an ATV transfer case

Starting an ATV Repair Business

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an ATV transfer case.Starting a new business can be life-changing. So it’s something you want to spend time researching and planning before you start.

In this post, we will go over the steps required to start an ATV repair business, followed by a collection of resources that can help you during the startup phase and when your business is in full operation.

Let’s start with the necessary steps.

Steps For Starting an ATV Repair Business

1. Make Sure Running a Business Is Right For You

You may enjoy repairing ATVs, and you could do it for free, and that’s a good sign because when you are passionate about something, you’ll do well.

While some people are passionate about dealing with the products and services of a business, they may not be capable or interested in running one.

You are the boss, and you have many responsibilities. You don’t get an 8-hour day as a business owner. You will probably be working long hours and don’t even think about a vacation when you first start unless you have a partner to cover for you.

Other people like running a business, and that is their passion. So they don’t really care what the business provides as long as it’s profitable.

The best match is someone passionate about the products and services they are dealing with and enjoys running their own business.

Make sure owning and running your business is the right move for you.

For more, see Business Startup Considerations.

2. Research

Business Research

The best information you can get is from someone that has experience in the business of ATV repair.

The question is, how do you get in touch with these people? In my article below, you’ll find many techniques you can use to get in touch with qualified people to give you advice.

I suggest you take some time to go through the exercises, which will pay off in the end because you’ll have much more knowledge about an ATV repair business than you know now.

See An Inside Look Into the Business You Want To Start for more.

Target Audience

To effectively market your business, you must understand your target market. The better your understanding, the more effective your marketing campaigns will be.

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Without an understanding, you will be wasting your marketing budget on blind marketing.

For more, see, How To Understand Your Target Market.

3. Setup Considerations

It is important to have a vision of what your business will look like when it’s up and running.

Answering the following questions may help you clarify what type of business you’re thinking of setting up.

  • Will you do all the repairs yourself, or will you hire mechanics?
  • Will you run full-time or part-time?
  • Will you operate from a commercial location, or are you thinking of a home-based business out of your garage?
  • Will you focus on repairs or customizations?
  • Are you planning any add-ons, such as selling ATVs?
  • Are you planning on keeping parts in stock to improve profits?

To clearer your vision, the easier to set up your business.

As you’re doing your research, it’s worth noting that you may come up with an idea that’s better than your original vision, and that’s OK, but for now, start with one vision that will help you stay focused.

4. Choosing The Right Business Location

The location you plan to service must have a demand for ATV repairs, or it doesn’t make sense to open in that location.

On the other hand, you don’t want to open in an area with too many ATV repair services because it will be difficult to get any business as a newcomer.

A good location will increase your chance of success.

For more, see Choosing The Best Business Location.

5. Choose a Business Name

The name you choose now for your repair service is the name you will most likely have as long as you own your business.

Take the time to choose a name that is appropriate, catchy, memorable, and available for registration.

For this important step, see How To Register a Business Name. Also, check out the latest search results offering Name Ideas for an ATV repair business.

6. Business Registration

Before you can begin any physical activity, you must register your business, ensuring it is legally set up.

Several factors affect the type of structure to choose, including the number of owners, the level of liability you are willing to accept, and the type of tax savings you require. The larger your business, the more complex the registration process will be.

For example, many new business owners will start as a sole proprietorship, which is the easiest to start but offers the least protection for personal assets and doesn’t offer many tax benefits.

See, How to Register Your Business for all the details.

7. Create Your Corporate ID

A Corporate ID is a design for your business that includes your logo, business cards, stationary, company sign, etc. Once you have the design, you can add components as needed.

It’s important to note you will want a professional design. Your logo is the face of your business, and you want to ensure you impress your customers. Think of your logo as the face of your business, and it’s that logo that people will associate with your business.

See A Complete Introduction to Corporate Identity Packages for more.

8. Estimating Your Startup Cost

To start, list everything you need to start your repair service. Once your list is complete, start pricing each of the items. As you go through this process, more issues will become apparent, and you can add them to your list.

It’s important to estimate your startup costs as accurately as possible.

If your estimate is low, you might run out of money, and that’s a problem because getting more funding during the startup phase is difficult. On the other hand, if you estimate too high, you could have a problem when getting financing. Because your business now looks like a high risk.

In addition to startup costs, you need funds to operate in the first few months because, during that time, very little money will be coming in unless you already have customers and work lined up.

For more, see, Estimating Start-up Costs: Are you Missing Anything? Also see, Business Expenses To Consider.

9. Writing a Business Plan

If you’re planning on getting investors or a startup business loan, you must have a professional business plan ready. A lender will not even process your application without a professional business plan.

There are options to write your plan, including using software or a template, hiring a professional, or starting from scratch.

For details, see How to Write a Business Plan.

10. Set up Your Banking

You will need to separate your personal and business finances. The best way to do that is to have a separate business checking account.

What’s more important than finding a bank to work with is finding a banker that you can build a relationship with. A good relationship with your banker can help when you’re in a financial pinch or need a loan or financial advice.

In addition to a bank account, you’ll need a merchant account, so your customers can use their credit cards to pay for their repairs.

For more, see, How to Open a Business Bank Account and What Is a Merchant Account, and How to Get One.

11. Get the Funding for Your Operation

Getting the right amount of funding and getting approved for a loan is one of the toughest parts of starting a business, and it’s one of the most important without the money, you can’t start.

It’s worth noting that banks would rather finance an established business with a good track record instead of funding a risky startup.

It is necessary to have collateral and a professional business plan before applying for a loan. Don’t get frustrated if your application is turned down. Instead, discover the reason and address it before reapplying or contacting the next lender.

For ideas, see our article, Getting a Small Business Loan.

12. Software Setup

This step focuses on the software you’ll need for your company.

You should speak with your accountant about what you’ll need for bookkeeping and accounting. Other software packages include repair shop software, which is worth looking into.

13. Get The Right Business Insurance

In case of fire theft or an accident, you must have the right coverage to protect your customers, employees, and property. I suggest you speak with a broker specializing in repair shops to ensure you have the proper coverage.

It’s much better to have more coverage than not having enough.

For more on business insurance, see What to Know About Business Insurance. You will also want to browse the latest ATV repair business insurance search results.

14. Choose Suppliers

Your business needs a reliable supplier. Additionally, suppliers have a degree of control over your business.

The problem arises if, for instance, a supplier suddenly cuts off your supply of a certain part. That’s an example of the control a supplier has.

Choosing your suppliers and building relationships with them will pay off for you.

See, How To Choose a Supplier for tips and insights.

15. Physical Setup

In this step, you will set up the layout of your shop and your office and put some thought into your business sign.

Layout

The more organized your shop is, the more productive you’ll be in the more you’ll impress your customers.

No matter how large your operation is, you can make a good impression by ensuring it’s organized and tidy.

Office

You will be spending time in your office managing your business. The more organized your office is, the less time you’ll have to spend there because you will be productive.

I advise labeling everything and having plenty of storage space. Also, your office is for management. Do not use it as storage for parts and other items that belong in the shop.

See, Here are Considerations for The Setup of Your Office for the details.

Business Sign

Your company sign is the first thing customers will see. You want to create a sign that will impress your customers and make a good first impression. You will want your sign to incorporate your logo.

For more, see, All About Company Signs.

16. Creating a Website

Your website is a tool you can use to keep your customers informed and to book appointments. You can also use your website as a marketing tool.

Your website should be the main property of your online presence. You will also want to register a domain name that matches your business name and sign up for a web post to completely control your website.

For more, see our page on How to Build a Website.

17. Create an External Support Team

You need a team of people you can depend on when you need advice, services, or planning to expand.

An external support team may consist of an accountant, a lawyer, consultants, a business advisor, a banker, an IT expert, etc.

Your team is not on your payroll but paid by the job, the hour, or on a retainer.

Building a team may take months or years to have the right people in place, but once they’re there, you can count on them to help you take your business to the next level.

For more, see, Building a Team of Professional Advisors.

18. Hiring Employees

At first, you may be planning to do everything yourself, and that’s a smart move since payroll can be a big expense for a small business. However, as the business grows, you may not be able to keep up with demand, and you will need to hire.

Hire the right people for each required position!

For more, see, How and When to Hire a New Employee.

Considerations

You now have the steps needed to start your ATV repair shop. Now it’s time to consider a few points.

Point 1

Once you have a location set, a place to work, and invested in your startup cost, your monthly expenses are minimal, especially if you’re performing all the repairs yourself.

Point 2

You can get started with a general toolset, although an ATV lift will come in handy and make your repairs quicker and more efficient. As you get busier you can start to get any special tools you need.

Point 3

You can also specialize in the repair of a specific type of ATV. When you’re a specialist, you can charge more because of your expertise; you will be equipped to handle any job required for that type of ATV.

Point 4

With this type of business model, it would be a good idea to earn any necessary certification for the brand. You’ll also want to make sure you have all the specialized tools required to repair that brand of ATV.

Point 5

You can also create packages that keep your shop busy; for example, you can create maintenance programs for your customers.

These maintenance programs might include oil changes and regularly scheduled checkups on suspension, brakes, and engines; you can offer discounts if issues are found during these inspections.

Point 6

When a customer is on a maintenance plan, you’ll be able to identify future problems because of everyday wear and tear. Identifying future problems can keep your shop busy.

Point 7

You could offer ATV customization in addition to repair services, which could include suspension and performance upgrades.

Point 8

Once you have a strong customer base, you could expand your business by offering performance parts as well as parts that are used consistently by your customers. Expanding into the retail sales of ATV parts helps keep revenue and profits flowing.

Getting Customers Through The Door

Once your business is set up and open, you must get customers. See the link for the article below for ideas to bring in customers and generate revenue.

For a list of tips, see our article How To Get Customers Through the Door, to find a few ideas you can use.

Grand Opening

If you plan a grand opening for your shop, make sure it’s a memorable event. The better your grand opening, the more people will talk about it.

For an overview, see, How To Plan a Grand Opening.

More Marketing Ideas

When it comes to marketing, the key is to find what works and do more of that. On the other hand, find out what doesn’t work and avoid it.

See our marketing section to spark your creativity for more ideas to market your business.

Profit

To protect your profits, you need to increase revenue or reduce expenses without sacrificing quality or productivity.

You can’t tell how much profit you’ll make because every business is different and depends on its expenses.

By tracking expenses and revenues, you can determine your profits once you’re up and running. There’s no denying that reducing expenses can increase profits, but you have to be careful not to cut expenses that boost revenue.

See, Factors Affecting Business Profit

Pricing

Set your prices so that you’re competitive in the market. Of course, you can’t price your service too high, or you’ll lose business. But, at the same time, you don’t want it to be too low, or people may lose confidence in the quality of your work.

See the link below for an idea for ATV repair pricing.

See the latest ATV repair prices and tips for setting your prices.

Resources

Below you will find a collection of resources to help you start and run your business. You may want to bookmark our page so you can return anytime to use the resource section.

Trends and Statistics

Statistics are a great way to identify how healthy the industry is. You can also find ideas for what’s popular in the industry and may find something lacking that you can implement in your service.

See ATV repair trends and statistics for the latest.

The Future of the ATV Repair Industry

Browsing through information related to the future of an industry can give you a glimpse into the future and allow you to prepare for changes before they happen.

Check out the link below to learn more about the future of ATV repair.

The future of the ATV repair industry.

Top ATV Repair Businesses

Looking at the top ATV repair businesses allows you to see what you are up against.

You will get an idea of the going rates for repairs. And you may find something your business is missing. But, on the other hand, might find something lacking in the industry that you can put in place, giving you a competitive edge.

Search results for Top ATV Repair Businesses.

Top ATV Repair Tools

The quality of your tools can increase productivity. For example, specialty tools may be required; if you don’t have them, it can take longer to perform certain repairs.

If you don’t have the right tools to repair your ATV, you might waste time that could be used to repair other ATVs.

Search results for ATV Repair Tools.

Terminology

You must be aware of the terminology of the ATV repair industry. Especially when speaking with customers or suppliers.

You will pick up on it as you gain experience in the business, but you can take a shortcut and go through the glossaries available online.

See the latest search results for ATV repair industry terminology.

A Day In The Life

A day in the life offers videos, articles, and reviews for people working in the field who share their experiences.

Your experience may differ, but studying “a day in the life” allows you to glimpse what you’re in for.

For an overview of others in the field. Search results for a day in the life of an ATV repair business owner

Businesses For Sale

Check out the latest listings to see if there’s an ATV repair business for sale that might be a good match before you start your own. Then, at the very least, you’ll gain valuable experience.

For more on this topic, see Buy a Business or Build One and check the search results of ATV repair businesses listed for sale.

Franchise Opportunities

Starting a franchise in the ATV repair industry is something you can take a look at.

A franchise has pros and cons, just like anything else, but it is a proven system, and if you follow the procedure and consult with the corporate office, you have a strong chance of success.

See What To Know About Owning a Franchise and the latest search results for ATV repair franchise opportunities.

Knowledge Is Power if You Use It!

The more you know about the ATV industry, the better. The information is out there. You just have to find it and use it.

The following sections provide links to information about the ATV industry. But, using it is up to you.

Forums.

Forms are a great way to connect to a community. You can contribute to conversations, position yourself as an expert, get help when you’re stuck on a problem, market your business, and even bring awareness to your business through forms.

Courses.

Courses are an excellent source for expanding your knowledge and building your skills. I like self-study courses because I can learn at my own pace and return anytime for a refresher.

Blogs

Blogs are one way to keep up to date with the ATV industry.

From the link below, you can go through the top logs available and subscribe to all of them.

When you subscribe to a blog, you’ll get a notification whenever something new is published, usually through email.

Once your email starts to flow with information, you simply unsubscribe to those blogs that you don’t find are providing value, and in the end, you have a list of your own hand-picked blogs that can deliver valuable information.

Books

Books are another source of information to build your library.

I like nonfiction books because you don’t have to read the book from cover to cover but instead go to the chapter with the information you want.

Why not take a few minutes to see the latest publications related to ATV repair?

News

Have you ever used the news to keep up with information? I like using Google’s new site because I type in my keyword and get a list of the most relevant and related topics.

You can even set up an alert to get a notification anytime something new is published that the media covers.

Videos

Videos are an excellent source of information for virtually any topic, and ATV repair is no exception.

One thing I like about YouTube is when you’re watching a video, related videos will be displayed on your screen most of the time. I find a lot of value in these videos.