Marketing during the dog days of summer!
Summer is here, and while there’s no doubt that you are excited about the lazier days it brings you may be a little disappointed you aren’t ready for it. And, by ready I mean you didn’t lose the COVID-19/15 pounds you packed on last year, and your skin tone is more ghastly than sun-kissed! Don’t worry we are all in the same position!
You are probably wondering: Why is a marketing professional like myself writing about summer bods and tans, and not digital trends and marketing tools?
The thing is summer – and everything it conjures up – and your marketing plan/strategies have some interesting parallels:
- You don’t get your summer body ready in the summer – you get it ready in the winter!
Netting results from your marketing efforts happens over a period of time and not overnight. Just like you should start your diet and exercise routine during the winter months, and not two weeks before summer vacation starts, your marketing efforts need to begin long before you unveil something new or test the success of a particular tactic. Some strategies like website development, branding, or launching a new product take months – if not a full year – to develop. So, if you want to feel good wearing that bathing suit or increase sales and market share start in the fall or winter, that way when summer rolls around you’re in great shape! - While summer means school’s out and vacation is in, it doesn’t mean it’s time to vacate important areas of your life.
You’ve waited 10 months for school to be over, and the craziness of your hectic schedule to die down. While it feels good to loosen the reigns and let the kids sleep in and eat breakfast for dinner, summer is not the time to take a vacation from your marketing goals. Your business maybe seasonal and summer maybe the time it slows down, but that shouldn’t mean you take a vacation from pursuing your goals. Summer is the perfect time to review data, analyze reviews and readjust your marketing efforts. Take these next few months to work on new marketing goals and initiatives, or review your budgets and processes to get a clear view of your financials and workflow efficiencies, or follow-up on your online reputation and pursue new leads. - Summer is mosquito season – have your DEET ready!
With all the sun, sand, and tan lines summer brings it’s also a haven for mosquitos! Those pesky creatures can wreak havoc on your body, but as long as you are covered in repellent you can protect yourself from bites. Just like you don’t want to let your guard down for fear of getting bit, you want to make sure you’re your online presence (website/social media accounts) are safe and protected. Summer is a good time to perform an audit on your brand equity, lost business, and monitor the wins that resulted in heavy sales. You want to protect your online reputation and transactional protocols don’t get bit!
- Explore new adventures
There’s nothing like summer to inspire new adventures. While you have a little extra time why not venture out and try a new marketing tool? Dive deeper into your business goals by asking yourself questions like: Did the revamp of your site yield the results that you had hoped for? If not, what can you do differently? What new tool are you willing to explore? Now is the time to take some risks. - Eat more ice cream🍦!
Heck, it’s summer and nothing tastes sweeter than ice cream on a hot day! I love Cookies-‘n-Cream, what’s your favorite?
Stay tuned for more about marketing your business in summer and throughout the year! Next up: Is hiring an agency right for your business?
