The holiday shopping season has come and gone, leaving retailers all around the world likely facing substantially lower sales in the early part of January compared to what they were able to experience during most of December. What can you do to bring the customers back through your doors?

A very viable business strategy is to offer discounts and offers during these slower periods, attracting people back through the door that may not otherwise pay you a visit. This is helpful not only in the wake of the holiday shopping season, but also throughout the year to fill in the periods that are traditionally slower.

Take a restaurant as an example. Most of its business will come in during the prime dinner hours, between 6pm and 9pm. By offering a discounted menu (“early bird”) before 6pm, you can get a few people to fill in that gap that may otherwise leave you with an empty restaurant. Similarly, entertainment venues that have most of their business during the weekend can offer mid-week exclusive discounts.

Instead of allowing the slower periods to go vacant, you are usually better off making some money (at a discount) than making virtually none at all.