Knowing when to promote your products and services online is key to engaging with your customers in a timely manner. Here are some common seasonal events to target.

Seasonal Change

This point mainly applies to clothing but can also have an effect on goods that are used outdoors such as camping equipment. As the seasons change throughout the year, so too do the needs and attributes of the goods that we buy. At transitional phases, it makes sense to hold a sale for older stock and at the same time introduce newer stock. An example of this would be holding a sale on swimsuits at the end of summer and introducing jackets and coats into your online shop in their place for autumn.

Mother’s Day + Father’s Day – March + June (EU)

Of the two, Mother’s Day seems to be a more visible force online as opposed to Father’s Day. Apart from this being a niche opportunity for a business(s) to corner the market, these two days see shoppers look to purchase trinkets and tokens to mark the occasion for their parents. Mobilize your mailing list here to first of all remind subscribers that these dates are approaching and also offer them gift ideas within the same e-mail. Account for those who may have parents living abroad by offering expedited delivery options for a fee.

Back to School – August + September

Parents can dread the back-to-school timeframe as they are faced with buying uniforms, books, school bags, and more in one fell swoop per child. Savvy and smart shoppers like to do this ahead of time bit by bit when money allows or all at once to avoid the last-minute rush. Your website can hop onto this trend by offering package or value deals. For example, “Purchase a school bag, lunch box, and drinks bottle from us and we will include a free pencil case and stationery pack with your order.” Or to foster return spending from customers, offer them 10% off all of their orders up until September when they register for an account with you.

Christmas – November + December (or even sooner for some . . .)

The juggernaut of online shopping activity, the Christmas period sees increased traffic and expenditure in basically all sectors. To stay ahead of the competition, you need to ensure that your stock is replenished, delivery and lead times are in order and you have staff available (perhaps in an online chat capacity) to deal with increased queries and customer interaction. Read our full guide on how to get your website ready for the Christmas commotion by clicking here.