How to Take Vacation and Leave Your Computer at Home (For Marketers)

Everyone needs a break.  

But, surprisingly, less than half of US workers use all of their vacation days every year! 

No one should be leaving any of their precious time off on the table, but we all know how tough it can be to fully step away from work.  

For marketers, when you’re responsible for managing campaigns and generating new leads, the thought of disconnecting completely might cause blood pressures to spike.  

However, with careful planning and automation, it’s more than possible to leave your computer at home while keeping your marketing efforts running smoothly.

Plan Your Campaigns  

Before hitting the road or turning your phone on “Airplane Mode,” you’ll want to have your campaigns fully fleshed out in advance.  

Take the time to brainstorm and outline everything that will need to be in place to keep your marketing activities up and running. Identify key objectives, target personas, and select the appropriate channels to reach them.  

Consider what pieces of content (blogs, social media posts, emails, etc.) you will need to support each of your campaigns when out of the office. 

By having a well-structured plan in place, you can have a much clearer idea of everything you need to automate while away from your desk. 

Schedule Your Blog Posts  

If you or your company produces a blog, you know how crucial it is to maintain a consistent publishing schedule.  

To ensure a steady flow of content while you're on vacation, pre-write and schedule your blog posts in advance. This is also a good time to take stock of what content you already have on-hand that can be easily repurposed for your current campaigns. 

Also, consider making use of guest posts.  

Reach out to industry peers who are experts in certain topics well ahead of your vacation and see if they’d be interested in writing a post for your blog. When doing this, establish guidelines for any guest bloggers, set deadlines for submission, and review and schedule their posts before your vacation begins. 

Whether the content is produced by you, your team, or guest bloggers, by setting future publication dates for blog content you’ve already produced, your audience will continue to receive valuable information even while you're relaxing on the beach. 

Schedule Your Social Media Posts  

Just like blogging, consistency is key when it comes to social media posts. Plan and schedule these as well before heading out of the office.  

Craft compelling and shareable content that bolsters the campaigns you and your marketing team are overseeing and schedule them to be posted consistently throughout your vacation.  

For social posts that lead to more substantial pieces of content, it’s always a good rule of thumb to drive your audience toward evergreen information (blogs, how-to's, infographics, eBooks, etc.). That means, it’s best to avoid posts that are time-sensitive or point to specific events that may be happening. 

And when it comes to engaging with your audience while you’re away, there are a couple of different routes to take.  

If you work with a team, ask one of your co-workers if they wouldn’t mind taking 5 to 10 minutes per day to respond to any comments and messages your posts receive.  

If you’re a solo marketer who regularly engages with your audience in a personal way, let them know you’re going on vacation! Maybe even tell them what they can expect to see while you’re gone.  

That level of transparency can increase the trust and bond that you have with your audience. 

Attract, Nurture, and Convert Leads  

Utilize automation tools to create any landing pages, lead magnets, and email campaigns to capture leads.  

For any leads that you may capture while away, maintain communication by setting up automated workflows, email sequences, and personalized drip campaigns to ensure that prospects receive timely follow-ups and relevant information.  

This automated approach ensures that leads continue to receive targeted messages tailored to their interests and needs, even when you're not actively involved. 

Score Your Leads  

Implement lead scoring mechanisms in your marketing automation platform to prioritize leads and focus on those who are most likely to convert once you’ve returned to the office. 

By setting up lead scoring criteria, you can automate the process of identifying high-quality leads and ensure that your sales team receives timely notifications about hot prospects. 

Leave Your Computer at Home (And Kick Your Feet Up)  

Now that you've implemented the necessary strategies and automation, it's time to enjoy your well-deserved vacation!  

Trust the systems you've set up and resist the temptation to constantly check in on your campaigns.  

Take this opportunity to recharge, relax, and enjoy the time away from your computer.  

After all, as they say, the work will still be there when you get back.  

*Editor's Note: This blog was originally written in 2015 and has since been updated.