Going beyond the four seasons to attract customers

Shop owners may think they have four primary marketing opportunities every year, those being whenever the seasons change.

But that’s thinking too small, says a shop coach. While they’re easy to see coming, don’t limit yourself to drum up excitement and draw customers in only when the weather changes, said Vic Tarasik, founder of Shop Owner Coach.

These other “non-traditional seasons” are opportunities for your business, he said during an AutoLeap-hosted webinar called Tactics to Keep Customers Coming Back to Your Shop.

For example, post-tax season is one. People get their refunds and they’re looking for ways to spend that money. Think of all the statutory holidays. Kids get a winter break. Those are a good time to draw customers in, especially if they have road trips planned.

“There are so many marketing opportunities when you start thinking about the variety of seasons that are out there,” Tarasik said, adding that shop owners should think about their geography and how to tie that into what seasonal offers.

The back-to-school season is another opportunity. Tarasik recommended listening to customers to find out what’s happening in their lives. These events can be tied back to a seasonal special.

He pointed out that he didn’t use the word ‘discount’ when discussing this. Similar to when you go to a restaurant and they tell you about the menu features, you can do the same in your shop.

“That’s not discounted; it’s just that’s what they’re featuring,” Tarasik said.