HOW TO KEEP YOUR MARKETING TICKING OVER THESE SUMMER HOLIDAYS

When the sun’s out and the kids are off school, there’s always something that feels far more important than my marketing. As hard as I try, my usual marketing rhythm and motivations seem to go out of the window over the summer holidays.

For all of us, there are periods when our usual marketing rhythm has to change, perhaps due to a seasonally busy period or because you’re away. So, here are my tips to make sure your marketing is working hard even if you’re not…

1. Plan, plan, plan! ​

I talk a lot about how a marketing plan is one of the most valuable tools in your marketing toolbox, and over holiday periods this is especially true. There’s nothing worse than having a spare hour, sitting down to do some marketing and wasting half the time going in unproductive circles trying to decide what’ll be most worthwhile. 

Having a clear, 1-page plan in place takes away the overwhelm that comes with a reactive approach to marketing. With a clear starting point and vision of what you want to achieve with each activity, a marketing plan will transform your productivity and ensure you make real progress in your business.

2. Scheduling is your best friend ​

Now, I’m not saying you should schedule all your content in advance. Spontaneous and topical content is an important part of the content mix. But, having a few posts scheduled takes the pressure off when you have other priorities. Scheduling just 4-5 posts a month can be the difference between consistently showing up once a week and not showing up at all. 

In my business, I try to schedule a couple of pieces of content whenever I write a blog. While it’s fresh in my mind, I create a few posts about the content of the blog and schedule them over the following month using HubSpot, Hootsuite or Facebook Business Suite. Because I’ve only just written the blog, it usually only takes a couple of minutes to create each post, saving time in the long run.

3. Don’t be afraid to recycle content ​

Not everything you post needs to be brand new content. If it’s still relevant to your ideal customer then don't be afraid to recycle older content or refresh it with slightly different wording, a different image or call to action. 

Throwback posts of your memories on Facebook can also make great content. They can be used to show how your business has grown or developed in the last year, to remind your audience of a big achievement like an award or qualification or to celebrate a team member's time with your company.

If you’d like help getting your marketing working hard for you while your mind’s elsewhere, drop me a quick email or book a call with me today to find out how we can help.