How to Beat the Winter Doldrums at Natural Sites

A cold hard truth: winter can be dismally stagnant at natural sites. Your would-be visitors are preoccupied with the holidays and end-of-year business. Plus, dreary weather and dormant scenery aren’t doing you any favors.

But before you declare “humbug” and hang up your hat until April, consider how this annual slowdown might provide some opportunities as well.

Here are a few ways to make the most of your “off season.”

Send out a newsletter. Keep your audience engaged—even when they’re not visiting—by informing or reminding them of all that has been accomplished in the past year. If your organization is a nonprofit that collects donations, this is a perfect opportunity to ask for an end-of-year contribution (and don’t forget the magic words, “tax-deductible!”). If you already send out newsletters on a regular basis, make your winter edition something special with fun seasonal features. Ask stakeholders to share their proudest achievements of the last year, or their resolutions for the next. If you have merchandise or memberships to sell, promote them as holiday gifts. Share recipes and trivia, or issue a survey to gain insights about attendance and visitor experience to inform your strategies for the year ahead.

Host an event—somewhere else. If your audience just isn’t going to come to you this time of year, then go to them. Throw a mixer, fundraiser or dinner event off site. Many restaurants will partner with nonprofit organizations to hold fundraisers in which they donate a portion of their revenues. It’s a dual opportunity to get your stakeholders together in fun, festive environment and possibly make a little cash for your cause. Facetime with your visitors and VIPs keeps your organization’s work on their radar, even if they don’t set foot on your site until springtime.

Locally owned and managed restaurants might have the most flexibility and discretion, but several national chains also have fundraising programs, such as Applebee’s, McAlister’s, Chili’s, Chipotle and Pizza Hut. Be mindful of holiday schedules as you select a date; informal “drop in” events allow people to stop by for a brief time after work or between errands.

Prepare for peak season. Hibernation can be oh-so-tempting, but when the phones are quiet and the visitor’s center is empty, it’s the perfect time to get some uninterrupted (or at least less interrupted) indoor work done. Start setting up next year’s calendar. Organize your media archive. Knock out routine maintenance or upgrades of equipment. Overhaul an archaic filing system. Tidy up that supply closet, finally!  Best-case scenario, you can get ahead on planning and prioritizing for the future—but even just catching up on the current year’s to-do list can feel pretty darn good, too.

Restaurant Links:

Applebee’s Flapjack Fundraiser:

http://www.rosegroupdining.com/neighborhood-involvement/flapjack-fundraiser.asp

McAlister’s Deli:

http://www.thesaxtongroup.com/fundraisers/

Chili’s Give Back Night:

https://www.qdi.com/Chilis/CHGiveBackOrgGuide.pdf

Chipotle:

https://chipotle.com/fundraisers

Pizza Hut:

http://www.pizzahutgivesback.com/howitworks/