Big Thinking From Small Business: Success All Year

Small Business Tips

Lots of businesses are what would be considered seasonal in nature. They sell camping gear which customers typically buy in the summer (unless they are based in California, where it is always summer), or their trade is in stationery, with the peak season occurring as children go back to school. How would a camping supplier in Northern Canada remain viable throughout the rest of the year without shutting down entirely during a long winter?

It is essential that regular and would-be clients do not forget you exist. If they think you have gone out of business, they will look elsewhere for their products. Small businesses have a tendency to get overlooked, especially little shops squished between many other little shops along a commercial street. Window dressing is just one part luring in consumers: you have to get them in front of that window for the tactic to work.

Business experts write that a lot of their visibility has to do with advertising savvy. A single campaign can be quite expensive to create and to run. To keep from having to recreate a campaign, they start with a format that is adaptable. Think of those ads which sound much the same every time they come on TV. The sound track for a ladies' undergarment shop will be much the same every month, but Autumnal colors will slide across the screen in October, or reds and greens in December. A flexible approach can be adapted to fit in with other seasons besides the one when you are busiest.

Also, how does a small business firm manage its money effectively without going broke during lean times? Where will the cash come from to pay employees and other bills? Cash flow forecasting plays a major role, with business operators predicting how to spread their profits effectively across an entire year. While it might seem like they won the lottery after selling 25 tents, 30 sleeping bags, and 5 camp stoves in a single week, these earnings will have to keep a business person going during the lull.

To this end, many firms keep just a small number of employees on hand in the off-season. If possible, these include family members who will help out for free. Many small businesses really do operate on the principle that since this business is where their bread and butter comes from; teens should help out if they want to eat every day. When the season is high, those teens and their reliable friends of working age can draw a wage after all.

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