Training to become a handyman will vary drastically depending on where you live, your experience level, and the services you want to offer. Since there isn’t a single training program, online course, or book containing the exact information you need to acquire the necessary skills, it’s up to you to decide what you learn. [continue reading…]
Last updated: Jan 1st, 2024
I’ve been a pro handyman for over a decade, and I’ve learned more than my fair share about handyman insurance.
In this article, I will share everything you need to know about getting your handyman business insured so you can be confident that you’re getting the right coverage without paying too much. [continue reading…]
A service business is the best type of business to start as your first business. Period.
Not only is it very likely that you’ll succeed, but you’ll learn countless valuable lessons that can be applied to any future venture.
One of the most important things you’ll learn is that what drives success and profits is often counter-intuitive. What you think would work often doesn’t. And what you think will hurt your business, often helps (See tip #2 for an example).
Typically my content is directed toward the handyman business, and this is no exception. However, this article applies to any service business out there. It is the knowledge that I’ve learned while running my handyman business. Take this advice and apply it with your own unique style and you will soon be reaping the rewards of running a successful service business. [continue reading…]
Do your customers trust you? I’m willing to bet that you have some customers that trust you highly and others that don’t.
I know this is the case with my handyman business. Some of my customers have told me they can’t wait to recommend me to their friends and hire me for future jobs. Others, I can see it in their eyes that I’m just another contractor trying to rip them off.
The real question is, what did I do differently to make some customers trust me?
Here, I’ll discuss why your customers’ trust should be at the heart of your business plan. I’ll then share a few tips on how you can easily gain and keep the trust of your customers. By doing a few small things, you can really separate yourself from the competition. [continue reading…]
This is the fourth of a series of posts that I will be doing each month. It also signifies the close of my fourth month owning my own handyman business. If you are interested in how to start a handyman business, this information is for you.
In this post I will be discussing significant events that happened in March of 2012. I’ll share any aha moments, my accomplishments, and finally, I’ll tell you how much money I made and how I made it. I’m doing this to help anyone who wants to know how to start a handyman business. Through my trials and errors, I hope to make your handyman business experience much easier. [continue reading…]
In this article, I’m going to reveal a free and effective strategy for advertising your handyman services.
That’s right, it’s free…and effective. And, it will work just about anywhere in the world.
So, do you remember the phone book? Well, I’m not talking about that. That’s a waste of time.
Instead, I’m talking about something similar, but way better: getting your handyman business listed in the online directories. I’m sure you have heard of several of these already. Examples include Yelp, Yahoo Local, and let’s not forget the almighty Google My Business. [continue reading…]
While starting up a handyman business, one thing that you should consider is getting a business address that is separate from your home. There are several benefits of doing so, which is what I plan to demonstrate in this article.
You don’t need to rent out any office space. You most likely can’t justify this financially, anyway (at least at this point). An address with a P.O. Box in front of it isn’t ideal either as it looks less professional and/or established. You need something that looks like a real business address but doesn’t cost a fortune.
I recommend finding a UPS or similar store near your house that offers mailbox services. Anytime Mailbox is also a great option and is just a few dollars per month. This is an excellent option because your address won’t be a P.O. box and looks like a real address on paper. It is also fairly cheap. I pay about $300 per year for my mailbox. I have access to it 24 hours per day, it’s about five minutes from my house, and I only check the mail once a week, usually on Mondays. It saves me time and money and helps me look like a pro.
If you aren’t convinced yet, here are five reasons you should get a dedicated business mailbox. [continue reading…]
Business cards are low-hanging fruit for marketing your handyman business. Handing them to every customer increases the chances they’ll call you back in the future and encourages word-of-mouth referrals. [continue reading…]
If you are looking to have a logo designed for your handyman business, you may have already heard of the website 99designs.com. The site uses the power of crowd-sourcing to provide customers (business owners like you) with quality media design for a lower price than what you would pay for a typical branding designer. It’s simple, fast, and effective with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. It doesn’t really get much better, folks.
However, there are several bad reviews of the website where people didn’t get a design that was acceptable to them. I don’t totally understand this because they have a 100% money back guarantee, but there are bad reviews nonetheless. These are probably the same people that just hosted a project with little thought or effort and thought a good logo was just going to pop out of thin air. 99designs.com is easy, but not that easy.
Each Month I’ll be writing a post that discusses how my handyman business is doing. In these monthly reports, I’ll first explain the events that took place during the last 30 days and whether or not I hit my goals that I set the previous month. Then, I’ll expose all the details of my income and expenses. Lastly, I’ll end the post by discussing what my plans and goals are for the following month.
I’m sharing this for several reasons:
- I want to help anybody looking to start a handyman business to understand what to expect financially. I remember when I was first considering starting a handyman business, my primary questions were “how much can I make and how much will it cost to start?” Well, it turns out I still don’t know the answer to that question, but I’m definitely learning a lot each month.
- It’s a great way to track my progress and keep myself accountable. If you read my post, 5 Steps to Ensure Success, I mention how important it is to share your goals with others. Setting goals has helped to motivate me and I’d recommend it if your aren’t already.
- Provide valuable and insightful details on running a successful handyman business.
