Summer is [un]officially over. Kids are back in school and your customers are getting back into a routine. Most are trying to enjoy those fleeting days of warm weather and haven’t really thought about the coming season or winter. If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to reengage with them and promote your fall services.
In a previous article, we have discussed the best timing for launching a new service. When marketing any seasonal services, you need to consider timing (much like when launching a new service). If you don’t start promoting your services soon enough, you may not capture your audience and your potential customers may go to competitors. If you start promotion too soon, your message could get lost.
Consider these three tips for successfully marketing your fall services:
1. Preparation Breeds Success
Planning, preparing, and organizing—UGH! We know, these are not the most interesting things to work on but they will help you be successful in the long run. Creating a plan doesn’t need to be complicated. There are four simple things to consider when planning your marketing: goals, target customer, promotion, and outreach. To make it even easier, most of the information is straightforward, you just need to quantify it and determine your promotion and outreach.
Goal: what do you want to accomplish?
Whether it’s increasing business of a specific service, generating new customer leads, or locking in existing customers for another year—make sure that the goal is S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and has a time range). Here are is an example of a S.M.A.R.T. goal: Generate 10 new customer leads by November 15th that want to winterize their irrigation system.
Target Customer: who do you want to target?
Once you have identified your S.M.A.R.T. goal, make sure your target audience matches your goal. If you are focused on winterization of irrigation systems, you won’t be targeting customers that do not have sprinklers.
Promotion: are you offering any specials or bundles?
Will existing customers receive a free winterization when they recommend a new customer? Will new customers get a 10% off a bundle package? Make sure that the promotion resonates with your current and potential customers.
Outreach: how are you going to communicate your service to your target customer?
There are so many different ways to promote your service, some of the most popular include email, text, website, social media, and direct mail pieces. Finding the best way to market your business can feel overwhelming. So, where do you focus? Keep it simple and focus on areas that will give you the most bang for your buck. We recommend these five areas.
2. Know Your Competition
You need to know what your competition is offering and when they are likely to offer it. Understanding their business and seasonal promotions will help set you apart from your competitors.
Knowing your competition will help you get out in front of them, whether it’s a better special, marketing a service they do not have, or focusing on a specific customer they do not. Make them follow your lead. When you offer a solution that they do not, it will naturally set your business apart and pique your customers’ interests.
3. Quality vs Quantity
You do not need to target every customer with every special or promotion. Doing so could devalue your services. Creating S.M.A.R.T. goals, will help you focus your messaging and target the people that will likely benefit (and buy) your specific service/offer. If your customer or leads are consistently receiving messages that doesn’t make sense to them, they may start to ignore everything that comes from your company—including marketing that could be beneficial for them.
You’ve probably experienced this before. You purchased one item from a store where you normally do not shop. The next thing you know, you’re receiving emails and direct mail postcards from them about specials or products that do not make sense for you. Eventually you ignore, delete, throw away or unsubscribe from their marketing. If they would have taken time to get to know your need, they may have been able to send you relevant content and kept you interested in their company. The same can be said for your customers. Make sure you are targeting them with quality offers and content.
Finally, Consider This
As we mentioned earlier, summer is [un]officially over. If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to promote your fall services. It’s time for blowouts and winterization of irrigation systems, renovation and overseeding, it’s your last chance for application of weed or pest control, and installation of lighting and audio systems. Make it count.
Rely on Central to help you accomplish your goals with innovative and effective solutions. Whether your looking for a new air compressor, need a truckload of seed, want to find out more about sustainable herbicides and pesticides, or need additional training on lighting products—we have you covered.
In addition to our regular monthly specials, Central has Early Order Seed, Equipment, and Ice Melt Programs available. These programs offer special discounts, extended terms, and product guarantee. Connect with a local Central branch or rep to learn more. And as always, Central is the right partner for your business. If you need help with your marketing or business initiatives, reach out. We’re ready to help you grow!