I Want to Start a Small Business
Starting a Van Dealership
Ready to break into the entrepreneurial ranks? Maybe you should open a van dealership. Your business will have its own unique requirements and particulars, but these startup truisms are timeless.
Wondering how to start a van dealership? We take you step-by-step from start to success.
Best Practices for Writing a Van Dealership Business Plan
Many new van dealership owners feel unprepared for the challenge of writing a business plan.
Fortunately, you don't have to tackle your van dealership's business plan by yourself. There are plenty of useful solution designed to assist van dealership entrepreneurs in business plan writing.
For more information, take a look at our Business Plan Help section.
Investigate Competitors
Prior to opening a van dealership within your community, it's a good idea to determine how strong the competition is. We've provided the link below to help you get a list of local competitors nearby. Just enter your city, state and zip code to get a list of van dealerships in your community.
How tough is the competition in the market you are considering? If the competition is too tough, you may need to think about starting the business in a different area or even start a completely different business instead.
Studying the Market
Once you've finished assessing the competion, be sure to learn as much as you can from somebody who is already in the business. Local competitors are not going to give you the time of day, mind you. What's in it for them?
But, a person who owns a van dealership in another town may be more than happy to give you a few tips, once they realize that you are not going to directly compete with them in their community. Many business owners are happy to give advice to new entrepreneurs It can take a while to find an entrepreneur who is willing to talk, but it's well worth the effort.
The key question new becomes: how to find a van dealership entrepreneur in a different locale who can assist you?
We can help. Follow the link below, try a few city/state combos or zipcodes, and then start calling!
Benefits & Drawbacks of a Van Dealership Acquisition
Although there are significant benefits to buying a van dealership (rather than launching a startup), it's important to weigh the pros and cons before you commit to a purchase scenario.
BENEFITS: Existing companies have proven business models and a history of profitability. They should also have some degree of brand recognition and an established customer base.
DRAWBACKS: Acquired van dealerships sometimes have entrenched processes and systems that run counter to your business objectives. If an acquisition target appears unmalleable, move on to another prospect.
Franchising May Be a Better Way to Go
The odds of becoming a successful entrepreneur go up significantly when you join the ranks of franchisees and leverage their successful brand and track record.
Before opening a van dealership, it's worthwhile to determine whether franchise opportunities in your space might alleviate your startup process.
The link below gives you access to our franchise directory so you can see if there's a franchise opportunity for you. You might even find something that points you in a completely different direction.
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