We have new Licensees joining at different times so please forgive me if some of my messaging appears a bit redundant. If anything, I hope you receive it as affirmation and reiteration of strategies and tactics you need to be employing as you engage in the development of your broker business.
Because I tend to think even faster than I speak, and I can speak pretty quick, I'm going to share various points of interest in bullet form as follows: - As you start, stay on point. As I mentioned in my materials and previous newsletters, when I was starting my broker business I had full intentions of leveraging deliveries as a stepping stone to get me to what I believed would be my biggest money-maker, Express Moves (EM). However, in every single years since launching my delivery revenue has continued to exceed my EM sales. So, focus on deliveries first and foremost.
Again, I truly am living testament of how you can plan your business one way and opportunity takes on a life of it's own and steers your business in a different direction (Trust me, I can write novels on how this principle has affected my broker, NEMT, and other businesses). In addition to my previous point, where I thought EM was going to be our prime source of revenue, consider, the last two years we literally made money from contractors mowing lawns. That is seriously comical because I never could have imagined such a source of revenue.
But getting back on point, it is critical you start your business by focusing on deliveries from the local retail partners. You want to solicit stores that either do not engage directly in delivery services at all or they outsource to 3rd party providers but customers are forced to wait several days or longer for delivery. Your tactical advantage is providing a "same-day solution."
- Do not overlook local independent stores and retail partners - they are everywhere! In addition to servicing many national chains, we also serve a countless number of independent and regionally based stores. Again, they are everywhere. Perform a local search in each market you serve and, in soliciting them, leverage the success you're experiencing with the national chains you are servicing. Success breeds success so don't hesitate to leverage every relationship and strategic partner you have to gain new customers, stores, and facilities.
- With respect to Express Moves, our general rule of thumb is 1,500 square feet. Anything more than 1,500 square feet and we do our best to schedule the work order as a Labor-Only job. We encourage customers to received PODS, or any portable storage unit system, which will allow them and our contractors more time and flexibility to properly complete the job. The benefit to identifying a Labor-Only job is we can schedule the work order further into the future giving us more time and flexibility as well as allowing the customer time to make arrangements with local PODS/storage provider.
- Build relationships with local storage facilities - especially those who provide portable storage units. Some of your EMs will be loading and emptying storage units. Customers will sometimes contact storage units for recommendations on a team of laborers to assist with moving items in storage. Further, your relationship with storage units will be quid pro quo - they recommend you when asked and you refer customers looking for storage units.
- I know you're busy. We all are. But you need to commit to building at least one relationship per week. Trust me, it is not hard. One by one, reach out and connect with local retail stores, storage facilities, realtors, housing units, apartment complexes, retirement communities and independent living facilities, colleges, universities, dormitories, and more. You will be absolutely amazed how, in time, your business will compound and repeat business will find you. Make contact and invest in one new relationship per week - it is painfully feasible regardless of how busy your schedule.
- Do NOT waste money on subscriptions or services that categorize and/or limit you. I can't tell you how frequently we are solicited to join "Angie's List, Home Advisor," and similar sites. They all want you to pay $500-$800 per month to be listed on their sites, yet, I can 100% guarantee you when a customer is purchasing furniture or large items in a store the service rep never says "You should really check on Angie's List or Home Advisor." It never happens! Such sites are a waste of money and, because they categorize your business, it adversely limits the scope of services you provide.
- If there is one thing I will always beg of you to do, it's please, please, please follow the strategies and tactics I outline in my material and newsletters. I can assure you, I have made all the mistakes so you don't have to. You don't need to waste time, money, and effort trying to reinvent the wheel.
Further, as you know, we're currently operating in 5 states. This affords us a unique opportunity to gain both micro and macro perspectives from a sizeable number of contractors in various regions. I can assure you, I will always share information with you so you can further modify and tweak your policies and tactics to enhance your business so you can avoid wasting time and money.
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