Summer is a great time to give your small business marketing campaign a boost. As people head outdoors to take advantage of the warmer weather, you can take advantage of seasonal promotions to generate interest in your products and services.
So spice up your marketing routine and try something new. The more unique and fun, the better! Set aside some time to brainstorm ideas with your team. We’ve prepared a few ideas to help you get the ball rolling.
1. Be Active During Festival Season
Fairs and festivals draw big crowds, so rent booth space at the events your target audience is most likely to attend. You can give out coupons or free samples to get people to visit your website or store, or you could run a contest or giveaway to build a mailing list and nurture promising new leads. Your presence at fairs and festivals ensures your business will be seen by lots of people. Plus, it gives you and your employees a chance to get out of the office and enjoy the warm weather.
2. Give People a Way to Beat the Heat
Whether you give away water bottles with your logo on them or sell pool supplies at a discounted rate, every small business can help customers cool off during those hot summer months. Think of unique, fun ways your business can appeal to potential customers when temperatures are rising.
3. Host a Promotional Cookout
Free food is always a hit. Thank your current customers and reach out to new ones with a summer celebration outdoors. You can host a cookout in your parking lot, enticing everyone with hot dogs, hamburgers, and other cookout favorites right off the grill. Place promotional signage and coupons in plain sight to get customers interested in the great deals you’ve got going on inside the store.
4. Offer Discounts that Change with the Weather
Price items so that they match the previous day’s high. For example, if the high reached 101 degrees, a used bookstore could offer a “Buy 1, Get 1 for $1.01” promotion. Or a carpet cleaning service might offer a “3 Rooms for $101” promotion. Record-breaking temps can capture a lot attention for promotions like these.
5. Make the Most of Summer Themes
There are lots of ways to tie in summer themes with your marketing efforts. Look for ways to appeal to tourists if your business is located in a popular destination city. If you don’t get much visitor traffic, try appealing to those shoppers making the most of their staycation. You can also take advantage of back to school promos for students and their parents in late July and August.
6. Volunteer and Give Back
It’s much easier to take part in community projects when the weather is warm and the sun is shining. Sign up to take part in fundraisers and other events that help people right in your community. Whether you serve as a volunteer, provide in-kind services, or sponsor a community event, you can build name recognition for your small business.
What creative summer marketing ideas would you like to try this year?