For many small business owners, the fall is possibly the most critical time of year for revenue growth. With the possible exception of large retailers (whose largest season is the holidays) and restaurant/hospitality businesses (who typically generate their maximum revenue during the summer vacation period), nearly every other small business finds itself pinpointing their largest growth first and foremost during the fall when prospects return from vacations, kids go back to school, and customers are ready to talk about their needs and plans for the future. That’s why the months of September, October, and November are so critical.
Take a look at these 3 tips you can use now to hit the ground running during this critical selling period between Labor Day and Thanksgiving:
1. Understand fall trends. Conduct thorough research to grasp the nuances of design and color trend characteristics of the fall season. This understanding will empower you to meticulously curate and present sought-after designs that will resonate with your customers. Partner with a reputable trade printer to develop or source designs that are specific to fall themes, such as autumn leaves, pumpkins, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and cozy vibes. Embracing original and imaginative designs holds the potential to captivate customers seeking seasonal embellishments or thoughtful gifts. Staying in tune with fall events like fall sports, school activities, retail events/sales, and the peak political season will ensure you maintain a steady stream of print sales throughout the fall season.
2. Develop a new offering. Speaking of new products or services, now is a great time to offer something new in this area. If you’ve been marketing the same products to the same customers all summer, consider offering organized print packages featuring premium print options (many businesses create three versions, following the ‘good, better, best’ model) — consider cross-selling with promo to increase their reach (and your profit margin). Don’t overlook the print opportunities available to you now as the political season ramps up. Smart print resellers can expand election business even further by looking beyond just the candidates who are running for office. Organizations promoting ballot initiatives — which grow in number every year — will be interested in the same range of products to support rallies, events, and door knocking campaigns. They may also be interested in large format banners, presentation folders and pitch books to help spread information. Finally, don’t forget polling places, which typically feature signage and floor graphics to help guide voters through the process of casting their ballots. Elections are big business for printers, and with a little help from a reputable trade printer, you can capture your share of this lucrative market. Partner with a reputable trade printer that has fall-themed sports and political sales resources available to you to make your marketing efforts simple by providing you product images, social media posts, and emails ready to use for easy downloading so you can save time and money on your creative work
3. Prepare for special events. Plan for what you can do this fall to build traction and drum up new business. For example, you might want to plan out a new marketing campaign around a special offer. Consider offering special fall promotions, discounts, or bundle deals to entice customers. Limited-time offers can create a sense of urgency and drive sales. If possible, participate in local fall festivals, craft fairs, and markets. These events can help you connect directly with customers and gain exposure.
When developing your fall sales strategy, keep in mind that successful print reselling requires a combination of creativity, marketing savvy, and attention to detail. By staying in tune to fall trends and customer preferences, you can position your business for a successful fall sales season.
Source: lagerquistaccounting.com