Now is the time. It’s almost October and you know as well as we do that Q4 is your busiest time of the year. There is no better time to step back, review your year-to-date numbers and programs, and think about what needs to be done for a successful first quarter in 2016. In particular, answer these questions:
What’s your budget for Q1?
What are your initiatives?
What gift-giving holidays or events do you promote?
Do you have a budget for branding?
Now shift your focus to early 2016. How can you jumpstart Q1?
Radio may just be the answer. Most broadcast stations do a big promotion in Q1 to drive listenership. Unless they do the same promotion every year, they probably have not yet planned it out. Talk with your station reps now to see if they can develop a promotion exclusively for you – not a last-minute, generic station promotion “brought to you by Main Street Jewelers” and three or four other partners. Think about a bridal promotion leading up to Valentine’s Day. Is there a large event in the area where the winner of the promotion could propose on stage? This could be a media bonanza for you.
Great promotion ideas don’t just happen, so it’s imperative that you start working on these plans and reaching out to your media partners now. Remember, 2016’s Q1 clock will soon be ticking.
