One common mistake we see is businesses switching to a seasonal schedule without updating their hours everywhere. We’ve seen this in our work with clients and around the Wildwoods, Cape May, Ocean City, and beyond.
Their website might say one thing, their social media another, and their Google Business Profile something else.
Because they’ve cut back on what they’re doing, they sometimes don’t update social media as much with posts about what’s going on. This can leave somebody questioning whether they’re open. When people aren’t sure, they may move on to the next option.
This is especially noticeable with restaurants, cafes, and bakeries that focus more on weekend business as people continue coming down in the off-season.
Tell people what you have going on
As businesses focus on more year-round patrons in the off-season, they might introduce weekday specials but not properly promote them.
Going back to the restaurant example, that could be Taco Tuesday or Wing Wednesday. If you don’t tell anybody about the promotion you’re running, you aren’t giving it much of a chance.
That doesn’t always mean paid advertising. Use the channels you already have available, including your social media accounts and website, to let people know what you have going on.
Keep the connection with seasonal visitors
Even when your seasonal visitors have gone home, that doesn’t mean they’ve stopped following your business.
We work with a hotel in the Cape May area, and people still want to know what’s going on, see photos of the place they love, and keep a connection with the place they like to stay every year.
Your off-season posts can speak to the people who are here now while keeping that connection with those who will return.
A reduced schedule doesn’t have to mean disappearing
If you’ve changed your hours, check your website, Google Business Profile, and social media accounts. Make sure they all show your current schedule.
You don’t have to post as much as you do during the summer. But keep letting people know when they can visit and what you have going on.
