Direct mail also seems to be making a comeback. Since people are spending more time at home given recent events, they have been paying closer attention to the offers that arrive in their mailbox. During the surge in demand over the past few years, many retailers are having more success attracting new clients—especially those further away geographically—by using printed-mail campaigns and directing them to an e-commerce site for shipment or delivery.
Therefore, the winter is an excellent time to reach out to consumers who might not typically visit the store—not only to sell them pool and spa products, but also to offer them seasonal services such as pool closing, safety covers, and equipment upgrades. A store can expand its sales reach and, therefore, boost product sales by actively targeting areas farther from its location.
Business owners should also consider offering a product delivery service so customers know they do not have to come all the way to the store to pick up their order. Using marketing to expand this geographic reach is a great way to increase pool and spa product sales and related services during the winter months.
Winter inventory analysis
Inventory analysis always ranks as one of the most important areas for pool and spa businesses to address during the off season. Wintertime is the perfect juncture to establish a schedule of routine counts by product line, aisle/bin, or vendor. This will also give stores an opportunity to create a winter promotion for a product to increase their pool and spa product sales during an otherwise slow season. Rather than put off the dreaded end-of-the-year inventory count, stores can start now, and—while they are at it—increase sales.
It is also a good time to review changes in inventory levels and profitability of different products. Doing so allows stores to determine if they should stop selling low-profit items and focus more energy on selling higher profit products, or even add new product lines. A company might be known as a retailer of above-ground pools, spas, and chemicals, but there is no reason they cannot consider offering patio and deck furniture, barbecues, fireplaces, and/or gas stove inserts and installations. Businesses should review the reporting options available within their inventory software and look for trends to indicate possible new products which line up with their current offering or could “smooth out” the seasonal sales chart.
