Finding new angles to target industries can be challenging for local media sellers. All businesses can benefit from advertising, but many verticals have peaks and valleys depending on seasonality or current events. When that’s the case, you can refine your pitch by focusing on campaigns that allow them to amplify their brand during the best times.
Seasonality and current events have a big impact on the consumer economy. Holiday shopping boosts retailers in the fourth quarter, accountants do most of their business in the first quarter, and sports bars see bigger crowds in the fall. These are just a few obvious examples, but what about other industries?
Let’s look at some more ideas for targeting verticals with a seasonal impact.
Summer Turns Up the Heat and Demand for HVAC Services
It’s no mystery that homeowners turn down the thermostat beginning in June. As a result, many HVAC systems can’t hack it, creating high demand for emergency services. While having too much business is not bad, it can strain staff and force loyal customers to find alternatives. To resolve this, talk to HVAC companies about pre-summer campaigns and specials that encourage people to have their units checked out and incentivize replacing them before the summer rush. It can result in a better division of jobs prior to the hottest days of the year.
Some tactics to promote these specials include radio, email marketing, display and OTT/CTV. Radio gives them broad reach and recall. Email helps them connect to current customers, and display and OTT/CTV can narrow targeting to homeowners.
This same line of thinking also correlates to landscaping, specifically sprinkler repair or replacement, and other field services.
Restaurants Can Attract More Foot Traffic by Leveraging Current Events
The year is full of seasonal events within your market, and restaurants should take advantage of these to attract more visitors. This type of campaign is different from those for local customers, as it’s for a limited time, and the target is people who may not be familiar with the eateries. The most effective way to do this is by geofencing the area of the event.
Some examples would include college football bowl games, college basketball tournaments, music festivals or fairs. Advertisers can use relevant messaging alluding to the event and offering a promo for diners, which could significantly improve their foot traffic and sales.
Colder Weather Makes Everyone Want Something Warm
As days get shorter and temperatures drop, consumers shift their mindset about their needs. They want warmth and comfort, and those desires enable restaurants and specialty retailers to cash in on impulse buys. For it to be seasonal, it has to be “exclusive” and not something always on the menu or in the store. The focus of these ads is the product, such as pumpkin spice drinks and foods or cashmere sweaters.
To spotlight these items, recommend social media ads, video display and OTT/CTV. Ads can include time-bound deals that create urgency. Creative should deliver the idea of warmth to motivate shoppers to say yes.
Attorneys See Seasonal Patterns, Too
The demand for legal services would seem to be consistent, but some trends cause it to fluctuate. Family law typically sees an increase in divorce filings after the holidays. Practices that work in real estate may see more transactions in the summer. Personal injury firms can see upticks in the spring and summer simply because more people are on the roads or engaging in leisure activities, which can lead to accidents.
Law firms that you engage have lots of data to identify their seasonality beyond these generalizations. With this information, you can advise them on impactful campaigns to ensure they meet the demand in the market. Using advanced targeting in display and OTT/CTV is one way to get in front of the right people. They can also boost their visibility by increasing spend on SEM (search engine marketing) on search terms that correlate with seasonality.
Refresh Industry Pitches with a Seasonal Twist
Seasonality affects almost any industry. Businesses should optimize their revenue potential with ad campaigns that answer the demand. With these ideas, you have new approaches to take to local advertisers that can help them turn demand into sales.
For more concepts for seasonality, check out our library of ideas around national days and holidays.
