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Perhaps a quick word of caution is in order here. You've no
doubt seen or heard some of the advertisements promising all kinds
of big money to be made with your own locksmithing service; "Just
send for the learn-at-home correspondence course , and you'll be
home free." It's true that you can earn big money in this
business, but as we've noted earlier, without a lot of sharp
marketing and selling expertise, plus at least the essential
equipment to handle the kind of work these courses teach,
enrolling in one of these courses will put you no further ahead
than you are right now. This business requires equipment and
knowledge.
You can make excellent money as a locksmith, so long as you
operate your business capably and in a professional manner. But
without a full line of the equipment required to handle a wide
variety of jobs, you will be limiting your total income potential.
The more you invest in quality equipment, the more different kinds
of jobs you can handle, and thus the more money you'll be capable
of making.
This is definitely a business in which you decide for yourself
exactly how far and how fast you want to go. As we've said, some
operators are perfectly content to work out of their homes, using
a mobile van. They don't want the larger problems involved in
hiring employees, or the expense of maintaining a retail location.
But to make the really big money in this business, starting
small and working out of your home, you should plan to put more
mobile trucks on the road, and as soon as possible, open a retail
location. Each mobile van will give you another satellite
business, and a retail location will afford you a base
headquarters for your mobile vans.
It is of the utmost importance that you build and maintain a
professional image as a quality locksmithing operation from the
start. Clinging to the craftsman type of image will be of
advantage only if you wish to stay in the "Mom and Pop" category.
You should endeavor to handle all jobs as quickly and as
efficiently as possible. Outfitting yourself and your help in
sharp looking uniforms will help. Making your calls in a clean,
well-organized van will also play an important part in the image
your customers have of your business. You want your customers to
have confidence in your business, and in the quality of work you
do for them. When they do, you'll find they are more likely to
pay their bills with fewer reminders.
Think of it like this: A large invoice presented by a man in
a clean uniform who drives up in a good looking truck and does
quality work is going to be paid more readily than one for $25
presented by a guy in grubby jeans who drove up in a 10-year old
decrepit truck.
With so many technological changes occurring within this field
on an almost monthly basis, it's to your advantage to stay on top
of what's happening within the locksmithing field. This means
subscribing to some of the better trade publications. You should
be attending the various Locksmithing Association promoted
seminars and workshops that offer on-going help in both the
technical and financial side of this business. In other words,
you should plan to keep yourself up to date with a program of
continuous learning.
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