I am a beach girl. Always have been, always will be. Every year I look forward to summer with fresh fruits and vegetables at my fingertips, sunshine baking the sand at the beach, and end-of-the-day cool adult beverages while lounging by the pool. It helps that I live in Virginia Beach with a temperate climate year-round, a pool in my back yard, and a short 10-minute drive to the oceanfront. I’ll admit it, I am spoiled.
Transitions this time of year are often called the “summertime blues”. On one level, the end of summer signifies the end of fun. No more leaving work early on Fridays, no barbecues to look forward to and no sleeping in late on vacation. Even for people who don’t have kids, the “back to school” mindset can awaken anxieties because of anticipated changes in traffic and activities. The change in temperature and light also play a role. Days get cooler and shorter and daylight savings time goes in effect. To ward off the “blues” here are a few suggestions:
Change the way you think: Don’t think about how sad you are because summer is over, think about things you enjoy doing during the fall and winter. Turn negatives into positives. You cannot resist the inevitable.
Look forward, not backward: If you love summer fruits and vegetables and lament not eating fresh corn-on-the-cob, look forward to crisp apples and hot chocolate! Think about sleeping with the windows open instead of using the air conditioner.
No more reruns! Television introduces their fall line-ups and we finally will get answers to all the cliff-hangers on our favorite shows.
Plan a weekend getaway: You do it in the summer, so why not another seasonal trip. Explore a new area or area of the country. Studies show that just planning a trip gives people a positive spin and something to look forward to.
Reset: Get out of the summer mindset and focus on moving forward.
So what does this mean for you the hotel sales person? How are you going to make the transition from summertime blues to fall giddy-up-and-go? What do you do first/next?
Reopen the lines of communication. People probably haven’t heard from you in a while. Maybe they’ve been on vacation too. They’re back on track and they are waiting. They’re open to fresh ideas…. like a half-New Year boost! Make sure you organize yourself for efficiency. Pull out your Sales & Marketing Plan and reread what your focus should be right now. Adjust appropriately and make sure you know what your hotel’s objectives are and what is most important.
Be fresh. Be engaging. Be proactive. This is the time to reset your internal temperature gauge and move forward with gusto.
Happy sweater days!
Linda