Marketing During a Downturn: 3 Free Ways to Boost Visibility in the Dry Season
Marketing is often the first thing cut from budgets during the dry season. Most companies figure that the money is better spent elsewhere. Sometimes, they’re right. But there are legitimate reasons to keep up your marketing efforts during an industry slow.
Chances are: if you’re the only company marketing during the slow season, you’ll be the first facility people go to when they need storage. How many customers can you gain while your competitors cut their outreach?
Invest some time into free marketing. Here are the top three ways to market your facility during the slow season:
Social Media
Social media is free and easy-to-use marketing. However, this type of marketing takes time. Use the time you have after hours or between servicing renters to create content. Creating content a month ahead of time and scheduling it out helps you post consistently without having to remember each day.
Posting consistently also helps with SEO. Keeping your website up to date keeps you ahead of algorithm changes and updates so you’re not falling behind. When business picks up, you don’t want to lose your search engine ranking.
Claim Your Businesses on Google and Other Review Sites
Claiming your business everywhere you have reviews. With platforms like Google My Business, you can adjust hours, note holiday closures, and more. This also gives your company legitimacy as people trust claimed businesses more than unclaimed businesses.
Ask for Referrals
Word-of-mouth is still the best marketing. People do business with people they trust. A recommendation from a close friend or family member is the best thing for your business. Ask your customers to talk about you and give out referrals. It costs nothing to ask and could result in more great customers.
Bonus: Take some time during the slow season to see what else you can do to improve your facility, brand, and marketing. If you can’t advertise now, make a plan on what you’ll market when you can. Put together a marketing plan. Take the time to look ahead. Work on your business rather than in your business.