It’s that time of year again: leaves are falling, pumpkin spice is in the air, and small biz owners everywhere are turning into the one thing they swore they’d never become: a basic witch.

You know who you are.

It starts small and innocent, though. You kicked off the year with big plans: colors, fresh brand message, maybe even a new logo. You felt unstoppable. But then, October showed up.

Suddenly, your brand is as basic as a PSL

Pumpkin spice lattes fuel your brainstorming sessions, oversized scarves become the new oversized sunglasses and all of a sudden you’re debating on whether ‘fall vibes’ should take over your insta feed. Before you know it, you’re in the seasonal trap that 87% of small biz owners fall into every year.

“You started the year with cutting-edge ideas, but now you’re rebranding with pumpkin motifs and cozy quotes about gratitude”, said your inner brand consultant who has been suffocating under a pile of fall-themed instagram filters.

Maybe it started with a sweet lil’ PSL photo for your story, but then you had to ’embrace the season’ and the next thing you know, your whole feed is a homage to autumn. Your business has basically turned into a basic Hallmark card, or in other words—as basic as a PSL.

Why pumpkin spice is your branding kryptonite

Listen: the pull of pumpkin spice is strong. Even the most innovative, industry leading experts can’t resist it. According to branding expert Sarah Sanderson (who may or may not be a direct descendant of the witches from Hocus Pocus) has seen it time and time again.

“The real tragedy isn’t that you’re blending in with every other small business out there,” said Sanderson, sipping on—you guessed it—a pumpkin spice latte. “The tragedy is that, come November, your brand will blend in with every other ‘fall aesthetic’ that flooded the market. By the time you’ve switched from pumpkins to snowflakes, your brand’s identity will be so diluted that your audience might not even recognize you. It’s like the brand’s version of face filler and lip injections.”

Maybe you just started by adding a cute lil’ pumpkin emoji to your email. But then you started adding cozy sweaters, maple-scented descriptions in your products and the next thing you know, your entire brand is ‘fall-inspired’ and every customer email has the word ‘cozy‘ in it.

Here’s the hard truth: you’ve become a basic witch, and so has your brand.

Your feed looks adorable, but your sales are flatlining

We’re not going to pretend like your social media feed and graphics don’t look amazing. It’s all very #fallghouls. But here’s the thing: while your insta might be picking up likes, your sales are probably doing the opposite.

How many pumpkin spice scented candles can your customers really buy?

“you think you’re creating engagement, but what you’re really doing is blending in with every other fall-themed brand,” Sanderson continued. “Sure you might get a few extra likes, but as soon as the season changes, your sales will flatline until you slap a Santa hat on that logo.”

How to avoid the basic witch curse

Don’t worry, there’s still hope for your brand, even if you’ve already fallen into the pumpkin spice abyss. Here are a few ways to reclaim your originality before the season consumes you completely:

1. Pumpkin spice moderation: There’s nothing wrong with a touch of seasonal content. But remember, it’s a spice, not the entire meal. Use it like you would nutmeg.
2. Stay true to your brand: Seasonal trends can be super fun, but don’t let them derail your core brand message. If you’ve built your brand on innovation, or something truly unique, stick to it. Don’t let a cinnamon-scented candle throw you off course.
3. Remember your peeps: Just because you love fall doesn’t mean your customers want to be bombarded with pumpkins. Keep your messaging focused on what your audience cares about year-round.
4. Embrace some non-basic fun: Lean into the fall vibes, but add a twist. Instead of going full pumpkin spce, create quirky content that surprises your audience. Something like “How to Rebrand Like a Vampire”, or “What Frankenstein Can Teach you about Product Launches.” Just a thought 😉

Your brand deserves more than pumpkin spice

Before you drown yourself in another pumpkin spice latte, remember this: your brand deserves better than seasonal cliches. Be intentional with how you inject seasonal content into your marketing, and makes sure it still aligns with the bold, unique voice that your business is built on.

This way you avoid becoming a basic witch in the pumpkin patch and come out more unique and actually standing out—even when the leaves are falling.

Contact Carl today if you’d like some help with avoiding the dreaded PSL basic witch syndrome. We’ll brew something unique for your brand that your audience can’t wait to get more of.