Just as it’s time to take the little ones back to school, it’s time for the adults to “go back to school” in a way as well. The summer is typically a time for fitting in vacation where you can, and taking it a little easier due to the slow season. But with fall quickly approaching, small businesses everywhere are figuring out how to make transitioning from summer to fall as seamless as possible.
We asked our panel of small business experts about how they’re making the transition, and this is what they had to say!
“Our programming changes. Summer shows aren’t too heavy, often musicals and a lot of fun. The fall is prime theater season, and our resident companies begin to focus on more serious and deep affairs. Our bar menu changes, summer sun drinks to fall warmth and spice, and our theater bookstore does a back to school sale for college students, buy 2 get one free. It’s a way to compete with their school bookstore, and get them to come to us, at the same time, maybe they’ll buy a ticket to a show.” –Jason Epperson, Executive Director, Greenhouse Theater Center
“Landmark Tax Group is preparing several free webinars for individual and business taxpayers to help them stay off the IRS radar and save money come tax time. As summer comes to a close and people return from their vacations, taxpayers can view these free webinars from home or mobile device at their convenience. All of the free webinars will be available 24/7 at LandmarkTaxGroup.com beginning August 25th.” -Michael Raanan, MBA, EA, President, Landmark Tax Group
“The transition from summer to fall is a great opportunity for a company to reinvigorate the office and to transition into a different way of thinking. We like to introduce a change of mood and aesthetics into the office by changing the art hanging on our walls and altering the flora in the office. It gets tiring looking at the same plants in the office, day after day, so we hire a florist to give us a mix-and-match hodgepodge of new ceramic vessels and interior plants this time of year. It’s nice to rotate the plants and change the composition every couple of months just so that people have something new to look at every few months.” –Sandra Powers, Human Resources Manager, LawyerReviews.com
“I am putting away summer props such as the lemonade stand, sand buckets, and flowers. I will be bringing out fall props such as pumpkins, fall leaves, apples, etc. I am also focusing on back to school right now for marketing purposes since back to school seems to signal the changing season.” -Jessica McAuliffe, Owner/Manager, Your Photo Studio
“The end of the summer season is perhaps one of the toughest times for our HVAC Services clients (We are a digital marketing Agency). Environment Masters for example has increased their analytics and research efforts in order to sustain the ongoing business goals. My point? There are some businesses that are actually more occupied in the summer season. Some of them even rely on the high temperatures!” –Pedro Palacios, Marketing Specialist, Advice Interactive Group
“We know its fall at eCreamery.com because we will bring back some of our classic fall flavors like Cinnamon and Pumpkin. At eCreamery you can create your own flavor of ice cream or we have great packages for our most popular flavors. For the fall, we have introduced our study aids fun packages to send to your hard working student.” –eCreamery
“So far, Chavez for Charity has been successful in raising over $250,000 for the charities it supports, and that number is growing fast! Recently, Chavez for Charity launched its new Kids Collection of charity bracelets, just in time for the new school year. Much like the Signature Collection, 25% of the gross profit goes to support ten unique charities that help children in need.” –Julie Chavez, Founder and Creative Director, Chavez for Charity
“Our busy season resolution, if you will, is to get back to our mission of helping clients save time. To accomplish that, we’ve launched a template library to go hand-in-hand with our design solution. It’s a whole new approach, and one that goes beautifully with the change of seasons! It’s nice to refocus on an aspect of our business that we’re really passionate about right when it can do the most good.” –Christy Delehantry, Content Lead, PandaDoc
“Fall is also our slow season for Ena’s Driving School so unfortunately we will have to reduce our staff hours. Now is the time for everyone to take a much need vacation from the busiest summer ever. We will also prepare to decorate our office for the season and holidays.” -Rajendra Hariprashad, Owner/CEO, Ena’s Driving School
“Season themes are a great way to incorporate a marketing strategy that can be used for every holiday throughout the year. Putting together a visual marketing calendar to help you plan your marketing activities is a great way to stay focus and stay abreast on upcoming planning.” -Lorillia Phillips, Business Consultant, Leverage Results, LLC
“Maui Wowi’s unique franchise business models and dual beverage concept allows our franchisees to switch gears depending on the seasons. Our fresh fruit smoothies are great year round and especially during the summer but in the fall, we introduce a limited time only premium fall coffee to join our existing coffee and espresso line. Back to school, means fall sports and is the time when our mobile event operators begin reaching out to coaches and school administrators to provide healthy smoothies at games and other school related activities. You can speak with a franchisee who is currently gearing up for fall, or speak with a representative from our operations team, or our CEO, on how our system makes the transition.” -Lauren Sullivan, Communications and PR Manager, Maui Wowi
“We are having a Labor Day BBQ with our neighbor across the street who made an outstanding custom BBQ. They have given it to us to sell in our Garden Design Center. So, we decided to say “Howdy and thanks” to all of our clients, friends etc. (many we share in common) on the Friday before Labor Day Weekend. Also, being a garden products business we will have a sale on items such as fountains and other items we want to move going into the fall and winter. Our professional trade marketing will begin shifting to focus our social media and direct marketing to designers and landscapers who reside in the southern area like Palm Desert, Ca. Scottsdale, AZ. Florida and other SnowBird areas where gardening happens during the winter months.” –Joyce Familara, Social Media/marketing, Eye of the Day Garden Design Center
“I will be offering a career exploration fair, complete with coffee, tea, and hot chocolate tasting to be held in early September, October and November followed up with a Christmas tea.” –Anne Kolsky, Organo Gold Consultant, LifeOfQueenAnneBlog
“We own two e Commerce properties and the changing seasons are part of our Strategic Business Plan. Simply Bags is transitioning from custom beach bag high demand to back-to-school lunch totes and school backpacks. Keepsakes Etc is gearing up for fall and college throw blankets.” –Bob Shirilla, Owner, Custom Tote Bags & Throw Blankets- Keepsakes
“We just hosted a launch party for our site just in time for those transitioning from summer into fall. We hosted a fun shopping experience for career-focused women at Ann Taylor to get them excited about shopping for success. We were featured on our local TV and had over 40 people attend our event this past Saturday.” –Lori Robinson, Owner, Corporate Moxie
“To close out our summer fun we are having a BG Summer Bash, August 22. To add to our Free Beer Friday we are going to have a DUNK TANK!! We will be earning tickets throughout the week to pick which Dunkee we will chose to take a chance on and dunk on Friday. We will have food catered from Ciccio Cali in Riverview, FL. The whole BlueGrace family is excited and eager to bring on the fun in the sun on Friday.” –Jessica Dodson, Public Relations Specialist, BlueGrace Logistics