Bridging the gap

[Logarithm]

When the madness is over and log sales slow down do many of you have a genuine outlet to supply logs to the public or trade?

Or do you campaign to your customers to buy green at a discounted price to keep a cash-flow coming in?

I have found in the past that that's it's not always easy getting people to buy forward which I can understand.

I would love to know what others do to bridge the gap between the winters.

Merry Christmas :001_smile

L

[ThrustSSC]

I do a steady trade to regular customers for chimineas, fire baskets, etc. but it's pocket money really. For me the logs are a sideline and an excellent income for the winter - if they were my main income I'd be looking to diversify for summer money.

[Stereo]

I would have thought with such a seasonal thing, it would be far better to consider another income source for the other half of the year? If it were me, I would spend the winter delivering logs and taking advantage of the cold weather to put in some serious work on next year's supply. In the summer? Something else. Tree work? Gardening? Building sheds? I dunno.

[Fahrenheit]

We were busy all summer and expect to be even busier next year. I have another income but firewood was still bringing in a decent wage through summer. We send a letter out offering a summer discount and also bulk discount. You'd be surprised how many people bought 3.6 cube in one go in the middle of summer.

 

The most important thing you will ever have is your customer database. If you don't have a customer database then you don't have much. I have names, emails, addresses, telephone numbers, stove make and model and where it was purchased for all my customers........sometimes I even have details of what hobbies they're into and what motorbike was sat on the drive when I visited. This way I can communicate with my customers to offer them deals and when they phone up I have all their details so it seems like a more personal service.

 

Check out some CRM software called Big Contacts. It's 10 quid per month and has seriously changed our lives and our business. It also makes your business much more valuable should you ever decide to sell it.

[skyhuck]

We were busy all summer and expect to be even busier next year. I have another income but firewood was still bringing in a decent wage through summer. We send a letter out offering a summer discount and also bulk discount. You'd be surprised how many people bought 3.6 cube in one go in the middle of summer.

 

The most important thing you will ever have is your customer database. If you don't have a customer database then you don't have much. I have names, emails, addresses, telephone numbers, stove make and model and where it was purchased for all my customers........sometimes I even have details of what hobbies they're into and what motorbike was sat on the drive when I visited. This way I can communicate with my customers to offer them deals and when they phone up I have all their details so it seems like a more personal service.

 

Check out some CRM software called Big Contacts. It's 10 quid per month and has seriously changed our lives and our business. It also makes your business much more valuable should you ever decide to sell it.

 

 

Thats just creepy!!

[Logarithm]

I appreciate the replies,I do have another business (boarding kennel & Cattery) that has been established 25 years,my Wife and family run that business with me,which gives me time to spend with the logs.

The log business is solely me and over four years my investment in machinery alone is over 15k.I have built a Steady customer base,I wholesale out to two farm shops and I'm happy with the way the business is going but I would like to extend the season and I think Fahrenheit has the right idea especially dropping a polite email offering a "special" in the summer.

L.

[Rob D]

An easy way to do it is every load you drop off to a customer say that you do the same amount for a third off in the summer... I did about 20 green loads this summer....

[luftwaffe]

An easy way to do it is every load you drop off to a customer say that you do the same amount for a third off in the summer... I did about 20 green loads this summer....

 

I don't see much point in that, they will only burn them when they are dry, you might aswell season them yourself for the normal price.