Four ways to recharge your growth plan this summer

“I would love to work on X, but I just don’t have the time right now.” How many times have you said this, or heard a colleague say something similar? We have a solution. We’re coming up on summer, when most advisors and offices tend to be slower paced. Advisors and staff are away with their families for vacations, golf and leisure pursuits beckon, and clients are reluctant to leave the shore to come in for meetings. If this is the case at your firm, it’s highly likely that you’ll have some free spots on your calendar, and you can use that freed-up time to work on your growth goals and activities. 

But don’t misunderstand me. Summer is a wonderful time of year to rest up and recharge, and to do the things that you love to do while the days are longer and hopefully sunny. So, by all means get out there and go to the beach or the mountains; snooze in a hammock; read all the books you meant to read last winter; and definitely stop to get homemade lemonade at a stand run by children.

But growth goals and enjoying the summer don’t have to be incompatible. Here’s what you can do to recharge your growth activities while you’re also enjoying some downtime.

1. Connect with clients. Retaining your clients is job #1, and deepening your relationships with them is job #2. They are the lifeblood of your practice, and any time spent with them is likely to be time well spent. So, reach out unexpectedly to say hello or bon voyage, and pay attention to what they tell you. If they’re taking a road trip, check out sites like www.onlyinyourstate.com to find a fun or interesting idea you can send them. If they’re going somewhere special, send an article or item that’s relevant. They’ll know you were paying attention, and that’s what’s important.
2. Connect with clients’ families and friends. Are the children, grandchildren, or other relatives coming to town this summer? Mention that you’d be delighted to meet them. Perhaps clients are hosting a barbecue you could attend or you could offer to treat them at a local stand for an ice cream cone. Look for relaxed and easy ways to get to know new people. 
3. Leverage any sports. If you’d love to spend more time on a golf course, arrange a round with clients to deepen the relationship while you’re having fun. Or, even better, invite one great client and ask them to bring the other two people for your foursome. Ask clients to join you for a bike ride or run, a pickleball match, or even just a hike in the woods with your dogs.
4. Leverage your hobbies and interests. If you enjoy taking photographs, for example, use the photos to make custom cards for clients that you think they’ll like. Who can resist a shot of vibrant blue hydrangeas against a fence, a hummingbird in flight, or those perfectly ripe tomatoes from your garden? It can be simple to stay top of mind with people, and there’s a good chance your photography gets commented on to others. If you like to garden, offer clients some of your fresh herbs, flowers, and produce to make an impact. One advisor we know likes to fish but doesn’t have storage for all he catches.  He sends an email out offering clients fresh caught fish, and the response has been tremendous. The advisor builds stronger bonds with his clients, and by doing so, he has also gained introductions to prospects as his clients bring his name up with their friends.

There are many ways to connect with clients this summer, but keep in mind that spending money does not equate to having an impact. Most of these suggestions don’t cost much, if anything. That’s because advisors don’t need to spend a lot to build rapport with their clients. Think of the unexpected, the thoughtful, to set yourself apart. If you take time to connect with clients and try to get to know their friends and families, you’ll have a pipeline full of prospects come September that can propel your business forward.