There’s something about September that people associate with a fresh start. This certainly was reinforced by the education system throughout your youth. September basically screams “back to school”. And with that, a new wardrobe, new school supplies, a new backpack - a new you.

Or maybe September signals the official end of the summer months, which means that vacation time is over and fall is just around the corner. Regardless, this period of change naturally extends to businesses in the same way.

So, you’re probably looking for ways to have a great start to your September, professionally speaking? I’ve coined this the “Smart September Start”. And I hope to inspire you with marketing ideas that will ensure that your business makes a lasting impression this September. Here goes:

Follow Up.

The best way to make a good impression this fall is to follow up with the people you do business with, or want to do business with. Make a quick call to catch up with clients and suppliers. If you don’t like making calls, then fire off an e-mail and invite them for coffee. You must maintain your relationships with clients, prospects, suppliers, partners, etc. and the only way to do that is to reach out to them. You will be surprised at how many will be appreciative of you reaching out. They will enjoy the follow-up.

Execute your plan.

If you read our previous blog on what marketers should do during the summer months, then now would be the time to execute the plan that you came up with. Now that everyone is back from vacation (whether that be your co-workers, suppliers, etc.) you can begin coordinating efforts and implementing what you set out to do.

Start something new right now.

As the title suggests, now is the best time to do something that you haven’t done before. This can be many things, but here are a few ideas for you.

Launch a promotion. Have you done a promotion yet? It can be a great way to attract new business and increase your brand awareness. Promotions are also a great excuse to advertise. Traditional messaging: “Hey, this is what our company does. Check us out.” or the likes, is just plain pretentious. You aren’t offering a whole lot of value in using this approach. “Hey, this is what our company does, and we’re offering it at a reduced price.” on the other hand, offers value and shifts the messaging from self-centered to client-focused.

Social Media. Have you tried boosting a Facebook post? Or taken advantage of the added features of LinkedIn Premium? Only a handful of businesses are using social media to the fullest and experience exceptional results. This is a great opportunity for a company that sees the full potential of this marketing platform and wants to harness it.

Email Marketing. It’s possible that you have some misconceptions about email marketing if you have yet to consider it in your marketing mix. The fact is, email marketing is a powerful tool. It’s a great tool for coordinating all of the other things you have going on (i.e. blogging, promotions, rebranding, new product/service launches, etc.). Plus, every email you send gets you one step closer to becoming top-of-mind (a marketer’s dream) by way of frequent communication and constant brand reinforcement. So, give it a try! You won’t regret it.

Become an active member of a professional association.

Sometimes, the best way to get your name out there is by spreading the word in person. The most accomplished business professionals in the world, from Robert Kiyosaki to Oprah Winfrey, all preach the same thing: Networking is the key to success. A great way to do this is to become an active member of a local professional association, like your local Chamber of Commerce or marketing meetup group. You never know who you will meet there.

Do what has worked for you in the past.

Don’t fix something that isn’t broken. Whatever marketing that you’ve done in the past that worked, should not be overlooked in your Start September Smart. In fact, it might be your marketing cash cow in your search for a rising star (yes, that was a cheesy reference to the BCG’s growth-share matrix).

Think unconventionally about marketing.

Whatever you do, don’t fall in the trap of thinking that you need to be conventional about your marketing. There are so many other creative ways to advertise your brand that will stand out from all the other marketing noise. Take this for example:

You too can be this creative with your marketing. If you would like to be inspired by more ideas like this, then google “Guerilla Marketing”.