During the cold winter months, construction jobs are often few and far between. This can be especially true if you live in the northern part of the country where the snow and ice storms can make it impossible to even get to the job site. The holiday season also often slows down the number of jobs and the availability of your crew. Add to this that your clients whose fiscal year follows the calendar year and you have the makings of a very slow season for your business.
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But just because business is slow doesn’t mean you can’t use this time to get ahead. Here are six things you can do during the slow holiday season to keep your business moving forward.
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Identify Wins and Opportunities for the Coming Year

Since you’re not juggling multiple projects at once and aren’t needed on site as much, you can take this time to review your business and determine the big wins and accomplishments for the year, and also where you can make improvements. Research and interview new subcontractors and compare their offerings to those you’ve been using. Look for new equipment, read reviews of it, and determine if it could fill a need your company has. Also consider taking your networking efforts to the next level, and look hard at strategies for identifying new potential employees for 2022 (see our Infographic on Mitigating The Construction Labor Shortage). 
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Learning more about things such as budgeting, writing proposals, or using new software can have a lasting impact on your work. You can also use this time to create a clear and thought-through business plan for 2022, so you are less reactive and more proactive.
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Go to Tradeshows or Conferences

There are always tradeshows or conferences going on somewhere in the U.S. Attending these conferences is a great place to make new contacts and to learn how to improve your company. You may even meet a mentor who can answer many of those questions you’ve always had about running your business. Tradeshows allow manufacturers to show off their latest equipment and give you a chance to see it in person (and often in action) before you buy it. The networking you do here can open new doors and present new business opportunities in the future.
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If you don’t have to budget or the time to travel to conferences, you may be able to attend virtual conferences. These online discussions include recorded video talks and panel reviews by experts in the field as well as presenting papers you can download. Some even have online conference calls or online chats where you can ask questions or join in the discussion.
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Take on Indoor Jobs

Just because you may not be able to break ground on a new build doesn’t mean there’s not work for you. You and your crew can take on remodeling jobs, repairs, and other tasks to keep you crews busy and keep your cashflow where it needs to be.  
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Increase Your Marketing

While you may not have much work in the winter, warm weather is just around the corner. Now is the time to start lining up jobs deep into the new year. Take the winter months to improve your marketing, reach out to clients, and even work on your social media presence.  
You can also use this time to improve your company website or write a series of blogs to publish over the course of several months. You can put together your next year’s marketing plan, build new marketing materials, and handle other advertising tasks that you don’t have time to do during the busier months.
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Explore Expansion Opportunities

If you’ve been thinking about expanding into a new region or have been considering franchising your brand, now’s the time to put together that business plan. You may even want to look at opening a branch of your construction business in an area that doesn’t have such harsh winters to keep work going throughout the year.
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Don’t Waste the Winter

While you may not be able to start new construction projects during the winter, there is a lot you can do. The six items on this list are sure to keep you busy and even help you stay profitable while it’s cold outside.
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