Is the Future of Mobile Businesses in the Hands of the Coronavirus?

Hard times for mobile businesses - or is there a boom on the horizon?

The last month and a half has shown some serious negative side effects for small businesses due to the Coronavirus pandemic, but mobile businesses are showing they can thrive even as the virus sweeps the nation. As brick and mortars close, city/county codes loosen up, and landlords allow mobile units to park long term in areas they wouldn’t normally be allowed to.

Mobile businesses are known for their ability to travel and conduct business. Whether it be in a food truck or a mobile retail pop up shop (both of which were allowed to stay open with restrictions during this epidemic), can shift gears quickly to accommodate their business. The food truck industry saw a climb in sales due to restaurant closures (with the exception to take out/delivery orders). Where many brick and mortar locations closed -whether it be restaurants or retail, due to the cost to operate business during this time -inventory, rent/mortgage, employee payroll, insurance, and the list goes on, was/is difficult, the mobile business industry benefited. 

Mobile business units are notorious for having low overhead, for the most part can be operated by oneself or an additional employee, little inventory, and may even have the ability to accommodate online business or deliver/curbside pickup -making mobile vessels an obvious choice for patrons, especially in the midst of a pandemic.

As mobile industry workers in the service field, we have heard all sorts of great news from our client base. The biggest complaint from our food truck customers is trying to keep food stocked since people have been stockpiling and clearing out the stores! Otherwise, they have been able to sustain or have even been busier than before the Coronavirus quarantine.

One thing we can learn from this small business shut down is that mobile businesses are flexible and have the ability to adapt to unorthodox situations, making them a great choice for starting/sustaining a business during the good times and the hardships. Projections show this industry to boom, especially once the quarantine is lifted as businesses will need an affordable business model, and going mobile offers that and more.

To learn more about getting your business mobile, check out  8 Ways A Custom Mobile Vessel Works For Your Business or give us a call today at 541.728.3511!

8 Ways a Custom Mobile Vessel Works For Your Business

Mobile businesses are popping up everywhere and they’re not just food trucks these days. These mobile vessels can range anywhere from mobile healthcare, military and U.S. government units, mobile retail shops/popups, moving hair salons and barbershops, food trucks and much more. 

Where a storefront offers a solid location for patrons to easily locate you, adding or even eliminating the brick and mortar can offer many benefits such as mobile advertising, hosting different locations/events, more flexible and comfortable hours, etc. With the list below we dive into the top ways a custom mobile vessel can work for your business, give it a read and let’s start strategizing! 

1. Gain a new customer base, some customers live for the food truck scene and opt out of the same ole sit down restaurants - this is a great opportunity for a local brick and mortar business to branch out in a cost effective manner for a second location, and to appeal to a whole new audience.
   

2. Living in the New and the Now, a mobile business allows owners to change up their offerings, location, hours, marketing, etc.
   

3. Participate in Community events, get more involved with the community, festivals, gatherings and more to target a bigger audience.
   

4. Utilizing social media, if you are moving around quite a bit this is a great way to advertise and build a following to let customers know your branding and what’s available today/this week/etc.
   

5. Creatively thinking outside the box, mobile businesses are meant to stand out, utilize this opportunity to channel your creativity to draw customers in.
   

6. Travel to new heights, move around to different areas where your business may not be known -remember, mobile businesses are moving advertisements!
   

7. Cultivate comfort, being comfortable at work everyday is not a luxury for everyone, being a mobile business operator means you have the ability to make your days more comfortable, fun and exciting.
   

8. Cost effective expansion, when starting or expanding a mobile business it is a proven cost effective approach to starting/expanding a business, and here’s how: inventory costs are low, startup costs are lower than a brick and mortar in comparison to leasing a building there is high monthly overhead, whereas a mobile unit can be paid off and owned in a timely manner.
   

With all of these great benefits a mobile unit has to offer a business, an important element to consider is the unit itself. These days the mobile business scene is becoming more competitive and creating a stand out vessel is crucial to drawing your audience in for the wow factor. 

If you are interested in exploring what it takes to build a custom mobile business trailer, truck, cart, pod, etc. we’re here to offer you peace of mind. Specializing in mobile business building, we are here to walk you through the need to know facts, offer helpful information and insights, stepping stones, and how to create a stand out mobile vessel for a successful business. Give us a call today at 541.728.3511 to learn more about what we do or check out Our Work!

Top 5 Ingredients for A Successful Mobile Business

Thinking about creating a mobile business? We’ve got the top 5 ingredients to ensure a successful mobile business to jump start your dreams! This list is nowhere near daunting, but requires vision, proper planning, and following through to execute the recipe of a successful mobile business venture.

1. A clear and concise vision
   One of the most crucial ingredients to a successful business (mobile or not) is having a clear vision. It’s important to spend time strategizing and putting in the hours of effort to ensure a successful operation. Set and review goals, figure out funding, research demographics, establish a niche, search for storage options if needed, lay a solid foundation to set yourself up for success from the start!
   

2. Business plan
   -Finances
   -Inventory and restocking costs
   -If taking on an employee(s), calculate pay
   -Your salary
   -Insurance for your business and your mobile vessel
   -Licensing and permits
   -Your food truck build and equipment
   -Gas for transportation or finding a location to park
   

3. Licensing/County/City Codes
   Research what is required to get started and become fully sustained. Every state, county and city have different qualifications and codes. Find out if your offerings are eligible for a mobile business as well as city/county codes for the mobile vessel itself. For example, food trucks will have different requirements than a mobile barbershop, and a mobile barbershop will have different requirements than a mobile healthcare provider.
   

4. Recipes, Services, Offerings
   Establish your niche and create a list of your offerings tailored to that, then fine tune them! Take polls from friends and family, ask around your community for feedback.
   

5. A Badass Vessel
   Last, but not least, a mobile vessel. Research and meet with builders, see if they can execute your vision. The builder needs to be experienced and knowledgeable to be certain your vessel will be safe, up to code, and stand out. It’s important to find the right truck/trailer/bus/cart (you name it!) fit for your mobile business -it should be functional, contain the space and equipment you need, offer the necessary power, plumbing, propane/natural gas (if applicable),and of course -look how you’ve been envisioning it!

A short, yet info packed ingredient list to get you started on crafting the perfect mobile business recipe. If you have already followed the first 4 ingredients on this list, but are still searching for number 5, give our work a look. We specialize and successfully build many custom mobile business vessels / renovate existing to meet customers requirements and needs, maintain and fix operating trucks, trailers, carts, kiosks, etc., and follow up on our customers county/city codes for a 100% guarantee pass -it’s assured to bring you peace of mind when embarking on this mobile business journey! Drop us a line or give us a call at 541.728.3511 today to learn more about our mobile business services!