“Summertime, and the living is easy,” they say. For some industries like hospitality and tourism, business is in prime gear, but for some sectors and regions the summer is a time to slow down and assess previous quarters then plan for the back to school and the holiday rush.
The summer is time for brainstorming and detailing the next direction for your brand. If there’s a new product, collection, or service you’ve considered featuring, now is when you can map out your launch. Maybe there’s a way to refresh existing offerings by adding new options and varieties. Bundles can be popular if you have several similar products that can be sold together at a discount. Or creating sampler packages containing, as example, four – four ounce jars for the same price as a sixteen ounce jar can generate excitement for your entire line.
This is also a chance to formulate your marketing strategy for the coming months. What special deals do you plan to run and how do you plan to promote this? Are you planning any big events either online or in person? If you have a new product to unveil, then a launch party is probably in order. Or perhaps you pride yourself for being an authority in your field and enjoy sharing insights, then perhaps educational workshops can be held live or recorded for purchase. Maybe your focus for boosting sales is amplifying what’s already working for you, and giving your customers an opportunity to get a little more for their money. This could mean generous sales or free trials with the purchase which allows customers to try items they don’t yet know they love.
The slower business months are also an ideal time to refresh connections with both buyers and sellers. Have an efficient CRM system in place to keep track of client information including contact info and history. Make sure your email list is current and consistently providing useful and engaging content, and not letting that powerful marketing tool sit idle. It’s also a good time to meet with suppliers and potentially negotiate better pricing, or even shop for new vendors.
If the mid-year months are a downtime for you, take it easy on yourself and definitely catch up on the rest everyone needs, but also use this as a chance to reflect and formulate. Look at the evolution of your brand and how the face of your company is growing, while still maintaining its core values and integrity. Is your mission the same or has it changed and adapted as the whole world has? Visualize the path you desire your business to go and set the intentions, using this as a guide for a flourishing season ahead.
