When business is slow it can be a great opportunity to accomplish some things that you normally don't have time for. In our stores there is always something that can be accomplished. Here are some great ideas:

1. Do Staff Training – Over time it is only natural that your staff revert back to old habits and lose some of their edge. Use this time to get them pumped back up and sharp for the rush ahead. Review your goals for customer service!

2. Send Handwritten Note Cards to Your Best Clients – You know who they are, customers like to feel appreciated and they are your best promoters. Your totally FREE marketing team!

3. Review the last quarter. – Did you make your goals? What could you have done better? What did you do right? What did you do wrong?

4. Improve your Google Reviews – This one is a real no brainer. You know who your most loyal customers are, most of them would be glad to write a review, just ask. And think of all the people who find you on the internet, your free marketing team at work again! 

5. Check in on Past Clients – Spend two hours one Sunday afternoon calling customers and asking how their experience was. You will get a lot of “Wow’s, I’ve never had the owner of a business call me before!” It’s called going the extra mile.

6. Review your Marketing Plan – You should be reviewing your marketing plan every week, but we're talking about reviewing your WHOLE plan. Are you spending your marketing dollars the most effective way possible? Any new marketing ideas that you can think of?  Will these ideas help business growth?

7. Write a Blog – It’s easy, it’s effective and it’s free. Lots of good info on the internet about why and how to write a Blog. Just remember the best bloggers say, “ The best blogs are 50% title and 50% content.”

8. Identify Areas Where You Can Start Saving Money – A very wise business friend of ours says running a successful business comes down to managing the Nickels and the Dimes. Have you ever come the end of the month and wondered where the money went? Find out! Grow your business by controlling costs. Every dollar saved is an extra dollar in your pocket!

9. Have your Floor Buffed or Walls Touched Up – Call around, you can get this done for a good price and people in this business often will do their work on off hours. Your location will be sure to look great when the crowds come back!

10. Create some Standard Reply Letters – Have you read the research lately on handwritten notes? We have letters ready to go out, some titles; Thanks for the referral, Thank you for telling us there was a problem, Sorry we messed up! Thank you for writing a Google Review. Etc. Etc.

11. Find Yourself a Peer Group – Ever hear someone say, “he’s a really good networker” ? There's lots of opportunity to become a really good networker. You can often find groups to connect to, BMI, or Business Men’s International for example, you can talk about everything business and make friends along the way.

12. Clean Out the Storage Room and Refrigerator – Need we say more?

13. Write Out a Detailed Goal’s List – List 10 things that you are going to do to make your business absolutely awesome right NOW!

14. Reach Out to Old Contacts – Talk to anyone you haven’t spoken to in awhile. Marketing contacts, vendors, business associates. Who knows, someone might have an idea for growing a business that’s working for them and it might work for you.

15. Expand Your Role and Add Value – What can you do that you would normally not do because you have someone else do it?  Do your Taxes, look at your operations and look for inefficiencies, Get the Idea? Do something! You have the time.

Studying how to grow a business during the slow times is important. So even though business may not be busy - you sure can be!

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