As the air gets cooler, kids return to school and fresh apples appear at farm stands, it’s time to wrap up summer promotions and transition into an autumn state of mind. Fall is many people’s favorite season for its delicious foods, cozy attire and fun celebrations. As a small business owner, you can capitalize on the seasonal joy by planning a fall-themed marketing event. Hosting an event that highlights customers’ favorite activities is a great way to build brand recognition and stay in people’s minds as the holidays roll around.
The following ideas will help you to organize a great event that’s sure to be a hit in the community.
Football party
A fantasy football event or game-watching party are great ways to connect with sports fans. Restaurants can offer special deals for customers who come to watch the game and post schedules of what games they’ll be hosting promotions for. Other businesses can host a wing night or community barbecue for fantasy football drafts. Don’t forget to bring Customized Football Stress Relievers for your customers to toss around and squeeze during controversial replays. Aligning your business with the local team is a great way to establish yourself in the minds of sport fans.
Halloween trick-or-treating
Halloween is a great holiday to host an inexpensive promotion. Employees will love to help decorate with spider webs and carved pumpkins. You can offer discounts for patrons who come into your business dressed in costume, or stay open late and hand out candy to trick-or-treaters. In lieu of traditional goodies, you can give out customized Gummy Bear Pillow Bags. Celebrating with the community is a great way to build relationships and further establish your brand.
Fall festivals
An autumn festival is the perfect family-friendly event to hold in your community. Consider partnering with other local businesses to throw a bigger event and get more attendees. If you can secure a local park or playground to host the fall festival, you can have games like apple-bobbing and egg tosses and activities like hay rides and pumpkin carving. Decorate the area with hay bales and pumpkins and hire a local band for a fun and festive atmosphere. Don’t forget treats like warm apple cider, pumpkin spice cookies and toasted pumpkin seeds!
Giving thanks in the community
The weeks before Thanksgiving are the opportune time to organize a food collection or volunteer event. You can set up a donation booth to collect canned food goods and money for a local food pantry. If you want to take a more hands-on approach, lead a community cleanup or decorate public spaces for the upcoming holidays. You can give participants a small token of your appreciation with a Food Drive Reusable Shopping Bag or a discount next time they patronize your business. Giving back will get your employees into the holiday spirit and will also show customers that you’re dedicated to supporting the community.
Election Day
Embrace democracy and hold a voting event at your business during the first week of November. Prager Microsystems suggested that you let customers vote on your next big event or new products, and enter participants into a raffle. Let followers on social media participate in the voting, too. You can offer a gift certificate, prize basket or coupon to the raffle winner. Another idea is to invite a local candidate to hold a question and answer session in your business. Encouraging residents to cast their vote in the upcoming election will show your patriotism and hopefully introduce you to new customers.