We all want sales, but downtime can be your friend if you use it wisely.
In between big projects, I always give myself more time to do fun stuff like baking vegan chocolate chip cookies, reading a new Jodi Picoult novel, and watching girls breakdown on The Bachelor. But, I also use the time to get ahead, plan out creative marketing ideas, and stock up on blog posts.
In this week’s video, I give you five ideas on how you can use time in between sales to your advantage. Check it out:
Wanna quick recap? Here are the five ideas on how to fill your downtime:
1. Make a marketing plan to get out of your feast or famine cycle.
2. Pitch a guest post or interview.
3. Stock up on your best-selling items.
5. Take a class related to your craft or a business class that will help you move forward in your business.
Thank you April – Another great vlog.
You’re welcome! Glad you liked it 🙂
Hi April,
Firstly, I am watching and trying to learn from you.
Secondly, I have installed photoshop elements, bought a manual that should have came with it and am painting & setting up my spare bedroom with west-north windows as a photo ready spot..REALLY have to improve on my product photos for this year. having a dedicated spot should make it easy when i am busy as well as add a certain common look to my online store.
I am this week going to tweak the website [again] and start creating some new products as well as start stocking up on things that were a great seller for the holidays. I am new to online sales so it was a learning curve this fall.
Love the spare blog ready posts, I was so busy pre-holidays with orders I haven’t blogged for 6 weeks I am sure.
I also use this winter lull [I have a studio gallery for tourists in summer ] to create new pieces while it is quiet and to do some furniture pieces for it.
I am pretty well at a loss [but learning] how to get my work out there. I have wholesaled my work for 8 years and really want to move in a new direction that gives me an opportunity to do more ‘one of’s’ and not the major production runs that can suck the life out of you as an artisan. I live on a small Island so it is very quiet when the tourists leave and I need the online sales to grow.
I am so grateful for your willingness to share your thoughts and what you have learned. Thank you, looking forward to the next ‘video’.
Smiles, Brenda
Hey Brenda!
Having a specific spot for photos makes a huge difference! I know it did for me when I finally found that perfect place.
At the beginning, it’s definitely a good idea to take note of what your customers respond really well to and do more of that.
Getting your work out there online means building up the confidence to pitch your stuff to popular bloggers, websites, and online magazines. Landing interviews and features will probably be the best way for you to start bringing in new people to your online shop. It can be intimidating at first, but it’s well worth it.
It’s great to connect with you!
These are really great tips! Thanks! Funny though, even though I’m getting fewer orders in this post-holiday slump time, I still can’t find any free time! I’ll work on that 🙂
Hmmm…I’d say look really closely at how you’re spending your time. We often think we’re busy all the time, but not spending our time on the “right” things. Maybe take inventory of how you spend your time for one week by writing down what you’re doing each hour. Then you can see where you can make some adjustments!
This is such a juicy post April! January is actually the busiest time for me because my best sellers are organizations type-products, like my Life is Messy Planners + to do notes. Thank goodness for new years resolutions!
But your advice is superb for any day of the week when I find myself extra motivated to tackle more tasks or during the weekend when David goes surfing + I can squeeze in some extra work.
I will start with stacking up on my best seller designs. Brilliant idea! And I will let you know how it goes.
You are the BEST!
January is pretty busy for me, too! I’m right there with ya.
And, doing this extra stuff is great for those days when you’ve got a lull or on the weekends when you’ve got some spare time. That’s true! Thanks for pointing that out.
YOU ARE THE BEST!
Great tips as always – thank you April.
I find blogging so difficult definitely something I’m hoping to improve on this year – do you have any recommendations for classes or books to help me – I’m naturally quite introverted and I just never know what to write about.
Thanks for everything
Dani
Hey Dani,
I’m going to teach a blogging course, but not until mid-year which isn’t very helpful right now. I don’t know any books that specifically touch on what to blog about, but this magazine would probably give you a lot of inspiration: http://www.stampington.com/artfulBlogging/index.html
You can probably find it at your local bookstore.
I would also start with some of your favorite crafty bloggers. What do you like about their blogs? What do they blog about? How could you put your unique spin on those topics. For instance, if you love a blogger who talks about the inspiration behind her products, you could do the same with your own products.
I hope that helps!
Thanks for that April, I’ll make a start with those ideas and keep an eye out for your blogging course later in the year 😀
Hi April
Thank you so much for the little, no, HUGE reminders about down time. After the rush of christmas ( I make scarves and home decor items) I am usually exhausted and on crocheting burnout. But I know I have to stay engaged. Building an empire takes time and I have to make the time MINE!
Thanks so much,
Tehlia
http://www.tehlia.com/
http://www.tehforksfarm.com/
LOL! The end is so cute!
I really like the idea of stocking up on best sellers. I didn’t even think of that. I’ve been learning from trial and error (or just errors) that being prepared is so crucial. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had those lulls and I kind of laxed a bit and wasted time and then I get slammed with tons of work and there is no time to do everything and then stuff doesn’t get done or it does but it’s just super stressful on everyone. So I’m definitely going to get back into the habit of planning for a rainy day 🙂
Oh and I’m sooo looking forward to taking another class of yours 😉
You put a smile on my face every time I read one of your comments! I really enjoy hearing from you.
It’s easy to pull back from business during those lulls, but it’s much more rewarding to prepare for the next big rush. It keeps things from becoming so overwhelming.
More great advice April. I willl definitely be stocking up on blog posts, and have also been using this ‘quieter’ time to source new suppliers of materials and find new stockists for my work.
Thanks Rebecca. Sourcing new suppliers is also a great way to spend downtime! Thanks for sharing that one.
Spare blog posts?!? Why didn’t I think of that! Brilliant.
Spare blog posts have saved me numerous times! They’re a must in my opinion.
Great advice, as always! I have learned so much from your blog!
I’m definitely trying to get my Etsy shop inventory numbers up now that I’ve survived my first Christmas rush, and I will definitely be stocking up on my best sellers. (It will be so nice to grab them off the shelf rather than pulling all-nighters to try to keep up!)
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year LeAnn!
Congrats on getting through your first holiday rush!
Thank You April,
I am rebranding and updating website photos and testimonials now that the a New Year has begun…there is sooo much to do when you own your own business…and you are so right in conveying that one should take FULL advantage of this down time…because we all know it doesn’t last long. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year Freea!
Updating website photos and testimonials is another great way to spend downtime! Thanks for sharing.
OH MY goodness. I am learning SO much from you! Seriously, I am just starting my business and I’m using all my spare time to read through your info, listen to your mini classes, etc. and this is the really exciting thing: I FINALLY learned who my ideal customer is! I read your posts on Imaginative Bloom, and it finally clicked. Thank you so much! Your blog is so helpful. You’ve made starting a creative business so much more manageable for me.
You are too sweet! Thank you for the kind words.
I’m so glad my posts have been so helpful for you. It’s great to hear that. I wish you all the best with your biz and would love to hear updates 🙂
hahahaha! @ your husband’s “ooOOoh” in the end. I heard that! ;D
I’ve actually been busy! I happen to wake up 2 hours before I normally do, so I used the “excuse” to catch up with your blog. ;D
..but yes, I’ve definitely learned to not slack during down-time and to just keep making things. It keeps your creative juices going. I like using the “down-time” to see what new product(s) I’d like to (eventually) add to my shop or check out supplies and materials to either keep costs down and/or add something new. In your own business, there really is no “down-time”! There’s always something to do to improve yourself and/or your business! Thanks for the tips for new things that I need to work on!
Oh yeah! I like using downtime in between product launches to figure out what else I want to offer. That’s a good one. And, you’re definitely right, there is always something to do when you own your own business.