Beat the Summer Pinch in 5 Simple Ways
Summer is a great time for ice cream shops, pool cleaning and supplies services, and bathing suits shops, but unfortunately for the majority of businesses it is a slow season. Summer is the season of vacation and time off and your business may feel the pinch of the slower business activity. This fun in the sun holiday doesn’t have to be a summer slump for your business. Here are 5 easy ways to beat the summer pinch and increase sales in the summer:
1. Let people know you are still open for business
There is nothing worst then obscurity for a business. Take advantage of this slow time to create a creative and fun marketing mailer to businesses or homes in your area in order to boost your summer sales by acquiring some new client. If you are going to make an investment make the marketing material fun and work for you, give it a summer theme and create a buzz. An affordable way to reach your neighbors with a mailer is using EDDM, Every Door Direct Mail. Find out more about EDDM’s here.
2. Use social media to increase visibility
Social media is an affordable way to bring some fun to your summer marketing. Get creative, host a “Summer Vacation Contest” and have clients post pictures of your products with specific “hashtags” related to your promotion. Post fun pictures of behind the scenes at your business during the summer, just get creative. You can even run local adds on social media targeted to your neighborhood.
3. Get involved with clients and prospects
Take this slow season to build relationships with your clients and prospects. Reach out to them via phone calls and personal visits. Bring seasonal giveaway items with you like a towel with your logo that they can use at the beach. Host events like an after hour, a staycation party, a BBQ, or a block party. To cut cost and reach more people partner with non-competing businesses that could probably also use some more business. That way each business markets it to their mailing list, emails list, and social media followers, getting more exposure for all the business partners involved.
4. Create buzz and specials around holidays
Use holidays to provides deals, specials, or coupons. For example, a bakery on July 4th can offer a 4 pastries for $4 deal. Summer time is full of holidays and make sure to advertise your offers via email, mail, online, etc.
5. Prepare for the busy season
Because your business is slow doesn’t mean you can’t be productive. Use this down time to prepare for the busier season to come, like back to school, breast cancer awareness month, business holidays gifting.
Slow business season doesn’t mean it has to drill a big hole in your sales, it means you just need to get creative with your marketing and adapt to the situation. Always make the most with what you have! Share your summer promotions success stories with us and let us know how you beat the summer pinch in your business; we love to hear new ideas.
Capucine Rismay
