The summer slowdown provides an excellent opportunity to focus more energy on marketing and to plan for the fall when "life returns to normal." Here are three things to work on this summer to prepare for September and the 4th quarter.
- Plan for workshops and events: If you would like to host a public workshop or a client appreciation event, September and October are excellent months to do this. But to accomplish this, the planning should start now. An event can take two to three months to organize, especially if this is the first time you are hosting the event. If you do the calculations, to host a mid-September event, planning should begin in mid-June (in other words, now!).
- Contact centers of influence (COIs): Most likely, the majority of your COIs are in their slow season as well. The summer months provide an excellent opportunity to schedule meetings, lunches or other COI-targeted marketing campaigns to either develop or deepen COI relationships. Take this opportunity to not only build your relationships but also discuss opportunities for joint marketing in the fall.
- Update collateral and website: When was the last time you reviewed your marketing collateral and website? You'll probably find that there is out of date information. Spend a couple of hours reviewing all of your material and updating your communication materials as necessary. This ensures all information you are communicating is accurate when business picks up in the fall.
This summer, in addition to enjoying some time off, spend some time focusing on your marketing. It will put you in a better position to take advantage of the opportunities fall has to offer.
