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Using the School Year to Your Business’s Advantage
Another summer break is on the horizon, and with it comes a myriad of opportunities for your business. Younger generations have always been an important business market, with millennial spending power at $2.5 trillion. If your small business takes advantage of the summer season, your company could make significant gains.
Summer hours can be a win-win for both students and businesses. Students can save up for college or earn extra spending money, while businesses can take advantage of enthusiastic young workers looking for experience and extra responsibilities.
As a business owner, it is essential to keep up with current events and changes in the community. You gain an edge over other businesses run by less involved people in their community. In addition, you find opportunities to market your business to new customers. Overall, the school year can be an excellent way for your business to expand its reach in the community. Here is how:
4 Ways Your Small Business Can Benefit Throughout the School Year
There is no reason to feel like you are losing out this summer. Business owners can offer school partnerships. School sales can increase your business’s exposure in the community and help expand your customer base. You can also use this time to hire seasonal workers. Summer or seasonal jobs can benefit your business in several ways, such as:
- Lowering overhead costs
- Recruiting student talent
- Expanding your services or products
Schools also offer affordable after-school part-time help, allowing you to get more done at your business without paying full-time salaries, benefits, or payroll taxes.
Offer Summer or Seasonal Jobs
When students are done with homework, they might need something else to keep them busy. Consider offering part-time work after school to your employees’ kids or other local students looking for work. You would be providing them with employment experience and helping them learn the work ethic that will get them far in life, all while getting some much-needed help around your business.
Summer jobs are a great way to help the younger generation learn responsibility while providing you with cheap, entry-level help. These jobs can be anything from mowing lawns to working in the office, so consider offering it to someone in high school or college if there is a job that needs doing around your business.
Look into what programs your local high school or community college might have to offer. This kind of help often comes with a bonus. Students often need jobs to last through the end of the summer, so you will get help when you need it the most.
Some states provide tax breaks to companies that hire young people. For example, the tax credit for employing New York workers aged 16 to 24 was recently raised. Unique tax benefits are also available for business owners that hire their own teenagers.
Recruit After-School Part-Time Help
Businesses that consider children and families are usually quite busy during the summer and holidays. During these times, many business owners find it challenging to keep up with the demands of running a business. Many businesses have the luxury of having more downtime during the year than others. Summer programs, after-school programs, and seasonal events can help you manage your workload and give you extra hands when you need them most.
After-school part-time help is an affordable way to get more done at your business. Business owners can also offer school partnerships that benefit both the student and the company by providing internships or other opportunities for students to gain real-world experience working with adults in a professional environment.
Young people bring an abundance of energy and enthusiasm. They are also eager to learn new skills, so encourage them to help with administrative tasks, like digitizing customer receipts or data entry. Got any college students in your area? Bring them on board as an intern and let them help with marketing initiatives, social media efforts, or even product design.
Because most teenagers work part-time, they are often content with minimum-wage labor that allows them to schedule their time and acquire new skills. Employers in several states already can pay minors a reduced minimum wage, at least for a limited time. Teens also do not require the same perks that older workers do.
Consider School Partnerships
Business owners can offer partnerships to help keep kids busy during the summer break. YMCA summer camps, Boys & Girls Clubs, or local community centers all offer educational enrichment activities to keep kids engaged throughout the summer months. A partnership with one of these organizations can help you connect with families in your area and promote your business as kid-friendly.
Moreover, there are multiple ways to partner with local schools, such as donating goods or services in exchange for publicity and exposure. For example, if you own a restaurant, you could donate pizza for parties in exchange for having ads on the school website or being mentioned during announcements. Or, if you work in the construction industry, you could donate materials or labor to build something like an outdoor classroom or garden area on campus.
You have a unique set of skills and knowledge to share with customers, so why not offer summertime classes for kids? These classes could be on learning how to cook at a restaurant or play an instrument at a music store. Some businesses also host camps in their stores, where children can learn about topics related to the business. Places like welding shops, auto repair shops, and plumbing supply stores often host these camps during the summer.
Many schools host craft fairs or other events that need an array of vendors to help raise money. By partnering with local schools, you can gain interest from parents and volunteers who may not have heard of your business before.
Host an Intern
If you are a small business owner, you are probably familiar with the value of community and local ties. But you might not realize that you can build those ties by offering internships to high school and college students who want to gain in-demand skills for the future.
Look no further than an internship at your small business for teens seeking a part-time job that also earns them college credit. Hosting an intern or job shadowing program gives you a chance to teach leadership skills and provide mentorship while they complete a project closely related to your business goals.
By helping teens learn about your industry through hands-on experience, you could be helping them reach their career goals. And if your business is open to taking on interns, you might discover a new employee who is an enthusiastic leader and terrific addition to your team.
Many students will continue to work through the school year if you allow them to work after school or on weekends. Even if you can only keep them on for the summer, it is a great way to get a lot of work done and still impact their lives simply by giving them a job! Another benefit of hiring students is that it allows you to develop future leaders for your company.
Grow Your Business With School Sales
School sales are a great way of increasing brand awareness within your target audience, especially if the event takes place on campus or near campus housing where students live during the academic year. Small business owners should recognize how these events create opportunities for selling products directly to their target market. You might even consider using social media platforms like Twitter or Facebook as additional outlets for advertising these sales events.
Many schools offer ongoing fundraisers that can benefit your business while helping them raise money. You could offer a percentage of sales on certain items to the school or donate gift cards or products so they can be auctioned off at fundraisers or sold at games or other events. The more you support local schools and education, the more likely you will gain loyal customers.
Additionally the words “back to school” signal a last-minute rush to cash in on a peak shopping season for many businesses. But you can prepare differently. You can start planning for back-to-school sales well before autumn rolls around if you use the summer wisely. The key is to get started early during the first few months of summer when most people enjoy a well-deserved break.
Final Thoughts
Every business owner understands the importance of education. It is how you learn everything you know about business and how to run one. Small business owners can participate with local schools during summer vacation by hosting an intern, helping with fundraisers, or offering classes or seminars. It is good for your business, and good for the community.
Giving back to your community by offering opportunities for students to learn or gain school credit creates a win-win situation for your business and temporary student worker. Your business can benefit from hiring students, even if it is temporary for the summer months.
Learn more about the NASE and the resources we provide, our professionals are always happy to answer any questions you have.