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Pamela Welsh 27th June 2016

Selling in the 'Silly Season'

With hot summer days and staff on holiday, summer is often seen as a lull for telemarketing opportunities. So how can businesses buck this trend and realise August's potential?

We often find that businesses are reluctant to begin lead generation in August as they’re put off by the perception of it being the ‘silly season’.

With the summer holidays beginning, this can be a slow time for business. Major decisions are put on hold whilst decision makers make the most of the summer sun. Because of this, businesses can be put off spending valuable time making calls or investing money outsourcing telemarketing. After all, why spend the money on external resources if this won’t maximise your results?

Despite common perceptions, telemarketing in the summer period can be one of the most important times to begin your marketing efforts and ensure next year’s success.

Start by taking a holistic approach to telemarketing and consider the entire process rather than looking at lead generation as the only step. Although data cleansing can be seen as lower priority, it is an essential part of the process to build foundations and to ensure successful contact further down the line. In the quieter summer period you have the time to dedicate to data cleansing, so why not make the most of the summer to strengthen your prospect database?

With decision makers refreshed from the summer, September is a peak time in which businesses start engaging in new strategies, so by making that all important first contact in the summer, you’ll be ahead of the seasonal rush. With one foot in the door, you’ll not only be fresh in the mind of your prospects, but you’ll also be a step ahead of your competitors who haven’t made the most of the August downtime.

In addition to this, decision makers won’t be the only ones jetting off on holiday - so will their gatekeepers. This can provide a rare opportunity to speak directly to your prospects, shortening the sales process and upping the efficiency for your internal team. This might not be possible all year round, so now is the time to maximise potential opportunities for the coming months.

During summer, don’t be afraid to explore all marketing strategies - lead generation, if done smartly, can be successful all year round. Reaching out to clients in the so-called ‘silly season’ might not be so silly after all.

Written By Pamela Welsh
After completing the Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma, Pamela was awarded the Top Student in Yorkshire for 2015 and was also amongst the few that were entered for the Northern top student of the year award. She works on a wide range of engagement campaigns for clients in the public and private sectors.

Also written by Pamela