How to start an antenna installation business

As the home entertainment industry continues to boom, more and more people are upgrading their TV and communication systems. This is good news if you have experience in antenna installation.

If you've always wanted to work on your own terms and run your own business, we've got you covered with this guide to starting an antenna installation business.

What is an antenna installation business?

An antenna installation business is one that installs and repairs antennas for homes and commercial properties. This type of service can provide both digital ariel and TV antenna solutions to meet different customer needs.

How to start an antenna installation business

Follow these steps to launch your own antenna installation company:

1. Choose a business structure. Most antenna installation businesses will be set up under sole trader terms or as a partnership. Find out more about the most common business structures below. As a small business owner you'll need to apply for an Australian Business Number (ABN) and, for tax purposes, register for GST.
2. Decide what to call your company. You'll need to come up with a unique name for your brand. Related to this you should find a domain name for your website. Read more in our guide to building a business site.
3. Work out where to locate your services. Before you start your new firm, think about where your core customers will be. Do you want to advertise your services as being available in your local area only? This kind of detail can be outlined in your business plan.
4. Find a good supplier. Your antennas and other key materials will be crucial when it comes to delivering quality for your customers at an affordable price. Think about the cost, but also the supplier's performance on stock delivery and customer satisfaction.
5. Get finance for your business. Finding a business loan is really hard in your first 12 months. You might want to explore personal loan options.
6. Write up the key legal documentation. Either ask a lawyer for help or make use of legal templates which you can download and add to for a small cost.
7. Calculate your budget. Explore the different types of online accounting software aimed at small businesses. One of these can help you keep on top of invoicing, which you'll really appreciate as you grow your operations.
8. Market your services. To engage with more potential customers, you can sign up to an online marketplace like Airtasker. Such websites offer a cheap and easy way to connect customers with businesses. Popular sites include hipages and TaskRabbit.

Skills and knowledge needed to start an antenna installation business

You'll need some experience in antenna installation for a variety of homes and antenna systems. Having the confidence to talk about antennas, digital upgrades and audiovisual cabling; plus, the ability to deal with a range of installation challenges, will all hold you in good stead to set up a company.

Climbing up rooftops may often be necessary for the work, so you'll need to be comfortable with working at heights.

In addition to the technical skills, you'll also need to understand how to run a small business, from creating a business plan to making the most of your marketing.

What courses or qualifications do I need to complete?

Undertaking some training in antenna installation will allow you to offer your services efficiently and effectively and give your business credibility.

The Certificate II in Telecommunications Technology is an entry-level qualification that provides training in the installation of telecommunications equipment, data cabling and cabling products. The course will give you all the necessary skills to work as a TV and digital TV antenna installer. The average course fee is $4395, but if you're aged between 17 and 24 you may be able to do the course for free or for a reduced fee under JobTrainer.

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Choose a business structure

When you're first getting set up, you'll need to decide on a business structure that suits your goals for your venture. Two of the most common models in Australia for a small business are sole trader and partnership. Registering as a sole trader is perhaps the easiest and cheapest way to get started. On the other hand, a partnership allows you to share the responsibility with someone else.

Once you've decided on a structure you'll need to register an Australian Business Number (ABN) and decide on a business name. An ABN will be necessary for tax purposes when it comes to invoicing. If you plan to operate as a sole trader or partnership, you can trade under your personal legal name/s.

However, if you want to operate under a separate business name, it's a good idea to register the name with the Australian Business Register and you'll need an ABN in order to do this.

Create your legal documentation

To ensure you're on the right track with your legal requirements, you may want to seek legal advice. Going over the necessary documents with a lawyer and making sure you comply with Australian Consumer Law will give you peace of mind from the start.

Some of the legal documents you may need include:

• A service agreement for every job so you and your customers are clear on all expectations, obligations and allowances.
• An employment agreement will come in handy when you decide to take on employees in your business. It can protect you and your staff should any legal troubles come up at any point.
• A privacy policy allows you to collect personal information on your website such as customer's names, phone numbers and email addresses. It is a statement which states how you use and store private information.

Since the work involved in antenna installation is often quite physical and may pose the risk of injury or damage to property, it's important to secure yourself and your business with public liability insurance.

To create legally binding and clear legal documents, you can access online legal templates from Lawpath, Sprintlaw, LegalVision and LawDepot.

Find legal templates and further help

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Name	Product	What's offered?	Starting price to become a member	Annual Fee from	Free legal documents available?
Lawpath		Legal documents and templates, Access to lawyers, Legal guides, Legal advice	$79 per month	Essentials: $288, legal advice: $828	You can view samples for free and you can create your first document for free.	Choose an annual plan from just $288 and get unlimited revisions to your legal or business documents. Plus, unlock exclusive partner offers.	Go to site More Info		loading Fetching your data...
LawDepot		Legal documents and templates, Legal guides	$4.99 per month	$59.88	Free one week trial available which gives access to hundreds of documents.	Customise and download legal documents in as little as five minutes. Plus, LawDepot offers peace of mind with two service guarantees.	Go to site More Info		loading Fetching your data...
Legal123		Legal documents and templates, Legal guides	Varies per template	N/A	No	Legal123 offers a range of individual templates or document packages for consultants, app developers, personal trainers and more.	Go to site More Info		loading Fetching your data...
LegalVision		Legal documents and templates, Legal guides, Legal advice	$49 + GST per week	$2,548 + GST	No	Your business can take advantage of unlimited lawyer consultations, fast turnaround times and free legal templates with LegalVision.	Go to site More Info		loading Fetching your data...
Law Central		Legal documents and templates, Legal guides	Free for the Silver membership	Gold: $99	You can view samples and create your own document for free with the Silver membership.	Law Central offers a large number of legal templates for super, trusts, estate planning, employment and commercial uses.	Go to site More Info		loading Fetching your data...

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Grow your customer base

Some easy ways to get your name out there from the beginning include setting up social media profiles on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, printing some business cards and flyers and registering your business on Google My Business.

It's a good idea to get a strong logo designed as this will be the thing people will remember you by, especially online. You can find competitively-priced designers on sites like Fiverr or Upwork who can create logos for you within two or three days. Once your logo is ready you'll be able to use it on all your marketing materials including your website and social media.

You can also get the ball rolling before you have your own website by using online marketplaces to sell your services. Here are some platforms you can use to build your customer base:

• Airtasker. Easily connect with customers and make offers on job posts.
• hipages. Find quality customer leads with this professional platform for tradespeople.
• tradiesonline. Add your business to this Australian site and find customers all over Australia.

Work out how much to charge your customers

There are a range of factors that impact antenna installation costs such as the type and difficulty of the job, your experience and travel to and from the destination. In Australia,

According to the online marketplace Oneflare, antenna installation experts typically charge between $60 and $80 per hour or $150 and $500 per job in Australia.

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Frequently asked questions

What type of customers should I target?

A lot of your work will likely be for private householders who want to switch to a new satellite service or improve their reception. Try focusing your advertising on the more densely populated areas of your city and do some research into the types of people living in those areas. You can then target your marketing accordingly, whether it be families, single people or elderly citizens. You might also consider working for landlords or businesses and organisations.

What other types of services can I offer?

In addition to antenna installation, you could add extra services to your business such as CCTV installation, data cabling and home cinema and projector installation.