9 Ways to Slump-Proof Your Print Shop This Winter

FOR MANY PRINT shops, November and December feel like a sprint, and then January hits like a brick wall. The presses go quiet. The phone stops ringing. Suddenly, the team that was working overtime is looking around wondering what to do next.

But here’s the thing: the “slow season” doesn’t have to mean slow sales. The most successful shops I work with use this window not as downtime, but as prep time; to clean up systems, reconnect with customers, and build pipelines that will carry them through the year ahead.

If you want to hit the ground running after the holidays, now’s the time to plan. Here’s how to get ahead of the January-February lull and turn it into a period of growth.

1. Audit Your Sales Process While Things Are Fresh

The best time to improve your process is right after the busiest season, when the friction points are still top of mind.

Ask yourself:

• Where did quotes or approvals get stuck?
• Did any jobs fall through the cracks between sales and production?
• How consistent were follow-ups with new leads?
• Were you reacting to incoming orders, or actively managing them?

Take notes while it’s fresh. Then, use January to tighten up your quoting workflow, build better templates, and set clearer handoffs between departments.

Pro tip: Have your team walk through one complete “mock order” from lead to invoice. It’s a fast way to expose where your system breaks under pressure.

2. Nurture the Customers You Just Served

You’ve likely just finished fulfilling hundreds of holiday orders. Those customers are your easiest wins for Q1.

Here’s how to turn one-time buyers into repeat clients:

• Send post-order check-ins. A simple “How did everything turn out?” opens the door to feedback and future work.
• Share new ideas. Suggest how they can refresh employee apparel, gear up for spring events, or restock popular items.
• Ask for referrals or testimonials. Satisfied holiday customers are your best advocates when business slows.

The slow months are the perfect time to deepen relationships while competitors go quiet.

3. Build a Campaign Around What’s Next

If you want orders in January, you can’t start marketing in January. You need to plant the seed now.

Think about what your clients will care about after the holidays: Corporate teams are planning Q1 events and uniforms. Schools are preparing for spring sports. Gyms and studios are launching New Year challenges and merch lines. Local businesses are thinking about rebranding or outfitting new hires.

Create themed promotions or email campaigns that speak to those moments. A simple “New Year, Fresh Gear” campaign can bring customers back faster than you expect.

4. Make January the Month of Cleanup

When production slows, your most valuable resource becomes time, and how you use it determines how the next busy season feels.

Here’s where to focus that energy:

• CRM Cleanup: Remove duplicates, tag key accounts, and create campaigns for outreach.
• Price List Review: With costs constantly changing, make sure your pricing still protects your margins.
• Website & Social Refresh: Update photos, client testimonials, and any outdated content before spring.

The goal: make your shop “holiday ready” year-round.

5. Reinvest in Training and Team Development

When the pace slows, that’s your chance to sharpen the saw.

Invest a few hours a week into building your team’s skills, whether it’s improving sales techniques, learning new print methods, or finally mastering that software you’ve been putting off.

Hold short training sessions, assign small improvement projects, or bring in a coach or consultant for a day. Every hour spent improving now pays off tenfold when orders pick back up.

Remember: In slow months, you’re not paying people to be busy, you’re paying them to be better for when business returns.

6. Create Systems for Predictable Pipeline

If January feels slow every year, that’s not just seasonality… it’s a systems problem.

Use this time to set up consistent, automated ways to fill your pipeline:

• Build a simple follow-up cadence in your CRM that triggers check-ins with inactive clients every 90 days.
• Set up email workflows for new leads who didn’t convert during the holidays.
• Create a quarterly outreach plan with industries or accounts you want to target before trade shows and spring events.

Predictable sales come from consistent activity, and consistency starts with systems.

7. Reevaluate Your Ideal Client List

After the rush, you’ve got great data. Which customers were profitable? Which ones caused the most headaches?

Take time to review your orders and spot trends:

• High-profit vs. low-profit accounts
• Rush jobs that cost more than they earned
• Industries that brought repeat business

Refine your focus for 2026. Doubling down on the right customers makes your next busy season smoother and more profitable.

8. Don’t Forget to Market Your Success

You’ve likely produced some of your best work in the last few months, don’t let it disappear into storage.

January is the perfect time to show it off. Share case studies or photos of standout holiday projects.

Highlight client feedback or testimonials. Post behind-the-scenes stories of your team in action.

Momentum breeds momentum. Showing your work not only fills the content gap but positions your shop as active and thriving while others are quiet.

9. Start the Year With Strategy, Not Stress

If you want 2026 (and beyond) to feel smoother, use the early months to plan it.

Hold a half-day strategy meeting with your leadership team. Set clear goals for:

• Revenue and growth targets
• Marketing and outreach priorities
• Equipment upgrades or facility improvements
• Hiring and training timelines

A written plan, even a simple one, turns slow months into launch pads for everything that follows.

The Bottom Line

The lull after the holidays doesn’t have to be something you suffer through. It can be the smartest, most strategic time of your year, if you use it intentionally.

Clean up your systems. Reconnect with your best clients. Sharpen your team’s skills. And start building the pipeline for spring now.