Summer is a time when the trend is to sit back, relax and enjoy BUT if you are a savvy marketer, you will take this time to turn up the heat on your marketing plans! Keep your eye on the prize and stay alert. Some rules of thumb as the beach season kicks into high gear:
Be Visual – more and more consumers are turning to social media to meet their needs. With this fast-paced, “I need it now” mentality, be visual and stay current. Too much content or copy will not only bore but can turn away your audience. Stay inspired and your customer will too! The 2012 Summer Olympics are a great example – “advertisers are going for Facebook as athletes go for the gold, in the first Olympic Games where marketers are placing such high hopes on social media to create a buzz for their brands” (Reuters).
Be Aware – summer is a great time to take the time to promote social awareness and consciousness. I have mentioned before that if it is the right fit for your brand, inspire consumers to feel good about their purchases by tying into the relevant charity of choice. Our friends at LesserEvil Brand Snack Co. pledge their support for Autism Speaks to promote autism awareness across the United States.
Be Trendy – carefully stay ahead of the trends in category, your market and beyond. Stay true to your brand character but always try to position yourself as the leader in the category.
Source: slashgear.com via Scott on Pinterest
Be Part Of Your Community – look to your local businesses. Summer is the perfect time to develop strategic partners at the grass roots level. Another good option is to sponsor a local event (road race, farmers market, school), albeit a smaller target audience, the communication to your consumer will be that you are a brand that cares about people.
Be There! – Capitalize on the summer months with a seasonally themed promotion – beach, music, picnics, outdoor BBQs. Carefully identify the theme that best suits both your product and your target audience and build out your plan from there. Pepsi is known for their summer music promotions – take a look at their 2012 theme.
The lazy summer days ahead have so much marketing potential. Take the time to BE refreshing – give your business plan a lift with new ideas that spark up your sales!
~Tracy
