How To Survive The Slow Season: Is Anyone Spending Money In March?
Do you find yourself dreading March?
For lots of organisations, the first months of the year can be a struggle.
The holidays are over. The festivities have dwindled. The majority of us are fat and slow, and our pockets are empty. Not only that but now we are facing this global economic slowdown due to the corona virus tsunami that’s sweeping the world.
You might find yourself asking:
Does anyone spend money in March?
We’re here to tell you that the answer is YES.
With just a bit of planning, your training business can THRIVE in March, and here’s how.
1. Hold a March Sale
It’s a new year, and while you have been busy preparing your business for the upcoming months, many of your potential customers will have been doing the same. And it’s time to capitalise on that.
No matter the courses you have to offer, you can tap into the old ‘New Year, New You’ thinking that will grip your audience, and hit them with an offer they can’t refuse.
Take some time to think about the needs of your potential customers at this time of year. If you primarily sell your training courses to businesses, is this a point in time where they will be considering training their staff? If you sell courses to individuals, think about the New Year’s Resolutions they will be setting themselves. Can you offer a course that taps into that? It could be mindfulness, nutrition, weight loss, even learning a new language.
Whatever you have on offer, think about your market and plan how you can sell it to them with the new year in mind.
Even better, package your shiny new training course up with a special New Year price. With a glut of sales all around, many won’t want to pay full price, particularly if your competition are offering the same at a reduced rate. So figure out a viable sale price for your courses and then market it vigorously throughout the holidays into the new year.
2. Ask Questions
If you aren’t sure what your customers want – it’s time to start asking questions! Put together a poll or a survey that can be e-mailed out and advertised across social media. Ask them what training courses they would like to see more of, what their biggest challenges are for 2019, and how you can meet their needs this year.
Offer a discount or voucher to participants to encourage them to take you up on your latest offer, and when the results come rolling in you can start planning the courses that your audience WANT to see so they’ll come back to you throughout the year for their training needs.
3. Get a Good Deal
It’s tempting to focus solely how you can bring money INTO your training business at this time of year, but it’s also important to look at your outgoings to.
With sales galore being held in March, it’s a great time to look at ways you can trim the fat in 2019. Can you get more competitive rates on the things that you outsource in your business? If so, get to switching! Whatever you can save here contributes to your net income just as much as the number of courses you sell.
And there’s nothing better than feeling like you’ve got a good deal, after all!
4. Grow Your E-mail List
A bigger e-mail list means a better reach when you’re letting potential customers know about your courses, and now is the perfect time to grow it.
Put together a free PDF or report for potential customers that will really offer them some value, and then set this up behind a sign-up screen. When they’ve entered their e-mail address, add them to your mailing list and be sure to send out offers and news (and more value) periodically.
This is a slow burner, but you can ensure those who show a passing interest in your company stay on your radar, and you can target them with personalised marketing e-mails that tempt them over and over again.
It’s true. March can be a TOUGH beginning of the year month. When it comes to the training industry, you’re biggest strength is tackling the ‘New Year, New You’ market, but also not neglecting to build up a pipeline in the future. By putting in this leg work now you can be sure of a steady stream of work over 12 months, not just one month, and firmly say goodbye to the January blues.
