Winter is a curious time for businesses, starting with the rush of holiday sales and getting rapidly more complicated from there. However, did you know that the temperature of your store likely has a major impact on the number of sales you make?
As explained by Psychology Today, the temperature has a major influence on consumers’ buying behavior. As things get warmer, consumers are more likely to follow social cues and do what others are doing – and you can leverage that to significantly improve your bottom line by creating a warm, welcoming environment for your customers.
Whether you live in the snowy Midwest or the warm West Coast, many people’s energy bills skyrocket in winter due to increased utility costs, from heating to warm the house to electricity for holiday cooking and light decorations.
How can being more energy-efficient help you cut costs in the winter? It’s simple: the less energy you use to power your heater, the less you will have to spend on your monthly utility bills. But, you don’t have to shut down your heating system to cut back on energy use all you have to do is make smarter choices about the way you consume energy!
Source: Mietrecht Siegen
Unfortunately, keeping a shop warm all winter isn’t the most affordable thing in the world (and if it costs too much, you could end up losing money even when sales are up!). Heating systems help – and, no matter what, you’re probably going to end up using yours – but every little thing you can do to help improve their efficiency and reduces the amount you’re spending to influence customer behavior. This is especially true if you can place commercial-grade solar panels, which can offset many of your heating costs (and, if you’re in the right area, even help turn a tidy profit).
As of this year, 33% of US households have a smart device, and experts predict this number will continue to grow. Consumers are seeing the benefits of smart home tech, especially when the temperatures drop. Even if you’re one of those tech-savvy people with a smart home crammed with the latest technology, you still may not be using it to its fullest potential. Smart home technology not only makes battening down the hatches and riding out winter storms safer and more convenient but also helps us lead more energy-efficient lives.
Source: trunk
Similarly, you’ll have to decide for yourself whether or not it’s time to install anything new, and take a bit of time and train your employees to properly regulate the temperature in your building. If you’re in retail, don’t forget about the effect that regular, steady sunlight could have on your products – you may need to move your shelves around a bit.
You’re probably used to seeing a spike in your utility bills during the winter, but cold weather does not need to lead to significantly higher bills. Follow these tips so you can use energy as efficiently as possible and keep your utility costs low this winter.
Not everything is relevant to every business – but when it applies, following these simple tips can help you improve sales, keep your business warm with HomeSelfe, and measurably cut your utility bills.
