SMS Marketing

9 Spring Marketing Ideas to Grow Engagement and Revenue This Season [With Examples]

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Posted in
SMS Marketing
Published on
Mar 20, 2023
Written by
Kayla Ellman
Kayla is a Senior Content Marketing Manager at Attentive. You can find her binge-reading, baking from her (rapidly growing) cookbook collection, or exploring local hiking trails.
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Keep your business blooming with these fresh spring marketing campaigns.

Spring is officially here—and it's bringing some major marketing moments along with it.

As the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, it's the perfect time to engage your customers with fun and fresh campaigns that bring in more revenue for your brand.

From April Fool's Day jokes and virtual Easter festivities to celebrating Mother Nature and Mother's Day, we've got nine ideas to help you spring into success this season.

1. Create campaigns around spring cleaning

spring text message examples from ThirdLove and Farmacy Beauty

After a long winter, spring is a time of new beginnings. Celebrate the much-anticipated change of seasons by leaning into the annual tradition of spring cleaning. If your brand needs to clear out excess inventory, let your audience know you’re having a warehouse sale to make room for new items or collections. Motivate people to shop by reminding them to grab their favorites while they’re on sale and still in stock (because some products might not be coming back).

Another option is to promote sales that help your customers refresh and reset for spring, whether it's updating their wardrobe or ​​overhauling their beauty routine. If you’re a clothing brand, share spring styling tips and encourage people to treat themselves to a new outfit. If you’re a skincare or makeup brand, inspire people to try new products and share step-by-step instructions or tutorials.

2. Announce seasonal products or collections

email and text message examples from Thread Wallets

Use the start of a new season to build excitement around products or collections you’re launching for spring. Tease new styles that are coming to your store just in time for the warmer weather. Introduce spring-inspired scents or flavors that are only available for a limited time. Bring back seasonal best-sellers that your shoppers love and always buy.

Start dropping hints via email and SMS early to build anticipation, and include spring-themed imagery or emojis in your messages to inspire people to click-through and convert.

3. Bring your customers into the April Fool’s fun

April Fool's Day text message examples from Cocofloss and Color Wow

April Fool’s Day has become a popular marketing opportunity for brands because it’s a chance to boost awareness with creative campaigns that get people talking. While the primary goal is usually to spark interest and leave a lasting impression with both potential and existing customers, you can also use the holiday to drive sales.

One approach is to come up with a fake product or service and “launch” it on April 1. Something that gets people to look twice—and then click-through to see if it’s real. When they reach your site, delight them with a unique discount code to use on your existing products.

Another idea to launch a real, but unexpected, limited-edition product or collaboration. Create a sense of urgency for people to shop and be one of the lucky few to get their hands on the rare item before it's gone.

If fooling your customers isn’t on brand, keep it simple with a flash sale and acknowledge the holiday with a punny discount code (e.g., NOFOOL). The key is to engage shoppers in a way that feels authentic, so they’re excited to interact with (and buy from) your brand.

4. Plan a virtual “Easter egg” hunt

Easter-themed SMS campaign example from Crocs

Even if Easter isn’t a big holiday for your brand, marking the occasion with a virtual scavenger hunt is a fun way to engage your audience, encourage product discovery, and influence purchases. 

You can hide “eggs” around your website and include discount codes or special offers inside each one. Promote the event in advance so people have time to plan their purchases, and use your marketing channels to send reminders and share clues throughout the campaign.

Another option is to launch a keyword-driven scavenger hunt exclusively on your SMS channel. Lead subscribers to different clues or to specific products using Two-Way Journeys™, and then reward them with a unique offer once they reach the end. Prompt existing subscribers to join by replying with a keyword (e.g., EGGHUNT), and invite the rest of your audience (from email and social) to sign up for text messages to participate.

With either approach, you can promote Easter-related products (e.g., styles for family get-togethers, Easter candy collections), or just the opportunity to win prizes and shop.

5. Encourage going green for Earth Day (and beyond)

Earth Day text message example from Bloomscape

Consider incorporating some green themes into your marketing campaigns leading up to and on Earth Day (April 22). If you’re a purpose-driven brand, share the story behind your mission and values throughout the month. Highlight your commitment to sustainable practices, like plastic-free and carbon-neutral shipping or a recycling program that aims to keep old products out of the landfill. Be transparent about your supply chain and talk ‌about how your products are made (e.g., with sustainable or recycled materials).

Earth Day is also an opportunity to show your support for environmental causes (e.g., ocean conservation, planting trees). Launch a campaign to donate a portion of the proceeds from every purchase made on Earth Day to an organization or non-profit that works to protect the environment. After Earth Day, follow up with customers letting them know how much you donated, and how their purchases helped make a difference.

6. Curate thoughtful gift guides for Mother's Day

Mother's Day two-way text messaging example from Zales

Help your customers find the perfect present for the moms in their lives by offering personalized guidance and recommendations. One way to do this is by creating curated gift guides around different styles, interests, or hobbies (e.g., for the tech-savvy mom, for the outdoorsy mom) and sharing them across your marketing channels. But you can also offer a “personal shopping” experience with a two-way text messaging campaign or through Attentive Concierge™.

Promote these options a few weeks before Mother’s Day (which lands on May 14 this year) so people can make their purchases early and avoid the stress of last-minute shopping. And consider wrapping up your campaign series by offering two-day shipping or suggesting digital gift cards for last-minute shoppers who still want to get thoughtful gifts.

Keep in mind: Mother’s Day can be a sensitive time. Show your customers that you see them as people first and shoppers second by giving them the opportunity to opt out of emails and texts related to Mother’s Day (without missing out on other updates or offers from your brand).

7. Host a classic Memorial Day sale

Memorial Day sale text message example from Utz

For many, Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer—and it's known for huge sales that drive consumers to shop for party gear and other summer essentials. Consider launching your Memorial Day sale early to help people get ready for popular long weekend activities like going to the beach or barbecuing with friends and family.

Or, make it a flash sale that people can only take advantage of for a limited time. Discounts are always popular, but you can also offer free shipping, bundle deals, or buy one get one free offers. Tease your sale via email and SMS the day before it starts, and then on the last day, create a sense of urgency with a "final hours" or "ends TODAY" reminder.

8. Celebrate new grads all month long in May

Gifts for grads text message example from Aurate

Graduation season often starts in May and continues into June. Show your customers that you care about them and their milestones by creating campaigns for the next graduating class. Offer a discount on styles or items to wear with a cap and gown (e.g., dresses, suits, shoes, jewelry). Promote items that make a great gift for someone getting ready to start a new chapter in their life (e.g., gift cards, photo books).

You can also combine these ideas with two-way text messaging to help people find the perfect graduation outfit for themselves or a present for someone else.

9. Refresh your sign-up units throughout the season

Easter-themed email and SMS sign-up unit example from Sugarfina

There are a lot of spring marketing promotions you can run from March through May to engage your audience and drive revenue for your brand. But you also have plenty of opportunities to convert shoppers who are already visiting your website into email and SMS subscribers.

Consider ‌updating your sign-up unit to build excitement around ‌your biggest sales and offers. For example, launch an Easter-themed sign-up unit in April, and then update it later in the month to highlight an Earth Day donation campaign. In May, incentivize sign-ups by promoting access to your can’t-miss Memorial Day sale.

Even if you’re not offering special holiday deals, refreshing your sign-up unit design for the spring—with seasonal imagery or language—is still a good idea to help capture shoppers’ attention and drive more opt-ins.

Need more inspiration for your spring marketing campaigns? Browse our SMS gallery, Texts We Love, to find ideas for this season’s biggest holidays. And, check out our 2023 Text Messaging Calendar for unique marketing moments to celebrate in between.

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