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If you are stuck between jobs, or suddenly find yourself unemployed, a low-cost start-up to consider is a man with a van business. With online sales increasing at an astonishing rate, and a numerous number of people moving home or needing to transport bulky items, there has probably never been a more profitable time to run a man with a van business. And the best part is you don’t actually have to be a man, and you don’t even need to own a van! The following article will explain how to get started.
Why Be a Man With a Man?
Andy Taylor who now manages to successful removals companies, Sprint Removals, and Excalibur Removals began his business more than two decades ago as a man in a van. Andy considers one of the best aspects of working as a man with a van is flexibility. You can work this business on a part-time basis as a way to get some extra cash, or you can make it a full-time venture. It’s a business that can be started in just about any country in the world, and you can do international moves if that is an activity you would enjoy and could fit into your personal circumstances. Another great aspect of the man in the van trade, is you work by yourself without anybody looking after your shoulder, and there aren’t any annoying co-workers to deal with.
Sourcing a Van
To start your new venture, you will need a van, but you do not have to own a van. There are three scenarios here, either you already own a van of decent size and appearance; you have the funds to purchase such a vehicle, or if you’re starting out on a shoestring and want to try the business model out before investing any money, there’s always the option of renting a van.
There’s no definitive type of van you should choose, but the more space you have, you’ll have more options for taking on bigger jobs. What you are ideally looking for, is a van that is large enough to transport bulky items without being too big that it’s different the maneuver in town centers. Once you’ve decided on the vehicle and have the keys in hand, you’re ready to go.
Gathering Your Tools
As well as the van, there are a number of accessories you won’t want to be without. Protective gloves with grips will transform your hands into sticky pads are perfect for gripping sharp or bulky items.
A pile of blankets is essential for protecting items in transit, either regular or the cheaper removal blankets will do fine.
Another important article to also have onboard are nylon lashing tie-down straps to hold your cargo in place.
Choosing a Name
It’s important to choose a name for your new business that’s attention-grabbing, bold and memorable while also being professional. The name of your company will give your potential customers the first impression of you and your service, and not choosing wisely could mean the difference between gaining or losing a job.
Sign Your Van
What a huge number of a huge percentage of people today look online to hire a company or get recommendations from friends on Facebook, there will also be people in your local area who may not always go online when they need a service. Therefore, it’s important that you use your van as a billboard on wheels with signwriting that clearly displays your company name and what you do.
Parking in a prominent place where passers-by will see the van when it isn’t in use is also a great idea, but try to change the position you park in, because if the same people pass your van every day they may become blind to the advertisement painted on the side. Even parking in the same street but in a different angle or on the other side of the road can help.
Sourcing Clients
Once you have your van and accessories, the next task is to attract customers. Online job boards like TaskRabbit in the States, or Gumtree in the UK are two possible options. But there are also specific websites dedicated to connecting van owners with clients looking for removal services. For example, AnyVan is a site that connects van owners with those looking for transportation. You can filter job results based on the size of the job, cost of the job and previous customer feedback. This is a great option over sites like Craigslist which have no kind of feedback system and you never know who you are dealing with.
Social Media And Your Business
Without a doubt, Facebook is the leader when it comes to advertising your man with a van business. You need to start a business page, but do not need to have a huge following to gain referrals and customers. Having 100 people who are likely to be interested in your services as opposed to 1000 that are unlikely to hire you is preferable, so think quality over quantity.
You can gain likes and follows your business page by running Facebook ads, publishing interesting posts, or posts about your service and boosting them. Post boosts can be done for just a few dollars a day, and you can reach a large number of people. Make use of Facebook’s amazing targeting possibilities by targeting your ad reach by those who live in your area, and who are likely to be moving to a new house in the near future.
One word of caution when using social media, don’t confuse your business page with your personal profile. Potential customers are not interested in where you’re going on holiday or what you had for dinner – they want to know about the service you offer, your prices you charge, and how they can contact you.
Social media users also like to see the result of work done by a company. This offers them a clear insight into what they can expect. Well placed before and after photos will help get you leads as long as they are genuine. Always stick to sharing content that is unique and from your own business.
Build Your Reputation
One crucial issue not to overlook if you want to build a successful man in a van business is to make sure you always provide excellent customer service. There is no better marketing strategy than positive feedback whether online or by word of mouth, so make sure you always meet and exceed your client’s expectations.
In Conclusion
Starting any new venture is a challenge. But providing you are motivated, there are no qualifications needed to work in as a man with a van. You will be free, managing your own business with the benefits that come with being your own boss.
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This content is brought to you by Mac McCarthy.
Photo: Shutterstock