Summer is a time to work hard and play hard. Many people take their foot off the pedal during the warmer months. According to a recent study, “nearly six in 10 workers (58%) save their vacation time for June, July and August.” This is great for you, as your competition will never see you coming.
Here are three tactics that we like to employ in the summer in order to stay ahead during a lull:
Create A Top 50 List
Put together a list of your top 50 prospects in a spreadsheet or your CRM. Set appointments for them either virtually or in person until you complete the list. Assuming their schedule is less busy, it’s likely they will be more inclined to meet with you.
Try to incorporate a seasonal twist, whether it’s a summer special or perhaps an idea or value add that may help them grow their business through the summer slowdown. If they are a summer seasonal business, it may be tough, but try to get in there as soon as possible with a strong plan of action to help them maximize the season. Keep track of your close rate on the top 50 and take notes so you can keep learning and improve for the next sales call.
Host A Shindig
If you have a local business, throw an event for current and prospective clients. It doesn’t need to be crazy expensive — perhaps something as simple as a barbecue.
When hosting a get-together, don’t just make it social. Take the time to get some brand collateral made. Also, if you have the resources, add some TVs that show a short video about your business. These will be gentle reminders for current and prospective clients of what you offer. But don’t over-serve guests, as this can actually hurt your business and put it at risk.
Hosting local events like this gives current clients a chance to share on social media or at least talk about the event with friends and family, which, in turn, is free advertising. As for prospective clients, they can chat firsthand with current clients to see if your business is the right fit. It’s something that is not often done but worth the effort if you do.
Create Content
Although the summer may present itself with a slowdown of sorts, there is always an appetite for content. Summer is the perfect time to conduct a weekly Facebook or Instagram Live. Shoot some videos with your phone and upload them to YouTube and/or Vimeo. Write a relevant article for LinkedIn.
Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean people consume less content. Therefore, it’s time to achieve a greater share of voice. The content does not have to be seasonal, hence it can be used all year round on different social media platforms. By producing relevant content, you can build your community with the goal of generating long-term inbound business from these efforts.
Employing these three tips can help you get ahead of your competition during the summer months. Being an entrepreneur or small business owner is a 24/7 function and is not seasonal. Stay on top of your business, even when others are on break. These types of efforts will separate you from the pack. Although the summer is a great time to ratchet up your efforts, be mindful to recharge your batteries as well.
