Summer’s over. You’re anxiously awaiting the kids to go back to school and for business to pick up again because frankly, the phones haven’t been ringing off the hook for the past few months. You’ve got just a few months to make money before the Christmas slow down. Does this sound familiar?
I used to experience this Seasonality when I first started my business. I thought that going to the same places, doing the same things throughout the slower months meant that I would keep the business from slowing down. That’s because I had a bad marketing plan. This year, I did something different. Here are the things that I learned that can also blow your Seasonality out of the water:

Go Where Your Target Is Already Gathering

This year, I went to huge conferences in the US that had a congregation of my target market. I invested to be there, to speak there. If I didn’t have a marketing plan that anticipated the slow months and put into place funds to do that, I would’ve been stuck back into the same cycle of Seasonality that I used to experience.

Plan Around The Big Events

Not only did I budget and plan to be present and visible at these summer events but I also took at least 3 months prior to the slow months to plan my own mini-events around the big conferences. I did 4 Executive Roundtables in the last 5 months, all in different cities and they yielded amazing results for my business. Executive Roundtables are gathering 8 of my ideal target group into a no-fee, no-selling discussion forum around a hot topic that is costly and persistent in their business. I highly recommend it!

Hound Through The Slow Months

Some call it follow-up, some call it being a pest, whatever you call it, do it. I’ve had clients succeed in getting appointments through weddings, travel and life changing sabbaticals. If you keep calling and reminding throughout these events, you’ll stay top of mind and relevant, even through the slower months. Don’t assume that they’re too busy or distracted to talk. That’s just an excuse you can tell yourself not to reach out. I figure anyone who is at their work phone and is answering is interested in who is on the other side of the call.

Plan Your Speaking

Most associations and organizations plan their speakers in the summer. Get in front of them, become relevant to them through those months where most people are waiting for September to start planning and calling.
If you implement these things that I changed in my marketing, you too will be happily exhausted with new clients and swimming in work every season and not have to wait for referrals to start kicking in.
Want to find out if the market needs you? Follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, watch me on YouTube or connect with me on LinkedIn –and let’s talk