What to Do When Business Slows Down (Besides Panic)
Every business has “those” weeks. The foot traffic dips. Online orders pause. Phone calls slow to a trickle.
Whether it’s seasonal, economic, or just a weird calendar shift (looking at you, early spring), slow periods are part of the rhythm. But they don’t have to feel like a failure—or a reason to freeze.
With a little strategy, quiet stretches can be the perfect time to sharpen, streamline, and stay top of mind.
1. Check in On Google Business Profile
Most business searches start on Google—and your free Business Profile is doing a lot of heavy lifting. During slow periods, give it a little love:
Update hours or services
Add a fresh photo (interior shots work great)
Respond to reviews
Post an update—even a quick one
📍According to Google, businesses that regularly update their profile get 42% more direction requests and 35% more clicks to their websites than those that don’t. (Source)
2. Reuse What’s Already Working
Not every post needs to be new. Resurface top-performing content from last season (check Meta Insights or Google Analytics for what did well).
Add a fresh caption or update the image, and post it again.
Evergreen content = less stress, more consistency.
3. Lean Into Community Visibility
This is the perfect time to show up somewhere unexpected:
Drop off business cards or flyers at a nearby event
Partner with another local business for a mini-promo
Join a Chamber committee, like marketing or events
Shoutout to the Licking County Chamber of Commerce and Granville Area Chamber of Commerce—their local event calendar is full of networking opportunities that double as soft marketing moments.
4. Schedule Out What You Can
If the inbox is quiet, use the breathing room to batch marketing tasks ahead of time:
Schedule email newsletters for the next 2–3 months
Prep social content for upcoming holidays or events
Refresh one or two pages on your website
Pro tip: Use tools like Meta, Mailchimp, or Squarespace Scheduling to automate what you don’t want to do during your next busy stretch.
5. Talk To Your Existing Customers
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
In fact, existing customers are 50% more likely to try new products and spend 31% more than new ones. (Source: Invesp)
A dip in sales doesn’t mean something’s broken—it’s just a chance to breathe, regroup, and come back stronger. With a little intention, slow seasons can be some of the most productive.
Need help turning downtime into smart momentum? Marketing & Main can help you use the quiet moments to prep for what’s next—without overthinking it. Let’s talk about it.