Does Holiday Time Mean Suspension of Marketing Initiatives?

Marketing in August? When it seems that everyone in the entire world is making sandcastles on Bognor Regis beach or sipping cocktails at sunset in Bali (apart from you)? You’d think not, wouldn’t you – unless your business involves buckets and spades, sarongs or sun tan lotion. Actually, there’s no need to stop at all, as long as we all use a little bit of common sense.

For a start…

Not everyone’s on holiday

The streets of Paris empty out in July and August when locals take their annual vacation. Shops and businesses close down for an entire month, sometimes longer – but that’s not quite the same in the UK. Most of us, if we take holidays at all, may only be away for a week or a fortnight. Even then, with the blessing (or is it a curse?) of internet technology, many business people aren’t completely out of the loop, still checking emails and responding to requests – so a carefully thought out online or offline marketing campaign may not be the waste of time and resources you anticipated.

Know your audience. Maybe it would be better to wait until September – but maybe not. If you trade internationally, check out their holiday periods and work around them, or with them.

Use the extra time to improve your business

It’s true that the pace of business can slacken off in the summer months, so make the most of the lull in activity by planning, researching, working on your direct mail marketing strategy or enhancing your website’s SEO.

Try something new

You know you’ve always been meaning to make the time for using Twitter more, or Facebook, or LinkedIn? The summer months give you that opportunity to experiment, while there’s less to do in other areas.

Be ready for action

Like a good boy scout or girl guide, you can be prepared! When September comes around, (all too quickly, you’re probably thinking), you can be ready to launch a stunning marketing campaign when your clients are all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed after a break and keen to get on with the next phase of the working year.

However…

Don’t you just dread coming back from a holiday and your in-box is overflowing with a huge volume of emails and your in-tray is stuffed full of post which needs your attention? Your clients won’t be any different, so best to judge your time carefully here and avoid the first few days of September – that’s unless your marketing is so brilliant that it will shine out like a star in the gloom of too much correspondence.

Be entertaining

Yes, that must always be your aim, but never more so than when you send out material in the summer months, when people’s thoughts may already be up in the air en route to Malaga or the Maldives, rather than focusing 100% on what’s on the desk in front of them. We’ve all been there!

We’re always here to help

We’re not saying that we never take holidays, just that we plan them so you’ll always have a Mailing Expert on hand to answer queries, offer guidance and fulfill your direct mailing requirements.

If you need help with planning and executing your offline marketing strategy, call us on 01825 983033 or send an email to info@mailingexpert.co.uk.

Mailing Expert