How to Avoid Small Business Summertime Mistakes

Image source: Getty Images

One thing we know about owning and running a small business is that nothing stays the same. Customer preferences shift, markets evolve, employees come and go, and technology advances. The real challenge is not whether change will occur, but how you will manage it.

This is especially true seasonally. Different seasons bring different challenges, and for many businesses, summertime can be especially tricky. With people spending more time outdoors and on the go, the same old marketing efforts often do not suffice. Here are some of the top traps small business owners should steer clear of right now.

Discounting mania

If you have a business that slows down in the summer, it can be easy to offer discounts, and sometimes steep ones, in an effort to boost sales -- think "sidewalk blowout" sales. But this is a trap for several reasons:

• It can be easy to cut prices too much, costing you income, and maybe even creating a loss.

• It risks you becoming known as a discount shop.

• Customers may come to expect discounts and wait until sales to shop with you.

Remember, price is just one factor why customers choose you. Unless your brand is "the low price leader," recognize that your customers value you for more than just a one-off bargain. Indeed, over-reliance on discounts can erode the value of your brand. Instead, focus on promoting the unique qualities that set your brand apart.

Competing on big-box retailers' turf

We may not love big-box retailers, but they dominate for a reason. With vast selections, competitive prices, and reliability, they're tough to beat -- if you play on their turf. Trying to match them on their terms, especially during the summer when their advertising often ramps up, is a losing proposition.

Instead, make them play on your home turf.

What's that, you ask? As a small business, you can do things they cannot. You can make the shopping experience far more personal. You can offer convenience and better hours. You can pivot quickly. You can be way more friendly. This personal, local touch is something that no chain can duplicate.

Make them compete on your terms, not theirs.

Burnout

If summer is your busy season, it is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of work, work, work. Gotta grind, right?

Mistake, that.

You know that all work and no play can lead to burnout, both for you and your team. So you simply have to arrange time off for you and the crew. If that seems difficult, hiring extra people to help out and make it possible doesn't cost -- it pays. In fact, given that 57% of small business owners do not plan on taking a vacation, getting some help to allow you to do just that should be a priority.

And if summer is your slower season, it's the perfect time to give employees some much-needed time off. Either way, time off should be a priority for all businesses during the summer.

Not experimenting with your marketing

If you have a bit of extra time on your hands, why not experiment with a new social media campaign? Or what about an e-newsletter promo? Summer is an excellent time to engage with your audience in creative ways, building relationships that can pay off when business picks up again.

Ignoring mobile optimization

Right now, at this very moment, potential customers are on their phones searching for businesses like yours. As such, even if your business is not much involved in e-commerce, you could be losing out if your mobile game isn't up to snuff. With more people on the move in summer, mobile optimization is more critical than ever.

Summer can be a tricky season for many small businesses, but with the right approach, you can avoid these common pitfalls and keep your business thriving. After all, like golf, summer is much more enjoyable when you stay out of the traps.

Alert: highest cash back card we've seen now has 0% intro APR until nearly 2026

This credit card is not just good – it's so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.