The Seasonal Slump?
Everyone who has ever been in sales has heard it said that the holidays are the down time of the year. That is the reason that many businesses close for the season. Some will close for a couple of days while others close for the entire two weeks between Christmas and New Years Days. I have even heard of businesses closing for the entire holiday season beginning Thanksgiving and lasting until Valentines Day. Now that is what I call "Death Valley Days".
Do you agree? Do you allow yourself and your business to succumb to this mindset? Do you close down the shop and invariably end up losing business because you believe in the seasonal slump? I beg to differ. I believe that there is NO Seasonal Slump! OK, pick yourself back up off the floor. Shake the wax out of your ear, you didn't hear me wrong. I did say there is NO SEASONAL SLUMP! Bear with me for a minute or two and I promise I will tell you why I so resolutely deny this mindset.
How can I even begin to form those words? To begin with I believe, as in life, time is what you make of it. If you tell yourself it is going to be slower than molasses in January then that is what you will get. However, if you go into the season with the intention of making it the most profitable you have seen in decades AND you take the action to make it so it will be so!
Times have changed. There are new rules that have taken root. This has become the season of promotion. Now is the time to promote your product or service in ways that have double the impact. Double the impact? Yes double! First you send out your initial campaign via advertising or mailing and when it is over you offer a 'second wave'. This second promotional wave cost you nearly nothing. Make use of the addresses you gained from the first promotional run and you can easily target interested consumers with a discount on the item they initially showed an interest in. Now how's that for making your advertising dollar pull double duty? Words like 'final offer' and 'deep discount' will definitely make your interested consumer sit up and take notice.
Another truly unique marketing opportunity that gains additional impact this season is charity functions. I recommend that you could align yourself with a charity. This type of marketing has even more impact on your consumer than they will admit. This time of year news reporters are seeking out these types of stories. When you align yourself and your business in charitable ways it places your business in the fortunate position to allow you to get free publicity through multiple media streams. I said allow here because you still have to let the media know what you are up to so the story can be picked up. I am sure you have noticed not a few large corporations take advantage of this seasonal marketing tactic. Why shouldn't you follow suit? What is stopping you and your business from taking advantage of this strategy?
Are you afraid because you don't know how to write? Hire a press release writer? Are you not sure of what to say or how to get your press release in the hands of the media? Again, hire a press release writer. The minimal expense you incur will be well worth the cost if you hire a writer that has proven results. Don't be afraid to ask for confirmation of the results from previous releases. Any good press release writer will have at least one or two happy customers that can share stories of being called or having their story picked up by one news source or another.
We have just scratched the surface as to how you can effectively market your business this holiday season. I am sure you will agree, now is not the time to sit back but to stand up and get noticed! Happy Holiday Marketing Days are just around the bend.
© Copyright 2006 Ginger Marks
Ginger Marks is the founder of the DocUmeant Family of Companies, We Make YOU Look GOOD! For more information, visit http://www.documeantdesigns.com/. Her 2010 annual edition of Holiday Marketing Guide, Your business-marketing calendar of ideas is now available at http://www.HolidayMarketingGuide.com.