Like many businesses, there are certain times of the year where business fluctuates. In the home services field, summer tends to be the busiest, while the winter months may yield a slowdown.
Springtime is considered the best time to buy a house, nationwide. Once purchased, many homeowners seek out the help of professional home services for improvements. Because of this, the spring and summer are usually the busiest months for home services companies. Depending on the location of your company, weather can have a large effect on your busy season as well, with winter temperatures slowing down home improvement projects.
In this article, we’ll cover what business fluctuations you can expect from the different seasons and how you can focus on improving your business in the slower months.
What Each Season Means for Home Services
In the home services industry, many projects are dependent on weather. If you are in a cold area, winter temperatures can halt any outside work. In the spring and summer months, more homeowners are focused on completing large home renovations, increasing the workload for your company during these months. Here are some of the projects homeowners seek home service providers out for each season.
Winter
Winter months bring cold temperatures and lots of layers. They also highlight any drafts or heating issues in a home. This is when many homeowners find out they need to seal certain areas of their home, improve their heating efficiency or fix frozen pipes. HVAC and plumbing issues arise during this time, increasing the business for those service providers in the winter months.
Spring
One of the most popular seasons of the year for home buying, springtime brings out home renovation projects and outdoor maintenance. Many homeowners use this time of year to get their house in order after being stuck inside during the colder winter months. Whether you’re a landscaper or contractor, you should see an increase in your business during the spring months.
Summer
While this season is many homeowners’ favorite one to enjoy, it also brings about problems of its own. From air conditioning issues and pool fixes to resealing driveways and adding an extension, summer is a time for a variety of home services.
Fall
Many homeowners begin the process of winterizing their homes during the fall season. This can include closing their pool, leaf and yard clean up, and ensuring all heating systems are in working order. Depending on your home service business, you could be very busy during this season as well.
How To Generate Business in Slower Seasons
We can’t change the seasons, but we can change our approach. Let’s look at some ways to generate business in slow months.
Position Your Business for Emergencies
Emergencies do happen, and your customers need to be supported when they do. For example, you may find yourself very busy across fall, but the business may decrease once winterization is complete. However, what happens when heavy weather knocks out the power, or when plunging temperatures cause pipes to burst? This is when an emergency call-out service is imperative. Customers need these problems fixed, and quickly.
Publicize your emergency call-out services on your website, social media channels, and even direct mailers. Be_sure your customers know they can rely on you.
Focus On Marketing Efforts
Marketing is certainly a big part of business, but can be pushed to the side during busier months. During the slower months, it’s important to take the time to focus on your marketing strategy and efforts.
Use this time to advertise additional services you offer. For example, tell your customers that your air conditioning_service also offers heating solutions for wintertime. Alternatively, educate your customers on the importance of year-round pest control.
Sit down with your team and decide what you want your focus to be for the next few months or the entire year. Use this time to plan out your future marketing efforts, so when the busy season hits, the work will be done for you.
Build a Strong Online Presence
In the digital era, a strong online presence is a necessity. Customers need to be able to find you on social media platforms, so a robust social media marketing strategy is vital. Create a Facebook business page as an easy way for customers to see your business information and any content or specials you have.
Be sure your website is up to date with the correct information. Make your hours and phone number easy to find on your home page. Create a page showing the services you offer so customers can know exactly how you can help them. If you don’t have a website, or just want to improve yours and not sure how, use the help of a professional website builder.
Don’t Devalue Your Services
Sales and offers can certainly help you to increase business during slower periods, but you need to be savvy here. Don’t devalue what you offer by advertising rock-bottom rates, and don’t leave yourself struggling with desperate special offers.
Instead, provide rewards and loyalty offers to returning customers. Consider how you can add value with carefully timed_and deployed sales during slower business months. This will help you to secure revenue without undermining your company.
Final Thoughts
Seasonal lulls, while challenging, can be a great time for you to focus on your home services business. Use this time to make adjustments and improvements across your company. When the busier months hit, you’ll be confident in knowing you have everything in line for a smooth operation.
Following these steps will help ensure you have year-round success. If you would like some additional help, reach out to us for your marketing needs.
