How To Help Your Business Bloom: 9 Marketing Tips To Try This Summer

The world of marketing changes so quickly — in fact, it can sometimes feel like the field is changing every week. So how do you know when it’s time to hop on a new trend or completely shake up your strategy?

Summer is a great time to refresh your current marketing strategy and challenge yourself to think outside of the box. It’s also a great time to take a good look at your audience and develop a deeper understanding of their needs and how you can capture (and keep) their attention. 

If you need a little more fuel to guide your journey toward giving your marketing strategy a much-needed facelift, here are six tips that will hopefully provide you with the clarity and curiosity you need to move forward:

1. Stop Ignoring AI

Over the past several months, AI has exploded onto the mainstream scene. People are not only using AI to automate jobs; they’re using AI tools to create and replicate entire songs, films, and even real-life people. When it comes to public sentiment about AI, people seem to go one of two ways: either they love it and are completely in awe of its power, or they’re afraid of it and don’t want it to go too far. 

“Implementing AI into marketing operations can help tremendously when it comes to maintaining budgets and shifting resources in more optimal ways,” says Andrew Chen, Chief Product Officer of Videeo. “For instance, utilizing AI in a creative team can ensure all the menial work is taken care of and free up more time for innovation and brainstorming.”

Many people are afraid that AI automation will eventually replace their job — but in the world of marketing, AI can actually be a fantastic way to activate your team even more. Start by trying to familiarize yourself with AI and implementing it in small, experimental ways to start out. 

2. Identify Your Target Audience and Plan Accordingly

Identifying your target audience is crucial to the success of your marketing efforts. By understanding the characteristics and needs of your ideal customer, you can create tailored marketing strategies that are more likely to resonate with them and drive conversions.

As Jin Young Woo, CEO of Like Dreams explains, “Micro-targeting allows us to reach our audience on a more personal level. By understanding their behaviors and interests, we can tailor our messaging and offers to meet their specific needs. This not only helps us drive conversions but also builds trust and loyalty with our customers.”

By utilizing micro-targeting, businesses can achieve higher engagement rates and conversions by delivering highly relevant messages to their ideal customers. It requires a bit more effort and resources, but the results can be well worth it in terms of driving business growth and customer satisfaction.

3. Get Emotional

With so many advertisements surrounding us at all times, it’s likely that most are going to be ignored. That’s why adding an emotional component to your marketing campaigns is so powerful. People want to feel that they are genuinely seen, not just being treated as money-makers. 

“Like everything else in life, great advertising is all about relationships,” says Anthony Tivnan, President and Co-Founder of Magellan Jets, a company that specializes in private jet charter flights. “Establishing and maintaining a strong relationship with your target audience means caring for them as individuals — how can your brand truly make their life easier or better? How can you pleasantly surprise them? What can you say or offer to make them feel truly heard?”

Huddle with your team to think about ways you can step this up. One helpful approach is to think about what you would need if the roles were flipped: if you were the one being marketed to, what would draw you to a brand and make you feel seen by them? 

4. Get Real

Real life, that is. If your team hasn’t considered implementing in-person marketing strategies (or simply still hasn’t gotten back around to it post-lockdown), now might be the time to start — especially if you have the budget for it. 

This could be as simple as sponsoring a local event, or it could mean sending some of your team members to a trade show or another in-person event to set up a table, share samples of your products, or simply spread the word.

“No matter how automated the world of marketing gets, nothing will ever truly beat in-person connection,” says Marcus Hutsen, Business Development Manager at Patriot Coolers. “In fact, establishing an in-person presence with your client base will make you stand out that much more in a world that’s gone so digital.”

If you have the budget to host your own event, that’s all the better — however, even setting up a booth at a larger event can work wonders in developing those strong relationships that will set the stage for loyal clientele for years to come.

5. Listen Up (Because Your Audience Sure Is)

If you haven’t considered podcasting as a new venture for your business, it’s definitely time to do so. You may be thinking, “My business doesn’t provide anything that warrants a whole podcast. How does this apply to me?”

“You’d be surprised how much additional value you can provide for your audience through podcasts, even if you sell a physical product,” says Miles Beckett, Co-Founder and CEO of Flossy. “For instance, if you sell skincare, why not start a beauty or wellness podcast? There’s always a message behind your product that could very well translate into an engaging podcast, with the right creativity behind it.”

If starting your own podcast doesn’t make sense for you, consider simply sponsoring podcasts. It’s a great way to get your name out there and align with messages you’re passionate about.

6. Optimize Videos To Tell Stories

Chances are, you’re already fully utilizing video as a tool to share ads or work with influencers. If so, you’re perfectly equipped to combine both into an ad that barely feels like an ad. Rather than having influencers talk about your product on their own channels, bring them into your company’s channels to demonstrate various ways to use your product, or turn it into a funny skit. 

“Video marketing in this format can be an amazing way to entertain your audience, which will develop loyalty and establish an emotional connection right off the bat,” says Seth Besse, CEO of Undivided. “This is how you market to people without them feeling like they’re being marketed to. Have fun with it!”

Think about each video ad as a story and a chance to showcase your brand’s personality.

7. Fine-Tune Your Niche

Many brands nowadays complain that their markets feel overly saturated, and many of them aren’t wrong. 

“Making your niche as hyper-specific as possible is especially important as algorithms are getting continuously more advanced,” says Shaun Hinklein, Head of SEO at Ramp, a company that helps professionals manage their finances with the help of their business credit cards. “This is how you develop strong digital communities.”

Allocate time and resources to doing a deep dive into your mission and audience — that’s where you’ll strike gold when it comes to your niche.

8. Create Campaigns That Focus on Retention

Many thought leaders in the world of marketing are increasingly encouraging brands to focus on retention more than acquisition. Why?

“It costs less to keep customers than it does to attract new ones,” says Mara Dumski, Chief Fragrance Experience Officer of Pura, a company that helps to elevate drivers’ daily commutes with their car diffuser and line of premium fragrances. “But beyond that, retaining customers inherently sends a message to potential new customers that a brand is trustworthy and interesting — in that sense, you’re hitting two birds with one stone.”

Plus, it never hurts to go the extra mile to show existing customers they matter.

9. Get Personal

Personalization is all the rage, especially with an uptick in the utilization of AI. When your audience feels like you’re talking directly to them, they’re much more likely to pay attention.

“Machine learning algorithms can help you analyze your customers to better understand patterns and trends that can help you fine-tune your strategies,” says Owen Martinetti, Co-Founder of Snoozy.

Think about it: when someone calls your name, you turn around and listen, right? It’s the same with marketing. Call your audience by their name and speak their language. 

Embrace the Changing World

In a world where trends change so quickly, adaptability and curiosity are essential.

“A lot of people are afraid of change,” says Shaunak Amin, CEO and Co-Founder of SnackMagic. “But in marketing, change is the name of the game. Learning to embrace change is how you lead the charge into the future.”

By riding the waves of change instead of pushing against them, you’ll ensure your marketing is actually reaching people.