A guide for electrical contractors: 6 ways to survive tough times

By Jerry Wilson


It is hard at times to "work on your business" rather than "in your business". Here are some tips to help you stay focussed on making your business grow and expand in challenging economic times.

1) Remarket to your existing customers

So you have some happy customers that were impressed with your prompt service. How do you make good use of this resource? By keeping in touch with them and tempting them with some special offers like free electrical checkups, maintenance deals and lighting audits etc. Because they know you and have done business with you before, they are more likely to use your services again. Have a go, you will be amazed at the results of just keeping in touch regularly.

2) Are you using your technology well?

It really pays to stay interested in moving forward with the latest technology as it will save you time. Time that you can then spend hands on with billable work. You can keep your office with you nowadays with tablets, ipads and smart phones. These devices enable you to multi-task. You can order supplies when out and about and research online for info or schedule an appointment and have this data all in hand. Devices like these all synchronise with your home office computer and will save paper and the possibility of losing valuable info, invoices or appointments! Be a life long learner and curious about these devices, they only take a little practice and you will wonder why you didn't use them sooner!

3) Outsource administrative tasks

Do you like book-keeping? Or administration work like paying the bills? Is this part more difficult and time-consuming for you. Then outsource it. There are many economical services that can accomplish tasks like this quickly and easily, in fact probably three times faster than it would take you so that you can go out and do what you are good at.

4) Buy online

Ordering electrical wholesale online is one of the best ways to improve efficiency within your business. Not only do you reduce the time spent walking around the physical electrical wholesalers, but it also encourages you to plan ahead for upcoming jobs. Buying electrical items online also saves transport time - which means you can spend even more time on your marketing, and then reap the rewards.

5) Attend networking events

One of the best ways to market your business is by "word of mouth". You can do this easily at different events like your local Chamber of Commerce or organisation like Master Electricians that regularly hold meetings. A lot in life can be a case of "the people you know".

6) Referrals, as for them

When you're chatting to your customers, be sure to ask them if they know anyone that might benefit from the electrical services that you offer. Do they have friends, colleagues or family members that might be interested? It's a good idea to always have a few business cards or flyers handy, just in case.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment