Taking a Break WON'T Break Your Business!
Taking a break doesn't have to mean going away, a staycation can be highly rewarding as well. It might take some boundary setting such as putting your computer away or temporarily deleting your email app on your phone so you don't check your email. Experiment and see what you can do to pause and take a break from social media, email and other work related distractions.
During my break/vacation, I got very clear on what I need to do over the next few months. The clarity is a priceless, valuable gem that you can only get from removing yourself from an environment (your office, your work email, social media and other places you might hang out a lot!)
Think back about 15 -20 years ago, we didn't have smart phones and easy to access internet. Working during a vacation was actually challenging. Pretend you are in 2004, living your best life!
Are you taking some time off this summer? Do you experience a slow down in your business? It's interesting how some businesses' peak times are during the summer - like an Airbnb rental. Others businesses can be consistent throughout the year and have to plan vacations ahead of time.
I know the summer can be strange place for marketing, networking and outreach. Here's a few ideas to help you navigate until September (which I see as another New Year, people are much more likely to purchase and make big decisions).
Get involved with your community. Perhaps you can set up a booth at a local street fair or event and get some great exposure. Sometimes outreach where you can talk to potential clients in person can give you insight and hear, in their own words, what problems they are trying to solve. You can also consider sponsoring an event for exposure. See what levels different sponsorship can bring, sometimes it can pay off in dividends for months to come.
Offer a special summer sale and experiment with summertime themed content. Just about any business can use the theme of summer and tie into their services and products. If you are a health and wellness practitioner or a coach, for example, you could share recipes of seasonal foods, a natural approach to managing seasonal allergies, or start a fun challenge around how to maximize being out in nature and traveling while maintaining your mindfulness practice.
If you are having some downtime, enjoy it. This time can help you prepare launches and/or campaigns for the fall and winter. Hunker down and start planning some ideas out and think about you can cross-collaborate and promote