From beaches to blockbuster movies, sports events and festivals, garden projects, and road trips… countless summer pastimes grab your customers’ attention, time, and disposable income. It can make summer a slow season for many businesses. But fewer people through the door and less revenue in the till doesn’t mean you should cool your marketing.
Consistency is key to staying top of mind in your target market. When you’ve invested in building momentum, it’s easier to keep that momentum going rather than having to make up for lost ground.
Business leader, Simon Broadbent, put it this way: “The sales of a brand are like the height at which an airplane flies. Advertising spending is like its engines: while the engines are running, everything is fine, but when the engines stop, the descent eventually starts.”
There’s no question that business fluctuates with the seasons for some sectors. Remember–if it’s a slow season for you, it is also slow for your competitors. When others pull back, it’s an opportunity for you to carry on and continue to carve out your place in the market.
Advertising in the off-season is also a chance to reinforce your brand’s positioning unexpectedly and memorably. Picture a residential heating fuel company that builds its brand around reliability: “It’s summer... And we’re here, even when you don’t need us.” The bit of personality an ad like that–mainly when some competitors aren’t advertising–makes an impact that can pay off and that could be leveraged again when the temperatures dip.
Ultimately, it’s about looking beyond the next few weeks or months and crafting a robust marketing plan that continually builds momentum for you into the future.
While some press the pause button and give their marketing a break, staying consistent lets your brand shine bright all year round.
