The sun is shining, the weather’s warming up, and your friends are posting pictures of pool days and weekend getaways.
Meanwhile, you’re stuck inside, buried in emails, follow-ups, and the never-ending task list that comes with running a small business.
Sound familiar?
But there’s good news: It doesn’t have to be this way.
With the right tools in place — like a small business CRM combined with automation — you can enjoy some well-earned time off this summer without putting your business on hold.
Why May? Why Now?
By acting now — right before summer kicks into high gear — you'll create more opportunities to step away from your business in the coming months.
Setting up your CRM before the summer means your systems can run in the background while you relax, travel, or simply spend more time outdoors with the people you love.
Instead of working in your business all summer, start working on it — by building systems that run without you, so you can go where your heart takes you this summer and beyond.
What Is a CRM, and Why Should You Care?
CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. CRM software helps you keep track of all your business contacts — leads, prospects, and customers — in one place.
Today’s CRM systems, like Keap, go far beyond a simple database — they combine a CRM with marketing automation software so businesses can automate repetitive communications.
You can use a small business CRM with marketing automation to:
- Capture new leads automatically
- Follow up without lifting a finger
- Send personalized emails at scale
- Manage appointments, quotes, payments, and more
In other words, a CRM with automation gives you freedom — without sacrificing connection or growth.
What You Can Automate This Summer to Boost Sales
Let’s say you want to grow your business while you’re also living your life this summer. Or maybe summer is usually a slow time for your business, which means hustling even harder to meet your sales goals.
Here are three automated marketing campaigns you can set up this May to keep your sales momentum going all summer long:
1. Summer Sale Promo Campaign
Schedule a limited-time summer promotion to run automatically — complete with emails, text reminders, and even discount codes. Set it up now, then let your CRM software do the rest, nurturing leads and driving conversions while you’re having fun in the sun.
2. Cold Lead Re-engagement Campaign
You probably have leads that came in over the last few months who never purchased. Create an automated re-engagement sequence that sends a friendly check-in or value-packed offer to bring them back into the conversation — without sending a single manual message.
3. Customer Re-engagement Campaign
What’s even better than mining sales from old leads? Getting sales from past customers! Because they’ve bought from you before, they’re more likely to say “yes” again, so set up an automated email series telling them about something like an exclusive deal, a new product, or even a quick survey to see how you can better serve them.
What You Can Automate for This Summer and Beyond
If summer is a busy time for your business, or you simply want to free up your time year-round, automation can lighten your day-to-day workload in big ways.
Here are six more examples of automations you can set up now to save hours this summer and long into the future:
1. Lead Capture and Follow-Up
Use forms or landing pages to capture leads on your website 24/7. As soon as someone signs up, your CRM system can send a thank-you email, deliver a lead magnet, and schedule a follow-up task — instantly and automatically.
2. Appointment Setting and Reminders
Automate scheduling with a tool that syncs to your calendar. Add reminders to reduce no-shows, and let clients reschedule without the back-and-forth. More appointments, less hassle.
3. Automated Quote Follow-Up
When you send a quote, your marketing automation software can follow up with prospects at just the right time — nudging them toward a “yes” without any extra effort on your part.
4. Long-Term Lead Nurture
Some leads aren’t ready to buy right now — but that doesn’t mean they never will. Set up a long-term nurture sequence that drips out value-packed content over time, building trust until they’re ready to take the next step with you.
5. New Customer Welcome Process
Make a great first impression with your new customers by sending them a welcome email (or even a full onboarding sequence) to thank them, share next steps, and reinforce the value of their purchase. It's an easy way to build trust and get them even more excited about their purchase.
6. Payment Reminders and Credit Card Expiration Notices
Avoid awkward conversations and inconvenient payment delays by automating payment reminders — and giving clients a heads-up when their card is about to expire. These small touchpoints help you get paid faster and keep subscriptions or retainers running smoothly, without the need for uncomfortable follow-ups.
Ready to Set Your Summer on Autopilot?
Imagine how it’ll feel to finally step away from your business for a weekend — or even a whole week — knowing that your systems are still working hard behind the scenes. Setting up your CRM and marketing automation software in May means you avoid being stuck indoors all summer long.
Start now — future you will thank you.
Take the Next Step
If you’re ready to make this summer your most relaxed yet productive one yet, check out Keap’s CRM and automation software built specifically for small businesses.
Then, visit our events page for upcoming classes on how to apply automation in your business.
