As the temperatures start to drop in September, so do the booking for inflatable rentals in the Northern U.S. But that doesn’t mean that there are not other events a party rental business owner can transition into to continue to make revenue during the off-season. The Northern U.S. hosts many events each Autumn that require tables, chairs, tents, and concessions, including renaissance fairs, school carnivals, and road races.
Evaluate Your Bookings and Adjust for the Fall Transition
Keeping your rental business agile is key for maximizing annual revenue, but a smart party rental business owner shouldn’t be transitioning blindly. Use last fall’s data and community resources to decide which events to target, how to adjust your inventory, and what to charge to continue getting bookings in the off-season.
Forecast Where Your New Demand Will Come From
Gather your booking data from last year and sort by event type (festival, wedding, birthday, corporate party), revenue, and lead times. This will guide you on which events are likely to repeat, had the best margins, what to charge, and what inventory to consider adding. Even though specific weddings will not repeat, that data still guides pricing and whether or not weddings are worth targeting this year.
Also, check community calendars for schools, colleges, churches, parks, recreation centers, farms, and breweries to see which new events and festivals are happening this year. Prioritize these listings and reach out with bundle packages that match each event type.
Adding Inventory Items that Work Well for Cold Weather
Adjust your inventory to have items that would still be rented in cooler weather or indoors. Items to consider would include: tents with sidewalls, heating systems, hot concessions, lighting systems, carnival games, and photo booths.
Keep in mind that the shift in your inventory is seasonal, so you want to seek out budget options for the items you are planning to add. The new items should be in-demand, easy to maintain, and should be profitable in the short-term.
Plan and Execute a Marketing Strategy
When the weather cools down, inflatables aren’t going to carry you through the fall season. Shift your marketing focus to events that continue strong into the fall: weddings,
school carnivals, community festivals, fairs, tailgates, and corporate parties.
Here are three strategies you can follow to drive bookings this fall season:
- Update your Google Business Profile with fall package offers and post updates on availability. Don’t forget to add photos of your new inventory and packages
- Put together an email campaign for past customers and leads announcing your outdoor and indoor options.
- Tailor your paid ads to target the organizers of school carnivals, fall festivals, and Halloween and Thanksgiving-themed events
These fall events typically attract more people and run for a longer duration, which means high average order values. So investing in marketing to capture bookings for these events has the potential to pay-off big time.
3 Fall Events to Target: Renaissance Festivals, School Carnivals, and 5Ks
Renaissance Festivals
Why You Should Target Them
Renaissance festivals are popular attractions in the Northeast and Midwest. They run multiple weekends, gather huge crowds, and have extensive vendor marketplaces.
What They Rent
- Tents
- Vendor Booth Kits (Chairs and Tables)
- Concessions
- Photo Booths
- Generators
- Portable Bathrooms
- Handwashing Stations
How to Capture Bookings
These events are easy to find online. Contact the event coordinator offering bundled packages. Offer discounts for multiple week bookings.
School Carnivals
Why You Should Target Them
School events typically repeat annually and rent a wide variety of items.
What They Rent
- Small Indoor Inflatables
- Obstacle Courses
- Games
- Tents
- Tables
- Chairs
- Concessions
- Photo Booths
How to Capture Bookings
Look up carnival dates from last year. Contact the schools Parent Teacher Association offering fall carnival packages and discounts for booking on weekdays.
5Ks and Fall Charity Runs
Why You Should Target Them
The Fall is the season for 5ks and charity runs. These are early morning events that end by noon so you can pair these with nightime bookings
What They Rent
- Tents
- Tables
- Chairs
- Heaters (for early mornings)
- Generators
- Portable Bathrooms
- Handwashing Stations
How to Capture Bookings
These are annual events that are known months ahead of time. Contact the event director and emphasize punctual delivery and tear down for an early morning race. You can also barter business with sponsorship discounts.
Stay Profitable After Summer: ERS Makes the Fall Pivot Easy
If you’re a party rental business owner operating in the northern U.S., it is crucial to seek out alternative revenue streams as the inflatable rental bookings slow down.
Does your business have the right tools in place to pivot from birthday party rentals to the festivals, fairs, carnivals, and 5ks that will dominate the fall season.
With Event Rental Systems software you can:
- Easily analyze last year’s data and booking info to predict where rental demand will shift to
- Use real-time inventory tracking to avoid double bookings
- Quickly add new items to your online inventory and create new pages for fall-themed bundles
- Plan efficient delivery routes
- Access performance reports instantly to know what’s driving revenue
- Run smarter marketing campaigns to convert rising demand into more bookings
The best rental businesses don’t slow with the weather, they pivot and stay profitable year-round using the best event rental software.
With ERS software you’ll have everything you need to maximize bookings, increase revenue, and stay profitable during the slow season.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Does ERS Make the Transition Easier?
ERS can display last year’s bookings in seconds, easily edit your inventory, and quickly run performance reports to show you where your revenue is coming from so you can make decisions with data and not assumptions.
Do I Need to Update My Weather, Wind, and Cancellation Policy for the Fall?
Yes. Windier conditions accompany the cooler temperatures of the fall season so updated wind limit, heater safety, rescheduling, and cancellation policies need to be provided and made clear during the booking process.
How Do I Know if My Marketing Campaigns Are Working?
Add UTMs (Urchin Tracking Modules) to any clickable links in ads, emails, and Google Business Profile. Also add a call tracking number for phone inquiries. Measure cost per acquisition, close rate, and revenue by channel to get a clear picture of how your marketing is performing.
