20 Activities for Quiet Business Days
You don't have to stop when business is slow.
Is business slow? Are the orders just not coming in? Don't be downhearted! There's plenty of things you can do during this quiet time to grow and improve your business. Here are some ideas:
Organise your desktop
You know you've been meaning to do it for ages! Organise your folders and files, and bask in organised heaven for the rest of the week.Plan and draft blog posts
Planning, drafting and creating a backlog of create content is a great way to use your time. You'll thank yourself for it later!
>> Download a free blogging checklist <<Write a whitepaper or brochure
Do you find yourself having to explain your service or process over and over again to customers? Why not write a document that gets it all out in the open, and add a download link on your website or blog.Create a presentation
Include slides to talk about your business background, what you offer and how your product/service can benefit others. Or create a presentation just about a specific product or process and how to use it/how it works. Upload it to SlideShare and your LinkedIn page!Create a video or animation
Slightly more complicated than a presentation, but well worth it for engagement purposes! Videos do much better on social media than images.Revisit your website copy
Go through all the pages of your website and make sure that all information is up to date. Even if it is, think to yourself how it could be improved.Sort out your inbox
Another tiresome task that you always put at the end of your to-do list, but you'll thank yourself for it later when you have a beautiful clean inbox!Revisit old blog posts
Much like revisiting old website copy, going through your old blog posts can be a good way to keep things up to date and ensure they are all on-brand.Learn something new
What better way to spend your free time than to learn a new skill? YouTube is full of tutorials for all sorts of things, and you might find something you seriously enjoy or can make money from!Write a Marketing Plan
Your business needs a plan on how to promote your products/services - get all your ideas down onto paper!
>> Sign up & get your free Marketing Plan template <<Write a Business Plan
A business plan is a great idea for any growing business. You may need to show this to investors or partners in the future, but more than anything, it serves as a great reference for yourself.Brainstorm ideas
You're normally too busy doing day-to-day business activities to think about the bigger picture, so take this time to consider where you want your business to go, and ways to get it there!Do something creative
Sometimes the best way to get the ideas flowing is to start getting creative. Do something with your hands, like painting, drawing or cooking, and soon you'll find the ideas come flooding in.Revisit all files/documents/collateral
Are all your promotional materials up to date? What about your every day files like contracts or email templates? How can you improve them and make them more engaging for your customers?Write thank you notes to clients
A hand-written thank you note does not go amiss. Let your old customers know you're still around and thinking of them, and you never know what will come out of it.Schedule your social media updates
You might normally be too busy, and just do this on an adhoc basis, but taking the time to research great content and schedule your updates on Facebook or Twitter is a great way to grow your following.
Find out more ways to up your Twitter game.Prepare your social media or blog photos
When do you ever get the time to take glamorous Instagram photos on normal days? Take some time to build a backlog to use when you're busy again.Do a competitor analysis
Conduct a competitor analysis to better understand your place in the market, and find areas where you can take advantage of weaknesses or gaps!
>> Find out how & get a free Competitor Analysis worksheet! <<Contact old clients for testimonials/case studies
Is your website lacking in solid proof of what you do? Get some testimonials and case studies from previous clients and show of your skills.Network with influencers in your niche
Take some time to find out who the influencers are in your niche, send them a Tweet, or better yet, an email, telling them why you admire their work and if they've got any tips for you. Make friends & get connected.