Building A Successful Local Service Business
Starting a business is a risk many people contemplate but very few ever undertake. Starting a service business is very demanding on a personal level requiring a lot of time, energy and resources. This is due in no small part to one simple reason. Instead of selling products you are essentially selling yourself as a service.
What Service Businesses Are in Demand?
There are hundreds of service businesses someone could start, but I will focus solely on a service that I believe is scarce. I’ll use carpentry as a service business as an example but many of the steps apply to any type of service for sale. Work for a carpenter can be specific or varied. This can include woodwork in kitchens, cabinet making, basement remodeling, repairing of stringed instruments or even in the construction industry. Some carpenters also work in niche markets such as developing energy efficient designs to maximize usage of sustainable and recycled products in projects. The steps listed below apply to building a service carpentry business but can be incorporated when building any type of service business.
- The first and most important steps in building a successful carpentry business will be to have the necessary knowledge. The more skillful you are the more likely you are to get customers and referrals for new business. You may need to start with rudimentary construction education or basic projects to develop these skills before starting your own business.
- Purchasing or having the correct tools will increase the quality of work. Therefore, a handsaw, tape measure, nail gun, claw hammer, utility knife or even a bandsaw to name but a few is crucial for efficiency and high levels of productivity.
- The next steps are to establish a company name and register your company. Starting a carpentry business will require little capital but a lot of personal investment. Ideally one should create a company profile, logo and even a slogan to develop a brand. This would be a focal point in starting a successful service business as reputation is extremely important in the service industry. Having a business plan is imperative as it will provide clarity for financial predictions, help you develop operating procedures but more importantly will provide a roadmap and benchmarks to keep you on track while building your business.
- Marketing and advertising should include online and offline activity. This can include advertising in: newspapers, magazines, billboards and even include distribution of flyers or putting up posters. Having an online presence by making use of social media accounts will create awareness of the services and brand. Social media also allows for some free advertising and marketing of your work by allowing posting of pictures and updates as often as you want. Understanding how online advertising and marketing works will vastly increase the possibility of not only reaching new customers but also exploring new niches and markets.
- The golden rule for establishing a successful service business will undoubtedly be based upon the customer service you provide, therefore, excelling in this area should be one of the top priorities when establishing a service business.
Building a successful service business will not be an easy task nor should you expect to make a lot of money during the beginning phase of the business. Establishing brand recognition and customer loyalty should be the goal until you have developed a reputation and find you are getting a lot of referral work. If you have the skills and are prepared to put in the work, you will find that there is always business available.
