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Advice needed to expand the business

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  • 01-04-2017 10:59pm
    #1
    AsianIrish
    Registered Users Posts: 93 ✭✭


    Hello and thank you for reading my post. I am seeking some advice about how to expand my MMA, BJJ, Boxing and martial business I started as part time a year ago with on club and now I have 4 but its without any advertisement. What is the best way as i want to add more clubs. I have reliable manufacturers and my prices are good for clubs who want gears in their logo. I have a FB page https://m.facebook.com/blizzardsports.ie/ and instagram account but no website yet.


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    #2
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    Have you directly approached every club you can find? That seems like the obvious sales approach.

    Arm yourself with testimonials, you can't overestimate their importance.


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    #3
    uck51js9zml2yt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,268 ✭✭✭✭uck51js9zml2yt


    Your last line is your answer.
    Get an e-commerce site going. It doesn't have to cost the earth but that along with some social media interaction should get you going in the right direction.
    Have you ascertained if you have a market?


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    #4
    AsianIrish
    Registered Users Posts: 93 ✭✭AsianIrish


    Hello guys,

    Thank you, yes the market is out there and Website is something I have given a thought too but just dont know how much it should cost?

    I have been to 4 clubs and they all gave me orders and I have had about 25 orders in repeat business. They have agreed to use their names as reference which is plus for my business.


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    #5
    jimmii
    Registered Users Posts: 14,810 ✭✭✭✭jimmii


    It needn't cost much you can do it yourself and just use a template. There's a load of platforms to choose from.

    What do you think is stopping you getting more gyms using you?


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    #6
    StupidLikeAFox
    Registered Users Posts: 7,711 ✭✭✭StupidLikeAFox


    AsianIrish wrote: »
    Hello guys,

    Thank you, yes the market is out there and Website is something I have given a thought too but just dont know how much it should cost?

    I have been to 4 clubs and they all gave me orders and I have had about 25 orders in repeat business. They have agreed to use their names as reference which is plus for my business.

    Look into shopify - you pay a small monthly fee but it takes a lot of the technical headaches (performance, ssl etc) out of the diy route


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    #7
    AsianIrish
    Registered Users Posts: 93 ✭✭AsianIrish


    jimmii wrote: »
    It needn't cost much you can do it yourself and just use a template. There's a load of platforms to choose from.

    What do you think is stopping you getting more gyms using you?


    Thanks Jimmii, time is another factor as I have a full time job and this was a part time hobby which is turning to a business which I believe can grow. Shopify is a good advice given on here, I had a look at their website and looks a good option. I will read more they have some testimonials.


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    #8
    CIARAN_BOYLE
    Registered Users Posts: 14,599 ✭✭✭✭CIARAN_BOYLE


    AsianIrish wrote: »
    Hello guys,

    Thank you, yes the market is out there and Website is something I have given a thought too but just dont know how much it should cost?

    I have been to 4 clubs and they all gave me orders and I have had about 25 orders in repeat business. They have agreed to use their names as reference which is plus for my business.

    You say 4 clubs in your op and 20 on your Facebook. Not being honest to someone.

    Competitions. There's no better way to meet many different people from different clubs than showing up to a competition. You might meet people from 20 different clubs at a competition.


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    #9
    jimmii
    Registered Users Posts: 14,810 ✭✭✭✭jimmii


    AsianIrish wrote: »
    Thanks Jimmii, time is another factor as I have a full time job and this was a part time hobby which is turning to a business which I believe can grow. Shopify is a good advice given on here, I had a look at their website and looks a good option. I will read more they have some testimonials.

    I use shopify it is very quick. You need something to show off the work you have done and what you cam offer clubs social media pages aren't enough.


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    #10
    davindub
    Registered Users Posts: 1,447 ✭✭✭davindub


    AsianIrish wrote: »
    Hello and thank you for reading my post. I am seeking some advice about how to expand my MMA, BJJ, Boxing and martial business I started as part time a year ago with on club and now I have 4 but its without any advertisement. What is the best way as i want to add more clubs. I have reliable manufacturers and my prices are good for clubs who want gears in their logo. I have a FB page https://m.facebook.com/blizzardsports.ie/ and instagram account but no website yet.

    It depends on your funding really.

    There is a lot of competition in sports equipment but less so in specialised clothing with logos outside of the usual tracksuit suppliers. So one avenue may be to approach the clothing suppliers (load out there for club tracksuits etc) / fitness equipment/ printing suppliers to try wholesale. Its less profit and highly passive, just it gives you a wide net to catch inbound enquiries generated by the market for printing logos and MA clothing. You will need a printed catalogue.

    Another option is to set up the shopify website and try internet marketing. You will need funds for adwords, seo expertise and generally you do a lot of work attracting people to your website including blogging etc (e.g. host an events boards).

    Direct sales to clubs. Either get on the phone yourself and get out to as many clubs as possible or engage with someone to do it for you. Can be expensive to hire someone and even worse if they do a bad job for you. Better to get out to clubs/ events yourself. Learn a little about sales techniques (not cheesy lines, but how to get across your points about your product, how to measure interest (no point burning diesel/ petrol going to meet someone who will never buy, how to build interest, etc).

    If part time and not really well funded I would try the 1st avenue first. It will be hard to build a relationship with suppliers but i'd say they get most of the enquiries about where to get stuff like this.


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    #11
    AsianIrish
    Registered Users Posts: 93 ✭✭AsianIrish


    CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »
    AsianIrish wrote: »
    Hello guys,

    Thank you, yes the market is out there and Website is something I have given a thought too but just dont know how much it should cost?

    I have been to 4 clubs and they all gave me orders and I have had about 25 orders in repeat business. They have agreed to use their names as reference which is plus for my business.

    You say 4 clubs in your op and 20 on your Facebook. Not being honest to someone.

    Competitions. There's no better way to meet many different people from different clubs than showing up to a competition. You might meet people from 20 different clubs at a competition.

    One of the club has many branches in Ireland and N. Ireland but they buy theough the main branch so yes i essence i have 20 more a less


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    #12
    antoinolachtnai
    Registered Users Posts: 9,793 ✭✭✭antoinolachtnai


    You are basically in the logistics business if you ask me. You are succeeding because you offer a service that they can rely on, rather than selling goods. I would work on that aspect of it.


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