Do You Want to Be Your Own Boss? Become A Locksmith in Boston MA
Cars nowadays are jam-packed full of fancy security features designed to keep your precious valuables safe. This also means that if you’ve locked your keys inside that, you can’t just “jimmy” the lock anymore.
That’s where we step in. Here at Mobile Locksmith Squad, we are qualified auto locksmiths. People turn to us when they lock their keys inside their cars, and it has turned out to be a fairly lucrative market.
Mobile Locksmith Squad wants to help you get a bit of that market for yourself.
Now, it doesn’t take a large investment to start your own unlocking business at home. But it does take a lot of specialized knowledge and potentially a license to practice.
The locksmithing field is highly technical, but if you’ve got the dedication, then what’s stopping you?
Get Some Locksmith Training, Specifically Auto Training
First things first, stay within the boundaries of the law. Plenty of states require you to have a license to become a locksmith. So before you start check-in on your state laws to see if you need to get a license or not.
The good news is that you won’t need a license to operate for you here in Boston, MA.
However, if you are outside MA and need a license, you are typically required to have received a specific number of training hours. These can be obtained through an official course that you find and take or practical on-the-job training. You also need to pass an exam.
You may also be required to submit to a criminal background check, so bear that in mind.
Even if your state doesn’t require a license, it’s still a good idea to get the related training. Doing this stops you from damaging customer’s property; it legitimizes you and ensures you build a trustworthy name for your business.
So, You’ve Slogged Through the Legalities and Training, What’s Next?
Get to work on your business plan. The traditional headings that this entails would help if you decided what areas you are willing to travel to when called upon to unlock cars.
It would be best if you considered when you are deciding your pricing; the rule of thumb is that the further WhatsApp you travel, the more you charge.
You also need to make sure that you have your accounting methods down. There is plenty of free invoice tracking software available for you to use.
There is also software out there that helps you keep track of what taxes you owe. Don’t forget, that’s what got Capone.
After all this, you need to dream up an advertising strategy. This is vital to the success of your new business. If people don’t know about you, they aren’t going to call you.
You can outsource a good bulk of this work to marketing professionals, but you should consider what avenues you want to explore. Billboards? Leaflets? Newspaper ads? Consider the reach and price of each option, as well as your target market.
Now get your business name certified or register as DBA (doing business as) with your local authoritative body, this being local county or state.
You also need to register yourself with the state and county tax boards, unless you are a sole proprietorship. Whether or not you need to do this also depends on your sales and the tax codes in your area.
Dominate your service areas
Put in your application for a business license and other permits you may require from your state, county, or city governments.
Depending on your location, you may be limited as to where you can operate. Certain areas only let you run your service within city limits, within so far of your primary business location, and so on.
So make sure to check your area’s laws relating to locksmithing to make sure you’re staying legal.
Now get your business insurance and bonding. If you are outside Boston, MA, and need to have a license, you may need to maintain it.
If you are in Boston, MA, and don’t have a license, you should consider purchasing these. It makes you look good as a professional, and it protects your business.
It protects you if you accidentally damage a customer’s property, and it lets customers know you take pride in your work.