Summer Marketing Ideas For Your Small Business

Summer seems to have arrived and in this blog we will look a look at how small business owners can utilise the coming months to maximise profits, and minimise stress with our summer marketing ideas for your small business.

From seasonal custom to taking some much needed rest, summer brings its challenges and its own unique benefits. Try adopting some of our tips to help support your small business.

Now is the time to take your small business outside

If 2018 is anything to go buy, the coming months should bring some glorious sunshine as temperatures soar. With this in mind, it is now the perfect opportunity to take your small business outdoors to reap the benefits. This could extend to your small business attending a local community fair, school fete or a similar local project where you and your staff “give back.”

Become savvy and seasonal

Christmas is a distant memory, but don’t feel just because this event has passed your small business can’t take advantage of fresh ideas for seasonal marketing opportunities. Why not sit down with your staff and cobble some ideas together. This may be for bits further down the line, and could stretch into the Autumn/Winter periods but methodical planning can be crucial. Build some social marketing ideas based around summertime themed events including beaches and BBQ’s. Why not invest in some simple  cool refreshments and other items to entice customers to enter your business on hot days.

Have you considered creating a dual branding package?

Have you considered partnering with another local company (non-competing business) that shares a similar target audience to create a dual branding package? A local gym, sports club, restaurant or a photographic studio is a great place to start in order to promote your brand. This would also apply when a customer purchases something from you (maybe a trial pass at the gym). It’s a very informal relationship, which can have positive results for both parties.

Sponsor a summer event

The popularity in events such as park runs has grown enormously in recent years. You could consider handing out water bottles which have been personalised with your company name and website address. It could provide you with great exposure whilst supporting a local event.  To find your nearest park run visit – https://www.parkrun.org.uk/events/events/. Alternatively, if you are a small business owner you could rent a booth at an event and hand out complimentary samples, vouchers or other promotional discounts.

Open the doors and invite the public in

Why not host an opening evening or summer event at your business. This will give you an opportunity to promote or showcase your products to customers who may not know about your business. You could incorporate some local musicians and provide food and drinks on arrival to create a relaxed environment. Events like this are a great way to attract new customers and you can showcase this on your social media platform. A great example of this was the Cambridgeshire Care Home’s Annual Garden Party. As a family run business providing private elderly care services in Cambridgeshire this event helped extend their ties into the community, as well as provide their elderly residents with a fantastic day with friends and family in the sun. Due to the great feedback First Care Homes received they extended the event to other private care homes of theirs like the Park View Care & Nursing home in Ipswich.

Competitions

Everybody loves a freebie and the chance to win something and done correctly it offers a great way to engage with your customers.  When it’s scorching outside, this offers a great opportunity to offer items such as food, drink.

People love free stuff, even when it’s hot outside. Summer is the perfect time to give away small items like skincare product samples, fashion jewellery, stickers or food.

Promote your giveaways on social media making it clear what the terms are: good while supplies last, today only, free item with purchase, or however you want to structure your deal.

What tips or marketing strategies would you share. Please get in touch, or comment below.