Snowstorms can sometimes cause business to reduce hours or even close, and this could impact your profits. To minimize a storm’s potential financial impact on your business, consider trying the steps in this guide.
Flash Sales
Hosting an in-store-only flash sale could increase foot traffic at your retail location during a storm. Winter storms often result in workplace and school closings or a shorter working day, and customers may have more time available for shopping and other activities in town. To entice customers to your business, you might want to offer a flash sale on the more expensive items at your location, and you could even consider offering a “buy one get one” sale. Alternatively, you could simply offer 20 to 30% off a customer’s total purchase price.
In-Store Giveaways
An in-store giveaway may help attract new customers to your location. Giveaways can be set up quickly, and you can adapt them to include a range of different items at price points that are comfortable for you. For example, you might choose to give away a scarf with the purchase of a hat at your clothing store, or you could include a free dessert with the purchase of a main dish at your restaurant. You could even choose to have doorbuster giveaways that don’t require a purchase. Having a raffle may be helpful as well.
Eliminate the Ice
To help customers safely get to your business, ensure that you take steps to eliminate ice and snow at entrances, sidewalks and parking areas around your location. Ice is often more dangerous than snow. In particular, experts warn about the dangers of ice remnants after shoveling snow. Even if you shovel all snow off of your walkways, it is particularly important to use rock salt or other materials designed to break down existing ice and prevent the formation of new ice. These may need to be applied to entrances and sidewalks multiple times per day. You could also consider applying a layer of sand to increase traction and reduce the chance of a slip or a fall.
Online-Only Promotions
If you need to close your business location due to a snowstorm, you can continue to make a profit by holding online-only promotions at your online store. You may want to offer an online flash sale or free shipping, and you could also provide a promotion code for 10% or more off of the customer’s total purchase. To encourage even more business, you might consider allowing customers to use multiple promotion codes while they’re shopping at home during the snowstorm, and you could even try including a mystery discount offer. For example, you could place a wheel on the front page of your website that customers spin to reveal their unique promo code for the sale.
While snowstorms and winter weather events can be challenging for a business, incorporating the tips listed in this guide may help you keep profits coming in even if you need to close due to the weather. Check out what other area businesses do during snowstorms, and consider how you could use these ideas as well.