Small businesses, especially those in tourist destinations, have been turning to UK Business Forums for advice during quiet periods.
The summer holidays, combined with the natural ebbs and flows of business, mean that some are facing a month or two of quietness and downtime. This can be a worry for some entrepreneurs, who fear they are losing business.
But as other members' advice shows, it doesn't need to spell doom and gloom.
Families taking their children on holidays out of term time appears to be having a negative effect on small businesses in areas that rely on tourism, such as Cornwall.
One UK Business Forums member came to the site to ask what others do when times get hard. It quickly began to form a debate on whether parents should be allowed to take their children out of school during term time.
Indeed, Conservative MP Steve Double recently brought the issue up at Parliament.
'Small businesses are the backbone of our economy in Cornwall. While many are thriving under the policies of this government, those in the tourism industry are experiencing a downturn in business as a result of families not being able to take their children out of school during term time.
'Is the minister prepared to meet me to look at the economic impact that policy is having on the Cornish economy and the challenges those businesses are facing?' He asked.
Financial secretary to the Treasury David Gauke responded that he thought pupils should be in school during term time and it needs to be properly enforced.
'We have said that schools should have greater flexibility in setting their own term dates, which might help address the matter. I am happy to meet my honourable friend to discuss this, but I know that he has already done so with education ministers.'
The issue is apparently even affecting online businesses, such as this one who is seeing a downturn in sales.
So if the government is going to be inflexible for the foreseeable future, what can you do in the meantime?
Take a well deserved break
It's a well known fact that nothing can keep going at 100% capacity for too long without slowing down or taking breaks. Nothing human, at least.
And business - in addition to their owners - are very much human. So why not use the down time to take a break for yourself or let your staff take their holidays?
Think of your business as a marathon runner. If in training, they don't take rest days or breaks in training, they simply tire out and become ill from overtraining.
Businesses are very much the same; when you don't psychologically take time away to refresh yourself or your processes, you may find it and yourself becoming tired and lethargic.
Take a holiday, you deserve it!
Spend smarter on advertising
It can be difficult to decide whether downtime means spending more or less on advertising.
What UKBF member SteveBrownlie suggests is to spend more of an advertising budget when you know there will be less other lead opportunities happening, such as networking which can tail off in summer.
'So, we have more leads from easy-to-vary sources and that reduces the pressure caused by seasonal variations enough to keep everyone positive,' he says.
Another suggestion was to target advertising more effectively. Go for local, both on and offline.
14Steve14 said a Devon- based friend is doing better this year than many previous years. He runs a small shop in a busy seaside town and recently has spent more on local advertising at the quiet times of the year.
In addition, he changed the items he sells during the off peak season.
'He removed the plastic balls, buckets and spades, and replaced them with other items. He has now encouraged many local residents to use his shop and is really looking forward to the main summer holidays as he will be even busier and may even put the buckets and spades back,' the member said.
Simply go with the flow
Sometimes keeping a positive mental attitude and realising, as one member said, work can be like buses.
'I can have no work at one point and then have a desk under piles of paper and I am turning away business,' said Tony84.
During these periods, it may be time to take a closer look at what you do and how you do it. Is something not working or could it be working better? Do you have a long list of projects, jobs or technology that you'd like to implement?
Or could you even get on top of this year's finances that bit early? Downtime is the perfect period to sit down with your accountant and talk things through. Chances are they'll be a bit quieter, too.
Offer seasonal products
UKBF member Chinavision advises businesses to think about what your customers might need and offer them seasonal products.
For example, if you currently sell a simple offering of bedspreads and soft furnishings, try selling summer patterns or lighter bedspreads.
Previously, Chinavision mainly sold phones, tablets and security related products. But after a few years it expanded into summer products such as sports cameras and solar products.
'This really made the difference between low and high season less painful! Many of our customers are resellers and they also appreciate it, as it helps to solve their low season issue as well,' they said.
Go the extra mile
Quieter periods may also give you the leeway to offer a special kind of client service and attention to detail you hadn't before.
Chinavision also recommends focussing on providing better service even if sales aren't paying off directly.
'We help our customers set up ecommerce stores and connect it with our API or help with setting up an eBay business. These services we don't offer in high season, because we don't have time. But if you do this during the low season, customers will remember you.'
Target your business at others
Perhaps it's time to think about a new customer base and not rely on a restricted geographical location.
If you sell physical products, think about the advantage of selling online via a marketplace or if you offer services, could you do so online?
Most importantly, see the quiet period as an opportunity, not a time to lament lost customers. You can spend time looking at every area from marketing to finance to advertising, take a well deserved break, try something new or simply provide a higher end service to loyal customers.
The summer holidays, combined with the natural ebbs and flows of business, mean that some are facing a month or two of quietness and downtime. This can be a worry for some entrepreneurs, who fear they are losing business.
But as other members' advice shows, it doesn't need to spell doom and gloom.
Families taking their children on holidays out of term time appears to be having a negative effect on small businesses in areas that rely on tourism, such as Cornwall.
One UK Business Forums member came to the site to ask what others do when times get hard. It quickly began to form a debate on whether parents should be allowed to take their children out of school during term time.
Indeed, Conservative MP Steve Double recently brought the issue up at Parliament.
'Small businesses are the backbone of our economy in Cornwall. While many are thriving under the policies of this government, those in the tourism industry are experiencing a downturn in business as a result of families not being able to take their children out of school during term time.
'Is the minister prepared to meet me to look at the economic impact that policy is having on the Cornish economy and the challenges those businesses are facing?' He asked.
Financial secretary to the Treasury David Gauke responded that he thought pupils should be in school during term time and it needs to be properly enforced.
'We have said that schools should have greater flexibility in setting their own term dates, which might help address the matter. I am happy to meet my honourable friend to discuss this, but I know that he has already done so with education ministers.'
The issue is apparently even affecting online businesses, such as this one who is seeing a downturn in sales.
So if the government is going to be inflexible for the foreseeable future, what can you do in the meantime?
Take a well deserved break
It's a well known fact that nothing can keep going at 100% capacity for too long without slowing down or taking breaks. Nothing human, at least.
And business - in addition to their owners - are very much human. So why not use the down time to take a break for yourself or let your staff take their holidays?
Think of your business as a marathon runner. If in training, they don't take rest days or breaks in training, they simply tire out and become ill from overtraining.
Businesses are very much the same; when you don't psychologically take time away to refresh yourself or your processes, you may find it and yourself becoming tired and lethargic.
Take a holiday, you deserve it!
Spend smarter on advertising
It can be difficult to decide whether downtime means spending more or less on advertising.
What UKBF member SteveBrownlie suggests is to spend more of an advertising budget when you know there will be less other lead opportunities happening, such as networking which can tail off in summer.
'So, we have more leads from easy-to-vary sources and that reduces the pressure caused by seasonal variations enough to keep everyone positive,' he says.
Another suggestion was to target advertising more effectively. Go for local, both on and offline.
14Steve14 said a Devon- based friend is doing better this year than many previous years. He runs a small shop in a busy seaside town and recently has spent more on local advertising at the quiet times of the year.
In addition, he changed the items he sells during the off peak season.
'He removed the plastic balls, buckets and spades, and replaced them with other items. He has now encouraged many local residents to use his shop and is really looking forward to the main summer holidays as he will be even busier and may even put the buckets and spades back,' the member said.
Simply go with the flow
Sometimes keeping a positive mental attitude and realising, as one member said, work can be like buses.
'I can have no work at one point and then have a desk under piles of paper and I am turning away business,' said Tony84.
During these periods, it may be time to take a closer look at what you do and how you do it. Is something not working or could it be working better? Do you have a long list of projects, jobs or technology that you'd like to implement?
Or could you even get on top of this year's finances that bit early? Downtime is the perfect period to sit down with your accountant and talk things through. Chances are they'll be a bit quieter, too.
Offer seasonal products
UKBF member Chinavision advises businesses to think about what your customers might need and offer them seasonal products.
For example, if you currently sell a simple offering of bedspreads and soft furnishings, try selling summer patterns or lighter bedspreads.
Previously, Chinavision mainly sold phones, tablets and security related products. But after a few years it expanded into summer products such as sports cameras and solar products.
'This really made the difference between low and high season less painful! Many of our customers are resellers and they also appreciate it, as it helps to solve their low season issue as well,' they said.
Go the extra mile
Quieter periods may also give you the leeway to offer a special kind of client service and attention to detail you hadn't before.
Chinavision also recommends focussing on providing better service even if sales aren't paying off directly.
'We help our customers set up ecommerce stores and connect it with our API or help with setting up an eBay business. These services we don't offer in high season, because we don't have time. But if you do this during the low season, customers will remember you.'
Target your business at others
Perhaps it's time to think about a new customer base and not rely on a restricted geographical location.
If you sell physical products, think about the advantage of selling online via a marketplace or if you offer services, could you do so online?
Most importantly, see the quiet period as an opportunity, not a time to lament lost customers. You can spend time looking at every area from marketing to finance to advertising, take a well deserved break, try something new or simply provide a higher end service to loyal customers.
