Having a busy time of the year and a slow time of year is normal for a wide range of businesses. During these times different thought processes often go through business owners' minds. When you are busy the thought process is probably something like "We are swamped! There is no need to do any advertising right now." During slow times you might think, "Well we are super slow, we should cut our advertising budget to cut costs." So what is the right answer?!... Well, the answer is... having a year-round ad strategy that lines up with your marketing efforts can help keep you ahead at ALL TIMES.
So, I know what you are thinking now... "You’re a marketing agency, of course you would say that" but the truth is, it’s all about making adjustments to your strategy, not stopping. In the end, consistent advertising will yield the best results.
Marketing During the Off-Season
Companies often consider pausing advertising efforts during the off seasons to cut down on costs, but this will actually hurt rather than help. You’ve developed your brand’s own unique marketing plan, and the key to being successful with that plan is effective advertising. Being the first business your target audience thinks of when it comes time to purchase is key and when you fail to maintain consistency in your advertising your business starts to lose that top of mind awareness as competitors continue advertising and create content.
Don't cut back, get strategic! During a slow-period it is the perfect time to fine tune your marketing efforts, focus on creating content, and expand brand awareness. This is also a great time to build more of a presence on another social media platform that maybe you have not had time to focus on. Overall, think of this period as an opportunity and turn what might feel like a negative situation to a positive one. Slow times are a perfect time to advertise sales or special deals on your products / services. This can help drive sales during this slower period and maintain steady inquiries and foot traffic.
Marketing During Peak Season
On the other end of things, what happens when you're super busy. Why would you spend money on advertising when your store is already packed? Well, the truth is... now it is even more important! Clearly you have captured lightning in a bottle, and this is when you can really show off how popular your brand is. Create content with customers such as reviews and testimonials. Amplify your social media to leverage customer interactions and engagement.
Busy season is also a fantastic time to grow your database of clients / leads. This database can then be leveraged during your slow season to stay connected with your customers, maintain top of mind awareness and even increase sales during a time when business has typically stalled.
Consistency is Key
Imagine pushing something incredibly heavy. You struggle to get it going, but once it starts moving and gets momentum, everything seems to move a lot easier and at some point you even dread needing to stop because of how hard it will be to start back up again. Think of your advertising efforts in the same way. Keeping the momentum going will make your future advertising much more effective and cost efficient since you won’t need to make up lost ground and brand awareness will be constantly maintained.
By advertising to your target audience consistently, you will make sure to hold onto market share, build brand trust, and grow your business consistently through the busy times, and the slow.