Are you interested in starting a pool business in your area? Swimming pools can be a real pain for their owners due to all the maintenance needed to keep them running. But this makes a great opportunity for you to make money!
Over 17% of people in America own some type of pool, so there’s plenty of work waiting for you. Why not turn others’ dreaded inconvenience into your cash cow?
You can get started in a few simple steps, so read on for our quick guide on how to make it happen.
Get Certified
Anybody can clean a pool, but to be a true expert it helps to get officially certified. A CPO, or Certified Pool Operator, certification will show your customers that you are serious about doing a good job. It says that you have invested the time needed to become an expert.
And when it comes to finding new customers, nothing says “hire me” like a certification listed on your business card! So check out this link if you’re looking for more info about CPO certification.
Write a Business Plan
Any project needs planning, and starting a business is no exception. If you’ve never written a business plan before, you can find quality templates online. At a minimum, you’ll want to study the competition, forecast your profits, and make a marketing plan.
Having a good business plan is critically important if you expect to raise funding for your business or take out a bank loan. Investors will want to be sure that you have a successful business idea before they work with you.
Register Your Pool Business
Once you’re fully funded, you’ll want to register your new pool business with your state and county.
This usually involves paying registration and licensing fees and getting a tax ID number.
Get Insured
Many pool service companies specialize in swimming pool cleaning or swimming pool installation and maintenance. But no matter what your pool business focuses on, you should get professional liability insurance.
Most liability insurance is reasonable, and you should buy it before you take on your first customer. Nobody ever expects to need insurance, until they do. You don’t want to be on the hook for any accidental damage that may happen, so take this seriously.
Find Your First Customers
Good business management always includes marketing activities. You can’t find new customers and keep current ones without a good marketing strategy. At a minimum, you should have a profile on one social media platform, and place ads in local publications like your community guide or newspaper.
If word-of-mouth and local advertising doesn’t work at first, you may need to do sales calls to find new customers. Remember to promote your new business whenever you get a chance, and keep your business cards ready to hand out.
Don’t Wait, Start Your Business Today!
A world of profit waits for you, so start planning your pool business now. Whether you plan to do swimming pool maintenance or focus on another specialty, every day you wait is money you lose out on.
If you’ve enjoyed this article and would like to read more about small business, recreation, and more, check out the rest of our blog!
