Planning for seasonal dips in income

Posted 20 Jan

Planning for seasonal dips in income

By Janita Croxton

One of the most challenging aspects for a small business is seasonal dips in income. But there are proactive ways to predict, plan for and overcome these dips in revenue.

The key to dealing with seasonal dips is to know when they’re most likely to occur, and to have measures in place to spread your income and revenue pipeline over the course of the year.

Understanding seasonality in your sector

If your business operates in a seasonal industry, you’ll be used to the peaks and troughs, but many 'non-seasonal' businesses experience times during the financial year where sales and revenue peak – and, on the flipside, where sales and revenue experience a pronounced dip.

When income is low at certain times of the year, it makes for challenging times.

So, what are the key ways to plan for this kind of seasonality?

• Forecast your seasonality – It’s vital to know WHEN you’re most likely to experience seasonal dips. Looking at benchmarking reports for your industry is one way to predict the seasonality in your niche or sector. Another way is to review your own accounting data, specifically profit & loss reports. This is an invaluable resource that will easily identify where your peaks and troughs have occurred in prior years and is specific to your business.
• Charge a premium in peak time – One straightforward approach is to apply premium pricing for your products/services during the busy season. By increasing your pricing, you boost your overall revenue, giving you more working capital to see you through the quieter months when sales and income are at their lowest.
• Offer additional peak-time services – Offering added extras and other additional services during peak time is another way to maximise the season. In the months where customers are most engaged, look to upsell these premium services and offer more value. Satisfied clients will be more inclined to pay for added extras, giving you an increased revenue stream from the same number of customers.
• Target other markets – exploring other related markets is another useful tactic. When you’re experiencing downtime, look for other ways to monetise your existing assets, products or services. For example, if you’re a hotel where sales peak in summertime, offer discounted conference space in the winter months to boost revenue.
• Diversify your products/services – if one product/service has a known seasonal dip, look at adding an additional product or service to offset this downtime. For example, a ski resort could promote bike-riding or hiking breaks during the warmer summer months to keep revenue constant. Likewise, a pool maintenance firm could establish an outdoor fireplace business for the colder months.
• Have a regional e-commerce strategy – If you’re dependent on a small local market, broadening your marketing and e-commerce strategies can help to attract a wider customer base – and bolster sales. Paid advertising through Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter can easily target new geographical markets, bringing in new customers and give your revenue a much-needed uplift during seasonal troughs.

Talk to us about planning for seasonality!

If your business is struggling with seasonal dips, and the resulting impact on cashflow, come and talk to us. We’ll help you identify the timing of your seasonal downtime and come up with a clear strategy for stabilising your income across the year and improving your cash flow.

If you have any questions on tackling your seasonal dips – do not hesitate to get in touch with myself or your WDF Professional contact. Phone 02 6921 5444 or email jcroxton@wdf.com.au