August, Revenue Reality Check - How to Use the Summer Slowdown to Your Advantage

Every August the same refrain echoes through sales teams: “You cannot get hold of anyone”. For those working internationally, particularly with European clients, it is even more pronounced. In many countries the summer months see offices running on skeleton staff or shutting down entirely.

Targets however do not take holidays. Whether your fiscal year runs January to December or April to March, August usually marks the halfway point of a quarter and for most, Q4 is just around the corner. It feels strange to be thinking about Christmas in the middle of summer but the reality is that the pipeline you are managing today is the revenue you will be reporting on in a matter of months.

So, if your prospects are out of office, what can you do that is genuinely valuable? The answer lies in using August not as a waiting room but as a control room. This is a time to assess, clean up and align your go to market efforts before the final push.

Why August Matters for Revenue Operations

For a CRO or RevOps leader, August is the perfect opportunity to step back and take stock:

• What have we achieved so far this year?

• Who have we been speaking to and how are those conversations progressing?

• What is the market telling us and are we forecasting accurately?

• Which deals are actually in play and which are just filling space on the report?

More importantly, it is the right moment to ensure the sales and marketing machine is pointing in the same direction. That means looking beyond leads generated or deals closed and focusing on the full funnel from first touch to signed contract.

Five senior level pipeline management actions for August

1. Audit your pipeline for reality, not comfort
Strip out anything that will not realistically close in the next two quarters. Rolling over weak opportunities only creates a false sense of security. This is the time for honest conversations with account owners about what is really moving and what is just in there to look good.

2. Measure deal velocity against historical performance
Look at how long your average deal takes to close. Any deal sitting past that timeframe without a clear next step is a risk. Decide whether to accelerate it, re engage, or close it out. This keeps your forecast grounded and stops unrealistic optimism from creeping in.

3. Secure the next step with decision makers
Even if key stakeholders are away, lock in what happens next. That might be booking a September meeting now, sending a proposal that is ready for review upon their return, or agreeing mutual actions. The aim is to avoid a cold restart when the holidays are over.

4. Align marketing and sales for the Q4 push
The final quarter can be a make or break period. Sit marketing and sales down together now to identify priority accounts, sectors, and narratives that will carry momentum through September to November. Agree on what success looks like together, not in separate silos.

5. Run a CRM and data health check
If you cannot clearly see your pipeline and funnel performance in real time, you are flying blind. Use this quieter period to fix data issues, standardise opportunity stages, clean up contact information, and ensure your reporting is telling the right story.

Bridging the Sales and Marketing Divide in the Q4 Push

One of the most persistent challenges in go to market execution is that sales and marketing are measured differently.

• Marketing is often judged on the volume of leads generated, MQLs created, or campaign engagement.

• Sales is measured on revenue closed and deals won.

While both are crucial, the disconnect can cause friction, especially in the final quarter push when every team is under pressure. If the focus becomes why marketing is not generating enough or why sales is not closing enough, you lose sight of the fact that both sides are working towards the same number.

To bridge the gap:

1. Create shared revenue linked goals
Instead of marketing being measured only on MQLs, track how many of those MQLs progress to sales accepted and sales qualified opportunities. Tie campaign performance directly to closed revenue rather than just engagement.

2. Exchange actionable intelligence, not just assets
Sales should tell marketing exactly what would help win deals right now, whether that is sector specific battle cards, competitor comparisons, or targeted content for late stage prospects. In turn, marketing should share insights from campaign data, market engagement, and lead scoring trends.

By clearly defining what each team needs from the other and by measuring success in the same currency, you replace the us versus them dynamic with a shared drive towards the same goal.

The August Advantage

Yes, August can feel slow. Yes, some prospects will be hard to reach. But that is not an excuse for inaction. It is a chance to fix the leaks in your funnel, align your teams, and sharpen your approach so that when everyone is back at their desks in September, you are ready to move fast.

Q4 is coming whether you like it or not. The deals that close before Christmas will be the ones you have positioned and nurtured now. Use whats left in August wisely and the summer slowdown might just become your competitive edge.

For support in gaining viability into your pipeline data, or supporting your marketing and sales efforts as we head towards Q4, get int touch now!