By Steven Cohen
FINDING THE RIGHT BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL BALANCE for Snow
Business Success
runway snow removal
W
hile snow and ice management services present many great opportunities for business growth and financial success, learning how to find the delicate balance in all facets of your business model is sometimes not as easy. This article is going to offer a broad overview of the various snow market segments, contract types and business strategies to help you identify ways for greater snow business success. This snow business primer can help you learn how to develop a strategic plan that differentiates you from competitors and positions you as the choice provider in your market. You can also learn a few tips on how to prepare yourself to agree, counteroffer or simply say no to certain contracts when the contract opportunity cannot be fulfilled effectively or does not allow you to develop a mutually beneficial client-contractor relationship. First, you must know that everything discussed must be strategic to your organization. You must clearly identify your target niche and stick to it. Secondly, snow removal is really not seasonal; it’s a year-round process of networking, educating your audience and timing yourself for striking when the iron is hot. Lastly, you must understand the snow industry is mostly controlled by Mother Nature, and therefore, snow comes and goes … and sometimes never comes. You must build your snow business by knowing the different types of contracts—the advantages and disadvantages of each—and what it takes to keep the lights on during a slow winter.
Identifying Your Target Niche and Sticking to It
questions. For instance, what do you enjoy doing most? Even within the snow industry, there are going to be some things that you like doing more than others. These are the clients you want to serve first. Examples may include: • Class A corporate accounts. • Small shopping centers and strip malls. • Large shopping centers, malls, distribution centers, hospitals and educational institutions. What do you not want to do? Almost as important as figuring out what you enjoy doing is figuring out what you don’t enjoy doing. Examples may include: • Homeowners’ associations, apartment complexes and high-rise buildings. • Snow management companies, a.k.a. third-party work. • Residential accounts. Where do you have the most experience? Only you truly know your experience level and that of your company. Your confidence, your abilities and your resources should guide this answer. What is your target market? While you may start with a broad market (as in, anyone who needs snow services), you’re going to need to narrow it down from there. How can you break your market into more specific target segments? Examine your fleet and your 10-mile footprint. The answer can define your demographic and target niche. Next, ask yourself, who values my services? Some clients may value your services more than others. Think about the clients you work for, and identify the ones who understand the value of what you do, how you do it and who are happy to pay your fees.
To identify your niche, you need to ask yourself some
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