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Don’t Get Derailed By Downtime

10 Ways To Keep Your Momentum Going
By Mindy Charski

It’s the new year, and with it, business owners hope, come busy days ahead.

Of course, there will likely be some slow periods, too. Rather than dread these downtimes, plan to use them to your advantage.

“A slowdown in business can actually be a great thing because it gives you the opportunity to ramp up for an even better future,” says Dan Coughlin, author of “Accelerate: 20 Practical Lessons to Boost Business Momentum” (Kaplan Publishing, 2007).

Indeed, a temporary drop in customer requests means there’s more time to spend on endeavors that can improve your business. Here are some to consider.

1. Enhance Your Brand
Coughlin suggests business owners ask themselves:

• What makes their products or services effective for customers?
• What is effective about the way they deliver value for customers?
• What value do people perceive they get from the business?

Business owners should then ask how they could improve in each area.

“Write down your answers,” Coughlin says. “You now have a to-do list of what to do when times are slow.”

2. Polish Your Marketing
Think about whether you’re targeting your message to the right people and reaching them through the best, most cost-effective vehicles.

“Look at where your customer base has come from,” says Angie Mohr, author of “Finance &...