The Summer Solstice has past (AKA the sun has set on the longest day of the year). The 4th of July has come and gone (Happy Birthday America!).
And we’ve settled into the dog days of summer…
It’s the time of year when things s-l-o-w d-o-w-n… Your email inbox isn’t quite as bloated. Your phone doesn’t ring as often. And work s-l-o-w-l-y tapers off.
Now, this is certainly a perfect opportunity to carve out some time for a getaway of your own. Which I WHOLEHEARTEDLY endorse.
But beyond the bounds of an exotic tropical island vacay (or whatever splendid destination tickles your fancy), it can be tempting to while away the summer slowdown doing a whole lotta nuthin’. (And no, scouring Facebook for cute cat videos DOES NOT count as productivity!)
Instead, I recommend investing in growing your business by investing in yourself!
How does that shake out?

Nurturing Strengths Vs. Improving Upon Weaknesses

Well, there’s a debate raging (sort of) in the business world… Is it more productive to nurturer your strengths or work on improving upon your weaknesses?
The debate’s significant enough for the Harvard Business Review podcast (The HBR Idea Cast) to focus on the issue in TWO separate episodes (and if Harvard’s getting involved, it’s gotta be a big deal, right? RIGHT!?)
On one hand… Concentrating on what you actually GET PAID to do should be your primary focus… So if web design, managing email marketing campaigns, designing marketing collateral, and writing marketing content fall outside your wheelhouse, it’s faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar more productive to entrust those important tasks to qualified professionals.
On the other hand… There are marketing skills EVERY business owner should possess. So why not spend your summer slowdown improving on some KEY marketing skills?
So, to help you make the most of your summer slowdown, here are my TOP 3 marketing education recommendations:

Networking (Expansing Your Network + Improving Your Networking Skillz)

Want more business? Expanding your network is a critical. But if you’re like most business owners, Network expansion is only PART of the equation. More than likely, you could also benefit from boning up your networking skillz, too.
On the network expansion front…
Reach out to your network… Let family, friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and professional associates (in and out of your industry) know you’re still here and open for business – Summer slowdown or not.
Reach out to prospects + clients… And let them know your doors are open and you’re taking on projects – All summer long.Attend a networking event (or several events!)… There are no shortage of networking events (the events biz is a uuuuuuuuuuuuuuge industry). A quick Google search will undoubtedly reveal a plethora of events in both your area + industry.
Join a Mastermind group… This is a group of professionals in the same business or industry who get together on a regular basis to… Share ideas + resources, problem solve, and generally support one another in a professional capacity. Finding a mastermind group isn’t as easy as locating networking events. But a bit of online research or asking industry friends and associates will usually point you in the right direction. And if all else fails, start your own mastermind group! Meetup.com is great resource for this.
And on the networking skillz development side…
Read Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” … The book may be 80 years old, but the lessons and strategies are as poignant and valuable today as they were in 1936!
Even better, take the Dale Carnegie training program… Again, Carnegie’s lessons are as potent now as ever. And these days you have the option to skip the live seminar and just take the course online.
Take a Toastmasters course… Effective networking is all about communication, and most of us could use a little polish in the department, right? YUP! Toastmasters is an international club dedicating to helping members improve communication, public speaking, and leadership skills. Check out their website for a club near you.
Subscribe + listen to the Art of Charm Podcast… Founder + host, Jordan Harbinger, has worked with everyone from billionaire CEOs to CIA operatives, to mention only a few. Billed as a “different approach to networking,” Jordan packs his Art of Charm podcast with invaluable insights and strategies to help you feel comfortable in ANY social situation.

Writing

While copywriting (essentially “salesmanship in print”) is a specialized skill that’s best left to professionals (like me!), most professional service business owners still called upon to do plenty of writing. And believe it or not, the quality of your writing impacts your business.
How? Well, if you’re writing difficult to understand, structurally inept, and grammatically incorrect emails, letters and other communications, you’re more likely to repel new and repeat business than attract it.
In other words, it’s time to refine your writing skills a bit. And here are some resources that can help…
Strunk & White’s Elements of Style
This classic (and slim!) volume (the paperback clocks in at a whopping 85 pages) has served as the definitive guide on writing style and good grammar since it’s release in 1918 (and that’s a WHOLE LOTTA years ago, my friends!).
Countless writers + educators of all stripes (from bestselling authors and awarding journalists to high school teachers and college professors) swear by the book. And I make a habit of reading this bad boy at least once a year.
Woe is I
Master proper grammar, word usage, sentence structure, and composition can be EXTREMELY intimidating + frustrating. Not to mention EXCRUCIATINGLY boring. And the only thing more boring than struggling with writing mechanics, is reading a guide about writing mechanics.
But not so with Woe is I. This fun and funny take on grammar + effective writing is filled with searing satirical wit that’s entertaining as hell. Oh, and it’s loaded with solid, savvy, practical writing advice.
On Writing Well
In this fantastic book, bestselling author, former Yale writing professor + one time Life magazine columnist, William Zinsser delivers a timeless treatise on non-fiction writing. Zinsser serves up frank, practical and easy to exercise advise on how to write about ANYTHING.
HBR Guide to Better Business Writing
This highly practical, easy to read + easy to apply book breaks down the fundamentals of good writing, points out common pitfalls and missteps, and illustrates best practices for a variety of common business writing formats, including emails, letters, reports, performance reviews and more.
This is easily my most pragmatic selection on this list. I’ve read the guide half a dozen times, and I glean something new and valuable upon each repeat read.

Identify Your Biggest Marketing Weakness(es) — And Educate Yourself!

Time for some introspection + self-evaluation…
== > In what area of marketing are you OBVIOUSLY weak?
== > What aspect of marketing mystifies or confuses you?
== > What element of marketing peaks your curiosity, but lies outside your knowledge-base?
Answer those questions and…
== > Find a book…
== > Take an online course or training program…
== > Sign up for a class…
== > Or seek out a mentor…
To help increase your knowledge and improve your skills in whatever marketing arena you’re lacking.

What’s on Your Summer Agenda?

Whether it’s for business or pleasure, what are you up to this summer season? Swing by my Google+ page and share!