Tuesday, July 16, 2013

5 Cures For The Summertime Blues

For some small businesses, the summer is the busiest time of year. For others, like bowling proprietors, it’s the slow season. Regardless of what time of year it is for you, there are things all small business owners can do this summer to be proactive and productive.

And whether you’re taking advantage of the extra foot traffic in your center or a quiet space in time to reflect and think about your future goals, these tips can help you make the most out of the next few months.

Tomorrow’s success really does start today, so it’s important that no matter what season you’re in, you are thinking ahead and getting ready.

Here’s a list of our top five tips we compiled from our marketing network. we had lots more, but we think these are the most appropriate for the bowling proprietor

Tip 1: Snap away
“Take or collect fun pictures of your customers or members enjoying the summer weather. Then, share those pictures on your social networks during the cold days of winter to give them something to remember fondly of or look forward to.

You’ll have fun doing it and create some great engagement with your loyal followers.”
- Dennis Nations, Senior Content Strategist

Tip 2: Discover something new
“Take advantage of the potentially slower summer months and try out one of the ‘hot’ visual social media platforms like Instagram, Vine or Pinterest. Set a reasonable goal for yourself (i.e. upload 2 new photos a week) then, in September, decide if you want to continue to grow your presence on that channel. 

You could also experiment with a new type of social media post. Consider trying a Facebook quiz/trivia question, a caption contest, an ‘if you could…’ question or feature a customer story.

 Definitely change your Facebook cover photo to an image that reflects summer and your brand too!”
- Danielle Cormier, Corporate Community Manager

Tip 3: Boost your website and deals
“When adding an email sign-up to your website, be sure to have the “Join My Mailing List” feature at or near the top of each page of your website.

When doing an offer through SaveLocal, or any other local couponing service,  don’t discount too deeply and set a limit to the total number of deals that could be bought. For Smart Coupons, limit the total number that can be claimed.”
- Justin Tryon, Education Development Specialist

Tip 4: Grow your list
“Summer is a great time to grow your email list, especially if the summer months are the busiest of the year. Something as simple as a paper sign-up sheet can go a long way in helping you stay in touch with people after they visit your center, eat at your restaurant, or drink come into your office.

It’s also a great chance for you to personalize your sign-up experience a little more than you may have in the past. In addition to asking for their name and email address, you could also ask for their hometown to find out whether or not your new contacts are local or discovered your business while on vacation. You can use that information to better target your messages throughout the entire year.”
- Ryan Pinkham, Content Developer

Tip 5: Take advantage of Yelp
“People rely on Yelp reviews and trust them just as they would a personal recommendation. This summer, take advantage of Yelp, especially if these next few months are busy.
Setup a Yelp page and then simply put a sign near your cash register that gives customers a discount if they write a Yelp review for your business on the spot.

This is a great way to boost your visibility on Yelp in just a few short months.”
- Leanne Kennis, Content Editor/Writer

Please keep these 5 tips in mind this summer and you’ll create more opportunities to reach new customers, continue to engage existing customers, and just have a little extra fun!