It seems like the back-to-school shopping season begins earlier and earlier each year. As a company selling school supplies, that means it’s important to stay on top of the latest trends. However, developing a fresh marketing strategy each year can be a challenge. This is where experiential marketing can prove helpful.
Experiential marketing isn’t just a passing trend—it’s a strategy designed to enhance the customer experience. It allows your company to build meaningful relationships with customers through engaging events. For a school supply company, this could involve finding inventive ways to introduce notebooks, pens, and other products to parents and educators. Below are six ideas for using experiential marketing to sell school supplies.
1- Host Pop-Up Shops with a Creative Twist
Back-to-school shopping can feel like a seasonal event in its own right, so why not treat it as such? Consider setting up a pop-up shop near popular areas like malls or shopping centers where families are already shopping for items like clothes and backpacks. You can make your booth stand out by offering interactive stations, such as a coloring area or a table with stickers for customizing a folder. Engaging kids with these activities might give parents a chance to browse more leisurely.
2- Plan Back-To-School Events
Many schools and communities hold back-to-school nights or supply drives in early August, offering good opportunities to connect with your audience. Ask if you can set up a booth and bring along a price list for parents and teachers. You could also set up product demonstration stations with items like scented markers, erasable pens, and colored pencils. A fun guessing game with a jar of erasers could be a light-hearted way to engage people. Prizes could include a gift card or a classroom supply kit—something parents and teachers would appreciate.
3- Make It a Game Day
One great way to interact with potential customers and add a bit of excitement to shopping is by hosting a game day. For example, you could organize a school supply scavenger hunt. Create clues related to school supplies and have families search for the products. An example of a clue could be “What helps erase mistakes?” with the answer being an eraser. Possible prizes could include a discount or a small gift.
4- Offer Virtual Experiences
While in-person events are a fantastic way to make connections, it’s worth considering virtual experiences as well. For example, you could set up a virtual classroom where customers can “sit” at a desk and explore your range of notebooks, pencils, and other supplies. Students might enjoy organizing their virtual supplies to decide what they might need for the school year ahead.
5- Create a “Make It Your Own” Event
No student likes showing up with the same folders and notebooks as everyone else. Organize a “Make It Your Own” event where kids can personalize their school supplies. Set up a decorating station with items like stickers, washi tape, markers, and pens. You can even provide sample designs for inspiration. This type of event can transform a simple purchase into a fun and memorable experience.
6- Collaborate with Experts
Back-to-school season is often busy for families, especially when it comes to staying organized. Consider partnering with a teacher or an organizational expert to lead a brief workshop on topics like time management or school preparation. During the session, they could demonstrate effective techniques using your planners and other school supplies. At the end of the workshop, you might offer checklists or resources on your website and product details.
These are just a few ideas for using experiential marketing to sell school supplies—there are countless other possibilities to explore!
