5 Things a child knows about the Summer sales dip that you don’t.
Work, work, work. That’s what so many of us do isn’t it? We work really hard, putting in the effort and the hours and then, despite our best efforts, during August a lot of our businesses just slow down. Everyone is either on holiday or talking about their holiday. There are fewer paying clients around and, unless your business offers something seasonal, the chances are that this is a quiet time of year and your sales drop.
That leaves you with 2 choices – keep plugging away (not necessarily a bad choice by the way) or accept what is happening and try to think more like a child. After all, they are experts at what to do during their long summer holidays. Here are 5 suggestions to get you thinking about what you are going to do this August.
One: Everyone needs a break
My children spend their entire school year thinking forward to their next holiday. Do you? We all need down time so surely the most sensible time to have a rest is when business is a bit slower anyway. It doesn’t necessarily have to be an expensive foreign trip either. Explore your local area, take time out to go for walks or visit exhibitions. Just break that routine and do something new. Even just taking time out to watch a bit more TV or go to the gym will recharge your batteries.
Two: We work to live, not live to work
The whole point of work is to enable us to do the things we want. Yes of course we have to do the mundane things like pay the bills and eat, but if your work/life balance is too far out of kilter, it’s just not healthy. So what are your passions, your hobbies, the things you would just like to try? Having a break refreshes you, it inspires you and it gives you new enthusiasm for life. Ask a child what they like to do and the chance are that they are not going to talk about practising English Grammar or learning the Periodic table; instead they will tell you about how they like to dance, or paint, or go fishing or play football. You get the idea – give yourself a chance to do the things you love.
Three: Keep working, but change your routine
My children hate to be told to read a book because it is ‘given’ to them at school, but allow them the choice of book and they can read for hours. So perhaps use this quiet time for reflection, for restrategising, for sorting out your marketing, your processes, your website or invest in your personal development by undertaking training or engaging a business coach. These are the sorts of things you can’t do when it is super busy because you have too many pressures on your time, but they are important for the growth of your business and they will refresh you.
Four: Have you been putting off lots of jobs?
My son’s bike needed some work doing and he spent the first few days of the holidays fixing it up. Now he can ride it and, instead of feeling frustrated because he felt trapped at home, he is now liberated and independent. What’s your equivalent thing that needs fixing or should have some work done on it? What is frustrating you and preventing you doing something important to help your business move forward? Perhaps you need to write new content, design a new programme, update the pictures on your website or create some new marketing materials. Quite quickly, paying attention to a few key issues could leave you feeling a lot lighter and more prepared for the autumn when things pick up again.
Five: It’s a time for new memories and new people
When I finally drop my children back at school in September, they are fizzing with excitement to share their experiences over the summer holidays – places they have been, people they have met, new things they have tried. So if you follow the steps outlined above, you will probably feel similar. You can talk about your great new website, the new things you have planned for the end of the year, the terrific contacts you made on a course, the freedom you are feeling because you automated a system. Just like a school child, you will feel ready to start afresh.
Janet Efere is an award-winning sales trainer and coach based in Enfield, north London. Click here if you would like more information about working with Janet.
Janet has just published a book “Small Business Sales Dilemmas” (50 real life case studies to help you sell more). Click here for the link