Many people use summer as an opportunity to detach from work and take vacations. As a result, August gets a bad rep for being a slow month. By applying some of these principles to your sales strategy however, you can keep your leads as warm as the weather.
Send A Personal Note:
Keep in touch with your prospective customers through the month, get to know their plans for vacation and remember to ask how their vacation went when they get back. Use specific details about their trip and leave your sales pitch out. No one wants to think about a business deal when they are on vacation but they will appreciate that you are thinking of them and that you remembered what they told you about their vacation. Though this process won’t directly speak to a deal, it will help you build trust for a lasting relationship.
Track your Interactions:
As an entrepreneur you have a lot on your plate. It can be difficult to keep track of all of your prospects. Take notes on your prospects, remember details of the conversation and use those details in conversation. Customer relationship management (CRM) software is terrific for this and you can often find low cost or free solutions like HighRise and the recently released HubSpot CRM which allow you to track and manage your interactions with customers. Tools like these help you follow up in a timely manner, without bombarding prospects. If you know when their vacation is set reminders to remind to talk to them when they are back.
Stay Active on Social Media:
Just because your customers are on vacation doesn’t mean you can’t reach them through other channels. Many people continue to be active on social media while they are on vacation. Seeing your posts can be a gentle reminder that you are there and available. Even if you are taking your own vacation make sure to schedule some Tweets and Facebook posts to ensure that you stay top of mind, even when you’re soaking up the sun.
Set up a Good Auto Responder:
If you are generating leads from your website set up a good auto responder to make the first point of contact with potential clients right away. If you are on vacation those leads can build up and it can be hard to get through to all of them. If they subscribed, it was because they were thinking of you in that moment. Send them a note to let them know you appreciate them reaching out.
Entrepreneurs are never off the clock, using these tips can help you free up time, be more organized and keep in touch with leads through the “slower” vacation season.
Make sure your company is all set with the necessary small business insurance, contact us for more information or visit our blog.