Motivation for la rentrée

Creating momentum after summer

When I lived in Paris, I used to love August. The city cleared out as many people left on vacation for the month. It was quiet, and a nice change of pace from the usual mayhem of being one of the most populated areas in the European Union. That always quickly changed by the first week of September when la rentrée (the return or re-entry) was in full swing.

Although most of us don’t take the month of August off in the U.S., the summer usually does have at least a slightly slower pace (depending on your industry). Whether you or your team are returning from vacation or just preparing for a busier time ahead, below are ideas for ramping up your marketing after re-entry.

Take stock of the year

Review the marketing metrics (year-to-date) that matter to your business. This could be website traffic, leads, advertising performance, search engine rankings or taking stock of events, partnerships, sponsorships. Measure progress towards any goals you set for the year. Take a look at how the first nine months of 2023 compare to 2022, year-over-year.

“In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield.” 
-Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway

Establish priorities

Set priorities for the final four months of the year. Pick the top 3-5 things you want to accomplish before the end of the year, and create a plan of action to make it happen.

“I never dreamed about success, I worked for it.” 
-Estée Lauder, co-founder of Estée Lauder Companies

Embrace back to school

What’s one thing you want to learn or explore before the end of the year? Look into training, workshops, books or other resources on the topic.

“Remain a lifelong student. Don’t lose that curiosity.” 
-Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo.

Find help

Identify areas when you might need extra help (ahem). Find freelancers or outside support to help you accomplish the priorities you identified above.

“Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.”
-Madam C.J. Walker, first female self-made millionaire