đź•’Estimated Reading Time: ~3 minutes
Springtime. The acacias are blooming, and the bulbs are swaying. Spring means renewal and growth—something every business owner wants. Use Spring’s inspiration and warming weather to ready your franchise for summer’s bounty.
Some franchises are not seasonal, but many are. Restaurants do more business as summer tourists and locals alike exit their winter dens to enjoy the outdoors. Other franchises like education and flooring companies see higher revenue in winter when school is open and when customers are getting ready for holiday entertaining.
Either way, summer is the time to prepare for what is coming next. If summer is not your high season, it is still important to prepare because, well, we all know that winter is coming.
Summer Abundance
Barbecue cleaners, landscapers, food trucks, insect control, and pool cleaners are all seasonal franchise companies that thrive in the summer season. If you’re not ready yet, get going. It is time to prepare for increases—increases in revenue, yes, but also in labor, expenses, stocking fees, and inventory. Now is the time to hire more employees and offer part-time positions to students on summer holidays. Get the advertising out for summer promotions, and ensure you have adequate stock levels to provide excellent turn-key service.
More daylight means more hours for some franchise owners too. This translates into longer hours and more expenses from fuel, hydro bills, and labor. So, staff up, stock up, and train employees on special promotions and add-on sales opportunities whenever possible. Summer will have everyone running hard for your success.
Summer Scarcity
Winter-based businesses have projects too. If you purchased a winter business to be free for enjoying summers, use the low-season to contemplate the coming high season. Holiday décor, food, and entertainment companies are probably taking a well-deserved break, but a good business owner never truly retreats.
Instead, use the easy-livin' summertime to think constructively about your next season. Revisit your business plan, capital needs, and maintenance requirements. Downtimes might be perfect for property improvement projects. Consider staffing options and ways to reduce some expenses. Develop revenue streams by planning a wholeyear’s worth of marketing and promotions.
Sometimes, the best ideas come when you take a break. So, go ahead. Enjoy that cold Molson on your way to the tee box, but always stay tuned to improving your business game. Who knows? You might decide to invest in a golf franchise.
No matter your business type, the season offers an opportunity. Fill the coffers during your high-season summers, or use your quiet summer months to enhance the coming winter … but be ready either way.
Anne Daniells is a co-owner of Enterprising Solutions, a professional services firm specializing in corporate communication and financial improvement for businesses where she shares decades of corporate and entrepreneurial experience—including franchise ownership—in her writings on business culture. She has authored hundreds of articles for publications including AllBusiness.com, TweakYourBiz.com, and MSN.com. Reach out via her website for more on where corporate culture, communication, and human architecture collide.