Summer is a time for the outdoors, for that well-deserved vacation, and with everyone out and about, it's also a time that you may notice a slowdown in demand for your products and services. So what can you do during this summer slowdown? Well, it's a great time to do the work that otherwise never gets done during the busy business year.
Here are 10 filler activities you can do while waiting for business to pick up:
(1) Write a bunch of ads, 3-liners, 4-liners, all the different formats you'll need to submit to ezines. Have a bunch to choose from, and have them ready to go so anytime you need an ad to submit, you've got a selection to pick from.
(2) If you've been publishing an ezine for some length of time now, consider giving it a breath of fresh air. Refresh old columns, inject some new content, give your formatting a new look, play around with fonts and colors, and see if you can't come up with a friendlier, more readable, more exciting ezine.
(3) Take a long hard look at your website. If you've had the same design for ages, maybe it's time to consider a facelift. While some may argue that it's unwise to change a look-and-feel that your customers have come to identify with your business, I tend to think that an all-too-familiar website can get old and boring. Not much of an incentive to returning visitors.
I'm not saying to change your design every six months, but I think a year or two would be a nice length of time to be thinking about rejuvenating your website and making it more exciting for your visitors to come back. Keep logos and navigation intact so visitors won't have to waste time learning where everything is again.
(4) Take some time out to 'meet' other netpreneurs and do some networking, both offline and online. You can either join a discussion forum or group, or set up your own (but only if you think you will have the time to manage it when summer's over and the real work begins). Networking's a great way to find out what's new, what others are doing, and what you can offer.
(5) Clean up your hard disk. You'll be surprised at what sort of junk lives in your hard disk. If you're like me, you've probably collected tons of just-in-case stuff that are just laying there waiting for the twelfth of never. Use this downtime to trash useless files, and get the useable ones organized into folders. Give these folders meaningful names so you can easily locate stuff when you need them.
(6) In a dilemma as to what files to delete permanently, and what to keep just-in-case? Back up the just-in-case files to a CD, label it and stash it away. Then delete those files off your hard disk. Now you have an archive of just-in-case files in offline storage, not taking up valuable disk space. This takes some sorting out but it's well worth the effort.
(7) Okay, let's be honest, when was the last time you defragmented your hard disk? Can't remember? And you're wondering why your PC is dragging its feet when you're in hurry? Well, guess what, it's time to do a defrag. The last defrag I did took hours, and that's because I hadn't done one in ages. If this sounds like you, I suggest you start one up just before you head out to that pool party, and by the time you get back, you should have a nice neat disk all ready to sprint into action.
(8) One major word of caution: Before you start any kind of spring-cleaning on your PC, do a backup! The reason why I'm emphasizing this is that I've been caught without a backup before and it "sure ain't where you wanna be at". At any rate, backups should be a regular thing you do, not just a summertime activity. But hey, if you've got some time on your hands this summer, by all means, do a full backup of your hard disk.
(9) Get your mailbox organized. With the amount of email we get these days, your mailbox can get pretty messy over a period of time. So while your business day's not as hectic as usual during summer, create new folders, label them meaningfully, and organize your mail where they belong. If you run several businesses, or are a member of co-ops or affiliate programs, this is a definite must-do! Once you've got your folders in place, it's easy to drag and drop your email to the appropriate folder as they come in.
(10) Okay, now that you're done with the online housekeeping, how about some offline tidying-up around your work area or home office? Get your paperwork organized into folders. Labeling them in big letters; or better yet, color-coding them makes them easier to find. Keep current folders within reach. Everything else gets stashed away into boxes out of sight until you need them.
Whatever you're doing this summer, have fun.
© 2004 Kit Lum
About The Author
Kit Lum publishes Go Get Global Ezine which features advertising services, and business and cultural resources to help small and home-based businesses grow globally. Get more FREE tips like these at http://www.Go-GetGlobal.com
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
If you're just ramping up your small business email newsletter,... Read More
I have to admit, I was curious. When I saw... Read More
Who is responsible for maintaining the business relationship?Nurturing a business... Read More
When it comes to cost, how much can you afford... Read More
Image of your franchise automotive outlet is so important. Some... Read More
So there I was ? sitting in the audience of... Read More
Here is an interesting case study of a company, which... Read More
Why give freebies?We have all seen freebies at trade shows... Read More
To get approval for your small business loan application, you... Read More
There are both fixed and mobile detailers. Consumers often will... Read More
The Workers' Compensation situation in this country is unbelievable. Why,... Read More
Owning a business is a challenging endeavor. If you're like... Read More
What's your job profitability? Do you know?Many business owners are... Read More
Q: A friend told me that as a woman of... Read More
I frequently give presentations at small business gatherings, providing me... Read More
1. There Are No "gimmes" ? They count two-foot putts... Read More
When you feel like you're always busy working on your... Read More
How do you find groups that are in need of... Read More
I meet and talk to hundreds and hundreds of business... Read More
"Order Now!" "Your Business Will Fail If You Don't Have... Read More
You're a small business owner with a hot new product... Read More
What unspoken message are you sending your clients and customers?... Read More
The home-based business market, sometimes called the SOHO (small-office/home-office) market,... Read More
One of the biggest fears people have about starting a... Read More
How careful are you with the data you collect from... Read More
What is Business Valuation? The term business valuation is the... Read More
Remember those drawings from science class of how a lever... Read More
Take advantage of world politics today and start your own... Read More
Do you know what your genius work is? It's the... Read More
IntroductionIt is widely recognised that Email and the Internet is... Read More
Here are some useful tips on what to consider before... Read More
The Federal Trade Commission out of the blue decide in... Read More
WHEN you are operating or planning a small business that... Read More
Why? Because they have access to world class public relations... Read More
If you own a small business, you should know that... Read More
It is most fascinating to study how entrepreneurs spot opportunity... Read More
We very much like what we see in Lubbock, TX... Read More
When working properly, computers enable small businesses to make big... Read More
In my previous article, Step 1, your challenge for the... Read More
Many businesses offer small business franchise opportunities. There are many... Read More
Franchisors of home based and mobile businesses need to carefully... Read More
When you awoke this morning, you found yourself buzzing with... Read More
During the 1980 presidential campaign, candidate Ronald Reagan vowed, if... Read More
How many "get rich schemes" have you joined? Or have... Read More
TACTIC #1 -- Never simply slash your prices, unless you're... Read More
Many of us have noticed how some nearby communities seem... Read More
North County San Diego has had some significant growth, and... Read More
Would you rather have one good client paying you five... Read More
Those who are in the pressure washer business should not... Read More
Why are we over regulation the franchising industry, what purpose... Read More
Pet Transportation Services are needed as the number of pets... Read More
How to do itPeople skim through newspapers and magazines and... Read More
The following are six essential skills to business success. You... Read More
What are the benefits of using a Freelance Consultant /... Read More
Whether you operate a chain of restaurants, a mom-and-pop convenience... Read More
Whether it has been thrust upon you by external market... Read More
Before you read any further in this article, I'd like... Read More
You're pretty proud of yourself! After all, only four months... Read More
Here is an interesting case study of a company, which... Read More
Why do you need an account plan?When you first decide... Read More
If you've been considering incorporating your small business, you've probably... Read More
Small businesses need Public Relations, possibly more than large corporations,... Read More
Franchisor expansion policies are not as simple as one might... Read More
You may find this Newsletter a little long winded but... Read More
The difference between rates and wages is not always clear... Read More
On Monday the Department of Corporations in California revoked franchise... Read More
Small Business |