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Ah, sweet summertime… The weather is beautiful, the days are longer and the sales? Well, they could be hitting a slump. We all know that summer can be a bit distracting - in fact, studies show that 25 percent of workers feel less productive June through August than the rest of the year.
However, if you are coming off the summer slump or still going through it, don't fret! It happens in almost all industries. Let’s look at four different ways to gain momentum after the summer slump as we shift our focus to fall.
1. Network, Network, Network… Online!
They say that it’s all about connections and who you know, which is true! If you’re coming off the summer slump, this is a perfect time to network. Due to COVID-19 you may not be able to get out, so we suggest to take it online to make and nurture connections! Maybe you were focused on getting new clients and it’s just not working… Look to your existing clients for referrals and up-sells. You would be surprised how far that can get you.
Get active on social media! There are so many webinars, online events, groups, etc. that are connecting right now, making major business moves that will only benefit them in the future. Networking is crucial for B2B marketers, now more than ever. And while, we can’t be making connections in person just yet, online networking broadens our horizons to even more individuals.
2. Tackle Passion Projects
If you’ve experienced the summer slump, you most likely have a little more time on your hands. Employees should really focus on projects that they feel passionate about right now to spark their creativity and momentum. Look into projects that maybe don’t fall into your employees line of duty, but they’ve expressed excitement about that particular topic before. Having someone work on a project they feel passionately about with reasonable free reign may help create a truly game changing idea or plan… That could be exactly what your company needs.
Take a look at Google and Microsoft… These are two companies that are leading organizations and have teams set up where employees are encouraged to explore and work on new ideas. Could be worth it to change things up!
3. Focus on Team-Building
Some of us are back in office and some of us aren’t. Whether you’re in person or on Zoom, it’s important to take time to work on your team so they can crush it when things do pick back up. Usually the summertime is great for events like company picnics, softball games and even happy hours, but COVID-19 restrictions may change a few of these things. Even if you can’t have a company picnic, we encourage you to still do something fun over Zoom or Skype. We here at fuze32 held happy hour via Zoom on Friday afternoons to talk about how the team's week was and let loose a bit. It was a great way to connect with our team when we couldn’t be together. Doing fun things like this does have many benefits for your business including increased productivity and happier employees… We call that a win-win situation.
4. Stay Strong and Push Through
It’s already been a tough first half of the year and when all is said and done, the only way to come out of a slump is to simply do your best and push through. Coming off the summer slump can be draining, but the goal is to remind yourself and your team that there are better days ahead. As frustrating as going through it can be, know that you must keep moving forward. Hopefully, putting your head down, continuing on with your work and keeping a positive attitude will give you the momentum you need for the next quarter.
Going through or coming out of the summer slump feeling defeated is normal, but remember the old saying that “this too shall pass.” Here is to getting excited and gaining momentum to finish off the year strong!
