Why a Quiet Summer Can be Good for Business!
All businesses have busy periods throughout the year and for many businesses these times tend to reoccur each year, such as the pre-Christmas rush, the January sales or at the end of the financial year. It can be the same for quiet periods too when the workload slows down, but this will largely depend on your business and the industry you work in. However, if you can forecast these times, you can plan ahead to ensure the quiet times are just as productive as the busy seasons.
If you notice a reduction in orders or enquiries during the summer months due to the school holidays and the decision makers taking time away from their businesses, there are a number of ways you can keep motivated. These quiet times are a great opportunity for you to take a step back from your business and think about those areas you normally don’t have the time for whilst managing the day to day running of your business. This can involve the development of your business, but it is also a great opportunity for you to enjoy time with your family and friends.
If you have slow business during the summer months, then here are our top tips to stay motivated and to make the most of your time.
Take a break! – We all know running your own business can be tough and sometimes there are just not enough hours in the day to complete all those tasks. Over time this can put a strain on your life as a whole and will impact on your social and family life. If the summer months are your quiet months then plan a break or vacation. Spend time with your family and friends whilst you can without the worry of what is going on in your business. Use this time to rest and relax so you are at your best when you return for the busy season. Every business plan and strategy should have scheduled time for holidays.
Review your business – Quiet periods are a great time for you to step out of the day to day running of the business and look at it strategically. Take a look back over your business plans, goals and visions for the business. Note what you have achieved, what you have not achieved, if you still wish to achieve them or make revisions of these if the original plan has now changed. No business usually sticks to the plan it originally created, this normally changes as the business develops and evolves.
Update your business – This time is a great opportunity to update those things you keep putting off. It’s a perfect time to update things such as, your website, marketing materials, leaflets, social media strategy, seasonal promotions and events for the future. This quiet time allows your brain to be more free, more creative, and you can have quite a lot of fun coming up with new ideas.
Learn new things – Anyone in business should know the importance to keep learning and to keep up to date with new information from your industry. Take this time to learn new things, read some more books that you have not got round to, read industry related magazines, blogs or articles, book yourself on to some workshops, e-learning courses or seminars. Use this time wisely to increase your knowledge and build on your creditability status.
Network and meet new contacts – Firstly, take this time to reconnect with your existing client base and contacts. Drop them a line and see how they are, if there is anything you can help them with, if they would like to meet for a coffee or lunch. By maintaining the relationship, you will continue to do business with that person and you never know what other opportunities may come from that relationship.
Secondly, join a couple of local networking groups to meet new contacts and prospective clients. By getting in front of new people, you are building awareness of your business and brand. By gaining people’s like, trust and know, people will start referring your business on to people they know and possible joint collaborative ventures may be available to really set your business out above the rest.
Sort your admin! – It may sound very boring, but we are all guilty of leaving admin to the last minute or seeing it pile up for months on end before we do anything about it. Use this time to organise any admin that has been left, such as invoices, paperwork, emails, and online documents. Get rid of anything you no longer need and file away what you do. It may be a very laborious task, but the feeling of satisfaction it brings once complete is totally worth it.
Just because the summer months are a quiet time for many businesses, it does not mean it has to be a quiet time for your business. Many of your customers might have gone on holiday, but as mentioned above, you can still have a very productive time working on your business. Take a break, refresh yourself, take a step back, and gain perspective about why you are in business and where you are going with it.