There are obvious pros and cons to having a seasonal business. The obvious pro? Hey, you get lots of time off! The obvious con? Hey, you’re not making any money!

If all is going well, you’re doing well enough during your peak season to weather the offseason span until things start to ramp up again. However, just because your surf shop is treading water through a long winter, or your snowboard store is hanging on through a long summer, there are several things you can do during the offseason to ensure your success.

Instead of sitting around and waiting for your peak season, you can use this valuable time for to improve your marketing efforts. Using this time wisely can keep your business on people’s minds throughout the year and set you up for much greater success when the next season rolls around. Here are a few strategies to consider.

Cultivate your customer base while you’re in-season
That’s when both your brick-and-mortar location and your website should be hopping. Use this opportunity to grow your database. Compile a strong list of past and present customers, along with people who have expressed interest in your business. This will help you convert leads into customers during your next season.

Make sure your site has calls to action for people to stay in touch with you, such subscribing to an email list or blog, and use social media to remain connected with customers and compel people interested in your products or services to check you out when the season begins.

Solicit and compile customer reviews
From the start of the season through to the end — and even after it’s done — ask for customer reviews. By getting stories and testimonials when they’re still fresh, you’ll have reviews that will resonate with offseason readers. Use these stories in offseason email marketing, website pages, blog posts, and social media updates throughout the offseason.

Expand your social media outreach throughout the offseason
Your customers don’t go into hibernation or disappear just because you’re out of season. Stay in contact with leads and customers all year. Use social media as your year-round storefront, because no matter where your current and potential customers are physically, they’re definitely interacting with social media.

And if you can generate original content during the offseason that will interest your customers, they’ll be keeping your business in mind, while you’ll be displaying your expertise and influence in the industry. You might not have time to generate content in the rush of the season, so use this time to get it done.