Your Mid-Year Marketing Reset

Reflect, Refocus, Re-Energize Your Business Development Strategy

Summer tends to bring a natural shift in pace. Calendars open up a bit, inboxes slow down, and there’s a collective exhale that seems to hang in the air—especially after a busy first half of the year.

That makes this the perfect time to pause with purpose.

Remember those goals you set in January? Whether you’ve been steadily working through them or they’ve been collecting dust in a drawer, mid-year is a natural checkpoint. What’s working? What’s changed? What needs to shift?

Whether you use the summer months to rest or get ahead (or a bit of both), let it be intentional. Below are five strategies to help you reflect, reset, and prepare for a strong second half of the year.

1. Revisit Your Plan

Take 30 minutes to look at your 2025 marketing and business development plan. Where are you on track? What no longer feels relevant? Taking this time to revisit your plan can help provide clarity on your activities for the rest of the year so that you can take a proactive approach to your fall vs. engaging in random acts of business development.

Prompts:

• Are your current priorities aligned with your goals?

• Are you on pace to meet your goals or do you need to pivot?

• What’s one area you could focus on this summer to build momentum for Q3 and Q4?

Pro tip: If you never created a formal plan, don’t worry. Start now with 1–2 clear priorities that reflect where you are today.

2. Celebrate Progress—Big and Small

It’s easy to focus on what’s still ahead, but take time to name what’s gone well. Recognition builds momentum.

Prompts:

• What’s gone better than expected in the first half of the year?

• Any client relationships that have deepened, new work that came in, or outreach that felt natural and effective?

  
  

Try this: Scan your calendar or inbox from the past few months. What BD efforts or wins might have slipped under the radar? A quick review often reveals more progress than you realize.

3. Identify Friction Points

We all have “that thing” we keep putting off. The key isn’t more willpower—it’s uncovering what’s in the way and finding a low-lift way to move forward.

Prompts:

• What’s one BD task you’ve meant to tackle, but haven’t?

• What’s getting in the way—time, energy, clarity, confidence?

  
  

In my coaching sessions, we use a simple lens to diagnose the holdup, then find a small, strategic next step to move it forward. Often, it’s less about effort and more about reframing.

4. Use Your Energy Intentionally

If you do have the bandwidth to keep going this summer, make it count. The slower pace is a strategic gift to use wisely.

Ideas to explore:

• Reconnect with a client you’ve been meaning to visit

• Map out your fall BD or marketing push

• Schedule strategic conversations while calendars are light

• Anticipate client budget timelines so you’re in position early

Now’s also a great time for marketing and BD professionals to initiate mid-year check-ins or refresh campaign plans in collaboration with firm leadership.

5. Make Space to Recharge

Sustainable business development requires sustained energy. That means rest isn’t a reward—it’s a resource. Whether it’s a full week off or small windows of quiet throughout the day, give yourself space to reset. Recharging now increases your capacity to show up fully when it counts.

If you're a firm leader or BD pro, consider ways to model and support rest for your team. Encouraging a pause now can lead to stronger performance later.

There’s no one “right” way to approach summer—but there is a strategic way. Whether you’re recalibrating your goals or ramping up for a fall push, this season is your opportunity to reset with intention.