How to Avoid the Common Pitfalls of Running a Go Junk Franchise

All great success includes some risk, and owning a business certainly has its share. So before you open the doors to your new Go Junk business franchise, educate yourself on the possible hurdles you might face and takes steps now to divert any unnecessary risk. By outlining potential problems up front, you may be able to avoid them altogether. Go Junk educates its franchise owners in hopes of guaranteeing success with minimal complications. We can advise you on what pitfalls to avoid when starting your junk hauling business. We go to great lengths to educate our franchise partners, and there are some things you absolutely need to know up front when you get into the junk hauling and recycling business.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Make your money. Period.
   
   What's the first thing to avoid when running a junk hauling business? Simply put: working for free. You're in business to make money. And while you might consider a free or discounted junk hauling job on occasion, maybe as a favor or as a reward for a repeat customer, don't make it a habit. The only way you should pick junk up for free is if it's a Mercedes-Benz.
   
   Assess the job's value — financial and nonfinancial — and do what's best for your business. Consider high gasoline prices, time constraints and other factors in your decision.
2. Don't get addicted to the junk
   
   One man's trash is another man's treasure, right? Just make sure you don't create a pile of "treasure" that you can't maintain. You're in the junk hauling business to dispose of items, not hoard them. So be selective in what you choose to keep, if anything.
   
   Keep from cluttering up your drop-off center. You want to get your hands off the junk and turn it as quickly as possible. Setting up a flea market can be advantageous, but it's a lot of work and is profitable only in certain situations. If you can't find a cost-effective way to get rid of the junk, you must dispose of it.
3. Use marketing tools and Web support
   
   If you're not willing to market, you're going to lose. Take the time up front to work with Go Junk to establish a marketing plan for your junk hauling business. And enlist Web marketing tools to boost your online presence.
   
   You need to use marketing, even if it means taking your truck to an intersection and waving at people. People respond to human beings. We've even hired people to play the trumpet on top of our trucks before. The point is to get their attention.
4. Talk to your customers
   
   For every junk hauling job, ask your customers how they heard about you. Find out how they found you. Your newspaper ads? On the Internet? Through a friend? This is one of your most valuable ways of determining how your name gets out to potential junk hauling clients.

Tips & Warnings

• By clearing these hurdles, you're well on your way to running a successful franchise.