During the summer, business slows down for many entrepreneurs. People are away on holiday, they’re spending more on activities so might be cutting down on costs elsewhere, and they’re just not online as much. Before you start panicking, here’s are some ideas for what to focus on when business is quieter than usual.
1. AUDIT YOURSELF
Before you put the quieter period down to the season, make sure nothing’s gone wrong in your business itself. If you’re selling the same products and services as usual, you’ve checked there’s nothing wrong with your site, and others in your industry are feeling the same, it’s probably not just you!
2. FOCUS ‘ON’ YOUR BUSINESS
You probably spend most of your time dealing with the day-to-day of running a business. Use this period to focus on the bigger picture, and take a look at the things you usually don’t prioritise. Check your accounts are in order, reach out to new connections, and spend some time refreshing your website copy or social media templates.
3. Learn a new skill
Either pick something you’d enjoy for fun, or go with a skill that would benefit your business. Maybe you’ve always wanted to dive into another area of marketing but just haven’t had the time. Maybe you think Pinterest would work wonders for your business, but you haven’t had the money to outsource. Try it out yourself, and put your time to good use.
4. Look after your mental health
If it lasts a while, dips in business can be demotivating and affect our mental health. Try to keep yourself motivated by reading over great feedback from happy customers, speaking to others in the same boat, and remembering that every business goes through a quiet period sometimes.
5. Take a break
There’s nothing worse than feeling close to burnout when business is going great. Instead, nip burnout in the bud by enjoying a proper break during your business’ downtime. If you can’t get away, head out for some day trips, try wild swimming, or meet a friend in a nearby town for a change. Most importantly, work on filling up your cup. When everything picks up again, you’ll be glad you did!
Do you have any nuggets of wisdom when it comes to staying focused when your business is quiet? Let us know on Instagram at @foundflourish!
Phoebe Dodds
About your author
Phoebe is Found & Flourish’s resident Business blogger, she is London-born and Frankfurt-, Paris- and Amsterdam-raised. Combining her Master’s degree in Entrepreneurship with 10 years writing for international publications, she’s the founder of BURO155 and Wellby, helping female entrepreneurs achieve their business goals through strategic online content. Phoebe is also a writer, and has written for outlets including the Huffington Post, the Guardian, the Next Web, For Working Ladies and Restless Magazine.
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