The Summer is a magical time. The weather is warm, people are out and about, and for many businesses, it’s the busiest time of the year. In today’s blog, our team will break down 5 things that you NEED to do to market your business to maximize the summer rush. These are tried and true options that we have seen have success with our clients. We want to pass this knowledge on to anyone reading this. As a note, this blog is aimed toward brick-and-mortar establishments and focuses less on E-commerce. If you are looking for E-commerce advice feel free to reach out to andrew@findenmarketing.com. He can set up a 1-on-1 chat to answer any questions you may have.
#1) Get as many reviews as possible during peak season
Reviews are one of the most powerful tools any business can have. It gives proof of experiences that almost all consumers check before they decide on their plans. Have you ever been to a new city and wanted something to eat? I bet you looked at the reviews of places and chose based on those reviews. Consumers are 4x more likely to work with a business they are referred to. Luckily reviews can count as just that. The reason we put this one as #1 is that your busy season is also your best chance to get a ton of reviews. Businesses should capitalize on this increased traffic and capture as many good reviews as they can. Additionally, this is something that never “expires” allowing them to stay in the forefront for years to come.
Another great thing about reviews is that they help your local SEO. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is how you rank online (as shown below). As a business, you want to be in the top three for your “keywords”. Luckily reviews are a BIG factor in that. If you want help growing your SEO and tips make sure to check out our blog on it located here:
#2) Connect with local bloggers and influencers
Number 2 on our list today is connecting with local influencers and bloggers to get them to write about your business. Going off of our first recommendation; when people are new or visiting an area they rely heavily on Google and the internet to tell them what to do and where to go. This is where bloggers and influencers come in. These individuals should be able to create high-quality blogs & content that come up high in rankings (SEO) when people search. An example of this is that a few days ago I was talking with a friend about SEO and she talked about how she planned her entire trip to Italy based on TikTok videos that she had seen talking about places. This is the power of the internet and social media and can really bring your business to the next level.
The hard part about this is that many bloggers/influencers are expensive and honestly not worth the money. Take time to find those that really fit your industry. For Duluth, we have a few great bloggers that stand out. These are 1) Duluth Loves Local 2) Building the Dream Duluth 3) Duluth Mom’s Blog to name a few. Find a few that fit your industry and start a conversation sometimes they will even do it for free.
#3) Make sure your business is fully up to date online
All of your work would be useless if your business isn’t up to date online. Make sure your hours, offerings, and menu are up to date on online platforms. Google, Yelp, Bing, and social media platforms are the first place people look. This is a make or break for many and could have you lose potential customers. I was going to go to a restaurant recently and looked at their Google page and it said they were closed. I decided to go to a different restaurant, but on the way drove past and saw their open sign with cars in their parking lot. They missed out on a customer because their page wasn’t updated. Don’t be that company.
#4) Run an ad campaign to attract your demographic
Online advertising is here to stay and when done correctly can lead to a massive gain in revenue for businesses. The best part about it is unlike traditional advertising you can run ads online for as little as a few dollars a day. This can be used to hit your target market and let those new customers know you exist and what you offer. For more information on ads check out our other blogs here:
#5) Collaborate with other common businesses
This one may sound a little crazy, but collaborating with like businesses can be one of the best revenue generators for local businesses. Now I’m not saying collaborating with direct competitors but rather businesses that compliment your business. For example, if you sell hamburgers collaborate with a local pie shop and have their pies in your shop for sale. You get a boost of people looking for their pies and they get a larger brand presence. Another example would be a car dealership partnering with a local auto shop. The car dealership pushes people to the auto shop and the auto shop pushes people to the car dealership. Thus providing more business to both companies.
Additionally, be careful who you decide to partner with. Their reputation becomes your reputation as well and if they mess up people sometimes associate both together.
Have any other suggestions on How to Market Your Business During the Summer Rush? Let us know in the comments!
Who is Finden Marketing?
Finden Marketing is Duluth, Minnesota’s leading Gen Z & Millennial marketing agency. Our team has years of experience, has managed over seven million dollars of lifetime ad spend, and offers a dedicated team of marketers that can help grow your business to its true potential. Our team offers a wide range of services, including PR, Branding, Content Creation, Paid Media, Graphic Design, and Web Development. With over 50 projects in the bag, Finden Marketing is becoming a staple marketing agency in Duluth, Minnesota. With awards including the Duluth News Tribune Best of the Best and Upcity’s top digital marketing agencies.
Thanks for reading How to Market Your Business During the Summer Rush
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