The start of the cycle
As we outlined in our previous blog, here at Flint Avenue, we believe that each year can be broken into four marketing seasons: Launch, Optimize, Analyze, and Strategy. When marketing your business, understanding the patterns of societal habits and decision making can help you better anticipate when target audiences are more likely to buy products and services. Throughout this series, we will look at each phase in depth, providing you with ways to leverage the unique qualities of each season to maximize your resources and pave the way for long-term growth. In this blog, we’ll dive right into the first and most invigorating marketing season of the cycle—Launch. Read along to discover industries most impacted by the dawning of Launch season, as well as investigate the numerous ways to optimize this enlivening season!
Launch season marks the beginning of the marketing year, coming into play right around the new year. Just like New Year’s resolutions, Launch season is brimming with optimism, hope, and big choices for the future. This season is the opportunity to begin anew, or to bring freshness into areas of your business. This is a vibrant time to offer new products, begin a new email series, spearhead revamped projects, boost your brand awareness, and captivate your customers. Let’s launch right in!
Tips for a successful Launch season
New year, new you!
It’s a catchy slogan for a reason! Be sure to embrace the societal commitment to renewal during this time. With 2 out of every 3 adults committing to New Year’s Resolutions, rejuvenation on the public mind! Whether you launch a new product, offer exclusive benefits, or revamp your logo, this is the time to advertise something fresh. During this time, emphasizing revitalization will help you to demonstrate your value.
Develop a clear value proposition
Whether it’s a sense of novelty, utility, uniqueness, or something else, you have to clearly define the value your product or service brings to the market. What do your clients need in the new year that they must have? Identify how your company can best address customer needs, and communicate that strongly in advertising, media campaigns, social media, email marketing tools, influencer partnerships, and any other channel.
Create buzz and build anticipation
Use those same channels in the previous section to create excitement and anticipation around your business. Tease your audience with sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes glimpses to build interest or explore the many benefits of email marketing or blog posts. For instance, it could be the perfect time to start personalizing your emails; research shows that on average, personalized emails increase click-through rates to 2.5 times higher. Launch season is an excellent time to revitalize your marketing tools and generate a renewed sense of engagement with customers.
Who is most impacted during Launch season?
While Launch season traditionally has a significant impact on retail companies, the season can also affect various other industries and businesses. Here are some types of companies, beyond retail, that can be particularly impacted by launch season:
Health and wellness
Whether it’s a gym, pool facility, or spa, the health and wellness business skyrockets during Launch season (no pun intended)! A communal sense of renewal exists, and many individuals make resolutions aimed at improving their wellbeing. According to a Statista survey, in 2022, the top ten new year’s resolutions included eating healthier, exercising more often, quitting smoking, and quitting drinking. With a reinvigorated focus on health and wellness, professionals in this industry can take advantage of Launch season by introducing new classes, membership deals, fitness challenges, and more. This season is an excellent time to provide customers with what they need to commit to a healthier lifestyle in the new year.
Software and technology companies
This season can be significant for companies developing new software applications, SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) platforms, or technology solutions. With individuals looking to make their lives easier and stress-free during the new year, technology is often the perfect solution! Software companies might introduce new apps for mobile devices during this time or initiate a successful new marketing campaign. Launch season garners the ignition needed for tech companies to showcase their innovative products, attract early adopters, and secure partnerships or licensing agreements.
Real Estate and Property Development
Launch season can have a substantial impact on real estate developers introducing new residential or commercial projects. With businesses and individuals focused on setting the scene for a successful year, this is the perfect time to upgrade that apartment or expand that office. By taking advantage of the expansiveness of the new year, professionals in this industry can attract buyers, investors, or tenants by displaying the unique features, amenities, and investment potential of their properties.
These three examples are only just a few of many! With creativity and thoughtfulness, any business can use Launch season to implement their new and improved marketing strategies.
Summing it all up
Launch season is an exciting time! Individuals are bubbling up with their hopes and dreams for the New Year, and you are diving into the next chapter of your business’s journey. By understanding that potential clients are primed towards rejuvenating and revitalizing their lives, you can better position your marketing towards providing them with precisely the tools to achieve that. Whatever industry you’re in, your product or service can make someone’s life better, easier, and more enjoyable. Launch season is all about marketing with that promise and setting the scene for expansiveness throughout the year.