Are You “Spooked” by a Winter Sales Slump?
October can truly be the start of a spooky season for service-oriented companies.
Some businesses sell products—and they might look forward to seeing their sales surge during the holidays. However, if you provide services—there’s a good chance that you’re used to seeing your revenue take a sharp dive in Q4.
There are a few reasons for this:
Companies see their budgets dry up toward the end of the year
People get busy with the holidays or go away on vacation
It seems easy to put big projects and commitments off until the new year
If you’re anticipating a scary sales slump around Halloween, there are a few things you can do.
We advise our clients to think about outreach that will help them maintain their relationships with clients during slow months—rather than market to them when they simply aren’t in the mindset to commit.
An aggressive approach can sour the relationship you’ve been building all year, while a gentle touchpoint can keep you top-of-mind when they’re ready to reinvest.
For example, don’t wait until December to share “seasons greeting” cards or gifts. These might get lost in the mix when everyone else is sending their year-end mail. If you send something now, it will stand out and make a real impact. If it inspires an email or call, you have a chance to start a real dialogue—and maybe even fit in some extra business before end-of-year.
We also suggest marketing toward 2021. There’s low stakes, and it’s easier to get a commitment. It doesn’t feel pushy, but it does open the door to a productive conversation.
For more ideas about “maintenance marketing” in Q4, don’t be afraid: Give us a call today!
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