Seasonal marketing works best when customers can picture what’s in it for them.
I wanted cooler weather. Apparently, I also needed new pillows.
I wanted cooler weather. Suddenly, I also needed new pillows.
Somewhere between looking forward to fall and looking at fall, an entire shopping list appeared. A wreath. A candle. A throw blanket for weather that had not yet committed to requiring one.
We’ve had some wonderful rain here in Texas lately. I’m delighted. But according to the seasonal displays, my response should probably include a coordinated entryway.
I like decorating for fall. Give me an interesting pumpkin, a pretty arrangement, and a reason to change things around, and I’m happy to participate.
Still, the marketer in me has to admire how thoroughly we’ve turned a change in the weather into a reason to check out.
A candle almost always has a good story
A fall candle is rarely presented as a cylinder of wax with a useful burn time.
It’s an evening.
There’s a book nearby. Something warm in a mug. A blanket draped just so. The room looks comfortable, inviting, and suspiciously free of charging cables.
I can practically hear the wind against the window.
And that’s before anyone tells me what the candle smells like.
The product gives me a way to picture an experience I already want. A little warmth. A room I enjoy being in. A seasonal change I can actually see, even if the weather is taking its time.
That’s good marketing.
It understands why someone might care, then helps her imagine the purchase in her own life.
I know how it works. I’ve spent more than thirty years working on some version of it.
I can still appreciate a good candle.
What are we actually bringing home?
Think about the things that catch your attention this time of year.
A fall festival might appeal because it gives you somewhere to go with a friend. A seasonal menu offers a break from deciding what to make for dinner. A wreath makes the front door feel welcoming before anyone even knocks.
Those are different reasons to buy, even when the promotions all use the same leaves and pumpkins.
For a business owner, that distinction matters.
“Fall is here!” gives you a theme. It doesn’t explain why someone should choose your event, your shop, or your service.
A customer may be looking for an easy Saturday outing with the kids. Someone else wants a gift that feels thoughtful without requiring an afternoon of research. Another person would happily book dinner if she knew there was a place where everyone in the group could find something they liked.
You can do a lot with those details.
Much more, usually, than you can do with another orange graphic.
When the invitation gets crowded
Of course, October has quite a few businesses trying to help us enjoy October.
And November.
And December, which has apparently sent someone ahead to save its seat.
Before long, the invitations start to sound alike. Get ready. Don’t miss out. Shop early. Book now. Make this season special.
Individually, each one may be perfectly reasonable. Together, they can make a pleasant time of year feel oddly demanding.
This is where I think businesses have an opportunity to be more specific, and a little more hospitable.
Tell me what the evening will be like. Show me the gift I could bring to a host. Explain what’s included, where to park, or whether I need a reservation.
Give me enough to imagine myself there and decide whether it fits.
If you’re offering a lovely experience, let me see it. You don’t have to make my current October sound inadequate to sell me a better afternoon.
I might still buy the pillows
There’s pleasure in marking a season. Putting something pretty by the door. Trying a new flavor. Choosing an outing because it sounds fun.
I want businesses to offer those things. I want them to do well.
The most appealing invitations understand what would make the purchase worthwhile to the person receiving them. They give her a reason to look forward to it, along with the details she needs to say yes.
That’s the part I’m watching as we move further into October.
The story behind the candle. The promise behind the ticket. The reason a perfectly sensible person suddenly considers replacing her pillows.
As for me, I’m enjoying the rain.
And if a candle can make the house smell like fall while Texas sorts out the temperature, I’m willing to hear its proposal.