21. What to Do When Business Is Slow: 5 Practical Ways to Fuel Growth This Summer
- Aug 8, 2023
- 12 min read
Updated: Mar 10
If you’ve ever asked yourself what to do when business is slow, you’re probably an entrepreneur, because we all go through slow seasons in our business. As a business owner and a parent of three, I’ve learned that slower months aren’t empty months — they’re opportunities. Summer for me is a slower season, a time to travel, recharge, and quietly build momentum. But slower doesn’t mean stagnant. In this article I’ll walk you through the exact steps I take when traffic dips, inquiries thin out, or your calendar looks unusually open.
This blog answers the questions many entrepreneurs whisper when they see a hole in their schedule: what to do when business is slow, how can I grow my business while I rest, and how do I come back to a busy season stronger than before. Read on for a friendly, tactical roadmap you can use this summer — or any slow season — to reset, re-align, and get ready to scale.
If we haven't met yet, I’m Brittany, an online marketing strategist for female entrepreneurs. I teach women how to make their entrepreneurial dreams a reality through smart, actionable marketing strategies that get them seen, loved, and paid. Whether you’re eager to DIY your way to success or hire professionals to help you along the way–my goal is to make sure you walk away with the clarity you need to see the results you desire and build a life you love.
Table of Contents
Why “slow” is actually useful
Before we launch into action items, let’s change the word we use for these quieter months. Slow doesn’t mean failure. It means margin. Margin for reflection, margin for systems, margin for creativity. If you want to know what to do when business is slow, start by reframing that time as an investment window. Use it to build leverage so your busy season becomes easier and more profitable.
Here’s the mindset I use: when business is slow, I do the work I never seem to get around to during busier months. I do the strategy work, the tidy-up, and the learning that ends up saving time and generating better results later. That’s exactly the approach you’ll learn in the five areas below.
This blog follows a practical, step-by-step structure I actually use every summer. If you follow it, you’ll end with a clear plan for the rest of the year, updated systems, a refreshed public presence, and more creative energy to serve your customers. Keep a notebook or a document open while you read — you’ll want to capture action items.
You can also listen to this insights in the full episode of the Go Get Great podcast that you can listen to here:
What to Do When Business is Slow
1. Go back to the basics: revisit your business plan
When business is slow, the single most valuable thing you can do is revisit your fundamentals. Think of this as a mid-year business check-up. I call it a business plan review, and it’s where everything starts.
Actions to take right now:
Revisit your mission and values. Are you still energized by what you set out to do? If your goals don’t reflect who you are today, they won’t motivate you tomorrow.
Audit your target audience. Who are you serving? Have their needs shifted? Update your ideal client profile with specifics: demographic info, pain points, daily habits, and where they hang out online. I compiled a list of questions to help you get in touch or reconnect with your ideal clients, check it out here.
Score your goals. Re-open your New Year’s resolutions and assess progress. What’s realistic to finish by year-end? What should be postponed or retired?
Pick fewer priorities. I battle shiny-object syndrome constantly. When business is slow, practice subtraction: pick two to three priority projects and commit to them. Smaller, strategic wins beat scattered effort.
Use a planning prompt. If you get stuck, try a simple coaching prompt (I use ChatGPT as a coach): “Act as a life and business coach and ask me targeted questions to create monthly action items and milestones for the rest of the year.” Run through that conversation and record the monthly milestones it helps you create.
Why this matters: clarity reduces wasted time. When you know exactly who you’re serving and why, decisions about marketing, partnerships, and product development become much easier. This is the foundation for the rest of your summer work.
2. Conduct a mid-year money check
One clear answer to the question what to do when business is slow is: look at the money. Financial clarity is empowering, especially when leads are thin. Before starting my business I didn't know much about financial planning for businesses but these two books were incredibly insightful and I highly recommend you check them out! Profit First and The Pumpkin Plan by Mike Michalowicz.
Mid-year financial checklist:
Update your bookkeeping regularly — don’t wait for tax season. If you use QuickBooks or a similar tool, reconcile accounts and run profitability reports.
Identify your top revenue drivers. Which products or services generate the majority of income? If one or two offerings bring in 80% of revenue, consider streamlining the rest.
Trim unnecessary expenses. As you review services you no longer need, cancel subscriptions (fancy phone plans, unused webinar upgrades, or duplicate software).
Consider pricing and packaging. If you’ve been undercharging or offering too many one-off services, summer is the time to test new packages or minimum commitments.
Create a cashflow forecast for the next six months. Use conservative estimates and highlight your runway for the busy season.
How this helps your growth: financial cleanup frees up both cash and mental space. When you know where your money is going and which services actually matter, you can re-invest with confidence or reassign time to higher-impact activities.
3. Refresh your digital footprint: website, socials, and lead magnets
One of the best things to do when business is slow is polish your front door — your website and social profiles. Fresh, accurate online presence increases conversions and trust when traffic returns.
Website and public-facing checklist:
Audit your About page. Update your story, photo, and tagline so new visitors instantly understand who you are and who you serve.
Check all links and CTAs. Broken links cost trust. Test every button, form, and scheduling link, and make sure pricing and service descriptions are up to date.
Update service pages. If you’ve removed or changed services during your business plan review, reflect that on the site so expectations match reality.
Review lead magnets. Your lead magnets (free guides, checklists, templates) should align with the client journey. If someone is likely to book a discovery call after reading a lead magnet, make that path clear.
Social media refresh checklist:
Update your profile photo and bio to reflect current branding and messaging.
Audit pinned posts and story highlights. Remove outdated content and replace with recent wins, testimonials, or signature offers.
Change highlight covers if they no longer match your aesthetic or message.
Pin or save recent testimonials and case studies where people can see them quickly.
Schedule a small round of content that directs people to your refreshed lead magnets.
Learn more about updating your Instagram profile in this free guide ↓
Backend systems to tidy:
Clean up your CRM. Tag clients as current, former, prospect, or lead. Remove duplicate records and update contact details.
Review and update your welcome email sequences. Fix broken links and refresh copy so it feels personal and modern.
Refresh re-engagement sequences. People who haven’t opened your emails in a while might just need a relevant reason to come back.
Practical tip: treat this as “small wins” work. You’ll be surprised how much trust a simple profile photo update and a working scheduling link can bring.
4. Summer marketing strategy — content, collaborations, and long-form
So you’ve got clarity and tidy systems. Now, ask yourself: how can I grow my business while staying strategic and rested? The answer lives in targeted marketing that supports your updated goals.
Re-evaluate your content pillars
Start with a simple question: do my content pillars still match my business goals? If your aim is to book more discovery calls, your content should show the transformation, the client, and the path to working with you.
Typical pillars include:
Educational content — teach, don’t hard-sell.
Proof — testimonials, case studies, results.
Behind-the-scenes — humanize your brand.
Offers and CTAs — clear next steps for people who are ready.
If you’d like to shift tone (more entertaining, more technical, more personal), summer is the low-risk time to experiment and measure.
Use lead magnets as your content engine
Promote lead magnets that map directly to your services. If you offer social media strategy and email marketing, make sure you have at least one attractive lead magnet for each stream. A downloadable checklist or a short guide that promises quick wins is ideal. Swap lead magnets once a quarter or at minimum once a year to keep your list fresh.
Build and reuse long-form content
Long-form content is one of the highest-leverage things to create during a slow season. For me, podcast episodes serve as the long-form foundation. A single podcast episode can be repackaged into:
Social snippets and quote graphics
A blog post or email newsletter
A downloadable checklist or mini-guide
A webinar or workshop outline
When business slows down, record a few long-form pieces and schedule their repurposed bits across the year. Long-form content keeps your channels full without constant creation pressure.
Collaborations — multiply your reach without a bigger ad budget
Networking and collaboration are some of the smartest growth actions when business is slow. They introduce you to new audiences and often lead to referrals, joint offers, or guest spots on podcasts.
Collaboration action plan:
List five businesses that serve a similar audience without competing directly with you.
Brainstorm three collaboration ideas for each — guest podcast episode, joint webinar, bundle offer, or social takeover.
Craft a short outreach message that explains the mutual benefit and suggests a first date to chat.
Track outreach and follow-ups in your CRM so opportunities don’t slip away.
In short: do the activities that put you in front of other people’s audiences. Collaboration is marketing that feels generous and authentic.
5. Never stop learning — study, finish what you started, and plan implementation
One of the clearest answers to what to do when business is slow is: learn with intention. Education is only valuable when it’s paired with implementation. Use the slow season to finish courses you started, read business books, and plan how to apply new knowledge.
Learning action plan:
Make a short “learning list.” Pick three books or courses that will move the needle for your top priorities.
Schedule weekly learning blocks. Protect them on your calendar like client calls.
Create an implementation note for every course module or chapter you complete. If you learn a tactic, write one specific way you’ll apply it to your business.
Finish half-completed courses. The value often lies in the last modules where application is clearer.
Books and courses are great, but the real ROI comes from pairing learning with a month-by-month action plan you’ll follow. If you used a planning prompt earlier with ChatGPT, now is the time to build those monthly milestones into your calendar.
6. Take a self-care break — because creativity is your revenue
Finally, one essential, non-negotiable activity to do when business is slow is to rest. Creative work requires fuel. If your business depends on original content, ideas, or relationships, those won’t flourish if you’re burned out.
Self-care checklist for business owners:
Plan short getaways or staycations — time away doesn’t need to be long to be restorative.
Schedule tech-free or social-media-light days. I aim for periods in summer when I step back from stories and constant posting.
Get outside. I find my best ideas when I’m walking, outside the noise of notifications and deadlines.
Block time for family and hobbies. These moments often return new energy and perspective to the work you do.
Remember: taking breaks is not indulgence — it’s strategy. When business picks up, you’ll be fresher, more creative, and ready to serve more people with higher impact.
Putting it all together: a simple summer workflow
Here’s a practical weekly rhythm you can use this summer to operationalize everything above. You don’t need to do all of it every week — rotate through these priorities so you get steady progress without burnout.
Week 1: Strategy & Money
Complete a mini business plan review and set monthly goals.
Do your mid-year money check and update bookkeeping.
Week 2: Front Door Refresh
Audit website, update copy and photos, check all links.
Refresh social bios and pin a new testimonial.
Week 3: Systems & Lead Magnets
Clean up CRM and update email sequences.
Create or refresh a lead magnet and schedule promotion.
Week 4: Content & Collaboration
Record long-form content (podcast episode, video, or guide).
Outreach for collaborations and plan at least one joint activity.
Ongoing: Learning and Self-Care
Protect weekly learning blocks and schedule breaks.
Repurpose long-form content into social snippets each week.
Adjust this rhythm to match your family schedule, client load, or preferred pace. The goal is consistent progress on high-leverage areas rather than frantic multitasking.
Examples: small changes that made a big difference
Real examples help the ideas land. A few simple wins I’ve implemented during slow months that amplified results:
I used a short coaching prompt with ChatGPT as a planning partner. The tool asked clarifying questions and helped me break projects into monthly milestones. That alone made my annual plan feel achievable.
I audited my services and discovered two offerings generated the majority of revenue. By retiring three smaller services, I freed hours and reinvested them into marketing my top programs.
I recorded one podcast episode and repurposed it into five social posts, an email newsletter, and a downloadable checklist. That single piece of long-form content became content for an entire month.
I asked recent clients for Google reviews and short testimonials, then used those quotes in social posts and website banners. That social proof increased discovery call bookings noticeably.
These are small, repeatable moves. When you string them together, they change the trajectory of your business without requiring a full-time marketing team.
Measuring progress — how you’ll know the slow season paid off
Set measurable KPIs so you can see the value of your summer work. Examples:
Number of qualified discovery calls booked per month
Email list growth rate tied to a refreshed lead magnet
Conversion rate from website visits to scheduled calls
Revenue per client after changing packages or prices
Number of collaborations executed and resulting reach or leads
Track these monthly. If one item consistently underperforms, revisit it in your next slow window and tweak or retire the approach.
Answers to the questions you’ll ask
What if I don’t have enough time to follow all these steps?
Start with the highest-leverage tasks: a mid-year money check, updating your most visible CTA, and cleaning your CRM. Prioritize one marketing activity and one systems task each week. Consistency is the secret — small steps repeated beat sporadic, rushed efforts.
How can I grow my business when I’m taking a break?
You can grow your business while resting by creating long-form content that works for you, setting up automation (email sequences and lead magnets), and planning collaborations. These activities continue to attract and nurture clients even when you’re offline.
What to do when business slows down and I feel anxious?
Acknowledge the anxiety and channel it into productive, low-stress work: tidy finances, update lead magnets, or reach out to five past clients for testimonials. Also, plan short self-care activities to reset. A clear plan often reduces the anxiety significantly.
When should I update my lead magnets?
Aim to refresh a lead magnet every quarter if possible, and at minimum once a year. Swapping lead magnets regularly keeps your email list engaged and helps you attract different audience segments aligned with current offers.
Can collaboration really replace paid ads?
Collaborations won’t always replace paid ads, but they’re a cost-effective way to expand reach and build trust. Joint webinars, guest podcast episodes, and content swaps introduce you to warm audiences and often result in higher conversion rates than cold ads.
How often should I review my business plan?
Do a full business plan review at least twice a year: once at the year’s start and a mid-year check during slower months. Quick monthly check-ins on your top metrics and a quarterly review of goals will keep you on track.
Final thoughts — make slow seasons work for you
Slow seasons can feel uncertain, but they’re also fertile. When you approach them with curiosity and a plan, you’ll return to your busiest months clearer, leaner, and more confident. Remember: the work you do when business is slow sets the stage for growth.
Use this time to return to the basics, tidy your finances, refresh your online presence, create long-form content, pursue collaborations, keep learning, and take care of yourself. The slow months are the strategic margins that make the busy months sustainable.
If you want one concrete next step, pick one item from the Quick Checklist and schedule it on your calendar for the next 48 hours. Momentum builds from action, and the right small step today will pay dividends when demand returns.
Episode References
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00:00 Intro
1:37 Go back to basics
5:13 Conduct a mid-year money check
8:00 Social strategy refresh
13:26 Re-evaluating marketing
16:10 How to collaborate to grow your business
17:24 Never stop learning
19:35 Take a self-care break
21:10 Recap
22:06 Wrap up
22:34 End
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