The summer is almost over and it seems like it just began so you know what that means….it’s back to school sales time!   But what if you don’t sale school supplies, children’s clothing or some other product or service needed by students and their parents?  You can still promote your business using the back to school time period to increase your sales to existing and new customers.  

See our list of the top ten back to school promotion ideas below.

 1. Think outside of the box – If you have a product or service that is not easily tied to the typical back to school shopper, offer a promotion that gets people to think about how it can help ease the transition back to school such as:

• If you own a cleaning service you could offer a promotion targeting parents who need their house deep cleaned after the kids have been home during the summer.

• If you own a restaurant, offer one or more nights per week that (up to two kids) 17 or under eat free with an accompanying parent.

• A hair salon or barber shop could offer the latest trendy hairstyle or haircut at a discounted price.

 2. Honor your community’s teachers – Offer a special promotion that can be redeemed by teachers only.  Highlight in the offer how important a teacher’s job is and that you want to show your appreciation during the month of September to help them start off their school year.

3. Attract college student buyers – Partner with the local colleges in your areas and set-up a booth during orientation or move-in day with deep discounts on your products or services highlighting the fact that college students often need the most economical products that they can find.

 4. Labor Day offer for moms – Have expectant mothers enter a contest at your business for a big grand prize for the mom who gives birth closest to midnight on Labor Day.

  5. Staff Appreciation on Labor Day – Give your employees an end of summer gift to show them your appreciation and get them ready for to help the busy back to school shoppers and the holiday shoppers who will be right around the corner.

  6. Host a back to school fashion show – For clothing stores or businesses who sell shoes, accessories, etc. have a fashion show using children and teens from your local community and offer a discount on all of the items shown during the show. 

  7. Live demonstration – Hosting one or more live demonstrations especially to back to school shoppers on an item that they must have for their students returning to school is a great way to increase sales especially if you pair it with a discount or some other promotion (ex. “Buy one get one”).

  8. Fundraising/Donation Drives – Restaurants and other business owners can attract new customers by having a bin in their lobby or right outside their door to collect needed items for the community.  One great idea to tie it into the back to school theme is to go to the websites of some local schools in the community and download their back to school supply list, ask that your customers donate the things on the list to be given to less fortunate children or foster children in your community. 

9. Promotions for parents only – Have promotions that help parents celebrate the back to school season or help them with the new demands on their schedule that children returning to school brings such as:

• A wine bar could offer parents a promotion for wine tasting to celebrate the kids returning to school

• A local spa could offer a back to school adult play dates during school hours in September for couples or stay at home moms offering a “buy one get one” spa service such as massages, facials or manicures

  10.  Hold a “last chance” sale – Parents who are out school shopping don’t have to limit their shopping trip to strictly back to school items.  Create a promotion that expresses a sense of urgency like: A salon might say: “Parents last chance to get that cut and color before all that homework help keeps you from being able to make an appointment!” or a family fun center might say: “Last chance for kids to enjoy the family fun center before school starts!” and offer a deal of some sort to draw in the customers.

Whatever type of business you have, you can tie a promotion to the back to school season!