Ah, the slow, restful days of summer. While your clients and prospects may be lounging at the beach there are still metrics to reach, lists to build and sales to close. But how can your finely detailed plan keep its momentum while your customers and prospects are on vacation with “limited access to email and voicemail?” Here are a few tips to get the most mojo out of your marketing plan and yourself during the summer months:
- 1. Get a jump on next year’s planning:
- Conduct inexpensive market research. While busy executives may be taking a much deserved break from their email inboxes, they may still frequently visit their Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook accounts as a way to keep their finger on the pulse while out of the office. Consider leveraging social media efforts to conduct market research. Perhaps develop a poll or pose Q&A on the social site you use to gather intelligence for your fall or next year’s planning.
- Revisit your database(s). Sure, your sales team can be Johnny-on-the-spot when it comes to responding to “hot” leads, but what about those prospects that you just can’t close right now? Why not build a program to nurture “warm-leads”? Slower months serve as a perfect time to review your databases for up to date contact information without duplication to ensure that it is in good shape for your lead generation and follow-up campaigns.
- Measure marketing plan effectiveness. Now is the perfect time to assess what has worked over the past six months and what strategies can be tweaked for the remainder of the year. Answer, “Which marketing initiatives are providing a measurable return?” Ask, “Can we make adjustments to use more of the initiatives that worked?”
- 2. Reach out to current clients and prospects:
- Check in with current clients. Maybe you can step in to help while many full-time employees are out on vacation.
- Plan to start early and finish late on certain days. Many business decision makers may be working extra hours to compensate for upcoming vacations or recovering from vacation time taken. You just might be able to get through to these decision makers early or late, avoiding screeners and gatekeepers.
- 3. Spend a little time with family and friends:
- If you’ve put in the overtime when times were extremely busy, take an early leave on a few nights and reconnect with family and friends. Rejuvenate. Get ready for the next crunch.
What are your plans for keeping your marketing efforts moving in the right direction in the next few months? Has summer 2009 posed additional challenges to your marketing strategies given the economy?
