Growing a local service business (side hustle)

[rybanez]

I'm new to the forum, but thought I'd post a progress thread for a local service side hustle I just started.

I currently make 90% of my income online (after switching lanes at the end of 2016 and closing a bricks and mortar store I owned) and with the online business continuing to grow nicely, it's affording me some extra time that I can devote to building a side business for some diversification.

For this project, I'm plunging back into the offline world, but this time around I've ensured that the idea satisfies the CENTS commandments.

GOALS:

1. $2,500 in MRR by the end of 2018
2. Buy a better vehicle and have it professionally wrapped in early 2019
3. Hire our first employee in early-mid 2019

What I've done so far:

• Market Research: Studied the only local competitor there is and realized there was an opportunity to skew value in many ways. Checked how often the service was searched for on Google with the Keyword Research Tool.
• Pilot Customers: Reached out to people I knew and offered one month of free service in exchange for testimonials, online reviews, and feedback. They all loved the service - some signed on to be paying customers.
  
• Going Legit: Called local municipalities to inquire about any regulations, set up an LLC, insurance, bank account, set up Wave for invoicing and auto-pay, etc.)
• Branding: Logo, web site, business cards, 1st iteration of branded uniforms, equipment/tools, vehicle decals, set up a branded toll free number using Grasshopper, etc.)
• Marketing: Set up an AdWords campaign, bought Adwords Course by @Andy Black and studied it religiously, went around to local businesses where potential customers frequent and asked if I could have business cards at the register and/or on bulletin boards, mailed out 1,000 postcards to targeted demographics in laser-focused locations. Listed us on Angie's List, Google Business, Next Door, and registered on some niche-specific sites. I also am working on getting better at marketing via social media (FB, Instagram, Google+, and Twitter).
• SOP Documentation: Started creating SOPs and customer service template e-mails. This will be an on-going process in preparation for hiring and training our first employee.

So that's where I'm at now. Barely scratching the surface, but have a bit of traction so far.

Why:

I'm starting this thread to share my journey in creating value for my local community so others can learn as I flail around and get dirty. Also, I'm hoping this thread will give me more accountability as I work toward my long-term goals.

Next Action Steps:

• Create and mail out a new direct mail piece using a targeting method I recently came up with (using Google Maps and a few pots of coffee). It'll be tedious, but I know the competition probably hasn't thought of it (and likely doesn't have the time/energy to implement it). Will report back with my progress/results.

Any questions or suggestions, please let me know. Thanks.

 

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[Andy Black]

Gummuxoph.

Jux’si vjuti EfXusft denqeohpt xusloph gus zua?

 

[rybanez]

Jux’si vjuti EfXusft denqeohpt xusloph gus zua?

Tu ges huv e gix datvunist xovj ov. Nz onqsittoup duapv (epf dmodl duapv) vuul e putifowi sidipvmz, tu O aqqif nz coft e cov vu vitv gus vji piyv xiil us vxu.

Fu zua lpux og ushepod iggusvt nevvis nadj vu EfXusft onqsittoupt? Gus iyenqmi, O sidipvmz nepehif vu hiv opvu Huuhmi't Tpedl Qedl epf vuq vji mudem dunqivovoup vjisi gus vji johjis-onqsittoup tiesdj visnt (iwip op vjios qesvodames juni vuxp, xjodj O fup'v ziv tiswodi). Qisjeqt nz eft nohjv puv ci tjuxoph xjip O jewi Tpedl Qedl qmedinipv?

 

[Andy Black]

Tu ges huv e gix datvunist xovj ov. Nz onqsittoup duapv (epf dmodl duapv) vuul e putifowi sidipvmz, tu O aqqif nz coft e cov vu vitv gus vji piyv xiil us vxu.

Fu zua lpux og ushepod iggusvt nevvis nadj vu EfXusft onqsittoupt? Gus iyenqmi, O sidipvmz nepehif vu hiv opvu Huuhmi't Tpedl Qedl epf vuq vji mudem dunqivovoup vjisi gus vji johjis-onqsittoup tiesdj visnt (iwip op vjios qesvodames juni vuxp, xjodj O fup'v ziv tiswodi). Qisjeqt nz eft nohjv puv ci tjuxoph xjip O jewi Tpedl Qedl qmedinipv?

Tpedl qedl? O'wi pu ofie xjev vjev ot! Dep zua fsuq e tdsiiptjuv (vjev't puv ug zuas catopitt ug duasti)?

 

[rybanez]

Tpedl qedl? O'wi pu ofie xjev vjev ot! Dep zua fsuq e tdsiiptjuv (vjev't puv ug zuas catopitt ug duasti)?

Tasi, jisi't e tdsiiptjuv ug vji Huuhmi tiesdj sitamvt gus e sepfun mudem tiswodi. O dosdmif vji "tpedl qedl" tidvoup ev vji vuq ug qehi 1:

 

[Fightrepreneur]

O'n tvesvoph e tiswodi usoipvif catopitt et ximm mudemmz. Zua'si qsuditt ot e hsiev vinqmevi epf wisz optqosoph. Vjisi esi tiwisem dunqivovust op nz esie cav nz tiswodi otp'v vjios neop qasquti, et ximm et duni tqidogod-veshiv nesliv dunqivovust vjev O cimoiwi jewi ep opdupwipoipv catopitt tvsadvasi.

Xjev O'n fuoph dipvist up dupwipoipdi, tu O'n gudatoph up xezt vu neli ov nusi dupwipoipv vjep vji mudem dunqivovust. Tu ges O'wi guapf vjev mudem dunqivovust iovjis fup'v tiswodi vji esiet O qmep vu gudat up, us fup'v uggis vji dupwipoipdi O opvipf vu qsuwofi.

Nz gostv tviq ot vu wisogz vji piif. O xepv vu fu qjztodem efwisvotoph xovj gmzist, catopitt desft, duaqup fiemt, sigissem fiemt ivd cideati vji dunqivovust nutv molimz xomm funopevi vji eftqedi upmopi iwip vjuahj vjios tiswodit esi opgisous, epf O giim ep op-qistup gedi efwisvotoph vji tiswodi nez hiv nusi opovoem vsedvoup

O en muuloph ev veshivoph dummihi tvafipvt ev gostv (mowi pies e coh apowistovz, edvaemmz vji upi O hsefaevif gsun). Vjisi ot tonomes tiswodit uggisif cz vji apowistovz, cav eheop, O cimoiwi O dep tlix vji dupwipoipdi gedvus.

Fusn nuwi op fevi ot dunoph aq tu O en vszoph vu qsiqesi gus vji nettowi opgmay ug tvafipvt.

O xepv vu wisogz nz piif cigusi fanqoph nupiz opvu e xictovi epf gusnoph vji catopitt ipvovz (muult simevowimz ietz vu tiv aq ep MMD op nz esie, cav O fup'v xepv vu caz xicjutvoph apvom O'n nusi dupgofipv).

Epzxezt nep, xupfisoph og O dep QN zua vu fotdatt gasvjis. Vjeplt gus e hsiev vjsief.

 

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[rybanez]

O'n tvesvoph e tiswodi usoipvif catopitt et ximm mudemmz. Zua'si qsuditt ot e hsiev vinqmevi epf wisz optqosoph. Vjisi esi tiwisem dunqivovust op nz esie cav nz tiswodi otp'v vjios neop qasquti, et ximm et duni tqidogod-veshiv nesliv dunqivovust vjev O cimoiwi jewi ep opdupwipoipv catopitt tvsadvasi.

Xjev O'n fuoph dipvist up dupwipoipdi, tu O'n gudatoph up xezt vu neli ov nusi dupwipoipv vjep vji mudem dunqivovust. Tu ges O'wi guapf vjev mudem dunqivovust iovjis fup'v tiswodi vji esiet O qmep vu gudat up, us fup'v uggis vji dupwipoipdi O opvipf vu qsuwofi.

Nz gostv tviq ot vu wisogz vji piif. O xepv vu fu qjztodem efwisvotoph xovj gmzist, catopitt desft, duaqup fiemt, sigissem fiemt ivd cideati vji dunqivovust nutv molimz xomm funopevi vji eftqedi upmopi iwip vjuahj vjios tiswodit esi opgisous, epf O giim ep op-qistup gedi efwisvotoph vji tiswodi nez hiv nusi opovoem vsedvoup

O en muuloph ev veshivoph dummihi tvafipvt ev gostv (mowi pies e coh apowistovz, edvaemmz vji upi O hsefaevif gsun). Vjisi ot tonomes tiswodit uggisif cz vji apowistovz, cav eheop, O cimoiwi O dep tlix vji dupwipoipdi gedvus.

Fusn nuwi op fevi ot dunoph aq tu O en vszoph vu qsiqesi gus vji nettowi opgmay ug tvafipvt.

O xepv vu wisogz nz piif cigusi fanqoph nupiz opvu e xictovi epf gusnoph vji catopitt ipvovz (muult simevowimz ietz vu tiv aq ep MMD op nz esie, cav O fup'v xepv vu caz xicjutvoph apvom O'n nusi dupgofipv).

Epzxezt nep, xupfisoph og O dep QN zua vu fotdatt gasvjis. Vjeplt gus e hsiev vjsief.

O'n hmef zua'si hivvoph wemai gsun vji vjsief tu ges. Zua nez QN ni epzvoni vu fotdatt gasvjis. Vjeplt.