It is the middle of January, but in my mind, it is July. To be precise, it is two weeks after the long Fourth of July weekend. The days are long and warm; full of sunshine. Every evening there is the smell of freshly cut grass and backyard grills. Birds sing in the morning and children play outside. All is well!

Am I dreaming because I’m in the middle of winter and wishing for the summer? (Maybe a little, but…) no, I am planning because I am involved in marketing. You see, marketing is perpetually looking at least six months ahead, strategizing and getting ready to take action. What should be happening six months from today? Here is a short list to help you in your planning.

Moods will be different

Taking stock of the mood of people is important to marketing. When we are feeling good, we tend to buy more than when we are not. What is a big contributor to human moods in the middle of the summer? Sunshine, and plenty of it. The sun’s rays stimulate the body’s production of serotonin, the chemical that makes us feel happy and full of energy. Have you ever noticed that you stay up later in the summer than you do in the winter? It is because you have more energy because the sun is shining on you. What should you do with this information from a marketing perspective? Plan to market from a positive angle in July. Write campaigns that challenge people to go for it – they’ll have the energy and the good feelings to take you up on your challenge during the summer. Play down the energy level in the winter. Match the mood of your customer base.

Take advantage of outside events

Plan to take your marketing outside your four walls during the summer. Many companies promote their brand through golf outings or other outside sponsored events. People stay out later and do more in the summer. Take advantage of this with events that have a marketing twist for your company.

Do something different from the rest of the crowd

July is a very busy month. People take vacations, fill their spare hours with nightly extracurricular activities, plus, there is a national holiday in July. With all these activities competing with you, you need to market to your customers in a way that makes you stand out from the pack. People are on the go, so to get them to pay attention to your products and services, you have to grab their attention. Be creative and be original. Don’t do what everyone else is doing or you will just blend into everything else that is happening during the month. Use a surprise to catch the attention of your audience. For instance, a common event in the summer where I live is Food Truck Fridays; where local foodies gather for lunch each week. I heard of a business that sponsored an impromptu band of local musicians that played during the Friday lunch hour at the event. They welcomed other musicians to join the band each week – whoever wanted to show up… all sponsored by the business. It was a creative and unique way to get their name out to the public.

Are you thinking about marketing in January or July today? Do yourself a favor and get out of the doldrums of winter and think six months ahead. It is good for your marketing and it is good for your serotonin starved body.