Contractors face unique challenges when it comes to marketing. Because many contract services industries rely on the weather, seasonal fluctuations can have a significant effect on your business.

The change in weather during fall and winter can affect both your business's ability to perform work and the way consumers search.

For example, many homeowners think that roofing contractors can't work in northern winters because of snow, so they don’t search for that service as often during the colder months. This can lead to a drop in leads for your business.

My goal for this article is to show how businesses that rely on warmer weather can use this seasonal change to their advantage.

Build Your Brand During Fall and Winter

Often, contract services businesses have a strong grasp on who they are as a brand: what your business stands for, who you serve and your core values.

However, communicating that brand voice isn’t usually an area of focus because lead generation has become the primary goal of your marketing efforts.

During slower months, when leads aren’t coming in at the same volume, it is important to think about your brand, communicate who you are to your target market and stay on their radar.

This will help maintain and build brand awareness and recall, meaning when the weather changes again consumers will remember you and seek you out directly.

Focusing on your brand can come in many forms:

• Boosting your brand's presence by consistently posting on social media
• Redesigning or updating your website for a fresh look
• Creating a mobile-friendly strategy

Marketing isn’t just online, though.

Traditional marketing efforts can also help build your brand. Sponsoring community events or programs can increase your exposure and brand awareness. Youth and high school sports, community programs, etc. are great places to feature your logo.

This will make your brand synonymous with community involvement and let customers know that you care.

Slower Months Are the Time to Focus on Your Core Services

Are there areas of your business that are clearly outperforming the rest? Is there an opportunity to add services based on the skillset of your workforce and the equipment you already have? HVAC contractors do this very well when they switch from air conditioners and cooling services to furnace repair and heating services.

Try this with your business. What else is possible given your resources? Add these services to your mix when the seasonal changes allow for it.

Manage Your Online Reputation to Prepare for the Busy Season

Reputation is extremely important for contract services businesses. Because consumers are looking at reviews when deciding on local businesses, you need to have lots of reviews on your listings, and those reviews should be recent.

While this is a crucial area of focus all year round, your non-peak months are a prime opportunity to devote more time to them.

If you are gathering reviews consistently, use this time to read through them and identify the areas where your workforce can improve. You can make a customer’s experience better by understanding what they like and dislike about your services, and your reviews are loaded with that information.

Don’t have a lot of reviews? Ask your customers for their feedback; it is very likely they will provide you with the story of their experience.

You can also use your customer reviews as a referral tool. If your customer gave you a five-star review, it’s likely they are willing to recommend you to a friend, colleague or their family. Reach out to your happy customers and ask them to refer your business.

Let Customers Know You Are Still Available With a Need Awareness Campaign

Finally, consumers may not know your contract services business can perform work during fall or winter.

This means your customer base needs to know about the services you can do during the fall and winter. A need awareness campaign on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn will let your customers know more about your business’s capabilities and can educate them on your services.

This kind of strategy can also supplement your branding efforts.

Marketing your contract services business during the fall and winter can be tricky, but the strategies outlined above can help. For more information on marketing your contract services business in the fall and winter, contact your marketing strategist.