I can't post the information here as this isn't the place for it. However, if you call me at 775-842-4020 anytime between 9 AM and 9 PM Pacific Time, I will be happy to speak with you. I don't answer the phone while I'm with clients, so please leave a message and I'll call you back as soon as I can.
I would however like to know about more info on your web hosting. Not that I need the service, but may choose to offer the service in the future. Any direction you can provide in this regard would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks for the comment and I do understand what you are saying. I'm running my travel business as a separate company under a different name so it doesn't look like apples and oranges in the same bag, as you can see by the business names in the signature below.I don't want to get into the mechanics of how I'm doing it on this board, however I am willing to speak with you or anyone to explain how it works, how it is working for me and how it could work for you too.
Please feel free to call me at 775-842-4020 any time between 9 AM and 9 PM Pacific Time. If I'm unable to answer, please leave a message and I'll call you back as soon as I can.
Thanks JD for the info on the Travel Service part of your business. It sounds like you've experienced some nice successes from it. However, personally, I don't see how it would fit into my business model. I've looked at other avenues of revenue, and have discussed some of the ideas with another member of the board, but all of the ideas had some relativity to the genre of a home or business inventory, and were a logical migration from the main focus. I think that the organization of related businesses under one corporate roof is smart, as it creates other profit centers and does not confuse the customer as to the nature of your business goals and what your company is all about. But when it comes to unrelated services being added into the mix, I think from a bird's eye perspective that it may cloud the waters a bit too much in an industry that's still struggling with getting its main idea of inventories across to the current target market.
For example, there are two packaging/shipping businesses around the corner from my house. One is a 'Mom and Pop' establishment, the other is a PakMail. The PakMail establishment is very focused on its main service of packaging and shipping. They do have photocopy and printing services as well, but I think that those services are a welcomed partner to packaging and shipping, as most all competitors house the same services under one roof.
Now the 'Mom and Pop' Pack and Ship establishment does packaging and shipping, but they also sell stuffed animals, alarm clocks, silk plants, party balloons, figurines, toy cars, tourist t-shirts, etc. If you happen to make it to the very back of the store, you might know that they do ship things. I was speaking with the owner the other day, and they are very close to closing their doors, despite the Pakmail owner getting ready to add another location and expand out his business services.
My estimation is that the 'Mom and Pop' had such a diversified focus, that the customer wasn't sure what they were all about and if they were even good at doing anything due to all of the unrelated, sideline items that they had for sale. This is a larger scale example, but thought it would warrant some merit.
On another note, If its working for you, the best of luck with it and more power to you!!
This is a follow up to my original message "Exciting service to offer your clients"
I have contracted Inventory Clients from my other business areas. For example, just yesterday I contracted to do an inventory for a multi-million dollar home on Lake Tahoe from one of my travel clients. This is a person I didn't even know. His wife had seen my business card and booked their vacation through my agency a few months ago. Now that wild fires are growing, they decided to have an inventory to avoid the problems experienced by the hundreds who were burned out last year at South Lake Tahoe. Some of them are still fighting with their insurance companies. Several of my firearm students (I'm a CCW and firearms instructor) had me photograph their gun collections.
Now these people might, or might not have called me for the inventories, but I feel I'm getting more exposure to the public due to my additional business areas and they are providing referrals I would not have had.
I apologize in advance for being long-winded. The exciting service to offer your clients will be toward the bottom of this posting - JD
It's GREAT seeing all the new people coming into the Inventory industry. Welcome! I wish you all the success in the world. If you need any assistance or ideas, please don't hesitate to contact me.
I've been doing Home and Business inventories since 2003 (long before I had the software) and have been successful. For the new people in our industry I must tell you, for me this business seems to run in cycles. Depending on where you live, you may have steady business, or as in my case there are several times of the year when you will do a small amount or no business and other times you will have more then you can handle. For three months last year (07), I had five friends working for me as business was booming, then it started slowing down as it usually did and then dropped off as usual. This is normal in my area of Nevada (Reno) and usually doesn't last long, however it can last for a while before it comes back, which is something you need to know as a business owner.
Educating the public is paramount to our success! I've done speaking engagements, advertised in many church and other organization news letters, news papers, press releases, placed flyers in many locations including with Realtors, Insurance Agents, stores and many others, walked neighborhoods speaking with people and placing thousands of door hangers, I've run special discounts and even offered free inventories and many others. But no matter what I do, there are times when I haven't had any business.
What I'm saying here is to keep trying new approaches to your advertising and as I was told when I sold insurance, "Expect to hear 100 NO's, before you here a single YES." This is the law of averages. Don't get disappointed and quit, keep trying new approaches. Which advertisement works and gets the attention of one person, might not work on someone else. However, what I'm finding here is a lot of those who say no, just can't afford it. Of course we know they can't afford not to!
This posting isn't intended to be "Gloom and Doom," it's just to let you know to expect times when you either won't get any business, or it's very slow. I'll continue to look for new business and it will return. It's very frustrating when business drops off. But it happens, which is why I've diversified into several other business areas. When one is down, one or more of the others will be up. This allows me to have a steady income flow. It seems to be working, so I'll tell you about one of the things I've started doing.
This is a great add on service for your clients and will make you money, although it also has it's cycles. In February this year (08) I purchased a Travel Agency and became certified. No, it wasn't difficult or expensive. It was very easy and affordable and I've made a lot of money with it already. Travel is the largest and fastest growing industry in the world and is currently over $7 Trillion. Yes, I said seven trillion dollars and it's expected to double over the next few years.
I contacted my client list and a lot of them are now purchasing their vacation and business trips from me. No, I did not have to set up or arrange their trips, but I can if I want to. This business is really quite simple and easy. All I have to do is send them to my web site where they can book their car rentals, flights, hotels, cruises, all inclusive vacations, Honeymoon Registry, attraction tickets (Disney land and others) and much more. Our prices are competitive and usually less expensive then the nationally advertised companies, you've all seen or heard their adds. The client selects where they want to go and what they want to do and once they place their order, the home office takes care of it and I make the commission. And, any vacation trips I take, not only do I make the commission; I can claim them on my taxes as a business expense which is authorized by the IRS for travel agents.
I only place this information here to let you know this is a fantastic add on for your business. Yes, it is a totally different industry, but it is something your clients already know about. You don't have to convince them they need it as it is something they want to do, will do, or are already doing. Why not tap into this industry as well.
If you're interested in more information, please contact me via the Weicor web site listed below in the signature line. There is room for all of us in the travel industry.
