14 Things to Do When Business Gets Slow
So you’ve reached a lull in your work and you are looking for things to keep you busy and keep your business moving ahead. We’ve got some great ideas for you on how to stay productive when business seems to be slowing down.
14 Things to Do When Business Gets Slow
1. Get cold.
You probably have business cards laying around somewhere in your office. Go walk the streets and hand out those puppies! (Bonus points if you hand out real puppies.) Never turn down an opportunity to network with people. Even if they don’t need your help, getting to know them can help spread awareness about your company. So, put on your smile! If don’t have time to cold network (if that’s a real phrase), make some cold calls, cold emails, cold pitches, etc. Just start taking active steps to promote your name.
2. Attend an event.
Speaking of networking… Take (or create) an opportunity to network! Attend an expo or charity event and start making connections with people. You can never have too many connections.
3. Send thank you notes.
Head to your favorite stationary store and purchase a few cards. It is time to write an old-fashioned Thank You card. Take a minute to reach out to your current clients to let them know you appreciate doing business with them. They may even thank you for your Thank You by spreading a good word about your business.
4. Check in with past clients.
Whether it be writing a Thank You or just writing a normal email, checking in with past clients can be a great way to continue a business relationship. See how they are doing with their marketing and find out if they are continuing to use some of the resources you helped them with. Before you say goodbye, collect a testimonial from them…
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5. Retrieve and compile client testimonials.
Look through that list of past and present clients and give them a ring (not a diamond ring, but a phone call ring — business is slow! You have to be thinking frugally.) Find out why they loved working with you and have them write out a testimonial. You can also return the favor to them and write a little blurb for them, too. If you don’t have anything relevant to say about their company, offer to write a “review” or “reference” for someone in that company you worked closely with and post it to that individual’s LinkedIn profile.
6. Write a press release.
But, seriously, when is PR ever a bad route to take? Find something interesting to say about your company and get writing!
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7. Rewrite your About Us page.
We’ve got help for you on that in this blog post right here.
8. Update your website.
Since you are on your website editing that About Us page, why not go ham on the rest of the site? Find ways to make your website more user friendly. Edit your blog posts so that they are optimized for search engines. More on that here. Just do what you can to make your site relevant and helpful for your clients and potential clients!
Related Posts: How to Write an About Us Page for Your Website, Misconceptions About Building a Website
9. Create freebies.
With that new and improved website, you are going to need some fabulous giveaways to go with it! Create a PDF organizer or a personalize-able social media calendar for your clients to fill out. People love free things.
10. Do pro bono work.
Speaking of freebies… Doing pro bono work is a great way to network, and it can give you a chance to be creative and recharge those creative juices.
11. Rebrand.
It may be time for you to do some rebranding for your business. Perhaps you can change up your logo or business cards (and then you’ll have more for cold calling!). Keep your business looking fresh and relevant, but don’t lose your brand’s voice.
Related Post: How to Use Color Psychology in Marketing
12. Research away.
Figure out why business is slow by reading up on some articles, or do research on something totally different. Read a book on social media. Anything. Just keep learning.
13. Host a web event.
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14. Get active on social media.
Reply to comments or comment on other people’s posts. It’s called social media for a reason — get social!
There is so much that you can do to stay busy and progressive even when business is getting slow. Keep trucking through, and make the most of the time that you have while you have it! If you any questions or need marketing support, reach out to us. We are happy to help!