The off season is coming. How can you make sure you use it well and advance your business? Here are 5 things to do now to prepare for the off season.
Invest in Advertising
The off season is an excellent time to put a little effort into your advertising and marketing strategies. Since your workload is a little lighter, you may have more mental bandwidth to dedicate to how you actually want to market and how you might best promote your business. Do some leg work to find out how your current marketing strategy is working out for you. And, when you find something that isn’t working, change it. Cut it out. Find something new.
Analyze your Business
Speaking of new, take some time to look into your business operations and make sure everything there is working for you, too. Review your projects to see what you could have done better. Document what you did well. Then use that information to plan your future projects.
Have you done research on the software options for general contractors? You might want to because it can greatly streamline a lot of the paperwork you have to keep up with. Invoicing, materials lists, and hired help can all be managed from apps or smart devices which can save you time and money. Look into all the options that can help your business run faster and more efficiently, so you can focus on the work you do best.
Expand Your Services
The off season can also be a great time to look at expanding the services you offer. Learn something new or offer an off-season skill. If you live in a cooler climate, you could consider snow plowing driveways and parking lots for local business. You could also consider becoming licensed to do home inspections. Both of these services will serve you well as a general contractor and increase your marketability, particularly in the off season.
Also consider attending conferences for contractors or home builders. You’re sure to gain some interesting information, learn something new, or at the very least meet like-minded people, which leads us to our next point.
Network
The nature of building, construction, remodeling, or any other skill you might have really does work better when you have a network of dependable, reliable people to call. Use the off season to cultivate these relationships and really get to know potential sub-contractors, suppliers, equipment managers, or potential team members. There’s a lot to be said for a cup of coffee and a good conversation.
Partner with HFS Financial
Last, but certainly not least, the off season is an excellent time to pull the trigger on partnering with HFS Financial to offer the best contractor financing for customers. If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “How can I offer financing to my customers?” but you haven’t had the time to do any research, now is the time. HFS Financial has years of experience in the home improvement financing business, so you’re safe with us. We’ll connect your clients with the best contractor financing options available so you can build their dream. With HFS Financial, “You Dream It, We Finance It.”