As a Small Business Owner, Here’s Your Post Labor Day To-Dos

It happens every year, this time of year...

Like clockwork, September arrives and I take a big ol' deep breath. First of all, because there's a glorious crispness about the air, the afternoon light is golden, and it just feels oh-so-fresh (how I love fall). But really, I take a deep breath because I'm about to brace myself for impact...

For the inevitable wooosh and surge of productivity that starts pumping through everyone's veins this time of year.

I do it too. After a summer where we all seemed to be balancing an abundance of work with time to play, traveling, and having normal schedules thrown out the window, I am VERY much ready to get back to a routine, back to work, and back to getting stuff done. 

I see these productivity feelings in my work and the lifecycles of businesses I work with this time of year too. Labor Day is like a second New Year's. The kids are back in school, we've got a semblance of weekly schedules again, and Q4 is right around the corner. Oh and by the way, it's Virgo season. Time to dust off those remaining budgets for the year and revisit your marketing goals!

This, in essence, is why September is always a bit of a rush. I love it for the refresh of get-it-done energy and the surge of new project requests that come in before the end of the year, but I'm also the kind of person that quickly teeters into overwhelm with this kind of energy.

So in honor of more balancing, and more mindful preparation, below is a little guide to get you going this fall with your content and marketing plans!

Your Guide to Post-Labor Day Marketing TO-DOs:

1. Start thinking about holiday season now.  

Pull out your marketing calendars and start looking at the dates you want to schedule holiday launches, special events, and your time off too!). Work backwards. When do product photos need to be ready to start selling on your website? (Schedule a shoot that gives enough time to execute it now.) When do you need to confirm a venue or partners that are helping you with a holiday campaign idea? (Email them now to start getting things on their radar.)

2. Make an updated Q4 timeline.  

Q4 is the busiest time of year for marketing, media, and consumer spending habits. It's also the time of year where you'll totally want to enjoy the beauty of the seasons for yourself. Timelines can change, but having a written down list of dates and action items will help you feel so much more grounded going into this time with a plan

Tip: I honestly love just using a Google doc to write down my client's marketing timelines. That way it's easy to share, reference, and collaborate on.

3. Remember, it's the most wonderful content time of the year!

Between spooky Halloween ideas, fall decor, holiday recipes, cozy-hygge vibes, and an abundance of moments to take a photo of a top-down table spread, this is such a fun time of year for creating and sharing content. Ideas overflow like a cornucopia basket! (And consumers are paying more attention now too.) On a media note, Halloween is an often underutilized holiday for PR pitches but it gets quite a bit of coverage. Plus, there are so many fun content ideas you can share... costumes, recipes, decor, crafts, Dia de Los Muertos, and more. If you have photography for something, pitch it! For holiday gift guides and articles, most print issues close at the end of summer but you've still got time for digital or regional coverage. Just remember, the media will likely be flooded with Christmas-related ideas since it’s such a popular holiday. If you want to pitch, make sure it’s unique and relevant to the outlet!

Tip: Whether it's for your own channels or pitching media, don't forget to include to plan ahead and include gorgeous photography.

4. Trends can help. And if you're in the food biz, pumpkin is here to stay.

Spice for life, PSL isn't showing any signs of slowing down and the flavor still remains one of the most popular products for consumer goods every year. Take your own creative spin on pumpkin season and start offering it to your customers in a way that’s relevant. Some other fun trends to consider no matter your industry: vegan/healthy-twists on Thanksgiving and holiday food, holistic tips for shifting into winter, conscious consumerism, seasonal traditions and recipes are always a great idea to share during this time of year.

5. Plan your breaks just like your meetings.  

This is something I'm constantly exploring how to do better and adjust to my current needs. Fall is freaking gorgeous so I know I'm going to want to fill my cup with hiking and biking on every last warm day before the snow. Also, I want to take my own downtime during the holiday season too so I'm scheduling that in ahead of time and plan to take on projects around it.

So what do you think? Are you ready to take a breath - and then get organized? Do you have a lady business friend that would like these tips too? Forward it to her!

And if you've got some projects you're ready to start working on, I always offer a free 45-minute brainstorming + discovery call to clarify your ideas.