How to Reach Your Seasonal Marketing Goals

Summer is in full swing and for some, sales can be sluggish. For others, it is the most prosperous season of them all. How do you plan to prepare in the off-season? Are incentives the answer? If summer is your hottest season, what do you do to get ahead? Read on to discover how your business can reach its full seasonal marketing potential.

Off-Season Marketing

Sales in the summer can be hard to come by for some. If this hits too close to home, there are other areas of focus you could turn your attention to in order to prepare for what lies ahead. If summer is generally slower, leave some time to focus on the following off-season marketing efforts.

• Inventory – When is the last time you took a look at inventory? It is likely a lot of product has accumulated between now and the last holiday season. Clean out the old so you can make room for the new. For example, try hosting a summer sale to shed some weight. The slow season is the perfect time to eliminate extra, damaged, old, aged, or expired product. Improve and renew inventory. Do a little market research as well. Perhaps there is no need to reorder some of those less sought-after products.
• Freebies – People love free. It really is that easy. It does not have to be anything outrageous, but something that makes people have a positive emotional association with your business is more than any brand can ask for. Start fostering positivity through freebies and you may see your slow season dissipate.
• Rewards – Building a loyal customer base is the goal with this one. Rewards are a great way to, for lack of better words, reward your customers. Initiating some type of rewards program can help foster loyalty among current and future prospects. Punch cards for example, they serve as a physical reminder that helps keep your company top-of-mind plus they are a great incentive to promote return visits. With proper nurturing and patience, the slow season may be the time to take advantage of setting up a rewards program tailored to your marketing goals and objectives.
• Refresh the Website – Sometimes all you need is a little refresh. The off-season time is the best time to revamp your website. Outdated branding? Consider a fresh look or an entirely different approach to reaching your audience altogether.

On-Season Marketing

During more prosperous times, it is a good idea to take a look at how you can prepare and manage the hectic times ahead.

• Plan– Once sales pick up, it can be hard to find time for just about anything extra. This is why planning ahead is most certainly a great idea. Forecast your sales and of course plan your marketing campaigns in advance.
• Extra Staff – Hire on extra hands in order to fulfill every order. It can be difficult to predict exactly how busy things will be. However, missed opportunities are sure to arise if you fail to prepare for the crowds in advance. Plus everyone needs a break. In order to avoid burning out your best employees, hire on fresh help. Ideally this should be done a month or two before the season hits.
• Time Management – Time really does equate to money. The best way to prepare for the high times is to carefully plan during the slower seasons. Prioritize as best you can. Certain issues may take precedence over other matters. Do your best at deciphering which issue needs immediate attention and which ones can wait.

Reach Your Seasonal Marketing Goals.

Regardless of the season, some marketing efforts require attention all year round such as content. Remarkable content is a must for both the on and off season. Just because your buyer personas cannot utilize your products or services immediately, they can still learn and read about them through your blog.

In addition to content, an ongoing, active presence on social media is just as important to maintain. An active social presence shows you are actively engaged, listening and care about the needs and wants of your buyer persona. Social can help your business uniquely connect to your audience online, which in turn can equate to an offline connection too.

How Can Bigfin.com Help?

Bigfin.com  is an industry leader in online advertising, SEO and custom web design. Our comprehensive digital marketing solutions include social media management as well as social media advertising on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn and other social outlets. Looking for mobile website solutions or help with search engine marketing? Contact us online or by phone at (425)822-8200.