Seasonal Marketing: How to Run a Home Improvement Business During Winter

If you run a business that is related to home improvement or landscaping and your company is based in a location that experiences harsh winters, you may find it challenging to attract new or returning customers during the cold season. After all, any exterior home services you offer are insignificant when a house is covered with snow. That is why it is important to consider every service you offer and how it can be beneficial during winter.

When you advertise your services online during winter, do not advertise the same services in the same way that you do in the summer. If you run a roofing business, for example, you should focus your advertising on the fact that there are things that can be done on your roof during the winter that will actually make a home safer. For instance, certain types of roofing materials will lessen the risk of dangerous ice buildup. Make sure that all of your advertisements are tailored towards your “winter audience.” It is already hard enough to keep a home maintained during the cold season. What can your company do to make it easier?

Another technique you should utilize is off-season promotions. Many homeowners will not undertake home interior remodeling projects for several reasons. In general, winter is already stressful enough that making changes to your home in the middle of it seems like it will only add to that stress. That is why you should lower your project price estimates and provide your customers with major discounts. Many prospective customers will feel as though they must take advantage of the low prices. Create several different deals and run each for a very limited amount of time. This way, customers will not hesitate when they order your services.

“Certain aspects of running a home improvement business are certainly difficult during winter. Why? For one, exterior projects can be a challenge during winter and many homeowners are under the impression that they can’t be done.” said Denise Raeker of Pro Vision Construction, a home remodeling company in St. Paul, Minnesota. “Because we are based in a location that experiences extremely cold temperatures, we must advertise and help the consumer understand that we can make a house warmer.”

If you have no winter-specific services to offer, start offering new services. If you are a landscaper, you may have trouble attracting clients that need yard work done considering their grass is covered in snow. What can you do? Begin offering snow removal services. This will keep your company income consistent throughout the year.

“During winter in Minnesota, we make sure that our customers understand the importance of furnace upkeep and repair. We focus more on the heating aspects of our company more than anything else,” said Pat Puhalla of Altemp Mechanical, Inc., a Minneapolis HVAC Company.

If you run a home improvement business and are worried about your income this winter, remember to emphasize any services you offer that even have the slightest chance of improving a home’s efficiency when it is cold outside.