Many businesses face a slump during the summer months. In our first couple of years at Gingerhead, we experienced the same. This year has been our busiest yet and we’re both grateful, and wanting to share some of the things that helped us during quieter years:
- Hold a social media contest – when we started ‘Spot the Gingerhead’ we did not expect it to go as big as it did. It was a simple social media campaign encouraging others to get our brand seen. We used tote bags and water bottles as the main ways to ‘spot the Gingerhead’. We reached 14 countries, traveling over 50,000 miles that summer. It was such fun seeing our favourite people engaging with the brand and we still look back on that campaign with a smile.
- Don’t cut prices, add value – when you’re a service-based business, discounting just de-values your services. Instead, better to talk with your clients / prospects and offer added-value items, choice in what they buy, and discuss how they can get the best value. If you sell your services for less than what they are worth, you are harming the productivity of your team (and therefore work for other clients) and potentially other agencies who charge a fair price. We don’t want busy fools for the sake of a quick win. We want to provide a valued service to all our clients.
- Try something new – every summer, we learn and sell something new. It tends to be needs-led from our clients, but it keeps us on our toes and keeps our creative fresh. It has led to some pretty unique projects, for example: the first architecture book in the world with handdrawn (to exact scale!) illustrations that showcase world history through our relationship to fossil fuel energy.
- Keep in touch with clients – it is no good offering amazing services if your clients don’t know about them. Small businesses change a lot in the early years, make sure your clients are always up to date about how you can help them.
- Stay positive – as a small business owner, you set the tone for your employees, who then take that attitude to your clients. In Gingerhead, we’re open and collaborative with a flat structure. This works for us because everyone in the team plays their part in making our business a success. You can’t fix every problem on your own. Trust your team. In addition, when work picks up and you’re busy, remember that we need to avoid burn-out. Take a moment to do something fun when you can. Your team deserves that too.
I hope these tips can help others that may be struggling in their first few years. If our experience is anything to go by, it takes longer than you’d think and a lot of effort to make changes happen, but when they do, it is SO worth it! Wishing everyone a happy, busy summer.