If you’re left feeling summer burnout when your employees take vacation for weeks at a time and you find yourself scrambling around the office hoping for some sort of miracle, don’t stress. Take action!
Breaking through the tough times is possible using one key initiative: marketing.
”Most people don’t make big decisions in the summer because they don’t have the capacity to make those decisions – their staff’s not there, the other key members of their team aren’t there to help them with those decisions,” says Harm Geurs, publisher of Mingle Magazine and business owner of Apeeling Orange Design Communications. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be proactive.
Geurs says marketing during the summer can lead to your business coming out on top. Getting exposure during a downturn can ensure your business doesn’t get washed up in the waves.
Every business is different and unique in its own way; one of the biggest challenges a small business faces is figuring out what they need to do in terms of marketing their distinct business. There are things to keep in mind when choosing the best marketing route for your business. Here are some key considerations:
KNOW YOUR BUSINESS CYCLE: Your business cycle can help determine the timing of your marketing. Harm suggests going back to have a look at the highs and lows of your business over the last few years will give you a pretty clear picture of your annual business cycle.
“Once you know what your business cycle is you can start pre-planning your marketing around it. Sales drive everything in business and unless you understand this and stay on top of this, you will be behind.”
Geurs recommends you try to market your business a little before the traditional lull in your sales cycle to ensure that your sales will be maintained. When you look at your sales cycle, you need to determine the amount of time it takes to close a sale. Then you can figure out when you need to do extra marketing to counter the effects of a lag in sales. It is about the close, because once you have the sale in hand, you should be able to put it through your system and you have the control at that point…”
“If you have a monthly sales cycle, or your sales cycle takes up to 3-6 months to close as is the case in our business, then you want to market an appropriate number of month’s out, whether it is through networking, traditional media or new media. ” explains Geurs.
DEVELOP A STRATEGY: Developing a strategy can solidify your business’ goals, and as a business owner you should be building marketing into your business strategy.
“Strategy is everything,” says Geurs. “Marketing is more than just re-vamping your website or putting an ad out; it has to be in line with your business goals.”
POSITIONING YOUR BUSINESS: After you determine when and
how you will market your particular business, you need to properly execute the task.
“When you build your marketing products you need to know what your message is that will connect with your consumer,” said Geurs. “Connections are built when your marketing is on the same level emotionally with your clients.”
Ask key questions – is this the right ad for this time of year? What marketing products have given me success in the past? If you have never marketed a product before focus on aligning yourself with media that gets your product in front of your target demographic.
ASK AN EXPERT: You might be a great business owner but if you have no understanding of marketing, you should get help. You probably have an accountant and lawyer you consult for their expertise, why not a marketing advisor? “Talk to a professional,” says Geurs, “it will be worth it in the long run.”
“People misunderstand marketing and sales; they’re not the same,” he explains. “Marketing is exposure, sales is sales. However you can’t separate the two because your marketing will determine how effective your sales are.” And don’t forget your sales cycles trigger your marketing.
The key is to customize your marketing approach, then implement what works for your business. There is no marketing cookie cutter, nor should there be. A really good marketing strategy will help your business stand out for its singularity. After all, there is only one you, and by extension there is only one of your business, no matter what your product.
When it comes to marketing, one size just does not fit all.
————————————————-
Interview with Harm Geurs, Principle
Apeeling Orange Design Communications
Submitted by Aly Thomson
Find her at www.alythomson.com
