OPINION: It’s about attracting new customers and getting involved in the community

I’m really looking forward to summer. We’ve got our slush machine back in both of our stores, which is a must-have for this time of year.

We’ve also got a bigger display of sugar-free flavoured drinks and water as people are more health conscious.

Our barbecue products are in for when the weather is good and right now we’re gearing up to the Euros and we’ve got a lot of plans because it’s such a big opportunity.

We’re going to do a few competitions and giveaways in store. We’ll have a lottery-type competition where it’s £5 to enter and we’ll give half to a winner and half to a charity, like the British Heart Foundation. Whatever we raise I’ll double it and we’ll also give away an iPad or a Kindle.

We’re also thinking about doing a fun day around the Euros – getting a bouncy castle and putting out some cakes and biscuits. It gives us a chance to say a big thank you to the community for all their support.

Giveaways are hugely popular. We’re also going to give away a free glass with four-packs of booze. Never underestimate the power of the free glass! It’s so simple and easy to do, we just pick them up from our cash and carry. We gave away hundreds last year.

You’ve just got to do something this summer, try new things out and see how it goes. Other retailers often ask me how much we make out of it, but it’s not just about sales, it’s about attracting new customers too and getting involved in the community. You can’t gauge what you get out of it, it’s just what you do and people appreciate it.

Visit our month of summer feature for more advice, tips and products to boost your sales this summer!