Even with the popularity of jobs involving advanced technology and mobile devices, there is still a booming market for men and women that enjoy getting their hands dirty. A study conducted in 2010 by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) showed that the domestic workforce for handymen continued to increase throughout the 1990s into the 2000s.
If you want to get a piece of this action, perhaps you have considered starting your own handyman business but have absolutely no idea where to begin. Here are a few steps to follow to head in the right direction towards getting your successful handyman business off the ground.
Analyse Your Skillset & Knowledge
Chances are you already know how to handle quite a few handyman projects if you are considering opening this type of business. However, the key is to determine your expertise – which services are you skilled at enough to competitively charge your clients. It is true that you can always learn new skills and eventually master different service areas. When starting your business, though, you need to focus primarily on the skills and services that you already offer as an expert trades person.
Get Applicable Certification & Licensing
The world of handymen and handy women is very extensive with a vast number of opportunities, categories and types of work available. Consider the specific services that you want to offer with your handyman business and focus on obtaining the necessary licensing, certification and handyman insurance necessary to do so. For instance, if you want to work on electrical projects, you may need to register with the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) before you start accepting work and providing those services. Doing so will also get your business listed as an approved contractor within the organisation’s directory.
Prepare Appropriate Marketing Tools
As you start your handyman business, you will need to develop high-quality marketing materials. The general rule of thumb in marketing is quality beats quantity. This is especially the case when you are working with a limited budget. With the growing popularity of online presence, having a website for your handyman business is vital. Even if you build a free website as a starting point, it will help to build a digital foundation and online marketing tool for your company.
Find Contacts in Your Warm Market
Before you rush out to the streets to find strangers that will pay for your services, explore your “warm leads” – the people who you already know either personally or professionally. Chances are that you already have an extensive list of “warm leads” saved in your cell phone, social media profile and email contact directory.
Letting your friends and family know that you have a handyman business could very well give you the boost you need to get your business off of the ground, especially when you consider the potentially high number of referrals and recommendations they can generate for you within their own circles of friends and family members.
Nicely Described, By combining these strategies with the steps you’ve outlined, you can lay a solid foundation for your handyman business.
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