Four Sizzling Summer Marketing Ideas

Summer is here so get outside and enjoy the weather.  Sunshiny days, blue skies and green grass boost your customer’s moods and they spend additional time outside of their air-conditioned homes.  That makes these warm months a great time to get outdoors and market in fun and creative ways.  We have some sizzling ideas to heat up your summer marketing campaign.

Participate in a community event.  The hot months in many towns accompany street fairs and carnivals, outdoor movie nights, concerts in the park and more.  Your chamber of commerce or city’s parks and recreation department can tell you about the events scheduled for these upcoming months.  Think about which events have potential and plan to host a booth and hand out samples of your product or show off your service.  Use a fishbowl to gather business cards.  Another way you can get your business name out there is to donate products to the event or sponsor an event.  In exchange, ask to have your business name on the marketing pieces related to the event such as programs or flyers.

Host an event for your customers.

Host a party, barbecue or even a wine tasting evening for your clients and prospects.  This is the perfect way to thank your customers, find out in more detail their needs and wants, and encourage more business.   If you own a restaurant or retail store, have a summer-themed event for loyal customers like an after-hours exclusive shopping night, or a specialty five-course dinner at a discounted price.

Fly a flag!

With the 4^th of July around the corner, this is a great idea.  American flags become a landmark because they’re so noticeable.  If you have a flagpole, that’s great.  If not, think about having a flag bracket installed on the side of your building.  Don’t have a brick-and-mortar location? You can give away miniature American flags as you attend summer networking events instead.

Sponsor a giveaway.

Krispy Kreme Donuts took advantage of National Donut Day on June 3^rd giving away a free donut to everyone that walked through their doors.  This gave the popular franchise the change to introduce itself to new customers and also scored some publicity countrywide.  While it isn’t feasible for you to give away something free to every American, that doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of this tactic.  Giveaways are an incentive for customers to do something for you.  Sign up for an email newsletter, like you on Facebook or something similar.  Wile everyone who gets a freebie or discount won’t become a customer, you will get a lot of attention.  That’s exactly what you want, right?

What creative ways are you marketing your business this summer?

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