Ah Dallas Texas, home of the Cowboys, The Texas State Fair, The Perot Museum, and The Deep Ellum clubbing district. It's not often that people also think of cabling companies when they think Dallas however Shelby Communications has been just that for over 18 years and we've decided to write about our experiences serving this great community and what we've learned along the way.
When first starting a structured cabling company in Dallas, you definitely want to start small. You don't have to be a huge corporation with millions in revenue but you do need to have at least $10,000 in your bank account. This will allow your cabling company to purchase all of the equipment needed to get started and it's enough money to cover any unexpected expenses. We recommend keeping your initial investment low so that you can grow as your cabling business grows.
Before you even begin looking into how to become a Dallas cabling company, you should create a business plan. This is basically an outline of everything you're going to need to know before opening up shop. It includes things like your mission statement, financial projections, marketing plans, and more. The most important part of your plan is your sales forecast. This is where you estimate how much you expect to make per month or year. If you're planning on doing some sort of advertising then you'll want to include that in your forecast. Most cabling companies are able to generate between $5,000 - $20,000 per month. However, if you're planning on selling cabling products online then you may only be able to bring in around $1,500 per month.
The next step after creating your business plan is to figure out who your target market is. Who are your customers? Where are they located? What type of services do they use? Once you know these answers, you'll be better prepared to design your marketing strategy. Nowadays pretty much EVERYONE finds their cabling companies by searching Google on their phone or computer. Because of this it's essential that you have a website that clearly shows your services and pricing.
Once you've created your business plan, you'll want to start working on local marketing. There are many ways to go about this including Online Marketing, social media, and Pay-Per-Click (or paid advertising). For us, we found that ranking in the search engines organically was the best method because it allowed us to reach potential customers without having to pay a ton of money upfront.
Known as SEO ( or Search Engine Optimization) is essentially getting your website ranked higher on search engines such as Yahoo! and Google. To achieve this, you'll need to provide detailed information about yourself and your cabling company. Make sure that you include contact info, hours of operation, and anything else that might help someone find you online. Since we also reside in Dallas, TX our local targeting is pretty much covered by the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex area. Ranking above all your competition isn't always easy. In fact, it can take months or even years to see results from your efforts. That said, once you're ranking well on Google, Bing, and other search sites, you'll start seeing traffic come in. The trick is to keep working hard and stay consistent.
Now that your cabling company is established and you have a few clients under your belt, the next step is straight-forward... SERVICE SERVICE SERVICE! What we mean by this is that you are ONLY as good as your last client and their review about your service and company. Treat EVERY client as if they were your own and covet their reviews as if they are gold (because they are when it comes to ranking locally). If you're not providing the best customer service possible, it can sometimes be harder to get new clients than it would be otherwise. So, make sure that you're always available for questions and concerns. You should also offer free estimates so that people can decide whether or not you're worth their time.
If you don't think that you can provide the best data cabling service possible, then why would anyone else?
We all strive to have the perfect 5.0 review rating online but sometimes things happen that may or may not be in our control. Of course you want to respond to all your reviews and personally thank the ones that are positive but also address any concerns related to negative reviews. The more reviews you have about your cabling services, the easier it will be to respond to them all. Plus, you'll be able to tell which ones are legitimate complaints versus just being trolls trying to ruin your reputation. It's important to remember that every single one of these reviews has an impact on how others perceive your brand.
You know what they say: "It takes 10 times longer to build a successful business than it does to lose one." This goes double for your cabling company. If you're going to spend all this time building up your brand, you better be willing to put in some serious work. You need to be constantly thinking about ways to improve your marketing strategy. Are there certain types of customers that you could target better? How do you stand out from the competition? Do you need to invest in social media advertising? These are just a couple examples of things that you can focus on to ensure that you're doing everything in your power to grow your business.
Data cabling technology moves fast! That means you must consistently attend training, read online content, and generally have a pulse of technology advancements in the industry. For example, did you know that fiber optic cables are now used almost exclusively for internet connections? Did you know that Ethernet cable is becoming obsolete? Or that the latest trend in networking is wireless networks?
These are just a few examples of technologies that you should keep up with. By staying current on trends in the industry, you'll be able to find new opportunities to expand your business.
When someone calls you for help with their network cabling, they expect you to deliver quality service. They expect you to show up on time, answer all of their questions, and give them honest answers. They also expect you to treat them like a partner. After all, they've entrusted you with their most valuable asset - their office network, connectivity, and communications. So, if you want to start building a reputation as a reliable cabling company, you need to make sure that you always provide top-notch customer service. You need to take care of your clients' needs before anything else. And you need to always go above and beyond when it comes to providing exceptional service. If you follow these tips, you'll be well on your way to establishing yourself as a reputable Dallas-based cabling provider. Dallas Texas Cabling Company.
