The long, hot summer has finally departed and left in its wake a decidedly autumnal feel. Whilst seasonal events like back to school and Halloween are obvious targets for marketers, the weather also influences shopper behaviour, providing an effective way to boost sales at pretty much any time of the year.
whatever the season, make sure that you’re ready to respond to changes in customer demand influenced by the weather.
Bright sunny autumn days generally make people want to spend time outdoors, so if you sell outdoor gear or clothing, run a visitor attraction, sell gardening supplies or even barbecue friendly food and drink, a well-timed email marketing campaign on a crisp autumn day can work wonders.
Similarly, cold and miserable days will lead people to hunker down indoors, meaning that wet weather provides a great opportunity to promote products including cosy home furnishings, comfort food and home entertainment.
So whatever the season, make sure that you’re ready to respond to changes in customer demand influenced by the weather.
Email Marketing Ideas for Dry and Sunny Autumn Days
With the change in season leading to darker and colder days, the odd bright sunny day can heavily influence people into wanting to rush outdoors to make the most of the sunshine before winter sets in.
Hungry for end of season bargains, particularly when it comes to leisure, a well-timed email marketing campaign promoting any of the following can work wonders.
- End of season sales on barbecues, gardening equipment, camping and outdoor furniture
- Stationary, school uniforms, bags, laptops and books to facilitate the return to school/college/university
- Gardening supplies and anything related to planting and tidying up the garden before winter
- Seasonal clothing collections and outdoor clothing including layers, boots and mid-weight coats
- Outdoor visitor attractions like country parks, gardens and local outdoor events
Email Marketing Ideas for Cold and Wet Autumn Days
The weather outside sucks and you’ve checked the forecast and it’s not going to get any better for a few days yet.
The good news is that when it’s cold and wet people generally prefer to spend more time indoors, so thoughts turn to cooking hearty comfort food, indoor entertainment and making sure that the home feels cosy and inviting.
- Seasonal clothing including thermals, winter coats, boots and umbrellas
- Entertainment subscriptions like Now TV, Netflix, Xbox Gold etc.
- Seasonal restaurant menus and money off deals focusing on comfort food
- Books, PC & console gaming and board games
- Warm and cosy home furnishings like throws, blankets, hot water bottles and duvet sets
- Comfort food including cookery books, food subscriptions and hearty ready meals and recipes
Getting It Right – Speed and Relevance
Whatever you’re promoting, speed and relevance is key. There’s nothing quite as cringe-worthy as receiving an email talking about heavy rain, promoting umbrellas and raincoats when it’s dry and bright outside!
If you’re a retailer hoping to use the weather to your advantage, make sure you act fast and also make sure that you’ve checked the weather forecast to ensure whatever you’re promoting is as relevant as possible to not only the season, but to the weather on the day that you send your email out.
Check out some more seasonal email marketing ideas. If you need a hand with your email marketing, we can help. Get in touch with us.