Notice Board
Underestimated skills
“ Firstly , be transparent . I ’ ve come across a few locksmiths that don ’ t like doing that and refuse to give costs over the phone ; it ’ s not good and will put everyone in an awkward position . Secondly , be calm . Let ’ s face it , if someone has been locked out , whether a student or an elderly person , there ’ s going to be an element of stress . My role is to take away their stress and assure them it ’ s all going to be okay .”
Locks go smart
“ There are many opportunities in the locksmith industry , it ’ s fantastic and has so much flexibility . I can earn as much in half a day as I did in a full day when I was a carpenter . I think if you ’ re dedicated and willing to practice , there ’ s a bright future ahead .
“ We know there will always be a need for locksmiths , but it is inevitable , smart locks and remote access will become the norm . At some point there will be a time where all of us will need to adapt , evolve and invest in training . However , the demand is still for traditional locks , although I do have experience with the Yale Smart Locks , those are really simple to use .”
An online presence “ When I had my website built , the designer said that I must have an online presence and that videos would be the way to go . I was advised that I ’ d fly up Google and be exposed to more of my target customers . He was absolutely right . I took his advice and created my YouTube channel . Many of my customers have found me from there and every single person that has completed one of my courses has discovered me through YouTube . I ’ ve got just under 2,500 subscribers and it would appear I ’ ve inadvertently created a community that is a fantastic bi-product of posting my installation and a ‘ day-in-the-life-of ’ videos . I often see the regulars returning to watch and see their comments , it ’ s all been very positive , and I feel like I know these people .
“ I never expected to be running a YouTube channel that is monetised , let alone be recognised at industry events . A few years back ( during my 1,000 subscriber days ), my wife and I attended an exhibition , and I had people coming up to me telling me how much they enjoyed the channel . I just wasn ’ t expecting it .”
The other side
“ My advice to anyone looking to boost their online presence and start investing in social media is to consider the time it takes . Obviously , the videos I ’ m shooting are educational , but they occur on real projects with real customers – naturally , this does slow down jobs as you ’ re filming and explaining ( make sure you speak to your customers first before doing this .), but it can be really valuable , particularly when you encounter a peculiar lock or scenario . It ’ s great to share that with the locksmithing community to see if anybody else has encountered anything similar . Also , consider the time it takes to edit and upload the videos – some are quicker than others but if you ’ re going to start this , make sure you ’ re consistent and don ’ t set out to create too much content .
“ To be honest , the pressure that I put on myself didn ’ t necessarily help my mental health . Of course , it ’ s not one thing in particularly but six months ago I was told I had depression . I actually spoke openly about this in one of my videos . I am thankful to say I will soon be making a comeback on YouTube after a brief hiatus .
“ The entire conversation around mental health is so important . I ’ ve seen many other trades discussing the importance of mental health , a YouTuber in the plumbing sector often talks openly about some of his struggles and issues with the subject . One of the things I ’ d like to see is more locksmiths getting involved in the conversation and talking more openly about things and some of the pressures we can face . I think this will only make us all stronger .”
Looking forward “ As I move forward with the business , I ’ m hoping to expand my training courses and broaden my reach . I ’ ve gone from providing a one-day course to a seven-day course in such a short space of time , who knows what the future could bring .”
If you want to find out more about me , have a look at my profile on Checkatrade and follow me on YouTube , Facebook and Instagram @ BrightonLocksmith .
AUGUST 2023
11
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