Before constructing roads, homes, buildings, bridges, tunnels, energy facilities, and other major projects, a thorough analysis of the land—both above and below ground—is necessary. This is where highly trained land surveying professionals like you play a crucial role. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that job growth for land surveyors will increase by 4% from now until 2034.1 However, this growth may exceed the projected rate in towns and cities experiencing infrastructure expansion, along with rising residential, commercial, and civil construction projects.
Whether you operate as an independent land surveyor (solopreneur) or manage a land surveying business with a team of employees, it is crucial to implement effective strategies for business growth. This Huddle Business Capital blog post features ideas worth considering.
While this concept may seem straightforward, it can be easily overlooked in practice. When a potential customer calls, answer the phone promptly with a friendly greeting. Speak in a calm, professional tone, avoiding rush or distractions. Take the time to listen to the customer and answer their questions.
The same applies to potential customers who contact you via email. When a message appears in your inbox, read it and reply to the sender as soon as possible. It's quite likely that you will receive calls and emails while you are out in the field performing land surveying jobs. In such cases, it's important to acknowledge these inquiries and inform the prospects that you will get back to them shortly.
Once you secure a land surveying job, it's crucial to maintain an exceptional standard of customer service throughout the project. Start by clearly communicating with your clients about what they can expect from you during the surveying process. Outline specific goals, deliverables, and a detailed timeline to ensure everyone is on the same page.
The land survey equipment you use, along with its range of capabilities, can distinguish your services from those of your competitors. By investing in advanced tools and technologies, such as a high-precision global positioning system (GPS), 3D laser scanner, global navigation satellite system (GNSS), and specialized software for data analysis, you can enhance the accuracy and efficiency of your surveying projects.
A drone equipped with an onboard GNSS receiver or Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) scanner is a valuable tool for capturing geospatial data. Drones are particularly useful for surveying hard-to-reach areas or covering extensive land. Remember that you will need a permit from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate a drone for surveying purposes. Additionally, you may require further permits depending on the specific regulations in your state and city where your land survey business operates.
Buying land survey equipment requires substantial capital. To ease this burden and maintain healthy cash flow, there are options available: land survey equipment financing and land survey equipment leasing. Neither option requires a large down payment. Equipment financing, also known as an equipment loan, allows you to purchase equipment outright while spreading payments over time. Once you have made all required payments, you own the equipment.
Equipment leasing enables you to obtain and use the equipment for a specific term in exchange for monthly lease payments. Depending on your lender and your lease agreement, you may have different end-of-lease options. For example, you may be able to purchase the equipment for its market value, return it, or start a new lease.
Waiting for land surveying opportunities to come to you is not a viable strategy. You need to develop and deploy a marketing strategy to help generate leads. One effective way to promote your land surveying business is to create a professional, SEO-driven website that highlights your services, showcases your expertise, and features testimonials from satisfied clients.
Additionally, maintaining a presence on social media platforms with informative posts and project highlights/photos can increase your visibility. It is also beneficial to network with local businesses, attend community events, and participate in industry conferences to further spread the word about your land survey business.
Focusing on a specific niche in land surveying, such as construction or real estate, can be beneficial. However, these sectors may experience slow periods due to seasonality or economic downturns. Therefore, if you have the skills and capabilities to take on projects in other areas—such as government, engineering, residential, environmental, and utilities—it may be worthwhile to explore those opportunities.
It's important to be mindful of the number of surveying jobs you take on, as spreading yourself too thin can negatively impact your ability to complete each one effectively and on time.
1 - https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/surveyors.htm
This Huddle Business Capital blog article is purely educational and contains general information and opinions; it is not intended to provide advice or recommendations of any kind. Huddle Business Capital is not affiliated with nor endorses the companies mentioned in this article.