Want to Grow Your Business? Never Say These Two Words Again.
There is one phrase that tells me everything I need to know about a flatlining business.
Slow day.
“We had a slow day today.”
“Business is slower than usual.”
“We really can’t afford more slow days like this one.”
This phrase is a clear indication that a business owner is taking a reactive approach. They’re not building, they’re not pursuing, they’re not seizing every opportunity to get where they want to be.
Instead, they’re sinking into a mindset of helplessness and blame.
If you catch yourself using the phrase “slow day,” stop. Step back. Reframe.
Let’s rebuild a “slow day” mindset that actually helps you charge forward at full speed.
Understand That the Job is Not Your Job
Okay, first let me address the obvious:
This is your business. No matter who else is on your team, you are the one with the most to lose. Of course it matters to you when you’re not making sales or booking jobs.
But that fact remains: in order to do a good job as a business owner, you have to hold your focus on growth. You have to think about what you want to make happen, not what isn’t happening.
Because really, that’s your job. Even if you don’t have a team yet and you’re a one-person operation, your ultimate role is to grow the business… to zero in on a vision and steer towards it.
If your only job was to respond to the leads that come in, you’d be a tech, not an owner. And that is why the phrase “slow day” does not belong in your vocabulary. You never have a slow day because there is always something you can be doing to advance your business.
And how do you find what that thing is?
Go Back to Your Business Plan
A day without a job today is an opportunity to step back and look at the big picture. Take a look at your business plan. Remind yourself of your goals for the year, the quarter, the month, the week. What can you do today to push towards those goals?
For most business owners, the answer is “generate more work.” So, get more specific. What is the most effective way to bring in the highest value clients?
Maybe it’s finally getting started on your social media marketing strategy. Maybe it’s reaching out to potential referral partners. Or maybe today’s the day you go to all the property management companies in the area to introduce yourself in person.
Whatever is going to give you the biggest leg up, that’s the thing you do.
Now, it’s crucial that you’re honest with yourself when choosing your next best move. Often the most effective business growth strategies are also the least comfortable, especially if you don’t exactly love selling yourself.
In fact, I think being stressed over a slow day can sometimes be a shield business owners use to protect themselves from facing the intimidating things they have to do to turn the day around. If you just blame low numbers on slow leads, you don’t have to examine what you could be doing to make those numbers better.
So lean into your fear and take the opportunities this moment offers you.
Practice Seeing Every Day as a Full Day
We have a tendency to imagine our days as busy or slow, quiet or chaotic. But this is reactive thinking. It’s a way of claiming that we are not the ones driving our days… that our days just happen to us.
Start actively thinking about each day as a full day, no matter what’s on the calendar. It doesn’t have to be frantic. You are simply making the choice to fill your day with proactive moves to further your business..
Set an intention for yourself in the morning and allow that intention to guide your day. In fact, look at your goals every day, whether you’re fully booked or not. Create a list of things you can do to work towards those goals. When the leads dry up, you’ll know exactly how to use your time.
And if you have a team, nurture this same proactive thinking in them. How can they use their roles to further the business even when they don’t have calls to answer or work sites to get to?
Whatever you do, banish the phrase “slow day” from your business.
There are no slow days anymore.
There is only you charging ahead every single day.
Further Resources on This Topic
Blog Post: Want to Grow Your Business to $1 Million? Go Deep, Not Wide.
Blog Post: 4 Steps for Turning a Big Problem Into a Fresh Start for Your Business
Free Tool: Business Plan Wizard
Free Video Course: Business Owner Q&A
Free Ebook: Career-Defining Goals
Book: Get Out of the Truck: Build the Business You Always Dreamed About