Summer doesn’t have to be when your sales take a vacation, too. Here are some tips from our Denver Metro Small Business Development Center consultants – experts in a variety of business knowhow from marketing to finance – that will help you build business strategies for the summer and beyond.
Use social media to build your brand – but meet your customers IRL: Social media can go a long way in helping keep your business front of mind for your customers. But, go beyond digital and create a presence at local events when you can or host an event at your business. Building relationships by hosting happy hours or outdoor activities is a great way to deepen customer relationship and loyalty, said consultant David C. Hood, a professor at College of Business-general studies at Johnson & Wales University. The best deals happen in social spaces.
Have some summer fun with your products: Invest in developing and promoting a summer-related product or service, Hood recommended. For example, a coffee shop may sell ice cream in the summer, a ski resort may promote summer outdoor activities, or a salon promotes pedicures.
Test, audit – and be ready with solutions when you need them later: A quiet sales season like summer is a great time to revamp your systems, sales funnel, hire for the busy season and reorganize, said consultant Mokisha Boothe, founder of Sistapreneurs. It’s also a good time to test new markets and products – and you’ll be ready to invest in them when the time is right later in the year.
Don’t lose focus on your customers: Creating a relationship with your customer base creates a community, culture and experiences that heighten a sense of belonging and group identity. Consultant Bob Ruzga, principal of Ruzga Solutions Group, said that doubling down on existing customers doesn’t just increase their loyalty – their positive experiences can lead to new business as well, especially if it means you receive a positive customer review. And, you can automate that outreach with email and customer relation management (CRM) tools. The content for these touches can be information or resources that the client will find useful, check-ins or reminders to reschedule or repurchase, sales or special promotions or your latest events.
Summer can be the time to build momentum to push your business through the end of the year.
Annie Mittal is the Communications and Marketing Intern of the Denver Metro Chamber.
