- November 23, 2024
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Summers are notorious for being bad for business. But extra down time could be an opportunity to freshen your image and plan for the future.
BY DIANE MICHAEL | CONTRIBUTING WRITER
In a vacation destination like Ormond Beach, the typical business owner finds fewer customers and more hours in their schedule during the hot summer months. Tourists aren't around, the snowbirds are long gone and more families are using their time together at the beach or by the pool.
But if you’re smart, you’ll take advantage of that extra time to prepare your business for the future.
Be organized
Make every trip count by planning your routes. Drop off your dry cleaning and pick up office supplies on the way home from picking little Jimmy up from summer camp. Remember, technology is your friend and it’s usually at your fingertips. Program your smart phone ahead of time to maximize every trip out the door. You will save time, gas money and a bit of sanity.
Stay in touch
You should be reaching out to your customers year-round, but summer is the ideal time to work up a retention program. What can you offer past clients to get them through your doors again in the slow months? Email discounts and showcase what’s new. Don’t just wait for customers; give them a reason to go out in the heat.
Stay plugged in
We’re always whining that there’s not enough time in the day to manage our social media pages, but summer is prime time. Use slow stretches to update your address books, freshen up your website, change your business description on Yelp, create a new Facebook page header and send recommendations on LinkedIn. This is also a great time to Google your business and read the reviews, check your search engine optimization and check in on your competitors.
Money, money, money
Summer is a great time to advertise. Try a new vendor or offer deeper discounts in your email marketing campaign. Think of creative, affordable ways to gain customer loyalty during these slower months, instead of waiting until you feel like you finally have enough capital to advertise.
Advertising when business is slow is key to creating more repeat customers to offsetting seasonal droughts.
Identify seasonal needs
Start creating job postings for seasonal workers now. Stock up on holiday materials. Review last year’s numbers. Get ahead — it will make life easier in the upcoming quarter.
Holiday hustle on the horizon
Create your marketing strategies for the holiday season now, starting with back-to-school in August. One way to do it is to make a timeline backward from each of the five major holidays leading up to the end of the year. Go in with a plan and then all you’ll need to do later is follow it — and reap its rewards.
*Diane Michael is the communications director of The Callan Group, a custom newsletter company in Ormond Beach. Visit www.thecallangrp.com.
