Both the weather and the deals are hot during summer, meaning that this is the perfect time to put your marketing promotion strategy into overdrive. If you’re not sure how to run a seasonal promotion during the summer months, don’t fret, because we’ve got you covered with these eight ideas for summer marketing, from giving away promotional products to offering seasonal coupons:
Switch up your media assets.
If your company is still using the same images and colors from spring (or even winter!) it’s definitely time for a facelift. Your images, color palettes, and other forms of visual media should reflect the lighter spirit of summer while still remaining on brand. This is the perfect opportunity to lean into the more playful side of your brand personality while giving your media assets a summer makeover that reflects the hotter months. If you have to, you can recycle older assets from past years, but it’s a good idea to get new media assets made each season if possible.
Refresh your marketing materials.
Your color scheme and images are probably not the only things that could use a refresh: All of your materials should be updated seasonally, from your SEO blogs to your paid advertising keywords. Customers’ searches and needs change with the seasons, which means that your marketing materials need to as well. Take a hard look at your website copy, blog, brochures, ads, PR releases, and other forms of media (both paid and organic) to see if they are in step with your customers’ seasonal needs. If not, then it’s time to do some updating before the rest of summer gets away.
Run summer sales.
All of the summer holidays offer the perfect excuse to run a sale. There are the obvious ones, such as Memorial Day, July Fourth, and Labor Day, but if you want to be unconventional, there are random holidays on every day of the calendar. For instance, National Bikini Day is July 5th and National Dog Day is August 26th. These less traditional holidays may not be as well known, but they offer less competition, since pretty much all major retailers run sales around the major holidays. If you’re afraid that your sales emails will get lost in the traditional holiday rush, then don’t be afraid to run a sale on one of these more unique summer holidays.
Offer seasonal coupons.
Not only do you have a lot of competitions during summer holidays, but many people are out celebrating on those days, so they may not be doing a lot of shopping either online or in person. If you don’t want to drag a holiday sale out for days and days, you can simply offer a summer-themed coupon with a longer time limit. If you establish a minimum price limit at which the coupon kicks in, this will encourage customers to spend more money than they otherwise might during a typical sale.
By Africa Studio / Shutteerstock.com
Promote vacation-themed products.
If you sell products or services that are in any way related to summer and/or travel, now is the time to promote them specifically. Obviously, you can do this through paid advertising, but there are plenty of free ways to promote these items as well. You can post social media posts on your page, display those products on the homepage of your website, and send out emails promoting them to customers. Now is when customers are looking for these types of products and services, so don’t be afraid to hype them up!
Host a seasonal giveaway.
If you want to drum up some interest in your business, running a promotional giveaway is a great option. To stick to the summer theme, we recommend choosing seasonal products such as aluminum water bottles in bulk or portable phone chargers, which will encourage more people to participate in the giveaway. You can do these giveaways in person at either a retail location or an event such as a festival, or you can do them virtually on your social media platforms. Both of these channels are good options; it just depends on what audience you want to reach.
By Halfpoint / Shutterstock.com
Advertise at local or regional events.
Due to the milder weather, summer is the season for outdoor events in most areas in the northern hemisphere. We’re talking famer’s markets, arts and crafts fairs, concerts, circuses, big festivals of all kinds — you name it, it’s probably happening in a town near you. These events can be great opportunities to promote your products and services, especially if you are a D2C company. Research some events happening in your area and reach out to them to see if you can become a vendor at them. Even if you can’t sell something directly at the venue, advertising there as a sponsor could be a great chance to promote your company to a captive audience.
Prepare for fall.
We know that fall seems forever away during the dog days of summer, but it’s coming up faster than you think. You’ll be more than ready for chilly breezes and crisp leaves if you begin to do some planning now rather than later. While they may not provide the adrenaline rush of a last-minute scramble, seasonal campaigns planned in advance are more effective in the long run. Looking ahead to fall is the perfect way to end your summer promotional strategy, since you’ll want a seamless transition between the seasons.
Do you have other summer promotional ideas that have worked for you in the past? Let us know in the comments below!
