Discover 10 practical summer marketing tips for small businesses to boost visibility, attract new customers and stay ahead of the competition.

Summer often brings a welcome change of pace for many businesses. Clients head off on holiday, networking events slow down and your diary may not feel quite as hectic as it does during the rest of the year.

For many business owners, marketing is one of the first things to be put on hold until September. But while your competitors may be taking their foot off the pedal, this could be your opportunity to get ahead.

Your customers don’t stop searching for products and services during the summer, and the work you do now can help build momentum for a busy autumn.

Here are ten simple marketing tasks that can make a real difference to your business.

Marketing can easily become a collection of activities rather than a focused strategy. If you’ve ever found yourself posting on social media simply because you feel you should, now is a good time to step back and ask whether your marketing is actually supporting your business goals.

Think about what’s worked over the past six months. Which activities generated enquiries? Where have you invested time without seeing results? Sometimes making a few small changes to your marketing strategy can have a much bigger impact than simply doing more.

Your website is often the first impression people have of your business, so make sure it’s working as hard as you are. Check that your contact forms work, your services are up to date, testimonials are current and your calls to action are clear. View your website on your mobile phone too – many visitors will be doing exactly the same.

A website doesn’t need a complete redesign every year, but regular maintenance helps build trust and improves the overall customer experience.

Search Engine Optimisation isn’t something you do once and forget about. Search habits change, competitors publish new content and Google regularly updates how it ranks websites.

Use the quieter summer months to refresh older blogs, improve page titles, add internal links and answer the questions your customers are asking today. Small improvements made consistently can help your website perform better over time and attract more organic enquiries.

Artificial Intelligence has become a valuable tool for small businesses, but it should support your marketing – not replace it. AI can help you brainstorm blog ideas, draft social media posts, create email campaigns and overcome writer’s block. It can save valuable time, leaving you free to focus on your customers and your business.

The most effective marketing still comes from combining technology with your own expertise, personality and understanding of your audience.

One of the biggest marketing myths is that you always need to create something new. That blog you wrote six months ago could become several LinkedIn posts, an email newsletter, a short video or even a downloadable guide. Repurposing your best content helps you stay visible without constantly starting from scratch.

Remember, not everyone saw your original post, so don’t be afraid to share valuable content again in a different format.

Happy customers are one of your most powerful marketing tools, yet many businesses forget to ask for feedback.

Summer is a great opportunity to request Google Reviews, LinkedIn recommendations or testimonials while projects are still fresh in your clients’ minds. Better still, turn successful projects into short case studies that demonstrate the value you’ve delivered. People trust real customer experiences far more than sales messages.

September often feels like a fresh start for businesses, so don’t wait until everyone returns from holiday before thinking about your marketing.

Use the summer to plan your blogs, email campaigns, social media content and any events or promotions you have coming up. Having a simple marketing calendar will help you stay organised and reduce the pressure when business gets busy again.

For many SMEs, LinkedIn has become one of the best platforms for building credibility and developing business relationships.

Rather than focusing on selling, share useful advice, celebrate client successes, comment on industry discussions and demonstrate your expertise. Consistency is far more important than posting every day. Showing up regularly helps keep your business front of mind with your network.

It’s easy to assume you know what’s working, but your data may tell a different story. Take some time to review your website analytics, email marketing performance and social media insights. Which pages attract the most visitors? Which content generates enquiries? Where are your leads coming from?

Understanding what’s working helps you make better marketing decisions and invest your time where it matters most.

You don’t need a complicated 50-page strategy document. A simple plan outlining your goals, target audience, key marketing activities and priorities for the next few months is often enough to keep your marketing focused and consistent.

The businesses that see the best results aren’t always the ones spending the most money—they’re the ones who market consistently throughout the year.

Summer doesn’t have to be a time when your marketing slows down. In fact, it can be one of the best opportunities to strengthen your marketing, review what’s working and prepare your business for a successful second half of the year.

You don’t have to tackle all ten tasks at once. Choose two or three that will have the biggest impact on your business and build from there. Small, consistent improvements are far more effective than occasional bursts of activity.

If you’d like some support, Creationz Marketing works with SMEs across the UK to provide practical, outsourced marketing support. Whether you need help developing a marketing strategy, improving your website, creating content or managing your ongoing marketing, we’d love to help.

Ready to make the most of the summer? Get in touch to find out how we can help keep your marketing moving while your competitors switch off.

Proud to Be the New EC Local Nottingham Ambassador

At Creationz Marketing, one of the things I’ve always been passionate about is helping businesses connect with the right people, access the right support, and build meaningful relationships that help them grow.

That’s why I’m delighted to announce that I have taken on the role of EC Local Nottingham Ambassador, taking over from Greg Simpson of Press For Attention, who has done a fantastic job championing the Nottingham business community over the years.

Supporting Businesses Through Meaningful Connections

For over 24 years, I’ve worked in marketing across both traditional and digital channels, helping businesses of all sizes develop strategies, improve visibility, and achieve sustainable growth. Throughout that journey, one thing has remained constant: businesses thrive when they have access to the right support network.

Whether it’s finding a trusted supplier, gaining expert advice, sharing challenges with peers, or simply having a community to lean on, the power of connection should never be underestimated.

As the new Nottingham Ambassador for EC Local, I’m looking forward to helping local businesses build those connections and become part of a network that genuinely supports one another.

Why EC Local?

EC Local is built around a simple but powerful principle: business is better when people help people. The community brings together business owners and professionals who are committed to supporting each other to work ON our businesses rather than in them.

A Natural Fit with Creationz Marketing

Since launching Creationz Marketing, I’ve had the privilege of supporting hundreds of businesses and our mission has always been to make marketing more accessible and help businesses understand what works for them, regardless of their size or budget. The marketing landscape has definitely changed but ehat hasn’t changed is my passion for helping businesses grow and giving people access to the support they need.

Looking Ahead

If you’re a business owner looking to expand your network, build valuable relationships, and become part of a supportive local community, I’d love to have a conversation about how EC Local could help.

Let’s Connect

If you’d like to find out more about EC Local Nottingham, upcoming meetings, or how to get involved, please get in touch.

Recently, the Department for Education (DfE) found itself at the centre of a social media storm – not for fixing the childcare crisis, but for how it tried (and failed) to say sorry.

Instead of a sincere apology for ongoing concerns around early years funding, staffing, and support, the DfE released a tongue-in-cheek statement that many felt was lifted straight out of the Aldi marketing playbook – cheeky, flippant, and designed for laughs.

Only, no one was laughing.

Parents, providers, and professionals across the country voiced their anger at what felt like a tone deaf, ill-timed, and insincere approach. Because here’s the thing: Aldi can just about get away with this tone in its marketing, the DfE can’t. And as marketers, we really need to stop assuming that copying someone else’s style is a winning strategy.

Aldi’s marketing is built on humour, cheek, and risk. I am a fan of their marketing team as a whole because they don’t just post and ghost, they get in with their with Whitty one-liners and respond to comments.

Everyone is in on the humour. Their audience expects playful banter, meme-style posts, and the odd “sorry-not-sorry.” That tone is part of a long-established brand identity.

The Department for Education, on the other hand, is literally responsible for the future of children in the UK. The weight of its responsibility means the public expects empathy, accountability, and clarity, not a PR stunt.

This is the key lesson for marketing teams everywhere: What works for one brand won’t necessarily work for yours.

We see it all the time. A business sees a viral trend, a quirky campaign, or a big brand’s social media moment and thinks: we should do that! But what gets missed is the why behind the success. Aldi didn’t just throw out a witty apology and hope for the best. Their tone is consistent, they know their audience, and they rarely stray too far from what their customers have come to expect.

The DfE’s post got views, comments, and shares, but for all the wrong reasons.

In marketing, not all visibility is positive. As my good friend Greg Simpson from Press for Attention always reminds me: not all PR is good PR.

There’s nothing wrong with trying new styles or formats in your marketing. In fact, it’s essential to keep things fresh. But you must read the room. Understand your audience, your industry, and the emotional temperature of your stakeholders.

When something doesn’t land? Don’t double down. Don’t gaslight your audience. Hold your hands up. Learn. Apologise properly. A genuine apology can build trust, a flippant one can destroy it.

As marketers, our job isn’t to copy what’s trending it’s to connect. Yes we can learn from new trends, I am not saying we cannot try new things but we need to communicate with the right people, in the right way, at the right time.

Yes, learn from others. Yes, take inspiration. But always bring it back to your brand, your values, and your audience. How have your audience come to engage with you.

If your tone doesn’t match your mission, your marketing will miss the mark.

There’s something powerful about stepping away from the everyday and immersing yourself in a room filled with over 1,200 fellow entrepreneurs. That’s exactly what happened at the National Entrepreneurs Convention at the ICC in Birmingham, hosted by EC Circle – two days of learning, listening, and thinking differently.

And yes, there was even a superhero theme running through the event – and we all left feeling a little more like business Avengers!

From the moment the doors opened, it was clear this wasn’t just another business event. It was high energy, packed with takeaways, inspiration, and a whole lot of practical insight.

Conversational Marketing with the Zoo Keeper: Who knew animal metaphors could simplify such complex ideas? A session full of fun but packed with actionable insight on the power of tone and approach in communications.

Joe Wicks: The Body Coach himself! Hearing Joe talk candidly about fitness, business growth, and lessons learned from scaling his brand was a standout. It’s not every day you get business tips and life advice from a national fitness icon.

Email Marketing & Stepping Out of Comfort Zones: This session challenged us to stop hiding behind what feels “safe.” A timely nudge for all of us to stretch a little further in our marketing. I still have E.I.E.I.O going through my head – thank you Kennedy!

If you haven’t yet come across Stefanie Sword-Williams, please look her up. Her session hit a raw note. I found myself welling up – not because it was sad, but because it was true.

Her message? Stop being Humble! We don’t need permission. We don’t have to wait to be invited. Advocate for yourself. That really hit home for me. Sometimes you just have to hear something at the RIGHT time!

With so much valuable insight packed into every hour, I’ll be breaking down key marketing takeaways over the next few weeks from SEO and paid ads to email marketing, website improvements and beyond. The learning doesn’t stop with the event. It feeds straight into how Creationz supports SME businesses across the UK.

This convention wasn’t just an event, it was a reminder to invest in ourselves, take bold steps, and never stop learning. It’s easy to get buried in day-to-day delivery, but these two days re-lit that creative fire.

I’ll be sharing more actionable insights that you can apply straight into your own marketing strategy – whether you’re just getting started, or ready to step things up.

Let’s keep the superhero spirit alive, because your business deserves to stand out, fly high, and make its mark.

On Sunday, our very own Emily Roberts swapped her desk for a parachute and took a leap (quite literally) for charity.

Jumping from 14,000 feet, Emily completed a thrilling skydive at Langar Airfield to raise vital funds for Safe and Sound, a Derby-based charity that supports children and young people affected by exploitation.

At Creationz Marketing, we’ve had the privilege of working closely with Safe and Sound and have seen the life-changing impact they have on vulnerable families.

When Emily began to work with them and learned more about what they do, she knew she wanted to do something bold to raise awareness – and what better way than jumping out of a plane?

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our clients, friends, and wider community, Emily has raised over £1,000 so far – and the donations are still coming in! Every penny will go directly towards protecting and empowering young people across Derbyshire.

If you’d still like to show your support, you can donate here:

We couldn’t be prouder of Emily for taking on this challenge with so much enthusiasm (and bravery!). It’s been amazing to watch the Creationz community rally behind her and this important cause.

Emily truly took marketing to new heights – and reminded us all what can happen when passion meets purpose.

Thank you to everyone who donated, shared her story, and cheered her on!

Meet Emily! Emily was once fresh out of school, jumping into her first apprenticeship role and navigating all the challenges that came with it. Today she discusses the start of her marketing career:

Emily: “Leaving school and stepping into my first job was definitely daunting. There’s a lot of pressure to know exactly what you want to do, and the stigma that comes with not going to university made it even harder for me to navigate my options. I knew that I still wanted to learn but didn’t think the classroom structure would be right for me. I was ready to learn from others and gain hands-on experience. In marketing, that experience can be hard to come by in the early stages. Being creative and wanting to explore this further, marketing and graphic design really appealed to me, so I looked for apprenticeship companies that specialised in this area.”

Leaving school in 2020, Emily faced the added uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. With businesses struggling to take on apprentices, she was fortunate to have the team at EMA Training guide her into her first apprenticeship role.

Emily: “Everything felt uncertain, and finding an apprenticeship at a time when businesses were struggling was tough. I was lucky to have the guidance and help from the team at EMA Training, but that still didn’t mean everything was plain sailing for me. It helped that EMA had fostered links with a wide selection of companies that could still operate under the COVID circumstances, but it did mean that I was going into a role as the only marketing person. I joined an estate agency, but this brought challenges as people were not moving house at that time. We were still operating, however, and had to rely on marketing to keep people aware of the business.”

Starting her first role as the sole marketing person, she was excited but also overwhelmed with so many questions. As an apprentice, you are learning on the job, but when there is no other marketer in the business, that knowledge is hard to find.

Emily: “I was nervous to ask questions because I lacked confidence in what I had to say—I also didn’t want to sound stupid. I had to learn as I went in my day-to-day job, and sometimes, it felt like I was just winging it. It would have been great to bounce ideas off someone within the company. This is where the college days were vital for me, as I got to chat with others from all ages and at different life stages. There were moments of self-doubt, but I kept pushing forward. I found that I was good at branding and design, and as soon as my confidence grew, I was able to work on other areas of marketing, from social media to sales.”

Despite the support from her training provider, Emily found herself constantly searching for answers.

Emily: “I would spend hours searching Google for the answers to my questions, but the problem was, there were a million different answers and no clear direction. I needed structured support, but I didn’t know where to find it. I wished I had a place where I could ask my questions in real time and get answers from people who has been where I was. I’m proud to be involved in the creation of The Marketing Mentor Hub and have helped to shape the tools, resources, and training to meet the challenges I faced head-on. If I can help one other marketer get the support they need, then I will be happy!”

Looking back, Emily knows that having structured support could have made a world of difference.

Emily: “I am so glad that I decided on the apprenticeship route. I have worked for three companies now, and with each job, I have been fortunate to grow my skills and learning. University wasn’t for me, but I know I made the right choice. If someone is looking for an apprenticeship, my advice would be to look for a training provider that focuses on marketing, don’t be shy, ask questions, and be curious to learn in your role. The apprenticeship route offers great opportunities to roll up your sleeves and try lots of different aspects so that you can quickly discover what you enjoy doing the most.

A place like The Marketing Mentor Hub would have been a game-changer for me. Having expert guidance, a supportive community, and resources all in one place? That would have given me the confidence to ask questions, make decisions, and grow faster. My advice is to seek out mentorship and never be afraid to ask for help.”

So, it’s officially Feb… I know I can’t believe it as well! As we say goodbye to January, we say hi to some exciting new changes in marketing…

Let’s dive right in at the deep end – What’s been happening in marketing, the latest social media trends, and the key lessons we’ve picked up since the year began. Got your attention? Okay, let’s get started!

1) BlueSky! Is It A Thumbs Up👍 Or Down👎 For Your Marketing Strategy?

While Blue Sky isn’t exactly new to 2025, it’s been creating enough buzz to keep us intrigued and the Creationz team has been keeping a close eye on its progress and growth. Lately, we’ve had a lot of clients asking the big question: “Should we create an account or jump ship from Twitter?” So, here we are to give you our honest opinion:

While Twitter still boasts a significantly larger user base, BlueSky has managed to carve out its niche surprisingly quickly. Its clean interface and focus on community-building feel fresh and inviting, especially for users tired of Twitter’s increasingly chaotic updates. However, for now, we think it’s worth exploring, especially if you notice that your target audience is active and engaged on BlueSky, and you’re not getting much traction from Twitter. That said, it’s not replacing Twitter just yet, particularly if your business still benefits from having a presence there.
It’s a “watch this space” moment, and if the app continues to grow at this pace, it could become a serious contender for businesses.

2) TikTok Trouble: The Importance Of Not Putting All Your 🥚Eggs In One Basket

Unless you’ve been living under a Wi-Fi-free rock or simply don’t have it, you’ve probably heard the chatter about the TikTok ban in the US. While the platform is back alive and kicking, the debate earlier this month left creators and businesses in the UK wondering what the ripple effect would be on there business. And yes, this is a prime example of why you should never put all your eggs in one social media platforms basket.

Here’s the thing: TikTok has become more than just an app over the last couple of years (I don’t mind admitting that I spend a lot of my free time on it). It’s where trends are born, products go viral, and audiences connect with brands in a way that feels more fun and personal. So, if a ban happened in the U.S., it could absolutely shake things up globally—especially when it comes to how the platform evolves, what content is created and the engagement that you will see.

While TikTok is back up and running in the US (FOR NOW), this situation should be a reminder to never just put your trust in 1 social media platform. Diversify your marketing and stay adaptable because, let’s face it, marketing moves fast, and the TikTok train might not always be the unstoppable force it is now. Need help diversifying your social media strategy? We’ve got you!

💡My January Top Marketing Tip:

Don’t underestimate the power of a follow-up email! 🚀 Whether it’s a gentle reminder, a “just checking in” message, or a fresh offer, follow-up emails can significantly boost engagement and encourage conversations.

This month, I’ve quickly learned just how crucial it is to craft a message that’s both personalised and relevant to the recipient’s previous interaction with your initial email. One powerful way to do this is by using a feature called a snippet or tag (depending on the software you use), which allows you to dynamically insert the recipient’s name, tailoring each email to the individual.
For example: Hi {First_name} → Hi Emily.

Wrapping Up: What’s Next?

At Creationz, we’re all about helping businesses navigate these shifts and stay ahead of the trends with confidence. From test-driving new platforms like BlueSky to adapting to Instagram’s latest changes, we’re here to keep you informed!

Keep an eye out for next month’s edition, or better yet, subscribe to get all the latest insights straight to your inbox. 😉

Need a hand with your marketing in the meantime? Get in touch the team today to discuss your current strategy and how we can help you see the results you have been looking for!