9 July 2014 9:00 amEnjoying the sun but not the level of sales? All businesses have their quiet periods. Retail tends to be slow in the summer, while ice cream sellers find things quiet in the winter. So what do you do in the quieter times?
Being quiet doesn’t mean you’ve got nothing to do; far from it. When fewer customers are knocking on the door (or filling your email inbox...) it’s time to put some effort into more long-term goals. You know, those projects that you’ve been putting off because you were too busy!
Marketing is just such a task. By its nature, the results of marketing often take time to materialise. So investing time, money and effort now for results much later sometimes feels a bit fruitless. A well-developed, clear and targeted marketing plan takes time to put together and time to deliver results. Taking a ‘little and often approach’ can yield great results in the long term.
Where traditional marketing methods were slow to take effect (ads, brochures etc.) online marketing results are often immediate. Special offers, event news and ‘sneak peeks’ can spread around the globe at near instantaneous speed. Social media, online news sites and (perhaps most of all) your website are the ways in which we now deliver messages.
To get you started here’s our top three tips for online marketing activities when you find yourself with a little time on your hands:
- Send a topical email newsletter
Remind your customers that you’re 'here to help' with topical problems. If it's hot outside why not suggest some music systems that are great for that outdoor BBQ? If it’s cold you could try ‘Top Systems for a Cosy Night In!’ Need another example? Read the rest of this blog post! - Write a ‘how to’ blog post
You know loads of stuff about your specialist subject, after all you’ve spent years learning all the 'tricks of the trade'. Now it's time to share a little bit of that knowledge with the world via the web (not forgetting to share your post on social media, forums and local news sites to drive traffic to your website, of course!) - Share a few links, news articles or blog posts on your Social Media feed(s)
There are simply loads of things to talk about. Look at news sites or other Social Media accounts for material and re-spin the story by asking a question. One of the most popular posts on our Facebook feed recently was about Google and Apple entering the home tech market. We placed a link to the article on the New Scientist website (we found the post by reading our Twitter followers’ posts). We then added the question ‘Is the future of the Smart Home destined to be a straight fight between Apple & Google?’ and, ‘Hey Presto’ (sorry, couldn’t resist…) a stack of Facebook and website traffic!
So there you have it. Get a few emails, blogs and posts out there and let us know how it goes. Need help? Contact us and we’ll be happy to get involved.
