Lead Generation and Sales in August
August is late summer for much of the world, and in many countries, especially in Europe, the entire country slows down. Maintaining the momentum of your SDR sales operations when no one’s in the office can be extremely challenging, especially if you’re utilizing cold calling or even smart calling methods. Many companies pause operations around this time and take the opportunity to recharge and prepare for the remaining few months of the financial year, but if this doesn’t work for your organization, never fear. Here are some tips that can help you maximize your SDRs’ time, even during the quieter months of the summer.
- Focus on the right areas of activity
For many organizations, outreach operations come to a complete standstill during August. You can use this as an opportunity to turn your focus to support activities. Sales techniques such as smart calling require a lot of support activities before you begin making the actual calls, such as researching prospects and creating a database. Downtime in August allows you to take care of all these activities and prepare new campaigns so that when September comes, you can jump back into action.
- Utilize the right avenues
Many of the phone numbers for potential clients are likely to be office numbers, and the chances of anyone answering in August are extremely slim. While people away from their offices aren’t likely to answer emails, especially in countries that hold the summer vacation in high regard, emailing prospects may still pay off. You may receive an automated reply directing you to an alternative contact or giving you information you can use to contact them and build up your database. Additionally, sending an email or two over the summer may be enough to grab their attention on their return.
- Turn to LinkedIn
Although it’s a social media platform at its core, you’d expect a business-focused platform like LinkedIn to go quiet during the summer. The reality is quite the contrary, with many people becoming more active during their free time and taking the opportunity to respond to messages and connection requests from their phones. Even if your connection simply tells you they’re out of the office, it helps start the conversation and gives you a springboard to use when getting back in touch in September.
- Focus on social media and general outreach
Summertime also allows you to build your social media presence and grow brand awareness. You can do this by posting regularly and actively engaging over social platforms. While the direct benefits of this may not be easy to see, it may mean that once you get in touch with your prospects, they’re already familiar with your company name and brand identity through your posts. Additionally, being active on social media creates a good impression and shows prospects that you take your brand identity and engagement seriously.
The Bottom Line
August, or summer generally, doesn’t mean you need to bring your sales operations to a standstill. Instead, take the opportunity to grow areas of your business that may otherwise be neglected and contribute to the overall performance of your sales in the final quarter.
