Beat the Summer Slump

Depending on where you live, the summer can be brutal. It’s too hot to really do much of anything and you’re distracted by thoughts of that summer vacation just around the corner. It’s also the perfect time to market your business while your competitors are feeling like one of those melting clocks in a Salvador Dali painting.

So prep ahead and beat the summer slump with some hot summer marketing! 

Here’s how...

Attitude is critical.  Start with a goal that you’re going to beat the heat and have the best summer sales ever. Just because the vernal months are traditionally a slow time for many businesses, doesn’t mean it has to be one for you. Put a sales goal on your bulletin board or electronic calendar or over your bed. Once you have the goal, figure out what it will take you to achieve it and then drive forward to it. 

There’s one big holiday in the summer —the 4th of July. That’s it, right? Well, there’s no reason you can’t make another big event on the 22nd of June or the 8th of August or whenever you like. On July 16th of 2015 for example, retailing giant Amazon launched Prime Day, their summer version of a Black Friday sale. In 24 hours they had beaten their own Black Friday record in sales. If it’s good enough for the largest online retailer in the world… well, you get the idea.

Have some new marketing ideas you’ve been itching to try out?  If things are slow, take a summer risk.  Launch a new product line, expand your customer base or try out some new marketing tactics— whatever it takes to get them in the door. Summer is a laid back, relaxing time. Use that to your advantage by taking some chances you otherwise might not.

Summertime means vacations for many people.  What about your customers or the target audience for your new product? When do they take off? Where do they go and for how long? Take their travel plans into account and use it in your marketing. 

The warm months are a time when people are out and about instead of shivering in their homes waiting for the snow to go away. There are conferences, retreats, festivals and more. Setting up a booth can be a great way to get your product or service more exposure in places where you’re likely to see a lot more foot traffic than the rest of the year.

Even if you can’t find an immediate cure for the summertime blues, there’s no reason you can’t create some great new content or take the opportunity to work ‘on’ your business rather than ‘in’ it. Ramp up with a plan and pre-production so you can hit the ground running when the hot weather hits.

Summer Slump?  It’s only a slump if you let it be. So beat the heat with some hot summer marketing!