Where did it go? Summer has passed in a flash and most of us are scurrying to get ready for fall when we haven’t even adjusted to the warmer temperatures yet. You, as a small business owner, feel it and your customers feel it too.
Remember, the weather will not be summer like for long. Running your business from home requires that you have access to everything that a brick and mortar business has and if you live in a part of the country where it storms or snows often, you have to ensure that the weather won’t affect your ability to run your business successfully.
How would you, personally, as well as your business, fare, during a loss of power or a shutdown of certain streets or neighbourhoods in your city? September is the best time to make your list of absolute necessities and make sure they are in place well before the weather turns. This is also the best time of year to review your insurance coverage. Find out if your policy covers your needs adequately.
Other than emergencies, what else should you be thinking about in order to prepare your business for the fall and winter? After September and before May, there are at least five holidays that your business should be planning for. Now is the time to look at offers for your best customers as well as new marketing plans to draw in new customers. Recessions aside, there will always be services and products that your customers need. Put your best efforts into drawing attention to those.
When it comes to new products, think of what your business can provide that will interest hobby enthusiasts. Hobbies and crafts are of huge interest now and almost any business can come up with something that will interest those who love the indoors or the outdoors over the next six or seven months.
Autumn means a fresh start for many businesses, more so than the beginning of the new year and spring. It harks back to the days when we all started school with fresh notebooks and new clothes.
Going over your business in the fall and preparing for the months ahead is an annual task that small business owners should do and get out of the way so they have the time to enjoy their winter months and not have to worry about finances, the state of their business and organization at a time when they have so much else to do.
Preparing ahead of time for the busy periods and the slower ones will ensure that your business maintains its success.
© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2015
image courtesy of theweathernetwork
