Summertime: Steps To Success

Ah, summer. A time for picnics and pools. Seaside and sunshine. But for many small businesses, summer means fewer people calling, coming through the door, clicking on your Web site. And it’s harder to reach that all-important prospect because they’re on vacation.

Don’t just drown your worries in another margarita (I’ll take mine on the rocks with salt, thank you very much …). I’ve got nine ways to make the most of this summer to grow your business.

Of course, for some businesses, summer is high season. If you serve a vacation market or are in production for holiday sales, this may be your busiest time. If summer is your busy season, your main focus is to maximize your income now — and, like a squirrel, make sure you’re tucking away reserves for the winter.

But for most small companies, business slows during the summer, presenting challenges. In my company, for example, we get a significant portion of our sales from the academic market, so summer has always been a difficult time for our cash flow.

I’m convinced you can turn the summer of 2009 into one of your most productive ever. And I’ve come up with nine steps to make your summer a business success:

1. Develop your fall marketing plan. Be ready to hit the ground running when your customers are ready to start buying again. Figure out your strategy; work on your marketing materials; line up trade shows, sales calls, and advertising. Beat your competition to the best prospects after Labor Day.

2. Start social networking. Oh sure, you’ve heard about blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, but you’ve been too busy to come up to speed. Use these slower summer months to learn about these important sites and to launch your company’s social networking marketing.

3. Hire a summer intern. They’d be great to help you with your social networking. After all, they’re tweeting all the time. And no, it’s not too late to find a good intern — especially with so many college students still looking for work.

4. Build your customer (and prospect) database. Most small businesses do a lousy job of keeping track of their past and current customers. After all, it takes time to enter all those names and contact info into a computer program (let alone all the business cards you’ve collected at networking events). But you need that info to be able to market effectively. Remember, a past customer is your most likely prospect for future purchases and referrals. Get that info into digital form!

5. Start an e-mail newsletter. Once you’ve got your customers’ info in a database, it’s pretty darn easy to start a regular e-mail newsletter which are an effective and affordable way to stay in touch. Online companies that make it a snap, such as Constant Contact or VerticalResponse.

6. Take on a project you keep delaying. We all have a “wish list” of projects we’d like to take care of some day. Summer’s a good time to take care of at least one.

7. Learn something new. In a small business, you are the most valuable asset. So improve your personal worth. Take a class or seminar. Watch some online webinars.

8. Call on customers and referral sources still at their desks. Not everyone is going away this summer. Now might be a good time to take that important customer to lunch or dinner — even if you have to fly to meet with them.

9. Take a break. I’m a big believer in vacations; I think they help you get perspective on your life and business and recharge your batteries. Even if you can’t get away, take time for exercise, a trip to the beach, to be with your family and friends.

For a small-business person, summer can be both productive and enjoyable. Happy summer!

Rhonda Abrams is the author of “Six-Week Start-Up” and “What Business Should I Start?”