Photo by Jed Villejo on Unsplash
Summer is the perfect time to relax, recharge, and soak up some sun — but if you’re a business owner or marketer, it doesn’t mean your marketing efforts should slow down completely. Instead, you want your marketing to keep working for you — even while you take a well-deserved break. That’s where putting your marketing on “cruise control” comes in.
By setting up automated and evergreen marketing strategies, you can maintain a steady flow of leads, sales, and engagement without having to constantly oversee every detail. This approach frees up your time during the busy summer months while keeping your brand visible and active.
In this post, I’ll share 5 practical tips to put your marketing on cruise control this summer, so you can enjoy the season without losing momentum.
1. Automate Your Email Marketing Campaigns
Email marketing remains one of the most effective ways to nurture leads and convert customers — and the best part is that you can automate much of it. Setting up automated email sequences means your messages continue to reach your audience, whether you’re in the office or on vacation.
How to do it:
- Use email marketing platforms like Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or ActiveCampaign.
- Create welcome sequences for new subscribers that introduce your brand and guide them to your products or services.
- Develop drip campaigns that send regular, pre-scheduled content such as tips, offers, or updates.
- Set up abandoned cart emails for eCommerce stores to recover lost sales.
- Schedule newsletters ahead of time with summer-themed content and promotions.
Why it works:
- Keeps your audience engaged consistently.
- Saves you time with pre-written, automated emails.
- Helps you nurture leads and boost conversions without manual effort.
2. Schedule Social Media Posts in Advance
Social media is a powerful channel for engagement and brand awareness, but it can be time-consuming to post regularly. Scheduling your posts ahead of time lets you maintain a consistent presence without daily effort.
How to do it:
- Use tools like Buffer, Hootsuite, Later, or Facebook Creator Studio.
- Plan your content calendar for the summer weeks or months ahead.
- Mix promotional posts with valuable, entertaining, or educational content.
- Include summer themes such as seasonal tips, behind-the-scenes moments, or user-generated content.
- Don’t forget to monitor comments and messages periodically to keep engagement alive.
Why it works:
- Maintains a steady brand presence, which builds trust.
- Helps you avoid last-minute scrambling to create content.
- Allows you to plan cohesive campaigns aligned with your summer promotions.
3. Repurpose Evergreen Content
Creating new content can feel overwhelming, especially during a busy season. Instead, put your existing high-performing content to work by repurposing it in different formats or updating it for summer relevance.
How to do it:
- Identify your best blog posts, videos, or social media content.
- Turn a popular blog post into a series of social media tips or quotes.
- Create a video or infographic summarizing key points.
- Update older content with fresh statistics, images, or seasonal angles.
- Compile related posts into a comprehensive summer guide or eBook.
Why it works:
- Maximizes the value of your existing content.
- Saves time while maintaining content output.
- Provides fresh opportunities for SEO and social sharing.
4. Use Paid Ads with Automated Rules
Paid advertising, when done right, can generate steady traffic and sales throughout the summer — without you having to micromanage it.
How to do it:
- Set up Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or Instagram Ads campaigns targeting summer-related keywords or interests.
- Use automated bid strategies and budget controls.
- Implement rules and alerts to pause ads when budgets run low or performance drops.
- Schedule your ads to run during peak engagement times.
- Test multiple ad creatives and messaging to find what resonates best.
Why it works:
- Keeps your ads optimized without constant monitoring.
- Ensures efficient budget usage.
- Continues driving leads and sales while you focus on other tasks.
5. Optimize Your Website for Self-Service
Your website should work hard for you 24/7 — especially in summer when people might want quick answers without contacting support.
How to do it:
- Create detailed FAQs addressing common questions.
- Add chatbot support to assist visitors in real time.
- Build resource hubs or knowledge bases with tutorials, guides, and videos.
- Make sure your product pages are clear, detailed, and easy to navigate.
- Use clear calls to action to guide visitors toward purchases or inquiries.
Why it works:
- Reduces the need for manual customer support.
- Improves user experience and conversion rates.
- Helps visitors find what they need instantly, increasing satisfaction.
Bonus Tip: Monitor Performance, but Don’t Micromanage
Even when your marketing is on cruise control, it’s important to check in regularly. Use analytics tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, or your email platform’s reports to monitor performance. But avoid the temptation to tweak every detail daily — trust the systems you’ve set up and make strategic adjustments as needed.
Final Thoughts
Putting your marketing on cruise control this summer means setting up systems that work for you automatically. By automating emails, scheduling social posts, repurposing content, running paid ads smartly, and optimizing your website for self-service, you can enjoy the season while your marketing continues to bring in results.
Start planning now, so you can take full advantage of summer’s slower pace without letting your business slow down.
If you’d like help setting up automated marketing systems or crafting a summer marketing plan tailored to your business, just let me know! I’m here to help you keep your marketing running smoothly all season long.
