Say “No” to a Summer Slowdown: There’s still plenty of work to be done before it’s over. 5 tips to set you up for success

I’m not entirely sure when it became “a thing” that the summer was the slowest of the seasons in the comms world. While I appreciate that there is an influx of PTO, parents are dealing with kids home from school and the “Summer Friday” becoming a popular agency benefit, I’ve never felt a slowdown in the work, or opportunities, for marketers. 

September and October are notoriously busy months, as it feels like your last real chance to get ahead of the holiday season in the consumer marketing world. That’s why the summer months are actually the perfect opportunity to get ahead of end of year and new year planning. I encourage comms professionals to take that vacation and come back recharged and ready to be proactive and get ahead. It will only help you feel less strapped for time post-Labor Day!

Pitching starts now

I’ve written about holiday gift guide season before, and how the prime time for pitching is now. Trust me, from one consumer tech PR agency to you, dear marketer, the holidays are top of mind for many consumers already. It’s no wonder Summerween has been trending on TikTok for weeks now! Whether it’s because of the insanely hot temps or anxiety heading into an election season, all of the signs (including the ones at Home Goods), are pointing to the need to do some foundational work now to get ahead. 

And it’s not just about pitching holiday gift guides and end of year roundups. It’s also about finding ways to lay the groundwork for your brand – and spokespeople – to ensure they can break through the noise during the crowded end of year months and set themselves up for success come 2025. The Summer slowdown mindset will only make the rest of the year more challenging.

5 Tips on how to not get caught in the Summer slowdown

1. Make a plan (if you haven’t already): Understand your business priorities for the remainder of the year through 2025, what needs to be done to close any gaps and how you’ll get there. 
2. Learn and adapt: Schedule the 2025 planning sessions in the near term and use it as an opportunity to learn from 2024 and start preparing to do things better in 2025.
3. Consider an integrated approach: The traditional earned media relations approach isn’t going to always move the needle for your business. Consider a mix of earned and paid activities that support your short-term and long-term goals. 
4. Get the right teams in place: Ensure you have the right people behind you to get the job done. 
5. Set benchmarks for success: How will you measure your progress and performance over time? Take cues from historical work as a starting point and build from there.

Whether it’s identifying opportunities to elevate executive platforms (our SourceCode EBM program could be great for that!) or setting benchmarks for success (have you heard of our SourceCode Impact Dashboard!?), there are plenty of options for setting your brand up for 2025 and beyond.