Like most companies, a seasonal business’ success depends largely on an owner’s prowess in managing time and money.

But both resources can be in shorter supply if you condense a year’s worth of work into a few months. Proper planning and efficient execution are crucial to surviving until the next season.

Here are some tips for making sure that your time is being spent efficiently, both when the business is booming and when it’s shuttered until the next seasonal surge.

1. Determine what’s working

Review your marketing and advertising for the past season and adjust it for next. Could you reach more potential customers if you change your methods or messaging? How about rates? Leverage your marketing and advertising budget to its fullest.

2. Work on your business

Now that you have risen above the fray by running a business at a busy time, you can contemplate and refine high-level strategy. What must you do to keep growing, or to start growing again? Are there new products or services to launch or markets to penetrate? Identify and seize the opportunities that you might otherwise be too busy to see.

3. Work in the weeds

Maintaining your company’s infrastructure is as crucial as determining its usage. For example, if you run a tour boat, you could ill afford to dry dock it during your peak season to do repairs and maintenance. Or, maybe your restaurant would benefit from a remodeling. What improvements could you make to your property? What equipment matters most and how could you care for it best when business has slowed? Perhaps you could generate revenue by servicing the same equipment for similar businesses, like tuning up jet skis for other rental companies.

4. Work with others

Befriend your local tourist development council by promoting mutually beneficial events. Could you help organize an event around your specialty or expertise, like a seafood festival? Your peak season may be summer, but working a few extra weekends in February to capitalize on events could lessen your dependency on the warmer months.

5. Expand your seasons

With e-commerce, you may be able to serve your customers year-round. For instance, a Florida-based purveyor of homemade fudge and chocolates uses its peak season to promote online sales. Tourists can order their favorite vacation treats long after they leave. The store includes its website address on in-store labels and encourages customers to sign up for its email list so they can take advantage of specials throughout the year.

6. Keep them coming

Tourists may be your primary customers, but they don’t have to account for all of your business. Local residents can be customers as well. A tour boat operator may offer discounts for off-season cruises. A retailer may offer a “resident-only” buy-one-get-one offer or discount. Or a restaurant could promote off-season specials. Don’t close up completely after the tourists roll out of town.

As soon as your peak season ends, start planning for the next. Find ways to better attract, serve and retain customers.

From: http://www.bizjournals.com/