MarketingSherpa's SherpaBlog has a great list of things to do for your summer vacation -- if you're a smart marketer and you're out of vacation time, that is.
Here's the Readers Digest version, along with some of my own comments...but go read the blog for Anne Holland's fully fleshed-out Top 10 List.
#1. Review past test data
#2. Launch new tests (Anne points out that a lot of catalog sites are doing some cool tests now, which you can actually see, in preparation for the holiday seasons. Smart, since this is probably the slowest month for many online retailers. Using landing pages? Think about trying multivariate testing to gear up for your peak season.)
#3. Face-time with other departments
#4. Customer verbiage studies (That means actually calling your customers and listening to the language *they* use to define your services. This way you won't use phrases like "Search Engine Optimization Solution" if your customer base really wants to hear about "Natural Listings.")
#5. Canned content creation (Another good one: Get those "Top Ten"-type blog posts ready for the moments you need them most.)
#6. Revamp analytics reports (If youv'e been dreaming of that one report that seamlessly pulls in all the data you need to review your campaigns...August is a great time to start putting it together.)
#7. Revisit all templated/automated content (Have you checked all YOUR company's Executive Team bios lately? I just did -- and made a bunch of changes.)
#8. Research external helpers (Get those RFPs sorted now, instead of rushing at the last minute.)
#9. Start a public swipe file (Anne got me started with one of these back in my early marketing days -- and I still keep a file folder in my drawer, as well as one in my browser, to save the campaigns that inspire me.)
#10. Plan a fabulous vacation for January (Amen!)
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