Every industry experiences slow seasons & during those times you may be hoping to find new ways to boost sales. However, you don’t have to wait until a dry spell to implement some of these ideas. I’ve crafted a list of 10 ways to boost sales or bookings for your creative small business so we can see your bottom line increase.

1. Network & engage with your community – this is an amazing way to meet new people who may lead you to new clients. It’s also simply nice to learn more about other creatives in your field. They can help keep you motivated, provide you an outlet for your questions, and lead to positive and warm relationships. You can go local with a group like The Rising Tide Society, or find any number of groups on Facebook. The key is to stay involved consistently and show genuine interest in your peers.
   
2. Refresh your website // add blog content for SEO – Are there small tweaks you can make to your website to improve usability or make it more clear what you offer? Use your website to start the sales process to visitors. Be clear about what you specialize in and provide immediate information on how to get a hold of you. Make sure there are clear, actionable steps to getting started with your company. Once you’ve addressed usability and the quality of the information you’re providing, add more content to your blog – regularly. This will help boost your SEO and bring you new visitors.
   
3. Participate in a promotional event – This tip varies by your craft. If you provide a service, try contributing your skills to an event or photoshoot. This is very common in the wedding industry, but can be applied to other creative fields as well. If you sell a product, consider sponsoring a conference or event. Make sure you pick one of your favorite products and package it in a memorable way that promotes your brand.
   
4. Start sending a newsletter if you don’t already – Email marketing is a great way to stay top of mind with existing clients. Come up with unique ways for new friends to opt-in to your weekly or bi-monthly newsletter. Curate your content with your audience in mind and be consistent! They should expect you in their inbox and get actual value from the content you share. If you sell a product, consider including exclusive promotional codes.
   
5. Target a new audience – There are tons of ways to reach a new audience, but let’s start with a few. First, use new hashtags on instagram and social media. Think about what people would use your service or product for, and branch out in how to communicate those potential uses. Images of your product in action or a behind the scenes look at how you offer your service goes a long way in attracting new followers that may convert to clients / customers.
   
6. Start a referral program – Reward your existing clients with perks for referring their friends. Consider a discount or special gift. Show them that you appreciate their enthusiasm and loyalty.
7. Advertise – Come up with an advertising budget and then put it to work. Consider blog advertisements, instagram or facebook ads, or sponsored blog posts. Advertising can be pricey, so stick to your budget and gauge how it goes for a few months. You can always readdress your strategy.
8. Reach out to past clients – Send a handwritten note to just say hey! or, email a past client with some new ideas you can offer them. This works particularly well if you offer a service as it will keep you top of mind for when they may be in need of something relevant.
9. Offer some free content – Almost any business can benefit from offering some free content. It helps establish you as an expert, helps build brand loyalty, and engages your audience. Some examples are workbooks, pretty downloads, worksheets, or webinars. Make sure you don’t give away the whole shebang by identifying the goal of the free content. If your free content is online, make sure there is an easy way for the viewer to convert to a sale.
10. Create an upsell program – Boost your business by offering additional products or services that correlate to your existing collection. If you offer a product, have suggested products appear alongside your shopping cart. If you offer a service, effectively communicate to your client after they book additional options that may be available to them.

I know there are quite a few ideas here! Are there any that jump out at you that feel relevant to what you do in particular? I would love to hear about the flow of your business – do you have slow seasons or periods when you really address your volume of sales or bookings?