Trying something new: 7 tips for businesses in the summer
For many, summer means a slow down, but it can also be a great time to try something new – maybe even launch a new product or service. As the temperature rises and consumer behavior shifts, it’s the perfect time to have a peek at your marketing strategy to see if you can tweak anything.
Here are 7 tips if you want to try something new this summer.
Timing is Key
Timing can make or break any strategy you put together, especially during the summer. If you’ve been around for at least a year, have a peek at how consumer behaviour shifted last year during the summer. If you have more than one year of data to look at you can spot trends and work around it. You can get a sense of when customers are buying during the summer – for example, did sales go up at the beginning of summer, but then lag in the middle before picking up again at the end? Or perhaps social media engagement dips in July and picks up again in August?
Leverage Seasonal Themes
Summer has a certain vibe to it – that slow down I mentioned earlier. Take advantage of the summer vibe through your marketing themes. Whether it's through vibrant colors, summer-related imagery, or themed giveaways, infuse your strategy with elements with a summer feel. This will help your customers feel more connected to you during the summer months as your strategy will likely resonate more with them.
Beat the Heat with Cool Promotions
Summer is synonymous with discounts, promotions, and special offers. Use this to your advantage by offering exclusive deals or limited-time promotions to encourage customer purchases. If you’re launching a new product, consider running summer-themed contests or giveaways on social media platforms to generate buzz and engage with your audience. You could also partner up with another brand such as an ice cream shop for a gift with purchase.
Embrace Outdoor Events and Activities
Your customers will likely spend more time outdoors in the summer, so consider hosting or sponsoring events that align with your brand. Whether it's a pop-up shop at a local festival, a beachside launch party, or a community barbecue, creating opportunities for consumers to interact with your brand in a fun and relaxed setting can leave a lasting impression. And it’s the perfect way to get them to try out a new product in person before they purchase.
Optimize for Mobile and Social
More time outside means more time on mobile and social media. Your marketing has to be accessible on the go! Create visually appealing content that is easily shareable across platforms and consider leveraging location-based targeting to reach consumers while they're out and about. If you’re looking for more foot traffic to a new gallery or a new brick and mortar storefront, location-based targeting can offer discounts to people in the area!
Stay Hydrated with Refreshing Content
Keeping your content fresh is just as important as drinking water during the hot summer months. It’s always important to update your website and social media channels regularly. You need to make sure your content is relevant and engaging. Don’t stop tracking what’s working and what isn’t even if it feels slow during the summer. In fact summer is a great time to try out new things! Launch a new content campaign and see how it lands with your audience.
Plan for what happens post-summer
Remember, nothing happens in a vacuum. You always have to think ahead when it comes to your business – what happens next? You’ve launched new campaigns, new products, tested out different marketing tactics… what happens in the fall? Will they continue? How does it fit within your existing holiday marketing plans? In general, how will you sustain the momentum that you have generated during the summer months?
How are you going to maximise your strategy during the summer months?