We at Garagetoolz talk to new clients on a daily basis and we get a loads of calls from professionals who want to start this line of business as a new service.
In this post we tried to collect the right moves as we think, and as history has taught us.
Please note that there are different approaches and they can also be successful. This is only about how we did it, how we advised those who asked us .
I'd start with the fact that for some reason you've come to the conclusion that wheel repair would be a good business for you.
The reasons behind that thought are,you coudn't find such services in your area or you've experienced a long waiting period on your rim repair ,or you outsource this kind of jobs from your tyreshop,dealership..or something similar.
Anyways usually the huntch puts you into the right direction.
With other words if there was no need,you probably have never thought about starting the business in the first place.
So the first thing to do is to evaluate your area.
Wheel repair..just like tyreshops is territorial for walk in business as I'm sure you've already knew that.
Unless you provide something extraordinary like custom paint brush,or something like that ,your area of service will be let's say a 20-30mile radius.(for clients visiting you)
Of course if varys at the country side where it might be much bigger I'm talking about urban enviroment here.
So once you know your area, go around and visit the tyreshops, car dealerships, collision centers and ask them if they outsource wheel repair or just simply send the clients with damaged rims out the door .With this you can enlarge your area with the only limit being is how far you are willing to travel to find new clients.
Open accounts with them.
Accounts are the foundation of a busy wheel repair shop.
We all see how mobile rim repair units can be very handy here.
Some examples:
http://www.garagetoolz.co.uk/categories/mobile-rim-repair-units.html
But even without a rolling tyreshop you can collect the rims with a van,let's say twice a week, take them back to your shop..repair and return the wheels next time when you go on your weekly collect.
So the very basics are done, you know your area and hopefully have opened loads of new accounts.
The second phase is the marketing.This can go very far, so I will only cover the online opportunities not the conventional ones.(flyers,adverts in newspapers..etc)
Once you're reading this post we can say that you are at least a user on the internet.
Once discovered,there's nothing to stop you to use it for your advantage.
The internet marketing can be very effective for a relative low cost.
Don't forget experts say that online business growing rate is somewhere at 30% annualy.
1. Build a website. It is now easier as it sounds. You don't need a fancy one with flash movies and stuff like that.If you don't know somebody to do that,ask us..we will find the right person.
Get a nice simple one, with a clear message and with the chance to embedd videos for later.
2. Get your website registered on as many free listings as possible and on some professional ones which might cost some money.
Make sure that you register to localised software like Google Places,Pinterest,Yellow Pages..what have you.
Most people are using smartphones and those will show them your business whenever they are close.
It will just pop-up on their phones.
The ones I mentioned have free listings (when I'm writing this)..and also there are many more.Search for them.
Once these are done you'll have a good chance to have a nice growing business.
And don't forget to get the right equipment :
http://www.garagetoolz.co.uk/categories/rim-straighteners.html
As always it is ToolZ with a Z.
