Most people spend the rest of the year dreaming of summer.
There is the sunshine, vacations, and… a potential dip in business?
As consumer behaviors shift and their priorities change, the summer months can bring a slowdown for your business.
In this article, we’ll explore how you can take a strategic and proactive approach to combat the dog days of summer, avoid the slump, and keep your business thriving.
Why the Summer Slowdown?
Summertime means busy, longer days, with your customers spending more time outdoors. They’re at events, taking vacations, and enjoying quality time with family.
School is out and families may be spending extra spending dollars toward special summer activities and camps.
What does this mean for you? These busy individuals often reduce their online browsing. They also tend to have a tighter disposable budget, leading to more cautious spending on non-essential items.
For parents, their focus shifts to childcare and keeping their children busy, having a huge impact on their spending patterns.
Fighting the Summer Slump
Don’t let the summer slowdown discourage you. Here are some effective strategies to keep your business buzzing:
1. Target New Movers
Did you know that the majority of U.S. moves happen during the summer months?
This presents a prime opportunity for you to target the newest residents in your area.
90% of new movers are open to trying new brands for any item, with furniture/home décor, TV, appliances, home improvement supplies, and pet supplies topping the list of items movers are most likely to try new brands for.
Additionally, 88% of new movers say they would try a new provider for any services, with internet, home insurance, and moving services topping the list.
New movers are actively looking for local businesses like yours to meet their needs. They are looking for new restaurants, contractors, gyms, salons and everything in between.
Welcome them to the neighborhood with special offers and discounts. This is a valuable opportunity for you to introduce them to your brand and provide value during their move.
2. Re-engage Dormant Customers
Summer is the perfect time to rekindle the flame with customers you haven’t heard from in a while.
Someone who made a purchase months ago but hasn’t returned may just need a nudge back in your direction.
Try sending them a personalized email or direct mail piece. Remind them that you’re still here by offering a special summer discount.
Analyze your customer data to identify dormant customers and create personalized messages that refer back to their past interactions with your business.
3. Go With Direct Mail
Direct mail can often be a breath of fresh air.
So many of your customers look at their screens to see an inbox loaded with emails and dozens of text messages. A personalized mail campaign can help you stand out and capture their attention.
In fact, 54% of people find reading through mailed content enjoyable and 52% of respondents say that they feel important when they receive direct mail from a brand.
Interestingly enough, direct mail can be particularly effective for reaching new movers or re-engaging dormant customers.
For example, you could send a mailer to re-engage a former customer by including images that relate to previous purchases or “add to cart” items with a QR code that bring them to a personalized landing page.
4. Seasonal Promotions
Nothing attracts customers like a sizzling summer deal.
Create special summer promotions that make sale “too hot to miss.”
Towards the end of the season, you can share your “back-to-school specials,” or an end of summer “blowout sale!” A lot of states hold tax free weeks, so make sure to look out for those and use them to your advantage.
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5. Host a Community Event
In the summer, your customers are out and about, and you should be too! This is a great time to get involved in your local community.
Some fun ideas on how you can get out there:
- Sponsor a golf tournament or community picnic
- Host a workshop
- Have an open house at your business
- Participate in a farmers’ market
Connect with your current customers and potential customers at these events. Use them to help you build your brand awareness.
6. Don’t Forget Omnichannel Marketing
Your marketing strategy doesn’t get to take a summer vacation. While people may be spending less time in their typical routines, they’re still online.
Use an omnichannel approach to promote your summer promotions. There is a 287% higher purchase rate for omnichannel marketing campaigns compared to single-channel strategies
Leverage a multi-channel campaign to reach them where they are, using channels like CTV, direct mail, and email.
For example, during a summer break, your customers may have more time to unwind and catch up on streaming their favorite show. Get in front of them while they’re relaxing on the couch with a targeted CTV ad campaign. Be sure to also deploy your campaign through social media and email to create additional touch points.
Perhaps your customers are using the summer to “digital detox” from social media. This is a perfect opportunity for your personalized direct mail piece to stand out!
7. Adapt Your Content Strategy
Consider what your target audience is going to be interested in during the sunny summer months.
You may want to share travel tips, outdoor activities or summer recipes. Give your audience some suggestions for how to beat the heat.
For example, a hardware store could write a series of blog posts that share summer DIY projects. They could use their social media to promote the projects and include links to the items you need to complete the projects.
Summer is a great opportunity to focus more on building brand loyalty, and position yourself as a resource, even if their immediate purchasing needs are on pause.
Summer Marketing Solutions
Are you ready to beat the heat, and the summer slump?
Prepare your marketing strategy for success in the warm weather months by following these suggestions, ideas and tips.
For further ideas and marketing solutions to engage customers during the Summer months, contact Welcome Wagon!
Founded in 1928 to welcome new movers to their community, Welcome Wagon is committed to connecting HVAC companies with new homeowners through online and offline channels.
