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Government of South Australia - Department of Industry, Innovation and ScienceOffice for Small Family and Business

Strategies for managing high and low seasons

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Optimise your sales and activity levels throughout the different seasons of the year

Seasonality is an opportunity to optimise your sales and activity levels throughout the year. Whether you're in retail, hospitality, or any other industry, understanding how to manage these high and low periods is crucial for maintaining profitability and sustainability.

What is seasonality in business?

Seasonality refers to the recurring, predictable patterns of demand or activity that businesses experience during specific times of the year.

These fluctuations may be influenced by factors such as weather, holidays, school schedules, and cultural events. Businesses may encounter both high and low seasons, each requiring unique approaches to management.

With the right strategies in place, you can take advantage of both high and low seasons. Careful planning can help you to optimise your operations, maintain financial stability and continue providing value to your customers year-round. Adaptability, proactive planning and a strong understanding of your business' seasonal patterns are key to thriving in a cyclical market.

Managing high seasons:

Inventory management

During high seasons, ensure you have sufficient inventory to meet increased demand. Think about which products or services will likely be in high demand and stock up accordingly so you can make the most of the high traffic period.

Staffing

Consider hiring additional temporary staff to support a busier period, such as the hiring of Christmas casuals throughout the festive season. Ensure new staff have adequate training so they’re equipped to maintain service quality during busy periods.

Online presence

If you have a website or online store, do you know if it can handle increased web traffic? Is it mobile-friendly and easy to navigate for a seamless customer experience?

Supply chain management

To support inventory management, ensure you have frequent communication with your suppliers. Having backup suppliers or diversifying sourcing can help mitigate supply chain disruptions.

Marketing and promotion

Plan marketing campaigns that capitalise on the heightened interest during peak seasons. Create special offers, promotions and seasonal-themed content to attract customers.

Managing low seasons

Marketing and outreach

Keep communicating with your customer base, even during slow periods. Use this time to build anticipation for the next high season.

Diversification

Explore new product lines or services that may be in demand during low seasons. This can help generate additional revenue streams.

Employee scheduling

Adjust staffing levels to match lower demand, offering reduced hours or temporary furloughs to maintain cost efficiency.

Maintenance and improvement

Use downtime to look at ways you can improve and maintain your business infrastructure, whether it's renovating your physical location or upgrading your website and systems.

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