new start ups

[staggie65]

It's been a few months since I took the plunge and registered and set up on my own.
Things are picking up, slowly but I did this with a medium term plan to have an established income stream by year 3.
I have a local builder who sources out his electrical work to me 3/4 jobs per month
I'm picking up some rated people work.
Website not producing.
Thompson local 1 job in 2 months.
Of course this is a slow time and I'm just starting but I wondered how others fair?
I'm competent in what I do, mainly domestic.
I recognise the skill of people on here but being a fantastic electrician doesn't equate to being well paid.
I am finding that my early days in sales is a huge benifit in winning work.
How's it for other new starters?

 

[kingeri]

Most of my work comes from word of mouth, I don't advertise any more.....something that can only get better with time. Always do a good job, be polite and fair. And think of marketing, especially in the early days. Ad in paper, flyers etc.

 

[grantr37]

Dropping business cards round cafe's and shops in office areas is always good, also look at facebook advertising.....
Good quality business cards are always a good idea, I was toying with the idea of getting some good quality lamps and putting a nice sticker on the boxes then dropping them round local businesses as freebies.....getting rulers printed up and dropping them round joinery and metal workshops is maybe something to look at as well as they will keep them on the workshop bench....

 

[applemac]

I'm in my second year now and just started more advertising, got my van signed up for £240 inc and posted 1,000 flyers. Getting a few builders and kitchen fitters could be main bread and butter income, good luck and be positive...

 

[Octopus]

It's been a few months since I took the plunge and registered and set up on my own.
Things are picking up, slowly but I did this with a medium term plan to have an established income stream by year 3.
I have a local builder who sources out his electrical work to me 3/4 jobs per month
I'm picking up some rated people work.
Website not producing.
Thompson local 1 job in 2 months.
Of course this is a slow time and I'm just starting but I wondered how others fair?
I'm competent in what I do, mainly domestic.
I recognise the skill of people on here but being a fantastic electrician doesn't equate to being well paid.
I am finding that my early days in sales is a huge benifit in winning work.
How's it for other new starters?

Your aim for year 1 should be to make a profit, and some beer money.

Building a client base, and more importantly getting recommendations takes time too.

Sorry to be negative, but it has to be said, and I doubt ANY of the fast track trainers point this out.

 

[thomas-1981]

Just started out on my own last September so in the same position as yourself. Just got to keep at it. Just looking at paying the bills in the first year.

 

[staggie65]

Good positive comments. My van needs looking at as currently not signed

 

[oldtimer]

Started just under 3 years ago but in your case what are you aiming for as for me I used to do building maintenance so most of my work is for a couple of letting agents covering 60% of my income I also do intruder alarms so this is a good 15% revenue stream and the rest is Joe Public and private landlords with me trying to get another 2 letting agents on board by treading softly ie no hard sell just a nice guy approach.

Rated People & Service Magic NO WAY it just does not work for me also I designed a double sided flyer and it cost £67 for 5000 from Online Printing Company, cheap online printers, cheap booklet printers, cheap brochure printing. Print Smarter - Print Smarter the guy their was very good all I had to do was email pdf copies these were targeted and although you think its not working you end up getting calls 2-3 months after posting . Use all the free websites and don't expect your main website to generate work but you need it anyway as it is your shop window I am now concentrating on it now as I have the time to fine tune it plus its low cost because I am doing the lot myself.Don't bother with the local mag unless its cheap I paid £128 for a box in one in an afluant area and got hee haw

I did 2 repairs this morning suited me but I knocked back a job as they wanted sockets put in but I am not tooled up and cannot make money on it so I give it a pass

 

[SJD]

Good positive comments. My van needs looking at as currently not signed

Do people normally get their van signed?

I bought a couple of the magnetic signs, so I can use them or not as I wish, and I use them maybe 50% of the time.
My problem is that I think signs advertise there are likely to be tools and materials to tempt someone to break in.
On the other hand, if I don't use them, I know I'm missing out on free advertising - and I know proper permanent signs look a lot more professional.

 

[oldtimer]

Do people normally get their van signed?

I bought a couple of the magnetic signs, so I can use them or not as I wish, and I use them maybe 50% of the time.
My problem is that I think signs advertise there are likely to be tools and materials to tempt someone to break in.
On the other hand, if I don't use them, I know I'm missing out on free advertising - and I know proper permanent signs look a lot more professional.

Your spot on ie here you go £2k with the tools and testers help yourself and even although you are outside a job no one writes down your number they enquire to the person you do the job for

 

[thomas-1981]

[/I know I'm missing out on free advertising QUOTE]

Get van sign written and insurance for tools stored in van. As you said your missing out.

 

[Hobsoni]

Personally, I think that going to the pub is the best idea. If you don't get work at least you can get pi**ed. Business cards to estate agents, hotels, nursing homes (PAT) never a bad idea. But most of all the best form of advertising usually is other people's recommendation which ties in with Kingeri's comments about being polite and fair with people.

 

[amethyst]

It's been a few months since I took the plunge and registered and set up on my own.
Things are picking up, slowly but I did this with a medium term plan to have an established income stream by year 3.
I have a local builder who sources out his electrical work to me 3/4 jobs per month
I'm picking up some rated people work.
Website not producing.
Thompson local 1 job in 2 months.
Of course this is a slow time and I'm just starting but I wondered how others fair?
I'm competent in what I do, mainly domestic.
I recognise the skill of people on here but being a fantastic electrician doesn't equate to being well paid.
I am finding that my early days in sales is a huge benifit in winning work.
How's it for other new starters?

For you and your service to become known, you should have to advertise but do it in simplest and cheapest way. The traditional yet effective business cards, display holders and other materials that could catch the public's attention. The ever-effective sales talk is surely be helpful for you too.

 

[oldtimer]

Just keep plugging away use any free services available also a professional approach and good customer focus/service helps you get recommendations although be careful with regards to phone calls to put you in the local Police mag as I said I paid £128 to have a small box in a community mag and got zilch for it I hit the same area with my flyers and got about a dozen jobs with more trickling in not coming but trickling in .So if its a nice I go into an area and get a bit exercise at the same time

 

[mankman2012]

A lot of my customers (who are in the trade) get their jobs from word of mouth. I have a couple who put adverts in my shop, as I only supply rather than install now. At the moment I am just building my website, and this year I have had a few people ask if I know any installers in their area. If you want, if you give me your details and if anyone ask from Herts I will pass on your details. I sell mainly CCTV equipment and LED lighting, burglar alarms and LED floodlights. I am sure if anyone ask of an electrician to install my equipment you will get other sides jobs too.
If your happy about that, just send me your name, number and email address. Thanks Sam, Tradexguru.com - UK CCTV, Digital Video Recorders, DVR, CCTV Cameras, PTZ cameras, Security, Surveillance, LED lights, Strip lighting, Data storage, Apple iphone covers, Iphone Accessories, CCTV Systems, Data Docking stations hubs, LED flat panel lig

 

[Leshark]

Word of mouth rules, I have magnetic signs but have not used them in 2 years, make sure all your friends know what you do, I have 2 young children, and about 20% of my work comes from their school friends parents, Network.. Pubs another in your local

 

[Mitch]

Hi, I'm in my first year of trading and have a very expensive yell site, I belong to a very good website called essential experts, I do flyers and small adds in free mags. but nothing comes close to word of mouth and being helpful to clients, I also have a small group of friends in different trades who i recommend and they recommend me. its taking a long time but getting there, vans sign written but it is kept on my drive, best advice I got was if you make an appointment keep it and always be on time then tidy up after.

 

[grantr37]

Do people normally get their van signed?

I bought a couple of the magnetic signs, so I can use them or not as I wish, and I use them maybe 50% of the time.
My problem is that I think signs advertise there are likely to be tools and materials to tempt someone to break in.
On the other hand, if I don't use them, I know I'm missing out on free advertising - and I know proper permanent signs look a lot more professional.

magnetic peel off signs are the way to go I think, as the fact that tools are inside is not something you want to promote too much.....some places you go to work do not want signed vans sitting outside, some others will only let signed vans onto site......and the thieving type look at the artwork on the van and see tools for the taking....

 

[FAA Greenie]

I'm just into my third year. The first was up and down as I expected. I was lucky really, I knew a few local builders who were having trouble finding a spark so they put a bit my way. From then it has all been word of mouth, I find, as said above, that spending time with the customer, explaining what you are doing and why, is a good investment.

Since then, i have gained two kitchen fitters, a few plumbers and a few more builders that put enough my way each month to make it work. Plus the word of mouth jobs that those generate.

That said, January was very slack this year but that's expected I suppose. I went from having nothing to do last week to having to juggle the next two weeks around in a matter of a weekend!!

What frustrates me, probably because I don't have the experience to deal with it, is the phone calls from regulars giving it the "Chris, just started an extension mate, can you come and do the first fix tomorrow"? It's not like they only got the job yesterday is it !!!!!

 

[craigbisby1]

It may help visiting networking groups like BNI etc. I'm a member of one in North Wales and the spark there gets quite a bit of business from it. The only downside is the initial cost if you do join especially if you are on a tight budget but from this you will gain more customers which in turn will get you more trade from word of maouth if you do a good job

 

[S33dct]

I'm a young electrician, but have worked only on big projects I.e. Heathrow airport. I'm looking also to start on my own in the near future as I get offered a fair amount of private work; 90% of which is domestic. What's people's views on me taking the plunge and taking on the work with little domestic experience?