Summer brings about change in more than just the rising temperature. If you live in a “summer town†that relies on tourism, you probably already know to stock up on items and get ready for more customers. But in places where population doesn’t fluctuate significantly, there are still things to do to prep for the coming summer. Taking a few (and in many cases, inexpensive) steps can really boost productivity and sales.
Summer Marketing—Do you know of a popular venue where people like to hang out in your area? Cover the place with flyers, signs, or even aerial advertising. Don’t make your campaign overwhelming, but make sure that the public can’t ignore your efforts. If you offer a product, you can also offer free samples or promotional items (i.e. stickers, frisbees, visors, tote bags). Scour popular restaurants, ice cream parlors, community pools, or beach boardwalk (if there is one nearby).
Target Summer Industries/Customers—For example, if there is a summer camp operating close to your business, contact the owners. See if they need your products or services, and offer a bulk or special deal in exchange for their business. Many areas in the country suffer from increased insect/pest activity in the summer. If you are an exterminator, you can offer periodic sprays for places with heavy populations, such as retirement homes, country clubs, malls, etc.
Cheap Labor!—Have a small firm? Take interns for the summer. Some places offer paid internships, but most do not. So if you don’t have the funds to pay an intern’s salary, offer things like free snacks or meals, and the most useful thing of all: experience. You can also offer part-time jobs for high school students. They often look for a summer job, and will take almost anything that gets them spending money and doesn’t interfere with their summer activities. So as a merchant, you can go ahead and take advantage of that. Just keep a few things in mind when it comes to internships:
- Interns shouldn’t replace regular, paid workers.
- Training new people takes a little time.
- It is not mandatory to offer a full-time job to an intern after the internship is over.
- Internship experience is for the benefit of the intern.
- If you want to pay your interns but don’t know wage regulations, check out the government’s Wage and Hour division. This is also a great resource for part-time compensation.
If you are planning to hire high school kids, take a moment to inform yourself on the laws and regulations for teens at work from the Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Explore The Market—Take the time to do some tourism yourself, and tour your regional market. Summer months provide a great opportunity for testing the waters in your area. Merchants can take advantage of typical summer events such as fairs, farmer’s markets, flea markets, regional festivals, car/boat/plane shows, and the like. These events can offer valuable insight into your competition, product pricing, and your customers.