May is such a great retail month. You have so many opportunities for tie-ins with fun and exciting holidays and then there is unquestionably the second best holiday for retailers – Mother’s Day! Mother’s Day shoppers spare no expense – this holiday grosses retailers over $20 billion dollars. Start planning early to get your share of that pie! We’ll have a separate blog for that later!
This year, there should be some pent up demand as fashionists as well as everyday folks come out of hibernation needing some retail therapy to put this long cold winter behind us! And May’s holidays can offer you a chance to have some extraordinary fun.
For instance, do you sell hats? This month features the Kentucky Derby! Fashionable as well as outrageous hats are a staple at the Kentucky Derby. This could be an opportunity to start a new tradition of your own.
Not into hats or horses? Cinco de Mayo has become a huge holiday in the US. In addition to going to restaurants, many people will throw their own parties featuring festive music, great food and lots of margaritas! If you carry brightly colored partyware of any kind, this is a no brainer, but if you don’t carry that type of merchandise, how about a tie in with the number 5? Like a “buy 4 get the 5th one free” or $5 specialty product available with purchase or offering a 5% discount that day.
And don’t underestimate the importance of Memorial Day! This is a great opportunity for a sidewalk sale and/or an extended weekend sale. People spend a lot on patriotic décor every summer. If you stock any patriotic themed items (American flags, red/white/blue dinnerware and napkins, textiles, wall décor) pull these items together for Memorial Day and feature them at the front of your store. Those displays often turn a “just looking” customer into a purchasing customer. Also, Memorial Day is the unofficial kick off to summer, so featuring any summer-themed displays near the front of your store is another great idea. Last but not least, if you have the ability, offer a discount to service personnel on Memorial Day weekend. It’s a great way to show your support and appreciation.
May is a month blooming with promotional tie-in opportunities. So why not create a fun and unique promo and grow your business at the same time?! Happy Retailing!
