How Brands Should Prepare in Summer for a Busy Autumn
Welcome to the official start of summer holidays, often referred to as the “slow” season for many businesses. While it can feel a bit disheartening to serve fewer customers and see lower cash flow compared to other months, there are some positives as well.
Summer is the perfect time for business owners and their teams to recharge, gain a fresh perspective on the business, and prepare for what lies ahead. Here are my five tips to help you save time for the end of the year, which is typically busy.
1. Partnerships & Collaborations
Summer is the perfect time to research the right influencers and creators for your autumn/winter campaigns. Make sure your values align and that you have a joint audience both sides can benefit from. Additionally, consider partnerships with other brands for co-branded promotions, and prepare giveaways for Instagram to boost your follower count and engagement.
2. Your Self-Assesment
If you’re a business owner or self-employed, you’ll need to file your self-assessment tax return (SATR) and pay your taxes by January 31st of next year for the previous tax year. While it’s tempting to put this off (who enjoys doing their accounting?), now is the best time to tackle it. Leaving it too late will cause stress when organizing your expenses. Plus, filing your self-assessment tax return right after the holiday season is the last thing you’ll want to do.
3. Social Media Audit
Take the time to review your social media accounts, noting any changes and new features that have been added. Often, you’re too busy during the year to make updates, so it’s worthwhile to go through each section to see what needs to be refreshed. If you’d prefer expert advice on your social media profiles, consider asking us to perform a Basic Audit or a Premium Audit for you.
4. Marketing Campaign Plan
When your competition is taking a break, it’s the perfect opportunity to plan campaigns, promotions, and events in advance. There’s no better time than now to strategize your promotional offers and discounts tailored for the back-to-school season, Halloween, and Christmas.
5. Take a Training
That project you’ve been meaning to tackle in your business but never got around to? Now’s the time! If learning something new is required to successfully launch a new process, do it now. I like to take online courses or attend on-site classes, as they provide opportunities to network and meet new people with similar backgrounds.