Summer weather brings with it unique opportunities for both marketing and branding your small business. Some small business owners may find that they experience a bit of a seasonal lull depending on their industry, while others will see their business get hotter as temperatures rise.

Whatever your situation may be, summer is a great time to take advantage of some amazing marketing ideas, such as these five great small business marketing tips we are sharing with you today:

• Remember the holidays. And no, we aren’t talking about Christmas and Black Friday. During the summer you will have three holidays that are great business opportunities: Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. These three are also some of the most popular sales days, too, so don’t forget them as you look for ways to attract customers.
• Giveaways. This is a tried-and-true sales technique. A giveaway is a great way to get people excited and involved, so make it work for you this summer. Don’t forget to work in a summer theme to take advantage of the mindset of the season, too. At this time of year, people are relaxing and taking vacations, so it will work to your advantage if you can tie that into your giveaways.
• Contests. Everyone loves a contest, so brainstorm one that is appropriate to your industry. You can tie-in one of your giveaways, too, and make the most of the excitement. Giving discounts to placers or players is yet another way to foster interest and interaction.
• Networking events. Make some time to attend networking events, and don’t ignore the ones that might attract business owners outside of your industry. You never know who you might meet and what kind of connection you may make.

Summer is already in full swing, so don’t wait to start marketing yourself for the season. If you do it right, summer marketing can be a great way to overcome a slight dip in traffic. Here are some things you can do right now:

• Plan a giveaway or contest that ties into your business’ offerings.
• Create promotions for upcoming holidays.
• Look for networking events that you can attend, and if there aren’t any, plan your own.
• Treat your customers – find a way to get them gathered for food and entertainment.
• Shore up your local search rankings and partner with other tourist destinations to get the word out as the out-of-staters come to visit.

I hope this gives you some idea of where to begin this summer with your small business marketing. I look forward to hearing about your success!