Handyman Clients: How to Find the Best Ones

Any small business person will tell you: Not all clients are created equal. In fact, they are created very unequal. Ever heard of the 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle? It is a phenomena where you get 80% of your results from 20% of your efforts. Once you know this principle, you will see it everywhere, including in the clients you have for your business. For example, 80% of your work will probably come from 20% of your clents and 80% of your income will come from 20% of your work. Often the 80/20 split is not exact; it may be 90/10 or 70/30, but it definitely happens, and it happens a lot.

So what does this have to do with finding clients? It is the difference between having a hundred clients that you do very little work for and having a handful of clients that send you as much steady, well-paid business as you can show up for. Guess which collection of clients is easier to manage. Yup, it is the handful of super-clients. Super-clients often pay better and are easier to work with. You know them and they know you, and a certain level of trust has built up so you both give each other the benefit of the doubt before somebody starts yelling about something that's gone wrong. Building up a nice clientele of super-clients is when having your own handyman business gets really sweet.



You've waited long enough for the secret: The best kinds are clients are small businesses and people with large, high-maintenance properties. You want to hit the sweet spot between large and small, both with business and properties. This is because a large enough business will have its own maintenance person, and the same goes for large properties. The clients you want are just a bit smaller than the other places -- too small to have a full-time person to maintain things, but too large for the owner to keep up after it themselves.

While these clients are excellent to have, you will not be the only one courting their business. That means you will probably have to have a good reputation to preceed you, or at least a short list of really strong references. The larger multiple employee handyman business will want these jobs, because they are smart and they know mid-sized outfits like this are a goldmine of work. And while you can get a lot of work from these places, be cautious if you do not see anyone else jockeying to be their handyman... you might have a situation with a difficult owner, or someone who refused to pay the going rates for work.

Some examples of excellent mid-sized properties include horse properties or any small hobby farm, or anything with a greenhouse or a large garden. Any house larger than 5,000 square feet is also an excellent candidate. For businesses, bed and breakfasts can be terrific clients, because they need everything to look just so in order to compete. Very small privately run hotels and retreats are also a good bet. So are fishing lodges and any rural retreat that takes 1-5 guests a night. Small spas and small restaurants are also a good bet, but do not be surprised if you are sharing the client with a plumber. In fact, you may find that you are sharing a lot of work with other tradespeople. Be friendly and act professional. If they respect you and your work they could be an endless source of referrals.









More articles about starting a handyman business:

How to Start a Handyman Business

Handyman Business Cards

Handyman Clients: How to Find the Best Ones

Are You Cut Out to Be a Handyman?

Tools for a Handyman Business

Payment Options for Handymen

How To Advertise a Handyman Business

Customer Service Tips for Handymen

Choosing a Name for a Handyman Business

Record Keeping Basics for Handymen

Being a Handyman Versus Having a Handyman Business or a Franchise

Getting a Website for Your Handyman Business

Getting Paid Upfront: Deposit Policies for Handymen

How Much To Charge Per Hour

Should You Charge by the Hour, or by the Job?

Insurance for Handymen

Handyman Business Book Reviews

The Handyman Guide: How to Fix and Build 1000s of Things Around the House



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