Did you know it can pay to look pasts the major holidays and selling seasons to reveal the overlooked dates that could boost your business?
Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas and Valentine’s Day are just a few.
These dates are synonymous with the retail sales calendar but with the sheer amount of competition from large and small businesses alike, the holiday season can feel overcrowded and you may struggle to connect with your audience.
But these aren’t the only dates in the retail calendar that your business could profit from.
Many of the following “overlooked” trading dates will depend on your target audience, business type and even your geographic location but tapping into events and celebrations that may be underrated by your competition could help you enter a lucrative market and gain an additional customer base.
Top 10 overlooked trading dates
1. Payday
Most people in the UK are paid on a monthly basis, so it makes sense to target the weekend immediately after payday. Putting on special offers during paydays in the winter months close to the holiday season is a great way of tapping into a customer base who are eager to spend.
2. Small Business Saturday
Why should all the bigger businesses see all the benefits when it comes to making an impact on the high street or online? Small businesses make a major contribution to the UK economy but sometimes they get left behind by their larger counterparts.
Small Business Saturday aims to give smaller firms their chance in the sun, encouraging people to shop locally and support them. Now in its fifth year in the UK, it’s a great opportunity to promote your business, offer special deals to reward current customers and attract new ones, and collaborate with other small firms.
3. 26 September
Did you know 26 September is the most popular birthday in England and Wales? This makes the week leading to it an excellent time for a promotion. Think free gift wrapping!
4. International holidays
The UK is home to more than eight million people who weren’t born in the UK.
One of the largest immigrant populations in the UK is the Polish community (more than 800,000 Polish-born people live in the UK), so using a Polish national holiday as a reason for a promotion could appeal to a lot of people. One such national holiday is the Polish Constitution Day on 3 May.
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5. Earth Day
Since its inception on 22 April 1970, Earth Day encourages people to think about their impact on the environment.
IT may not seem like an obvious holiday to target but you can seize the opportunity by promoting eco-friendly products. More and more customers are opening their wallets to eco-friendly products and building a reputation as a “green” business could be met with lucrative results.
If you don’t sell reusable shopping bags, organic food or solar-powered toothbrushes, there is a likelihood that you still sell products that appeal to Earth Day enthusiasts. For example, if you sell vintage clothing, you can position your business on the day to talk about the environmental benefits of buying used clothing.
6. Blue Monday
According to research, the most miserable day of the year in 2017 fell on Monday 16 January. However, next year’s Blue Monday could present you with an unlikely opportunity to make some extra cash.
While debt and time away from receiving a salary (the Christmas holiday can be a long break between paydays) may not at first seem conducive to encouraging retail spending, it may be an untapped opportunity for businesses that could promote the preceding weekend as a way to use retail therapy to remedy the misery.
7. The (unofficial) start of summer
Two-thirds of all British people have their summer holidays in July and August so the first weekend in July, after payday, is an ideal time to promote souvenir ideas, such as suitcases, sunglasses and any summer items that can easily fit in with your business.
8. Freshers’ week
Many university freshers’ weeks start towards the end of September, making that month a big selling opportunity if your small business is based near a university campus.
While the first week of university might be synonymous with partying, many students also receive the first instalment of their student loans within 72 hours of registering, resulting in the rare event that there are large numbers of students with money to spend.
9. Religious holidays
It’s important to remember that when it comes to religious holidays, there’s more than just Christmas and Easter. With a large Indian population in the UK, a promotion celebrating the beginning of Diwali could be a good idea, particularly as gift-giving is a large part of the celebrations.
10. The run-up to Christmas
When you’re focusing on Christmas, ensure you make it clear when your final delivery day is. Not only does it mean customers get their gifts in time for the big day, it adds a sense of urgency – hopefully spurring them on to buy. You could even add free Christmas delivery to offer that extra incentive.
Are there any other trading dates throughout the year that you use to offer special deals to your customers? Let us know in the comments below.