If your demand is cooling off as the summer temperatures rise and all of your prospects pack up for much needed PTO—don’t stress. We’ll help you make it a slump-free summer with these 7 hacks to drive demand.
We don’t have to be the first to tell you that summer 2021 contains unique challenges. Travel experts predict it will be a record time for travel with many people eager to finally vacation again.
This means you’ll likely see increases in out of office responses from prospects, AND face marketing challenges internally as your teammates leave to use all those earned PTO days. Be prepared for people to be unavailable. Undoubtedly all this travel means you’ll need to adjust your plan for driving demand so that pent-up PTO doesn’t result in dried-up demand. So here’s how to combat the PTO blitz.
Hack #1: Prepare for this summer to be different (again)
First, focus on your top of funnel buyers and on keeping your brand awareness high. One way to invest in your funnel is by rethinking where and how to reach both known and unknown audiences.
Specifically, focusing your marketing efforts on meeting them where they are. Prospects sitting poolside scrolling their phone? Most likely, yes. So target them on channels you may not typically utilize like Instagram and Facebook.
Hack #2: OOO emails are the new research tool
Consider using PTO auto-responses as intel and insights into your prospects. Keeping track of the PTO responses you receive and their return date and who to contact as an alternate in their absence can help you build out some killer demand-fueling intel. Use PTO responses as an opportunity to align marketing and sales teams to automate SDR sequences based on return dates.
Go one step further and reach out to your prospects designated point-of-contact while they are out. The person providing air cover is likely stressed and overworked, so offering them a R&R-style e-gift like food or coffee, helpful templates/resources, or anything to get them through their day will likely help your outreach efforts. Don't underestimate the impact of empathy and coffee.
Hack #3: Direct efforts into direct mail and beyond the computer screen
As offices begin to reopen and people resume work travel, commutes, and daily life, it’s time to rethink your direct mail approach. Sourdough starters are so 2020; we’re thinking decked out travel kits, back-to-office shopping e-gifts for things like real pants, and things to support summer relaxation.
E-gifting and direct mail are great ways to engage prospects, but don’t forget about out-of-home (OOH) efforts as well. A few key spots to reach and engage your audiences are: billboards, and transit such as busses, taxis, airports. The theme with those spots? Travel.
Remember, meet them where they are, in this case literally. These physical channels offer the chance for geo-specific messaging.
Want hacks 4, 5, 6, and 7 on how to overcome a summer sales slump? See the full details of all of our 7 hacks for a slump-free summer here.
