The coming months bring with them a line of festivals such as Dussehra, Durga Pooja and Diwali. Festivals have the power to bind people together. It is also the time where brands receive maximum profits as the enthusiasm of shoppers during this time knows no bounds. The festive season has become synonymous with “shopping frenzies”. Retail sales in India have a history of soaring throughout the festive season, particularly in October and November. This is because people tend to buy gifts for their near and dear ones and companies seek gift bags and baskets for both their staff as well as their clients. New clothes and accessories are bought by the entire family for these festivals. The festival days are also considered to be auspicious for buying new things. Added to this, the festive season has also become a season of discounts and offers. The overall tendency in the Indian retail industry, both offline and online, is that sales peak in the final quarter of the year, owing in part to the festive season. Sellers have been using this to their advantage by carefully employing offers, discounts and deals to boost their profits.
“If you look back at the trends, you see that it is vital to start building an effective marketing campaign for the festive season. Missing out on this season can prove to be a mishap for brands,” says Mr Pravin Chandan. In an effort to assist and improve the performance of young and aspiring marketers everywhere, Mr Pravin Chandan will be launching a series of marketing courses or modules on his website and blog. These courses will be free of cost and easily available to anyone without an investment of capital or even signing up for anything.
“Marketing know-how should not be restricted to those who can afford expensive courses. And a lack of such capital should not result in capable marketers from missing out,” Pravin Chandan says, with regards to the courses. The courses or modules will cover topics such as creating campaigns, finding and deciding on the right offers, identifying the target audience, figuring out how to reach this audience, advertising, digital and traditional marketing strategies and so on. The course, while generic and applicable to all fields, will give a closer look into matters of importance in marketing. Highlights of the course would be :
- “Story campaign”: Learning the art of creating campaigns with the ability to tell a story, capable of establishing an emotional connect with the viewers can attach them to public memory. Classic ad campaigns for years that dominate TV during the festive season include innovative and emotional stories. The story module would focus on these aspects.
- “Offers and Discounts”: The festive season is known for offers, sales and discounts. This module would focus on optimizing sales and attracting customers to offers, ensuring the longevity of campaigns throughout the festive season and so on.
3.” Networking”: The festive season would prove to be an adequate season for networking. This module would focus on approaching networking through the season. It would not only assist in making meaningful business connections but also ensure that customers and those associated with brands would develop an affinity and a better image of the brand in their minds. - “Creating a Consistent Campaign Experience”: The module would focus on keeping the target audience in mind while deciding which medium, such as print, TV or social media, finding the appropriate language, narrowing down on what works for brands and their customers and creating lasting engagements.
- “Sponsoring events and celebrations”: Indians love celebrating their festivals in a grand manner. Therefore, this module would shed light on hosting events during the festive season and simultaneously promoting products and the brand during such events would prove.
- “Launching new products”: The festive season can be considered as one of the best periods of time to introduce a new product into the market as the usual barrier to trying new products often vanish during this time. Customers are more open to trying and buying new and different products.
- “Monitor and Optimize”: A successful festive season campaign requires a lot of effort both prior to, and after the campaign material is disseminated. It is necessary to track and monitor how the market responds to campaigns. This module would focus on monitoring campaign performances and optimising for further success.
When asked why this course and the content associated is being provided for free, Mr Pravin Chandan says, “Marketing is for everyone. One should not be expected to shell out upwards of 30,000 rupees just to learn. I believe that knowledge when shared abundantly, leads to growth. Both for the self and for those around you. So we will host this content for free on our platforms forever.”