In our business, things can slow down in the summer months. Summertime marketing is all about keeping prospects and clients engaged, and you can take advantage of the season if you know how. 

Below are three ways to connect with clients this summer:

Send Your Clients On Vacation
We know that memorable experiences, like family vacations, are high points in people’s lives. Unfortunately, advisors talk so much about saving and investing that clients may actually feel too guilty to fully enjoy vacations! The bottom line is people may need a push to unplug.

As an advisor, what if you took a stance that you wanted every client to “invest” in vacation time this summer? Here’s an idea for an e-mail campaign:

Dear Martha:

Together, we make sure your money is working hard for you, and it’s nice to see how saving and investing is paying off. Now that summer is here, you and your money deserve a vacation, and we’re encouraging you to invest in and rebalance yourself, not just your portfolio!

You can have fun with this -- offer a link with your office picks for 10 best vacation ideas, or hidden gems for day trips in your area. Post your own photos and encourage clients to add theirs to your Facebook page. Clients and prospects will appreciate seeing this side of you and it will make for great conversations in your next meetings.

Get Your Swagger (And Swag) On
A lot of firms send holiday gifts, such as calendars or clocks. If I were you, I’d want to surprise people when they aren’t expecting it, and bring a smile to their face. Good swag (branded merchandise) can do the trick. Here are some ideas:

The awesome T-shirt: Have you noticed that fewer nice T-shirts are being handed out today at conferences and events? No one wants that poly-cotton, cheap shirt with 17 logos on it. However, a super comfy, 100 percent cotton or dri-fit shirt with your logo tastefully printed on the left breast, with a simple statement on the back, can be a winner. Try a memorable line like, “We’ve got your back,” a short quote or even a graphic.

Beer/soda koozies: Years ago, I had a bunch of these made with my company’s logo and the words “liquid assets” in block letters. Better than water bottles because these koozies last forever and are used in social settings, not just at the gym.

 

Send out the T-shirts or koozies with a note signed by everyone in your office that says, “We’re working hard so you don’t have to -- enjoy summer!”

Start Some Buzz
While the above ideas are simply ways to stay top of mind with clients and prospects, this last idea is about broadening your brand awareness with PR. Trust me, just like your business can feel sleepy in the summer, it’s a tough time for reporters and publications that have to keep stories flowing while the world is on vacation. Having a PR team focus on your local media outlets, offering ideas for articles you’d be happy to share, can be effective. The media will be more likely to help you, once you help them, so keep your local reporters and editors happy. These story lines are winners and should be easy enough for you to develop into articles that showcase your skills and personality:

Summer is a time to think beyond the money and get connected to more people and their broader lives. Help your clients and prospects enjoy life a little more! The personal touch is a wow factor -- think how delighted people will be when they get your vacation photos and tips, or they open the box to some summer fun. Socializing yourself through the media is another great way to increase your connections and create business opportunities.     

By surprising people a bit with tactics that are more in tune with the season, you’ll get noticed and appreciated. Everybody lightens up in summer, you should too! Viva summer!

Gail Graham is chief marketing officer at United Capital, an innovative and fast-growing financial life management firm with a unique approach to the market. Having earned awards in retail investor and advisor marketing, Graham is driving United Capital’s brand development, marketing and lead generation across all channels. Follow her on Twitter: @GailGrahamUC.