At the time of writing this blog, we are in the middle of yet another summer heat wave. (Don't even get us started on climate change!)

Time to take cover in AC. Or, possibly go to the beach …

Heat waves force us to conserve energy. But that doesn’t mean business has to slow down. Here are some hot  marketing ideas to consider implementing before fall:

• Weather Based Sales – This one is super relevant during this wave of high temps and high humidity. Some companies offer a discount for when the temperature reaches a certain point, for example, $10 off when its more than 100 degrees outside. Other companies offer sales in store when it's rainy, encouraging people to come inside to take cover.
  
  
• Connect With Customers in Person – When the weather is nice enough to be outside, take advantage and meet current and prospective clients the old-fashioned way: in person. The summer typically sees a plethora of outdoor local events such as street fairs and festivals. (Don’t forget to promote any event you’re attending on social media to capture your digital audience as well.)
  
  
• Make Your Own Event – If there aren’t any suitable events in your area for your business to attend, create your own. This could range from an in-store cheese tasting, to a full-on block party! The possibilities are endless.
  
  
• Host Contests – Encourage personal engagement with your audience by hosting contests that get them involved. An example could be a photo contest on Facebook with the opportunity to win prizes such as discounts or free samples. Benefits of this idea include creating user-generated content on your social media platforms as well as driving more traffic from your online accounts.
  
  
• Collab – Building a new partnership in the summer can help you attract more customers and develop long-term relationships with similar businesses. Win-win for both!
  
  
• Loyalty Programs – If you haven’t already, consider creating a loyalty reward program for repeat customers. If you treat your customers well, they are more likely to return AND offer free word-of-mouth advertising.
  
  
• Seasonal Exclusive Offers – Advertise that you will only be offering a specific service or product for the summer. This will incentivize any interested customer who was on the fence about the purchase to seal the deal.

Lastly,

• Back to School – Most people fall into two categories regarding back to school. Some dread it (think school-aged children or those with long memories), while others cannot wait for it to arrive (think tired parents or overworked camp counselors). Be confident in your understanding of your specific audience to know how they will feel about the return of school and then market to them accordingly.

Make the most of the rest of the summer season by implementing one (or more) of these ideas into your marketing and promotions strategy. Just because it's hot outside doesn't mean sales have to cool.