The bulk of the harvest season is over and you might already be feeling that there is little to do. As a member of the agricultural industry, you have to constantly look for creative ways to fortify your business, so that you can weather future ups and downs. With that in mind, you should look at the slow, post-harvest season as an opportunity to position your business for future growth.
Here are five ways to stay busy in the off-season:
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Spend Time Cross-Training Your Staff
The post-harvest season is the perfect time to train your staff members in other areas of your industry. Think of all the possibilities of a cross-trained staff! Versatile employees are valuable employees, especially during slow periods. When things start picking up again, you can count on a cross-trained staff to hit the ground running.
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Reach Out To Your Past Customers
Updating your customer list is another great thing to do when you’ve got time on your hands. Your best customers are repeat customers, and they are the foundation upon which you build your business’ growth. Reaching out to past and repeat customers will help you avoid a bidding war and lose to competitors.
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Review Supplier Offers
When it’s a slow time for your business, chances are it’s a slow time for your suppliers as well. This means that they could be offering special packages or rates to attract more business. Take some time to review these offers and understand them, because it could be an opportunity to save some money.
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Improve Your Advertising And Marketing Campaigns
The post-harvest season is a great opportunity to work on your current advertising and marketing campaigns. You could do some research and figure out ways to promote your value proposition. You could try new digital marketing techniques or experiment with old marketing materials to find out which one will attract more customers.
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Do A SWOT Analysis Of Your Business Performance
Time spent analyzing your business performance is time well spent. Thinking about your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is an effective way of finding out which parts of your business you can improve. A SWOT analysis can reveal if you need help with workforce management, production management, or other factors you didn’t think of before.
If you need help with your workforce management, send us an inquiry through our contact page and a Star representative will get back to you as soon as possible.