Hi there,
Ok, firstly read the posting I have just put under giving quotes over the telephone, that will help you with your exisiting set up.
There are many factors to look at to expand your business:
Can I take someone on part time to increase the work load?
Am I able to increase the prices on all my customers by 50p, this will have a knock on effect, i.e 180 customers x 50p = £90 per month = £1080 per year! This increase would help fund a part time helper, say 2 days a month.
Can you get your customers to introduce you to their work environment. I asked my customers years ago and got 5 good commercial contracts from their recommendations.
Are you making use of your existing customers? Conservatory cleaning, gutter cleaning? This is your wet weather work.
When I first took on someone I bit the bullet and basically paid them my own wages from my turnover. However, once I had trained them up I used to get them to work 2 days a week on their own while I went out canvassing building up the round and putting money back into the business.
From that I then had enough work for two people so I dropped out myself and got them to do the work (commission only basis) while I kept expanding the business.
I now have over 2000 customers, have 3 vans on the road and enjoy a healthly lifestyle of the back of it.
Its taken me 15 years and a lot of blood and tears not to mention a recession!
Stick at it, its worth it in the end!!
Best of luck,
Trev