Most of us know that Labor Day is a public holiday on the first Monday in September, dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It’s a holiday that is largely without ritual and tradition, and one that many of us view as an extra day off from work at the end of summer. Aside from its intent to honor the working class by giving us a holiday of our own, there are many things we Americans readily associate with Labor Day.
- Retail capitalizes on the long weekend and runs "best prices of the season!" sales. Back to school shopping is in full swing.
- It also signifies an end to lazy summer days and time to get back to the grind by serving as the bookend to Memorial Day, which kicks off the U.S. summer season. BBQs and cookouts, end of season vacations and beach trips are how many of us spend the Labor Day weekend.
- Back to school. In the U.S., most primary and secondary school systems begin the new school year within a few days of Labor Day, either just before the long weekend or the day after the holiday. Some start even earlier in mid to late August.
The Challenge
The consumer behaviors we typically expect are put on hold for one last celebration of the summer; and unlike retail, fitness is not the type of buying decision most folks are making during the holiday weekend. Don't despair, there is an opportunity to encourage engagement by leveraging the days and weeks before and after this annual event.
Quarter 3 Campaign ROI
Properly timing the deployment of marketing activity should rank high on the decision-making list as campaigns are being built, especially when surrounding holidays. As a data-driven marketing team, we keep stats on everything, including campaign performance across all channels (Direct Mail, Email, SocialMedia & IP Targeting), for all our clients. August and September campaigns rank as the 6th and 5th (respectively) most profitable months to be active. What great news!
The Real When
For communities that the new school year starts in August, it’s ideal to set in-home dates early in the month. Successful promotions often include a join now pay nothing until September message, encouraging prospects to check this box off the long to-do list. The financial incentive motivates them to commit, without feeling like they’re paying for something they don’t quite have time to use yet.
When before and after school care programs are options for families, make use of this timing to fill sessions as parents are preparing for the next 180 school days.
When the school year starts after Labor Day and for those prospects without school-age kids, deploy campaigns to arrive in the second week of September. Parents have had time to settle their families into the new routine and can now invest in getting themselves on track. Households without the littles ones are also settling back in and looking for activities for the fall and winter seasons.
1st Day of School in Your Community
We put our data chops to the test to find out when the first day of school is in communities across the country. Click here to enter your zip code and start planning your campaign today!
In Our Experience
Health club operators report an uptick in club activity within a few days after the holiday as parents and teachers trickle back in from their summer lifestyles, ready to buckle down. Even for those families without school age children, Labor Day signifies a seasonal lifestyle change with summer activities coming to an end, they're ready to focus on the day to day, which often includes setting or renewing fitness and wellness goals. Most clubs also see increases in new membership inquiries at this time of year and so it makes sense to capitalize on this seasonal change with dedicated marketing activity.
Get in touch with us to learn more and get started.
