What to do When Business is Slow
No matter what your product or service or what industry you're in, business works in cycles.
The cycles might be short or long for you but they're there.
So even though this is all really weird (but we can all agree we're 100% getting used to not wearing pants anymore, right?) and this is more downtime than...I don't know what (I feel like I should make some sports reference here but I don't actually know anything about sportsing)...one of the best things you can do for your biz is prepare for slow cycles.
Do these things now and then keep them in your back pocket for next time business dips and it'll save you from hitting the "oh shit!" button.
Build your portfolio
Now's the perfect time to fill gaps in your portfolio by creating the kind of work you want to be doing for clients. I won't think you're crazy for building a beautiful website for a goat yoga studio that you just made up in your head or take pics of flower arrangements for a pretend wedding.
(v. important side note: growing up I had a guinea pig named Sweetheart and she was the best thing ever. Our neighbor-friends also had two guinea pigs that they thought were both girls until one of them got knocked up. Oops! So like all good Catholic kids, we hosted a shotgun wedding for the guinea pigs but we broke the rules and Sweetheart was the officiant).
Back to what I was saying: building your portfolio helps you learn new skillz and I'm sure there are lots of smart experts who'd tell you getting creative is good for mental health and we could all probably use a boost in that department right now, don't ya think?
Network
Some folks think I have an axe to grind against social media (only partially true, thankyouverymuch!) but I'll say this: now's a great time to treat Insta like one big happy hour mixer.
Set aside a few time blocks each week (DON'T do this daily or you'll fall down the rabbit hoooooole) with the express purpose of cruising around IG and reaching out to people adjacent to you in your space.
Is there someone who might be a great partner for a collaborative giveaway for your products? A conference you'd love to speak at or attend next year? Someone who'd be fun to co-host a webinar with? Or maybe you could just grab a Zoom coffee 1-on-1. Get creative and don't be shy!
You can also tap into Facebook groups. Set intentional time to engage in a few groups where you can be of help. Maybe your ideal clients hang there or maybe it's your peers but either way, start the conversation.
Repackage your services
You'll hear A LOT of people say "NEVER DISCOUNT!! NEVER EVER EVERRR!" and literally I swear they're freakin' always yelling in all caps about it.
Know what I say? Relax, bitches. Of course you don't want to sell yourself short and yes, we've all been doing the work to release our limiting beliefs and know our worth I mean hello, we follow Rachel Hollis so we get the message okay? But remember that part about this being unprecedented weird times? Yeah. So that's why I think it's fine to flex the rules a bit on this one.
Take a look at your services or products: is there a way you can repackage them or --yes, gasp! even offer a discount*-- that helps other humans as well as your business?
*if you're going to discount make sure it has boundaries! Give your sale an end date and communicate that it's a special offer that won't be offered again
I've seen some of the businesses I admire the most temporarily marking down their prices. It's okay. It's not forever. I even did this in my own business last week when I launched a DIY Shop to offer a couple tools for businesses to make the transition online without the hefty price tag of my 1:1 services. And know what? It feels GREAT to think outside the box and meet these new, unexpected needs in my market.
...oh yeah and along those lines, reach out to past clients
Now's a prime time to circle back with people who've purchased from you. Are they happy with their rose gold cheese grater? What other products would they love to see from you? Are they still thrilled to bits with their logo design? Do they have any questions or need help?
Slow time is the best time to nurture and deepen relationships. You never know if you pick up the phone (I hear people still use them for talking sometimes) or send a quick email you might get re-hired. If nothing else, it keeps you top of mind which could result in referrals once this shit storm is over.
Learn something new
How can you boost your skills? What could add value to your current offerings? Maybe you're a photographer and always wanted to do a deeper dive into Photoshop. Or your shop sells the best cake pops in town and you've wanted to experiment with a gluten-free version. Welp, no time like the present my friend!
Have a stack of books on your nightstand or backlog of podcast episodes? Get crackin'! The fact is, a lot of peeps start their business because they're passionate about what they do/make but skipped over the business and marketing side of things. Consider this your time for DIY Biz School, baby!
Start your email list
Dude. I could spend this entire note telling you all about why an email list is the thing you must have to build a truly sustainable business but since I top that soap box on the regular, I'll just say: FFS DO IT ALREADY. Pretty please? For me? It's not as bad as you think and you're totally capable of making this happen. Email me if you need a couple tips to get started, okay?
Get your ducks in a row
I like organization. I was Marie Kondo'ing my life before it was a thing and my Hubs knows better than to attempt helping unload groceries because I have a very particular way of organizing everything in the pantry and fridge and I will cut a bitch who messes up the system.
But I know that's not true for everyone. Using this downtime is perfect for cleaning up:
your work flows (take this next level and invest in a client management system like HoneyBook, which is literally a godsend)
your G Drive / desktop / external hard drive
canned email responses (or creating them)
your on-boarding/off-boarding process
Invest in your business
Wait. Whut. I know, I know. It seems counterintuitive to spend money right now but if you do this strategically it could pay off in big ways.
Consider online courses you may've been eyeing, or 1:1 marketing consulting to help you pivot effectively, or that mastermind that's been tempting you for months. You need to be nimble right now and getting professional support maximizes your efforts, trust me.
Whaddya think? Have enough to fill the slow time right now? Write back and let me know what I missed on this list, boo!