How I Got My 1-Man Business Off The Ground

Devils_Avocado

In 1992 I found myself jobless. I'd been a sales manager for a large window company that had gone broke.

I was sick of selling and all that it entailed. I determined to start up on my own. I had carpentry skills that I could use.

I decided to fit windows, fascias and guttering...but how to get my customers?

I went along to car-boot sales. I put window samples on a paste table alongside bits of guttering and soffit. I also had a stack of home made leaflets stating that I would give a free no-obligation to anyone who was interested.

That first time I car-booted I got 5 enquiries which led to me getting 3 orders for work to be done.

I would write a quotation on the spot when I visited the client's home. Often,that was enough and prospective buyers would place an order then and there.

I did this for many years. My marketing costs were £5 per week.

I'm a bit old now for zooming up and down ladders, so it's all over for me now.

But I reckon you could use the car-boot paste table to get business for almost any trade.

Mike

JennyJewell

What a wonderful person you are to share your ideas - thank you
I just need to think of a business for myself to get started I have a couple of ideas but unsure where to start? Do you think there is much call for cleaning businesses these days? I am thinking of starting one using chemical free and eco-friendly products
I would appreciate any feedback you have if possible please
Jenny

Devils_Avocado wrote: »

In 1992 I found myself jobless. I'd been a sales manager for a large window company that had gone broke.

I was sick of selling and all that it entailed. I determined to start up on my own. I had carpentry skills that I could use.

I decided to fit windows, fascias and guttering...but how to get my customers?

I went along to car-boot sales. I put window samples on a paste table alongside bits of guttering and soffit. I also had a stack of home made leaflets stating that I would give a free no-obligation to anyone who was interested.

That first time I car-booted I got 5 enquiries which led to me getting 3 orders for work to be done.

I would write a quotation on the spot when I visited the client's home. Often,that was enough and prospective buyers would place an order then and there.

I did this for many years. My marketing costs were £5 per week.

I'm a bit old now for zooming up and down ladders, so it's all over for me now.

But I reckon you could use the car-boot paste table to get business for almost any trade.

Mike

Aspiring_Writer

JennyJewell wrote: »

What a wonderful person you are to share your ideas - thank you
I just need to think of a business for myself to get started I have a couple of ideas but unsure where to start? Do you think there is much call for cleaning businesses these days? I am thinking of starting one using chemical free and eco-friendly products
I would appreciate any feedback you have if possible please
Jenny

Hi Jenny,

There are as you can probably imagine, quite a few cleaning companies out there, but that isnt to say you shouldnt consider it. However you need to think about whether you are going to do just domestic cleans or office aswell. You can also think about specialist cleans as add-ons, for example oven cleaning, carpet cleaning and of course windows.

You need one thing above all though, and that is a USP.

Unique Selling Point or Proposition. A USP is essentially what sets you apart from your competition and ideally, gives your potential customer an unequivicol reason to buy from you opposed to your competitor.

Give this a lot of thought before you go any further, not only is it critical to your chances of succeeding in your business it will also be the platform for all your future marketing and sales activity.

Please dont be daunted, I urge you to have a go, but for your own sake, do your research and preparation. If you need any help, you are welcome to PM me.

Good Luck!

JennyJewell

Diolch yn fawr - thank you very much Aspiring Writer
I'm also thinking of pamper parties for little girls - I already have a CRB although it would probably need to be updated.
My contract as a specialist classroom support worker in a college ended at the end of June this year and I have to re-apply for my own job. I'm likely to get it as are the other 14 that this has happened to but we will be in exactly the same positions again next year I have applied for schools also - I have experience in Primary and Secondary schools as well as college.
I'm just being very open-minded at the moment to my options. I love the regular and secure wage of a job but have ALWAYS wanted to run my own business I love the idea of being my own boss and not worrying about when I'm going to be laid off again.
There are just so many ideas and choice out there that I really don't know where to start! I'm trying to think of something that would be simple and in demand.
For a cleaning business I already have a business name in mind and would love to develop it into a business for others in the same position as me to start under the same business name but I know then it gets complicated.
My actual dream in life is to have my own smallholding with 3 or 4 holiday cottages. I would clean them all on a Saturday and have homemade bread, homemade corn beef pie, homemade jam, homemade cake along with tea, coffee, sugar and milk waiting for them on arrival I would like it to be a smallholding where children that stay are free to pet the animals and a spa salon on site where holiday makers can book treatments
THAT is my BIG dream - lottery winnings or just a dream but I would love to find a way to get there. Realistically I have debts up to my lugholes and a house that is literally falling down around me but oh if I knew a way to do it - no matter how long it took me - I would
Jen

Aspiring_Writer wrote: »

Hi Jenny,

There are as you can probably imagine, quite a few cleaning companies out there, but that isnt to say you shouldnt consider it. However you need to think about whether you are going to do just domestic cleans or office aswell. You can also think about specialist cleans as add-ons, for example oven cleaning, carpet cleaning and of course windows.

You need one thing above all though, and that is a USP.

Unique Selling Point or Proposition. A USP is essentially what sets you apart from your competition and ideally, gives your potential customer an unequivicol reason to buy from you opposed to your competitor.

Give this a lot of thought before you go any further, not only is it critical to your chances of succeeding in your business it will also be the platform for all your future marketing and sales activity.

Please dont be daunted, I urge you to have a go, but for your own sake, do your research and preparation. If you need any help, you are welcome to PM me.

Good Luck!

Amber_Sunshine

JennyJewell wrote: »

What a wonderful person you are to share your ideas - thank you
I just need to think of a business for myself to get started I have a couple of ideas but unsure where to start? Do you think there is much call for cleaning businesses these days? I am thinking of starting one using chemical free and eco-friendly products
I would appreciate any feedback you have if possible please
Jenny

You need to do some market research to see if there's an interest in a specialised service, whether people have cut back on employing cleaners in the present climate, and how much competition is out there. Personally I don't like chemical cleaners, so if I wanted to have my house cleaned then it might appeal to me. It would probably be more relevant to individual clients than commercial ones, except maybe health food stores and the like.