The breezes are balmy, the sun is shining (well, sometimes) and this summer we embrace a joyful sense of normalcy. Summer is here, and after the past couple of years, it can’t come soon enough.
Lazy days of summer … The phrase alone evokes deeply rooted childhood memories, when the final weeks of school seemed to last forever as we ached for summer freedom. Even decades later, the feelings are hard to shrug off — especially in those areas of the country where perfect weather days are few and far between. The temptation of warm-weather pastimes exerts a powerful pull.
So shouldn’t we give ourselves a pass and accept that a little summer slacking is okay?
Well, yes … but there’s a bit more to the story. It’s not only about slacking off.
Studies show that mindful meditation and relaxation increase focus, so giving your brain a break can actually improve your effectiveness.
The key (before you bail for the beach) is to set processes in motion so your efforts are working for you while you’re … well, slacking. I mean mindfully meditating.
Seriously, though, put these strategies in place and then get outdoors for some summer fun.
Different bait for different fish
While many young anglers swear by bread crusts and hotdogs, more savvy fishermen vary their fare based on a complex formula. Your human audience also appreciates a diverse menu; maximize your effectiveness by serving up valued content in a variety of formats.
Like the fisherman who reaches first for his go-to bait, identify your strongest performing assets and make the most of them. Serve up easily consumable snippets like frequently asked questions to engage prospects while acknowledging short attention spans. Repurpose a blog post into a video, series of social media tips and a visual image — and share in various channels.
Rely on proven fishing grounds
There’s a reason that fishing boats seem to congregate in certain areas. Underwater banks (or cliffs) cause currents to push krill to the water’s surface, offering attractive feeding grounds for whales and fish.
Your fertile “fishing grounds” are those channels that drive business. How did your most valued clients find you? Identify promising channels through indicators like strong social engagement or email opens and clicks. And of course, review your website analytics to determine which channels refer the most traffic to your website.
Focus your efforts on the most productive referral sources and don’t give up too soon.
More chum: keep feeding
Don’t expect to land the big fish on day one. Converting a casual peruser into a client generally requires patience and ongoing effort. Call up your inner fisherman and cast again.
Utilize scheduling tools to work while you play; mix up the times of day and post type (for example: graphic, third-party link, video reel, or text only post). And don’t hesitate to share social posts more than once over a period of time. Because it’s July, after all … your target client may be out fishing.
Want help setting up automation processes to keep your marketing on track while you’re on the beach?
This post was previously published on OnlineAmplify.com and has been refreshed for relevance.
Very relatable post. I live in an area where summer is short and it is REALLY difficult to stay focused on a perfect summer day. Your ideas are a win-win -still get business done but be able to enjoy some fun during the summertime especially. I recently started using a scheduling tool for my social media and it is so much more efficient!
Thanks for your comment Angie. Using scheduling tools and even calendar reminders really help prioritizing the important aspects of your marketing. Otherwise way too easy to meander off-track.
Great blog–fun and well said. Thank you.
Thanks Gail! Summer is fleeting – no reason to feel guilty about enjoying it … especially if you put processes in place to keep up with your audience.