How to use ‘back to school’ as a news angle
We’re now in the school summer holidays, which can mean many different things, and bring many different problems, stresses and joys.
This means it’s a subject the media, bloggers, influencers, companies will all be talking about at some time.
Some children will be finishing one school and moving on to another, maybe infant to junior or primary to secondary. Others may be finishing school altogether and going off to college or university or into an apprenticeship or similar.
Then there will be examination results later in August so that will throw up a whole other raft of issues – great and not so great.
All of these are events that those of us as parents have to help our children or grandchildren manage – and those who are not parents may be frustrated or angry about dealing with so many children or events/places being a lot busier.
Write about how your business/expertise/experience could help out with some of these things in your blogs, or in articles for local business/ community magazines.
5 ways your business can be involved in the ‘back to school’ vibe:
- For those of you who work with children to help them cope with anxiety, fear of bullying, having problems making new friends, leaving old friends behind, even have a fear of change; now is the time to be talking about how you can help these children and their parents/guardians.
Share how you can help on your social media, in your blogs. Give advice to parents with things they can do. Share relaxation techniques and other resources you have where you can help and support children.
If you are counsellors, hypnotherapists, or are businesses working with other well-being techniques, now is a good time to be sharing your advice.
- Do you offer helpful products? – parents have to buy new uniforms, new equipment, maybe even subject specific equipment if your child is moving into exam subjects. Focus on your products if they fit for that market i.e. Clothing; stationery; shoes; specialist subject equipment. Create product offers for the summer, especially at this time, when so many people are under pressure with the cost of living. Put together a variety of different offers around ‘back to school’ and talk about them! The latter is very important.
- Share your experience – if you once worked in education as a teacher, write a blog about how the new term was from your point of view. Also, write about how you noticed when children struggled with the change of school, what they struggled with and how you helped.
And, if your business regularly works with teachers, write about how your business supports them with your product or services.
- Share your own memories or stories of school and summer hols. For example, do you remember your first day at infant school? Do you remember changing from primary to secondary, and was it very different? Did you have to travel to your secondary school from where you lived, or was it in the same location as where you lived? Which school move was the most traumatic, and why?
Or do you remember what you used to do during the summer holidays? If your parents worked, maybe you went to stay with grandparents, or you spent your days round at a friend’s house? Whatever you write about will be unique, because we are all different. Although other people might read ideas that resonate with their childhood.
- Look out for events which are specifically for the young that you can ‘piggyback’ such as The Commonwealth Youth Games 2023, run between 4 – 11 August, so if you have a sports related business, you might want to share some information about that in blogs. Although perhaps too late for this year, next year, you could approach local schools to your business to help support summer holiday campaigns, where your business can either sponsor, or be involved in some way.