Has Business Been Slow Lately?

So it hasn't been too busy lately... April was tax month and the kids are getting ready for summer break. Your business wasn't as busy as you had hoped and you don't know what to do?

Well the knee-jerk reaction that I have observed from small mom-and-pop shops to large corporations is to create fewer promotions, try to save money and start cutting back. BIG NO NO, don't do this! As a marketing guru, I can tell you that the last thing you want to do is slow the marketing/promotions and publicity. In fact, you want to increase your visibility, continue to promote yourself/your business. This is the time to tackle the hump and grow your following.

KEEP PERFORMANCE UP WHILE BUSINESS IS DOWN
Take a moment to analyze what is happening. Are your reviews less than stellar? What can you do to improve service, products, perception? 

Some FREE TIPS
When taking a look at why business has slowed, also make sure to review what you are doing, what's working and what isn't.
1) Verify your pages - if you are on social media take a moment to verify and claim your pages. This includes Google, Yelp, Facebook and etc. The verification process is simple you click claim, they call or email you, you enter a pin number and now you can manage/oversee that site. 
2) Review Reviews - it may hurt a little, but read your reviews from guests. They are voicing their opinion and sometimes they might hit on something you didn't know about and can be improved upon. Often guests are too shy to tell you if something is wrong in person, so they use social media to vent and share/overshare. Once you have claimed your sites you can also respond to negative reviews. Apologize, invite them back, let them know you are acting on their feedback.
3) Invite Influencers - Choose a select number of people whom you respect and are active on social media, in the community and can help spread the word about your business. Have them come visit you, share some food and drink with them. Keep it casual, social and fun. This is one way to expand your reach and at fairly little cost. 
4) Brand Awareness - You know what your brand is, but do others know what it is? If you showed a random person on the street your logo and asked them if they had seen it before and knew what it was; what would they say? If the majority have no clue and don't know what you are/do then you might want to consider a branding seminar, rebrand or publicity campaign. Major and iconic brands like McDonalds and BMW bring forth a clear and understandable brand. What's yours and what do you want people to know about you/your business? 

In the end, we all want to make more money. One thing to understand is to make money you also need to spend money. Invest in yourself, your business and your goals. My point being if you are seeing hard times and business isn't where you want it to be take a moment to focus on your business, improve and hit your goals harder. YOU CAN DO IT! 

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