Summertime and the living is easy....
Martin talking about the seasonal nature of businesses and the effect that the recession is having on the seasonal performance of Effective Marketing.
A customer sat us down about 18 months ago and went through the entire calendar and explained "the excuses" that prevent sales people performing.
January is a washout because of the Christmas hangover; everyone is slow to get going or off skiing in February; half term in March; Easter in April; May typically has a half term and two Bank Holidays; everyones looking forward to Summer in June; it's summer holidays in July and August; everyones slow to get going in September; October has a half term holiday; November people are winding down for Christmas and Decmber is Christmas - typically two weeks holiday for everyone with parties and hangovers throughout
Add to the school holidays the nuances of annual budgets and reviews and the impact of the recession and it starts to feel like that there is no longer a good time to be doing business.
If you think about it it's hard to think of a buisness that doesn't have a seasonal aspect. Society seems to have fogotten that schools were largely implemented to provide childcare and that the summer holidays were originally about getting children out of schools to help with the harvest, more work getting done not less.
At Effective Marketing we are pretty lucky - we have three lean months; December, July and August and the worst of it is behind us. It's not as if there isn't good work that can be done in these months, marketing strategies, rebrands, website designs and implementations, it's just that the good stuff doesn't really work unless there are people around to engage with, and this summer it feels like people have been on the missing list. With the reccession its hard not to feel a little bit of despair, that it may have finally sought us out.
If this all seems a little bit negative and not at all like Effective Marketing don't worry we have some suggestions.
Firstly, it isn't summer anymore, so hit it hard and make hay between now and Christmas. There are no Bank Holidays and only one half term so get yourselves ahead.
Secondly, adjust to the seasons. Retailers are expert at this. I was in Tesco's on Christmas Eve last year to witness the Christmas merchandise being carted away to make way for Easter stock - literally.
Thirdly, know your business. If you understand the seasonal aspect to your business you don't have to panic every time it slows down and you can plan for it by reducing your outlay and taking a well earned holiday.
Please enjoy the indian summer that is promised and remember that it really is work time.
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