With the holiday season wrapping up, sales at your flooring business might be starting to slow down. We know, we know—it’s not ideal. But it is normal. For many flooring dealers, this is the slowest time of year for conversions.

But: just because sales are slowing down doesn’t mean that you have to slow down. In fact, there are tons of ways you can use your downtime to complete projects, improve your online presence, and promote future business.

That’s why today, we’ll be discussing 7 ways that you can leverage the slow season to improve your flooring business.

#1: Update your website

You already know that your website is the cornerstone of your online presence. After all, it’s your digital storefront—so prioritize it as such!

Think about it: what do you do at your physical storefront when there aren’t many customers around? You probably use that time to restock your inventory, neaten up, maybe even rearrange and spruce up your displays. So why wouldn’t you do the same for your online storefront?

Are there any new products or services that you’re offering? Add them to your site! Have you removed any products from your lineup? Take them off your website. Does your product page need organizing or revamping? Now’s the time to do it. 

And don’t stop there—you work hard to make your business gorgeous, so show it off! Add some pictures of your showroom. Post videos of projects you’ve completed! You have the time, so take advantage of it.

#2: Refresh your Google My Business profile

If you want to make a great first impression, make sure your Google My Business profile is top-notch. Remember—anyone who finds your business using Google is going to see that profile before they even get to your website.

So engage with your profile! Manage and respond to reviews. Ensure that your profile is fully filled out. Confirm that your contact information is accurate. 

And most importantly, include lots and lots of pictures. Don’t be shy; add pictures of your showroom, projects you’ve completed, even pictures of yourself! And don’t be afraid to add personal touches—they go a long way toward creating a connection with potential customers. You have the time to invest, so why wait?

#3: Re-energize and retrain your staff

When you’re running a small business, it can be hard to carve out the time to re-energize and retrain your staff. But with sales traffic slowing down, now is your chance!

Are there elements you want your staff to improve on? Maybe you want to teach them how to solicit customer reviews. Maybe you want to give them pointers in phone skills. Or maybe, you want to re-energize them with an outing or team-building exercise. Whatever your staff-specific goals, this is the perfect opportunity to put them into motion.

#4: Set goals for the future

And speaking of goals, don’t let these slower days go to waste—use them to create goals for your business. What do you want to achieve next quarter? What numbers do you want to reach next year? With a little research, you can create SMART goals to propel your company into the future.

#5: Clean up your social media profiles

Social media profiles are a pivotal part of your online presence. They’re an important tool for lead generation, and they’re your number one method for building relationships with prospective clients.

Give them the attention they deserve! Take this opportunity to respond to comments, post new content, and swap out profile pictures. Show your followers that you’re active and double down on client interaction. 

And remember: if there’s a social media outlet you’re not leveraging yet, this is the best time to start. Do you have an Instagram account for your flooring business? Do you have a YouTube channel where you show off your work and speak directly to your consumers? Is your flooring store on Twitter? If not, consider investing in one or all of these channels.

#6: Schedule a call with your account manager

If you haven’t had the chance to sync with your Broadlume account manager in a while, why not schedule a call? Digital marketing is continually growing and changing, and your AM is always looking for new ways to promote your business. 

Make sure you aren’t missing out on any new developments that could help your store thrive. Or, at the very least, check-in and align on the past year’s metrics. Your AM can help you understand and utilize these numbers to chart an even more successful path forward!

#7: Prep for next year’s inventory

You probably have some exciting new products arriving in the coming year. Maybe you’re getting some hot new vinyl plank. Maybe some slick new carpet tiles. Whatever new items you’re stocking, now is a great time to prep for them!

Make space in your showroom by rearranging your existing stock and—more importantly—putting items on clearance. This will not only create space, but also drive traffic in a traditionally slow time of year.

Of course, the best way to promote a clearance sale is with digital marketing. Talk to your AM about having Broadlume build you a new homepage banner or an exciting new clearance page. With just a few tweaks, you’ll be able to end the year with a boom in sales.

Conclusion

These are just a few of the many ways you can utilize downtime to strengthen your flooring business. As we move into a time of year that traditionally brings a slower sales pace, it’s important to remember that as a flooring dealer, every season offers you the opportunity to optimize your store. 

We hope these tips have been helpful and, as always, feel free to reach out to us for help getting the very most out of your flooring business.