As the warm summer days begin to get shorter, Canadian retailers must prepare for one of the busiest shopping seasons of the year: back-to-school. This period offers a golden opportunity to boost sales and connect with students, parents, and educators across the country. To make the most of this bustling season, you need a comprehensive marketing and advertising strategy that addresses the unique needs of the Canadian market.
Timing For Back-To-School Advertising Is Everything
While Canadian schools typically open their doors in late August or early September, savvy retailers know that the shopping season starts much earlier. Launching campaigns in mid-July can capture the attention of early planners while extending promotions through September ensures you don’t miss out on last-minute shoppers.
If you’re reading this in August, you may think you’re too late but there are still some marketing strategies you can put in place before the school year starts. Remember, many students don’t know what they actually need until school has already begun, especially in the post secondary market. And, whatever they are searching for you want your business to be found when they do start shopping.
You Need To Know Who Your Back-To-School Audience Is
Understanding your audience is key to crafting effective advertising and marketing messages. In the back-to-school context, this means appealing to multiple groups. Parents, often the primary decision-makers, are looking for value and quality. Students, while not always the ones holding the purse strings, have significant influence over purchasing decisions and are drawn to trendy and personalized items. Teachers, too, represent an important demographic, as they often need to stock up on classroom supplies.
Take Advantage of Holidays & Long Weekends
Canadian retailers can gain an edge by aligning their promotions with national holidays. The Civic Holiday, or Simcoe Day, is observed on the first Monday of August in Ontario, and Labour Day, celebrated nationwide on the first Monday of September, provide excellent opportunities for themed sales events. Although these holidays are good to leverage, there’s nothing stopping you from creating your own themed weekends to help sell a little more as well. Think about holding a cottage themed sale or perhaps a summer vacation event. Remember, most post secondary students also move onto campus on the Labour Day weekend so they will often do a lot of their shopping for their new residence before, during, and after they get settled.
Make Bundle Offers To Appeal To Back-To-School Shoppers
In today’s competitive retail landscape, offering more than just products is essential. Bundle deals that combine essential items like backpacks, notebooks, and writing instruments can be particularly attractive to budget-conscious shoppers. You can also create back-to-school starter packs, like food, clothing, and grooming essentials, for post-secondary students living on their own. Additionally, implementing a loyalty program can encourage repeat purchases and foster long-term customer relationships. A student card that offers a free item after multiple purchases can be very effective – especially in the fast food or restaurant industry.
Digital Advertising Lets You Target Effectively And Quickly
Digital advertising has become indispensable, especially when targeting younger demographics. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are extremely popular among Canadian youth and Google still reigns supreme when it comes to being found when someone is searching for your product or service to buy. Retailers should create engaging content that showcases their products in creative ways. Even if you’ve come at back-to-school marketing late, it’s quick and easy to redirect your Google or Facebook ads to appeal to your target audience. Redirecting your focus for a month or more is a strategic way to draw in a new audience who may not be familiar with local businesses in a new area. You should also create niche profiles of your core target audience and test out different wording, imagery, styles, and ad platforms to see which generates the highest return on your investment. The more personalized you can make your advertising, the more likely the customer will think “Wow, this is exactly what I need!”
Focus On Eco-Friendly Initiatives
Sustainability is a growing concern for many Canadian consumers, especially Gen Z. Retailers who highlight eco-friendly products and sustainable practices can appeal to environmentally conscious shoppers. This could include featuring items made from recycled materials or implementing packaging reduction initiatives. If there isn’t a recycled material you use, think about making a small donation to an environmental cause with each purchase to draw them in.
Make Sure Your Back-To-School Advertising Crosses Multiple Marketing Channels
Creating a seamless omnichannel experience is crucial in today’s retail environment. Customers should be able to easily transition between browsing on their phones and in-store shopping. Click-and-collect services, for instance, can be particularly appealing during the busy back-to-school season. Implementing a radio campaign can also reach new customers who will visit your retail location to take advantage of back-to-school specials.
Ramp You The Appeal To Reach Families Looking For Good Value
With the rising cost of living affecting many Canadian families, it’s important to emphasize the value proposition of your products. Highlight durability and quality to show how your items are a wise investment for the school year ahead. Offering a repeat purchase discount coupon can also be an effective way to build your customer base. This can be done through messaging, email, posted on your website, or your social media accounts as a simple QR code.
Don’t Skip The Back-To-School Rush. Call Us Today!
Don’t wait until the bell rings to put your back-to-school marketing in place. Get started as early as possible so you get the most out of your advertising dollars. Not sure where to start? Don’t have time to implement a program? Then it’s time to call 3SIXTY Marketing Solutions and learn how we can get your back-to-school campaigns up to speed today. Call 647-250-1494, or book a free consultation now.
