As spring rolls around, it’s a great time to encourage customers out of winter hibernation and into your store. Get them excited for a new season with hot deals, special promotions and holiday contests.

To get your registers ringing, here are four springtime promotions or marketing ideas you should use:

1. Create a ‘Spring Fling’ sale

Encourage clients to celebrate the new season by creating a special springtime promotion like a ‘Spring Fling’ sale.

Create an offer, or a special service package for customers. Make posters and hang them in your store to promote the upcoming sale, mention it on social media, create a chalkboard, send emails or text messages, to your customers or drop some postcards in the mail to encourage your loyal shoppers to come in.

Here’s an Instagram post and sidewalk sign that retailer Mishka posted last year of their Spring Fling sale:

Aeropostale sent its customers this coupon via mail. It offers a discount on any purchase in the store.

Notice both pieces of marketing materials have a fresh, spring look to them. You should also include an image. In both cases, the images are great attention-grabbers and encourage people to investigate the deal further.

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2. Host a ‘Spring Cleaning’ event

You don’t have to own a cleaning company to host a ‘Spring Cleaning’ event. Your business can clean out old inventory and offer it at marked down rates. Tell customers that you’re cutting prices on popular items to make room for newer items, even if it means restaurant menu items you’re taking down until next year.

Here’s an example from a craft shop in Minneapolis. The flyer advertises low prices as it gets ready for the new season.

You can also tie a ‘Spring Cleaning’ event to a remodeling project. Tell customers that you want new inventory to go with your new look, and to accomplish that 50 percent of your products are on sale during the first week of spring.

3. Don’t forget March Madness

Whether your business is connected to sports or not, March is a crazy month for basketball. Consider running a basketball-themed promotion.

For athletic stores, it’s an easy sell, but even ‘non-sportsy’ businesses can leverage the event. Restaurants can run food and drink specials and advertise the sports coverage that’s taking place.

Computer repair shops can help fans get their computer running as fast as possible to stream all of the games, and local catering shops can offer special delivery services for parties. Or, make your own twist on March Madness like this yogurt shop does with “Waffle Madness.”

You could also support your local team. Coffee shops in Syracuse, NY can offer an “Orangeman Discount” on coffee on the morning of a big game. Change your outdoor marquee to a supportive message or breakout a sandwich board that recognizes the team’s success.

If you plan ahead, you could even set up a charity event with a former player. Maybe there’s an older all-star that still lives in the community that’s willing to come out to your store and help you host a fundraiser that gives scholarships to a local basketball camp.

If you plan a March sale, be aware that there are certain rules that you have to follow. The NCAA has the rights to certain phrases, so you’ll have to word your promotion carefully. Here’s a breakdown of the rules.

4. Create a Mother’s Day contest

Mother’s Day is usually an unofficial kickoff to spring, so this year create a social contest around the holiday.

Ask your fans to upload a picture of their mom and explain why she is an inspiration. Dove, the maker’s of beauty products, created a campaign just like this. Using #BeautyStory, the company asked fans to submit a picture of their mom and explain a beauty lesson that their mom passed down. Submissions came rushing in. Why? Everyone has a mom, so it’s a relatable contest.

Give the winner a basket of mom-approved goodies, a coupon to your store or team up with a local spa for the promotion and give a free service away.

Dove didn’t just give away prizes; it took all of the submissions and posted them online in a special photo gallery. Here’s a snapshot of one of the stories shared by fan:

This kind of contest brings in what marketers call “user-generated content.” Your users are providing a bunch of content that you can use for promotional material. Just be sure to mention that in the rules of your contest.

What springtime promotion ideas do you have? Share your ideas in the comment section below.