The Santa Barbara Web Design and Marketing Blog

Running a Small Business: Planning for Slow Periods and Creating a Reliable Sales System

If you own a small business—whether you're a local Santa Barbara brand or working online from anywhere—you already know that there are highs and lows throughout the year. One day, clients might be knocking down your digital (or physical) doors; the next, you might find yourself struggling for leads or chasing invoices. Recently, over coffee with a fellow business owner, I was confronted with a very real reminder of this: despite years in business, he was facing a slow period so tough that he had to pick up a part-time job just to get by.

Stories like this highlight a critical but often overlooked aspect of entrepreneurship: planning. Not just planning for growth or new product launches, but for the inevitable slow periods as well. Far too often, we’re reactive rather than proactive—scrambling to drum up business after sales dip, instead of having a system in place ready to go before that happens.

In my thirty years as a marketing and web design consultant, I’ve seen these cycles play out over and over. The key difference between businesses that survive rough patches and those that struggle comes down to two things: having a repeatable process for making sales, and knowing when you need to activate it.

Let's break down the advice I gave my friend—and expand on these crucial points so you can keep your business healthy (and bills paid), no matter what the economy or seasons bring.

Part 1: Understanding the Sales Process—How Do You Get ONE Customer?

It might seem basic, but ask yourself this: Do you know, step-by-step, how you actually make a sale? Not just in broad strokes or generalities (“people find me online, then call”), but the specific path that one customer takes from being a stranger to writing you a check or swiping a card.

Mapping out this process is your first—and sometimes most eye-opening—task. Here’s how to get started:

1. List Your Customer Touchpoints:

Where does the journey start? Google search, a friend’s referral, a social media post, a flyer at a local coffee shop? List every single place a prospect might first hear about you.

2. Track the Path:

What happens next? Does the customer fill out a contact form? Schedule a call? Visit your location? Write down each step they take—every email, every phone call, every meeting.

3. Identify Bottlenecks and Friction:

Where do people drop out? Are lots of people missing appointments, not replying to quotes, or clicking away from your site without buying? These are the points you'll want to improve or streamline.

4. Detail the Closing Act:

What happens right before a sale? Is there a follow-up? A contract or proposal? A payment link? Be clear about how you actually receive the money. Sometimes, tightening up your closing process by sending reminders, using e-signatures, or automating invoices can make a big difference in conversions.

5. Post-Sale Follow-up:

Don’t forget what happens after—not just for excellent service and repeat customers, but for valuable referrals and testimonials.

Once you’ve mapped out this process, you’ve uncovered your sale blueprint—the repeatable series of actions you can duplicate, improve, and “turn on” whenever you need to boost business.

Part 2: Turning One Sale Into a Repeatable System

The goal isn’t just turning one stranger into one paying customer—it’s creating a reliable way to do it over and over.

Here’s how to make your sales process a true system:

1. Automate What You Can:

Use technology wisely. Schedule emails, send auto-responders, create booking links, and regularly update your Google Business Profile or Facebook page. Having automated touchpoints means you aren’t reliant on memory or a perfect day; your process is always running in the background.

2. Create Templates for Outreach:

Have scripts ready for reaching out to past leads, new inquiries, and current customers. Whether it’s a friendly check-in, a limited-time promotion, or a genuine “how can I help?”, knowing what to say saves time and keeps you consistent.

3. Block Out Weekly Sales Time:

Don’t just “sell when you have time.” Schedule regular slots for following up with new leads, checking in with past customers, and reviewing your sales pipeline. Treat it as sacred as any client meeting.

4. Measure and Test:

Track responses, conversion rates, and how long it typically takes for a new lead to become a customer. If you find something that works (like a referral discount, seasonal offer, or clever email subject line), use it—and tweak it for even better results.

5. Keep Your System Documented:

Whether it’s a checklist, a spreadsheet, or a simple note in your task manager, keep your process written out. This not only helps you, but allows others to pitch in if you’re ever sick, away, or want to delegate.

Part 3: Identifying Early Warning Signs—Your Business "Dashboard"

Knowing the steps to a sale is only half the battle. The other half is knowing when you need to ramp up your efforts—before you feel the pain.

The best businesses have what I call “early warning indicators,” or signals that things might be slowing down, giving you crucial lead time to activate your sales machine. Here’s how to develop your dashboard:

1. Track Key Metrics Weekly:

Are your website visits down compared to last month? Are fewer people opening your emails, interacting on your social posts, or walking through the door? Is your inquiry rate suddenly half what it used to be? Create a simple dashboard—even if it’s just a notebook or Excel sheet—to jot these numbers down at the end of each week.

2. Set Thresholds:

Decide on concrete numbers that, when crossed, trigger action. For example:

- Website traffic down by 30% for more than two weeks

- Less than three new inquiries per week

- Revenue behind last quarter’s pace by $2,000

The point is to move away from guessing or vague feelings towards clear, actionable triggers.

3. Know Your Sales Cycle Length:

How long does it usually take for a new lead to become a paying customer? If, for example, your average was three weeks, you can’t wait until things are desperate—by then, it may be too late! Activate your sales system (your emails, your phone calls, your outreach) as soon as your indicators drop below your threshold, not after.

Part 4: Responding Early and Seriously

Too many businesses ignore early signs or hope things will turn around. But time is your most precious resource. If you see the indicators flashing yellow, here’s how to respond:

1. Turn On the Sales System Immediately:

Dust off your template emails. Start calling more leads. Increase your ad spend or local promotion. Whatever worked before, do it with urgency and consistency.

2. Review Recent Changes:

Did you alter your website, hours, or pricing? Did a new competitor open nearby? Has something shifted in your industry? Sometimes a quick analysis can pinpoint—and even fix—the dip.

3. Double Down on What Works:

Increase systemized activities:

- Increase networking or foot traffic (attend more events, push referral offers)

- Follow up with everyone from your pipeline who didn't buy last season

- Advertise on your highest-yield channels (Facebook/IG ads, Google Search, local papers)

4. Communicate with Your Customers:

Sometimes a quick message to old clients—reminding them that you’re still here, offering a loyalty discount, or simply saying hello—brings in business. People forget, and sometimes all it takes is a nudge.

Part 5: Have an Alternate Plan—What If Your System Isn't Working?

Even the best plans can run into trouble. Maybe there’s a global downturn, or a major change in your industry. What then?

1. Diversify Your Revenue Streams:

Is there a related service, new audience, or product you could offer to tide you through the slow months? (For instance, a web consultant might offer DIY website audits, short online courses, or template packs.)

2. Cut Non-Essential Expenses:

If cash flow is really tight, review your subscriptions, advertising spends, or other flexible costs. Temporarily scale back until things pick up.

3. Network for Referrals and Partnerships:

Can other local businesses send you leads for a fee? Can you refer work to others and take a small finder's fee in return? Partnerships can fill the gaps in lean times.

4. Seek Temporary Income Opportunities:

While ideally you won't need to fall back on other jobs, it's good to have a list of quick, reliable gigs you can do (consulting, temp work, or even teaching your skills via webinars or local workshops).

5. Ask for Help:

There’s no shame in letting your network know you have open slots, or that business is slower than usual. Sometimes, a single email to past clients or contacts leads to big projects or valuable introductions.

Part 6: Make Slow-Period Planning Annual, Not Just Occasional

Don’t treat business planning as an emergency measure. Each year, review the following:

- Did your indicators give you enough lead time last year?

- How many customers did you convert, and which efforts worked best?

- Can any steps be automated even further?

- Are there new technologies (like chatGPT, AI automation, new advertising platforms) that can make your processes easier and more effective?

- How can you “store up” resources during good months to make slow periods less stressful?

Conclusion: Take the First Step—Map That One Sale

There’s a lot packed into this approach, but here’s the good news: you can start today. Map out how you make ONE sale. Turn that into a repeatable, systemized process. Identify your warning signs. And, most crucial of all, don’t wait—it’s the early action that saves businesses time and again.

If you only remember one thing, remember this: Slow periods are inevitable, but financial panic is not. The difference lies in planning ahead—knowing your numbers, activating your systems early, and always having an alternate plan.

Need help mapping your sales system, automating your processes, or creating those early warning dashboards? That’s what I’m here for. As your Santa Barbara Web Guy, my mission is to help you not just survive, but thrive—with smart systems, digital marketing, and practical business advice.

If you have questions or want a consultation, feel free to reach out. And remember: the time to prepare is before the dip hits, not after. Let’s make your next slow period a whole lot less stressful—and maybe even a thing of the past.