Winter is approaching. When the cold wind blows, more and more people just want to stay at home. The number of calls for trampoline consultation is getting less and less. As a bounce house rental business owner. You receive fewer and fewer orders.
Faced with a steep cut in revenue. Nervousness and anxiety grip you. Unsure of what to do next. Is it only possible to shut down your business and wait for the next peak season to arrive? A bad mood has brought you here. Don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place and I’ll give you six tips to get through this slow season and downtime.
I’m prone to laziness in the off-season and downtime. About three years ago, I wasted a lot of time. Until one day, my friend went to the factory to look for me. All workers had left on vacation. I was alone and dazed in the factory. He said: “Emma, you’re a silly girl. Do you know what Jack is doing now?” I stayed still. He continued: “His promotions are so great. Now overwhelmed with his production lines.” When I heard that my competitor was so successful, I instantly came to my senses. Now, I finally knew why he always did better than me. It turned out that he had done a lot of preparation in the slow season. We call it “prepare for a rainy day” in Chinese. I’ve missed a lot of opportunities in the past. The good thing is now I am far away from that stupid Emma.
Now let me pass on to you the lessons I’ve learned.
Tip 1 Clean, organize and store bounce house
Take advantage of the sunshine day and get moving. It’s the perfect weather for cleaning and organizing your bounce houses.
Tidy up your bounce house
During the busy season, you are tired and busy every day. There is not even time to check the condition of each unit carefully. Now is the time to open them one by one and double-check.
Make sure they are clean, dry, and disinfected.
Tie a label on each package. Write the name, size, color, and other important details. Stack jumpers and slides separately. That will make it easier for you to pick up them.
Clean out your warehouse
Take this opportunity to clear up your warehouse as well. Check to see if there are any leaks or standing water. It’s so important to keep it ventilated and dry during the long winter months.
Never let a bouncer be with water or stored in a wet place. It will likely mold and break down after a long winter.
Also be noticed to put some pesticides to prevent damage from ants, rats, and other rodents. These unpleasant smells will stop them from chewing on the inflatables.
Tip 2 Develop new business and diversified services
This cold day, no one wants to play bounce house outdoors. But if you put it indoors, the children will like it. In the warm, comfortable indoor, play bounce house and inflatable games. The children can not mention how happy even in winter.
Don’t close and stop business. Try to find new opportunities. Do some promotional activities.
Churches, schools, some businesses, shops will organize some holiday celebrations. Such as Halloween, Christmas, and New Year activities.
Be sure to look for opportunities like this. Create a seasonal promotion. Offering a variety of discounts or giveaways.
For example, book your bounce house for Christmas and get a free Christmas decoration box.
Small bounce and combo are perfect for indoor use. Use them for your winter business!
Spend a few hours a day to keep your website and social media active. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.
You’ll be surprised by so many more followers you have. When the peak season rolls around. This can be so helpful to your business.
Tip 4 Self-improvement or training employees
You can do anything you don’t have time to do during peak season. Learn industry knowledge, such as orders, compliance, delivery, etc.
The off-season is a good time to learn. You can improve yourself by learning or you can train your employees. Take the time to do this important training. It can set your team up for success throughout the year.
Tip 5 Reviewing the year and making new year plans
During the busy season, none of us have time to think. A while ago I was so tired every day that I fell asleep as soon as I got into bed. Now I have a little time to settle down. It’s time to do a good job of summarizing and planning. Usually, I do a summary of the previous year and a plan for the next year in the off-season.
First, give a summary. Review what has been done well, whatnot. What needs to be improved and upgraded.
Second, do a plan for next year. What and how to do it.
It’s amazing. When you plan well, even in the peak season you are busy to fly, you can remain calm and unhurried.
Don’t underestimate this step. If you keep doing this every year. It will serve as a compass to guide you along the way. Before long, you will be an expert in this industry.
Tip 6 Buy new products
After a peak season, you now have a good experience. Know what products are popular in the market and the new trends are in the next season. And maybe have plans to buy new products.
The situation this year is like a black swan.
On the one hand, it’s a slow season for factories. Many factories have to do a bit of promotion and discounting.
On the other hand, prices of various raw materials, shipping costs, and orders are soaring.
All kinds of uncertainty and instability make everything out of whack.
Even if you order from China today, you may receive the goods in late February and early March. If you order in February next year, the price and delivery date are a riddle.
You do a little math. It’s more profitable to buy now than in January or later next year.
If you plan to buy inflatables from China, place your order now.
Last but not least, tell me what product knowledge you are interested in.
2 Responses
Thanks helped alot
Happy to help, Shaf.