When you’re starting a new business venture a business plan is a useful tool to have.  Despite what some might say it’s not essential and watching Dragons Den or The Apprentice you could be forgiven for thinking it’s a case of picking random numbers and adding a zero or 6 to give your 3-year plan.

But a good business plan can save you a lot of work or stop you making an expensive mistake. In my opinion a good business plan should make a sound and compelling argument for why you should start it.

A good article on business plans. Business link are always a good source.

My only slight reservation is don’t get carried away. If you spend too long putting the plan together you’ll use up all that new-venture energy and never get round to actually doing it!

Thanks for reading

Spencer

Over time you find there are certain things that you want to have in each vehicle, if you’re starting up then this is the sort of list that you need to equip each van/lorry with:

• Wire cutters to cut all those cable ties (preferably a few pairs)
• A few hammers (for nailing down matting/carpet)
• sledgehammer
• A pair of steps large enough for whatever size marquees you offer
• several packs of cable ties
• spare nuts/bolts/bungees/drop-nose pins whatever easily lose-able small parts your style of marquees use
• spanners
• ratchet straps
• vacuum/leaf blower, whatever you use to clean up flooring
• map book or sat nav
• pack of baby wipes to clean hands before putting up linings etc
• stake puller (if you use them)
• purlin lifter (if you have the style of marquee that requires them)
• hard hats (if you’re lifting metalwork over your head then you should wear them)
• Cloths, bucket and some cleaning fluid (plant sprays are good for keeping cleaning fluid in)
• a roll of rubbish sacks
• 13amp fuses
• selection of screwdrivers
• 13amp socket tester (worth it’s weight in gold for testing sockets to trace any problem/fault)
• small container of bleach (in an emergency you can remove marks on a lining at the last minute)

It sounds a lot but most of it will just stay permanently in the compartment above the cab or in a tool box. There are bound to be some things that I’ve missed but these should cover most eventualities that you may face.

Thanks for reading

Spencer

A telephone is pretty vital yes? I think we can all agree on that.

The problem you have when running a marquee hire business is most of the time (hopefully) you’re out putting marquees up. So who answers the phone? If you’re large enough to afford office staff then well done (and pretty much stop reading now!)

Option 1. Getting a standard landline

Pros:
Having your local area code will help attract local business.

Cons:
Someone’s got to answer it or they’re expensive to redirect to a mobile. You can ask someone at home to take all calls (if it’s a full-time mum remember that a. they’ll be working harder than you most of the time! and b. screaming kids in the backround isn’t good for either side). I’m not sure what they’re called but you can have your number put through to a company that act as an office – I knew someone who used to do this and got on very well with the service. Finally I’d avoid using an answering machine, you’ll lose a lot of business.

Option 2: Use a mobile number

Pros:
Convenient, it means you can go anywhere in signal and act as an office from your car/van whilst on site.

Cons:
Companies that advertise mobiles are one-man bands, this might stop you getting larger work and growing your business

Option 3: Use an online redirectable number

Pros:
The number can follow you anywhere, easily redirected through to your mobile, landline or a messaging service (if you have to). It’s worth having two mobiles on separate networks to increase your coverage if you use this.

Cons:
You lose the local presence a local area code gives

If I was starting up again I would use an internet redirectable number and wherever I advertised the number  (website, leaflets etc) I would always put the area we covered.

Thanks for reading

Spencer