With fall officially here, it is time to start thinking about winter. Some of your marketing messages need to change to account for the holidays, winter sports, and the general differences in winter weather. But don't stop talking about UV protection.
It is More Important During the Winter
People are tempted to believe that UV threats are less prominent in winter because bright blue skies aren't the norm. They make the mistake of believing that their designer sunglasses are not really necessary on cloudy or overcast days. What they fail to realize is that clouds don't block UV rays.
A winter day with plenty of clouds is no better for the eyes than a sunny summer day without a cloud in the sky. In fact, cloudy days could pose an even bigger threat – especially during the winter months.
Experts say that UV protection is more important during the winter for two reasons: the sun is lower in the sky and UV rays have more reflective surfaces to bounce off of. Snow and ice immediately come to mind.
Snow Blindness Says It All
If you have ever heard of snow blindness, perhaps you already understand the dangers of sunlight during the winter months. Snow blindness is a condition caused by unprotected eyes being subjected to light reflecting off the snow for long periods of time. Thankfully, it amounts to little more than a minor inconvenience in most cases. But snow blindness can be severe.
All of this is to say that the existence of snow blindness proves that UV rays reflect off ice and snow. So during the winter months, unprotected eyes are subjected to UV rays coming at them in multiple directions. There are the rays hitting their eyes from overhead as well as those reflecting off snow and ice. Sunglasses can help with this visibility issue.
Wear Sunglasses Whenever Outdoors
Fall is an excellent time to launch a campaign intended to remind your customers to wear their sunglasses whenever they go outdoors. It is the perfect time to talk about things like skiing, snowboarding, and taking the kids out to the toboggan hill.
Remind them that designer sunglasses are not just for summer days at the beach. Let them know just how important protective eyewear is when temperatures drop, and snow begins to fall.
As a side note, don't make your fall marketing campaign all about the negative. Talk about the need for UV protection, but also take advantage of the lifestyle marketing built into this particular season.
Holiday and Winter Fun
Winter is a fantastic time to sell designer sunglasses because people are already willing to spend on the holidays. So try creating a marketing campaign around holiday and winter fun. Get people thinking about being outdoors and enjoying the season.
Ice-skating, skiing, and snowmobiling are among the many outdoor activities your customers enjoy this time of year. Take advantage of that. There is plenty to work with here.
Fall brings with it a certain amount of anticipation for winter. As the winter season quickly approaches, be sure to remind your customers just how important UV protection is year-round. It is especially important when the winter sun reflects off ice and snow. Your customers should know that, even if they don't buy new sunglasses from you.
