Seasonal businesses come in all shapes and sizes, from lawn care and mosquito control companies to holiday-themed popup shops. One thing they all share in common is that they must make all their annual revenue within a compressed timeline. That seasonal window can be anywhere from three to nine months, with the average on-season lasting around six months.
Entrepreneurs may feel drawn to the flexibility that seasonal business ownership can offer—as well they should be. However, it’s important to recognize that there are also challenges. Generating annual revenues within a condensed timeframe requires discipline and strategy, plus the ability to respond appropriately to external factors like bad weather or a sluggish economy.
For aspiring business owners who are ready to navigate both the challenges and opportunities of seasonality, franchising can be a boon, offering a wealth of resources to mediate seasonal risk.
The centralized support structures offered by a franchise platform equip owners for success and for growth—even those owners who only have a few months out of the year for active revenue generation.
Start with marketing. Seasonal businesses have to strike while the iron’s hot, bringing in profits as soon as their on-season begins. There’s no time to ramp up trust and brand awareness, which is why having a strategic, year-round marketing push is essential. Centralized franchise marketing, combined with established name recognition, can be invaluable here.
Another consideration is financial planning. It takes a lot of foresight for owners to weather long seasons of limited or no income, and independent owners may have little idea where to even begin. Franchising has the built-in advantage of established budgets and financial models, providing owners with a clear plan to follow.
Centralized training resources are important, too. Seasonal businesses tend to hire a lot of talent on a short-term basis, which makes it crucial to recruit and onboard quickly—something that’s much easier when working with system-wide, platform-level HR resources.
The bottom line: seasonal businesses can be rewarding, but only when they are handled strategically. Home service franchising systems provide the support structures that make that possible. If you are ready to learn more, take the Five Star Franchising quiz to find the perfect fit for you.