Back-to-school season is here once again, and this time of year can be an extremely lucrative marketing opportunity for businesses. In 2023, the total planned back-to-school expenditure in the United States amounts to nearly $41.5 billion! Just a chunk of that revenue can go a long way for your brand.
Get your share with these nine ideas you can use to market your business to students and parents, regardless of what industry you’re in.
Back-to-school marketing: Key stats and insights
Before we jump into the nitty-gritty details, let’s zoom out and reinforce just why this back-to-school season is so valuable for brands. Each year, U.S. households spend more and more to get ready for school, with each household shelling out about $890 in 2023. And it’s not just parents — teens use their own money, too, spending around $47 a piece in 2021.
What are families shopping for? The biggest categories and items include:
- Electronics or computer-related equipment
- School supplies
- Apparel (clothing/accessories)
- Technology and software
Budget-conscious parents are leaning more toward necessities than fun-to-haves. They’re also favoring mass merchants and retailers that offer free returns. And if you’re an ecommerce store, good news: Online purchases comprise over half of back-to-school purchases, with department and discount stores in second place.
9 back-to-school marketing ideas for your business
With these general statistics in mind, let’s jump into the best ways you can market your business this fall.
#1. Start early
These days, September is far too late for back-to-school marketing campaigns. Many U.S. schools now start their fall semesters in early August or even late July, and Amazon’s Prime Days in mid-July serve as the “unofficial starting point” for the back-to-school shopping season.
In fact, this year, shoppers are expecting a weaker economy this fall and are looking for deals even earlier as a result (spending 59% of their back-to-school budget by the end of July). So if you haven’t yet started your back-to-school promotions, now is definitely the time.
#2. Offer back-to-school discounts or bundles
Boost your revenue by positioning your products the right way. Consider coming up with special discounts, promotions, or product bundles that are specifically geared for the back-to-school season. Then highlight their limited-time availability to encourage customers to purchase fast.
For example, Apple created a landing page for “education pricing” for its devices. And you can still do this even if you sell a service, not a product: This orthodontist offered an Invisalign back-to-school special.
#3. Keep your target audience in mind
Back-to-school campaigns can target parents/caregivers, teachers, K-12 students, or college students. Which of these demographics overlap with your target audience? Remember, any marketing campaign you put out should be tailored to a certain type of audience to boost your conversion rate through better targeting.
#4. Simplify the shopping experience with guides and lists
Make shopping easy for your customers by giving them information, tips, and resources that tell them exactly what to buy. For example, you can put out content marketing material based around the best school supplies, organizational tips, or study techniques. Need some inspiration? Take a look at these real-life examples:
- What to Pack: Your Back to College Checklist (Staples)
- A Crash Course on Back-to-School Must-Haves (Bath & Body Works)
- School List Assist (Target)
#5. Use social media to your advantage
Social media platforms are essential for marketers. Figure out where your target audience spends their time — maybe parents are on Facebook most often, or teen students favor TikTok — and then promote your products through marketing and advertising campaigns on those platforms. In this example, Old Navy shared an Instagram Reel to show off its child-size jeans (notice the #backtoschoolshopping hashtag to boost visibility).
Or take your cue from Pepsi, who promoted its miniature cans (great for dorms with a mini-fridge) on TikTok.
Your social media posts don’t have to be on your own accounts. Another great option is to work with influencers who share your target audience. This will get even more eyes on your brand. For example, Zarielle Anthony shares content based around her lifestyle as a college student.
#6. Run a BTS contest or giveaway
Everyone loves a contest (around 55 million Americans participate in social media marketing contests each year), and there’s no better time to host one than the back-to-school season. Use your email newsletter and social media platforms to launch a contest, giveaway, or sweepstake based around a back-to-school theme.
If you want to get creative, ask participants to share their back-to-school stories, memories, or creative photos to enter to win. Or simply have people follow you and tag a friend (increasing your reach) to enter.
Here’s a back-to-school contest example: Sweet Tooth Pediatric Dentistry used Instagram to share this raffle, where entrants needed to share and like the post for a chance to win a backpack filled with school supplies.
#7. Create products specific to the occasion
If you start early enough, you can launch a whole new product that’s intended for back-to-school. Maybe you want to design a new pair of shoes to fit busy kindergarten feet, or you have an idea for a product that would make Friday night lights easier or more fun for busy families.
For instance, Bath & Body Works came out with a Back to School Mini Gift Set. This collection of products includes a hand cream and a hand sanitizer (great for germy school halls) with an adorable pencil-shaped case — something that’s both functional and useful, and aesthetically on brand.
#8. Partner with local schools or colleges
Ask a local school or college if they’d like to partner with you to run a joint discount, contest, or promotion — something that will benefit you both. You could hold an event together,; offer a discount for people who patronize both businesses,; or even create a joint product. This Columbus Candle by the brand Homesick was inspired by Ohio State University.
#9. Think beyond traditional school supplies
Don’t sell school-related products? Don’t worry! You can still run a back-to-school marketing campaign — it just might require a little extra creativity. Take a look at these examples of back-to-school marketing pushes from companies that don’t sell traditional school supplies:
- Back to School Massage (Boomerang Health; relieves stress and anxiety for parents and kids)
- Back-to-school stress starts in the grocery store (HelloFresh; saves time and effort to keep a busy family well-fed)
- Back-to-School 28-Day Challenge (BodyFX; helps parents stay fit while adjusting to a different routine)
Think about how your product or service could benefit parents, teachers, or students during this time of year. Then promote it for all it’s worth.
Help your customers give you an A+
The final piece of your back-to-school puzzle? Customer reviews. Set up a business account on a review website like Sitejabber so that all of your happy new customers can leave reviews about their experience — bringing you new customers down the road and creating a happy cycle of returning customers year after year. Click here to sign up for free for Sitejabber’s business platform, Jabio, and start growing your business today.
