We’re sure you’re all as excited as we are about British summertime officially starting this weekend. It’s the season the gardeners amongst you have been waiting for but it’s not just gardeners who benefit from the summer season. Once satisfied that you have successfully caught up on the hour’s sleep you lose on Saturday night, start thinking about what advantages summertime can bring for your business. Here are a few to get you going:

Lighter evenings:

This can extend working hours for outdoor trades (builders, gardeners etc.). This gives you the opportunity to fit in more business in your working day and can appeal to some customers with heavy work schedules who prefer to have evening appointment slots. Make sure your customers know about these being available in advance.

Better weather:

People are more likely to be outdoors rather than at home and you could see an increase in passing traffic if your business has an office or retail outlet. Make the most of this with increased outdoor signage and promotions.

School summer holidays:

children’s activities, sports and leisure centres and children’s daycare centres will be busy once schools close for their summer break. Although the holidays don’t officially start until July, they last 6 weeks and parents will be looking to book places in advance. It takes a lot of planning to arrange a six-week program, advertise it and get it fully booked so start your plan today if your business falls into one of these sectors.

Holiday preparation:

It’s not just the travel and tourism industry that gets a boost during summer. Retail outlets, beauty outlets and tanning salons all become pit stop areas for people getting ready for their annual getaway. Give yourself an edge over your local competition by running a seasonal promotion or offer for pre-holiday makers.

Festivals:

You don’t have to be present at the big summer festivals to take advantage of the business opportunities they offer. Retail outlets can have a festival theme to target festival-goers before they leave and other businesses can partner up with local festivals to market on a local level or even get a trading spot for one of the days if you work in a relevant sector.

Tourist trade:

With the UK hosting the Olympics and the Queen’s Jubilee round the corner, there’s a big push to get people holidaying in Britain in 2012. Prepare for the flux of people passing through the big cities and popular countryside spots if your business is in one of these areas. Try and think of a promotion that relates to one of the 2012 events if possible to show your British spirit and capture the passing traffic.

Beer gardens:

It’s the season of the British Beer Garden and pubs, cafés, bars and restaurants will be advertising their outdoor facilities to draw in the crowds. Think of ways you can beat the competition with meal deals, special events, entertainment or happy hours to give your offering the edge over the others.