Back-to-school promotions have wrapped up, students are settling into their routines, and local businesses are turning their attention toward fall. For media sellers, September is not the time to slow down, it is the bridge between summer promotions and the busiest advertising months of the year.
What you do now can determine how strong your fourth quarter will be.
FOLLOW UP WHILE THE PROMOTION IS FRESH
Reconnect with the businesses that participated in your back-to-school promotions, but don’t begin with another sales pitch. Ask how the promotion performed, what response they received, and whether it helped them reach their goals.
This is your opportunity to learn what worked and begin discussing what comes next. A back-to-school advertiser may also be a strong fit for fall sports, Halloween, holiday shopping, or year-end campaigns. Use the results and feedback from one promotion to guide the next conversation.
SHIFT YOUR PROSPECTING TOWARD FALL
Update your prospecting list to include businesses that benefit from cooler weather, seasonal changes, and fall activities. Potential categories include:
- Home-improvement companies
- Heating and cooling services
- Lawn and landscaping businesses
- Restaurants and coffee shops
- Boutiques and retailers
- Insurance agencies
- Healthcare providers and gyms
- Automotive businesses
- Entertainment venues
Fall also brings football, school activities, community festivals, Halloween events, and seasonal fundraisers. Look at what is happening locally and identify businesses that could benefit from being connected to those opportunities.
Instead of bringing every prospect the same package, bring them an idea that makes sense for their customers and business goals.
RECONNECT WITH QUIET CLIENTS
August is also an ideal time to review your account list and identify clients who have gone quiet. A former advertiser may not have stopped advertising because of a bad experience. Their campaign may have ended, their priorities may have changed, or no one may have followed up.
Reach out with a genuine check-in. Ask how business has been, what has changed, and what they are preparing for this fall. Even if they are not ready to advertise today, the conversation can put you back on their radar before they begin making fourth-quarter decisions.
BUILD IDEAS BEFORE YOU BUILD PACKAGES
Local businesses do not necessarily need another generic advertising package. They need ideas that can help them attract customers, increase traffic, strengthen awareness, or solve a specific problem.
Begin building promotions around:
- Friday night football and local team spirit
- Fall festivals and community events
- Halloween contests and giveaways
- Seasonal hiring
- Customer-appreciation campaigns
- Preparing homes and vehicles for colder weather
- Early holiday shopping
- Small Business Saturday
- Thanksgiving and charitable giving
- Year-end planning and professional services
A strong idea gives a client a reason to have a conversation. Once you understand the objective, you can recommend the right combination of on-air, digital, social, event, and promotional opportunities.
DON’T WAIT FOR THE HOLIDAY RUSH
The weeks after back-to-school may feel like a pause, but they are actually a valuable planning window. Use this time to follow up, prospect with purpose, reconnect with former advertisers, and begin conversations about fall and the fourth quarter.
Sellers who wait until November to discuss holiday advertising will often hear, “Our plans are already set.” Sellers who begin now have an opportunity to help shape those plans.
AUGUST SELLER CHALLENGE
Choose five current clients, five former clients, and five new prospects. Contact each one before the end of August and ask about their priorities for fall and the fourth quarter.
Fifteen thoughtful conversations now could help create your strongest finish of the year.
Happy Selling & Good Luck!