6 Tips to Help You Start a Successful Handyman Business
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Are you a casual handyman that wants to start making money from your craft? With enough hard work, you can quit your nine-to-five and turn your handyman business into a full-time gig. If you've never done work as an independent contractor or small business owner before, this might seem daunting. There's so much to do and there's not a lot of guidance for people who are going into business for themselves.
We're here to help. Keep reading for 6 tips to help you start your new handyman business.
- Do work for friends and family
- Get a license or register with the state
- Create a small business plan
- Advertise on local boards and facebook groups
- Build up a good reputation
- Network with local businesses
1. Do Work for Friends and Family
Often, the first work experience that you're going to get is with people that you already know. Friends, family members, and neighbors will all need something fixed at some point or another, so make sure that they know you're available when they need you.
You can decide whether or not to charge them. When you're first starting out, it's common to start with free work (especially with family). Consider giving friends and neighbors discounted rates that at least cover the costs of your equipment and materials.
By doing this, you'll start making a small income and you'll have people who can vouch for you and spread the word.
2. Get a License or Register With the State
Not all states require licenses, but as a contractor making a certain amount of money you need to register.
Each state has its own licensing requirements. Some go down to a local level with cities as well. You'll need to look into your own state's rules and guidelines to find out what you need to do in order to earn your license or registration.
The rules are often based on the amount of money that you make as a specialized contractor. Sometimes it's as high as $50,000. Others, as low as $1,000.
Don't advertise your services publically until you know the rules and get any required paperwork.
This is also a great time to invest in small business insurance. This can protect you from any unexpected claims from property damage. Some states require this insurance, so again, check your state's guidelines.
3. Create a Small Business Plan
Part of your job as a registered handyman is planning your own business. You no longer have someone to do it for you.
In this plan, you're going to have to consider several factors that go into the success of your business. These include:
- Target customers
- Expenses
- Service areas
- Ideal profits
- Marketing plans
You should also come up with a specific timeline for your goals. Where do you want to be in two months? What about six months? What about a year?
These business plans aren't static. As you gain more customers and expand your reach, you need to modify your plans. Do you want to hire employees, or do you want to work alone? Do you want to expand your service area?
4. Advertise Your Handyman Business on Local Boards and Facebook Groups
Once you're prepared to do work for people who aren't in your circle, start advertising yourself.
There are plenty of places that you can advertise your work. Social media groups are a great place to start. They're free to access and you can ensure that you're getting local customers.
You can advertise your list of services on local service boards and start talking with local business owners about what you can do for them.
While you're working online, why not invest in some specialized software for contractors? Handyman business software will help you attract new customers and impress the customers that you already have. It will also let you devote more time to work and less to the nitty-gritty details.
5. Build Up a Good Reputation
Your reputation is everything when you're working for yourself. You don't have the support of an employer behind you.
To build up a good reputation, you need to have exceptional service. You should contact customers as soon as you're able to and get their work done immediately.
It will be a lot of work at first. It might seem hard to keep up with demand and get more customers to notice you.
Once you provide exemplary service to your customers, ask them to write a review for you or spread the word of your work to their friends.
It's a good idea to set up a Google My Business page for reviews. Customers can give you star ratings and the higher your ratings, the easier it will be to find you online.
Once you establish your reputation you should have no trouble getting a robust client base.
6. Network With Local Businesses
While many of your customers are going to be average people needing you to work on their homes, you can also work with businesses.
Networking with local businesses encourages them to tell other business owners about the work that you do. You might be able to encourage them to leave your business card at their workplace so potential customers can pick it up if they're in need of handyman services.
Talk to local business owners that you've done work for and see if you can arrange something.
Are You Ready to be a Professional Handyman?
It's time for you to start your handyman business and show the world what you're capable of. You can start helping people in your local community and start making money soon after you get your license.
This might seem like a lot of startup work, but with enough determination, you can start working for yourself.
Are you looking for software that can help with your new business? We've got you covered. Contact us to request a demo today and see how easy running your new handyman business can be.
