Lost my Job, now help needed starting a new business

[PhotoPaul]

I have just lost my job and have become unemployed and have no financial backup so I am financially struggling, earlier in the year I was scammed out of a lot of money so as the old saying goes, "I do not have a pot to Piss in". So I have decided to try and go my own way and start a little business, I have all the gear so I do not have to splash out on lots of new gear. My partner has said that losing my job could be a blessing in disguise and that I can now starting concentrating on my business. The business is quite unique, again, I cant tell you what it is in case the Forum Police kick me off. Like most people when you have no finances or very little you look for every way possible to promote your self free or on the cheap. I came on here and similar places to help put the word out about and to help promote my little business then the next thing I know I get kicked off, I try to copy similar ideas from other people and sites but I seem to do that wrong, I think that I have a good web site and a good and unique service but I cant tell you what it is in case I get kicked off again. But I am always tweaking the site to always improve and I always listen to advice from others to try a better But I do not know whats going wrong. I am good at what I do, I am just crap at Marketing and sales, It would be great If I could have someone working for me to get the business and work on a commissioning only basis. I am not saying that I am the only one out doing what I am doing but in certain areas I do have an upper hand and that is I have permits to gain access to areas that others cannot get to.
Any good advice is always welcome, as long as I am not kicked off for trying to promote myself. All I want is a bit of good luck to finish off 2017 and to start 2018 with. I may sound like a scrooge with some Humbug but I have given up with Christmas, how can I enjoy myself with what is going on around me

 

[Jeff FV]

Paul - welcome to the forum, and sorry that your first forays into posting didn’t go as you might have hoped. We do get far too many who come to the forum simply to promote their business, hence we are swift to deal with those who post simply to self promote. Reading your post above, you are clearly not in that category, so let’s see if we can start again on a more positive footing.

Why not introduce yourself and business in the “Introductions” forum - this is an opportunity for you to post a thread all about you and you won’t be told off for self promotion!

One of the best things you can do is read posts and threads as they pop up, and feel free to join in when you can, either answering questions, or asking for clarity or asking your own questions.

Sorry to hear you lost your job, maybe a case of putting 2017 behind you and making 2018 a success.

Best wishes

Jeff

 

[fisicx]

Paul,

If you aren't good at sales and marketing you will struggle, especially if your competitors are better at it than you. But the website is core to your business, if this isn't right then you will struggle to get leads.

As a full member you are entitled to a website review. It's well worth getting one done. You might not like the comments but they will all be made by potential clients to their views are worth listening to.

For those who want to know, Paul does 3D photography/video and site surveys using drones.

 

[Mark T Jones]

So, apparently your business is areal surveys by drone - it isn't unique (that's a good thing)

Your previous problem wasn't telling people what you do, it was fairly full on spamming; whatever the forum rules it isn't a good way to reach your audience.

I strongly suggest that your first marketing phase is to take time to evaluate exactly who your desired target audience is. Define them as tightly as possible; down to the colour of their eyes and inside leg measurement.

From there, you can start to think from their POV why might they want your services? When will they use you? How will it benefit them? etc etc. Once you've got to grips with this it will be far easier to talk to people.

The problem is that most start ups come at'marketing' from the perspective of promotion - that's the fun, exciting bit you reward yourself with when the real work has been done.

 

[ethical PR]

I agree focus on doing your market research.

You aren't offering a unique service you will have competitors. What do they offer? How do they market themselves.

What is the size of your market, how will customers need to use your service? who are the decision makers? What communications do they use?

You could become a busy fool trying to just focus on 'free ways' of marketing your business if what you need is to invest in your business to grow it and find customers. No-one who is any good at sales is going to work for you with a untried business model, when you have no budget to invest in the marketing support a sales person needs on a commission only basis.

Do you have a business plan in place with a budget covering set up and ongoing costs? Do you have a marketing plan in place that identifies channels and approaches you should be using and costs? If not, that should be your immediate focus to see if you have a viable business model.

If you don't know how to market your business, you don't have the budget to do so or pay anyone to help you, why do you feel running your own business is a good move for you?

If your business and marketing plan shows you have a viable business model, then make sure you take on part-time work (any type of work) to bring in income to fund your business while it is growing. You can also apply for start up loans and get help from your local chamber of commerce and other business support organisations.

 

[PhotoPaul]

I am getting that feeling that I am being strangled in my post I have not self promoted, not mentioned what I do, not mentioned the name of the web site etc and I am still getting moaned at, what the hell can I write about, i was just writing about my current situation and what I am trying to do what is wrong with that, what have I done wrong this time. I believe that I have gone onto the introductions page and introduced myself, even that was wrong. I thought hat the purpose of Forums is to help promote a small business

 

[JoeBetter]

You're probably not going to find clients here so don't bother spamming the boards.

Do you know who your target client/customer is? When you do, start getting in touch with them. Email them, phone them, go to where they hang out, either online or in real life.

If you're doing drone photography of weddings, contact local venues that host weddings and have a chat with them to get your name out there. That sort of thing.

 

[ethical PR]

I am getting that feeling that I am being strangled in my post I have not self promoted, not mentioned what I do, not mentioned the name of the web site etc and I am still getting moaned at, what the hell can I write about, i was just writing about my current situation and what I am trying to do what is wrong with that, what have I done wrong this time. I believe that I have gone onto the introductions page and introduced myself, even that was wrong. I thought hat the purpose of Forums is to help promote a small business

Oh Paul I spent quite a bit of time putting together a post trying to help you understand how to take your business forward.

No-one is moaning at you or trying to strangle you we are trying to help you understand what you need to do to see if you have a viable business model.

What is it about my post that you found unhelpful?

When you are starting a business you need to think not just about running a service but do you have the know how to run a business.

Have you spoken to your local chamber of commerce and other business support organisations about what help is available? Have you gone on any business start up courses? Do you have a business and marketing plan in place?

 

[Mr D]

I am getting that feeling that I am being strangled in my post I have not self promoted, not mentioned what I do, not mentioned the name of the web site etc and I am still getting moaned at, what the hell can I write about, i was just writing about my current situation and what I am trying to do what is wrong with that, what have I done wrong this time. I believe that I have gone onto the introductions page and introduced myself, even that was wrong. I thought hat the purpose of Forums is to help promote a small business

Look around the boards, you'll see people advertise themselves in low key ways - for a chunk the people they want to reach won't be on the boards at all.

 

[fisicx]

I am getting that feeling that I am being strangled in my post

You can mention what you do, describe what marketing you have done, even comment on how well your website performs. What you can't do is post your website URL and ask people to take a look.

The problem you have is you are too close to the coal face and can't see the glaring issues with the website. Which is why a review will benefit.

As already suggested you need to work out your target client and you need to get out and start talking to people. Post on the forum until you get 30 posts, put your link in your signature and you may well start getting leads.

Then look at all the local opportunities. Are there any events coming up where you could offer discounted aerial surveys? Have you been to see all the local estate agents, building sites and the parish council? Have you been to every single pub, bar and restaurant and shown them what you can do? There are loads of opportunities - you just need to go out and talk to people.

You offer a local service. That's where you need to focus your efforts. Once you have fixed the website.

 

[AllUpHere]

I am getting that feeling that I am being strangled in my post I have not self promoted, not mentioned what I do, not mentioned the name of the web site etc and I am still getting moaned at, what the hell can I write about, i was just writing about my current situation and what I am trying to do what is wrong with that, what have I done wrong this time. I believe that I have gone onto the introductions page and introduced myself, even that was wrong. I thought hat the purpose of Forums is to help promote a small business

Oh come on, snap out of it man. You have decided to play the victim, and now you are seeing every post as a dig at you. You have some genuinely helpful responses above, but you still want to play the victim.

When you are skint is a really bad time to start a business. You are going to need to work hard and be resourceful if you want it to work. There is a wealth of knowledge on a his forum, but you are going have have to stop acting like a delicate flower.

@ethical PR is very knowledgeable, and has given you some good advice above. If I were you I'd be digging a little deeper into that.

 

[PhotoPaul]

I have spoken to all of the above and a lots of these places you mention are in chains and when you call HQ you cant get past the secretory under data protection they will not give out names and contact details, I have offered reduced rates. Even the freebies I offer get questioned, I belong to local networking groups, I use my old contacts blah blah bla

 

[PhotoPaul]

I am playing no victim, I am just pointing out my situation. Yes some responses from some of you have been very helpful and its been very appreciated that people are taking the time to read and advice

 

[Mr D]

I have spoken to all of the above and a lots of these places you mention are in chains and when you call HQ you cant get past the secretory under data protection they will not give out names and contact details, I have offered reduced rates. Even the freebies I offer get questioned, I belong to local networking groups, I use my old contacts blah blah bla

Yes data protection protects you as well.

So figure out who to speak to at the HQ. Use the resources available - website, linkedin, whatever.
If you are getting no work despite speaking to people then look at how you are marketing the business - wrong people, wrong approach, wrong price, wrong service?

 

[fisicx]

Don't go to chains. Go the independents.

But as you said, marketing is not your forte so maybe it's your approach that's wrong. Are you selling the 3D thing or are you selling the benefits to the business? People don't want a 3D thing, they want more customers.

This is one of the main problems with your website - you are promoting the wrong thing.

Even your avatar here is wrong - it took me a while to even realise it was a drone. What you should have is a spectacular aerial view of something

 

[Mark T Jones]

I have spoken to all of the above and a lots of these places you mention are in chains and when you call HQ you cant get past the secretory under data protection they will not give out names and contact details, I have offered reduced rates. Even the freebies I offer get questioned, I belong to local networking groups, I use my old contacts blah blah bla

And have you taken the advice offered on effective marketing or have you just tried everything once and decided it doesn't work?

If you don't know your market no commission agent will help you.

It takes time, focus and commitment

 

[Mr D]

Paul, if you approached me (don't as not interested) then I'd want to know how does what you are offering help me, how does it improve my profits, how does it reduce my costs, how does it increase my sales, how does it make work easier?
And if you do mention your competitors don't run them down, one decent company in a field of poor providers comes across really badly to me. And I'm not the only one who thinks that way.

 

[Gecko001]

As above. This is probably not the forum to get customers unless you pay the membership fee to be able to promote your business.

All I can say is that I have been coming to this forum for years and I have seen many threads like this where promotion and marketing is always assumed by the poster to be the problem. It might be in your case, but you need to be sure that you are well placed to provide a quality service that is in demand as well.

If you are aiming at the wedding photography market there is no second chance to get it perfect. Advertising alone will probably not completely assure prospective customers that you can give them what they want. Word of mouth will probably be how you will get your commissions.

If you are aiming at the estate agent and general business market, you need to be offering more than what those businesses can provide for themselves if they buy the equipment. Many will be familiar with photography and video equipment in their business and want to buy a drone rather than hire someone each time.

 

[titanlist]

Start a service business based around a skill set that you possess. For example, if you're good at cooking, offer a service where you go into people's homes and cook for them.

Charge a fee for your service, either by the hour or (my preference) a flat-fee for a certain outcome.

 

[fisicx]

Start a service business based around a skill set that you possess. For example, if you're good at cooking, offer a service where you go into people's homes and cook for them.

Charge a fee for your service, either by the hour or (my preference) a flat-fee for a certain outcome.

What has this got to do with the thread? Read the opening post again.

 

[Mitch3473]

When you say you haven't got a pot to piss in, how big is your pot. You need to market yourself somehow..........Cold calling costs only time and you will have plenty of that. Call round your potential customers face to face, It's very difficult to put the phone down on you when you're standing in front of them, some well worded literature, smart attire, business cards etc etc, have a chat about their needs and wants, possibly a demonstration.
If you have a small pot and can fill it then try a well worded direct mailshot. There are firms out there that will target your customers and post out your details a lot cheaper than you could. Drip feed the letters, 100/200 per week, keep the data base and redo the mailshot a few months later. A professional writer may charge you an hours time for the letter. It will get the phone ringing and future cold calls will turn out to be a slightly warmer call as a follow up.

 

[Mr D]

Good advice for any of us short of customers Mitch3473. Thanks.

 

[Digimem]

When you say you haven't got a pot to piss in, how big is your pot. You need to market yourself somehow..........Cold calling costs only time and you will have plenty of that. Call round your potential customers face to face, It's very difficult to put the phone down on you when you're standing in front of them, some well worded literature, smart attire, business cards etc etc, have a chat about their needs and wants, possibly a demonstration.
If you have a small pot and can fill it then try a well worded direct mailshot. There are firms out there that will target your customers and post out your details a lot cheaper than you could. Drip feed the letters, 100/200 per week, keep the data base and redo the mailshot a few months later. A professional writer may charge you an hours time for the letter. It will get the phone ringing and future cold calls will turn out to be a slightly warmer call as a follow up.

Micth, whats the benefit in drip feeding letters, as opposed to mass mailing?

 

[Mitch3473]

The last thing you want is a glut of enquiries at once. Keep it steady and gain confidance. Drip feed them and then a few weeks later ( when and if you can afford it ) do them all again in the same order. You need to get your name across the bosses desk a couple of times, he might be on holiday or his secretary just bins them for eg, after that you're wasting yours and there time really. Also It gives you time to approach other marketing methods. Don't rely on just a mail shot and sitting by the phone to bring business in. Divert your landline to your mobile if you go out.

 

[Ray272]

Professional drone operators with professional tools could target a lot of industries but I would not spend too much time on a particular industry until you started getting results.

Investigative agencies may see drone usage in areas where manned surveillance is not feasible.

Music Festivals could be interested in aerial photography of events for marketing purposes.

Be good to have a few case studies on your website, if not already. Highlighting all the different uses.

 

[Violinni]

I have just lost my job and have become unemployed and have no financial backup so I am financially struggling, earlier in the year I was scammed out of a lot of money so as the old saying goes, "I do not have a pot to Piss in". So I have decided to try and go my own way and start a little business, I have all the gear so I do not have to splash out on lots of new gear. My partner has said that losing my job could be a blessing in disguise and that I can now starting concentrating on my business. The business is quite unique, again, I cant tell you what it is in case the Forum Police kick me off. Like most people when you have no finances or very little you look for every way possible to promote your self free or on the cheap. I came on here and similar places to help put the word out about and to help promote my little business then the next thing I know I get kicked off, I try to copy similar ideas from other people and sites but I seem to do that wrong, I think that I have a good web site and a good and unique service but I cant tell you what it is in case I get kicked off again. But I am always tweaking the site to always improve and I always listen to advice from others to try a better But I do not know whats going wrong. I am good at what I do, I am just crap at Marketing and sales, It would be great If I could have someone working for me to get the business and work on a commissioning only basis. I am not saying that I am the only one out doing what I am doing but in certain areas I do have an upper hand and that is I have permits to gain access to areas that others cannot get to.
Any good advice is always welcome, as long as I am not kicked off for trying to promote myself. All I want is a bit of good luck to finish off 2017 and to start 2018 with. I may sound like a scrooge with some Humbug but I have given up with Christmas, how can I enjoy myself with what is going on around me

First, well, hello.

Second, what’s up with all the “kicking me off”? If you did nothing wrong, why do you worry about it too much?

Third, why does it matter whether you get “kicked off” or not? You, posting info here, and staying here, you can get “your idea stolen” anyways! You, posting info here, and getting kicked off of here, you can get “your idea stolen” anyways!

Cheers.

 

[Tony Reynolds]

Hi Paul,

Before I start, good luck for 2018, what you want to do, is being done - so you're not diving in to unknown territory, it works, and you can make it work too.

I deal with construction businesses daily, the construction trade is picking up again and a lot of them are employing a person or company to help market their services online.

I've spoke about it briefly as i did web design for a number of years and thought about offering this as part of my package, where, say aerial video was taken before construction, mid construction and then completed, or any of them on their own. I reckon this would work more-so with medium-large size construction firms rather than your one man band (chances are a one man band doesn't want a drone flying over a house to video a new patio - I could be wrong), but a firm building say 5 houses, or commercial premises, or your larger construction firms.

I reckon if you get your price point right, put all the detail you can offer on a web page on your site, call some construction firms in your area (and there will be a lot) and take it from there.

Hell do a couple for free, construction firms are constantly employing other firms or subcontractors to undertake parts of the job, they all talk. If you did a couple for free, and they're pushing their online presence chances are they will promote this new aerial video you've just done for them, watermark it with your business/name.

I believe if you focus it around one particular niche, weddings, construction sites, business premises, you will find more success in targeting a specific set of customers. Rather than covering them all, become a specialist in one category, venture out later on, sure, but come across to customers as an expert in their field.

Better yet, go to a construction site, with your drone, a hi-vis and a helmet, approach the site foreman/manager and offer it for free there and then and you will email him the result.

Anyway, hope that is somewhat useful.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

I feel you are looking in the wrong area's for work. Estate agencies can go to Google earth for a overhead view of a house

If I was you I would be looking at Farmers doing regular flyovers to show area's where the crop growth is poor say every month during the growth season or gutter surveys for large houses to find filled up gutters or damage

Both need to be done to say a usb stick so the customer immediately gets a copy, but even then a very limited growth as they are becoming so common