by Diana Ennen, President of Virtual Word Publishing and author of “Virtual Assistant, The Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA“
Summer is often a time when things slow down a bit. Between vacations, holidays, and just wanting that relaxed pace, more and more clients require less time. What’s good is that means more time for you to cha chill too. But, unfortunately, it can have a negative effect on your bank account. That’s why it’s critical to keep marketing over the summer and we’ll show you ways to do just that!
Here are my top summertime tips for marketing your business:
Social Media Magnify – Step it Up!
Keep your social media marketing consistent and running throughout the summer. So often you can see lapses in content when the business owner goes on vacation and even when they just slow down and get “out of the mood to post.” It’s hot, we feel you! And if you go on vacation, you know that the week prior and the week after can be just as busy, so a slowdown there often happens for extended periods of time. What you need to do is prepare in advance and schedule posts or hire someone to help. Also, know you can actually do this early on (like even in May, although we’re a little late on that for this year). That way at the last minute you aren’t saying, “Man I need to write these posts, because guess what… you probably won’t! But even if you do slow down, don’t go total ghost and disappear. It’s better to have some postings than nothing at all.
With your social media too keep in mind that people are more cha chilled during the summer, which rocks. It’s good to give your postings more personality because of that. Share more fun videos. Write more fun tips. Share pics of you out having fun. Just keep it professional. And yes, even on your business page, it’s AOK to post a pic of you enjoying the summer. We just recommend keeping those bikinis off the page. (Although we know you look marvelous in it!)
Content Marketing Magic – Make it Happen.
There are those frazzled business owners and entrepreneurs who are looking at taking a vacation and thinking, I’ll never survive send help! Well guess what, when your content shows up right at that right moment, it might be just what they need to take action and check you out. (In a good way of course.) So write that awesome content to show all you can do.
Write articles & blog postings specially addressing services you provide and especially ways you can help an overwhelmed business owner survive and thrive. An awesome article outlining how you can help with the summertime blues and overwhelm and adding specific things you can do might just do the trick.
Paid Advertising – Do It – Do It Now.
Let’s face it, it’s summer and more people are on social media relaxing than most times of the year. This is a great opportunity to connect with those you might not otherwise get the opportunity to. And why not make it easier by paying for ads and targeting your marketing directly to those people. Now you don’t want to throw off their chilled mojo, but you absolutely can advertise in a way that promotes your products and services, and has them clicking to find out more without spilling their beverage of choice.
And once again, let’s pump it up and make it fun. You will catch more attention with fun videos, graphics, texts, etc., then if it’s the same ole same ole boring content. Let them see that, “Hey, that’s the kind-of business I want to do business with. I bet they are a hoot to work with.” Now, of course, you don’t want to go overboard, but I bet if you try this out this summer, come fall you’ll like it so much that from now on, your ads will have more personality, which breaks down to more sales and $$$$. That sounds pretty awesome, doesn’t it? You betcha.
Networking – Get Out There .
During the summer a lot of folks take off and don’t attend as many networking events as they normally would. Now you would think that would be a bad thing if you want to get out and network, but it can have the opposite effect. So often networking events have clicks (oh I so don’t like that term, but it describes what I need to say perfectly.) And when you attend these events, it’s hard to break into these clicks. (Oh gosh there it is again.) But when some of the regulars don’t attend, those newbies can often connect on a more personal level with those there. Plus, with smaller groups, the meetings can be more intimate. Now no nasty emails telling me about your group not being a click. I don’t mean any offense to anyone. My point being, get out there and network. Don’t take the summer off. Try and connect with a few new people and most of all enjoy yourself. Often times event organizers will reward summer-time attendees with more laid back events.
Revamp & Re-Do Your Stuff.
Wow, have you looked over your website lately? Yikes! There’s a mention about your Christmas special on there. Bummer! And your LinkedIn Profile’s last article was from about the same time. You’ve been busy. Awesome. But what does that tell potential clients? You guessed it. You aren’t on top of your game. (Even though I’m sure you are!) Summer is an awesome to spend time and review and revamp your business image.
Review your website and make sure it’s updated with the latest information. In addition to new services, add in any new clients you’ve gotten and also new testimonials. Spend the time to review your media page and be sure you’ve included new press you’ve received. Now take it a step further and add in new pics of you (professional of course) and anything else you feel will say to a potential client, as well as current clients, that you are on it! Now do the same for all your social media profiles. Just the same as you change into your fun summer wardrobe, you can spiffy up your business in much the same way.
Just Keep on Keeping On.
Now this seems lame, but honestly for many this is enough. Let’s say you too have vacations, kids home from school, clients who are having you take over while they are on vacation, etc. Or let’s say you plan on attending more conferences in the summer. For these circumstances, just keeping up with your own marketing works and can be what you need to do. Of course more marketing is always a good thing. But know your workload. For some, maintaining is good enough.
As you can see, summer marketing can be just what the doctor ordered to get your business a new facelift. And remember, you can always have a professional help. (Like me! See how I did that?) No matter what, enjoy your summer, take time for friends and family, and know that fall is just around the corner. Go into it renewed, refreshed, and hopefully with a new clients and a little extra dinero in the bank.
Diana Ennen is the President of Virtual Word Publishing, offering PR and marketing services. She hosts PR classes through www.prsuccessseries.com, and is also the author of six books on starting your own business including the best-selling”Virtual Assistant, The Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA“, Contact her at Diana@virtualwordpublishing.com or @dianaennen for a free PR Informational Package.
