During the final days of summer, things start to look a little different for Honey Baked Ham Co. franchise owners. Especially now that schools are going to be back to full-steam-ahead operation, HoneyBaked owners have to change up their deli franchise’s business strategy from their approach during the summer. Here’s what you can expect your end-of-summer business strategy to look like:
Get Ready To Boost Your Community Participation
The school year creates a ton of new opportunities for fundraising, sponsorships and donations that will benefit your community and increase your shop’s visibility in your neighborhood. At HoneyBaked, we always put people first—family, community, customers. That’s why HoneyBaked franchisees put so much effort into giving back to our schools and the kids that attend them.
There are a number of ways Honey Baked Ham owners can support the schools in their surrounding communities. Here are some examples:
- Partner with PTAs/PTOs to determine how best to serve the needs of your school
- Provide catered lunches to teachers heading back to class early to lesson-plan
- Create your own charity initiatives that dedicate a portion of sales to pay for school supplies or school sports team uniforms.
You could also take advantage of our online Honey Baked Ham Gift Card Fundraising program. Program participants order Honey Baked Ham gift cards, and twenty percent of all proceeds purchased will go directly to the chosen cause. In the past, the Fundraising Program has helped schools and students pay for:
- School events
- Classroom supplies
- Athletic equipment
- School dances like homecoming or prom
- Class and club trips
- And more!
Your Family Life May Be Changing, Too!
Many franchised HoneyBaked stores are family operations in the truest sense of the term. Franchisees with teenaged or adult children often employ their kids while school’s out for summer and winter breaks. That means at the end of the summer, you could be temporarily losing a valuable member of your in-store crew!
That may result in putting some extra effort into hiring as summer closes, or just enjoying the last few days of seeing your son or daughter when your working schedules align.
Prepping for the Holiday High-Season
One of the most important things franchisees need to do as summer wanes is to take stock of their operation and create a game plan and set goals for the busy season. August signals the start of holiday season hiring and training. During this time, HoneyBaked franchisees focus on finding temporary or seasonal employees to handle the impressive swell of business that inevitably comes around each November and December.
Finding these hires can become much easier in conjunction with those community efforts we mentioned above! Your participation in local causes, charities and community initiatives, or work with neighborhood organizations like churches, volunteer groups and schools makes you more visible not only to potential customers, but also potential employees!
The best part is, our franchisees love this lifestyle and look forward to the change in routine every year, and you’ll be able to connect with them to get their own perspective when you become an owner yourself. Give us a call to get started!
