Surviving the Winter

Winter months are the slow period for moving businesses. There are a number of factors that cause the winter months to slow down. Here are some of them.

Reasons for winter slow down.

  • Weather – for many state the snow and ice makes it less attractive to move.
  • Holidays – even in nice California weather, the holiday stresses and costs hinder people from moving
  • Q4 Corporate Budgets – Many Corporations avoid hiring or transferring people until Q1 starts up.

Knowing that the winter months are always a slower period, how do you survive the winter? There are a number of tricks you can use to make it more manageable and set yourself up for a great next year.

 

Revenues

  • Save some of summer’s profits –make as much as you can in the summer and ear mark a portion of summer profits to be used in the winter for operations and growth.
  • Corporate Deliveries – Connect with local furniture stores or large item retailers and work out a delivery agreement.
  • Corporate Work – reach out to businesses still busy during the winter that can use your services, such as Fire and Water Restoration Companies who increase business during the winter.
  • Storage Facilities – Monthly container rental fees provide year round income that can cover your operating costs.
  • Winter storage – Use winter as an excuse to market by offering to store items for the winter.
  • Winter services – worse comes to worse consider shoveling driveways or other wintertime only services that might add temporary revenues and not distract from your main business.

 

Being Proactive for a great next year

  • Retool the business – Work on improving the business processes and tools. New Software systems, new phones, computers, etc.
  • Begin Marketing– Plan and setup the marketing efforts for next year, reach out to apartment managers, Realtors, etc and get them on board for next year.

 

Cash flow will dry up during winter so make sure to plan for it. With focus and effort the winter troubles are manageable and can even provide a good place to refocus on the issues.