First Quarter is Not the Time to Go Silent

By Glen Gardner
CEO Glen Gardner and Associates Multi-platform Marketing Consultants

In my marketing travels over the years I have heard many business owners
say, "I'm going to back-off on my marketing for first quarter." My
advice when asked is don't do it, unless you are strictly and
event-driven business and that event is a late year affair.
There are a lot of reasons to keep your marketing message active in
first quarter. Your competition is probably backing off and that means
your dollars are more effective in the battle for mind share. That means
you can make more progress in a less crowded environment in achieving
TOMA (Top of Mind Awareness).

The minds of your potential customers are still open for business,
despite what page of the calendar is active. Even if their buying
patterns are at low ebb, they are still processing information and
filing away your branding message for future use.
It's always important to remember that the larger market is always the
one that isn't "hot." The larger pool of potential customers is always
the pool that doesn't need your product or service now, but will in the
future. Your branding program is just as important in January as it is
in July. That large potential pool of customers is still consuming media
at roughly the rate through the year.

Even if "hot" business is reduced in January, it doesn't mean no one is
buying. There is always activity in the marketplace, even in a down
market. Why not take the opportunity to increase your market share while
others pull back? By cornering more of the market, you stand to make
larger profits when more consumers are active because you've increased
your piece of the total universe.

Don't fear first quarter, go out and take your unfair share of the pie. It will cost less and be more effective.