On Hold Message Ideas to Help You Survive the Winter Marketing Slump!

 It’s not easy generating momentum and attention for your small business after the hustle and bustle of the holidays. The sales are over, your customers are still feeling the pinch of over spending, and frigid temps often cause people to spend more time indoors laying low. So, how do you keep your marketing efforts chugging along during the long and often slow months of winter?

A big part of winning the post-holiday marketing battle is good timing! And, there’s better time than when you have their undivided attention on hold. Change up your on hold marketing strategy during the winter months to accentuate positive feelings about the cold weather and mitigate the seasonal disruption to products and service.

When the weather turns cold, consumers turn to comfort. This comfort may come in the form of hot beverages, heart foods, warm clothing or indoor activities. Think about how your product or service can offer some warmth or coziness in the winter months, and try using a variety of seasonally inspired themes or tactics and change up your advertising on hold content to get people fired up about what you’re selling despite any freezing temperatures or holiday hangovers.

Try ear-catching teasers for up-selling add-on items or companion products. For example:

“It’s cold outside, so bundle up! Speaking of bundling, for a limited only when you purchase______ (insert your product/service here), you’ll also get ___________ (insert whatever your offer is here). Hurry offer ends soon …”

“Don’t let old man winter get you down, here at ABC Company, we’re offering a flurry of savings. Buy two widgets and get a third widget for FREE! …”

“It might be cold outside, but  inside XYZ Company we’re heating things up with our hottest prices of the season …”

Your business is seasonal you say? There’s really no need to invest in marketing to customers during slower winter months? Whether you own an ice-cream shop on the Jersey shore, a ski shop in the mountains of Colorado, or a landscaping business in central Minnesota, everyone experiences the challenges of the dreaded off-season.

But, don’t let the seasonal slumps get you down! Just because your target audience can’t utilize your products or services right this very minute, doesn’t mean they won’t benefit from and be interested in the information you have to give. You can either sit back and do nothing, which will bring the same result – nothing. Or, plan wisely and find ways to make unique offers, and  you’ll have all the ammo you need to transform slower winter months into real profit.

Successful marketers think long-term, so instead of sitting around and waiting for your season to start again, it’s time to roll up your sleeves, get to work, and use this valuable time for marketing to help tee-up businesses when the season kicks off.  Remember, your on-hold message is being delivered to the two best audiences you could ever ask for; prospects who call you, and customers who choose to call you again!