Rainy day activities can have a valuable impact on your business. Otherwise, you and your team may miss out on a great opportunity to update some processes or things that you’ll need to use later on.
Think back to when you were a kid and it was raining outside. You couldn’t play outdoors.
Often a parent would have a few pre-planned activities that could keep you engaged, so you wouldn’t be staring out the window all day, feeling bad about the weather.
Let’s do a similar thing for your business, only these activities can help your productivity and the bottom line. The good news is these activities don’t take a lot of time but you have to commit to doing them.
Pick the Day for Your Rainy Day Activities
Think about when are slow times for your business. Maybe it’s before a major holiday, when no one from the outside world wants to do anything. Or there’s a time when business isn’t too busy.
Whatever the case, pick a day and that becomes reserved for rainy day activities. It’s on the calendar and it’s pretty much mandatory. You communicate it is a priority.
Software Updates
Software updates are one example of a rainy day activity. I use several software programs and over time, the programs are improved. This is fantastic.
However, the improvements mean that the program changes slightly and things like a new interface, may seem confusing. This means I need to learn how to use the thing that I’ve used in the past.
Take the time to go over any changes. Watch tutorials or reach out for more training.
This way, if you suddenly have to use the software, you’ll be able to use it effectively and not try to find some confusing online manual, when you’re in a panic. Prepare now so you’ll be ready later.
Call Old Customers
In many businesses, you have longtime customers. When was the last time you talked to them or thanked them? Is their continued business assumed and could you be taking them for granted?
Spend a few minutes to reach out and make sure the professional relationship is still on solid ground. This simple act can affirm the strength of the relationship or identity red flags.
Around the holidays, you’ll likely be leaving voicemails with some people. That’s okay. In many cases, the act of reaching out is more important than the conversation.
Marketing Makeover
Are some of your marketing messages a little old or do they no longer reflect your branding? When was the last time someone checked or updated them? Do any of them mention holidays that happened months ago Here are some things to review:
- Outgoing voicemail messages
- Frequently asked questions sections on your website
- Any auto-responder messages to customers
- Email signatures
Computer Backups
As more people work remotely, make sure your laptop is backed up. Laptops can fail at the worst possible moments. Can you afford to lose valuable work?
Backing up computers is one of the smart activities that many put off during busy days.
Identify People Backups
For some, rainy day activities are about employee backups. You never know when something unexpected or an emergency might cause a valuable employee to suddenly be called out of the office.
Make sure productivity stays high by giving employees time to train their backups. You’re investing time to ensure your operation runs smoothly, if the unexpected happens.
Other Benefits
Rainy day activities can help build workplace culture in a positive way. Think of all the little problems you can prevent from having a big impact, down the road.
Not sure if you have enough tasks to fill the whole day? Why not add some sort of employee volunteering project that can help your community and build teamwork.
Let’s Create a Memorable Meeting
