4 Common Misconceptions about marketing in the summer
“Sometimes, I like to close my eyes and imagine what it’d be like when summer does come…” (Olaf, Frozen)
We’ve had weird, apocalyptic weather for the past couple of weeks, but like it or not (hey, winter people exist!) summer is right around the corner. You need to figure out what that means for your marketing – do you keep everything status quo or do you change things up? Before you make any decisions, here are 4 common misconceptions about marketing in the summer and what this might mean for your strategy.
1: YOUR CUSTOMERS DISAPPEAR IN THE SUMMER
Your customer’s habits may change, but they don’t disappear. Customer purchasing behaviour shifts throughout the year. For different industries it could be because of regular seasonal shifts, it could be based on financial milestones like tax season, or any number of reasons. Remember, just because their purchase behaviour and other habits change doesn’t mean they completely disappear for the summer.
You need to find ways to connect with them and stay top of mind so you don’t have to work as hard to connect with them when it comes time to purchase again. Also, most people don’t take an entire summer vacation (as glorious as that sounds…). They may not be around for a few weeks of the summer or even less available on weekends, but they are still around. That means they are still scrolling social, still reading emails, and using all the other marketing channels you worked so hard to build up. You just have to figure out HOW their behaviour has changed so you can change up your strategy. For some that means posting to social media at different times, posting less content, finding ways to connect with your audience outdoors, etc.
2: YOU CAN’T HAVE A SEASONAL AUDIENCE IF YOUR BUSINESS ISN’T SEASONAL
So you don’t have a seasonal business… That doesn’t mean you can’t be a destination for when people travel to your city! If your regular customers are on vacation elsewhere then people elsewhere may be visiting where you are. This gives you new opportunities to expand your audience reach. While it might feel short term, the people that visit may come back, but they will also refer you to their friends and family if you focus on creating a great customer experience.
To help you connect with the vacationing crowd, consider connecting with your local tourism board or even your local chamber of commerce or BIA. These organizations/associations often offer ways for local businesses to be featured in seasonal campaigns. It’s a matter of figuring out what value you bring to the table and pitching it in the right way.
3: YOU CAN’T DO SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT JUST FOR ONE SEASON
You can change things up whenever you want! That’s the beauty of marketing. You can shift with the seasons, with trends… The key is to make sure that you aren’t just jumping on a new trend for the sake of doing it. Everything you do needs to be rooted in strategy. That being said, if summer is typically slower then why not try something a little different? It’s the perfect time to step out of your comfort zone and spice things up for a while. Who knows, you may even decide you love it and your customers love it so you keep doing it all year.
4: LIFE SLOWS DOWN, SO YOU CAN TAKE A BREAK FROM YOUR BUSINESS
Life might slow down, but your business doesn’t have to. It might be the perfect time for that much needed vacation, but don’t take the whole summer off. And make sure you use your team’s strengths to keep things running while you are away. Solo entrepreneur? There are many different automation tools you can use to keep your marketing efforts alive while you step away. If your business is one that has a lull in the summer, don’t take that as an invitation to just shut it all down so you are basically starting from scratch when you get back in the fall. Summer is a chance to get ahead and finish out your year strong.
Have you started planning your summer marketing strategy yet? What are some of the things you wish you could do during the summer? What are some strategies you have always wanted to try, but have been too scared to do it? Tell us in the comments below!