Business has dried up and I am getting now is hassle [Archive]

JoyDivision

13th February 2006, 10:17

The only two jobs I have this week are going back to peoples houses to either finish somthing off or look at somthing which is not working right.

It started of well but now its just gone dead. I know it is still early days but I am only going to survive this week because I have a part time job at my old university counting the amount of people in lectures the next two weeks.

I am just getting worried that busy second week was a fluke :(

cqueen

13th February 2006, 10:22

I know how you feel dude,
stick in there,
still early days!

I managed to get lucky & landed a client in my first week who had multiple jobs for me every week.

On my 2nd job for them it went tits up when they asked me to do something I couldnt do, so I sub contracted someone else to do it, the sub contractor screwed it up and I lost there business :evil:

Claire B

13th February 2006, 10:23

I know its hard, but try not to worry.

Thats how it goes sometimes and your business is still in it's infancy, so there is still the possibility that it will pick up.

Keep your pecker up! (as my dad used to say!) :D

hunny

13th February 2006, 10:30

Hi,
it does happen like this, some days it will be really quiet and then the next day it goes mad, we have established that for our business there are certain days of the week that are busier - friday is usually good - we guess people are back in their offices and getting down to sorting things out for the next week.
I'm sure things will pick up - hang on in there :D

JoyDivision

13th February 2006, 10:35

Hopefully, it is the same with my dad too, before Christmas (normaly the busiest time) he had a lot of bad luck.

I have the dentist today so I am not doing any leafleting but I am working on my other business project.

D & J BOOKKEEPING SER

13th February 2006, 12:01

hi there

i have a accounting and bookkeeping business working from home i know what you are all talking about some days are good and some days you feel like you might have to go and employ someone
but thats the fact of taking the risk of being self employed

maybe i can help with some advice all of you i deal with self employed people all day long if anyone out there is paying too much to get their self assestment done then email with how much each one of you have been charged because their is a lot of accountants out there robbing people silly

my email addressis donna_spilsbury@yahoo.co.uk

WakingDragon

13th February 2006, 12:20

That will happen. When I first started we scored perhaps the best job anyone (in my line of work) could ask for and a supplier totally nobbed it for us. Blew any chances with that client for years.

You gotta learn from it and work out why it went wrong. Starting up a new business is about juggling a million things at once, but you gotta make sure that a) you are selling and b) you are delivering. What we did as a result of our situation was to look really carefully at our processes to make sure that we had quality control all the way through. Often the supplier's view of why something went wrong will be a communication problem between you and them - you need to sort that out and everyone will be happier when everything is clear.

But you can't just switch off the company whilst you do this, so you need to keep selling at the same time. Every job you do will teach you more and will make you better relative to your competitors.

I won't say "don't get upset" cos there's no point. Its just f**king gutting when stuff doesn't go right.

directmarketingadvice

13th February 2006, 12:40

I am just getting worried that busy second week was a fluke

When you got busy did you keep marketing or were you spending all your time on order taking and fulfillment?

If you've got time on your hands this week, then you should be using that time to market yourself.

Steve

clairemackaness

13th February 2006, 12:47

Its the same for me Joydiv, I got loads of work in recently and everyone has paid up, but now I'm too busy actually painting the stuff to activly market and get more work in!!!

JoyDivision

13th February 2006, 12:51

The problem the week before last was I was too busy with customers to have time for marketing, last week I had a lot of time consuminmg jobs but did do some marketing.

This week I have to go back to some customers and I am not getting money for it so I won't have quite as much time for marketing.

I need to redesign my leaflet as discussed on here a couple of weeks ago.

creacom

13th February 2006, 13:05

Rob Holmes

13th February 2006, 13:21

I have the dentist today so I am not doing any leafleting

Hmm - are you at the dentist ALL day?

but I am working on my other business project.

If I were you I would choose and focus on one business venture at a time. Go back to your original business plan and stick to it.

I don't mean to kick someone while they 're down but the 2 phrases above set off alarm bells ;)

Rob

Ozzy

13th February 2006, 14:39

I was always told that even when the going is good, never stop trying for more. So even when you do have a lot of work, make time for marketing.

That way you are concentrating on today but preparing for tomorrow too.

Best of luck

Jacqui

This is exactly what you shoudl be doing, but what so many entrepreneurs forget to do. When things are going well they get engrossed in the doing of the work they have marketed to get, and forget to market themselves for the business to do after they finish the current jobs. This is why the first couple of years of working for yourself are known as "Famine and Feast".

D & J BOOKKEEPING SER

13th February 2006, 14:41

thats correct

DarrenC

13th February 2006, 16:32

To be fair I think most small businesses have the same problems. Your that busy doing the work, that you simply don't have time to do any marketing.

You can only work a certain number of hours in a day, before burning yourself out. What I did last week was to do a plan and say monday, Im going to do this and that and tuesday etc.. etc..

I've found its VERY difficult to stick to.

creacom

13th February 2006, 16:56

Its true, its a problem that a lot of small and new businesses have. But not all of them.

Planning is essential and helps build a successful business. At the end of eachday make a list of everything you have to do the next day ( lealfet dropping, call for advert etc ). Sort them into priorities and get them done. Of course there will be things that carry over to the day after but make sure you do them that day.

My business partner and I do this every evening and it works. You have to be strict with yourself but one you are in the rhythm its easier.

Hope it helps

Jacqui

UKRobin

13th February 2006, 20:06

Bissiness is like a marriage m8 you have to work at it to make it work for you :)

JoyDivision

13th February 2006, 21:26

I went to the job tonight which I thought would be a load of hassle. I replaced the router, sorted out a few problems. On the back end of that I have another job (to upgrade the memory) and possibly another wireless installation.

It was a great buzz seeing the customers so happy with their new wireless network.

If I can get a few customers like these it would be ideal. I have done 8 jobs now, 3 of them have been from the same house :D

UKRobin

14th February 2006, 10:04

Well done, you must be doing something right to be getting recommended, those always give the best buzz.

webit

14th February 2006, 10:32

JoyDivision

14th February 2006, 13:07

I did a job last night and one this morning, I got very little money from it, but both are moving house soon and they both want wireless network installations.

I finding that once I have got customers I seem to be get quite a bit of work from them.

I think all I can do now is keep doing what I am doing and be patient.

Last night was a hassle but on the plus side I have got two extra jobs from that.

I am also learning lots of quirks about wireless networking which means the more I do I will be a lot quicker.

wellnessdirect

14th February 2006, 18:02

Hello JoyDivision,

I wanted to throw in my two cents worth. I ran a wholesale company in Canada for a few years, and here's what I noticed:

The people you really work for are your employees and those independant contractors - because you are only as good as your training and quality control. Be careful that you cover all your bases with them in your employment agreement.

It is all about management of variables and human error. Prep with consistency, training, and specific expectations before you get in over your head.

Lastly, I looked at my 24/7 schedule, and I actually scheduled short term, long term, and moneyed activities so I wouldn't get lost in the shuffle. I also looked at the competition seasonally to make sure I was staying on top.

I further divided my hours into those hours that were devoted to service, administration, production, R & D, follow-up, sales, and schmoozing.

Always trust your gut, not your greed, JoyDivision!

I hope this helps! Good luck, and turn your precious time into gold!

Donna

JoyDivision

14th February 2006, 18:51

Always trust your gut, not your greed, JoyDivision!

I like that, trying to penny pinch often causes much more trouble than it is worth.

D-LINK routers are classic example, they are cheaper than Netgear but take longer to setup, I would rather spend £5 more and spend half an hour less with a client.

Lesson learn't.

webit

14th February 2006, 20:47

Fine - unless your charging by the hour!

DarrenC

14th February 2006, 21:03

Get a website designed, and put your website address in local shop windows, post office, local supermarkets.

People like to read a website, and the services you offer, with rates.

sparklyscotty

15th February 2006, 14:06

I had this problem last year (my first year) and now schedule at least a half day a week for paperwork and a half day for marketing. I also have a calendar of what marketing works best, when, so that I know what needs done to get results.
-Angel-

MorethanWords

16th February 2006, 13:32

I agree with all of the above said.

I'd also consider making a rough marketing plan for yourself - dig up ideas from here, on the net, in the library etc. Then set yourself targets from there. If you promise yourself to do at least one item off the list each week, then you can sleep a little easier and know you're not sitting there waiting for the phone to ring. It'll only ring if you put in the legwork.

Also might be worth getting in touch with local computer sales places (not PC world, but independents) to see if they'd be happy to stock your leaflets. If people are buying a computer, they might be interested in your wireless installations etc. Also if there's any business type papers you could try and get featured as you've just started business. Will be then read by small local businessmen and women who would rather use a fellow entrepreneur than a bigger company. Oh, the list keeps growing and growing!

If you need any more ideas just gimme a shout!

Lu x