How to Keep Clients Engaged During Summer: 5 Smart Ways to Reinforce Value
- Tom Cates
- Jul 31
- 3 min read
Summer Slowdown = Strategic Opportunity
As your inbox fills with “Out of Office” replies and your decision-makers take time off, it may feel like your client engagement stalls in July and August. But the dog days of summer aren’t a dead zone—they’re a strategic opportunity.
At Encompass-CX, we call this a time for Value Reinforcement—a relationship-first approach to stay visible, demonstrate value, and strengthen your position as a Trusted Advisor.
Why Summer Engagement Feels Harder (But Matters More)
Summer introduces natural engagement challenges:
Fewer meetings
Delayed decisions
Vacations and shifting priorities
Yet client perception doesn’t pause. In these quieter months, clients are watching who disappears—and who continues to show up with relevance and care. Even more important: clients are beginning to shape budgets and priorities for the coming year. This is your moment to be part of those conversations.
Reframe Summer as a Time to Communicate Value
Don’t push harder on pipeline.
Pull closer to your clients by demonstrating how you're helping them succeed
Think of it as moving from “selling value” to "reinforcing value"
Celebrate progress made together
Highlight where you’re solving pain points
Proactively offer insight for Q4 and beyond
This creates differentiation and reinforces your Trusted Advisor status.
5 Practical Ways to Keep Clients Engaged During the Summer
1. Deliver a Summer Value Summary (Mid-Year Progress Report)
Create a client-specific 1-pager showing results to date. Keep it brief, visual, and tied to their goals:
“Improved client portfolio: 48% Trusted Advisor relationships”
“Increased your company's SEQscore by 3 points year to date”
“Improved to Stage 3 on your Customer Experience Maturity Model”
2. Send a Personalized “Looking Ahead” Note
Take 5 minutes to connect—not sell.
Suggested format:
“Hi [Name], I know summer’s a busy season for planning. We’ve been thinking about how to help your team finish strong in Q4. Want to grab 20 minutes to share a few ideas we’ve seen working with other clients?”
3. Launch a Summer Pulse Survey
Use Encompass-CX to send just a few quick questions:
“What have we done well this year and should keep doing?”
“What should we change or improve before year-end?”
“What word best describes our working relationship?”
“What should we prioritize together in Q4?”
4. Share a Client Story That Highlights Impact
Example:
“One of our clients recently increased cross-selling by 350% using the Encompass-CX Relationship Assessment model. Let me know if you’d like to see what that looked like in action.”
5. Schedule a Stewardship Meeting (Executive Briefing)
Suggested agenda:
Recap value delivered to date
Preview upcoming roadmap items
Co-prioritize initiatives for Q4 and next year
How to Know It’s Working (Even Without a Closed Deal)
While you work to keep clients engaged during the summer track positive leading indicators instead of closed deals:
Replies to emails
Meeting acceptances
Survey feedback
Referrals to colleagues
Increased usage of services
Trusted Advisors Don’t Take the Summer Off
When competitors go silent, you stay present.
When others push product, you reinforce value.
When clients slow down, you step up.
At Encompass-CX, we believe client loyalty is built in the quiet moments. Summer is one of them. Use it wisely.
Get Started Today
Need help crafting your summer engagement strategy? Let us show you how Encompass-CX helps you measure, reinforce, and communicate value, year-round.
Let's talk!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you keep B2B clients engaged during summer?
Use summer to reinforce value through strategic check-ins, mid-year summaries, client success stories, and brief pulse surveys. This helps maintain visibility and trust.
What is a Summer Value Summary?
A Summer Value Summary is a 1-page recap of the outcomes you’ve delivered to a B2B client so far this year. It helps reinforce your value without a sales pitch
What is a Stewardship Meeting?
A Stewardship Meeting is a strategic client briefing focused on value delivered, future priorities, and ongoing alignment. It’s especially valuable for engaging executive buyers.
Why is summer important for client engagement?
Summer offers a quieter period where proactive engagement stands out. Clients begin planning for the next fiscal cycle, and providers who show up now are more likely to be included in those plans.
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