Do you run a seasonal business? Do you have one season that you bring in 90% of your annual revenue? While the internet has balanced that out a lot for people who sell products, there are still some service businesses out there that struggle. Most of them turn the marketing on in the “hot” season and coast during the slow time. If you’re tired of coasting, here are a few things you can do:
Tips for Seasonal Business
Let’s start with the holidays, because that’s the most obvious. There are so many businesses that focus on the holidays, not just Christmas but also Halloween, Fourth of July, and Valentine’s Day. But if you are purely a Christmas season store, what can you do during the summer?
Sale, Anyone?
Think about hosting a “Christmas in July” party or have specials during that month. People love decorating for the holiday season, and if there are good deals to be had, they will be at your business. It’s never too early to remind people to start planning for the holiday season.
Expand Your Market
How about becoming an all-inclusive “holiday” store, if the finances make sense? You don’t want a surplus of inventory, but if you can be the go-to place in your town for all holidays, not just Christmas, you can definitely make your store relevant for the whole year, since there is a new holiday almost every month. You could also branch out into themed party decor, offering like Pride decorations.
And there’s also….
Landscaping and other outdoor businesses: If you are a landscaping business in a place like Florida, you probably already have business all year. But for the states that see snow, anything outdoors will be a no-go when the weather turns bitter.
Extend Services
So what can those businesses in cold climate areas do? Think about services that you can offer in addition to landscaping, and make sure you advertise that. Don’t count on word-of-mouth, make an effort to market all the other things you are able to do for your customers. In the fall, you can offer leaf removal and tree trimming. In November and December, you could hang lights during the holiday season (you can still do this if you’re in Florida, too!) and work with neighborhood homeowner associations (or individuals) to contract with them for snow removal.
Get Your Name Out
Taxes: Ah tax season. We don’t want to leave out any small business accounting firms, so what do you do from May to December to stay relevant in your community? Offer your services to other small business owners. Many owners are great at their business, but not so good at the finances.
You can also offer educational events in your community about taxes, retirement, and any other money-related topic. For a small fee, people can attend and learn about a topic they might not know much about. You can also offer a service where you review people’s taxes that they just filed, and help them figure out how to maximize their return the following year. Doing this also builds up your clientele for the next tax season.
Reach out to your local chamber to see if they offer Lunch and Learns or contact an office space-sharing cooperative in your town to see if you can offer something for their freelancers or start-ups.
There are lots of ways for seasonal businesses to make themselves a year-round business. But even if you don’t, use your “slow” time for planning purposes, updating marketing materials or branding, and picking out some new swag – all the things you won’t have as much time for when business picks up.
What is your business, and if your busy times ebb and flow, what do you do during your “off-season” to bring customers in the door? Talk to a member of team ThinkQuik today on how we can help better position you in your market.
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