Deloitte predicted that the 2019 holiday season would bring in more than $1.1 trillion. For many retail businesses, November to January is their best season.
But what happens when the holidays are over? And what about business with peak seasons during other times of the year? How do you manage the rest of the year?
The good news is, all businesses have their own busy and slow seasons, but the right marketing strategy can make the ups and downs more profitable. Read on to learn how to adapt your digital marketing strategy to the seasons of your business.
Identify Your Busy and Slow Seasons
Before you can create a seasonally-relevant digital marketing plan, you need to figure out how your business changes with the seasons.
For example, if you own a construction company in the midwest, winter is probably your slow season because people don’t build many houses in the winter. For a craft supply company, winter might be your busy season. More people are stuck indoors, so they might spend that time working on craft projects.
These big picture trends are a great place to start, but now it’s time to get more specific. Which months or holidays do you get the most business and when do you get the least? A great way to track this information is with sales spreadsheets, bookkeeping software, or Google analytics for your website. Marketing Magnitude clients who have been with us for years can easily log into their dashboard to see the influx of incoming web leads and phone calls through the seasons within their account.
No matter the season, you should always focus on PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising, SEO, email marketing, and social media. These are all long-term strategies that help establish your brand and gain loyal customers.
Digital Marketing in the Slow Season
Whether you relax in the off-season or you stress about the drop in sales, the slow season is an ideal time to focus on marketing. The key is to make sure your clients remember you when business does pick up again.
It’s important to stay active on social media and update your website with new content. In fact, 30% of consumers won’t even consider using a business that doesn’t have a current website. Plus, it will show potential clients that you’re engaged and ready for business.
The slow season is also a great time to run online sales or giveaways. For example, if you sell vacation rentals, you could run a giveaway for a free getaway for two.
Your customers will love the chance to win a free trip. They’ll probably peruse your website after they enter your contest. Plus, if they enter your contest via email, you will be able to add them to your future email marketing strategies. You’ll attract future customers and get your business name out there.
Marketing Plan for the Busy Season
When business is booming, you might think you should put marketing on the back burner. But, this is the time to make sure your customers choose your business over your competitors. This is where online marketing can help.
For example, if you’re a florist, Valentine’s Day is the busiest day of the year for you and your competitors. That means February is when you should be spending the most money on ads. They may be more expensive, but it’s worth the investment.
You can also offer online or in-store promotions like ‘buy one, get one free’ to encourage customers to choose your business over your competitors.
Create Your Seasonal Marketing Plan Today
No matter your line of work, your business will fluctuate with the seasons. That also means your digital marketing plan needs to change along with it. Most of all, think about your customers and how the seasons affect their buying habits.
Still not sure how to make the most of your marketing efforts? To get professional help with your marketing strategy, contact us today at 702.482.8529.
