toth shop trends: august 2025

toth shop
Aug 1
3 min read

It’s August which means we feel the need to put the melty face emoji at the end of every statement, comment, or question these days. It’s just THAT month. Not only is it hot and humid, BUT it’s also just that strange last-month-of-summer that you’re not sure what to do, yet you’re very aware fall is right around the corner.

toth shop’s thought leader summer school from july 15 to august 15.

Twelve years ago, toth shop began as a side hustle helping a first-time author become the thought leader her book needed. We didn’t call it “thought leadership” then—but that’s exactly what it was. Since that first project, we’ve helped dozens of smart, original voices do the same. Now, we’re sharing our favorite lessons in a fun, not-boring-at-all Thought Leader Summer School—July 15 to August 15 on the toth shop page. Follow along if you’re trying to write more, think better, or own your voice. No homework. Just suggestions and advice. Sunnies optional.

DAY 9 WAS A GOOD ONE

the end-of-summer energy shift.

As we said above, August is that weird life-limbo season. People are wrapping up vacations, checking back into work, sharpening pencils (literally or figuratively). It’s a transition time. Your organization's communication should reflect that. Whether you’re reaching out to your team or your audience, acknowledge this strange transition time. Mention the pause AND start building fall energy. You don’t need a big splash – just a gentle, human nudge that this IS a weird time. Think about messaging with everyone – team members, clients, your family, etc. – that says something like: “Let’s reset together” or “Ready when you are”.

heat fatigue is real, so play it cool.

Wherever you live, chances are, August is one of the hottest months of the year. That heat affects your mood, attention, and energy. (Insert melty face emoji.) As a communicator and protector of peoples’ attention spans, take that into account. Keep messages concise, tone cool and calm, and visuals light and breathable. Think about introducing more lightness, breaths of fresh air, or encouragement. Everyone’s looking for a bit of “shade” in the inbox – no one needs any more heat.

ease into fall with a “soft start”.

August is a tough month to launch that full-throttle fall campaign you came up with this summer. Instead, think about using August to test out ideas with more of a “soft start” that won’t overwhelm them. Think: messaging that reintroduces your audience to structure (like a weekly blog post) or a new offer that you want some feedback on. It’s about using this season to “train” yourself or your team to get back into a rhythm knowing eyeballs are half-engaged or mentally still on the beach at Palmetto Dunes.

On the flipside, August is also a good month to go a bit quieter publicly and go into a content creation hole all with the idea of restarting or relaunching after Labor Day.

who let the dogs out?

We can’t talk about August without talking about: The dog days of summer. There’s no better month to spotlight the real stars of your company: the dogs. It’s a fun, low-lift way to show personality, build community, and give people the chance to smile during a slow and hot season. What this looks like: pup-filled IG post, or a “meet our office dogs” series. Everyone loves a good dog cameo. Our friends at Brookline Homes celebrate the pups well, year-round.

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