It happens every year. You start off strong. Leads are closing and sales goals exceeded. Then mid-May rolls around, and it’s like everything stops.
So what happened?
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Selling is seasonal.
Summer means warm days, school breaks, and (you guessed it!) vacations.
When you are speaking to customers and colleagues, listen to what many of them are saying. Most are either on vacation or are about to take vacation. And these vacations aren’t always short.
Don’t let a slow summer season get you down, here are a few things you can do to get back on track.
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1. Take some time to train your employees.
It is easy to fall behind on things when you are busy. During the busy months, things naturally get put on the backburner. This is especially true for any training that you have been meaning to do.
While the summer might be a slow time for sales, it is a great time to get your staff fully trained. Holding information sessions during the slow hours (or days) can improve confidence and educate your staff. It can also improve their performance during your peak selling seasons.
Providing employee training and information sessions during down time can build morale, improve selling confidence, and sharpen their customer service skills.
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2. Use performance based marketing campaigns to boost sales.
While sales may slow down in the summer, there are still people who are looking to buy. The only problem is getting your dealership and range of products in front of these prospective buyers. Fortunately, performance based marketing campaigns can help you connect to audiences and increase lead generation.
The banner and paid search advertising can help you connect with highly targeted audiences looking to purchase equipment. These types of ads can be geotargeted within your AOR and remarketed to engaged audiences for lead nurturing.
Creating campaigns that engage the audiences most likely to convert can improve your sales during the slow summer months.
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3. Connect with established customers.
The slower summer months are the perfect time to reach out to your established customers. If things are slow for your business, they are possibly just as slow for your clients. Now is the perfect time to ask them how they are dealing with the slow period, or what they are doing to get ready for the fall. Don’t be afraid to reach out to learn how you can help them accomplish their goals.
If you establish yourself as a trusted business partner during the slow summer months, you will set yourself up to work with them when they are ready to buy.
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4. Create a referral program.
Referral programs are a great way for you to gain new customers, and reward loyal customers who recommend your business. Remember, your existing customer base is the best source of generating new clients because they have experience with you and your products.
There are a couple of options for creating a referral program. You can reward your customers directly with cash or you can offer them exclusive discounts. You can also reward the newly referred customer as well, which is another incentive for them to actually approach you.
When these newly referred customers keep coming back, it means they like your service or product.
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5. Throw an open house or event.
An open house or event can be a great opportunity to get people talking to your sales reps. You can even give back to your customers by giving them gift bags, swag, and set up a buffet.
Any type of event can draw people in, and there are a number of opportunities for you in the summer months. Think about throwing special events for the summer holidays like Independence Day or Memorial Day. Events, especially those around the holidays, can easily turn into annual things and become quite popular, so be sure to advertise yours to your audience.
Events and open houses gather your staff, prospects, and existing customers together in a relaxed, approachable environment.
The most important thing to remember during the summer is that it will pass. If business has slowed down, it will speed back up. Such are the changes in the selling cycle. By being adequately prepared, you will be more prepared than the competition to prosper when it does.
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