How to launch a business during summer
Starting a business in the summer is the same as doing it at any other time of the year. The only difference is you may be able to do it poolside or at the beach vs. stuck behind your desk.
HOWEVER…
There are some major pros to starting your business in the summer including summer discounts for products and services you need to get started and the ability to fly under the radar a little more. Flying under the radar means you can almost do a soft launch of your business to really test the idea. Additionally, a lot more people are looking for work during the summer so you can find a great team to help you get things started on the right path without worrying about the long-term right from the start. A lot of businesses move to summer hours (including short weeks) and that may also give you the extra time you need to get your side hustle of the ground if you’re working a regular 9 – 5 job.
We have written before about the 7 steps to starting a successful business, but we thought we’d come at it from a fresh perspective with a summer twist.
Step 1: Develop & refine your idea
Every idea has to start somewhere. Whether you have a business idea burning a hole in your brain or know you want to start a business and you do a bit of brainstorming, at step 1 you have to figure out exactly what it is you want to do. What are you selling? What problem are you solving or what need are you filling? How will you structure your business (sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation)? Who are your competitors? How do your competitors talk about their products? How are you different than your competitors?
At this stage you’ll likely go through some sort of product testing & development… although this will happen along the way naturally as well.
Summer tips: There are so many seasonal business ideas that you can launch during the summer. Landscaping/lawn care, Pool cleaning business, Food truck, educational tutor are just a few. If you’re looking for a short-term commitment a summer business idea may be perfect for you!
Step 2: Define your audience
You can’t really have a business if you don’t have anyone to buy from you. So, once you figure out what you want to do – and sell, you have to define the exact type of person that would buy what you’re selling. Figure out what makes them tic – all the nitty gritty details about them. You need to know where they hang out, how they like to interact with brands, and where they may discover more about you.
Summer tips: It’s important to recognize that your audience’s buying behaviour will shift during the summer. That shouldn’t stop you from launching your business, but you should also realize that from you’ll likely need to change your approach once the fall hits.
Step 3: Write your business plan
Once you know what you are going to sell and who you’ll sell it to, you need to create your plan. The thing about your business plan is that it doesn’t have to be long and detailed. A one-page business model canvas would also do the trick. The key is that you need to write something down to keep you on track.
A few key things you need to cover in your planning are your short-term and long-term business goals, any legal or regulatory requirements for your industry, your accounting set up, costs associated with running your business, key stakeholders (e.g., suppliers, etc.), etc.
Summer tips: Get comfy while you are planning. Set yourself up on your patio, grab a bevvy, and soak in the amazing summer weather (if that’s your thing) while you are planning. No one said planning couldn’t be enjoyable.
Step 4: Get your brand in order
Once you have it all figured out (well, as much as you can!) it’s time to really dive into who you are as brand. Remember that your brand is so much more than just your logo. Take the time to develop your brand messaging and the full brand story and figure out how your audience relates to your brand. Then you can design your logo and start drafting content based on everything you figure out. It will help you connect better with your audience.
Summer tips: Don’t get sucked into summer trends when it comes to your visual identity (your logo). You want to make sure that you are thinking long-term.
Step 5: Set up your marketing channels
The next step is to set up your marketing channels. You want to choose marketing tactics that match who you are selling to. It’s important that you really take note of where your audience hangs out and how they interact with other brands. Then you know where to focus your efforts. At this stage you’ll want to set specific marketing goals and set your metrics and tracking up so you know when you’re successful. Your metrics should be based on your marketing channels and you should consider a website as your communication hub, social media (you don’t have to be on ALL platforms!), blogging, a newsletter, a loyalty program – the list goes on. But just because there are all these options doesn’t mean you have to do everything when you launch. Don’t bite off more than you can chew.
Summer tips: With the slower summer pace, it may be a great time to brush up on things you haven’t done in a while or even learn something new to help your marketing strategy shine. Consider taking a course, a few workshops, working with a coach, etc.
Step 6: Launch!
Oh, the excitement! Make sure you give yourself enough lead time to prepare for the launch and market your launch so you have some buzz going already.
Summer tips: With the great weather you have so many options available to you for fun launch events – both large and small. Get creative and have fun with it!
Step 7: Adjust your strategy – and expectations
Some things will go right, and some things will go wrong. That’s the nature of running a business. The key is how you respond to both. Celebrate the things that go right and learn from the things that go wrong. You’ll be in a good position to move forward and grow your business if you can learn to adjust things a necessary.
Are you planning to start a business this summer? Book a free consultation with us and we’ll help you get started!