Where nothing is sacred, but if you’re smart you’ll celebrate everything!

In Sydney, Australia where I’m based, it’s now coming into autumn or as my American pals will know it “fall”. As someone that doesn’t function well in either extreme heat or cold due to illness , I love and favour the seasons where it’s cooler and far more bearable.  Viva the cold weather (until I write a blog bitching about how unbearably cold it is) There are four seasons (unless you’re in Melbourne and there are like a billion in one single day)  however  the rest of us go by the traditional Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring. However in business and marketing we love to maximise and capitalise on anything we can put into the category of seasonal or special event marketing. Which really translates to anything which we can make money off of? So what are these things you can classify and create an event out of? If you’re a savvy, creative and somewhat crafty marketing and promotional manager, the sky is the limit! You’ll find anything and everything that will appeal to your consumers, create a conversation, or get someone interested in spending their dollars.

Surely that’s misleading or cheeky you ask? Nope it’s the survival of the fittest and smartest, and it’s likely why you find yourself eating Hot Cross Buns in February. Let’s discuss.

When supermarkets start putting their Christmas decorations out in August or their Hot Cross Buns out in January, this is exactly what they’re getting us to buy into. We’ve all seen the comments on social media when people, (or maybe even your own) comment in disbelief that they’re already out on the shelves.  While you might be annoyed, excited, or jumping for  joy or cringing because you weren’t ready for it,   but did you realise that you’re actually helping those brands market their products? By taking to social media and commenting about the Cream Eggs and pretzel on the shelves, your actually doing your own (free might I add)  freelance form of viral, digital and word of mouth marketing for the brand.By beginning this conversation, you’re actually alerting your friends and followers to a fact. Providing them with information that they might not have known otherwise, and encouraging spending.

How many times at night have you been watching TV late night, and you have gone to get a candy bar or simply must have a pizza? It’s the same consumer psychology and myself; well I’m always sucked in and I should know better.  I personally love that Cream Eggs are available (and wish they were all year round,)  and I’m sure I don’t stand alone  as I know some that love hot cross buns for breakfast  as a staple.

Given that a fair amount of my experience in the industry and my clients are in hospitality industry, this is an excellent industry to make use of and capitalise on seasonal and special event marketing.  It’s partly why if you ever see or have a conversation with me, I never know which month I’m in (always be looking forward is the motto and the nature of the game).

If you weren’t running six or twelve months in advance, you were running late and behind!  The best business and offers are those where you create an opportunity outside of the norm for people to visit you and spend their money, but in that you’re also creating a memory and experience too; a novelty.

Let’s real talk here! In business, while it’s all warm and fuzzy to work and feel a sense of accomplishment, help people, live your dream and provide a product of service, we do it a little because of the financial gain and support it provides us. It means we can keep ourselves and our staff in a job, turn the lights on and do what we’re passionate out and provide our guests and clients with an exceptional experience (I’m not money hungry in the slightest, but hey a girls gotta eat).  The reality is without revenue, business cannot sustain.

.So let’s look at some obvious events (or maybe not if you’re new to this) and examples of seasonal and special event marketing. Likely as a consumer you’ve succumbed to a “Hallmark Holiday” or maybe you’re yet to look at ways you can incorporate this into your business. Either way it is an important part of your marketing plan and should be incorporated into your business and marketing model. If you’re a small business, I strongly urge you to look at these bigger holidays and or events, and look at how you can coincide with an offer, come up with a discount or personalise a promotion.

The cost for advertising needn’t break the bank! Given that we live in the age of online and digital marketing, it can be as easy as creating a poster, online banner or event; offering your customers online discounts for a limited time frame or encouraging them that by purchasing, they might get something free. The opportunities and offers you can come up with, really are limitless. Get creative and innovative. The best offers and incentives which you can come up with?  They’re the ones that your customers will share with others (in turn, means they’re doing some of that viral, word of mouth and digital marketing and advertising on your behalf).

Why not try:

• Valentine’s Day
• End of Summer Clearance
• End of Winter
• Any major sporting event or Grand Final
• Halloween
• New Menu
• Business’ Birthday or anniversary
• Queen’s Birthday
• Melbourne Cup
• Mother’s Day
• Father’s Day
• International talk like a pirate day
• Anzac Day
• Melbourne Cup

The opportunities are really endless, and have a good look for events, festivals, occasions within your local area, or anything which is niche or just make something up! (A council website can be a huge help here.)

If you’re stuck on things to do, and need a bit of inspiration, check out this site here. There are some excellent days, dates and suggestion, and some which are mostly ridiculous (but they can work) . Obviously look at the days that will be of interest or relevant to your market, product and business and always plan in advance.

The best campaigns are either four to six weeks (in my opinion) and experience and by doing something say on the last Friday of the month, or first Monday of the month, you start to build a following and momentum with your clients. You build excitement, you can build anticipation and along the way as part of your campaign add in  some teasers too. Don’t’ give away what it might be straight away; let people guess what they think it might be. Give away a prize if they guess it right. This will assist by creating a conversation and dialogue and promote interest and engagement (which is of massive benefit, it shouldn’t be about how many likes you have, but more so how many people are commenting or conversing).

I personally like to coincide or organise my events and or offers towards the end of the month. Why you ask? As a business you’ve likely set yourself some targets and KPI’s for the month.  The best way to get yourself over the line (by either or meeting or ideally exceeding your revenue target) is by hosting one seriously kick arse spending event!  Create the opportunity for that push and increase in sales, one you ordinarily might not have had. That’s clever and savvy business right there!

A word of warning though and advice though, which really ought to be a huge contributing factor in coming up with your promotions. Offer only what you can deliver!

Do the math, crunch the numbers and look at your existing workload. You don’t want to run an offer or promotion, which in turn will bring in more business if you’re already busy and keeping your head above water, or if you’re staff are all on annual leave.  Make sure that you’re not heavily discounting a product which you’re basically giving away for $1 but the actual cost to you is $5. Time costs money, and if you’re a small business that promises to deliver a handmade product (from scratch) in 24 hours but with an influx of orders it means 48, you need to either note that to your clients upfront or look at having a surplus of items ready to go which won’t affect your productivity or damage or cheapen your brand.

It’s always better to under promise than over deliver than the other way around. Bad feedback, an inferior product or poor service will do you no favours in the long term.

Have fun with your offer and promotion.   Put some research into what you’re going to do, and check to see what your competitors are doing.  Nobody likes a copycat, a, resist the urge to outright copy it. Flattery is said to the biggest compliment, but it can make you enemies pretty quickly. I always think that the best promotions, marketing, campaigns and offers, are those that make you laugh, have a bit of wit about them and are clever (remember your market and ensure not to offend anyone either).

I don’t believe that there is a “quite time” or a “quiet season”, if you’re smart with your planning when you’re busy, and look to the future and forward think, then there is no excuse that you can have in place and execute some excellent and structured offers which will mean longevity and success for your business by which giving your consumers an excuse to support you. Be organised and be savvy and make sure what you’re doing is a true reflection of your services and also your brand.

If it all sounds like too much for you, or you want a fresh take or new ways on how to promote or market your business, then we specialise in promotional strategies, marketing calendars and also coming up with some really cool and innovative creative concepts that will make people take notice of what you’re doing. Contact us  today and let us take you your business to the next level.

If you like what you’ve read, have a comment or feedback, or think someone can benefit from this information, please feel free to share.

Thanks for reading

Chrissy