If you run a seasonal business, you know that making the bulk of your income only a few times a year can be a challenge. Or at least that’s what everyone wants to tell you. But let’s take a minute to see the glass as half full. Having a seasonal business also means plenty of opportunities for growth.
Here are a few things you can do to make the best of your seasonal business.
- Make the Most of Your Time. If your business is only really running certain times of the year, this means you have a lot of down time. This is the perfect opportunity to plan. Brainstorm new marketing ideas, improve your product or service, research new markets. You have plenty of time to kick it up a notch and be action-oriented. Take advantage of the fact that you’re busy only certain times of the year by making those times the absolute best you can make them.
- Diversify Your Income Sources. Having extra time to plan, also means you have time to explore new sources of income. Whether that means developing new products in your downtime (when you’re not planning, that is) or finding new ways to adapt your seasonal product or service to everyday lives. Diversifying your income source so you’re not only relying on a few months of sales is smart business. Get creative and think outside the box.
- Get Funding to Grow. Funding can help as you’re leading up to a season when sales will begin. Hiring, inventory and marketing all require extra cash, until you’re able to make some sales. Revenue loans can be a great source of funding for seasonable businesses because of the short-term nature of the loan. You don’t have consistent cash flow twelve months of the year, so why be stuck with monthly payments for 5 years when you can pay it all back in 6 months with your uptick in seasonal sales? Remember it’s important to start the funding process early.
The key to running a successful seasonal business is in the planning. You want to make sure you have enough capital to succeed without drowning yourself in long-term debt. Finding the right funding solution to get you through cash crunches is the best way to grow your seasonal business while keeping your business fresh and thriving.