I am currently working on a free report to show operators how they can get more bookings during the winter, because traditionally this in the time when revenue and profits are at their lowest.
Some of the ideas are as follows………
a) Contact all the caretakers in your local community halls. Explain what you do and ask them if they can recommend your services to users of their hall. Ask them if they will allow you to put up a small advert on the hall notice-board.
b) Write a letter to all your local nurseries asking them to recommend you to their clients. As an added sweetener, you can offer to provide a free bouncy castle for the day, if they can place your advert on the nursery notice-board.
c) Work closely with your competitors. Some operators close down during the Winter.(or do not do any outside work). If this happens in your area, ask them if they can pass work to you in return for a commission.
d) In all your advertising (incl. your van’s sign writing and websites, make it very clear that you can provide inflatables for indoor use during the winter.
e) Hire a hall for a few hours. Put your best inflatable in there and invite people to bring their children for free. Give each parent a leaflet advertising your services. You can perhaps mention that you will be accepting donations towards the cost of hiring the hall. You may even make a tidy profit.
f) Recruit an “army” of commission hungary sales people who will go out and get bookings for you in return for a share of the hire fee. Examples are students in need of extra money for Christmas. Women who meet up for their regular “coffee morning”. Small local charities, who may have large local support. Some people may be willing to deliver leaflets if they know they will get paid for every booking that it generates.
g) Contact all of your customers who used you during the summer (and last season) and see if you can book them in for this Winter (e.g. as a special Christmas treat).
h) Offer to hire two inflatables for the price of one if they book before a certain date.
i) Look at hiring out equipment which has high demand in the winter (e.g. specialist heaters or inflatable marquees for the construction industry).
j) Write a letter to all your local schools telling them that they can get a 10% discount if they hire from 1st Oct to End of March.
k) The four main social functions during winter are Halloween, Bonfire Night, Christmas and New Year’s day celebrations. Try and find out if there are many indoor events – Contact the organizer and offer then a discount on the hire of one or more of your inflatables.
There are bound to many more ideas to increase profits during the winter months. If you can think of any more, please could you email them to me at: mark.jerram@ntlworld.com Thank you.
Posted by Mark Jerram (BIHA Founder) 6th November 2009.