Cell phone repairs are big business and there’s a great need for people who can repair cell phones fast for a reasonable price. With 85% of all Americans owning a smartphone, you shouldn’t have trouble finding clients if you’re in the right location and execute the work properly. It’s also a scalable business model and one you can start on a shoestring budget. If this is something that interests you, let’s take a closer look at how you can set up a cell phone repair business.
Learn the Business
Since we’re assuming that you will start alone, you will need to learn the business. You can’t have someone come to you and have to turn them away because you don’t know how to perform simple repairs on their phone. This is why you should consider doing a phone repair course of some sort.
You don’t need to have a formal education to learn how to repair cell phones, however. Many people get into the business with nothing but a GED. But, if you really want to be an expert and learn to fix other electronic appliances, you should consider something like an associate’s degree in electronic engineering. You also have courses on Udemy that will teach some basic techniques.
Obviously, since we are talking about a business, it is a good idea to learn all that you can about business management. Also, marketing courses can help you since you will need to promote the business after you launch it. Basically, the more you learn, the higher the possibility that you will make good decisions that can help the company grow. If you do not have time to learn, it is absolutely mandatory that you at least have an advisor that has industry knowledge to help.
Create a Legal Entity
You will then need to find a name for your business and create a legal entity. LLCs are the best option in most cases since they protect you from liability and create a separation between you and the business. It will also make things like business banking and credit much easier.
Speaking of which, you will need to start looking for a bank and set up a merchant account with them if you want to accept debit cards and credit card payments. You will also need a POS terminal and cell phone repair shop software in order to process orders.
If you do not know what legal entity to consider or you have doubts, discuss your options with an experienced attorney. He will be able to guide you through the creation of a legal entity that is suitable for a cell phone repair business.
Choose the Right Location
Next comes probably the most important part of setting up a cell phone repair business: the location. The first thing you should do is scope the competition, so you don’t set up shop somewhere that is too saturated.
You will then need to decide how big of a location you want. If you’re just getting started, setting up a small kiosk in a mall could be a great option. If you want something bigger, then strip malls or anywhere that has good foot traffic will be good if rent is reasonable. What will be reasonable to you will depend on your projected sales and expenses.
Start Advertising
Once everything is set up, you can start advertising your business. If you want to market your business as cost-effectively as possible, we suggest you look at local SEO, PPC ads, and print marketing.
As already mentioned, if you do not know much about marketing, it is mandatory that you hire someone to help. Advertising is not as simple as it might seem. And there is a very good possibility your budget is going to be limited when you first start promoting your cell phone repair business.
Fortunately, there are countless different options available for you when it comes to advertising the business. Many are very cheap or completely free. For instance, social media is something that you can use for free. Contrary to popular belief, you do not necessary need to buy ads on Facebook or other networks. And SEO does not need to be a large investment since any little thing can help you in the long run to bring results.
This is all you need to know to start a cell phone repair business. The next step is making sure that you provide the best service possible to your clients so you can gradually build your brand.