Starting a blind installation business may sound like a daunting task for a lot of young entrepreneurs, but trust me – it’s not. Many people dream of going solo and investing on their own business. Starting a new business not only gives you the opportunity to make bag full of cash, but it also helps you achieve something that you are proud of. You might feel lost and don’t know where to begin with. Luckily, starting a blinds installation business is pretty simple and doesn’t require a business degree or expertise. I will teach you exactly how to start a blinds installation business with this step by step guide.
1. Research the Blinds Installation Market
Before you commit into starting a blinds installation business, you must make sure you take the opportunity to study the competitors around your locality. However keep in mind, local competitions are unlikely to share their secret of success willingly, so you have to perform your own due diligence. Studying your competitors will provide you with insights to make better decisions such as what type of blinds to offer, what extra services to offer, competitive pricing, what marketing approach to take and so on.
Its always best to pose as a customer to use your competitors’ blind installation service, ask them with tough questions and see what kind of solutions they come up with. Even better way to perform some competitor analysis is by following their social media pages and gauge how they present themselves and what they are up to currently. As a rule of thumb, keep your friends close; but your enemies closer.
2. Set up your Blinds Installation Business
Before you start your blinds installation business you register as a legal entity. Setting up and registering your blinds installation service will secure your reputation as a legitimate business. Moreover, it helps to build a sense of trust among customers, employees and suppliers. I am going to give you a brief rundown of three most popular business structures in the United States.
Sole Proprietorship
Sole proprietorship is one of the simplest form of business structure you can choose. This structure does not provide protection to business owner from any business liability. That is, the business owner is fully responsible for any debts or lawsuit against the business. If you choose to operate as a sole proprietor, you do not need any filings with state.
Limited Liability Company (LLC)
Limited liability company often referred to as an LLC is one of the most popular business structures for small businesses in the United States. With an LLC, you get all the privileges of sole proprietorship while also a blanket of protection for any business liability. Keep in mind, the protection is not full proof, but it’s better than nothing.
C-Corporation (C-corp)
Business owners in C-corps are also known as shareholders. Most major companies are setup with this structure as it provides the maximum security to it’s shareholders from business liabilities. Remember that they are more expensive to set up and are subjected to double taxation, as income doesn’t pass to shareholders directly.
Getting an EIN for your Blinds Installation Business
EIN(Employee Identification Number) is a 9-digit number provided by government to businesses. Government provides EIN number to identify the businesses as tax paying entities. You will need this number at almost any phase of your business venture from opening a business bank account to filing your taxes.
Luckily, getting an EIN number for your business is simple and free. You can apply for an EIN number online.
3. Prepare a Blinds Installation Business Plan
Business plans are crucial for service based businesses. Business plan provides direction to owners, employees and potential investors. An effective business plan should clearly detail the goals of the business and the ways you are going to achieve them. A business plan is central business document that will guide your blinds installation business on a go-forward direction.
If you are having difficulty in writing a business plan, SBA offers a great resource to to help you write your business plan.
4. Source the Materials
Prior to launching a blinds installation business in your town, it’s essential to research blind manufacturers and purchase the right blinds. Make sure you order few samples that you can show to your potential clients. Alongside the blinds, you will also need to invest in the tools necessary to run a blinds installation business. Some of the tools you will need to start a blinds installation business are:
- A Pencil
- A Measuring Tape
- A Drill
- A Spirit Level
- A Screw Driver
5. Create a Digital Presence
The first thing you need to decide before starting a blinds installation business is a catchy name. Don’t try to over complicate the name. Keep it simple and catchy. You can try Shopify’s Free Business Name Generator for some great ideas. Once you decide the perfect name for your blinds installation business, get yourself a logo. You can try, my favorite tool, Looka for a professionally designed logo. If you want to go for a budget option, Canva is probably best for you. It offers tonnes of free images and elements to design your logo.
The next step is putting your business name out there on the web for everyone to see. You need to have a professional website for your business. You can read my guide on how to make a basic website for your small business if you want to do it yourself. However if you want someone else work on the technicalities while you focus on acquiring more clients for your business, we are ready to help you.
Our $499 digital package comes with a professionally designed website, custom email, 24/7 support and maintenance, SEO and digital marketing services. You wouldn’t want to miss the deal. Contact us today before the deal runs out.
6. Marketing your Blinds Installation Business
Starting a blinds installation business is the easy part. The difficult part is acquiring clients and making them loyal to your business. This is why marketing plays a key role in every business. Digital marketing and paid advertisements will give you an initial rounds of clients for your blinds installation business. Alongside the clients, it will also give your business a brand recognition.
Once you get those initial clients you will want to make sure to provide best service to them. Referral is one of the best form of marketing. If your customer is delighted with your service, he will share this with his friends and family. This is how you create a network of loyal clients for your blinds installation business.
The best tools for marketing your blinds installation business are :
- Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok etc)
- Paid Advertisement (Facebook Ads, Google Ads)
- Flyer Distribution
- Cold Calling and Cold Emailing Businesses
- Blogging
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Keep in mind, our $499 digital package comes with free SEO, Blogging, Social media marketing strategies and Paid Ad consultation.
7. Set up Appointments
You don’t need anything fancy to set up appointments for your blinds installation business. Use your phone’s calendar or a good old-fashioned diary to organize appointments. You need to make sure you arrive on time and look really professional in front of your clients. Always ask questions to your clients. What style of blinds are they looking for? What material do they like? What color do they like? Just make them feel that you care about them and their choices.
And that is it. If you follow everything in this guide, it is more than enough to start a successful blinds installation business.
