If you're marketing your business/service on a tight budget, there are times of the year when big efforts will be wasted, no matter how well planned. In contrast, there are times of the year when you have prime opportunities to launch a new concept, a new product, an expanded line of goods or services.

So how do you know when the time is right? Look at the calendar. For the buying public in the U.S., the calendar affects their mood and interests. From January 2 (right after people have recovered from the New Year's hangover) to somewhere in late April or possibly the first week of May, the buying public are more likely to notice if you want to make a Big Launch of a product/service.

From May (first week or second week) until the end of August, the American public goes into what I call "The Summer Coma". They're thinking about vacations or about summer activities for the family. Unless your product/service is related to the summer season (bathing suits, vacation hotels, beach restaurants), the public is half-asleep or perhaps just "chilling out".

Beginning around the first week of September, when children are going back to school and the summer routine has faded away, the public begins to notice your marketing efforts. That mood lasts until mid-November, when the public goes into the "Holiday Coma". From November through New Year's Day, they are thinking about holiday events, holiday travel, gift-buying and giving, special holiday events, etc.

So how should you plan your marketing? For big announcements or events where you target maximum public attention, do it between September 1 and November 10; or between January 3 and April 30. For those "coma" periods, plan marketing that is targeted to either summer or the holidays. Use the summer months for planning and organizing marketing activities for the fall season. Use the holiday season to send greetings to your client list and remind them, through a holiday card or New Years' wishes, that you have appreciated their business.