starting your own business (sorry.offtopic)

[Ubon94 0]

Sorry, I'm not too sure where to post this.

 

I've been working for a security computer as a tech for a while now.

 

I'm thinking about becoming a dealer on my own selling and installing it locally then expand later.

 

I have never done sales and I don't know how to go about of finding the customers to buy the product.....

 

I thought of just walk into all stores and talk to the worker-->manager-->*then hope the owner*

 

about the products and maybe they will buy?

 

I don't know how do you guys conduct your business?

 

Please help guide me toward the light

 

Thanks

[securitymonster 0]

If we both went into the same business selling the same thing, why would that person buy from you instead of me?

[kensplace 0]

Dont forget if you go it alone, you would be the sales guy, the marketing guy, the purchasing guy, the cctv tech, the installer, the everything!

 

you would have to support all the things you installed yourself, as well as sell and install them, so you would probably need to hire people, which costs money.....

 

You would need to convince some clients that you would have the resources available to be able to support them, and that you will be around in the long term.

 

Can you offer good prices, a established company may be able to bulk buy things to get better prices.

 

Course, once you get established, you may make enough money to hire people, and bulk buy, and rapidly expand, but dont forget the how hard it will be doing everything yourself until you get to that point.

 

What if you fall ill, and you get a support call, you need to make sure you cover all you bases.

[Ubon94 0]

Thanks all all for your replies..

 

I don't have the money to hire the workers for my company.

I thought if I can sell the products including installation charge

I can hire a installation company to come out and run the wire etc..

Some jobs I think I can do it my self.. a 4 channels for small businesses

 

...

[scorpion 0]

I will help you out.

 

Have you ever worked for a cctv company before?

What experience do you have?

 

I have a question: What is the difference in view between the 2.8mm, the 4mm, the 6mm, and the 50mm lens? This question is very important.

 

Based on your answer I can get you started on the fast track.

[imcclendon 0]

First of all, congratulations on having the courage to take the plunge. Starting a business is not for the faint of heart. It can put a strain on your social relationships and your financial resources. Don't let anyone tell you that your dream of starting a successful business is beyond your reach, just because they don't have the courage or motivation to work toward such an ambitious goal, don’t let them convince you that you don’t have what it takes.

 

With that said, ensure that your are in a good financial position to start a business. You should eliminate your short-term high interest debt and build a cash reserve before buying from distributors and taking on business expenses. Also, one of the most important things you can do for your business is create a carefully researched business plan. “Careful planning is fundamental to successâ€

[Ubon94 0]

I will help you out.

 

Have you ever worked for a cctv company before?

What experience do you have?

 

I have a question: What is the difference in view between the 2.8mm, the 4mm, the 6mm, and the 50mm lens? This question is very important.

 

Based on your answer I can get you started on the fast track.

 

The bigger the mm is more zoom in.. smaller mm is zoom out.. fix lens are cheaper but veri focal is flexible.. If you can get a cheap veri focal from 2.6 to 12mm with IR for small job, i think it's good.

 

------------

 

Thanks imcclendon,

 

A lot of ppl out there is one man company.. I know its totally possible

 

I'm lack experience in sales and installation..

[Metal Shaper Man 0]

I had an antique car restoration business for many years. Many of the cars I had in my shop were worth large sums of money. That’s one of the reasons I had and developed an interest in CCTV security systems. Plus, I was always fascinated with them in the first place.

 

I agree with mcclendon all the way. However, I will phrase it a little different. Just remember before you start that, a business is not a job, it’s a lifestyle. You live it from the moment you get up until you go to bed which is usually later than you would prefer. It is like playing with your favorite toys. You have to love it and want to know how everything works due to your love or screaming interest in the subject.

 

My advice is to start out simple. Only take on jobs within your skill level and jobs you are confident with while, learning about and testing products for the next project you want to sell. If you look at the many who post on this forum, you will see exactly what I’m talking about. They live and love their subject of interest, hence, become very knowledgeable, successful and well respected for their efforts. It will take a little time but you will get there faster than you may think.

 

Good Luck

[scorpion 0]

Congradulations!

 

You want to start your own business. Starting your business is very, very easy. The hard part is maintaining it. I do not care what anyone will tell you. I know a guy with $200,000 investment, and he is out of business. This was the best thing that ever happened for our industry. I also know of a guy. I used to call him a snot nose punk. He was right out of high school and as wet behind the ears as you could get.

 

In the beginning I did not want anything to do with him. I was afraid that his crash and burn would affect me as well. I steered clear from him as far as I could. He comes in the shop asking for help. I new who he was, so I gave him a break. I sold him what he needed at my cost. I saved his butt big time! He worked out of a 4 door car. He put everything in the trunk and in the back seat. He placed the 6 foot ladder across the open trunk and he tied it down. He did all right for a trunk thumper. He started this business with no money down! I lied he spent money but wisely.

To start the business he planned to "open" the next year. He went to the pawn shop, and bought a crap hammer drill for 99 bucks (new $350). Everyweek he took his fast food check and he would buy old beat up tools out of the varios pawn shops. He found a 6 foot ladder at a thrift store for 10 bucks!

One month he spent his extra cash on business cards. The next month he bought P OF S computer. It had XP, and Office allready on it. His girl friend had a friend that made up an excel sheet for him with his name, logo, and it is set up for proposals.

 

All he has to do is hit the the new quote icon and he can type in the cameras, how much they sell for, and how many units. On the next line he can put in dvr, how much, how many, and so far down the line.

At the bottom it totals everything automatically. He then emails this to the guy he just did a site survey for. One hour at the site, one hour on the computer, now you just need the customer to say yes.

 

You will need to let your customer know that they will have to put 50% down, and pay the other 50% at the time of install. Do not spend this money! This will give you money to buy all of the equipment. When it comes in, burn it in like you would with a computer for 24 hours before you install it. Tell your customer that you will not give them install date until all of the equipment comes in. You can give them a "tenative" date, and you will call them when it comes in. This is to save your butt. Maybe the stuff did not get delivered that day, and they shipped it the next day. Now you are 24 hours behind schedule. Nothing sucks worse than have a 9am install date and the equipment comes in between 11am and 1 pm the same day! OUCH! If they send you the wrong item, or you ordered it wrong, or they forgot to install a hard drive, (or what have you) you have some "lead" time to get it right!

 

Alway do the right thing. Even if it is not your "JOB". Be nice to the old lady. It is not your job to move all of her boxes, and her furniture, do your install job and then move the furniture, and put back all of her boxes of junk. She will ask while you are here could you tighten this screw on this (what ever) since you have your tools??

 

Always anticipate what can happen to the install process. What if you make a mistake? What if it does not meet her expectations after the install. If this is the case you did bad on the site survey. Take a 13" monitor, a camera, a power supply, and a cable and do a dog and pony show. Hook all this up outside her house and stand on a ladder and show her what the view looks like on the monitor. What you see is what you get. NO lost expectations if you do this. I only carry three cameras for a site survey. A motion detector camera, a bullet with a 3.8mm, and a vandal dome with 4mm - 9 mm vari focal. The customer will be educating themselves as you do this.

 

 

OK!

 

You have your business cards, you have a home office, or you sub lease a corner from some other business. You have a van, or a truck, or you are working out of your trunk. How do you get business! It takes money to make money right? Yes it does! That is if you want to make a lot of money up front. Keep your overhead low (used tools, home office), and let your profits ramp up. You may have to keep your old job a little longer.

 

Put your business card in to a business card holder and ask friends, relatives, and go door to door (business to business) asking if you can put your cards on their desk or table. Here is the first easy one. Your local bank always seems to have some kind of static display in the corner right?

Summer time: They have a sea doo, a beach ball, beach towels and such on display right? Ask them if you can set up a display, or at least put your cards on a table.

 

Keep a bullet with you out of the box. When you go to restaurants, fast food restaurants, gas stations, any where you go, let people see it. If they ask about it, then you talk about surveillance. Here is the trick, If you are talking it is not a sell!!!!!! IT IS NOT A SELL!!!!!!

 

If you want to know if this is a potential sale do this!

 

LISTEN!!!! Someone who needs a system will ask all kinds of questions. Is it water proof? How much does it cost? They will tell you their story and you will feel like a bartender! Someone broke into my house, someone broke in to my car, ect. When it comes to pricing be vague. Tell them, let me get back to my office, and let me send you a quote. I have a vendor that might give me a discount on (what ever intrested the person you were talking to). Let me talk to him, and let me see what I can do for you. This will at least get you to the end of the conversation before you have to give a price. You do not want to give a price then have them blow you off. You will have to give storys about how people get ripped off buying junk, or not understanding how things work.

 

I use this kind of a story.

 

Wow I really get hammered around December because systems fail left, and right and people call me to come fix someone else's installation!

 

Now they are curious as to why? Hook line and sinker!

 

It is because it gets dark at 5pm, and these installers installed cameras that do not work in the dark! There are business where the ladys check the monitor before they go out in the parking lot to check to see if their ex boyfriend or exhusband is out in the parking lot. If they cannot see the video then they may be afraid to go out to their car!

 

Mix up the story. Make it work for you. Here is a trick!

 

Practice your sells pitch on people that you know that are not going to buy a system. Start with your relatives, and friends. Try to sell them a system. Yes I know they are not going to buy from you, but do it anyways. What will happen is you will stop stuttering, and stammering, and saying "and uh" all the time. Your pitch will become smooth, will have a ring of authenticity. You can spot the newbie car salesman right off the bat right? You do not want to deal with him, you would rather deal with the pro who knows what he is doing right? This is how your customers are going to treat you. You will not get a lot of sales in the begining because they can spot that you are new, or you do not know what you are talking about. This is OK! This is your practise time!

 

Now how do you advertise??

 

Here is a post on some of my rambling on how to advertise on the cheap!

 

http://www.cctvforum.com/about8369.html SCROLL down to the bottom.

 

THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!!!!

 

If you have not worked for a security surveillance company before you start your business than you are short changing yourself. When you hire employees later on how will you know how long the installation should take? Are they dragging their feet making you look bad? Did you predict how long it would take and your figure was way off? Maybe the combo of both? Go work for a company. All you need is at least 3 months. I would tell you at least one year, but really more. If you do not work for a company for one year than you are really doing yourself an injustice!

 

HIRING EMPLOYEES

 

The very first employee you hire should be a person who can site survey good, sell, put together a design, order parts, and do the install.

Pay him a base pay of $250.00 a week and give him $50 for each camera, and the DVR that he installs, On a 4 camera install he can make $250!!!

A sixteen camera install earns $850.00. This is called project pay. If it takes longer, then you are not paying buy the hour. If he is not selling, and installing then it only cost you $250.00 a week. You can make him feel good by calling him the director of operations.

 

Give him 10% of the quote for the sell!

 

When you hire a seperate sales person pay them on sales with a base, and then the first employee will be to busy doing installs or helping in the office.

 

What other questions do you have?

 

This is not the way to start a business. You need to do it right. You need to talk to a lawyer, and a CPA.

 

Good Luck!!!!!

Edited June 11, 2007 by Guest

[jisaac 0]

before you start doing anything I would read E-myth by micheal gerber.

 

Remeber this most entrepeneurs are technicians who suffured from a entrepeneural seizure at one point in time. There is a whole lot more to owning your own business that just the technical work. And actually if you want to be successful you will remove yourself completly from that technical work. You as the business owner have much more important things to do than the labor work.

 

But then again you will learn all this when you read E-myth.

[501 0]

There is some EXCELLENT advice here. It seems like you have all hit it on the head. It took me a long time to realize that you have to release control of certain aspetcs in order to grow but it is true. Scorpion and jisaacmagee, thanks for that input, I know many will benefit from it.

 

P.S. I was a technician who had good sales experience, and after 7 years, I still ove playing with a finished system, but I prefer the sales aspect much more then crawling through attics!

[genealle 0]

Saw an ad in a security magazine for a company called Eyesthere. http://www.eyesthere.com/

 

They are franchising the industry and they will be happy to take $187,000 (I think) and they will set you up in the security business. Seems rather high for someone that aready works in the business, but I suspect some related businesses might find it an easy entry into CCTV if they want to be an absentee owner.

[rory 0]

P.S. I was a technician who had good sales experience, and after 7 years, I still ove playing with a finished system, but I prefer the sales aspect much more then crawling through attics!

 

I wouldnt call crawling through attics technical .. in fact you can hire anyone to do that .. even the sales guy

 

Personally Id rather let someone else do the sales so I could concentrate on R&D .. but then we are all different.

[rory 0]

Sorry, I'm not too sure where to post this.

 

I've been working for a security computer as a tech for a while now.

 

I'm thinking about becoming a dealer on my own selling and installing it locally then expand later.

 

I have never done sales and I don't know how to go about of finding the customers to buy the product.....

 

I thought of just walk into all stores and talk to the worker-->manager-->*then hope the owner*

 

about the products and maybe they will buy?

 

I don't know how do you guys conduct your business?

 

Please help guide me toward the light

 

Thanks

 

Learn the product and the industry .. its no good selling and installing something that doesnt work properly, unless you are only in it for the money.

[UMDRanger 0]

Great advice!

[netpromax 0]

Great Advice. It's not scary enough though. Laws, late payment, unsatisfied customer, irregular cycle of CCTV demand, etc...