My wise grandfather told me that it is easy in the good times, but it is the people that can keep their wits in the down times that will do the best in business and in life. As we are heading into a time when many feel a recession is on the way, and the price of gas Worldwide is increasing, I think many will feel the pinch of these down times. What will be important is how we as business and website owners handle these times. So I want to ask you, do you have a plan for what you will do should you encounter a down time?
So we have to think about what we can do to make the most of our situation. Thinking back to my grandfather’s time, and the Great Depression, the people with friends who helped each other through the tough times did better. People also learned how to “make do” with the little they had. There is lot that people can give thanks for having, including their friends, and their healthy well being. Could this be a time to get closer with friends and help each other?
Another thing that can happen when times are slow is we have less work to do! Maybe fewer orders are coming in, or fewer customers are calling on us for help. This may be a blessing for us, because we now have time to recreate our business, and who we are! If there is more time available, we can do things like:
– get more organized
– call contacts that we haven’t spoken with in a long time
– take a look at some projects we had planned in the past, but never had time to complete until now
– get more training in the skills we lack, and much more!
Could there be an opportunity for us to make improvements if more time is available?
Trimming costs can be another item worth examining in a slow time. Are we paying too much for hosting? Is it time to consolidate. Are there expenses that are really unnecessary? For example, maybe there is an advertising campaign that is not bringing in orders that needs to be ended or revised in some way. Are we purchasing services that we just don’t need anymore? Maybe it’s time to start clean house and get a fresh slate!
Or maybe rather than trimming costs, we are not spending money in the right places. Do we need to start advertising more aggressively? Sometimes we get so caught up in fulfilling orders, and managing our business that we fail to advertise, and set ourselves up for a “no growth” situation. Maybe it is time to start thinking about how we can increase the number of people that know about us, and advertise to some segments that don’t know about us yet.
And what about our own personal time? Are we sitting in front of the computer too long, and “spinning our wheels”? Maybe it is time to get out and start making contacts in our local area. With all this time we spend in front of the computer, surely we know a lot of things that others do not. There may be people out in the community that rarely use a computer, and if they do, it is to view the news or check email. Maybe you are the person they have been needing to talk to for a long time!
So, in closing, if your business is a little slower right now, maybe it is time to smile and rejoice about this great opportunity! The down times can truly define a person, and how they handle these times can make all the difference in the World. That is what my grandfather told me, and somehow, I think his wisdom can help us now. I look forward to hearing from others about how they are now exciting about these great times ahead!