These are difficult times. There are no certainties at the moment. Many businesses will be facing difficulties, or at least a slow down.
I’ve had clients had to move projects out already, which is not great news for either side. You hope that it all will come back, come good.
So what do we do in the meantime?
When you feel like you can’t do anything, just do something
I think I saw that on a coffee mug. The news is terrible, the potential for recession is terrible. We could be completely overtaken by inertia.
Or we could just do some things. The things we can control, and do, without necessarily spending money, just spending time. The one thing we might have more of.
Remember when we wished for that?
45 47 things you could choose to do when business is slow
*I updated this post with 2 new ideas on 25 March, thanks to discussions with Zoe Sanders and Adam Jennings
1. Market your business. Look at what’s been working, and see if you can do more of it. See if there’s something new you can try. Never used Linkedin? Probably going to be more folks there right now.
2. Look at, and adjust, your plan. What needs to change? What’s been working? What can you drop?
3. Ask for help. You never know who might be able to step in with something.
4. Offer to help someone else out. What collaborations could you set up?
5. Reach out to past clients.
6. Learn something new. Online courses are not affected. I’m doing a great one with Akimbo, we had 277 participants from around the world on the start-up call.
7. Look at other industries. What can you learn from them? See my post about Sally’s Cottages, amazing content marketing examples that any business can learn from.
8. Network. It might have to be virtually, but can still be done.
9. Develop new things or services. If you’ve got time on your hands, then might be useful thinking time.
10. Research your competitors. What have you missed that they’re doing, or that you could do better?
11. Spend time with your friends and family. Safely of course. Do the school run. Make dinner. You have time.
12. Make time for key relationships. Might be clients, might be key suppliers, even the coffee shop owner.
13. Brush up your skills. Not sure you know how to do a pivot table in Excel? Take the time to crack it now.
14. Upgrade your environment. From just tidy your desk to paint your office.
15. Survey your customers. They might have time to complete it.
16. Take some time off.
17. Write. That blog you never have time for? Get some posts scheduled now.
18. Teach. Can you put a lesson together to deliver virtually? Share your knowledge.
19. Volunteer. Someone somewhere will need a pair of (clean) hands
20. Exercise. Back to having the time to do the things you never have time for.
21. Do your admin. As above. You have time. Sort your receipts out. Chase your invoices.
22. Gather new leads. Do some research, find the people.
23. Collaboration. Approach businesses where you think you could do interesting stuff together. Now you might all have time to discuss, and do something you might not have considered before.
24. Set new goals. The year is going to be different. What should your goals be now?
25. Ask for testimonials and recommendations. People might have time to write them.
26. Review and update older blog posts. Link them to newer content, or update older blog posts.
27. Cleanse your email list. Here’s a good guide to email list hygiene
28. Get ahead with your content. Blog posts, newsletters, social media content. Create it now.
29. Pitch your story to relevant publications. If you’re not already following #journorequest on Twitter, then I’d get on it now.
30. Approach relevant blog owners about guest posts.
31. Pitch your story for a guest appearance on a relevant podcast
32. Repackage your offer. I see lots of coaches looking at moving into one to many, virtual coaching. Needs must. What could you do?
33. Turn your blog posts into videos. Check out Lumen5 for a free starting point.
34. Turn your blog posts into podcasts.
35. Turn your podcasts into blog posts. You get the idea.
36. Create an ebook from other content. Hubspot has some great free templates.
37. Read. That pile of books and good intentions? Now’s the time. Nothing on the pile? I’ve got 5 ideas for you
38. Create new lead magnets and downloads.
39. Update your email welcome series.
40. Polish up your website. From new visuals to a tune-up, now’s a good time to do it.
41. Plan your calendar.
42. Give your technology some maintenance. Even computers need a little care.
43. Review your analytics. Know what’s been working and what hasn’t. Review and revise.
44. Promote the new stuff. There’s no point creating an ebook or new posts if you don’t tell anyone.
45. Read, comment and share other people’s stuff. Particularly other small business owners. Load the algorithm in their favour
46. Draw, knit, sew, paint, bake. All those creative pursuits you never have time for? Give yourself a creative break and indulge in them
47. Put some time into side or project passions. You never know where they might lead when you can give them a bit more time.
There are no guarantees of success
But I’d rather go down having tried stuff than done nothing. I think most of us who have chosen the route of running our own businesses are probably of similar views.
What will you start with?
What would you do? Please share your best advice
Help others out, let us know what you’ve done in the past to drum up business during a slow period. Drop a comment below.
Stay safe and well. Here’s to better times ahead.
