NEW YORK - Attention small-business owners: It's time to get ready for the summertime slowdown.
Business slows down a bit in the summer as people head away to take vacations. But that doesn't mean you should flip the sign on the door to "closed," pull out the bikinis and swim trunks and head to the beach until Labor Day. True, taking out some time to hang out with friends and family to enjoy the better weather is a great idea (check out suggestion No. 6 below). But, the more relaxed summer months are also a good time for company owners to step back and take steps to improve their businesses.
If you don't own a seasonal business such as an ice cream or surf shop that gets busier when it heats up, here are six things most small- business owners can do this summer to set themselves up for a profitable end to the year.
Grow your network
Get out of the office and meet new people. "All my business leads and clients came from networking and word of mouth," says Jennefer Witter, the CEO and founder of the Boreland Group Inc., a public relations firm that represents small businesses and real estate developers.
Go to a conference or networking event, and don't be afraid to start conversations. "Turn to the person to your right and say 'isn't this a great organization or event,"' says Ms. Witter.
Take advantage of people's lighter summer schedules. Email or call potential clients and see if they are willing to grab a coffee with you. If there's someone in your industry that you have always wanted to meet, take them out to lunch, they're more likely to say yes in the summer, says Ms. Witter.
If you are chained to your desk, improve your digital networking. Connect with people you want to get in front of on social networking websites such as LinkedIn and Facebook. Just make sure you keep your business accounts separate from personal ones.
Update your website
First, if you don't have a website, it's time to build one. "People will Google you before they call you," says Melinda Emerson, who consults with small businesses on their social media strategies. Websites such as Weebly.com and Yola.com let you create basic websites for free. If you don't want to be bothered with doing it yourself, hiring a developer to create a simple website shouldn't cost more than $1,500, says Ms. Emerson.
For those who already have a site, make sure it's simple to navigate. The address and phone number for the business should be easy to locate, says Ms. Emerson.
And the website must be readable on mobile devices. "People are traveling, and there will be new people in your town who have never been there before," says Ms. Emerson. "If they can't find you on a mobile device, you are toast." Ask your Web developer to make it mobile-device ready.
Assess your goals
By the summer, you should know if your business is on track to reach its goals for the year. Take out the list of goals and plans you wrote down at the beginning of the year and make sure you are sticking to them, says Brian Moran, founder of Brian Moran & Associates, a consultancy that works with small-business owners.
Get staff on track
Give your employees a break from daily duties, and train them one-on-one. Love and Quiches, a dessert and baked goods seller, brings the company's salespeople, who are scattered around the U.S., to its Freeport, N.Y. headquarters. Vice President Joan Axelrod schedules two days to talk to each of them about how they can reach their goals for the rest of the year - and help correct any mistakes. "July and August are do or die time," says Ms. Axelrod.
Automate your business
Putting aspects of your business on autopilot can save time and money. For example, if your website lets potential customers email you to ask for an estimate, set up your email so that it automatically responds with a list of rates, says Carrie Wilkerson, a business consultant and author.
Chances are the email program you're already using allows for automation, says Ms. Wilkerson. Use the slower summer months to read your email program's instructions or watch tutorials on YouTube. You can also use the automation function to email coupons or information about sales or new products, says Ms. Wilkerson. This will free up a person from having to do it manually.
Get away from it all
Getting small-business owners to take a break is hard, but getting away will recharge your batteries and help you work better. Go on a trip, have a picnic or just stay home a few days and read a book that has nothing to do with your industry.