The month of August is about to begin and immediately we think of the holidays, the lazy days under the umbrella, the trips and books that during the year we have set aside with the promise of reading them in a moment of calm.
Although many work activities this year have been put on hold by COVID restrictions and many more have had to find alternative ways to work, we all need a break. We must recover our strength to face the second half of this year (solar) and we can benefit from a moment of reflection to take stock, to check if the marketing strategy is bearing fruit or if it needs some tweaking.
But is it right to send corporate communication on holiday?
Absolutely not! We explain why.
KEEPING MEMORY ALIVE
Today's market is very crowded, there is great competition between companies to earn and maintain their audience. Often customers on vacation reset their memory. Leaving the business activities, to replace them with more fun ones, there is a good chance that when they return from the holidays they will no longer remember you.
All the efforts and time spent to conquer your target must not be thwarted in a few weeks off. It is good, therefore, that companies plan an editorial plan in the summer version to remain active in communication, thus continuing to be present in the minds of customers.
SCHEDULE POSTS SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO POST FROM THE UMBRELLA
The communication strategy chosen involves the use of social channels according to the target audience. If you want to maintain a more professional profile, you will probably use LinkedIn, while if you aim for a softer line Facebook and Instagram are ideal. Be that as it may, it is possible to prepare in advance the posts to be published and plan them through the dedicated platforms. In this way it will not be necessary to post from the umbrella.
This procedure is an excellent suggestion to keep in mind even during the year because it can relieve those who deal with communication from the task of posting on certain days and times suitable for hitting the chosen target.
The statistical data also confirm that the average user spends much more time on social media in the summer, precisely because he has more free time available. It would be a wasted opportunity not to try to achieve it.
The tool used most to navigate is the mobile phone, so it is good to check that the company website and any newsletters sent are responsive, that is, they adapt to the screen of smartphones without messing up the alignments of the graphic elements.
SUMMER EDITORIAL PLAN
During the "holiday" period it is nice to do what you can not or cannot do during the rest of the year because we are all very busy following the rhythms of work, business or family and personal spaces are compressed to make room for needs. Customers, therefore, agree to read the messages of companies, but prefer lightones : simple enough not to require too much concentration and that do not take too much time. Companies can choose to lighten the tone of communication and talk about frivolous and perhaps unusual topics while maintaining, however, their own style and corporate image. The purpose remains to keep your memory alive in the mind of the customer and at the same time amuse it.
ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE
The new communication standards provide for an active audience, which interacts with the company and says its opinion. Social networks are the tool that allows this interchange. In the summer editorial plan it is possible to plan occasions in which the user himself promotes the product or the name of the company. A classic example are the challenges launched on instragram or facebook in which the customer posts his own image with the product following the rules of the challenge, using the hastag (#) created ad hoc for the occasion and appointing other users to do the same thing. This generates a chain of posts that give great prominence to the company at no cost.
GETTING ON WITH THE JOB
The moments of pause make the physical and mental energies recharge. Especially the latter, are a very important resource for those who have to find new ideas every day, such as those who work in the creative sector.
By letting your mind go freewheeling, you can have valuable insights and ideas to keep aside for months to come. So even on vacation you can carry on with the work so as not to have to run at the last minute to meet the deadlines.
Without having to respect pressing delivery times or scheduled work commitments per minute, it is possible to organize the activities of the period to come.
If in your plans for the second half of 2021 there are hybrid events or that require digital support, remember to call Virtual Business Square to try the new RoundOff platform that will be available soon.
Happy holidays from the staff of VBS!
Photo by Ivan Samkov from Pexels