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Take a break: Why an August road trip might be just what your eCommerce business needs

It’s common for companies, big and small, to reach a point of staleness after the initial rush of momentum at launch. In some organizations, company retreats are used as a way to rejuvenate the workforce and to bring forth fresh ideas. As an eSeller, you may need a change to spark similar results.

The following is a look at why a summer-long road trip can reinvigorate your e-commerce business.

Full awareness and focus on the business

One of the main reasons that separating yourself from your regular business environment, whether that is at home or an office, is to allow an external perspective. When you get caught up in the daily grind of your operation, it is difficult to take a big picture perspective. Instead, you get bogged down by such daily tasks as fulfilling orders, handling customer complaints, completing project tasks and updating your website.

Getting outside gives you a completely different vantage point. You step back from the daily grind and take a more holistic view of the business.

Dedicated time to evaluate strategies

With that outside perspective and full awareness, you have time to evaluate your business strategies. Just as companies periodically hold strategic planning meetings, eSellers should evaluate strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Take an assessment of your current business condition, including what is working and what isn’t.

A road trip can also be a good time to assess whether your product and service strategies are working. Maybe you’ve pondered introducing new lines to your business and this getaway can give you the opportunity to fully analyze the potential.

Spark fresh ideas

Whether you work in a traditional employment setting or operate an eSeller business, as is the case here, getting away is your best chance to spark fresh ideas. Psychologically, people tend to get caught up in habitual thinking when they go through the same behaviors and routines every day. To brainstorm, it is better to get away from such routines. You may even see or hear things that inspire new business strategies.

Refresh and refuel your mind

On a personal level, a summer-long road trip can be the perfect cure for malaise. It is common that the initial rush of excitement that comes from launching and operating a business gives way to burnout and fatigue. Even if your business is successful, completing the same activities and working hard every day without a break wears on the mind and soul.

Consider stops on your trip that allow for fun, adventure, and creative exploration. You want to free your mind from its clutter and open it up to new energy.

Meet new people

Getting away enables you the chance to meet new people and gain perspective outside your usual circle of influences. Doing so is not only good on a personal level, but it allows you to talk to and gain insights on your business from people that you wouldn’t normally hear from.

One of the great things for eSellers is that many operations aren’t geographically confined. You can take your computer and phone and access the Internet virtually anywhere. Thus, consider the opportunity to break free from the daily grind and venture out in the world to refresh and to generate new ideas.

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Neil Kokemuller

Neil Kokemuller has been a college marketing professor since 2004. He has also been an active business, marketing and education writer and content media website developer since 2007. Kokemuller has additional professional experience in retail and small business, and holds a Master of Business Administration from Iowa State University.