Right marketing, wrong time?

Good marketing is often said to be 'promoting the right product to the right people in the right place at the right price'. It is but there's another essential element most never think about.

Timing is everything

Try selling flip-flops in Winter. Or serving hot stew on a hot Summer's day. It just feels wrong. 

But... we don't always use that knowledge. 

We post on social media first thing in the morning because it suits us to make it part of our morning routine. Porridge and a quick facebook post. 

Or we enjoy the sunshine when we can, and then devote more time to marketing when it's raining and we prefer to be inside. 

And then we think our marketing isn't working very well. 

What you say, and how you say it might not be the problem. 

Timing is everything

Yes, it's worth repeating. The timing of your marketing is just as important as what you say, and how. When matters. 

We already know that there's often a flurry of holiday bookings immediately after Christmas when people start to want something else to look forward to. That's why so many companies advertise then. The right timing for marketing activities is important and has been shown to make a difference. 

It might be worth thinking about some of your marketing activities and the best time to do them. 

A couple of quick examples

Have you noticed that you get more bookings or enquiries (or website traffic according to Google Analytics or your own tracker) on certain days? Or at certain times of day?

Or maybe you've noticed that you get more advance bookings when the weather is good, because it helps people think ahead, even in Winter? 

If you have noticed this, then you can choose the times when people are actively thinking about and planning trips to add some extra persuasion. These times could be a good moment to do some additional social media posts, or spend some money on Google Adwords. So when the sun shines, don't immediately dash outside to enjoy the warmth. Do a little extra marketing, show photos of your setting in the sunshine, talk on social media about how good it feels. Include a call to action. 

You can use other tools such as the Insights on Facebook to find out when your followers are online, and to make sure that's when you post on social media. Don't just rely on general articles about the best time to post on social media. Be more specific by considering your audience which might be different to others'. If you want to go one step further, you could track when people are most likely to open your mailings so you time your mailings more carefully too.