The summer season is hectic for many. It can seem like a massive task to get clients to engage meaningfully during the summer months, as people are dealing with everything from kids being home from school and unwinding to finishing up plans for a well-deserved vacation. Encouraging clients to stay engaged with the business is important, which means a company needs to have some strategies on hand in order to develop and cultivate interaction with its customers when there are so many distractions going on. To find out more, we asked entrepreneurs from the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following:
“What is an easy way to encourage client engagement during the busy summer months? Why does this approach work so well?”
Engaging Clients During the Summer Months
Here’s what YEC community members had to say:
1. Make Sure Marketing Ties In With the Season
“No matter what you’re promoting, put a summer spin on it. Include relevant themes on your blog, social media posts and emails. People tend to be more casual and informal in the summer. You and your staff could share some fun experiences such as a vacation. You could also give examples of how customers can make use of your products or services while engaging in fun warm weather activities.” ~ Kalin Kassabov, ProTexting
2. Follow Up With Customers and Keep in Touch
“Summer means many parents will be planning vacations and camps, or travelers will be preparing for a slump in their businesses. You can contact them about events or specials, such as notifying people about special summer deals or fun social media challenges or asking for feedback on products they have bought. If you know clients personally, you can ask about their lives — they will appreciate it.” ~ Patrick Barnhill, Specialist ID, Inc.
3. Increase Your Activity on Social Media
“While people are busy during the summer, they’re still going to be checking their social media accounts daily. If you want to encourage client engagement during the summer, increase your activity on social media. Try posting summer-themed content to catch the attention of users and encourage engagement.” ~ John Turner, SeedProd LLC
4. Add More Value
“Always be thinking of ways to innovate and add even more value to your clients and their experience with you. Go above and beyond by offering something really special to clients, and they will respond accordingly.” ~ Rachel Beider, PRESS Modern Massage
5. Cultivate a Family-Friendly Environment
“One way to encourage client engagement during the summer months is by creating a family-friendly company culture. For many of my clients, summertime means that kids are out of school, which adds another layer of craziness to their schedule. However, even small events, such as a family company barbecue, helps clients stay engaged with the company while supporting and honoring their busy family lives.” ~ Shu Saito, Fact Retriever
6. Organize Summer Email Campaigns
“This is a great way to use the benefit of the seasonal time to encourage people to look and connect to your product. It is also a good way to add some fun to the mix and be creative, especially if you have a product or service that isn’t directly related to the summer.” ~ Nicole Munoz, Nicole Munoz Consulting, Inc.
7. Schedule Monthly Events for Clients
“We’ve started to schedule monthly events (happy hour, dinner, lunch-and-learn, etc.) with clients and prospects. Because it’s a slower time of year, folks are more willing to spend time and do a unique event. Our objective is twofold. One, have clients meet more of our team members, so they can build a deeper bond. Two, connect clients with their peers — other clients of ours.” ~ Aaron Schwartz, Passport
8. Go Outdoors
“In most places, the weather is beautiful in the summertime. Take advantage of this by inviting your clients to outdoor events and lunches where you both can soak up the sun and have a good time. This will have everyone in a happier, more productive mood since they aren’t crammed in an office or building.” ~ Jared Atchison, WPForms
9. Offer to Meet Them on Their Turf
“Many clients simply don’t have time for regular meetings during the summer months. However, if you’re willing to go to their turf and meet with them, they are far more likely to make time for your meeting. When you are setting up the meeting, try asking them if they would prefer if you came to them since their time is so valuable. They will feel important and more likely to have a meeting with you.” ~ Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner
10. Organize Summer Promotions
“Create events or promotions that are only available during the busy summer months. To be effective, the events and promotions should be designed to entice the consumer and not be a run-of-the-mill promotion. Be sure to stress the exclusivity or limited time aspect of the event. Otherwise, clients may procrastinate and never fully engage.” ~ Matthew Podolsky, Florida Law Advisers, P.A.
11. Hold a Summer Giveaway
“A giveaway with a good prize is sure to increase client engagement. Tie your giveaway prize in with the summer season in order to catch the attention of busy clients. For instance, your prize could be a summer beach day package or tickets to an amusement park. A giveaway allows you to celebrate the summer season while keeping your clients engaged.” ~ Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms
12. Keep Things Light
“Keep your content more on the lighthearted side because that’s what your customers generally like to read when the summer is nice. You can save the in-depth or more technical posts for other times of the year. It might be a good time for a cool and informal video posting as well. To engage through email marketing, incorporate the summer creatively in your subject lines to maintain open rates.” ~ Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance
13. Love Your People and Call Them
“I’ve heard this myth that nobody works in the summers. From my personal experience, I don’t know of anyone who is not getting things done at any lesser pace now than any other season. With clients all over the country, I find it easiest to just pick up the phone and have a chat. If they love what you do for them, they’ll always take your call. Love your people, and they’ll love you back.” ~ Krzysztof ‘Kris’ Garlewicz, ProsperiFi LLC
Image: Depositphotos.com
This article, "Apply These 13 Techniques for Better Client Engagement During the Summer Months" was first published on Small Business Trends
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The Young Entrepreneur Council, Khareem Sudlow
