Home
>
Top Quick Tips
>
Surviving When Clients Arent Rolling In

Surviving When Clients Arent Rolling In

As the holiday season starts to settle in, the workload for many Micro-Businesses can slow down.

Service-based businesses in particular consider this a slow time of the year. But, in reality, it's a great time for us to step back and reconsider the direction of our businesses.

Here is our top 10 list of "to do" items to get your business ready for next year:

1. Catch up on Correspondence
Respond to or file any and all business correspondence. This includes snail mail, voice mail, and e-mail. This would also include invoices, bills, and business leads. Make sure that you are organized and ready for after the holiday season.

2. Make Major Business Purchases
Research those business purchases you've been considering for awhile. Now, you can divert some of your attention away from clients to concentrate on these items. Invest in yourself and your business with computer software upgrades, training, workshops or Web site updates and improvements. You might be able to get some good deals and deduct the purchases off this year's taxes.

3. Review Your Strategic Plan
Business plans and marketing plans are dynamic documents. They can change depending on your needs or your target market's needs. Now, you can reflect on where you've been. Start planning where you'd like to be with an eye toward challenging yourself to achieve bigger and better goals for next year.

4. Read the Latest News and Books
Now is a good time to keep up with trends in your industry as well as local business news. You can familiarize yourself with topics that affect your business and your clients. Also, there are probably a ton of business books you've been wanting to read. Set a goal to read 2 of them by the beginning of next year.

5. Plan Advertising Spots
Set up next season's advertising opportunities. Consider including a mixture of traditional print, radio, Internet, upcoming tradeshows or events. This time of year, many are focused on the holiday season and wait until it's too late to plan their advertising campaign. Also, if you commit now, you might be lucky enough to get a holiday discount off the usual rates.

6. Re-evaluate Memberships in Business Associations and Organizations
Do they provide support? Camaraderie? Education? Referrals? Customers? If they aren't helping you meet one of your goals, the cost of membership may not be worth it.

7. Look at Your Customer Mix
Make a list of the types of customers you've been marketing to. Then, make a list of your actual customers. Do you see some key differences? If so, it might be worth tweaking your marketing plan or even some of your products and services.

8. Commit to Expanding Your Marketing into 1 New Area
Do you want to start marketing online? Holding workshops? Sending mailings? Writing articles? Pick 1 new area and add that to your marketing mix for next year.

9. Consider Alliances with Other Businesses
It's difficult to do everything when you are a Micro-Business owner. Building alliances can save time and money for everyone involved. They allow you to work with businesses that: 1) have products/services that complement yours or 2) have a similar target market.

10. Take a Mental Break From Business
Most of all, enjoy this time to yourself. Take in a sunset. Go to holiday parties. Spend time with family and friends. And, be thankful for all the wonderful events from the past year!

Some Micro-Businesses look at slow business periods in a negative light. Instead, do the opposite. Take this time to reflect on the past year's highs and lows and begin to change the direction of your company to better position itself for the coming new year.

Brett and Leila Johnson own Data-Scribe(tm), a New Mexico-based firm empowering Micro-Businesses through technology, the written word & training. To get more tips like this, visit their Micro-Business E-Library or sign up for their Micro-Business Gazette at http://www.datascribe.biz.

shuttle from O'Hare Bingham .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Attackers use caller ID spoofing and AI voices to steal money. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson provides seven ways to protect yourself.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about the Genesis GV60 MIV, an electric rescue EV with snow tracks for extreme missions.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you ensure a smooth online experience with a reliable, secure home network setup.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about Vollebak’s Shielding Suit, which blocks EM radiation, infrared and tracking for privacy.

Even Apple products are vulnerable to cybercriminals, and a new report suggests the owners of Mac products will have to be more vigilant this year.

An inflatable six-person tiny house from a firm called 2001 looks like a space station with its inflatable dome that is transportable and eco-friendly.

Scams cost Americans an estimated $159 billion every year and average about $3,500 in losses per victim. The CyberGuy has advice to protect yourself.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents

Zeekr and Waymo are joining forces for the world's first mass-produced autonomous vehicle, combining an electric vehicle with self-driving technology.

A humanoid robot training center has opened in Shanghai, a big step in China's efforts to become a global leader in robotics and artificial intelligence.

Security experts have discovered that hackers are targeting apps on the App Store to spread malware that steals information from saved screenshots.

A new luxury SUV combines military-inspired design and high-end luxury transportation and includes two military-grade gas masks to protect against chemical warfare.

80% of stalking victims are tracked using tech. GPS trackers, like AirTags, are among the most popular ways to do it. Here's how to protect yourself.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how to protect yourself against artificial intelligence-fueled romance scams, which have become the most common type of fraud in 2025.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains the steps to declutter text messages on a Mac or iPad. Apple offers ways to do this more efficiently.

Here's how to take control of the algorithms on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok if your social media feeds aren't showing you content you want to see.

Beware of iCloud scams using urgent messages. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you spot the red flags to protect yourself.

Travel abroad worry-free with these top translation apps for travelers. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson highlights some favorites.

The European Space Agency's Euclid space telescope was going through preliminary tests in September 2023 when it captured images of an Einstein Ring in a nearby galaxy.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says hackers are using Microsoft Teams for phishing, vishing and quishing via social engineering.

Red light camera tickets: Not liable to ID the driver; some are fishing expeditions. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you fight back against tricky fake tickets.

The apps collecting the most data about you are among the most widely used. Kurt the CyberGuy takes a look at 20 of these apps and how you can protect personal information.

AST SpaceMobile of Texas is developing the world's first global cellular broadband network that can connect directly to your smartphone without special equipment.

Community Health Center, a Connecticut-based healthcare provider, has disclosed a recent data breach affecting over 1 million people in the U.S.

Surviving When Clients Arent Rolling In

Top Quick Tips