned checkouts, enable stored shopping carts. People who are going about their business will finish a purchase if they can pick up where they left off in the transaction, regardless of the device they are using.
• Add buttons that can be used easily with the thumb or index finger.
• Make sure your calls to action (CTAs) are in the right place. Your add to cart button, in particular, should be visible even on a tiny screen.
• Optimize your photos to ensure that they load quickly and that you don’t lose the customer’s interest.
• Allow guests to check out. Because consumers desire to finish the checkout process as fast as possible, this helps to reduce the number of abandoned carts.

2. Provide free shipping on items for back-to-school.

Free shipping is increasingly expected by customers, and retailers that provide it find increased sales and fewer abandoned carts. If you don’t currently provide free delivery, consider doing it for a certain amount of money. This motivates customers to place larger purchases in order to qualify for free delivery, and you may promote it during back-to-school sales. As you prepare for the rush, use top shipping rate comparison tools to ensure that you’re obtaining the best prices on each shipment.

3. Display Back-to-School Products on Special Webpages & Menus

Create one-of-a-kind back-to-school landing pages for your website to emphasize offers, discounts, and back-to-school features. Also, consider adding unique back-to-school categories to your store’s menu to assist customers easily find the goods they desire. Include prominent links to these unique areas on your homepage and blog, as well as in your email and social media marketing campaigns.

4. Use In-Cart Coupons & Dropped Cart Remarketing

Don’t let customers abandon their online shopping basket without a struggle. Use in-cart coupon pop-ups to entice customers to finish their purchase without leaving. If they do, utilize dropped cart pop-ups to convince hesitant shoppers to finish their purchase with even more discounts or another inducement, such as a gift.

Back-to-School Marketing Ideas for Bookstores & School Supply Stores

The epidemic caused a notable change in family spending on back-to-school basics. However, more than half of US buyers plan to purchase school supplies, with 24% planning to spend the most money on them.

1. Combine your current offerings with safety supplies.

Personal protection equipment (PPE) and safety supplies, such as masks and hand sanitizers, have grown in demand as a result of enhanced health measures during the epidemic. According to Google Insights, more than a third of parents want to purchase masks and hand sanitizers for their children at school.

2. Create a Student Loyalty Program for Back-to-School.

Although parents, kids, and instructors make up the majority of back-to-school consumers, you might consider introducing a student-only loyalty program. Ensure that your loyalty program provides students with more perks than simply discounts. This will distinguish your program and boost your chances of gaining clients via word-of-mouth.

As part of your student loyalty program, you may provide the following benefits:

• Give kids a present as a sign of appreciation for their first purchase, such as a backpack, book, or folder. Invest in a one-of-a-kind product that you can find on Alibaba or other online marketplaces.
• In return for points, provide a monthly themed prize, such as painting materials during art month. Every year, provide a calendar with your topics to get your members enthusiastic.
• Hold a special yearly deal for members of your loyalty program.
• In return for points or recommendations, provide seats to educational activities. Tickets to family movies and unique access to book signings in your shop may also be included.
• Give student members a special discount on their birthdays or during their birthday months.

While implementing a loyalty program requires a minor upfront cost (providing discounts and free items), it pays off in the long term. Parents and instructors will value the life skills that pupils will get as a result of this chance, and you’ll be able to establish a loyal client base that will return to your business.

3. Create a School Supply Bundle with a Theme

Bundled items are a hallmark of retail marketing methods, but shoppers may miss them despite a good offer if the notion is too common. Adding a theme to your product bundles is a wonderful approach to make them more interesting.

Here are some ideas for themed school supply bundles:

• Make a number of color schemes.
• Similar pop culture designs should be grouped together.
• Combine high-end things with complementing ones to create a winning combination.
• Make use of recyclable packaging that children may bring to school.

There are several ways to profit from a themed school supplies package, and only your imagination limits your options. Make sure you mix it up and offer something for students of all ages. Also, make them stand out from the rest of your merchandise by displaying them prominently and include them in your shop window.

4. Collaborate with other local businesses to host back-to-school events

Summer is coming to an end with the start of back-to-school season. When the weather is still lovely and people are taking advantage of the final few days of vacation before school begins, it’s a fantastic time to throw an event. This is a terrific approach to reach out to a new consumer base and expand the number of individuals who will learn about your company and be interested in your goods or services.

During this time, check around your neighborhood to see if there is a business with whom you might collaborate on a back-to-school event. You may arrange a free ice cream night at a partner restaurant or organize a performance with a music venue. Consider giving out free samples of your goods in high-traffic locations such as restaurants, grocery shops, bookstores, and department stores.

5. Organize a supply drive for the school.

Starting a school supply drive is one way to become active in your community. This is a chance to establish your company’s brand organically, get awareness, and gain prospective clients’ confidence. Find a deserving school or organization in your neighborhood and launch a social media campaign to assist promote your event.

A school supply drive may be started in a variety of ways:

• Make your shop a central location where customers and staff may drop off school supplies for youngsters who don’t have them.
• Set up a donation box in your business so that consumers may learn about your objective and make a contribution to help you achieve it.
• Create a program in which your shop contributes a set of school supplies to a deserving youngster every time a client order totals a specific amount.
• Every consumer who makes a purchase from your shop will be able to make an automated donation.

Create a modest event in which you distribute your gathered money to the beneficiary schools to include your local community. To make the occasion more memorable, get comments from the local community about your program or include some of your contributors.

Back-to-School Marketing Ideas for Clothing & Shoe Stores

The majority of back-to-school purchasing choices are based on how excellent the discounts are. Because 60% of those planning to buy anticipate to spend the most money on apparel and shoes, this is where parents and young people are looking for bargains that will stretch their budget the farthest.

1. Use a POS System to Improve Your Loyalty Program

Retailers are always working to improve their loyalty programs in order to meet consumer expectations. This will enable businesses to give greater advantages, resulting in more members and more revenue. Customers demand a more personalised loyalty program, therefore retail shop owners should seek for one.

Vend is a point-of-sale (POS) system for shops that integrates customer management and loyalty software capabilities, enabling them to create their own bespoke program. Create a simple-to-manage reward program that makes it simple for your consumers to enroll. Today, pay a visit to Vend.

2. Market High-Demand Apparel

The items you have accessible must pique the curiosity of prospective buyers. This implies that you must determine which things are in high demand and will most likely be purchased. You can’t automatically anticipate the back-to-school items you had on display last year to be as popular this year.

Here are some things to think about while appraising your products:

• Learn about the school requirements in your area: Obtain accurate school supply, sports equipment, and uniform lists from your local school districts, and make stock purchases as needed. Nothing irritates parents or business owners more than having to return items because they don’t meet a school requirement. So, to guarantee that your things sell, keep to the list.
• Stock up on bestseller fundamentals: When buying back-to-school supplies, don’t be afraid to stock up on basics and other fast-moving needs. Splurging on speciality or seasonal items, on the other hand, should be avoided. It might be difficult to shift items like locker décor and unicorn-emblazoned notebooks after the school year is done. Keep the fancier extras to a bare minimum, and if you find them dragging during the rush, put them on display at the checkout with substantial back-to-school discounts to clear them out quickly.

There are several aspects that impact a customer’s purchasing choice, and you must keep informed. This will assist you make sure you have the proper things on display and keep clients from going to your competition.

3. Use strategic product layouts to create smart displays.

Convert your power walls and other premium in-store real estate into back-to-school extravaganza displays that inspire people to purchase. To keep your area orderly and simple to traverse, maximize these important selling places utilizing tried-and-true retail shop layout approaches. Use must-have items like uniforms and school clothing to get customers in, provide plenty of room for mobility on busy days, and keep your impulse-buy sections filled with low-cost add-ons.

4. Provide Teachers with Special Discounts

Instructors, like kids, need to prepare for back-to-school season, therefore merchants should remember to include teachers in their target market. Teachers will also need to upgrade their clothing with practical and useful items to assist them carry out their responsibilities at school.

They may, however, have different objectives and financial concerns than students, which may influence their purchasing selections. This provides a chance for merchants to differentiate themselves by providing unique discounts to instructors.

Here are some suggestions for saving money:

• Start a rewards program for teachers that enables them to collect points for every dollar they spend, which they can redeem for discounts on their next purchase.
• During the back-to-school season, create an exceptional one-day deal for teachers.
• Customer recommendations should be rewarded with special teacher discounts.

Teachers admire stores that understand their responsibilities as instructors. You expand your consumer base and strengthen your company’s brand by giving them with special offers.

Back-to-School Marketing Ideas for Electronic & Gadget Stores

Even in school, there is a move to digital technology. Because they are spending the same or more on online resources such as devices, educational tool licenses, and platform subscriptions, 44% acknowledged to purchasing less conventional school supplies, up from 40% last year. And 35 percent of electronic product purchases are made via internet-only businesses, indicating that online shopping is the favored option.

1. Offer Financing, Repairs & Upgrades for Electronics

Parents may wish to invest in new technology during the back-to-school season. However, since taking a child to school is costly even without purchasing school supplies, the newest devices may not be at the top of their priority list. It’s a fantastic opportunity to provide client financing to those who can’t afford to purchase your items entirely right now. It may boost the average purchase amount per client as well as increase the number of visits to your shop.

Upgrades and repairs are inextricably linked. If you provide upgrades, you’ll wind up with an older smartphone, laptop, or PC that you may restore or dismantle for components. As a result, you’ll be able to provide repair services as an alternative revenue stream for your company.

2. Improve Electronic Inventory Online Marketing Initiatives

Because one-third of back-to-school shopping is done online, internet marketing is critical for generating company leads and income. This entails ensuring that product listings and descriptions are current and accurate for electronics and gadget stores. It also necessitates developing a customer service plan to effectively support your online consumers.

Here are some suggestions for improving electronic shops’ internet marketing:

• Promote promotions on your social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, using eye-catching imagery and pictures.
• Update the homepage of your website to include any graphics related to your back-to-school promotions.
• To gather company leads, put in place strong customer relationship management (CRM) software. Back-to-school season brings more visitors to your website than normal, and a CRM may help keep things organized. On your website, use targeted lead magnet techniques like pop-ups, newsletter sign-ups, and contact forms.

Before the hectic season begins again, the conclusion of the summer season is a good opportunity to assess your online presence and clean up your website. With so many students depending on their devices to help them learn, it won’t be difficult for company owners to discover a means to efficiently sell their goods to their target audience.

3. Take advantage of back-to-school sales tax exemptions

During the back-to-school shopping season, several states provide sales tax breaks. Make it simple for customers to identify tax-free items on these busiest shopping days to increase your sales. This may be accomplished by marking qualifying goods or by establishing a sales tax holiday category for tax-free items you sell. If you collect taxes in participating states, take sure to familiarize yourself with your state’s tax collecting requirements and update your cart’s tax collection feature appropriately.

Back-to-School Marketing Ideas for Salons & Barbershops

During the back-to-school season, salons and barbershops notice a small boost in business. Parents are treating themselves to a pleasant day of pampering once they have more time on their hands, while students and instructors are getting ready to look their best on the first day of school.

1. Provide students with special salon loyalty cards.

Offer a loyalty program to encourage your youthful consumers to return to your salon or barbershop. Hair care may be costly, so take advantage of this opportunity to teach prospective consumers how they can save a lot of money by becoming regular customers. You may give them punch cards that they can redeem for a future complimentary hair grooming treatment.

To ensure that your loyalty card sticks out in your customer’s wallet, look for original and distinctive designs. You may even hire a company to assist you build virtual loyalty cards for your company.

2. Create Special Privileges for Parents & Teachers

Before or after the back-to-school bustle, parents and teachers alike desire some time to themselves. This is an excellent time to provide them with particular benefits that they will enjoy. Consider providing back-to-school hair supply items as an incentive for obtaining treatments for a certain amount of money. You may also provide unique services to your consumers, such as in-store daycare, makeover consultations, and other things that make shopping simpler for them.

3. Include a system for scheduling appointments online.

Many folks don’t have enough time to schedule a visit to the salon or barbershop because of the back-to-school rush. They don’t always have the patience to call for an appointment. This is where your website’s online appointment scheduling tool may help. A fast internet search can turn up possibilities for free appointment scheduling software that you can integrate into your website.

On your website, provide an appointment calendar that indicates available times. Once you’ve provided a link to your website with your customers, all they have to do now is go there and fill out a form to secure their appointment.

4. Brand Yourself as a Local Styling & Grooming Expert

Back-to-school season is an excellent opportunity to remind your contacts that you are a local authority. Collaborate with schools and other companies to put on an event to demonstrate your skills. Use this event to educate parents and teachers about concerns such as fast hair grooming for pupils on a budget or picture day hairstyling ideas.

Back-to-School Marketing Ideas for Supermarkets & Convenience Stores

The importance of food during the back-to-school season cannot be overstated. Parents are often seeking for new methods to encourage their children to eat healthily while staying within a budget. Unfortunately, this is not a simple chore, particularly for busy parents who do not have time to prepare fresh school snacks. This is where supermarkets and convenience shops may help by filling the gap.

1. Make Snack Packets

Working on a marketing plan to sell pre-bundled snacks that students can easily carry is always a problem for busy parents who want to give the greatest snacks for their children. The goal is to make snack packs ahead of time so that parents don’t have to waste time looking through aisles.

Consider the following snack ideas:

• Toddler cereal and milk snack packets
• Fruit cups with liquids that are more convenient to pack and transport to school
• Salads for one person
• Combination of sandwich and chips

Make your packages more valuable by being inventive. Small packets of moist tissue, hand sanitizers, or clips to close containers of unfinished food are also good ideas.

2. Begin a cooking demonstration

Another inventive approach is to conduct a quick-cooking demonstration centered on kids’ healthy snack and lunch suggestions. To achieve this, all you need is a little booth inside the store, or if you have some room outside, you can set up chairs for your audience to sit in while you perform. Finish the demonstration by passing out some of your final food goods for people to try. This is a fantastic method to work with businesses and highlight their goods.

3. Set up a food display near the checkout line.

In supermarkets, anxious children and busy parents who are in line to pay for their groceries may leave their purchases if they are kept waiting too long. Allow consumers access to product displays along the checkout line to keep them busy, and the line will seem to move faster. Make your displays dynamic, and strategically put messaging to encourage shoppers to add last-minute products to their shopping carts.

Restaurant Marketing Ideas for Back-to-School

Expect an influx of diners at restaurants since back-to-school is the second biggest buying season of the year, directly after the winter holidays. This is particularly true if your restaurant is near a retail center that attracts back-to-school customers. Keep in mind that other restaurants will be planning their marketing strategies at the same time, so you’ll need to come up with more inventive ideas to stand out.

1. Offer Food & Beverage Promos to Teachers & Students

Because students frequently have a restricted budget, discounts play a bigger role in their food habits. Leave a sign in your window stating that kids will get great discounts before and after school hours if they can show their legitimate school IDs.

You may do the same thing for instructors, or even offer them a free cup of coffee. While these offerings are modest and straightforward, they make a significant impact to students and instructors who are attempting to make the most of their limited daily allocations.

2. Offer Teacher & Student Discounts on Meal Deliveries

Consider offering special discounts for kids and teachers in your neighborhood if your restaurant provides delivery. You may give out fliers near schools or use short message service (SMS) marketing to send text message advertisements. You might also think about making a free app for a youthful audience to download on their phones. Then, straight to your subscribers, you may add marketing notifications and special event discounts.

3. Provide a Meal Prepaid Program

Consider launching a prepaid meals program that you can sell to parents if you have a college nearby. Students who have your store’s prepaid card may use it to get a free lunch, which is a great option for parents who want to make sure their children are eating healthy. Sell punch cards in various denominations to correlate to the quantity of meals that parents wish to prepay for their children. Obtain a mailing list from surrounding universities or contact the school’s promotional department to obtain leads.

Consider Lightspeed POS if you need a system that streamlines consumer payment processing and makes it simple to provide unique discounts. It enables you to apply dollar discounts to specific line items and construct coupon items that may be used to deduct from a total sales amount. You may also create and print actual coupons with scannable barcodes to make it easier for cashiers to process them.

Back-to-School Marketing Ideas for Gyms & Fitness Centers

Parents will have some alone time before picking up their children from school, so most people are hopeful about children returning to in-school learning. This may be a great way for fitness facilities to get people to sign up for memberships and programs.

1. Offer special discounts at the start of the school year or a year-long promotion for certain classes.

Specified discounts, “buy three, get one free” deals, or bundles for specific time periods might be promoted by fitness facilities and yoga studios. This might be a tempting offer for parents who want to attend lessons while their children are in school or burn off some of the additional energy that youngsters may have once the school year begins.

2. Teach a School-Based Fitness Class

Dance or yoga studios who wish to promote their company while also helping the community become more active might provide a free class at a school. Virtual courses may be a terrific option with the current health procedures in place.

3. Participate in a fitness challenge

Customers may reorient to a more regimented schedule by participating in a 30-day challenge at your fitness facility, electronically, or even via social media.

Conclusion

Families’ buying patterns and spending priorities have altered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it seems that pandemic-influenced purchasing behaviors aren’t going away anytime soon. Retailers could take advantage of these trends—omnichannel experience, mobile buying, and social commerce—by implementing marketing techniques that enhance the total buyer’s experience by allowing for a smooth transition from online to in-store purchases.

Back-to-school season is an excellent time to boost income and strengthen consumer and staff loyalty. We encourage preparing and thinking outside the box for marketing so that your company may take advantage of the second largest spending season of the year, as shown by the fact that consumers like to purchase earlier this year.

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