AUGUST 2026

Hey friend,

We're in the 74th heatwave of the summer and it seems it's quite divisive. Some people love the guaranteed weather ('you don't need to bring a cardi'), others find it oppressive. It looks like this is what the future holds, and that may mean people's behaviours change.

Many moons ago, I worked for Next where seasonal purchases were everything. There was an entire department looking at what could affect buying behaviour. If it was hot, more swimwear was bought; if it was cold, more knitwear. Seems obvious, but stock decisions were made long before any weather could be predicted.

Previous years' data was used to spot trends. Factors such as big sporting events or particular storylines in soap operas also affected sales. Honestly, there would be a surge in calls to the call centre (this was nearly 30 years ago) after the duff-duffs of EastEnders. All this before the volume of data we now have to make predictions.

Even now, none of it is full-proof. Who could have predicted that 'butter yellow' was the only colour you should be using for text in your Instagram reels?

Not everything can be planned. But chaos is not a marketing strategy either. The answer? Having a great foundation of a strategy that gives you the scope to flex to meet the curveballs that hurtle your way. This means understanding your core customer's behaviour, how you can meet them where they are in their journey and throw in a little 'spice' (said in a Chris Eubank manner) as and when required.

August can be a quieter time for many businesses, as people holiday, but September is often a key moment in a year when customers start thinking about what they need for the rest of the year. Apparently new resolutions made in September stick more than in the new year. Get thinking about how you can help your customer for the remaining four months, especially if you know this will be a busy time.

Take the knowledge of previous years' activity, stir in how you think 2026 could affect it and plan your own content accordingly. Remember, if you need some help with this, reach out to me/us - we're ready to support you.

Good health and best wishes,

Paul

Paul Ince

LikeMind Media

TEAM SPOTS

Members of the team share things they've seen that you may find interesting and helpful.

You told us you like being signposted to interesting things, not necessarily just our stuff. We like to be helpful so here you go!

FROM CHARLIE

Salut de Charlie

Charlie is away in a camper van somewhere in France, but we've kept his slot in to remind you that he exists.

FROM SARAH

Golden content ideas are waiting for you in your contact forms and DMs

What if I told you that there was absolute gold waiting for you in your contact forms?

Writer's block is the worst, and drawing blanks when thinking of content topics can be so frustrating.

Turns out you just need to know where to look.

When people reach out to you, they're telling you what to write about next.

Every question, objection or "does this work for this particular situation" can be woven into content that others will be thinking too.

It doesn't have to just be your contact forms, however people get in touch whether that's a DM on social media, or the good ol' traditional method of picking up the phone.

Look for trends and the same questions that come up time and time again. Any hesitations are opportunities to address possible objections with your content.

Take out the guesswork, and actually write about topics your audience cares about.

FROM JP

The influencer you really need may already be right under your nose

Why do businesses feel they MUST HAVE a celebrity influencer to help with their marketing?

They cost money. They don’t always reach the right audience. They don’t have that bond, that trust, that is so important.

Sure, they may help your post be seen by millions, but how many of those are realistically going to use your business on the back of it?

Instead, the influencer you really need may already be right under your nose. You just don’t know it.

There’s a better kind of influencer in town, one who is genuine, real and trustworthy, and who will endorse your product or service in a way that really connects with your audience.

That person probably already works in your organisation, so it’s up to both of you to get your heads together and work it out.

We’ll have more insight on this, including some proven examples, in a future blog, so stay tuned!

Any Questions?

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