While it’s no surprise we are deep in spring, the yellow hue caked on everything, and those wonderful seasonal allergies tell us that much, it also can mean you are either A. feeling really great about where your marketing is for this season or B. feeling way behind and creating in the moment.

Either way, spring is not the time to sleep. In fact, consumer spending is expected to jump this spring thanks to stimulus checks sent out and relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions. More so, retails sales are expected to grow 10% this year compared to a 3% growth in 2020.

While we may not be back to the projected growth coming out of 2019 and into 2020, researchers believe that consumer spending is likely to increase due to warmer weather and the rapid increase of vaccinations.

Yes, while these are much better consumer trends than what we were are seeing a year ago, it doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods yet. In the US, nearly 1 out of 3 consumers are still concerned about physical health. And more US adults are investing and saving their money from concerns still lingering post-pandemic.

While it can go without saying that some of the digital behaviors consumers picked up in 2020 are here to stay, it must be said that how your company personalizes consumers’ experience takes on a new meaning. 100% of top retailers turn their attention to making omnichannel personalization a top priority as consumers use various digital channels to research and make purchases.

This alone means that brands must continue to pivot and adapt by putting consumers at the center of their business and marketing. Understand where your customers spend their time, how they consume information, and what is important to them. Pause. Read that again. While that isn’t breaking news, it deserves your attention as a reminder.

Planning ahead for spring marketing campaigns and content helps your brand and team to think with your customer at the center. (This goes beyond just important holidays or a sale.) It gives you the space to PLAN (yes, that’s in all caps for a reason), prepare, and execute a strategy that gives your brand the opportunity to not only convert consumers but retain.

With the upcoming warmer weather (much of which is already here) and the prediction of increased spending of consumers, now is the time to make sure your spring and early summer marketing and content plans are ready.

To help get you started, I created a marketing campaign + content planning calendar of important dates, consumer trends, and some ideas to help you and your team prepare for the upcoming months. Oh yeah, and it’s free. Here’s a reminder for you to take time to work ON your business instead of IN it. Download the calendar here: