Don’t Let Your Pipeline Dry Up this Summer!

Summertime is here: the weather’s hot – but don’t let the summer heat wilt your business. In fact, summer is a great time to market – no matter what type of business you have.

Sure, it’s true, more people go on vacation during the summer, but that doesn’t mean that companies shut their doors and head to the beach for the entire three months of summer. The average worker gets two or three weeks off, and the rest of the time it’s business as usual.

So here are some great tips to ensure that your business sizzles when the weather gets hot.

Plan Ahead.

Scheduling is more complex between Memorial Day and Labor Day. People do take vacations, and on summer Friday afternoons, many offices look like ghost towns, so don’t depend on Friday afternoons to be your prime calling time. Yes, it might take longer to get that appointment during the summer, and closing deals may even be slightly delayed, but the best way to maintain your momentum is to acknowledge the fact and work with it. Remember, things may slow down, but business still goes on. It’s also important to note that our contacts that often travel for work all year, slow down their travel schedule in the summer, thusly making it easier to schedule with.

Get Noticed.

Since fewer people are out there marketing, it is easier for you to be seen and heard! Your clients and prospects aren’t bogged down with as many e-mails and phone calls, so your call is more likely to be noticed. In fact, if you haven’t tried a telephone campaign before, summertime may be a great time to increase your brand awareness now, since budgeting decisions are often made shortly after the summer months. Instead of hearing, “that’s not in our budget” – be first in, and work your way into their budget which will be developed very soon.

Develop Relationships.

Use the relaxed atmosphere of summer to develop deeper relationships with the people you do business with. Plan a lunch with a referral partner to discuss ways to develop business together. Meet with a vendor to learn more about how their products or services can help you. Take a client to lunch and take the time to learn more about their business. You might find new ways that you can work together and fill your sales pipeline.

Get Ready for Fall.

There’s one more advantage to continuing your marketing all year long. While everyone else is starting from scratch in September, you’ll be ahead of game with lots of appointments in the pipeline to make sure you have a great fall season.