How To Start A Custom Shop
Location…this is important….really important….find a spot that has very high traffic flow and is in a town or area where the niche is not being itched. It does not have to be the newest area for the retail spot, some of those are so high on rent that its makes the overhead to costly to ever be profitable.
How Many Square Feet Should I Get
Somewhere around (1500 sq. ft) is perfect for starting out. It will give you enough room for a repair area, custom fitting net, etc etc. To keep your overhead in check, look for used club racks, club repair equipment, launch monitors etc…EBAY is a great place for these items when you are starting out.
Inventory and Mission of the Store
For your inventory…you need to find out what niche you are going after in the custom club arena…There are basically three choices here:
Grand Opening and Marketing
We’ll your business is finally here and you are ready to open in a few months. Since this is going to be a local business I would suggest a simple website and working with a local web marketing person to develop a marketing plan for PPC (pay-per-click advertising).
Adding Employees
Now that the business is up and running…you are going to need people to help you. Always look for people smarter than you are…dont be afaid of that….its good they are smarter….listen to ideas….give people a bonus system or stake in the companies success.
Expansion into other areas
Last, always look to see if there is new businesess that fits in you core of knowledge. or expand your shop into another community with the same demographics. If you are at 200K in sales, maybe your business is maxed out at that point in that particular market…but there may be other markets you can apply the same knowledge to.
Evaluation
At the end of every year or half year..look at all areas of the business and see what can be improved. Get outside opinions from other business owners in your area and see what methods of marketing have worked well for them. Also keep looking for better ways to satisfy your clients needs.
