The holiday rush is a blur, the calendar has flipped to January, and a different kind of quiet has settled in. If you’re like most pizzeria owners, you’re bracing for the industry’s annual slowdown. While others view this as a necessary evil, I challenge you to see it as an opportunity!
January, the perennial “slow month,” is the single most valuable window you have to stop thinking like a pizzeria owner and start thinking like a community partner. This is why, at Simply Pizza, we get out from behind the counter, and we build relationships that insulate our business from the future chaos. We forge partnerships that offer ongoing, mutually beneficial connections that drive sustained business and positive word-of-mouth. This month you, too, can begin gathering resources and setting your business up for the year to come.
There are two avenues of community connection that I recommend you jump right into.
- Other Organizations: Businesses, school systems, non-profits, etc., that serve your clientele.
- Government Services/Resources: Entities that can control your business or have some investment in you succeeding.
Partnering with Neighbors
Where to start? Your community is full of people who serve the same customers you do, and you both stand to gain by working together. Join a chamber meeting, go to a happy hour hosted by your local Economic Development group. Connect with someone, anyone, that you haven’t before and find ways to support each other’s mission. Here are some ideas:
- The Local Gym/Yoga Studio: Offer a special “Fitness Friday” deal on your healthy-focused salads or vegetable-heavy thin-crust slices. In exchange, they promote you on their member email list.
- The Independent Bookstore/Coffee Shop: Offer to cater their next author signing or open mic night. You get new customers who spend time in the neighborhood to sample your pizza.
- The Local School or PTA: Schedule a “Doughraiser Night.” Dedicate 20 percent of all sales during a specific time to their cause. The PTA will market the event fiercely — it’s free advertising that also serves a purpose.
Navigating Government Resources
Aside from partnering with other organizations, I need you to focus on understanding the government agencies in your community! These agencies can impact your business and your bottom line.
Do you know your local Small Business Administration (SBA) representatives? Your Chamber of Commerce? Have you partnered with your county work force or local career and technical education programs? These are hubs for resources. Use this slow time to meet them and ask:
- Are there small business grant programs?
- Are there tax incentives for hiring locally or for making capital improvements?
- Are there upcoming changes to zoning or permitting that might affect plans?
- How do I get registered or certified as a Small Business, women-owned business, or minority-owned business?
- Are there apprenticeship or internship programs where you supply insurance and pay for student employees?
Connecting with these entities now, during slow season, means you’ll be ready to secure funding or navigate regulatory changes when the busy season hits.
The Dividends of Community Investment
When you step outside your doors, you signal that your business is a pillar of the community, not just a place to buy dinner. By actively seeking out ways to help and support your neighbors, you create a web of loyalty.
When you start navigating and participating with your local government agencies, you gain knowledge about how the systems work. Now you can take advantage of untapped opportunities and resources. Becoming certified opens opportunities for contracts and revenue streams that are less impacted in times of economic distress.
Your Challenge for January: Don’t hide from the slow period. Embrace it! Use this time to invest in your community. The time you spend working outside your business will pay dividends inside it for the rest of the year.
MELINDA CARBAJAL is the CEO and managing member of Simply Pizza in Colorado.
