The date for Easter bank holiday weekend changes every year. This year the long weekend is earlier than ever, falling over the last weekend of March (25th-28th March).The bank holiday weekend is a time for weekends away, shopping trips, days out, family get togethers and socialising (not forgetting eating plenty of chocolate). It is the perfect marketing opportunity for organisations to rein in new customers and build further business with existing clients. With 63% of people saying they would rather give up chocolate for their mobile phone, ditch the Easter eggs and go mobile! So how can businesses get their consumers to be eggstatic for the upcoming weekend?
Eggcellent Offers
Many retailers run sales and special offers over the Easter weekend, and in 2015 retail footfall increased by 4.7%. Supermarkets may have special offers on alcohol to promote the social side of things, playing on the fact that there’s four days off work! Some people may instead use the four days off to redecorate part of the house, making it the perfect opportunity for companies such as furniture or DIY shops to promote special offers. Easter is also a time for egg-changing gifts, so ensure your customers know if they have to order by a certain date to receive it in time for the bank holiday.
Eggstatic Giveaways
As we previously mentioned Easter is a time for giving – so why not run an eggciting competition for your customer! The prize could be something simple like a chocolate Easter egg or maybe something more expensive like £100 gift voucher – the choice is yours! The key about competitions is that your giving customers an incentive in doing something beneficial for your business. Maybe you want customers to fill out your customer satisfaction survey? Or even fill out their details so you can build you client database – you decide!
Eggciting Days Out
Families may want to take a day out somewhere, so why not promote the events you’re running? Just before the Easter bank holiday in 2014, the National Tourist Board revealed that 6.5 million brits had already made plans for day trips out, while another 13 million said they were likely to be out and about over the weekend. Maybe it’s an Easter egg hunt or you’ve got a special Sunday Roast lined up. Do your customers need to book in advance, or can they just turn up on the day? Whichever the answer – make sure they’re aware! Once they’ve booked, keep them informed of any relevant updates. For example, if the event is outdoors, will it still go ahead if it’s raining? “Hi Justin. We’re looking forward to seeing you at the Easter egg hunt tomorrow. Don’t forget your wellies if it’s raining!”
Sunday Eggstravaganza
Numerous pubs, clubs and bars are likely to be open later over the bank holiday, especially on the Sunday – because they can. A bank holiday is apparently the third highest occasion to go to the pub or club. Utilise your existing marketing database You may already have a database of regular customers, so make sure you keep your loyal regulars informed of extended opening hours, or any Easter deals that you may have on. Your customers may also be interested in having a big Sunday lunch, whether traditional or not, so if you’ve got food on offer make sure your customers are aware, as well as what time you are serving food until.
Like anything, the Easter weekend will be here before we know it. Make sure you and your business is fully prepared for the weekend, promoting your offers and deals far enough in advance to get customers interested in what you’ve got planned.
With Easter fast approaching, there’s no better time than now to promote your services through SMS. For further information about how SMS Marketing can benefit your organisation or for more details about TextAnywhere please feel free to contact us on 0845 122 1302 or email [email protected].