{"id":2607,"date":"2017-01-17T07:00:25","date_gmt":"2017-01-17T12:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.qcdesignschool.com\/blog\/?p=2607"},"modified":"2017-01-17T07:00:25","modified_gmt":"2017-01-17T12:00:25","slug":"navigating-business-slow-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qcdesignschool.com\/blog\/2017\/01\/navigating-business-slow-season","title":{"rendered":"Navigating Your Business through a Slow Season"},"content":{"rendered":"A slow season means less business and more competition. In this post, we discuss ways you can make the most of some extra downtime. Combat post-holiday blues by finding out how to boost your design business during a slow month!\n\nIf you don\u2019t have a schedule filled with bookings, start focusing on how you can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qcdesignschool.com\/business%20training\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">improve your business<\/a> elsewhere. Home d\u00e9cor isn\u2019t the only thing you need to master to stay competitive in the design industry\u2026\n<h3>Host a fundraiser<\/h3>\nNot only does hosting a fundraiser make you feel <i>good<\/i>, it helps your local community and reflects your business in a positive light. You can host a fundraiser and guarantee a solid turnout without even advertising your business (though you may want to). Everyone loves to join together for charity!\n\nAnd on that note, network with other local businesses to expand your fundraising potential. Contact your go-to vendors and offer them the chance to give back to the community. Vendors will appreciate the gesture, keeping your connections with them strong and reliable. Moreover, including other businesses will expand your target audience. Reaching a larger amount of people will benefit your cause and market your business!\n<h3>Focus on your business model<\/h3>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2611\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/shutterstock_148806083-ed.jpg\" alt=\"Home design business plan\" \/>\n\nIf you haven\u2019t had the chance to do this in a while, now is the time to get your business plans in order. From simple organization to analyzing your business strategies, rethinking your business plan can have a positive impact on profits. To narrow down what you need to focus on, create detailed lists on the following areas:\n<ul>\n \t<li>What is going well for your business<\/li>\n \t<li>What you need to improve on<\/li>\n \t<li>How you can make your design process more efficient<\/li>\n \t<li>How your business budget can be improved<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nEvery design professional will have <a href=\"\/2016\/02\/is-my-interior-decorating-business-ready-to-grow\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">different areas<\/a> to improve upon, including business profits, expanding client bases, website design, social media efforts, etc. Not everything can be fixed at once, so focus on one or two key points to get started. Be creative and brainstorm a few strategies to increase your business success.\n<h3>Reinvent your website<\/h3>\nChanging up your look doesn\u2019t have to be a total overhaul\u2014a few tweaks here and there can make your website more animated and stylish. Think about adding new photos from your most recent events, or changing the layout of your web design. Take time to research what makes a website great. You want your site to do two things: be user-friendly and bring in clients!\n\nDo a run through of all the pages on your site to make sure they work properly. If there are any dead-ends or blank pages then you\u2019ll need to do some editing. When you have some extra time, take a peek at other design websites to keep up with your competition in the industry.\n<h3>Take a break<\/h3>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2612\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/shutterstock_57191032-ed.jpg\" alt=\"Business owner vacation\" \/>\n\nIn order to fully recover from a busy event season, you need to focus on yourself as well as your business. Your personal needs can range from rest to catching up on old hobbies to meditation. Take a part of your life that you\u2019ve been neglecting and focus on yourself! <a href=\"\/2016\/10\/design-entrepreneurs-guide-avoiding-burnout\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Taking a break<\/a> is the best way to recharge your mind. Thinking up creative ideas is nearly <i>impossible<\/i> when you\u2019re tired or overworked. You\u2019ll reap the benefits of taking a well-deserved vacation\u2014even if it\u2019s just a few quiet days!\n<h3>Write for your local paper or blog<\/h3>\nWhat could be a better advertising technique than writing your own newspaper article? Writing a quick piece on design tips or business ideas is worth a shot! Your local paper could publish it and, who knows, maybe even make you a regular guest columnist! You could also reach out as a guest blogger. This is great for promoting your design services and also showing that you have a thorough knowledge of the industry. Being featured online or in print is a brilliant way to build your client base. It\u2019s also one of the easiest (once you figure out what to write about!) since the marketing is already done for you.\n<h3>Catch up with clients<\/h3>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2613\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/shutterstock_184633712-ed.jpg\" alt=\"Client consultation for home designers and interior decorators\" \/>\n\nA great way to spend a day during a slow season is to connect with clients via email. Reach out to both old and new clients. If you created a design for someone recently, ask for feedback and thank them again for their business. Don\u2019t forget to check if they have any upcoming plans to redecorate! Let your clients know that you\u2019re prepared to work with them again\u2014this will give them incentive to book your services in the future.\n\nI mean, don\u2019t we all want to hire someone who knows what we like <i>and<\/i> how to design a great space?\n<h3>Test new software<\/h3>\nInterior design apps and software have become a staple in the industry. These apps can organize budgets, color-match, and keep clients in the know. If you haven\u2019t tried any yet, take some time during the slow business season to test these apps out. You may just find one that makes a BIG difference in how you plan your designs in the future. Check out some <a href=\"\/2016\/04\/11-essential-home-design-apps-professionals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">top design software<\/a> that could save you time and save your clients money!\n\nDeveloping your business takes time, so focus on improving your skills and organizing your life when you have a slow season. Let us know your favorite tips for improving your home design business when things are slow!\n<h3 align=\"center\"><em>Ready to put your best designs forward? Read our list of the top ways you can <a href=\"\/2016\/11\/beef-design-portfolio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">beef up your design portfolio<\/a>!<\/em><\/h3>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What do you do when business is slow? Find out the top ways to improve your business when you&#8217;re not designing!","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4871,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,1,4],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[521],"class_list":{"0":"post-2607","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-design-tips","8":"category-uncategorized","9":"category-your-design-career"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.7 (Yoast SEO v26.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Navigating Your Business through a Slow Season - The Focal Point<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Check out the top ways to improve your business when your schedule slows down. 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