Summer Time
And the living is far from easy if you have a seasonal business in Tahoe - Truckee.
Right about now you are trying to fill your lungs with air after the holiday weekend.
Take a moment to catch your breath and clear your mind. Our summers here in Tahoe are short, fast, and furious. They are also GLORIOUS! Beautiful blue skies, crisp mornings, and long cool evenings. That rising new moon last week over Truckee was spectacular. It’s those little moments I cherish that keep me sane.
OK so now what.
I mean marketing-wise.
There are two things you can do right now that are easy. Listen and Capture.
LISTEN
If you’ve been actively marketing up until the full season rush, now is the time to listen to your clients and patrons. Take notes.
Was their customer journey a success?
Did they seek your business out?
Did they know what to expect?
Did it meet expectations?
These are the big three but don’t stop there. Train yourself to take note of your customer's language. How do they express delight, ease of transaction, or exhilaration after their experience? I know testimonials are the gold standard in marketing but they can be difficult to capture in the moment. Really a buzz kill at the wrong time and it takes a lot of testimonials to get THAT ONE that really hits home. But, you can listen to what and how they say it and that can mean a lot of silver in your marketing message. Makeing it shine brightly!
So make a mental note, record it on your phone, capture the words, and the feeling then get back to what you need to do.
CAPTURE
Take as many photos as possible. If you get lucky and someone wants to give a testimonial whip out that phone. If you have friends or family in town and they just took you up on a discount tell them that they can help you out by taking photos of everything. Video too! In the 'on-the-go' media world it becomes a game of quantity that will give you the one image that drives your marketing next year.
If you have a moment post one or two. The busiest times are the best times to show off. The people who took you up on your offer will gain social currency and the people who passed will have a tinge of regret creating a mental note that next year they will want to book you.
Remember successful businesses are built. They don’t suddenly appear (no matter how social media wants you to think otherwise). It’s really hard to create a seasonal image and you do not want to get called out for faking it.
After the season’s rush you can sort them, now is the time to capture. For me, my batteries are charged, and my camera is by my side every day. I won’t take the tripods and accessory gear out of my car till after Labor Day. I do need to order more hard drives. It’s July and I’m already full. Yikes!
So take a moment to take in our glorious summer air. Refresh, recharge and rejuvenate. We’ve only just begun the Summer 8-week marathon.
Reach out for a talk over coffee or a hike I give information freely. I only ask to be paid when I do the work. tgold@bigwaterci.com
Comment below or share.
Trina Gold
Master Creator