Marketing in the summer haze

21 Jun

Summer Solstice is the perfect point to look back in the first half of the year - look ahead on the 2nd half - and then zoom right in on the next couple of months… Tell me, how are you feeling heading into summer?

Are you feeling frazzled, spread too thin and wishing like you could just fast forward to September?

The Summer can be overwhelming for small business owners, you’re juggling childcare, school holidays, your business, are somehow trying to fit in an actual holiday and maybe scramble for more client work at a time of year that can often be pretty quiet!

Marketing in the summer can feel daunting, and with the feast and famine of business, how can you and your business get through the summer haze unscathed?

Sharing my top 3 takeaways, in the hope that I can help you alleviate just a little bit of that overwhelm - and you’ll be able to bring more lightness and enjoyment to this season! ⤵

Take time off!

I know that as a small business owner it often seems impossible to even THINK of taking real time away but I cannot stress enough how important it is to take time off. And when I say time off I don’t necessarily mean spending loads of money and heading off on holiday; I’m talking about not working and switching up your surroundings.

Can you take the opportunity of a quiet summer (quiet in terms of client work, not necessarily home life, I understand) and do something else?

Can you shedyour usual daily work routine, just for a week or two?

Can you do your exercise at a different time, or spend a morning reading a book with a cuppa, rather than catching up on life admin?

I’m asking you this because time and time again it astounds me what our brains are capable of, if we just LET THEM. Give them some unstimulated quiet. Silence the never-ending PING PING PING of our phones, just for an hour or two. For our brains to work their best, we need to give them time to shut down and reconcile the knowledge and experience gained. So give your brain the gift of rest, and it will reward you, I promise!

Know your numbers

I want you to be honest with yourself here, when was the last time you ran your numbers? Checking your finances at least every quarter is key to running a successful business (and just a great financial hygiene practice!). So, if you’ve got a quiet summer, why not take some time off to reflect on your numbers and figure out what works and what doesn’t in terms of your cash flow. Et Voila - you’ll know what your focus for autumn should be!

My preference for checking my financial health is the expenditure-first way:

First, I figure out how much money I need to cover my core expenses (I call that ‘Tier 1’) for the month. These are my non-negotiable outgoings - my bills, estimated fuel, food, any credit costs, etc. The total of these sums is how much I need to bring in from client work every month.

I then look at Tier 2. Under Tier 2 I figure out how much money I’d like to save every month (make sure this goal is achievable) and once I've hit that goal I move onto Tier 3 - disposable income or a treat pot.

Basically bills first, savings second, disposable third. I must hit the first one, I really want to hit the second, and anything else is a bonus; Having the savings means I have a safety net, and having the treat pot means I don’t dip into my savings.

Outsource

Can't beat the clients off with a stick?

Starting to feel like a jack of all trades?

Or feeling like you need to know EVERYTHING in order to run your business?

If this is you, then it’s time to outsource. Trust me when I say that you can’t wear all the hats in your business: an accountant, a marketer, a teacher, a master-networker. Anything that is not in your zone of genius, outsource!

Outsourcing can feel overwhelming at first, but it is so worth it, and with the right person at your side, the overwhelm falls away quickly, to instead bring a newfound sense of relief and possibility. Imagine if the summer wasn’t just a time to scramble around waiting for autumn to hit, and chasing your tail until Christmas - What a life that could be, right?! 🔥

So if you’re looking for support with your operations or digital marketing, look no further! I assist with digital marketing strategy & delivery, social media strategy, Meta ads, business goal accountability and business growth strategy and action plans. If this sounds like what you need just click on the button below and we’ll create a bespoke plan to suit your business’ needs.

I hope this is the first summer when you can stop dreading the tumbleweed or client work and instead take the time off guilt-free, safe in the knowledge you and your business are in the best place possible 🌞

P.s - If all the above fills you with overwhelm more than anything else, and working ON (not in) your business feels out of reach at the moment, then my 60-minute clarity call will be perfect for you - I can help you work out what’s truly important, and what only urgent. Book here.