Why Timing Really Is Everything
You may have noticed…maybe you’re even doing it yourself…but many business owners are already advertising for Halloween. And school is just starting! It can’t possibly be time to think about Halloween and its marketing promotions already, can it?
Is August too soon to start your fall promotions?
It is still technically summer, after all. But, sometimes it really is all about timing. Too soon, and everyone forgets. Too late, and you are losing potential customers because they could already have made other plans (or heard from a different business first).
So how do you know if your timing is right, and what strategies should you be using to make sure you aren’t losing customers because your timing is off?
Is Two Months Too Early for Promotional Marketing?
Two months may seem like a lot of time, but not if you are a custom business and people need to get their orders in before it’s too late. When it comes to Halloween, a lot of people like to plan their costumes way in advance. Your customers also like to start decorating for fall, or at least thinking about it, in August. So it really is not too early to start thinking about your fall marketing at all.
And after Halloween, the holiday season starts to ramp up. You don’t want to be left behind. Early November really is the time to start planning for December holidays, especially if you need to order giveaway items. You want to plan as far in advance as possible so you can order in time and get everything you need for all your events.
Are You Using Holidays in Your Promotional Marketing?
Do other holidays pass you by without any marketing at all? A lot of marketing is concentrated in November and December, but there are holidays to celebrate all year round. Make a yearly calendar with all the events throughout the year, but also mark off the time two months in advance that you need to start planning. Your events calendar should have not only holiday marketing, but also any events in and around your town you will participate in, and the time marked off when you need to start planning for those as well. Holidays are great to build your promotions around and incorporate them into your social media. Don’t let holidays sneak up on you; use your events calendar.
Timing on Trade Shows
And what about trade shows? Most trade shows offer “early bird” registration pricing. Take advantage of that to save money. When it comes to trade shows, there are often a lot of perks to registering early. You get better pricing, sometimes even better booth location choices, and some trade show registration will even throw in freebies to entice people to register (or sponsor) early.
When you register early, it also gives you more time to do your research and decide the best giveaways for each show. You will have more options the earlier you plan. Rush shipping and processing for promotional materials can also add a lot to your costs. So, the early bird not only gets the worm but saves some money too.
You will also save money on travel, hotels, and shipping materials to the site if you plan early. When you have a team attending these shows, that type of timing and preparing can save enough to pay for your booth.
Timing is essential to your marketing success. Take into consideration how much time and effort is actually needed to plan, organize, and run a promotion or event. You’ll feel more organized, be able to capitalize on engagement opportunities, and save money on trade shows.
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