Not every business has to be online in order for it to be a lucrative career. If you have specific skills you can capitalize on, then it’s never a bad idea to turn them into a profitable business. Car mechanics are a perfect example of such a career. Nowadays, many people rely on their vehicles to get them to various places.
What’s more, not everyone has the financial means to buy a new car each time the old one breaks down – most people will turn to a mechanic for assistance. However, just because you have the necessary skills to run a mechanic shop, it doesn’t mean that it is simple to run a business. Running a successful business, no matter its nature, requires a different skill set. Therefore, here are a few ways you can start your own mechanic business.
Develop a business plan
Every business requires a good plan, in order for it to have good chances of reaching success. No matter how small or large your repair shop will be, it still requires good planning. For example, you must decide if you will take over an existing repair shop or build a new one from the ground up. Also, you must decide on the variety of services your business will offer to its clients.
Perhaps you’ll simply have a tire repair service or maybe you’ll opt for full car repair services. Either way, you must plan ahead for what you’re about to do. Moreover, you must focus on the equipment and costs that come along. Equipment for a wide variety of diagnostics and services can go up to about $50,000. Therefore, you must plan for financing the required tools, especially if your budget isn’t high enough.
Choose a proper business structure
A business structure is important for any company to operate legally. Which permits, licenses, insurances and taxes you’ll be obliged to take care of will be based on the type of structure you’ve chosen. For example, you can go for a sole proprietorship if you don’t plan on having employees for the time being. The main reason is that this business structure requires the least amount of paperwork and money.
The downside is that a sole proprietorship carries the most liability for the owner, but you can always change your business structure later on. For example, when the amount of work exceeds your current ability and you have to hire employees to help you out, you can change your structure to Limited Liability Company (LLC). This structure requires more paperwork, but the amount of liability is greatly reduced as well. There are many great articles that can help you better understand the differences between LLC and other business structures.
Hire the right staff
Sooner or later, your repair shop will start to grow and develop further. That means that you probably won’t be able to do everything on your own. Sure, you might try to improve your mechanic skills, in order to work more efficiently, but eventually the workload will overwhelm you.
That’s why it’s important to consider hiring employees to help you out. When doing so, make sure you hire the right staff with suitable skills and experience that will come in handy. That way, you’ll have an experienced crew that can handle any vehicle-related problem and ensure that the issues are resolved in a timely and orderly fashion.
Obtain a business license
One of the things you simply cannot forget about is obtaining proper business licenses and permits. That way, you’ll legitimize your business and ensure that it can remain operational. Moreover, a location for your repair shop will play a vital role in obtaining licenses and permits. For instance, you may have to reconsider if you’re planning on opening a mechanic shop in your garage or backyard. The main reason is that the local zoning laws may forbid you to obtain a permit and licenses for a repair shop, due to the noise and increase in traffic.
Check with your local zoning office just to make sure. In most cases, you’ll require various licenses and permits, such as a sales tax permit, federal tax ID, certificate of occupancy, automotive repair shop permit and so on. Check in with the local authorities to determine which licenses you will require, so that you don’t miss out on anything important.
Promote your business
Finally, there’s no good business without a good promotion. No matter how skilled a mechanic you may be, there won’t be any customers unless they know about you. That’s why you’ll need a marketing campaign for your local car repair shop. You can use digital methods, such building your presence on social media or having a website and adding it to the local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) listings.
Also, don’t forget the power of traditional marketing methods, such as newspaper ads, billboards and others. With the right marketing mix, you’ll be able to promote your repair shop and attract clients who will become your loyal customers.
You may have the skills to be an excellent mechanic, but you’ll need to develop new skills to successfully run a mechanic business. With the right plan and a good strategy in place, you’ll be able to capitalize on your skill set and run a successful and profitable business.