Back to School: 5 Campaign Ideas to Boost Revenue and Grow Your List

Back-to-school season isn’t just for the folks selling backpacks and glue sticks. It’s a major e-commerce moment; one that shows up earlier every year and stretches well beyond school supplies.

Parents are shopping. College students are stocking up. Teachers are resetting. And even non-parents are using the season to organize, refresh, and re-enter “real life” mode. It’s a golden opportunity to boost revenue and grow your email and SMS lists without spinning up a massive campaign.

Whether you sell fashion, home goods, wellness products, snacks, or anything in between, these five back-to-school marketing ideas will help you meet the moment and build momentum heading into the fall.

1. “First Day, First Deal” Pop-Up

Launch a limited-time onsite offer targeted at first-time visitors. It’s simple, effective, and a perfect excuse to freshen up your list while nudging new customers toward a first purchase.

A few ideas:

10–15% off for first-time shoppers
Free shipping on your “Back to School Edit”
“Unlock your first A+ deal” — playful, thematic language works well here

Pair it with a time delay or scroll-triggered pop-up so it doesn’t hit people the moment they land. And don’t forget to highlight the urgency: “Ends this weekend” or “Only through September 1” gives them a reason to act now.

This campaign doesn’t need to live beyond your site. A sharp popup, a strong incentive, and a well-timed flow are enough to drive conversions and kickstart your list growth.

2. “School’s In, Emails Out” – A Seasonal Welcome Series

If your welcome email flow is still the same one you wrote in January… This is your sign to give it a seasonal refresh.

Back-to-school is a mindset shift for your customers. Routines are changing, calendars are filling up, and inboxes are getting more action again. A short but intentional welcome series is your chance to reframe your value at exactly the right time.

Try a 3-email sequence:

“Let’s kick off the season together” — introduce your brand and highlight your top seasonal picks
“Our community’s favorites for fall” — user-generated content, reviews, or bestsellers
“Your first reward is here” — discount, free shipping, loyalty points, etc.

No need to overthink it. Keep it warm, clear, and aligned with how people are shopping right now.

3. Run a “Backpack Giveaway” (Even If You Don’t Sell Backpacks)

Want fast email list growth and a wider reach? Run a themed giveaway with a fun hook and a viral sharing element.

Name it something like “Backpack Bonanza” or “Your Fall Reset Kit” and give away a curated product bundle. It could be your own items, a collab with another brand, or even a gift card. The theme just needs to feel seasonal.

Here’s the structure:

Entry = email address
Bonus entries for sharing or SMS signups
Promote it via social, popups

This is especially smart if you want to build hype for a fall drop or re-engage your audience ahead of BFCM.

4. Bundle Up for Busy Shoppers

Back-to-school shoppers are already overwhelmed. Decision fatigue is real. Help them skip the scroll by bundling a few top products into a ready-made kit.

Call it:

The Reset Bundle
The Fall Essentials Kit
The Back-to-Reality Pack
(Or just name it after your bestsellers and keep it clean)

Keep the pricing simple, include free shipping if you can, and promote it through every owned channel: email, SMS, pop-ups, banners. Make it easy to say “yes” with one click.

This works especially well for lifestyle, wellness, and consumable goods. But with the right positioning, almost any product category can pull it off.

5. “New Routine, New Rewards” Loyalty Push

The beauty of back-to-school is that everyone’s looking for structure. So give them a reason to make you part of their new routine and reward them for it.

A few low-lift ideas:

Offer double loyalty points for purchases through Labor Day
Let subscribers unlock exclusive perks for sharing a referral
Use email and SMS to remind them what’s waiting for them if they haven’t shopped in a while

This is a great time to re-engage past buyers and show your list that you’re not just about sales. You’re about value. And if you don’t have a loyalty program yet? A seasonal nudge like this could be the perfect reason to start.

Don’t Miss the Moment

Back-to-school marketing isn’t just for big-box stores and brands with crayons in their product lineup. With the right e-commerce campaign, any brand can tap into this season’s urgency (and build long-term relationships in the process).

Whether you go all-in with a multi-touch campaign or just launch a fresh popup and one-time promo, this is your moment to grow your list, re-engage your audience, and close Q3 strong.

Want Help Launching a Campaign That Converts?

We’ve got the tools (and the templates) to make your back-to-school campaigns fast, effective, and totally on brand.