A Marketing Vacation?
Your summer vacation shouldn't get in the way of your marketing strategy and tactics.
I don't think so!
Some small business owners take a vacation from their marketing – not just during the summer, but throughout the year. They stop for a variety of reasons, but the one that always shocks me is “because it’s working.”
Apparently, when advertising and online endeavors are producing results, those in charge of budgets think the job of marketing is done. In reality, that is the worst time to take a marketing vacation.
Don’t Stop and Start
If you’ve been consistent in your marketing throughout the year, you may be able to pull back a bit on your media spend or adjust your plan. However, you don’t want to lose all of your momentum by stopping your marketing because your staff is on vacation, it’s “working too well” or you’re distracted by other priorities. If you stop now and start over later, it will cost extra to regain the momentum that can be lost in the blink of an eye.
Switch Hitting
Although continuing to market is important, your channels may change throughout the year, particularly during the summer months. One reason is the fact that people aren’t inside watching TV as often when the weather is nice (except perhaps, baseball games and the Olympics).
However, there are other approaches that are very effective during the summer. Social media and content marketing are powerful ways to get your message across – and I believe these are even more important in the summer when people are highly mobile.
Modify the Message
As you beef up your summertime social messages, it’s wise to change the tone to have a more social and relaxed feel. Here are a few examples of how to mix it up for various industries:
• Fashion: This is one space that has great latitude to be super playful on Pinterest, Instagram or Snapchat.
• Healthcare: Dial back from more intense topics and provide valuable advice such as how to avoid sunburn, dehydration and West Nile-carrying mosquitoes.
• Education: Shift from hard-core “how to” tips to posts about relaxation and budget-friendly vacations. This Facebook page shared a great “how to pack” video on July 25th.
• Real Estate and Mortgages: Post fewer financial messages and move the focus to the summer side of homeownership. Check out this blog post about BBQ safety tips.
It’s Not About You
Not only is it important to be seasonal, but you also need to deliver a message that your target audience can relate to. Sometimes it’s clever. Other times it’s touching. But the most important thing is that your communications are relatable to your target audience – not yourself.
Often, businesses and nonprofits know themselves too thoroughly and create their marketing messages based on what they live and breathe every single day. It’s easy to forget that the typical consumer doesn’t think about your organization the same way you do.
Planning and Follow Through
Some small businesses strive for consistency by printing a brochure here, running an ad there and pushing a sales-y message through their social media channels. And this can be a good start! But what really works long-term is having a strategic plan consisting of an initial launch with ongoing maintenance. This will enable your company to remain top of mind when consumers are making a purchase in your product or service category.
Now is the time to take action! Begin with an assessment of your current approach, keeping your focus on where you want your business to go. This will serve as a good starting point for formulating your marketing strategy.
Originally published in interBusiness issues. Revised July 25, 2016.