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For many of us, summertime means relaxing beside the pool and soaking up the sun. It’s full of lazy days that are great for individuals, but can breed bad news for small businesses. It’s been called the “summertime slump,” as many small businesses experience a decline in sales during the hot, lazy months. So how can you combat this slump? By staying current in marketing strategies, of course. Check out some of these top recommendations on how to boost sales and market your business over the summer.

Campaign Events
Community events are a considerable opportunity for you to promote your small business to constituents. These can be in-house or part of an outdoor event already happening in the community, (e.g. a county fair, festival, trade show etc.) Be sure to take advantage of fun summer themes. Try handing out popsicles with flyers at a local parade. This way, not only do clients learn about your company, but they also remember you through a fun occasion.

Make sure to promote any campaign events your small business is having via email marketing and social media, and offer specials and summer sales promotions to get clients in the door. By hosting campaign events and being a part of community functions, your organization will gain recognition, leads and sales.

The Holidays
Summertime is full of holidays like Father’s Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day that your business can utilize in marketing. Invite customers to come in by sending themed emails, newsletters and social media posts centered around the holiday. You could even offer special holiday sales and “freebies” for customers to claim so they can celebrate with your company.

One example of a holiday marketing technique is a social media contest. For instance, your business could ask clients to send in their best pictures from Father’s Day, then draw a winner from the respondents to gain a free service. This is a great way to gain followers, leads and boost sales. By utilizing summer holidays and getting constituents involved, customers feel valued and important.

Promotional Products
A classic branding marketing technique involves sending out promotional products for consumers to see and recognize. These can saturate the market with your brand and increase client recognition. Examples that work well for summertime include vinyl banners, posters, handout flyers, stickers, magnets and door hangers. Use products like these to promote your business, any event or sale you may be having and your mission.

Since summertime can get pretty hot and sweltering, you can even create some more fun and unique promotional items, such as can koozies, sunglasses, T-shirts, fans or water bottles. These get your brand name out there to potential customers and can continue to promote your organization even after summer ends.

The “summertime slump” is a real issue for many small businesses—but it doesn’t have to be. If you stay active and current in marketing strategies throughout the summer, you can fight the slump and even increase sales. Still, remember to continue with these practices throughout the rest of the year so your business can profit and really make it out of the heat.