Party rental businesses are seasonal. They peak in spring and summer and start to slow with the onset of the cold season.
Party rental businesses are seasonal. They peak in spring and summer and start to slow with the onset of the cold season.
Unfortunately, some businesses need a consistent income inflow to cover operational costs.
We compiled 15 things you can do to supplement party rental business income during the off-season.
Enjoy the list…
The slow season does not mean people completely stop partying. Party-related items will be always in demand despite the seasons.
However, each season will have demand for different products.
For example, you can sell decors, games, costumes, kitchenware, etc. on your rental website.
Did you know you can rent and sell items on a single website using Reservety?
If not, sign up for the free trial to test it yourself. There are no credit card requirements and the team will help you set it up for free. Yes, even during the trial.
This is probably the often recommended means to supplement your party rental business during off-seasons.
We recommend it too because people care about Christmas and start decorating their houses a month before the holidays.
According to Statista (2023), close to 40% of people in the US plan to spend over $150 for Christmas decorations.
It is a great opportunity because you have a good length of time and enough demand to operate.
Even though the business of bounce houses, waterslides, etc. slows down in colder months, you should remember that the majority of big holidays are in fall and winter.
You can target holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, etc. And offer thematic decors for each holiday.
Consider both indoor and outdoor decor and inform your existing customers about your new services.
This is one of the overlooked business ideas you can do year-round.
The pipe and drape business usually handles the installation of temporary walls, sections, stages, and indoor decors.
It would be a great side hassle because:
You can provide consultancy services to party organizers or people interested in starting a party rental business.
You can charge your service hourly or per session.
Please note: You can use Reservety to add that feature. With Reservety, you can create a dedicated page for your consultancy service and accept online bookings & payments and automatically schedule the sessions.
Offer soft playgrounds to families and businesses to give fun experiences to kids.
They can be installed indoors so the demand will be there year-round.
The global indoor entertainment market is over $12 billion, and you have a great opportunity to tap into that market by introducing soft plays to your existing business.
We mean big tents to hold outdoor events in colder months, and small ones to take camping.
Camping in winter may not sound right for some. But you will be surprised to find that many people go camping just to observe the winter landscape of nature.
Plus, wintertime is more peaceful for camping as there are fewer bugs and crowds.
Some businesses drop their prices during the slow months to achieve some revenue.
You can try that method in your party rental business too.
Attractive prices can produce demand.
Note: You can introduce seasonal prices with Reservety as it allows you to set different rates for peak and slow seasons.
It will generate some income, and promote your products in your community.
If you do not want to charge an entrance fee, you can partner with local businesses and have them sponsor your events.
Since you have been in the party industry for a long time, you should know how to plan and organize it by now.
Did you know party planners make between $60K and $100K annually?
It does not mean you will make that much given you are doing it as a side hassle during the off-season. But it will surely help you garner much-needed revenues.
Most party rental businesses say that they generate most of their off-season revenues by renting tables and chairs.
If you do not have them in your inventory, you should stack them up quickly.
Tables and chairs are not only for slow months, you can rent them year-round.
Businesses and individuals rent marquee letters to add special effects to their events.
For example, people use them during weddings, birthday parties, family reunions, and marriage proposals, while businesses use them to promote their business and products or announce new discounts and approaching sales.
Here is an example of a business that does solely marquee letter rentals. You may get the idea there to start your own.
We also wrote a comprehensive guide on starting a sign rental business. You may read it here.
The first thing is first. You must properly clean and store your inflatables, bounce house, and other equipment to make them ready for the upcoming season.
Once you are done taking care of your own inventory, you can help others to do the same for a particular price.
You can offer inflatable repairs and cleaning services to your community and even offer them storage (if you have enough space) which will surely generate some income during slow months.
That is something you need to do year-round, not only in slow seasons because partnerships create profitable bonds that are win-win for both sides.
Let's assume, you have special decors in your inventory that would be needed for photoshoots. When you are in partnership, photographers access them.
You and your team already have experience delivering and picking up furniture and inflatables to/from parties.
Why not use that experience to create another income stream for an off-season?
We suggest doing delivery and hauling service, assuming you have a truck and trailer for your rental business.
Reservety handles your website, bookings, inventory, and payments — so you can focus on growing your business.