How to survive the winter marketing downer

It’s never easy to get attention for your business in the New Year – the sales are over, customers have been bombarded with seasonal emails, and offers don’t really apply as well to January as they do to holiday shoppers.

So how do you keep your marketing efforts dragged along during the slow months of winter? Look through the eyes of your customers at your marketing so you can address their needs. You could also use the downtime to assess your work and plan for the year ahead.

Timing is key

Good timing is important in beating the post-holiday marketing battle. It requires getting to know what your customers are currently doing and what they currently require. For example, you won’t want to spend much time pitching big-ticket services to customers who have just started budgeting for the year ahead.

Think about what your customers are doing and thinking about. It is uncommon that people get tired of content or offers which address their immediate goals and challenges. Giving your products or services seasonal themes can be a great option for some businesses, although tricky for others. If you can, try to adapt your products and services to the upcoming seasons such as Valentine’s and Easter. Pictured below is an example of a clever Easter promotion.

Stay motivated with your marketing

If your customers are laying low, think about ways to stay motivated whilst your business isn’t as busy. See the slower months as an opportunity to shift from upcoming events and campaigns to longer-lasting and more thought through content. The fitness industry usually markets in January with people having New Year’s resolutions in mind and want to work off the added holiday weight. But just because you aren’t in the fitness industry, it doesn’t mean you can’t be part of that customer conversation. Tailor your marketing message so it actually engages and meets them where they are.

Plan ahead for the marketing dip by assessing what has gone well for your company in the past year and what hasn’t, focussing on planning your content for the year to come. For more marketing advice, contact me.