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It’s that time of year again! Spring is around the corner. Following soon afterward that is summer, and summer (for some online businesses) is known for the summer slump.
The summer slump is a when you may see a dip in website traffic and sales because people are out on vacation and enjoying the weather. It may also be harder to reach prospects and clients because they’re out and about doing other things. Your employees may even be a bit less engaged.
Summer can be a frustrating time for growth. However, preparing in advance can help you ride out the slow season productively.
Squirrel Away Cash
A business owner should always have an emergency fund in case the money stops coming in. Think about topping up your emergency fund to fall back on if product sales slow down or if website traffic takes a hit. This way you won’t have to scramble for ways to make extra money. Scrambling to make quick money in desperation to make up for a loss can stress you out and can be bad for business.
Plan to Work on Time-Consuming Projects
The summer is a great time to focus on projects that you can’t do during the busy season. Maybe you want to audit your website content, you want to create new information products, or you need to improve a few business systems. Devote time in the summer to these projects so you can launch them before the busier months.
Opt-in freebies and sales funnels specifically are two areas of business to consider working on. Setting up these processes can be time consuming. A quiet period in business will give you some time to flesh out your processes.
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Focus on Seasonal Content
Seasonal content on your social media platforms and website could help your traffic stay strong throughout the summer months. Have a brainstorm session to think about different blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest posts that you could put out during the warm months. Posts about travel, vacations, entertaining kids for summer break, and going back to school are topics that tend to do well in the early and late summer.
Schedule in Some “You Time”
Be careful not to stress or obsess about your business and analytics during the summer. I’ve obsessed over analytics a summer or two and it didn’t lead to better results.
Step away from the computer. Plan your own trip or vacation. Go outside and enjoy the weather. Periods when business slows down are the perfect time to decompress and get inspiration. You may come back to the office with new and fresh ideas when you’re away from the everyday minutia of business.
Final Word
Summer for some online businesses and bloggers can be a frustrating time. Don’t let it get you down. Prepare for a potential decrease in business by putting some cash away. Think about different projects that you can work on while business is slow, consider whipping up some seasonal content, and make sure to take some time off.