Whether the slow season in your business is the holidays or mid-year, there is often a slow season in every business sector. Days that aren’t full of meetings, projects, and other time-sensitive work can be the perfect time to get things done, especially those things you may have been putting off. Updating a website? Revamping social media accounts? What about attending more networking events? A slow time of year is ideal for all of these activities and more.
Running a business or building your own reputation in a career field is something that requires more care than simply coasting along. Make the most of your free time when you aren’t juggling a million assignments. Here are some great ways to utilize that slow season:
Network, Network, Network
“Use this opportunity to develop relationships with people,” Avery Blank told The Muse. “It can be difficult to get on a calendar of a successful person during the fall, winter, or spring months when conferences, holidays, and networking events are in full swing. Use your downtime to connect with people in your network. You might be surprised how welcome your invitation to grab a coffee or drink is during the less-frenetic summer when even perpetually busy people seem more relaxed.”
Developing relationships or strengthening existing relationships in a slow season can help to build or expand your business. The best way to drum up new business or grow a current one is by giving folks face time. Relying on other people in your network is a fantastic way to gather new ideas, build on current projects or find out about entirely new ones. If you’re having a slow season, as Blank suggests, other people might have the same free time you do. Send that email or make that call. Everyone needs one on one time sometimes.
Revamp Your Business
No matter what line of business you work in there is always something major on the horizon. Are you in desperate need of a website revamp? New office decor? What about implementing new software or expanding your workforce? Regardless of the project, the slow season is the opportune time to get those changes started. Without a ton of other tasks weighing you down, you can put thought into your big project to ensure it’s done right.
Figure out exactly what you’ll need to get the project done and tackle it head-on before it becomes another item pushed back down on your personal to-do list.
Rethink Your Strategies
Thanks to computer technology, there are plenty of ways to analyze all kinds of strategies. From sales to social media reach, there are numbers everywhere to dive into. Have you taken a detailed look at your numbers recently? No matter how well your business is running or how well you’re doing in your sector, there is bound to be a weak link somewhere. Do you know where it is? If not, it’s time to find out. From there you can restrategize how to best approach that issue.
Read Up
A slow season is a terrific opportunity to grow as a human being as well as a leader by expanding your knowledge. Understanding the latest research and trends in leadership can give you new insights and ways to improve your leadership skills. Even if you aren’t a manager or in a leadership position, knowing what makes a good leader will make you a better listener and member of the team. By devoting some extra time to reading, you can make your slow season your grow season.
