What To Do During Slow Months
By Katrina Sawa

So, what do you do if your business
is slower during some months?

Yes, you can make more cold calls, run
more advertising or stand on the street
corner waving a huge sale sign.  Or, if
it's going to be slow no matter what you
do, then how about planning for next
year?  

How about taking some career
development courses/classes/seminars?  
How about boning up on your computer
skills to find out how you can be more
efficient in your business?  What about
doing things that take up a bunch of time
when you're busy and stocking up
on them (stocking shelves, printing
and folding mailings, sending out packets of info, writing articles or press releases,
whatever?).  Volunteer and create awareness and exposure for your business.

Or better yet - get on that marketing plan for 2009!  You know you don't want to be hap
hazzardly marketing or throwing money out to see what sticks next year - if you plan
out what you do it will be so much more effective and well managed - this means
you'll get better results and make more money!!!

Instead of sitting around worrying, get better at what it is that you do.  

Whether you are a direct salesperson or not I would definitely recommend working on
your sales skills; listen to a speaker or take a sales class.  Everyone can benefit from
some new sales techniques in their business whether they sell a product or service to
the consumer or whether they simply deal with customer service issues over the
phone - it comes in handy.

If you don't know where to go to attend a seminar that would be of interest to you in
your business try visiting a few local small biz development or county sites.  If sales
isn't your forte, see what else you can learn to better yourself and your business.  Here
are a few sites I know about; however there are probably more in your specific field
too.

-     www.pttrain.com
-     www.learningexchange.com
-     www.natsem.com
-     www.salestrainingcamp.com
-     www.score.org

Or you can try researching and reading online.  I recommend the following sites for
info, articles and great newsletters to subscribe to by email:

-     www.businessownersideacafe.com
-     www.briantracy.com
-     www.entrepreneur.com
-     www.entreworld.org
-     www.sbdcsierra.org
-     www.salestrainer.com

Here are some books on sales that have been recommended to me by sales trainers:

The New Science of Selling and Persuasion: How Smart Companies and Great      Salespeople
Sell - Bill Brooks

The Patterson Principles of Selling - Jeffrey Gitomer

Knock-Out Marketing, Powerful strategies to punch up your sales - Jack Ferreri

Public Relations Marketing, Making a splash without much cash - Stephanie Seacord

Grow Your Business, Strategies to help you successfully manage your business - Mark Henricks

Selling with Integrity - Sharon Drew Morgan

If you're not Outselling, You're Being Outsold - Michael St. Larence & Steve Johnson








If you would like to improve your sales with a sales professional in person, I can refer
you to and some across the country.  I have also coached clients on how to improve
their sales approaches and closing ratios.  This also goes for cold calling scripts, direct
mail letter development and much more to improve your overall sales.

About the author: Katrina Sawa is an Award-Winning Relationship Marketing Coach
who's helped hundreds of small business owners take dramatic steps in their
businesses to get them to the next level in business, revenues and life. She offers one-
on-one coaching, group coaching and do-it-yourself marketing planning products. Go
online now to get started with her Free Report and Free Audio at
www.jumpstartyourmarketing.com !
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