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How Small Businesses Can Prepare for the Winter Slow Season (and the Reports You Need To Run in QuickBooks!)

  • Writer: Taylor Vanderburgh
    Taylor Vanderburgh
  • 3 days ago
  • 3 min read
Snowy landscape with pine trees under a cloudy sky. Text "preparing for slow season" appears in the center. Cold, serene mood.

For many small business owners, the winter months — especially January and February — bring a natural slowdown. After the holiday rush, sales often dip and projects take longer to ramp up. This is especially evident in retail, construction, contractors, service-based businesses, and hospitality.

The good news? This quieter period is actually the perfect time to strengthen your business, streamline your finances, and set yourself up for a smoother, more profitable year ahead.

Here’s how to get your business winter-ready with smart planning, expense trimming, and improved efficiency.

1. Review Your Monthly Expenses in 10 Minutes

Start the year by taking a close look at every recurring expense:

  • Subscriptions you forgot about

  • Software tools you no longer use

  • Services that sounded helpful… but aren’t

  • Memberships and renewals that auto-billed without warning

If you can’t remember why you’re paying for something, that’s a sign it needs to go.

Not yet using QuickBooks Online? Print your December statement and highlight every charge. Anything unrecognized or unused gets flagged, canceled or downgraded.

2. Trim or Reduce the “Nice-to-Haves”

You don’t have to slash everything — just the items that don’t directly help your business generate revenue. Scanning through your Overhead expenses is a good practice to do quarterly, or during the lull of the winter season.

Consider adjusting:

  • Delivery fees or courier services

  • Unnecessary office expenses such as premium supplies, or beverages and snacks (Staples, Amazon and Costco, we know 😅)

  • Premium software tiers — businesses can often swap for the slow season

  • Duplicate tools with similar features (Google Workspace versus Microsoft Office, for example)

  • Specialty suppliers that could be swapped for more cost-effective options

Even small monthly reductions add up over the slow season.

3. Plan for January/February Cash Flow

Cash flow planning is critical this time of year. Ask yourself:

  • What does typical revenue look like in Jan–Feb?

    • Run a Profit & Loss report in QuickBooks with these dates and compare prior periods for an average

  • What are my fixed costs that can’t be reduced?

    • Think rent, utilities, salaries, professional fees, insurance premiums, loans, financing, renewals

  • Am I prepared for delayed payments from clients?

    • Run the Invoices and Received Payments report, customizing columns (add Terms to your columns if necessary), and scan through to see which customers take the longest to pay

  • Do I need to adjust payroll schedules or inventory orders?

    • This could look like scheduling staff based on actual demand, ordering smaller quantities, and doing a proper inventory count

Preparing ahead reduces future pressure and will protect your business from unnecessary strain. Contact us today if you’d like a run-through of your cash flow.

4. Build “Micro-Efficiencies” Into Your Workflow

These tiny improvements can save you hours (and dollars) in the future:

  • Automate bill entry by using the Recurring Transactions feature in QuickBooks Online

  • Centralize your receipts and sales documents using software like Dext. Now is the perfect time to implement before the new year.

  • Reconcile your books to date and set a reminder to refresh your bank feed monthly

  • Create templates for repeat emails, proposals, and onboarding

Ten minutes today can save you three hours next month.

5. Use December to Look Ahead, Not Behind

January should not feel like a scramble. Use December to organize, update, and plan:

  • Clear out your inbox, and use cleanup tools if necessary

  • Get your bookkeeping up to date - reconcile to November 30

  • Review your pricing for 2026; draft up service contracts

  • Forecast your busy seasons and slow periods

  • Create a marketing plan for Q1

A little preparation now leads to a calmer, more predictable start to the year.

Final Thoughts

Winter doesn’t have to feel slow — it can feel strategic. By reviewing your expenses, planning your cash flow, and building efficiencies into your business, you’ll head into January feeling confident, organized, and ready for whatever the new year brings.

If you want help reviewing expenses or building a financial plan for your winter slow season, we’re here to help ❄️📊

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