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Why Summer Is the Perfect Time to Check In on Your Marketing Plan

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Intro:
 We get it– summer is busy. Between vacations, events, and a little sunshine, it’s tempting to put your marketing plan on autopilot. But with the year already halfway over, summer is actually a golden opportunity to pause, reflect, and reset your strategy. A mid-year marketing check-in can help you finish strong, stay aligned with business goals, and avoid the last-minute scramble come Q4.

1. Revisit Your Goals

What did you say you wanted to accomplish back in January? Now’s the time to pull out those original goals and ask the big questions:

  • Are we on track?
  • Are our KPIs still realistic?
  • Do our current tactics support our updated business priorities?

It’s perfectly normal for goals to shift mid-year—as long as your plan shifts with them.

2. Look at the Data

Your analytics aren’t just numbers—they’re a map showing you what’s working and what’s not. Dive into performance across your key channels (social, email, website, paid ads) and see what the data reveals.
 Ask yourself:

  • What campaigns or content overperformed or underperformed?
  • Are there platforms that are worth doubling down on—or letting go?
  • Have any audience trends changed?

3. Take Advantage of the Summer Slowdown (or Standout Season)

Depending on your industry, summer can either mean a drop in attention or a chance to stand out while competitors go quiet. Either way, it’s a great time to experiment:

  • Test new creative
  • Try new content formats
  • Refresh your brand voice or visuals

Sometimes the best ideas come when there’s room to try something new.

4. Plan Ahead for Q3 and Q4

Fall and holiday campaigns sneak up quickly. Use the summer window to:

  • Brainstorm and build content in advance
  • Create a promotions calendar
  • Start laying the groundwork for larger end-of-year initiatives

A little planning now can prevent a lot of stress later—and ensures you’re operating strategically instead of reactively.

5. Realign as a Team

Whether you’re part of a large team or managing everything yourself, a summer check-in is a chance to refocus.
 Set aside time for a quick meeting or audit. Revisit your workflows. Discuss what’s working and what feels stuck. Often, fresh momentum starts with honest conversation.

Conclusion:
 Marketing plans aren’t meant to be static. They should evolve with your business goals, performance data, and audience behavior. Summer offers the perfect moment to step back, reassess, and move forward with clarity. A short check-in now can lead to a stronger finish later.

4 Marketing Trends You Can’t Ignore This Summer

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Summer’s rolling in hot, and so are the opportunities to heat up your marketing game. With sunny vibes, longer days, and audiences spending more time on their phones (whether poolside or airport-bound), now is the perfect time to catch some engagement. Not sure where to start? We’ve got you. Here are five summer marketing trends you definitely want on your radar:

  1. Lights, Camera, Scroll: Video-First Social Strategy

Short-form video is still ruling the digital world, and summer is prime time to make your brand shine. Whether it’s a behind-the-scenes look at your biz, a snappy how-to, or a splashy seasonal campaign, video is where the magic happens on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.

Make it work: Keep things authentic and relaxed. Think natural light, candid shots, and simple storytelling that captures a moment.

Check out a TMP example: In this short video, we showcased a ‘Culture Display’ we were putting together for our partner National Fire & Safety. It’s short, sweet, and paired with an easy, trending track.

  1. Hyperlocal & Geo-Targeted Ads That Hit Home

From neighborhood block parties to road trip pit stops, people are out and about. That means your ads should be too. Hyperlocal and geo-targeted ads help you meet people right where they are—literally.

Make it work: Use radius targeting to promote time-sensitive offers or event tie-ins. Think local language, landmarks, or weather-specific hooks.

Quick example: A mobile ad for a local smoothie shop appears while someone’s scrolling at the beach, saying, “Hot out? We’re just 5 minutes away with $2 off mango coolers.”

Check out a Welch’s Soda example: We promoted a reel we did for Welch’s Soda being available at select Circle K stores to targeted zip codes that have the soda in stock at those locations. This allowed us to drive awareness in those specific areas.

  1. Social Commerce & In-App Shopping

People aren’t just scrolling for inspo—they’re shopping while they scroll. With Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest making in-app shopping seamless, it’s time to make sure your products are where your audience is.

Make it work: Tag products in your posts, use carousel formats to showcase summer collections, and test shoppable video features to reduce friction. Do a “Summer Essentials” post showing someone packing for a weekend trip, with every item linked for instant purchase.

Missing Thorn example: We’re currently building out a Shopify store that will be integrated with Meta to offer an in-app shopping catalog on both Facebook and Instagram. Once the catalog is live, we plan to promote it by linking directly through Instagram and Facebook posts.

  1. Sustainability & Purpose That Shines Through

Today’s consumers want to know: What does your brand stand for? Summer brings out a heightened awareness of environmental impact—from eco-friendly packaging to supporting local initiatives.

Make it work: Spotlight your sustainability wins or community initiatives. Add a simple badge or tagline like “Locally Sourced” or “Plastic-Free Summer.”

Quick example: A series of Instagram stories highlighting how your brand is reducing waste at a summer event—complete with user-submitted photos of reusable cups.

Check out a Primo Water example: Our Partner Primo Water lets its followers know they care about the environment with this sustainability post showcasing their 5 gallon packaging (saving from single use bottle purchase).

Summer isn’t just a season—it’s a state of mind. Lean into these four trends to keep your brand fresh, fun, and front-of-mind all season long.

Ready to elevate your summer marketing strategy? Connect with The Marketing Posse to discover how we can help your campaign stand out this season.

The Art of Networking (Part 1)

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Fall not only kick starts back to school for the kids but also marks the start of a renewed calendar of events from businesses and organizations. From happy hours to speaker series to galas, these are all opportunities for networking and meeting new people.

For me, the meaning of networking has evolved significantly throughout my career.  Early in my professional life, I didn’t network at all.  As LinkedIn become more prevalent, I was keeping in touch with many of my colleagues, but not actively or consciously focused on cultivating my network.  It wasn’t until I left my role at Sonic and was actively looking for a job for the first time that I really felt the importance of networking. Although unintentional but lucky, I had been amassing an amazing network over the years.  In fact, an enormous part of my current network is people I met or worked with during my time at Pepsi…and many of them have gone on to do other great things.  Now that I have launched The Marketing Posse, my network is key to my business.  The people that know me and have worked with me are the ones most likely to hire us.  I landed my first large project with Clear Channel Outdoor as Interim CMO as a direct result of someone in my network; thank you, Matt!

Networking sometimes has a bad rap with the connotation of being superficial and a lot of “work.”  In reality, it is the simple process of building relationships which is critical to growing any business.  No man/woman is an island – and networking helps you not only get business but identify the right resources who can help you once you get the business.

I cannot over-emphasize the importance of networking, but how do you get started?  Here are some tips that will lead to networking success throughout your career:

  1. Take time to keep in touch with people and nurture it – your network is a result of what you make of it…these are YOUR people.
  2. Don’t assume anything, you never know when you may need someone’s help or they may need yours! Networking is not a one-way street.  The strongest relationships are the ones that are mutually beneficial.
  3. Stay current – LinkedIn is a really efficient way to stay in touch, so make sure your profile is up to date. Congratulating you on an anniversary for a job you are no longer in is a bummer.
  4. Always answer comments/emails/phone calls…always. No one likes to be blown off and they are reaching out, so reach back.
  5. Ask for help – most everyone wants to be supportive – take advantage of that and don’t be afraid to speak up when you need a recommendation or introductions.

At The Marketing Posse, we know how important connecting with the right people is. We thank our current network who has helped get our business where it is and our future network for helping us take it to the next level.  We also offer workshops and training programs that are a great platform for networking and meeting new people.  Come join us and expand your network! There is never a downside to meeting new people. Look out for Part 2 of this blog which will get down to the nitty gritty of “how to network”.

Cheers!

Danielle Vona

danielle@themarketingposse.com

 

The New Marketing Landscape Is Here to Stay

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Everyone knows the marketing landscape has evolved significantly in the last 5-10 years, but it seems like some marketing organizations haven’t “evolved” as much as they have “revolved.” Traditional marketing organizations are at a loss for talent as restructuring, cost cutting, and turnover have become more prevalent than ever before.  Newly minted graduates and millennials are more interested in being part of the “bigger picture” and they are inspired by the startup world.  Interestingly enough, despite the significant growth of small businesses and startups, these organizations are not only financially challenged to hire seasoned marketing executives, but often times aren’t really sure what they are looking for.

It’s not uncommon for brand marketing, e-commerce, customer acquisition, CRM, social media, and an exhausting list of skills to be expected of job candidates today. Marketing roles are becoming more complicated, paving the way to a sea of grey area. With the turnover and instability in marketing leadership, younger marketing professionals often lack the leadership and mentorship that would help them grow and develop their career. It comes as no surprise that the life span of a Chief Marketing Officer is less than 2 years…so, should you feel accomplished when you hit that 24- month mark?

The truth is, this new marketing landscape is here and it’s not going to get simpler anytime soon. Our goal at The Marketing Posse is to act as an extension of your marketing department. We understand that some organizations need the “Worker Bees” but can’t afford the “Queen Bees.”  That’s why our team is here to provide strategic business planning, brand positioning, marketing solutions and talent development at a level that works for you.  The Marketing Posse gives you:

  • Access to senior level talent when you need it
  • Experts with multiple talents in today’s world of endless channels
  • Flexibility to staff each project with the level of talent it requires
  • Customized scopes to develop and execute plans your budget can afford

We can help support your team with consistent leadership and guidance, without a full time price tag.  Let us work with you evolve when and how you need to.

 

Danielle Vona

danielle@themarketingposse.com

 

 

 

Big dreams need bold action. If you’re ready to elevate your brand and partner with a team that’s all in, we want to hear from you. Let’s connect and see what we can create together.

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+1 (727) 755-6780

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Big dreams need bold action. If you’re ready to elevate your brand and partner with a team that’s all in, we want to hear from you. Let’s connect and see what we can create together.

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By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: The Marketing Posse, 2243 Steven Street, Clearwater, FL, 33759, themarketingposse.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
We’re always creating, connecting, and making things happen. Let’s stay connected. Join us and unlock the possebilities.

Swing By

685 Main St, Ste C
Safety Harbor, FL 34695 USA

crew@themarketingposse.com
+1 (727) 755-6780

Be Social

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