We’re in a summer state of mind here at TM! It got us thinking about all of the fun and entertaining ways to market businesses during this time of year. Businesses should take advantage of the good weather, festive holidays, seasonal giveaways, and of course, irresistible summer sales. No matter your business, you can capitalize on the summer spirit. Here’s the list of our favorite summer marketing ideas…
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Celebrate Holidays
- Summer is full of festive holidays! Whether they be nationally celebrated or just a silly holiday, you can take advantage of them by adjusting your promotions to fit the celebration. For instance, your business can celebrate the 4th of July by offering discounts on red, white, and blue items or displaying products patriotically like in the shape of the American flag. Or if you rather go the sillier route, find a fun holiday that complements your business. How about National Ice Cream Day on July 18th? Offer a free ice cream cone with a purchase or surprise your employees with an ice cream treat. Either way, celebrating holidays shows that you’re in touch with your customers and that you’re willing to go the extra mile to make them smile.
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Run a Giveaway Contest
- Contests are a great way to get people involved — whether it’s in-store or online. Have them enter their name in a drawing, vote in a poll, or post a photo/video on social media. Photo/video contests are beneficial because it encourages personal engagement, gives you user-generated content, and drives traffic to your social channels. Incentivize participation by offering a cool summer-themed gift like sunglasses, a bike, or camping gear.
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Host or Participate in an Outdoor Event
- Enjoy the sunny and warm weather and host and/or participate in an outdoor event. If you host your own event outside of your store, it encourages people to check out your location. If you just want to participate, there are so many cool events to be a part of like farmer’s markets, festivals, and pop-ups. Either way, it’s fun to get your staff involved and bring in business. Entice your customers by offering coupons or a free gift at the event, and be sure to promote these events on your social media so people can plan ahead!
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Offer Temperature-Based Sales
- If you’re from Nebraska, you’ve witnessed the craze of Temperature Tuesday at Runza during the winter months. If you’re not familiar with Runza, they are a NE-based fast-food chain. In January and February, Runza takes the temperature at 6 a.m., that temperature determines the price you’ll pay for an Original Runza Sandwich when you buy medium fries and a drink. There have been multiple occasions where the temperature was below freezing and everyone got a free sandwich. You might be thinking “why would I want to give out free stuff?” Well, first of all, it gets people in the door. People will line up and wait if it means that they get a good deal. And secondly, it gets people talking about business. Whether you’re a fan of Runza or not, you know when Temperature Tuesday is. Why not make your own version of that? Every time the temperature reaches 100 degrees offer $10 off. You can get creative here!
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Give Back to the Community
- People love to be a part of something greater than themselves, and you can help them achieve that. Run a clothing drive, donate a portion of your sales, or pick up trash at a local park or trail — and ask your staff and customers to join in on the fun. It not only reflects well on your business but allows your customers to feel good about supporting a business that helps out the community.
Get Creative this Summer
Don’t let the heat bring you down! Have some fun and try out some of these creative summer marketing ideas. These activities will be enjoyable for your staff and drive traffic into your business… what could be better than that!
Not sure where to start? Reach out to Transformation Marketing in Lincoln, NE! We are an online marketing agency and specialize in social media marketing, graphic design, web development, content writing, and much more. Let us know how we can serve you this summer by calling 402-788-2896.