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If you have the skills, knowledge and passion for trade work, you might find this to be an enjoyable career path and there is the potential to earn good money in this field. You will want to make sure that you hit the ground running, so read on for a few key steps when starting your own business as a tradesperson.

Qualifications

You do not necessarily have to have qualifications to start work as a tradesperson, but it is a good idea for demonstrating your abilities and to develop skills to a professional standard. Additionally, you may find it helpful to train in other areas so that you can provide a range of services to your customers.

Create a Business Plan

As with any new business venture, it is important to create a business plan first. This will lay out your business and act as a blueprint to your success, plus it can be used as a way to secure funding if required. There are a number of essential parts that make up a detailed business plan:

• Executive summary
• Business description
• Market analysis and strategy
• Marketing and sales plan
• Competitive analysis
• Management and organisation description
• Products and services description
• Financial projections and needs

Equipment

It is vital that you have access to high-quality equipment and tools that will allow you to complete with efficiently and to a high standard. This can be a large expense, but it will be key to success with your trade projects.

Access to Materials

You will need access to materials for your projects and it is important that you are able to source quality materials. Instead of buying from a customer-based retailer, you can save money by getting a trades card for access to a builder’s merchant. You can use a builder’s merchants for plywood and other essential materials to keep costs down while still sourcing high-quality materials. 

Register the Business

You will also need to register your business and choose a legal structure. Most professional tradespeople set up as a sole trader, which is a quick and easy process.

Build an Online Presence

You need to have a strong online presence so that people can find and research your business online. This will involve having a high-quality website and using digital marketing to increase visibility. On top of this, you should also set up professional social media profiles and stay active on these channels. 

Retain Customers

As a tradesperson, you will want to retain customers and benefit from referrals. You can do this by providing an excellent service, being friendly yet professional and setting prices competitively. 

Insurance

Mistakes can happen in this line of work, so you also need to take out sufficient insurance for financial protection. 

These are the key steps to take that will get you set up and running with your business as a tradesperson and hopefully help you to hit the ground running.