How to Stay Productive During the Slow Season: 10 Tips for Small Business Owners

As a small business owner, the slow season can be challenging. You know what I mean by slow season… the long winter months stuck indoors after the holiday season when no one has extra money to spend at your small business. With fewer customers and less revenue coming in, it's easy to feel like you're stuck in a rut that you’ll never get out of. It can be hard to stay positive and see the light ahead because it can feel like the end of your business. We understand wholeheartedly how tough this season can be, but we promise it’s worth it to hang in there.

This downtime can actually be a valuable opportunity to recharge, regroup, and prepare for the busy season ahead. Here are some tips we’ve gathered over the years to help you stay productive and make the most of the slow season:

Reflect and Review
Set Goals
Improve Your Skills
Update Your Website and Social Media
Connect with Customers
Organize Your Workspace
Plan and Develop New Products
Run A Sale or Promotion
Network with Other Business Owners/Community Leaders
Take Care of Yourself

If you’re the type of person who hates scrolling forever just to find the hidden recipe buried at the end of a web page, this is for you. I put the list up at the top and went more in depth below for those interested. Keep reading to read more about each of the 10 tips.

Reflect and Review

Take this time to reflect on the past year. What worked well? How can you expand on those efforts? What could have been improved? Review your business plan and make any necessary adjustments or updates.

Empty Tables with Goals for the Year by Kiersten Williams on Pexels.

I try to take time to reflect after each market event and at the end of each month. I look at the trends and the number of each item sold during each period. If I notice something just isn’t selling like it used to, I’ll make the decision whether or not to discontinue it and clearance it out until the last sell, remove it from my market booth to make room for something new and keep it online only, or a different plan entirely.

Set Goals

You likely already have business goals, but you can utilize the slow season to set new goals for your business. Whether it's increasing sales, expanding your product line, or improving customer service, having clear goals can help keep you focused and motivated.

Improve Your Skills

Take advantage of online courses, webinars, or workshops to improve your skills or learn something new. This can help you stay ahead of the competition and position your business for success.

HubSpot Academy is an incredible free resource I love to use to gain knowledge and certifications that can help market my business. I have personally gotten their Inbound Marketing and Content Marketing certifications and I am currently working on my Social Media Marketing certification.

I am using the slow season to expand upon some of my skills like crocheting, punch needling, graphic design, and more. Each month I’m practicing a new skill in hopes of growing a little in each.

Update Your Website and Social Media

Use the slow season to update your website and social media profiles. This could include refreshing your content, updating your images, or improving your SEO.

This is a big one for me. There are a lot of products that I don’t have listed online yet because I’m lacking in the photo department. I need to spend this time taking product photos to get all of my products listed to ensure I’m not missing any potential sales.

Person in Beige Long Sleeve Shirt Using Macbook Pro by cottonbro studio on Pexel

Connect with Customers

Social media is a great way to make connections with your followers and other brands. Post interactive polls, ask for opinions, post interactive stories, behind the scenes content, host giveaways, etc. There are many ways to connect with your followers and (potential) customers

I usually try to take a little bit of time each day interacting with other brands on social media because I know how important engagement is to a small business. Chances are when you interact with someone continuously, they will start interacting with your posts, too.

Organize Your Workspace

A clean and organized workspace can help improve productivity. Use the slow season to declutter your office and create a more efficient work environment.

I feel like I am constantly rearranging my workspace to figure out what works best for my needs. Because my needs change over time, I find this an incredibly important task. It’s easy for my materials to become cluttered and unorganized so taking time to figure out where things should go helps greatly.

Plan and Develop New Products

Person Holding White Stylus by Jess Bailey Designs on Pexels

Take this time to use those products that have done well in the past and expand upon them. Are stickers a top seller for you? Spend some time drafting out new ideas and when you’re going to launch them.

I have a running document that I use to help me plan new products and goals for each month. I start with a monthly theme and expand from there. For example, Earth Day is in April so April’s theme will be about loving and caring for the earth. I know that the products I should be working on for that month should somehow reflect that theme. This helps me continue to put out new products without having to come up with them on the spot.

Run Sales and Specials

By offering sales and other promotions, your chance of earning some money during this slow time is increased. A lot of times people are interested in your product but it’s just not in their budget so they will wait for it to go on sale before they can purchase it. I’m not saying run and do a 75% off sale, but offer what you can without cutting into the price it takes to make/produce each item.

I have a ton of “imperfect” polymer clay earrings that I’m going to run a clearance flash sale on soon. I’ll post what I have and allow people to comment “sold” to purchase. These types of sales happen often on social media and people seem to be really interested in them. I’ve done this a few times before and have had success so maybe this could be something that works for you.

Network with Other Business Owners/Community Leaders

During slow season, try to attend local events, webinars, join groups and meet up with people with similar goals and interests. Maybe you could help each other grow in ways like a partnership, sharing each others’ social pages and website, etc.

Take Care of Yourself

Self Care Isn’t Selfish Signage by Madison Inouye on Pexels

Finally, don't forget to take care of yourself. Use the slow season to rest and recharge so you can come back refreshed and ready to tackle the busy season. Don’t stress or beat yourself up if you’re not busy 100% of the time because that’s just not healthy. Do what you can when you can and go from there.

According to a study by the American Psychological Association, 61% of adults say that managing stress is important, but only 35% say they are doing an excellent or very good job at managing stress. This number should be much higher. Make sure you’re taking care of yourself today and every day.

Remember, the slow season is just a temporary lull in business. By staying productive and proactive, you can position your business for long-term success.

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