Are you mapping out your Labor Day promotions yet? Though Labor Day was created to give people a day off from their work, savvy small business owners capitalize on this holiday to urge consumers to use some of their time off for casual shopping. 

If you are a small business owner, instead of closing your doors on Labor Day, consider keeping them not only open but also teeming with promotions to attract the Labor Day shopping crowd and bring in some additional revenue. 

Here are some Labor Day promotion ideas and tips:

1. Giveaways and contests

Drum up attention long before Labor Day, and get some holiday buzz for your brand by hosting a giveaway. Announce your giveaway at least a month before Labor Day, and keep your customers updated during the month. To get your customers more involved, encourage participation by having entrants send in end-of-summer photos so they feel a part of the action. Announce the winner in-house or on your website to get people into your store.

2.Time-sensitive promotions

Urgency sells. This is why Labor Day and other holiday promotions are so effective for small businesses. Set a time limit and an expiry date on your Labor Day promotions to encourage buying. 

One other savvy strategy is to expire your discounts in-store at the end of Labor Day and then re-open them a few days later online for 1-2 more days as a special gift to your customers who did not get a chance to purchase. Your customers will feel even more compelled to purchase so they do not miss out on the deals a second time.

3. Move out old inventory

Labor Day is the perfect day to move out old summer inventory and make room for new items. If you run a seasonal business, discount your older items and announce an end-of-season sale. Since Labor Day is the "proverbial" end of summer, consumers expect to get great deals on out-of-season inventory. Don’t let them down!

4. Get Festive

Consumers love feeling connected to the seasons. In all of your correspondence, on your website and in-store, use fall-inspired design elements and get creative with the theme of the coming season. Burgundy, orange, and gold are fall-themed colors you can use that can help consumers get excited about fall and feel more connected to your brand.

5. Use hashtags

On your social media profiles, use hashtags to generate buzz about your latest promotions, giveaways, or seasonal discounts. For example, if you are giving away a free pair of shoes, consider a hashtag like this: #winshoes2017.  Include your hashtag on all social posts as well as in your emails and voice broadcasts that promote your giveaways. 

6. Voice broadcasting

Since holiday promotions are time-sensitive, you need to inform as many customers as possible in a short period of time. While email is a valuable strategy, email open rates average only around 17-25%. Your emails are also vying for your consumer’s attention in the midst of hundreds of other messages. If you use voice broadcasting as an alternate marketing method, you can get more attention for your promotions and alert many more of your customers. 

Voice broadcasting allows you to send a message to all of your customers within seconds, saving you money and time on manual calls. In addition, since consumers typically don’t have thousands of voice messages to go through like they do emails, it is easier to get your customer’s attention than with other marketing methods.

If you would like to see how you can boost your brand and get more customers to see your promotions during this Labor Day season, let us help you get set up with voice broadcasting. We offer multiple pricing plans to meet your business’ unique needs. Or simply set up a free account here to get started with no commitment required.