Today’s post will have a unique piece of advice for those who are looking to start their own gunsmithing business in British Columbia, something which I’ve observed after analysing the state of the websites of the more prominent gunsmithing establishments in the area:
There are only a handful of online businesses in British Columbia that offer gunsmithing services. Of course, there will be plenty of other gunsmithing shops, but they haven’t created a website where customers can see the details of the services they offer and what they charge for it. Those who have websites obviously haven’t spent as much time or put as much effort as they should into building them – the result, unorganized, unattractive and, most significantly, unprofessional websites which would do more harm than good i.e. for the average first time customer, it would seem that the guys did not know what they were doing or are not serious about their profession and business.
These businesses already have an existing customer base on which they rely to keep them going, but it is pretty much obvious that they won’t be attracting any new customers from the internet domain. And let’s face it, the internet has replaced conventional advertisement as the means of promoting a small business online. If these businesses keep on relying on word of mouth alone to let their targeted clientele become aware of them, they stand at a major risk to lose revenue.
As a gunsmithing start-up, your focus should not only be on the technical aspects of the business, but also on letting others know about the services and products you have for sale. The school at Trinidad State College actually teaches you about business and can help for start-up gunsmithing business’s.What you need to realize is that the best way to reach out to a very large number of people today is to have a strong presence on the internet. This can be achieved in two ways:
- Social media: This is where you can really hit off and interact with your intended customers. Social media platforms create ‘transparency’ in your business since you will be able to share your day to day experiences in a graphical and open manner and also let your customers review and analyse your work. You may get a few dissatisfied customers, but the great thing is that you will be able to address their complaints in an easy and adequate manner.
- Website: A modern gunsmithing business’s website should be clearly organized because of the diversity of the jobs they perform and the weapons they handle. You can try to build a website yourself, but a better approach would be to have a professional build it for you. Make sure that the website is clearly divided into sections according to weapon classes, and further sectioned into services such as repair/modification/purchase etc. In order to lend a personal touch, place a note about yourself and your qualifications and skills at the home page. Further, neatly and concisely explain the amount you charge for each service on each weapon class.
Just check out how easy it is to make a website without learning any code above.
The salary in the U.S. for an inexperienced gunsmith will typically lie between $36,000 and a high of up to $79,000, and as you make more of a name for yourself it can go as high as $79,000. This is considerably more as compared to Canada’s at an average salary of $35,000 . However, keep in mind that the only way you can get a salary that high in a business you run on your own is by getting as many customers as possible and that’s where this modern business promotion strategy comes in.