886: The Slow Season Strategy: Proven Ways to Boost Sales When Business Dips

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2:01No decision is made in a vacuum and people want to feel cared for and thought about. So help people to either say yes or no. Be willing to get out there and have more one-on-one interactions and invite those in to collect feedback, insight, and to help qualify clients. I'm Jenna Kutcher, your host of the Gold Digger podcast. I escaped the corporate world at the age of 23 with nothing more than a$300 camera from Craigslist and a dream. Now I'm running a seven-figure online business that feels even better than it looks, all from my house in small town Minnesota with my family. Here, we value time as our currency.

2:41We mix the woo and the work, and we are in the pursuit of building businesses that give us the freedom to live lives that we love. I've always loved turning big goals into reality, and I'm here to help you do the same. This isn't just a peek behind the curtain. Come along with me and my guests as we tear the whole curtain down. Every week we tackle practical, no-fluff marketing strategies and host honest discussions on what works and what doesn't. Join me and my expert guests for actionable insights to help you grow your dream business with confidence. Pull up a seat and get ready to be challenged, inspired, and empowered.

3:17This is the Gold Digger Podcast. You know those weird moments in business where everything just gets like a little bit too quiet? Your inbox feels like a ghost town. Your calendar suddenly has the kind of breathing room that you don't want. And you're like, wait a minute, like, is this thing on? Lately, I've been scrolling through a few Facebook groups. I'm still in for photographers and I keep seeing posts like, be honest, how are your bookings right now? Because it's crickets over here. and I feel that deep in my bones. I've been there. That moment when you start wondering, is it just me? Like, did something break?

3:52Did the algorithm fall asleep? And for that last question, the answer is yes. But the truth is slow seasons happen to all of us. In my business, summer tends to be the quieter time. For others, it might be the holidays or early fall. These dips are a totally normal part of running a business and they can still rattle you if you're not ready for them. So here's the question. When things slow down, do you panic or do you get strategic? Today, I'm bringing back a conversation that originally aired a few years ago, but it's just as relevant now, if not more relevant. I'm sharing four timeless strategies I lean on when things get quiet.

4:29They're simple, they're practical, and they're designed to help you use this slower season to your advantage. Whether you're currently riding out a lull or you just want to be prepared for the next one, this is the episode that will help you find momentum again without spiraling. All right, let's get into it. When I was a wedding photographer, I actually loved the ebb and flow of my calendar year. I reserved six months out of the year for heavy shooting and editing, and then the other six months were all about systems, structures, and updates to make sure that when the busyness hit again, I was ready to hit the ground running in a way that supported my much bigger goals.

5:07I welcomed those slow seasons after all the craziness because it helped for me to ensure that my business foundation was strong and was built to last. It was also in those slow seasons that I birthed things like this podcast and my online courses and all the affiliate marketing that I do. So I have to remind myself sometimes that just in life and the clothes that your mom wore 20 years ago, everything in business is cyclical. When things are really amazing, there might be something that will take it down a notch. And that isn't me being a Debbie Downer. That's me giving you permission to not always be striving for more and be disappointed when things take a quick left.

5:47When things shift a bit and your business feels like it's on this path towards shambles, there are ways to take control and focus on improving, tweaking, and pivoting so that you can get back on track. Which, by the way, you will because you are strong and you are capable and you're beautiful and your butt looks nice and you're talented. Am I right? So it's going to take a little grit. It's going to take some planning, maybe a few late nights and heck, lots of creativity. But I believe that our slower periods of business are what show us most clearly what we need to be doing, where we need to shift, pivot or evolve.

6:23And they reveal where we need to be showing up best to reach the most people, make the biggest impact and ultimately regain control of our sales. So I have four methods for you to keep in your back pocket today and to use whenever you experience slow seasons of business so that you can work towards boosting those sales and getting back in the game. And know that if you're walking through one of these seasons right now, I see you and I acknowledge the difficulty of even making some of the simplest decisions. It all feels really hard and heavy and pivotal during those times. and I hope if nothing else, these four methods give you a little more confidence and serve as a reminder that you are still in control.

7:05What you do does matter and there's always something you can do to keep moving forward, even if it's just tiny little steps each day. Forward is forward, so let's get into it. Number one, first things first, if you're in a slower season of business, take that time to update your portfolio so that it is your latest and your greatest work and it's truly reflective on where you're at in business. When things are slow, a lot of time we keep ourselves busy while doing things that aren't really moving the needle. We try to implement all of these crazy strategies when in reality, we could spend a day or two really fine-tuning some of the more neglected pieces of our business.

7:46I know updating your portfolio might not seem like the most imperative action to take and you're busy convincing yourself You just did it a few months ago when in reality it was probably like two years ago, but it's likely time for an update and a refresh. It's easy to convince yourself that only your social media matters or that's where people look for your current happenings. And it's a common lie that we tell ourselves that updating our portfolio or our home on the web definitely won't feel like something that's going to directly affect your sales. but I promise taking the time to thoughtfully update your portfolio is one of the best ways to attract and hone in on your perfect clients and customers.

8:28It's one of those things that just falls by the wayside when you're in the fast and furious rush of a busy season. If you're wondering what I mean by updating your portfolio or if you're not in a business that has a technical portfolio like those old-fashioned folders with your best work all laminated and shiny that you hand over to a prospective client in a meeting, it's important that you look at how you're showing up digitally as a reflection of your own portfolio. This means that you can still evaluate all of your marketing materials to make sure they're aligned and up to date with what you do and who you serve.

9:04For example, does your website match how pretty and thoughtful your Instagram feed is? So often I'll meet entrepreneurs and I'll ask them for their websites to which they usually respond with things like, oh, just go to my Instagram. That's where I share my best work. Or make sure you go to my site on your computer. The mobile version is a mess. Can you relate? A lot of times we share our work on social media and posts that live and die within 24 hours if we're lucky. But very rarely do we spend time updating our website. So take some time to add to your site with your latest work, projects, freebies, and photos.

9:41You want your website to be just as pretty or even prettier than social media because that's where people will actually land to book or buy from you. And it should be a place that you're proud for people to end up on. Your website is your home on the internet, the place where you can decorate and own. You have control over it and it should be the landing place for your prospects. Take time to make sure that your website is a place that serves people, speaks to the pain points or challenges they're facing that your business can solve, gives them a taste of the experience of what working with you would be like and provides clear and direct calls to action to capture that audience and invite them to engage so that you can serve them even better.

10:24Updating your website might also look like updating your rate card, refreshing the data and stats you share about your services, refreshing photos and headlines, and finally adding that new section dedicated to your newest offerings. And while we're here, I need to hold myself accountable. I realized last month that we hadn't updated the Gold Digger podcast page details for a long while. Like the numbers we proudly shared on golddiggerpodcast.com were trailing behind our actual downloads by about 30 million downloads. Like that's a really big deal, especially when sponsorship opportunities and big name guests tend to use numbers as a gauge for the show's success and whether they want to be a part of it or not.

11:06Do you have sections like that on your website? Do a quick audit after you finish this episode and update anything that's potentially old or out of date. This is a super simple way to spiff up your corner of the web so it's ready and accurate for when even more clients come pouring through when business takes off again. This podcast is brought to you by Mercury, banking that helps entrepreneurs do more with their money. Okay, I remember in the early days of my entrepreneurship journey, clients would literally mail me checks and then I would have to drive all the way to the bank to deposit them.

11:41It took me literal years to make things go digital. And I am ashamed to admit I still have a filing cabinet with paper contracts because I'm way too afraid to throw them away. But that's the beauty of growth, right? Like you learn what systems serve you and which ones hold you back. Mercury is one of those systems that just works. Where traditional banking websites and apps are clunky and hard to use, Mercury is meticulously designed to make doing just about anything with your money feel effortless. And the best part is it flexes to fit all types of businesses. Ready to see what powerful banking can do for your business?

12:17Visit mercury.com to apply in minutes. Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. For important details, check the show notes. When we were young, we dreamed of castles and fairy tales. And as we grow up, those dreams might shift into building something real, like starting a business. You need a website, payment systems, a logo, and a way to reach customers. It can all be overwhelming and confusing, but thankfully that's where today's sponsor Shopify comes in. Shopify powers millions of businesses around the world and 10 % of all U.S. e-commerce, from big brands to folks just getting started.

12:55They offer beautiful, ready-to-go website templates so you don't need design skills to look professional. Their AI tools help with product images, descriptions, discount codes, and more. Shopify also makes it simple to run email and social campaigns so people can find you. And if you ever feel stuck, their award-winning 24-7 support is always available. Turn those dreams into... And give them the best shot at success with Shopify. Sign up for your$1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.com slash gold digger. Go to shopify.com slash gold digger. shopify.com slash gold digger. You know, I'm a longtime fan of that whole done is better than perfect philosophy, but when business is slow and you have the spare minutes to review what you've previously created just to get it done and crossed off your list during a crazy busy season, go back and comb through your work, double check things to see if you can improve or finalize anything that was simply just getting the job done, but could be better optimized.

13:59I promise you, if you spend even just one day updating your photos and your copy and making sure you're showing your best projects, products, and work focused on enhancing that experience for your dream clients, you'll position yourself in a way that will help you grow. Also, while we're here, now is a really good time to ensure that you have a solid way on your website to capture someone's email address to keep the conversation going off of social media and your website. Don't just assume that people are going to bookmark your page to come back to. Don't focus solely on putting a ton of effort into making your social media the best of the best.

14:36Remember, you don't own your followers or control these platforms. So instead, start thinking of your website as your cozy and complete home on the internet that communicates what you do, how you serve others, and how they can keep in touch with you, allowing you to take them on a journey through their inbox, and ultimately after you've served, served, served and served them some more, buy from you. A slower season is the ideal time to start that email list you've been putting off or if you've already got your list going to update your welcome email or sequence and pop back into the inboxes of your subscribers.

15:11Email list building is my gluten-free bread with extra butter. So I have dozens of resources for starting, growing and serving your list. They're all in one place for you at jkemaillist.com. You'll find a subject line cheat sheet, email templates, more podcast episodes on the topic of email list building, and access to my free zero to 250 email list building challenge, which is basically this epic mini course in starting and growing your list, complete with tutorials walking you through every single step. Again, you can head to jkemaillist.com for all of these resources and more. Number two, next I want for you to really take this time to dig into your data and your numbers.

15:54I love numbers like a lot. Perhaps it's because so much of entrepreneurship is surprisingly rooted in emotions. Like there's no employee handbook. You're your own HR, your manager, you're the sales department. It's riddled with things that you have to feel in order to figure out. Obsessions and distractions that drive you off course and why is deeper than the ocean. But for me, two plus two, it's the same answer every time. And they say the numbers don't lie. So when it seems like everything else is deceiving you, you go where you can touch something solid and dependable. Now, I know not everyone is a data lover, but I'd invite you to get really curious about what is and isn't working in your business from the numbers standpoint.

16:38A lot of times when we dig into the numbers, we find out that one to two things move the needle forward the most and yet we try to make it our job to master and do a hundred new things without understanding where our efforts result in true results. Whenever I dig into numbers, I generally have a revelation that we don't need to do more. We simply need to optimize and strategize what's already working, which is like a big fresh gulp of air in the form of relief. Look at what has caused spikes in your email list or dips in your website views. See if there's specific content topics that consistently outperform others.

17:13Look at where most people are ending up on your website form. You might think it's from Instagram when in reality it's Pinterest driving most of your traffic. These are powerful stories brought to us through numbers to help us understand what is actually moving the needle for us so that you can double down on those efforts that have worked really well in the past and ease up on the things that just aren't landing. If you're thinking to yourself, oh gosh, she's about to call me out because I don't have numbers to dig into. I'm not creating content. What the heck do I do? First things first, don't be hard on yourself here.

17:48And instead look at this slower period as the opportunity you've needed to put content into place that will help for you to attract new clients in the future. Even if you're not writing in-depth blogs or releasing 60 minute podcast episodes, you've likely created content in some form that will give you some insight or information into what your audience, your potential clients enjoy. Scroll back through your most recent Instagram posts and pick out the top three posts with the most likes, comments, saves, and other engagement. If you have a creator or business account, you can tap insights for an even more in-depth view.

18:23And if not, just pull the numbers and use them to guide your creation process. Find that when I share about family life and body positivity, my engagement goes up. People are innately curious about the scenes behind the business. I know that. I'm the same way as a consumer. And when I look at the numbers, it's clear. But instead of just pumping out more pictures of my adorable little daughter, I make a note of what I was saying in the caption and consider how that could translate into a longer, more in-depth piece of content. Where can I take that even further? What is the message that resonated with people?

18:57And how can I tell that story even better through my follow-up content? What would that look like for you? Well, let's just say your business is graphic design and a Facebook post where you shared a recent digital illustration got tons and tons of comments. You could write a blog post featuring seven ways to use a digital illustration in your business or four occasions where a digital illustration makes a great gift. See how that spirals off from a simple social media post? I'll bet that you have posts that performed well because they were entertaining or educational or empowering. And you could absolutely expand on those smaller posts and make them into a larger piece of content that will serve and attract your audience into taking actual action with your brand.

19:42And if you're feeling stuck, when's the last time you did some research? Like when have you set aside time to really dig into what the data is telling you? Take some time today if you don't have a business yet to research what's already out there that's aligned with the offer that you want to sell. Hop onto Pinterest or Google and type in a few keywords that resonate with your product or offer because those will show you more of what's already out there and help for you to imagine your own product showing up there. Explore, click the links, investigate. What other items are showing up? What are the generated keywords that follow your idea in the guided search function?

20:18Are there reviews that would give insight on what's missing? Are new ideas coming to mind? If you have an established business, let's pretend you're going to go on Shark Tank because honestly, this is one of my favorite things to pretend. Do you confidently know your numbers? Would you be able to tell the sharks what your best selling product is? What's moving the needle for you most? What marketing strategies are yielding the best result? What your profit margins are? What you'd use more funds to do? Information truly is power. And the more that you know about the ins and outs of your own business, the more that you can tweak and adjust where you're spending your time and your energy and use your resources in the wisest ways possible.

20:59The third method I have for you when sales are slow is to find a way to create scarcity and hit the trenches. Have you ever heard of the scarcity principle? An article from Investopedia defines it like this. The scarcity principle is an economic theory in which a limited supply of a good coupled with a high demand for that good results in a mismatch between the desired supply and the demand equilibrium. It goes on to say that marketers commonly use the principle to create scarcity around a product or a good, making it exclusive in order to generate a demand for it. So how does this economic principle translate to you?

21:36When things are slow, scarcity can create the buzz you need to make people take action and to increase your bottom line. The problem is that a lot of times we put offers out into the world Well, then we don't set a timeline or a deadline or any sort of limit around the offer. People grow to believe that they can make a decision later and thus they never decide. It's our fatal flaw when we put something out there and tell ourselves people will find it when they're ready. One of the greatest gifts you can give someone is a timeline to make a decision. Regardless of what they decide, intentionally choosing versus having time make the decision for you is an accomplishment for a consumer.

22:15While evergreen funnels or timeless offers are great when the demand meets a supply, scarcity offers work a little differently. It creates a psychological desire for people to buy in because they don't want to miss out or be left behind on a short-term offer. So how does this work? Try creating a limited-time offer, something that will either go away in a week or two or an opportunity where the price will increase exponentially after that amount of time, or a specific number of an offer that once it's gone, it's gone. Do a concentrated push, meaning you're all about this offer. You're unapologetically showing up to communicate it and sharing the scarcity within the offer itself.

22:55Get loud about it, like invite in questions from your followers and email subscribers and actually take the time to respond with voice texts or video DMs. In my recent launches, this personal touch of audibly or visibly reaching out to the people in my DMs has been one of the biggest linchpins in my launches. People want to hear from you and see that you care that you're actually invested in their journey. Be willing to put yourself out there and get in the trenches like you might have in the early days. Share your offer and the value of it and promote yourself. The key here isn't to create something that people only buy because they feel like if they don't, they're never going to find success.

23:34That type of marketing leaves a bad taste in people's mouths and rightfully so. There's nothing good about being bullied into a purchase. No, this type of scarcity more so pushes you to really get yourself out there and to communicate so well that the people whom the offer is created for will know that with certainty. In creating this deadline for decision making, you're equally inviting in those to say, hey, it's not the right time or fit or offer or price point just as you're inviting those ready to take the next step with you. So many times our marketing is the bare minimum or it's on autopilot and we trick ourselves into thinking that people already know our offer exists, that they'll buy it or take advantage of it when or if they're ready.

24:17But people sometimes need a reason to make a decision and a scarcity offer creates that sort of urgency. No decision is made in a vacuum and people want to feel cared for and thought about. So help people to either say yes or no. Be willing to get out there and have more one-on-one interactions and invite those in to collect feedback, insight, and to help qualify clients. You know, I only share stuff I'm genuinely obsessed with. And so when I kept seeing Bolin Brand sheets all over Instagram, I was like, okay, are these actually worth the hype? Drew and I have been using their sheets and duvets for over a year now.

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