August has always been an interesting month in Tahoe.
We're still in summer, but the audience begins to change.
Many schools have already started, which means much of the family vacation crowd is heading home. Traffic gets a little easier. The pace begins to settle down.
But some very important customers are still here.
Our second homeowners and seasonal leaseholders.
They're enjoying some of the best weeks of summer, without quite as much of the frenzy. At the same time, they're looking around their homes and beginning to think about what needs to happen before winter.
For businesses that serve this market, that's the August advantage.
I don't think we can talk about this August without acknowledging that this has been one of the strangest summers.
Depending on where you are and what kind of business you're in, you may have had two completely different experiences.
Some areas have been packed. Some businesses have had a powerful summer.
Others are looking at the numbers and wondering where everybody went.
Overall, the crowds feel lighter and the wallets tighter.
That's exactly why I think we need to pay closer attention to who's here rather than simply counting how many people are here.
Don't Just Sell to Them. Pay Attention.
Your second-homeowner customer is different from the family trying to squeeze everything possible into a four-day Tahoe vacation.
They have time.
They're going to the hardware store. They're talking to neighbors. They're looking at the deck that needs work, the trees that need attention, the driveway, the roof, the heating system and everything else they've been putting off.
They're also thinking about when they'll be back.
And they're beginning to make decisions.
This is a chance to listen.
What are they asking you about?
What are they worried about?
What are they trying to get done before they leave?
What surprised them this summer?
Those conversations may tell you more about what you should be marketing this fall than any report or spreadsheet.
This also goes directly back to The Cost of Going Quiet.
This isn't the time to disappear.
For many Tahoe businesses, some of the customers you most want to reach are physically here right now. And they're here at a time when there's a little less noise competing for their attention.
That doesn't necessarily mean advertise more.
It means advertise smarter.
Know who you're trying to reach. Think about what is on their mind right now, and make sure your message answers that.
August isn't the end of the opportunity.
It's a change in the opportunity.
The crowds may be thinning, but don't mistake fewer people for fewer possibilities.
Look around. Listen to the conversations. Pay attention to who's still here.
Because sometimes your most valuable customer isn't the person rushing through Tahoe during the busiest week of summer.
They're the person who's still here after the rush is over.
And they're already thinking about what comes next.
If there is a topic you’d like to hear more about, by all means comment below or direct message, and I’ll do my best.
Nothing better than a good question to jump into.
Reach out for a talk over coffee or a hike. tgold@bigwaterci.com
Comment below or share.
Trina Gold
Master Creator
