We hate it when it’s slow, too. Here’s what we suggest so shoulder season helps you scale up, while better converting those leads that are still out there.

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When the phones slow down, it’s rarely a mystery—it’s likely shoulder season. For home service businesses (plumbing, HVAC, roofing, electrical, cleaning), this in-between period can feel unpredictable. The mistake most trades companies make? Waiting it out. The smarter move is to treat slow seasons as your growth season.

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First, stay positive; you can do this. Let’s look at some easy action items your team can take to make the slower time work for you and ramp things up again!

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What to Do When Leads Slow Down

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#1. Double Down on Reviews (and Actually Ask for Them)

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Your past jobs are your best marketing asset. Reach out to recent customers with a quick text or email asking for a review. Make it easy—send the direct link and a simple message. Even better, ask right after a successful job while the experience is fresh.

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Why it matters: Reviews increase conversion rates when traffic does pick back up. More reviews = more trust = more booked jobs.

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#2. Turn Old Jobs into New Content

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You’re sitting on a goldmine of content—before/after photos, install shots, and customer feedback. Use it.

We’re talking:

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• Short-form videos (15–30 seconds)
• Before/after posts
• “What went wrong + how we fixed it” breakdowns

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Post consistently 2–3x per week. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook still reward consistency, even during slower periods.

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If you are too busy to stay consistent: hire an affordable management team, otherwise the leads and referrals you do get may wonder if you are still in business.

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#3. Run a Simple Offer (Don’t Overthink It)

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You don’t need a complicated campaign. Try:

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• “$50 off any service this month”
• “A Callback Special” to focus on repeat customers
• “Free inspection with repair”
• “Priority scheduling this week”

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Have your marketing team promote it through email, social, and your website to have as much visibility & reach as possible. Shoulder season is about staying top-of-mind, not deep discounting. Trust us, that doesn’t work long-term.

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Social Media Example: Post a photo of you by the work truck

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Caption:

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Hey, we’ll be in the Bee Cave area on Tuesday next week. If you’ve had your water heater on your mind, this is your sign to give us a call.

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Since we’ll be over your way, we’ll sweeten the deal and the first 2 jobs to fill the rest of our day will get 20% off service!

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Tag yourself to take it or you can call/message us, so you don’t end up in hot water.

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Bonus: Boost it to just that location 2–3 days ahead of time.

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#4. Clean Up Your Online Presence

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Slow periods are the perfect time to fix what’s been sitting on your to-do list:

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• Update your website photos and service pages — we aim to refresh images 1–2 times a year to keep projects and techs fresh
• Add recent reviews to key pages (contact us/FAQs, blog articles)
• Refresh your Google Business Profile with new photos and posts

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These small updates directly impact how many calls you get when demand returns. And in the meantime, help you show up your best for anybody in the market right now.

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#5. Reconnect With Past Customers

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This is a big one, and sadly most trades businesses underutilize their customer & partner list. We recommend sending a quick “check-in” email. You’re not selling—you’re reminding them that you exist.

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If you don’t have an email marketing team yet, you’ll want to include:

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• Seasonal maintenance reminders
• “Haven’t heard from you in a while” offers
• Helpful tips (filters, leaks, safety checks)

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#6. Capture Content While You Have Time

This is the moment—please help your future self (and your marketing company) by getting new photos and videos now. When things get busy again, content is the first thing to fall off!

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Use the downtime to batch these:

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• Film 5–10 short videos in one day
• Take team photos, truck shots, job footage
• Record quick educational clips (30s–1m)
• Videos of your networking 30s-commercials to maximize your referrals

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Focusing now on this builds a backlog so your marketing doesn’t come to a full stop when your schedule fills up again.

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Read More > Clips to Capture List for Marketing

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Using Shoulder Season to Set You Up for Success

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We believe shoulder season isn’t a setback—it’s a setup. The companies that stay visible, build trust, and prepare during slow periods are the ones that dominate when demand spikes again.

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If you need help with staying-top-of-mind to stay booked, we’d be honored to be a part of your success. Our experts will guide your team on what to catch onsite, and we’ll take it from there for your website, social media, ads, and email marketing. We work hard so you can say “my marketing works” — get a free audit to see your opportunities.

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