There’s no denying, most outdoor franchises typically produce most of their yearly income during a particular ‘season’ or around the holidays. So, there’s no surprise that businesses in the outdoor sector are often labelled as ‘seasonal’. David Truby, the Managing Director of Greensleeves, is here to explain that no matter the weather, or the time of year, they continue to work throughout the year.
There are many benefits to starting an outdoor franchise. Not only do you get all the normal benefits associated with franchising, like becoming your own boss and experiencing a better work-life balance, but you also get the added benefits of working in the fresh air, seeing new sights, meeting people and getting stuck into different tasks daily Many people discount franchises in the outdoor sector thinking that the weather or economy impacts profitability and work, but it is a much more sophisticated proposition than that. So, if you’re sitting on the fence about investing in a franchise, here are the three most common misconceptions outdoor franchises face and why they are not true.
1. Outdoor services can only work in the summer
It will come as no surprise that the common misconception people have of outdoor franchises are that they cannot work all year round. However, outdoor franchises often have to work continuously throughout the year to prepare for the next season. For example, in the horticulture business, it is essential to provide care for your customers’ lawns all year round to ensure that they are protected, moss-free and healthy. If we do not service and prepare lawns in winter, they will not get the best results for summer. Outdoor businesses that choose to work throughout the year will be busier and have higher profits than those only open for the summer months.
Take a dog walking franchise, for example. You would expect this business to make much of its profit during the spring and summer, but there’s no reason it couldn’t remain open during colder months on reduced business hours during winter, which in turn will mean they make more money than if they were open in the summer. There is plenty of flexibility with an outdoor franchise.
2. Everybody will cancel outdoor services when the economy hits a downturn
Most people assume that during a period of economic turmoil, such as the pandemic, the outdoor sector will suffer. Yet for most outdoor companies, the inverse it true. In fact, most outdoor franchises emerged from the lockdowns fighting fit, mainly because the services where relatively untouched by government restrictions. For franchises like Greensleeves, a lawn care service, their franchisees continued to provide the same quality lawn treatment during the lockdown restrictions, with the only difference being that they unable to sit down with a cup of tea and a chat with their customers.
The fact of the matter is, people stop buying new cars, moving house, and spending money on foreign holidays when the economy starts to struggle. The outcome of this? More money is spent on homes and outdoor activities instead. Greensleeves is an excellent example of a business thriving after the last three recessions. In fact, despite the pandemic, this month, we have already outperformed last year in terms of sales – and we still have three months of the year left to go.
3. The UK weather is rubbish
If you asked almost anyone outside of the UK what they thought the weather was like here, they would tell you that it rains constantly. This is another common misconception. Despite the state of the weather being one of the most talked-about subjects in this country, and I admit it is not sunny every day, it’s not actually all that bad. According to Onaverage.co.uk, over the past 30 years, it has only rained on average 156.2 days a year in the UK1, leaving 209 days a year dry. Besides, even if your business can only operate when it is not raining, it very rarely rains all day, meaning there are always plenty of opportunities to get out and make money. A bit of cloud never hurt anyone and certainly should not stop an outdoor business from being able to operate.
Whether your business cares for lawns, walks dogs or provides commercial surfaces with safety markings, it is common for people to think that these businesses are seasonal and only operate and provide services over the summer months. However, this simply isn’t true. So, if you were on the fence about investing in an outdoor franchise, hopefully I have managed to put your mind at ease by dispelling some of the common misconceptions businesses in this sector face.
1Onaverage.co.uk, 2021, Average Rainfall UK
