How to Crush the “J Months” in Direct Sales (Instead of Slowing Down)
Hi friend! Welcome back to The Passports, Profits and Pixie Dust Podcast. I’m Lindsay Dollinger—high school Spanish teacher, dog mom, world traveler, and direct seller turned business mentor. I help women run their direct sales businesses the right way so they can make more money, create more freedom, and live the lives they dream of.
Let’s dive into today’s topic:
The dreaded J Months.
If you’ve been in direct sales for more than a minute, you’ve probably heard it:
“Sales slow down in January, June, and July.”
“People stop ordering.”
“Recruiting dries up.”
“Everyone’s on vacation.”
But here’s the truth:
J Months don’t HAVE to be slow months.
Not if you prepare.
Not if you plan.
Not if you stay consistent.
In this blog, you’ll learn how to crush the J Months instead of falling victim to them.
Grab your planner (or your Direct Sales Done Right Planner & Tracker, which you can find at LindsayDollinger.com), and let’s get to work.
Why J Months Are Traditionally Slow (and Why That Doesn’t Matter)
J Months tend to dip because:
- People travel
- Kids are home
- Routines shift
- Social media usage decreases
- Consumers prioritize experiences over products
- You get out of your normal rhythm
But the opportunity?
It’s HUGE.
Summer is:
- A fresh audience
- More in-person events
- More social gatherings
- More visibility
- More availability (especially if you’re a teacher!)
- The perfect time to build momentum
Slow months are optional.
Let’s talk about how to make them some of your strongest months.
1. Increase Your Number of New Connections
Whatever number of new connections, leads, or conversations you normally aim for—
increase it.
Double it if you can.
Why?
Because:
- People are online less
- Engagement drops
- Consumer attention shifts
- You need MORE people at the top of your funnel
Here are ways to expand your reach:
- Join local Facebook groups
- Engage inside Instagram hashtags
- Attend in-person meetups, fairs, and markets
- Go to yoga classes, parks, or summer festivals
- Walk around your town with intention
- Network at community events
- Join mom groups, hiking groups, or interest-based groups
Summer is one big invitation to meet more people in real life—use it.
2. Stay Visible (Even When Everyone Else Disappears)
Summer = less scrolling.
That means:
👉 The people who do post consistently stand out
👉 The algorithm favors you
👉 You become the familiar face people return to
Your visibility plan should include:
- Daily stories
- Regular feed posts
- Personal content mixed with value
- Summer-themed content
- Planning & batching your posts ahead
- Scheduling posts for your “offline” days
Your audience is more spread out—
you become the consistent one they trust.
3. Plan Your Summer Events Right Now
You cannot wing the J Months.
Pull out your calendar and map things out:
- Summer sale events
- Theme weeks
- Holiday promos (Memorial Day, 4th of July, Back-to-School)
- Outdoor vendor events
- Pool parties or patio pop-ups
- Hostess events
- Customer appreciation nights
- Team challenges
- Summer bundles
Then map your own life:
- Vacations
- Long weekends
- Trips
- Staycations
- Days you want completely OFF
Why?
Because you need to:
- Schedule posts ahead of time
- Prepare promos
- Prep content
- Communicate with customers
- Set your team up for success
Give yourself the gift of planning—and the gift of unplugging without your business suffering.
4. Plan Your Time OFF (Yes, Really)
Most direct sellers do this WRONG.
They force themselves to be online constantly then burn out harder in the summer than any other time.
Instead, choose:
- A long weekend
- A mini retreat
- A staycation
- A “no business” day
- A social media fast
Let people know:
“I’ll be unplugged from Friday–Monday. I’ll respond when I’m back!”
Schedule posts.
Set boundaries.
Actually rest.
Your business will grow faster when YOU feel refreshed.
5. Accept That Results Lag—But They DO Come
Whatever you do today…
You’re going to see the payoff in:
- 30 days
- 60 days
- 90 days
So if your summer feels slow?
You’re planting seeds for September–December, which are MASSIVE sales months in direct sales.
Summer consistency =
Q4 explosion.
6. Teachers: Summer Is YOUR Superpower
Teacher friends… listen up.
Summer is YOUR prime season.
You’ve got:
- More time
- More mental space
- More flexibility
- More capacity for creativity
Which means:
- More content
- More connections
- More events
- More energy
It’s also the perfect time to talk to other teachers about joining your business.
No papers.
No grading.
More time.
More freedom.
It’s the least overwhelming time for someone to start.
Use it to your advantage.
7. Summer Is the Time to Try Something NEW
Want to:
- Host your first vendor event?
- Try a backyard open house?
- Do a team BBQ?
- Launch a new customer event?
- Try a theme party?
- Host a poolside pop-up?
THIS is the season to experiment.
People are out.
People are social.
People are open to fun.
Your business should FEEL fun too—bring it back.
Work outside.
Bring your laptop to the park.
Have iced coffee on the patio while you send messages.
Make your business feel good again.
Final Words: Your J Months Can Be Massive Months
If you:
- Increase your connections
- Stay visible
- Plan ahead
- Stay consistent
- Take intentional rest
- Try new things
- Lean into the season
…your J Months won’t be slow.
They’ll be momentum-building.
Business-shifting.
Confidence-boosting.
Income-growing.
You control the energy.
You control the effort.
You control the planning.
And when you do?
Your summer becomes the setup for your biggest fall and winter ever.
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Have an amazing summer, friend.
You’ve got this. 🌴✨