Traditionally, business is sluggish during January. Put it down to what you like -post-Christmas slump, the masses away on holidays, even the heat. The fact is, as the sounds of "Auld Lang Syne" fade, many businesses take a deep breath and prepare to tread water over the months to recovery. But it is not necessary to repeat this same old routine year in, year out. Take a planned approach. Be proactive. With a few careful planning strategies, a typically disastrous month can be reconciled to provide at least decent returns.

Formulating a written Business Plan will force you to think about what you want your business to be and where you want it to go. It is a blue print to follow as your business grows and expands. It provides contingencies during quiet periods and reinvestment options during more successful times. Although creating a business plan will take time, effort, and energy, it will be well worth the trouble.

An integral element of your Business Plan is a Sales and Marketing Plan. The purpose of a Sales and Marketing Plan is to define your market, to identify your customers and competitors, to outline a strategy for attracting and retaining clientele and to identify and anticipate change.

Identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and then construct an integrated marketing program based around a timeline of your quiet and busy periods. Utilise tools such as direct mail, sales promotions, special events, public relations and image building as well as traditional forms of paid advertising.

When planning your campaigns, make them measurable. For example what percentage of two-for-one vouchers distributed were actually cashed? This will allow you to calculate a rough return on investment. Most communication campaigns are quantifiable.

Survey your existing clientele to see what you can do to improve. Once you've got them in the door are they going to buy anything? Will you get them back again? Ask them what they liked and disliked. Act on their advice.

Keep an eye on your competitors. What do they do to ensure clientele during quiet periods? How can you improve on their strategies?