So here in Missouri we normally hit a summer slow down somewhere around the end of July. Last year we had a mild summer and didnt have a slow down… this year we had above average temps in June (normally in the low to mid 80’s, was 95-100 in June) and our summer slow down started about a week ago 
. So what are some tactics you put in play during this time? I know guys that discount their services, pay employees to hang flyers, bump up their advertising… or some take the opposite view and just lay off employees and hope they come back in the fall.
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I am telling employees to take their vacations and any other personal stuff they need time off for. And if you have employees you know you dont have to tell them twice to take time off… but my full timers still have to get 30-35 hours a week… they got kids, rent payment, etc… They are told there are crazy busy and crazy slow times… but even if you tell them they dont prepare.
I really really really do not want to discount services. And thats what a lot of companies bigger than me do. They want to keep their staffs intact and not loose key employees to layoffs. I feel like discounting should be a very last resort. I am very mindful of the value I built in my market regarding my company and services and anything that my question or hurt that value scares the hell out of me.
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Sounds like the summer slow down hit early for you. You have to do whats in the best interest of your company long term.
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Maybe you could offer them a Salary + bonuses pay structure, so you’re banking some of the excess for them while they’re busting it out, but they’re guaranteed a certain minimum salary every week as long as they’re with your company.
This isn’t really my area of knowledge, but I figured I’d chime in 
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I’m fascinated when I hear that you guys have a slowdown in the summer. It’s our busiest time of year usually.
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Its the same for most cleaning businesses I know of too!
For you guys that do have a summer slowdown - what do you think is the cause behind it, and could that cause be leveraged in your marketing?
I’m personally a big fan of seasonal marketing - when I had a cleaning business I never did any advertising this time of year, but I had plans for autumn (Target Gutter cleaning), Winter (Target commercial work) and spring (target pressure washing) to bring in work that was suitable for the weather at that time of year (I’m in Ireland so the only difference is how cold the rain gets!).
I always tried to implement my advertising/marketing plan about 4 weeks BEFORE I expected a seasonal slow-down,… beat it before it even happens…
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august seems to be the slow down here, vacations and getting ready to go back to school
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A lot of labor law stuff that you have to follow when offering a salary to an employee… not to mention all the ways and employee can take advantage of the situation… been down the salary road a few times
2014 we got lucky and landed a 7-8k gig.
2015 we spent an extra 10k on marketing in that period to hit the same sales. Tried so hard, just nothing happened
Long story, but it’s great to OFFER hours of manual labor around your home.
Also, I know what type of jobs guys have done. I started eyeing for jobs a month ago.
Naturally shop projects etc.
This year we are teaching the team more about the office. As an employee I would be interested. Also with a smarter, older guys I am getting great feedback. Currently have 17-50 years of age I am responsible for.
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You can add some nrw service
Sign cleaning
Yacht cleaning
Gardening
Window tinting
A friend of mine in North Carolina does window tinting and seems to make a great living from it - I guess it depends a lot on location though, here in Ireland blocking what little sunlight we have with tinted windows is almost unheard of!
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I’m interested in glass restoration as an off season “filler.” I don’t think there is very much scratched glass in my area, thankfully, but there is a lot of hard water staining on properties that don’t get treated water from the municipality. Still not sure if the stationary work of glass restoration would be agreeable to my back tension but am really intrigued with making glass look better.
We have a lot of money invested in scratch removal… That was 2011 when we purchased it… We are still waiting to break even on that investment
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Ouch, I want my initial investment to only be in the several hundred dollar range.
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is it worth working in high crime areas?
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Teaches you to work on your speed. 
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