Avoid the ‘summertime slump:’ Strategies to remain productive

Instead of giving up on the summer months because it is often difficult to reach existing customers and look for new ones, many successful agents and advisors are using the long days of summer to review, reflect and power up their businesses for future growth.

Two financial professionals shared some of the strategies that you can use to make sure that your summer months are productive as you try to move your practice to a higher level of success.

Be strategic when using your time

Renee A. Hanson explained that “productivity and production are often used interchangeably, but in our industry, there is a nuance.” Hanson is a private wealth advisor at Affinity Wealth Advisory Group in Phoenix, Ariz, and a 14-year Million Dollar Round Table member with 14 Court of the Table and Top of the Table qualifications.

“Production is tied to revenue — immediate, measurable results,” Hanson explained. “Productivity, however, is what fuels sustainable growth. The summer months can feel slower as clients and prospects step away to enjoy vacations. Yet this season presents a valuable opportunity for advisors to become more intentional and strategic in how they invest their time.”

To help agents and advisors accomplish this important task, Hanson shared the following ideas:

• Building knowledge, strengthening marketing, and deepening relationships are what ultimately drive new business. "If you’ve been considering a new certification, this is an ideal time to begin,” Hanson said. “Enrolling now allows you to use this quieter period to build expertise, so you’re fully prepared when activity accelerates.”
• If you are looking from a marketing standpoint, use this time to develop a clear, proactive plan for generating business, Hanson said. “Define your outreach strategy and calendar your activity to ensure consistent execution — even as production picks back up,” she said.

Hanson added that systems and automation can be powerful in these situations. “Leveraging tools such as customer relationship management campaigns and artificial intelligence can help you create structure, timelines and efficiency.”

And if your focus is networking, approach your centers of influence with the same intentionality as your clients, she said. “Schedule regular touchpoints — not just casual check-ins, but purposeful conversations. Use this time to review shared opportunities, understand their evolving business needs, and continue articulating your value. Thoughtful, authentic questions can significantly elevate how they perceive your value in a lasting partnership.”

Hanson added that whether you choose to focus on education, marketing or networking, the key is consistency. “The slower season doesn’t pause your business — it gives you the space to build the systems, habits and relationships that sustain it,” she said.

Summer is a time to strengthen relationships

David E. Appel said that while summer is often viewed as a slower season, he has found that it can be one of the best times to strengthen relationships and position your organization for future growth. Appel is senior vice president, head of insurance solutions at Integrated Insurance in Waltham, Mass.

“Rather than assuming clients and advisors are unavailable, I use the summer months to reconnect over coffee, lunch or a casual meeting and focus on strategic conversations that are often difficult to fit into busier times of the year,” Appel said. It is also an ideal time to conduct insurance portfolio reviews, revisit planning goals, and identify changes in clients’ personal or financial situations that may warrant attention.

In addition, Appel said that he uses this time to review his policy-anniversary list and reach out to clients and centers of influence that he may not have connected with during the past 12 to 18 months. “These proactive touchpoints often uncover new opportunities and ensure that when business activity accelerates in the fall, we’re already well-positioned to move forward,” he said.

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Ayo Mseka has more than 30 years of experience reporting on the financial services industry. She formerly served as editor-in-chief of NAIFA’s Advisor Today magazine. Contact her at [email protected].