Are you making the most of specific times of the year for a push in sales? Christmas is an obvious example and the main opportunity to cash in on people’s spending patterns.
Though confidence in general may not be what it once was because of the economy (most of us must also face a January money hangover), the end of the year is a period when most people are in buying in mode.
It’s useful to analyse our target demographic and use whatever insight to test new ideas.
January Health & Fitness
The new year is a time for all kinds of health and fitness fads and January is ideal for particular products and services. If you sell gym memberships, a marketing campaign in January would be more palatable to potential new customers than in December when they may be preoccupied with family and festivities.
I run an online fast food directory for local takeaway restaurants and it’s common sense to assume the beginning of the new year will be quiet owing to the aforementioned diet and exercise regimes. For this reason I do not spend money on advertising after Christmas because the trends are against me. People think they do not want to eat takeaway food because they’re more interested in getting healthy.
The e Cigarettes craze is a fairly new industry and it stands to reason there is much interest in these products in January. Much of this is motivated by guilt and the desire to cease smoking. It’s the time of year you should be pushing hard if you sell these kinds of products.
Summer Holiday Period
Do not forget summer holiday periods, for example, when the kids are off school and kicking around at home for six weeks. Although children may not be your demographic, you might be interested in putting a marketing spin on your products and services that caters to families.
Be Relevant
How do you conduct your marketing? Quite often brands acknowledge certain holidays like St George’s Day or St Patrick’s Day, perhaps using humorous references to strike a chord. It is looking for common ground to make some kind of cultural commentary and draw in a passively interested audience and turning them into customers.
Plan in Advance
Even though you might experience a feast or famine situation depending on your customer’s buying habits, you can still use quieter times of the year to prepare. It’s a chance to have a new website designed, write content, create a new logo or even produce videos. You might schedule some funny Facebook updates, or Tweets, for example.
It makes sense to prepare your ammunition ahead of time and be ready for the ensuing battle
I’ve linked to this handy list of UK holidays and observances to give you some ideas about some of the trends you can capitalise on.
Peaks & Dips
Whatever service you provide, it is good practice to keep notes on your enquiry levels. The rises and falls can be somewhat predictable, helping you stay ahead of the game and plan ahead. It isn’t easy predicting the future but we can at least pay close attention to the past and present.
Useful Links
Five Ways to Give Your Seasonal Business an Off-Season Boost – Some tips for identifying a secondary off peak market.
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