Business taking shape

[crackers]

My business is taking shape (IT Recycling and refurbishing) I have been talking to a few large waste companies for my business who have shown interested in referring customers to me!

I also have had 5 deals, and am making good money.

I have now also picked a name "Cash for computers"

I picked the name for a few reasons. IT stands out. If someone has equipment they want removed, they see my business gives them cash...

Website will be up soon too.

I am well positioned, with already having clients as well as more lined up. I am also cheaper, and leaves the business with more money than my main competitors.

[Brendan]

hey crackers,

It's great to hear you are making money, Cash for computers sounds good from a business/seller perspective, but what about the other side of the fence, as in the people who are looking to buy your recycled computers? Will this arm of the business be promoted under a different name?

Just as some research for you, we have used a coupe of these companies in the past when we were in the UK;

RCS Computer Services (http://www.rcsrecycling.co.uk/index.asp)
Computer and Electronics disposal and recycling, charity computer donation, London, UK, Europe (http://www.maxitech.biz/new/index.html)
Recycle Magic, Computer recycling (http://www.recyclemagic.co.uk/carolcomputer.html)

[crackers]

hey crackers,

It's great to hear you are making money, Cash for computers sounds good from a business/seller perspective,

Thanks :)

Yeah thats what its aimed at. This will be purely purchasing of pcs


but what about the other side of the fence, as in the people who are looking to buy your recycled computers? Will this arm of the business be promoted under a different name?


Yeah definitely. Thats still a little off, for when I get higher volumes coming through. Right now the current ways of selling them are working great.

Thanks.

[gerryonline]

using that model does that mean you need to have quite a bit of capital to be able to purchase computers from the companies?

What happens if you get a huge amount of computers to buy, how will you deal with that?

[crackers]

I have the capital and I have people backing me.

If I get huge amounts i will deal with it.

Alot of planning has gone into this. Its actually really difficult to do haha.

[crackers]

Anyidea where I can advertise my business?

thanks

[SeriousCat]

How about through some of the bigger hardware suppliers, like IBM, Dell, HP, Sun, etc. They would be looking for opportunities to sell new hardware, and you'd make it cheaper for their customers by taking away some of the upfront costs?

Another good sales tactic is to use company cars emblazened with the brand.

What is the typical customer base? That will generally dictate where and how to advertise.

[crackers]

Ok guys. Here it is, my business needs ways to be promoted.

Target audience is..

Business's 20+ employees, Schools, my state

My business is..

Computer end of life cycle disposal. What this means is that once companies upgrade systems, usually every four to three years, i pay them cash, pickup the pcs and refurb them

Company name..

Cash for computers.. I picked it because its exactly what I do, no need questioning whether I offer broadband etc.

Clients..

So far I have had seven deals already, so im making money and I have cash to spend on getting more

What is the best way to reach businesses which have excess IT equipment and wants cash for it?

Advantages over competitors..
- Pay more per pc
- No fees
- Smaller and more personal service
- More aggressive (I cold call alot of businesses)

One way im considering advertising where businesses would search for new computers. Maybe contact suppliers and offer them a referral like situation, where every client they refer who uses my service they get $200...

Can anybody suggest me on what else I could do? c4c has a website coming soon too.

[rosshill]

What this means is that once companies upgrade systems, usually every four to three years, i pay them cash, pickup the pcs and refurb them

Go to companies that sell them the new computers and do a deal with them to pimp your services as they sell the new ones.

[Brendan]

Hey crackers,

Gear to see you are nutting the business out and looking at all aspects.. one of the potentially risky things I can see happening is that you buy all this stock from people which is great.. but what if you can't sell it? What do you do then? Do you have multiple exit strategies for the assets you recycle?

I also like Ross' idea on approaching hardware retailers, however that could potentially wake them up to your idea and take your business completely by offering some sort of upgrade or trade in package, new for old type deal..

Anyway.. good to see progress happening on this!

[rosshill]

I also like Ross' idea on approaching hardware retailers, however that could potentially wake them up to your idea and take your business completely by offering some sort of upgrade or trade in package, new for old type deal..

The point I was trying to make was that YOU would provide their trade in service. If they are able to get you a lot of volume there is probably no reason you can't slip them a few bucks as well. You could even operate as a white label service for them, 'pretending' that you are actually their company so that their customers only see their brand.

[crackers]

Hi

Yeah I dont have problems with selling stock. I have verious ways, Including charities who buy from me, a few computer resellers also want my stock and ebay and the markets.

Im okay with that.

At the moment I dont want huge quantities, maybe 100 a month.

I want to slowly progress it.

I will ask the resellers if they are intersted. Do that today.

[crackers]

so, Any more tips? ;-)

[gerryonline]

Is there any money in actually physically recycling the parts, like stripping the metal from components, or recycling the metal cases?

Maybe that is also an avenue you can go down?

[crackers]

There is, but my quantities are too low right now to make it worth it

[gerryonline]

Do you also look at recycling other stuff like old projectors, printers, televisions and things? or just computers?

[crackers]

yeah, I do it all.

[Brendan]

crackers,

That's great news about your business taking shape, what sort of marketing have you been doing to get your business out there?

Also have you got projections for the future, on how you plan to grow your business? Like a 5 year plan?

[crackers]

estimating 50k in 09, and 20k in 08.

I market by calling businesses direct. Right now, I dont want too much business,
im still in uni so its basicly my part time job.

I need new ways to market it :/