If there are any shop owners who would like to give out some advice, I am all ears. I have started the process of LLC. My partner and I are planning to open an Audio shop in the Shreveport, Louisiana area within the next six months. As of yet we have not decided on a name. Looking for any help and info. I might not know or have thought of. So, let the ideas flow.
Any co. or person out there with equip that I may need, please post with pic. if possible. Ship, drive, come get it and carry it back on my back if I have to. As usual trying to do this with as little expenditure as possible. But, have money if need to spend.
Brian
Have a big pile of money. Create a big "buzz" about your shop. Advertise. Make sure your your instalation quality and product quality are high. If I started again, wish I had a big pile money.. Good luck.
WORD OF MOUTH!!!!
i too am opening up a mobile biz and have been saying so for about 6 months. im trying to get the word of mouth thing going. it works well! we have lots of people that are waiting for our grand opening.
print up lots of biz cards. always drop them into the bowl at most restraunts. flyers, flyers, flyers
And make sure your quality of work and most important your customer service is TOP NOTCH
Lot's of cash may be a little harder to come by than the flyer's and business cards. Yep, I am pretty sure about that. Thanks, anyway Ispker, I will make sure and do that next time I try to do something that I have no business doing. 28 year old single father of one 15 month old who lives with me. Took severance package from job and decided to go it alone. Then I woke up and got a partner.
Anybody give me and good suggestions of books to read, or websites. Information on Installation, business plans, How to, anything you might think is good to know before hand. Come on fellas I want to learn from your mistakes. Tell me what the years have taught you. "If only I had known that before" you know what I mean.
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Be prepared to spend alot more time at the shop than you might think. It is definitly not a 8 to 5 job. There is ordering,warranty issues to deal with. Always looking for the best products at the lowest wholesale price. ect.ect... Then there is the actual work of installing. Really though it is worth the effort if you dont mind putting some of your personal time aside. This is the first job that I have ever had that I didnt mind mondays! Good luck,do good professinal work and the word will travel like wildfire.
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Brian
owner/installer
Sight & Sound Car Stereo
"all electronic equipment runs off of smoke, once you let it out, it stops working"
elv1d1 wrote:
Lot's of cash may be a little harder to come by than the flyer's and business cards. Yep, I am pretty sure about that. Thanks, anyway Ispker, I will make sure and do that next time I try to do something that I have no business doing. 28 year old single father of one 15 month old who lives with me. Took severance package from job and decided to go it alone. Then I woke up and got a partner.
Anybody give me and good suggestions of books to read, or websites. Information on Installation, business plans, How to, anything you might think is good to know before hand. Come on fellas I want to learn from your mistakes. Tell me what the years have taught you. "If only I had known that before" you know what I mean.
Things I have learned.. have enough money to not have to rely on paying customers right away. Know when to call it quits. Do good work. Don't take on work you have no business doing. Determine who your target customers are. Look, Act and Appear professional. Don't badmouth other shops. Your reputation is EVERYTHING. Take business classes; your local community college might have some. Join your local chamber of commerce. Learn what jobs to walk away from. Learn who your competition is. Be different from them.
There's lots more.. if anything, having enough money to make a decent go of it is most important. Startup capital is a big part of this.. paying for the physical plant, inventory, supplies, tools, displays, utilities, salaries, insurance, advertising, the list goes on and on. Some have done this part time (while having a full time job to cover bills & health insurance) until they have built a name and reputation that can support them full time.
Any questions, just ask... yes, I've done this once or twice.
regards,
Jim