Please consult with an attorney or an accountant before you decide to start any business. America is a throwaway society. We all know that. We all have a lot of junk that we do not need, and just about all of us have things piling up relentlessly in out attics, garages, basements, closets and even in the back yard.
A lot of people try to ignore the problem until they can no longer get into their garage, or when they find it impossible to squeeze one more item into the attic. They have too much junk and they need to get rid of it. Often, they will pay someone to do just that. This means an opportunity for you. You can make a decent living by helping people get rid of their junk.
To get started, you need a strong back and something to haul with, such as a pick-up or a small trailer to pull behind your car. That's about it. If you don't have a pick-up, consider buying a used one cheap. You could easily find something for less than $1,000. An even less expensive alternative is a small trailer for your car. Trailers can be had for just a couple hundred bucks or less.
How To Get Started:
This is generally a very community or neighborhood oriented business. Take out an ad in your community newspaper saying that you will haul away unwanted items or that you will clean garages, basements or attics for a fee. You can also print up a one-page flyer and place them on houses door-to-door, or on the windshields of cars. Of course you should also set up a website for your company and advertise online.
What You Need to Know:
You will need to find a place for all the junk you collect and remove. Find out where the local landfills are and what their policies are. They may charge you a fee for bringing stuff in, but you can charge that fee back to you clients. You also may need dumping permits in some areas, so check with your local city or county offices.
It's also a good idea to learn about dumping regulation. Some items are more difficult to get rid of than others. For example, you can't just dump a refrigerator or an old stove anywhere. Old tires are another hard-to- dump item. There are specific places for specific things. Find out what goes where. Once you have it all down, however, you have it made.
You should be able to earn from $7 to $10 an hour. You will not be able to charge by the hour, however, because people may give you a problem about the pace at which you work, and how much time they feel you should take to get the job done. Instead, make an estimate based on your own judgment on how long it will take you to clean out that garage or attic. Once you have done a few, you will have a good idea about the time involved. Then give an upfront estimate. If it will take you a complete day, or eight hours, ask for $80 to $100.
Remember also that one man's trash is another man's treasure. You may find a market for some of the items many people just want to get rid off. So explore the option of sales to second hand stores, or the possibility of starting up a second-hand store of your own. Such stores can be lucrative like you would not believe. There's big money in junk - and in getting rid of it. It takes no special knowledge or education, and you can get started with a minimum investment. All that's left for you now it to get busy!
Copyright DeAnna Spencer 2004
DeAnna Spencer is a virtual assistant that helps entrepreneurs run a successful business by providing affordable administrative help. She also publishes a blog for small business owners. Visit this [http://learnsmallbusiness.wordpress.com]small business resource today.
A small handful of "in-the-know" business owners are
watching their Yellow Pages Advertising response EXPLODE - to the tune of
300%... 500%... and more in a single year. They're putting their competition to
shame winning one new customer after another.
What do they know, that YOU don't?
Fascinating Ways to Make a Living Doing What You Love May Be Closer Than You Think
You don’t have to look very far to find fascinating ways to make a
living. Opportunities are literally everywhere… if you’re looking, that is. It seems I can’t turn on the television or radio or open a magazine or newspaper without seeing at least one good business idea.
Maybe that’s why, as we were winding down a consulting session the other day, one of my clients said to me, “Boy, you sure have a lot of information in your head.” I appreciated the compliment, but Julie was only half right. When you’ve been in the business of helping people change course for as long as I have, it’s only natural I’d know a lot about creative income streams. But most of them aren’t in my head – they’re in my Opportunity File.
What’s an Opportunity File? Basically anytime I happen upon an
interesting story about someone who is making money doing what
they love, I add it to a big file called Opportunities. If you don’t
yet have an Opportunity File, I encourage you to set one up. It’s
positively addicting!
I thought it might be fun to just pull a couple of examples from the
top of my Opportunity file and share them with you. Since they’re on top, that means I’ve come across them in just the last week or so.
Collecting is all the rage these days. As I looked more closely at my
top of the pile examples, I realized that in one way or another, they all have something to do with collecting. Read on and you’ll see what I mean.
First there’s antique Christmas decorations collector, Gerald Nixon
(aka Mr. Pink… I’ll explain in a moment). Gerald had so many
antique Christmas decorations in his personal collection that he
finally had to open a shop just so he could move about his
apartment. Today he has over 10,000 ornaments as well as light
reflectors, aluminum trees, rotating color wheels, rotating musical
tree stands, vintage holiday cards, and wrapping paper.
Okay, why is he called Mr. Pink? Well, it seems the guy owns a
very fuzzy pink Santa suit that he happily dons every weekend
in December. You can imagine how many tourists ask to have
their picture taken with him! You can visit Gerald at his shop
in Manhattan at 223 16th Street or online at [http://www.mrpinkinc.com/]MrPinkInc.com. If you hurry, you may even catch him in his furry pink suit!
And speaking of winter… after his grandfather died and left him his
old wooden skis, Mark Miller began collecting vintage skis. Soon
neighbors in his small hometown in New Hampshire started
dropping off their old skis. Then Mark began buying skis at auctions. Before long, he had over 100 pairs!
In 1994, he decided to turn his hobby into a business and moved
himself and his collection to Park City, Utah, where he became a ski instructor. Today Mark has the largest collection of antique winter sports equipment in the world. Two warehouses hold his collection of 3,000 pairs of skis, 2,000 pairs of snowshoes, 500 vintage sleds, and 400 pairs of wooden skates.
Increasingly, Mark’s collection comes from Europe where he
managed to track down 500 pairs of American snow shoes used by
the Army’s 10th Mountain Division in World War II. The shoes were
just sitting in an old barn in Turkey. Mark does all the refinishing
work himself before selling his vintage finds through his web site at [http://www.antiqueskis.com/]AntiqueSkis.com and through home décor shops in
four western states.
The next opportunity I found in an article in FSB magazine about
hot franchises. I’m not usually very interested in franchises. I’ve got nothing against them mind you… it’s just hard for me to picture
someone who wakes up in the morning excited about opening their
own Subway or Jiffy Lube shop. On the other hand, franchises can
be the ideal solution for someone who basically wants to run his or
her own business but doesn’t want to build something from scratch.
Anyway, it was my keen interest in recycling that peaked my curiosity about Canadian Brian Scudamore’s franchise entirely geared around turning trash into cash. Brian got into the business of clearing out unwanted things from people’s basements, garages, attics and the like when he was 19 and still in college.
He bought an old truck for $700, and in an attempt to make his
business sound bigger than it was, he named it Rubbish Boys.
(Even though Brian was the only rubbish boy he thought big).
His business was so successful, he ended up dropping out of school
to haul junk full time.
The junk hauling business itself is nothing new. But over time Brian
got the bright idea of modernizing the business with uniformed
drivers driving fancy trucks who show up when they say they will.
So he decide to start a company called Got-Junk (think UPS but with junk pick up). Today this 33-year-old’s Vancouver-based company is one of the fastest growing franchises in North America with 74 territories – most in the U.S.
Is there really that much money in junk? This year Got-Junk expects to post revenues system-wide of $12.6 million. To learn more, go to [http://www.1800gotjunk.com/]1800GotJunk.com.
A lot of people skip over articles or entire publications if they don’t
see an immediate application to their life. Not me. The more
unrelated to my life, the more intrigued I am. Case in point was a
supplement in my local paper that was dedicated to equestrians.
I like horses and all, but am not even remotely connected to the
horse world.
While I scanned the articles, what I was really drawn to were the
advertisements. Why? Ads reveal all kinds of interesting ways people with a particular interest have found a way to earn a living. Among the ads for such obvious businesses as tack shops and veterinarians was an ad for “quality equine laundry.” Who knew?
I quickly discovered that the company will “clean, refurbish, and
return each blanket spotless, repaired, and wrapped with tissue in a zippered plastic case.” They also promise to make Velcro stick again and to air-dry the blankets on a special rack to avoid shrinkage. This enterprising company will arrange for pick up anywhere in New England.
This last one is not so much about collecting things as it is about
collecting and using experience. A headline in my local paper featured a guy who recently bought a local trophy and engraving shop. I don’t have a big need for trophies, but I know when it comes to entrepreneurs, there’s always more to a story than the headline.
I was right. It seems the new shop keeper, 51-year-old Russell
Wilkinson, has had a pretty varied background. According to the
article, Russell has worked in construction, been an electrician,
owned his own shoe repair shop, been a security chief at a local park, delivered packages for UPS, owned a local restaurant, and trained to be a scuba diving instructor in Key West.
People often ask Russell why he doesn’t just get a regular job.
His reply? “If I’d done that, it would have been the biggest waste
of the most expensive education a person can have.” Russell’s story serves as a good reminder that despite all the pressure to find that one thing you’re good at and then stick to it for the rest of your life, having a varied occupational life can make life a whole lot more interesting.
It also reminds us that no experience is wasted. So many people went to school for things that have nothing to do with the work they do today… myself included. I never view past training, jobs, or even relationships as wasted time. All of our past experience adds up to who we are today.
Do you want to work at something you truly love? Opportunities are all around you. Get a note pad and a file folder and start your own Opportunities File. Let it be a source of inspiration and ideas.
And one of these days, the right opportunity will click for you.
“Off the beaten career path” consultant, Valerie Young, abandoned her corporate cubicle to become the Dreamer in Residence at [http://www.changingcourse.com/]http://www.ChangingCourse.com, offering free resources to help you discover your life mission and live it. Her career change tips have been cited The Wall Street Journal, USA Today Weekend, Redbook, Entrepreneur’s Business Start Ups, and on-line at MSN, CareerBuilder, and iVillage.com. An expert on the Impostor Syndrome, she’s presented her How to Feel as Bright and Capable as Everyone Seems to Think You Are program to thousands of people.
living. Opportunities are literally everywhere… if you’re looking, that is. It seems I can’t turn on the television or radio or open a magazine or newspaper without seeing at least one good business idea.
Maybe that’s why, as we were winding down a consulting session the other day, one of my clients said to me, “Boy, you sure have a lot of information in your head.” I appreciated the compliment, but Julie was only half right. When you’ve been in the business of helping people change course for as long as I have, it’s only natural I’d know a lot about creative income streams. But most of them aren’t in my head – they’re in my Opportunity File.
What’s an Opportunity File? Basically anytime I happen upon an
interesting story about someone who is making money doing what
they love, I add it to a big file called Opportunities. If you don’t
yet have an Opportunity File, I encourage you to set one up. It’s
positively addicting!
I thought it might be fun to just pull a couple of examples from the
top of my Opportunity file and share them with you. Since they’re on top, that means I’ve come across them in just the last week or so.
Collecting is all the rage these days. As I looked more closely at my
top of the pile examples, I realized that in one way or another, they all have something to do with collecting. Read on and you’ll see what I mean.
First there’s antique Christmas decorations collector, Gerald Nixon
(aka Mr. Pink… I’ll explain in a moment). Gerald had so many
antique Christmas decorations in his personal collection that he
finally had to open a shop just so he could move about his
apartment. Today he has over 10,000 ornaments as well as light
reflectors, aluminum trees, rotating color wheels, rotating musical
tree stands, vintage holiday cards, and wrapping paper.
Okay, why is he called Mr. Pink? Well, it seems the guy owns a
very fuzzy pink Santa suit that he happily dons every weekend
in December. You can imagine how many tourists ask to have
their picture taken with him! You can visit Gerald at his shop
in Manhattan at 223 16th Street or online at [http://www.mrpinkinc.com/]MrPinkInc.com. If you hurry, you may even catch him in his furry pink suit!
And speaking of winter… after his grandfather died and left him his
old wooden skis, Mark Miller began collecting vintage skis. Soon
neighbors in his small hometown in New Hampshire started
dropping off their old skis. Then Mark began buying skis at auctions. Before long, he had over 100 pairs!
In 1994, he decided to turn his hobby into a business and moved
himself and his collection to Park City, Utah, where he became a ski instructor. Today Mark has the largest collection of antique winter sports equipment in the world. Two warehouses hold his collection of 3,000 pairs of skis, 2,000 pairs of snowshoes, 500 vintage sleds, and 400 pairs of wooden skates.
Increasingly, Mark’s collection comes from Europe where he
managed to track down 500 pairs of American snow shoes used by
the Army’s 10th Mountain Division in World War II. The shoes were
just sitting in an old barn in Turkey. Mark does all the refinishing
work himself before selling his vintage finds through his web site at [http://www.antiqueskis.com/]AntiqueSkis.com and through home décor shops in
four western states.
The next opportunity I found in an article in FSB magazine about
hot franchises. I’m not usually very interested in franchises. I’ve got nothing against them mind you… it’s just hard for me to picture
someone who wakes up in the morning excited about opening their
own Subway or Jiffy Lube shop. On the other hand, franchises can
be the ideal solution for someone who basically wants to run his or
her own business but doesn’t want to build something from scratch.
Anyway, it was my keen interest in recycling that peaked my curiosity about Canadian Brian Scudamore’s franchise entirely geared around turning trash into cash. Brian got into the business of clearing out unwanted things from people’s basements, garages, attics and the like when he was 19 and still in college.
He bought an old truck for $700, and in an attempt to make his
business sound bigger than it was, he named it Rubbish Boys.
(Even though Brian was the only rubbish boy he thought big).
His business was so successful, he ended up dropping out of school
to haul junk full time.
The junk hauling business itself is nothing new. But over time Brian
got the bright idea of modernizing the business with uniformed
drivers driving fancy trucks who show up when they say they will.
So he decide to start a company called Got-Junk (think UPS but with junk pick up). Today this 33-year-old’s Vancouver-based company is one of the fastest growing franchises in North America with 74 territories – most in the U.S.
Is there really that much money in junk? This year Got-Junk expects to post revenues system-wide of $12.6 million. To learn more, go to [http://www.1800gotjunk.com/]1800GotJunk.com.
A lot of people skip over articles or entire publications if they don’t
see an immediate application to their life. Not me. The more
unrelated to my life, the more intrigued I am. Case in point was a
supplement in my local paper that was dedicated to equestrians.
I like horses and all, but am not even remotely connected to the
horse world.
While I scanned the articles, what I was really drawn to were the
advertisements. Why? Ads reveal all kinds of interesting ways people with a particular interest have found a way to earn a living. Among the ads for such obvious businesses as tack shops and veterinarians was an ad for “quality equine laundry.” Who knew?
I quickly discovered that the company will “clean, refurbish, and
return each blanket spotless, repaired, and wrapped with tissue in a zippered plastic case.” They also promise to make Velcro stick again and to air-dry the blankets on a special rack to avoid shrinkage. This enterprising company will arrange for pick up anywhere in New England.
This last one is not so much about collecting things as it is about
collecting and using experience. A headline in my local paper featured a guy who recently bought a local trophy and engraving shop. I don’t have a big need for trophies, but I know when it comes to entrepreneurs, there’s always more to a story than the headline.
I was right. It seems the new shop keeper, 51-year-old Russell
Wilkinson, has had a pretty varied background. According to the
article, Russell has worked in construction, been an electrician,
owned his own shoe repair shop, been a security chief at a local park, delivered packages for UPS, owned a local restaurant, and trained to be a scuba diving instructor in Key West.
People often ask Russell why he doesn’t just get a regular job.
His reply? “If I’d done that, it would have been the biggest waste
of the most expensive education a person can have.” Russell’s story serves as a good reminder that despite all the pressure to find that one thing you’re good at and then stick to it for the rest of your life, having a varied occupational life can make life a whole lot more interesting.
It also reminds us that no experience is wasted. So many people went to school for things that have nothing to do with the work they do today… myself included. I never view past training, jobs, or even relationships as wasted time. All of our past experience adds up to who we are today.
Do you want to work at something you truly love? Opportunities are all around you. Get a note pad and a file folder and start your own Opportunities File. Let it be a source of inspiration and ideas.
And one of these days, the right opportunity will click for you.
“Off the beaten career path” consultant, Valerie Young, abandoned her corporate cubicle to become the Dreamer in Residence at [http://www.changingcourse.com/]http://www.ChangingCourse.com, offering free resources to help you discover your life mission and live it. Her career change tips have been cited The Wall Street Journal, USA Today Weekend, Redbook, Entrepreneur’s Business Start Ups, and on-line at MSN, CareerBuilder, and iVillage.com. An expert on the Impostor Syndrome, she’s presented her How to Feel as Bright and Capable as Everyone Seems to Think You Are program to thousands of people.
Truck Leasing Offers Short-Term Solution For Affordable Transport
No matter who you are, at some point you're going to need a truck. Whether it's for moving an entire home or a washer and dryer set, or to start your own hauling business, trucks are how big jobs get done. For many, even though a truck is needed for one-time or continuous use, buying a hauler, pickup or especially a big rig is out of the question. This is where a good rental can come into play.
People who need trucks for personal use need them for a number of reasons. Oftentimes a temporary need doesn't justify an outright purchase. This is when a rental can really help out. There are companies that specialize in nothing but truck rentals to private, non-commercial drivers. These trucks are not big rigs by any means. They are smaller, lighter trucks such as pick-ups, small moving vans and so on. They are great for moving the contents of a house, or doing a one-time pick up of something too big for your regular car.
When leasing a truck for short-term, personal use, here are some things to consider:
* Shop around for prices and rental terms. There is generally more than one company in an area that rents moving trucks or even pickups.
* Ask about the little things. Don't sign the contract for a rental until you are very clear about hidden costs, rental requirements and so on. Make sure you understand any extra per mile costs and fuel charges.
* Check into rental insurance. This is almost always a good idea. Anything can happen and it's not your truck you're driving. You don't want to pay the bottom line if someone damages the rental.
* Find out where and when the truck needs to be returned. This is especially important for out-of-town deliveries or one-way trips. Make sure you have good directions to a return location where you'll be going. If it's an in-town move, you should be able return the truck to the location you rented it at.
People with proper certification can even rent big rigs for one-time trips or to help establish their own businesses. The investment in a rig can be too much for a single driver starting out, so rentals are often the way drivers go.
Most of the rules for the private rental driver apply here, but in double the importance. Since a commercial driver will be working to start his or her own business, making sure the truck is reliable and the lease understandable and affordable is vital.
Those who need to hire on a rig can also do so. There are plenty of trucking companies that offer not only big rigs, but also drivers for lease. This is great for small companies that need to ship a lot of product, but don't have their own trucking division.
No matter who you are or what you do, a truck will someday be important. They are one of the best and most efficient means for transporting goods from one point to another. Whether it's an appliance pick up or a move of an entire house, a homeowner or private resident will almost certainly need a truck at some point. Drivers just starting out need trucks because without them, they have no business. And, businesses must get their products from the production point to the sales point. http://www.truckrentalinc.com http://www.utilitytrailersite.com
People who need trucks for personal use need them for a number of reasons. Oftentimes a temporary need doesn't justify an outright purchase. This is when a rental can really help out. There are companies that specialize in nothing but truck rentals to private, non-commercial drivers. These trucks are not big rigs by any means. They are smaller, lighter trucks such as pick-ups, small moving vans and so on. They are great for moving the contents of a house, or doing a one-time pick up of something too big for your regular car.
When leasing a truck for short-term, personal use, here are some things to consider:
* Shop around for prices and rental terms. There is generally more than one company in an area that rents moving trucks or even pickups.
* Ask about the little things. Don't sign the contract for a rental until you are very clear about hidden costs, rental requirements and so on. Make sure you understand any extra per mile costs and fuel charges.
* Check into rental insurance. This is almost always a good idea. Anything can happen and it's not your truck you're driving. You don't want to pay the bottom line if someone damages the rental.
* Find out where and when the truck needs to be returned. This is especially important for out-of-town deliveries or one-way trips. Make sure you have good directions to a return location where you'll be going. If it's an in-town move, you should be able return the truck to the location you rented it at.
People with proper certification can even rent big rigs for one-time trips or to help establish their own businesses. The investment in a rig can be too much for a single driver starting out, so rentals are often the way drivers go.
Most of the rules for the private rental driver apply here, but in double the importance. Since a commercial driver will be working to start his or her own business, making sure the truck is reliable and the lease understandable and affordable is vital.
Those who need to hire on a rig can also do so. There are plenty of trucking companies that offer not only big rigs, but also drivers for lease. This is great for small companies that need to ship a lot of product, but don't have their own trucking division.
No matter who you are or what you do, a truck will someday be important. They are one of the best and most efficient means for transporting goods from one point to another. Whether it's an appliance pick up or a move of an entire house, a homeowner or private resident will almost certainly need a truck at some point. Drivers just starting out need trucks because without them, they have no business. And, businesses must get their products from the production point to the sales point. http://www.truckrentalinc.com http://www.utilitytrailersite.com
How to Effectively Market Your Go Junk Business
Everyone has junk they need to dispose of. But some don't have the time, the physical ability or the transportation to do it. And some might not even realize that junk hauling businesses such as yours exist. As a Go Junk franchise owner, you need to find a way to reach them.
Community advertising and networking
Entrepreneurs wanting to promote their Go Junk franchise should always start close to home.
Post yard signs and postcards in your area: on street corners, telephone poles and bulletin boards. These attract a lot of business. You should also leave signs at the sites of your junk hauling jobs. That way, your customers can give glowing reviews of your work to their neighbors.
A refrigerator magnet is an effective and long-lasting advertising tool. A customer may ignore it for months, but when the need arises, they will rush to the fridge and call you first. The magnet itself is a useful tool, so customers likely will keep it around, and it is easy to find when it's needed.
Another suggestion is offering free or discounted junk hauling job to local real estate agencies. Build relationships with businesses that are in a position to give referrals on a regular basis.
And don't forget to use your existing resources to advertise. The biggest and best example of this is your truck or van. With your Go Junk logo on the side, you are a traveling billboard. When you're not driving, park your vehicle in plain sight of heavy-traffic areas.
Professional appearance counts
A professional appearance and demeanor goes a long way in terms of repeat business and referrals. In service industries such as this, the small things make big impressions. Just because you don't have a storefront doesn't mean you should dress or act any less professionally.
When you arrive at a junk hauling job wearing a Go Junk T-shirt, you look like a professional who takes pride in your job and your appearance. The visual representation also will help customers and potential customers remember you.
When you arrive at your customer's home, present your Go Junk business card. Your customer trusts you enough to invite you to his or her home and therefore deserves the sense of security that a simple card provides. Business cards are also handy when a passerby inquires about your junk hauling services or wants to pass them along to someone else.
Market your business effectively and efficiently
Effective marketing is more than just placing your materials at the local tag office or a friend's business. Consider distributing professional Go Junk color brochures door-to-door in residential neighborhoods. Saturate your area-send materials to storage units, real estate agents, neighborhood associations, and mailing and packaging businesses.
Also consider creating news releases and submitting them to various agencies. Each new release should target a different aspect of your junk hauling business or tie into current events, such as a new city cleanup ordinance. You never know when one of your releases will generate interest for a media story.
Classified and Internet advertising
An ongoing classified ad in your local newspaper or on its Web site is an excellent way to establish your junk hauling business. Even locally run TV commercials are within your scope of possible advertising tools.
A one-time ad or a splashy campaign can be effective; however, because of the short time frame, it may not reach your intended audience or your prospects might not need your service at that particular time. However, a small, inexpensive ad that runs continuously for six months to a year will subtly permeate your market.
Go Junk provides a complete marketing tool kit, including resources mentioned above, as well as customized consulting to help you attract customers and get your junk hauling business off and running.
About the Author
David McDermott is the president of the Go Junk junk hauling franchise. To get your new junk hauling business on the right track, you can call him at 1-877-GO-JUNK or visit Go Junk online at [http://www.18774gojunk.com ]http://www.18774gojunk.com. Visit the Go Junk Web site for more information on advertising and marketing opportunities.
Community advertising and networking
Entrepreneurs wanting to promote their Go Junk franchise should always start close to home.
Post yard signs and postcards in your area: on street corners, telephone poles and bulletin boards. These attract a lot of business. You should also leave signs at the sites of your junk hauling jobs. That way, your customers can give glowing reviews of your work to their neighbors.
A refrigerator magnet is an effective and long-lasting advertising tool. A customer may ignore it for months, but when the need arises, they will rush to the fridge and call you first. The magnet itself is a useful tool, so customers likely will keep it around, and it is easy to find when it's needed.
Another suggestion is offering free or discounted junk hauling job to local real estate agencies. Build relationships with businesses that are in a position to give referrals on a regular basis.
And don't forget to use your existing resources to advertise. The biggest and best example of this is your truck or van. With your Go Junk logo on the side, you are a traveling billboard. When you're not driving, park your vehicle in plain sight of heavy-traffic areas.
Professional appearance counts
A professional appearance and demeanor goes a long way in terms of repeat business and referrals. In service industries such as this, the small things make big impressions. Just because you don't have a storefront doesn't mean you should dress or act any less professionally.
When you arrive at a junk hauling job wearing a Go Junk T-shirt, you look like a professional who takes pride in your job and your appearance. The visual representation also will help customers and potential customers remember you.
When you arrive at your customer's home, present your Go Junk business card. Your customer trusts you enough to invite you to his or her home and therefore deserves the sense of security that a simple card provides. Business cards are also handy when a passerby inquires about your junk hauling services or wants to pass them along to someone else.
Market your business effectively and efficiently
Effective marketing is more than just placing your materials at the local tag office or a friend's business. Consider distributing professional Go Junk color brochures door-to-door in residential neighborhoods. Saturate your area-send materials to storage units, real estate agents, neighborhood associations, and mailing and packaging businesses.
Also consider creating news releases and submitting them to various agencies. Each new release should target a different aspect of your junk hauling business or tie into current events, such as a new city cleanup ordinance. You never know when one of your releases will generate interest for a media story.
Classified and Internet advertising
An ongoing classified ad in your local newspaper or on its Web site is an excellent way to establish your junk hauling business. Even locally run TV commercials are within your scope of possible advertising tools.
A one-time ad or a splashy campaign can be effective; however, because of the short time frame, it may not reach your intended audience or your prospects might not need your service at that particular time. However, a small, inexpensive ad that runs continuously for six months to a year will subtly permeate your market.
Go Junk provides a complete marketing tool kit, including resources mentioned above, as well as customized consulting to help you attract customers and get your junk hauling business off and running.
About the Author
David McDermott is the president of the Go Junk junk hauling franchise. To get your new junk hauling business on the right track, you can call him at 1-877-GO-JUNK or visit Go Junk online at [http://www.18774gojunk.com ]http://www.18774gojunk.com. Visit the Go Junk Web site for more information on advertising and marketing opportunities.
Avoid the Common Pitfalls of Running a Go Junk Franchise
All great success includes some risk, and owning a business certainly has its share. So before you open the doors to your new Go Junk business franchise, educate yourself on the possible hurdles you might face and takes steps now to divert any unnecessary risk. By outlining potential problems up front, you may be able to avoid them altogether.
Go Junk educates its franchise owners in hopes of guaranteeing success with minimal complications. We can advise you on what pitfalls to avoid when starting your junk hauling business. We go to great lengths to educate our franchise partners, and there are some things you absolutely need to know up front when you get into the junk hauling and recycling business.
Make your money. Period.
What's the first thing to avoid when running a junk hauling business? Simply put: working for free. You're in business to make money. And while you might consider a free or discounted junk hauling job on occasion, maybe as a favor or as a reward for a repeat customer, don't make it a habit. The only way you should pick junk up for free is if it's a Mercedes-Benz.
Assess the job's value - financial and nonfinancial - and do what's best for your business. Consider high gasoline prices, time constraints and other factors in your decision.
Don't get addicted to the junk
One man's trash is another man's treasure, right? Just make sure you don't create a pile of "treasure" that you can't maintain. You're in the junk hauling business to dispose of items, not hoard them. So be selective in what you choose to keep, if anything.
Keep from cluttering up your drop-off center. You want to get your hands off the junk and turn it as quickly as possible. Setting up a flea market can be advantageous, but it's a lot of work and is profitable only in certain situations. If you can't find a cost-effective way to get rid of the junk, you must dispose of it.
Use marketing tools and Web support
If you're not willing to market, you're going to lose. Take the time up front to work with Go Junk to establish a marketing plan for your junk hauling business. And enlist Web marketing tools to boost your online presence.
You need to use marketing, even if it means taking your truck to an intersection and waving at people. People respond to human beings. We've even hired people to play the trumpet on top of our trucks before. The point is to get their attention.
Talk to your customers
For every junk hauling job, ask your customers how they heard about you. Find out how they found you. Your newspaper ads? On the Internet? Through a friend? This is one of your most valuable ways of determining how your name gets out to potential junk hauling clients.
By clearing these hurdles, you're well on your way to running a successful franchise.
About the Author
David McDermott is the president of the Go Junk junk hauling franchise. To get your new junk hauling business on the right track, call him at 1-877-4GO-JUNK or visit Go Junk online at [http://www.18774gojunk.com]http://www.18774gojunk.com.
Go Junk educates its franchise owners in hopes of guaranteeing success with minimal complications. We can advise you on what pitfalls to avoid when starting your junk hauling business. We go to great lengths to educate our franchise partners, and there are some things you absolutely need to know up front when you get into the junk hauling and recycling business.
Make your money. Period.
What's the first thing to avoid when running a junk hauling business? Simply put: working for free. You're in business to make money. And while you might consider a free or discounted junk hauling job on occasion, maybe as a favor or as a reward for a repeat customer, don't make it a habit. The only way you should pick junk up for free is if it's a Mercedes-Benz.
Assess the job's value - financial and nonfinancial - and do what's best for your business. Consider high gasoline prices, time constraints and other factors in your decision.
Don't get addicted to the junk
One man's trash is another man's treasure, right? Just make sure you don't create a pile of "treasure" that you can't maintain. You're in the junk hauling business to dispose of items, not hoard them. So be selective in what you choose to keep, if anything.
Keep from cluttering up your drop-off center. You want to get your hands off the junk and turn it as quickly as possible. Setting up a flea market can be advantageous, but it's a lot of work and is profitable only in certain situations. If you can't find a cost-effective way to get rid of the junk, you must dispose of it.
Use marketing tools and Web support
If you're not willing to market, you're going to lose. Take the time up front to work with Go Junk to establish a marketing plan for your junk hauling business. And enlist Web marketing tools to boost your online presence.
You need to use marketing, even if it means taking your truck to an intersection and waving at people. People respond to human beings. We've even hired people to play the trumpet on top of our trucks before. The point is to get their attention.
Talk to your customers
For every junk hauling job, ask your customers how they heard about you. Find out how they found you. Your newspaper ads? On the Internet? Through a friend? This is one of your most valuable ways of determining how your name gets out to potential junk hauling clients.
By clearing these hurdles, you're well on your way to running a successful franchise.
About the Author
David McDermott is the president of the Go Junk junk hauling franchise. To get your new junk hauling business on the right track, call him at 1-877-4GO-JUNK or visit Go Junk online at [http://www.18774gojunk.com]http://www.18774gojunk.com.
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