If you’re a skilled tradesperson then chances are you may have thought about setting up shop on your own at some point.

Plumbers, electricians, builders, joiners, and decorators – they’re all in high demand and you may just be able to secure a slice of the market for yourself.

The trades are some of the few industries that continue to have reliable demand throughout the years, so self-employment or running your own contracting business can be fairly secure and lucrative.

Here Are Five Prime Steps To Start A Successful Contracting Business From Scratch

If you’re thinking about how you can set yourself up for success, we’ve prepared a handy starter guide to the process below.

Step 1 – Create a business plan

Every business needs to start with a thorough business plan in place. This helps to steer the ship and helps you to flesh out your strategy.

You will need to decide how you are going to register your business. Becoming a sole trader or creating a limited company are the two most common options. Your choice will influence the way you pay taxes, how you keep your accounts, and what your official type of employment is.

Next, you will need to outline your products and services, and more importantly, who you will be providing them to and at what cost. Are you going to work for individual clients or do more sub-contracting where you work for other companies on their projects? Having a clear strategy in mind is key to success.

Your business plan should be comprehensive, outlining your operational, marketing, and financial methods and strategies, as well as setting aims and objectives to strive for.

Step 2 – Make your initial investments

Every new business requires significant investment to get up and running. For tradespeople and contractors, this is likely to be investing in high-quality tools, equipment, and a vehicle to facilitate you in completing your work.

Buying cheap is rarely a good strategy, particularly in business. Look to invest in quality products upfront because these should serve you better in the long run. Some sturdy Milwaukee tool boxes will help you to store and transport your equipment from job to job, reducing the chance of potential losses from tool theft and damage.

Step 3 – Market your services

The next step is to market your services to your customers and clients, which is always easier said than done.

Starting out, some find it easier to focus on their local area using word-of-mouth techniques and customer referrals to get the word out there. Fliers and physical advertising are still highly effective in local and regional marketing, so you might want to consider getting some out there early on.

In the digital age, it’s advised that you have some sort of online presence for your business because this is where you can market yourself to a wider audience without investing heavily in traditional marketing methods.

At the very least, set up a Google Business Profile and create your listing so prospective clients can find you in local searches. Ask some existing customers to leave reviews on the listing to generate more trust.

Step 4 – Win new customers and clients

Winning new business is an ongoing struggle for many businesses and you will need to focus on this to ensure you remain successful. Boosting your marketing efforts or expanding your target market may be needed past a certain point if your growth stalls.

This could be more investment in digital marketing and advertising or a greater emphasis on referral and word-of-mouth marketing. For the latter, you will need to deliver an excellent service to all of your existing customers and go the extra mile so they’re more likely to recommend you to friends, family, and neighbors.

If you’re doing more subcontracting, performing effectively and efficiently will increase the likelihood of repeat business and this can help to provide a more steady stream of contract work.

Related: Key Features Of Contract Management Software For Legal Departments

Step 5 – Grow your empire

Once the cogs of your contracting business are turning, you can continue to grow your empire as you see fit or maintain a steady level of capacity that you’re happy with.

You may choose to bring some help onboard or perhaps even explore apprenticeship opportunities to help the next generation of skilled workers.

There are likely to be ups and downs along the way, but if you’re passionate about what you’re doing then you won’t go far wrong. Good luck!

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