Lending Library

The food truck craze has been taking the world by storm lately. It can be a great way to be your own boss and set your own hours, but knowing how to start a food truck business is often the biggest roadblock for many. To try and help ease that burden and encourage you to follow your dreams, we put together a list of 6 basic tips to get your idea off the ground and on the road to reality.

Officially Become a BusinessJust because you are a mobile business doesn’t mean that you are exempt from all of the typical expectations. Get licensed. Create a business plan. Get a truck permit.  Plan where you will park your food truck. Get a food handler’s permit. Get insurance. Every city will differ slightly on their requirements, so make sure you look up ALL requirements that your city may have to make sure you don’t accidentally forget to check something off of the list.

Learn Your City’s GuidelinesYou can’t just set up a food truck wherever you want, whenever you want. Many cities have a maximum number of food truck permits they will issue at any given time, so make sure you are able to obtain a permit before purchasing a truck and investing your entire life into your endeavor. One food truck owner in New Orleans ran into this predicament and worked with her City Council to increase the permit number from a mere dozen to 100! If there are no more permits available in your city, don’t lose hope – consider working with your City Council to change the restrictions.

Determine What You Will SellWhat type of food truck do you want to be? What type of food do you want to make and sell? It’s great if you love tacos, but how will tacos differentiate you from the dozens of other food trucks around you that sell tacos? Do you want to do some type of fusion experiment between two different food types? Try writing down all the different food ideas you have, whether they’re connected or not. Once you’ve got a full list, see if there are any unique combinations you can make with the items you singled out.

Get FinancingUnless you are lucky enough to have a rich uncle leave you his estate, you will likely need to secure financing to start your mobile food truck business. First, determine exactly how much you will need. On top of other expected expenses, a food truck can be anywhere from $20k-40k to $100k-200k, so make sure you’ve done a detailed analysis of your expected costs.

Consider getting a small business loan through the SBA. The SBA does not fund your loan, but they do guarantee at least a portion of your loan. This mitigates the risk so banks and alternative lenders feel more secure in financing your business.  Though an SBA loan is one of the most popular options, there are plenty of other small business loans available to you that you can pursue here.

Get a TruckNow comes the fun part – getting a food truck! Make sure it has all the equipment you will need to cook your food(s) of choice, or that it has the capability to be custom fit to fill your needs. Keep in mind, if you plan to prepare food on site, you will need a much bigger truck than if you intend to cook elsewhere and bring the food in warmers.

Market ItIt’s a blessing and a curse to be a mobile business. The great thing is that you can take your food truck wherever you want, to whatever function you have permission to be present at. However, this can also make it more difficult to develop a regular customer base. Because of this, marketing your food truck is absolutely essential to your success. Start a Facebook page, Instagram, Twitter, and whatever else you feel will be beneficial to your budding food truck. Post where you will be and when. Consider posting certain specials for your loyal followers, or a discount for referrals. Ultimately, do whatever you can to make sure people know about you and how to find you.

Running and operating a food truck can be very rewarding and exciting. It may be an uphill battle in the beginning, but don’t let the bureaucracy of your city keep you away. Take these basics of how to start a food truck business, and set a plan in motion to get your business off the ground and onto the streets of your city. We’re rooting for you!

When you’re selling a product, your customers are going to have a lot of questions about it. The answers you have for them will make the difference between them feeling your product is best for them, or going somewhere else. To make a sale, you have to be able to convince your customers that yours is the best option out there. To do that, you have to be an authority on everything about your product. Be prepared with the answers to these questions, and watch your sales grow.

#1. Can I trust that your product will deliver according to what your advertising campaign says?

The most important factor that can contribute to the success of an entrepreneurship is building a relationship of trust with your customers. They should be able to rely on your product to deliver as per the specifications of your ad campaign. Once you have built this trust, every new product that you come up with will be received well. This is why, you need to plan your advertising strategies carefully and never talk about product features that are not really present.

#2. Why should I buy your product instead of similar ones in the market? What does your product have that the others don’t?

When developing your product idea, be sure to include some added features or a USP (unique selling proposition) that can set it apart from what your competitors are selling. Faced with a range of options, your customers need an incentive to choose your product above all others. For some established companies, their brand name acts as their USP and even when offered better products, buyers will still opt for a brand they know and are comfortable with.

#3. Do you understand what I need? Will your product fulfill that need?

Your customers expect that you will have done your homework and that when you develop and release a product, it will be designed perfectly to meet their requirements. In other words, it must have all the features necessary to perform the functions for which it was intended. On the flip side, a confident entrepreneur should be able to tell the customer that the product offered is not suited to his/her purpose and he/she needs to look for other options. Customers appreciate honesty.

#4. Your product doesn’t look like something I need or could use. Why would I want to buy it?

Smart entrepreneurs are ones that can come up with new products that customers had no idea they needed. And, entrepreneurs should be bold enough to develop ideas that have never before been tried or thought of. Take the iPhone for instance. Blackberry was killing it in the smartphone market, primarily because of the keyboard. The iPhone didn't have a physical keyboard, but Steve Jobs did a masterful job of showing that you don't have to have a physical keyboard for your phone, and not having one opened up more screen room. The rest is history.

#5. Have you used the product yourself? Does it work well?

The most effective strategy to sell your product is to talk about your own experiences after having used it. Practical information always works as the best way to convince a prospective buyer. Describe what your product can do, how it functions and the ways in which it can make life easier for its buyer. Your advertising campaign can also talk about the end results achieved by users. For instance, more time with the family or leisure activities, and consequently, a happier, stress-free life.

#6. Is your product durable? How long is it going to last me before I need to replace it?

Customers expect that your product will last for a while and to assure them that it will, you need to back your assurance with warranties. Customers are always more likely to choose a product that comes with a warranty. That’s because they know that since you’re promising them free replacement or cost-free repairs, you’re confident that the need for replacement and repairs won’t arise.

#7. Is your product high quality? Have you tested it before marketing it?

Customers are always on the lookout for products that provide them with good value for their money. This is why; your advertising campaign could talk about the quality control tests you undertake and if each product is checked individually for functionality and durability. This would also be a good time to talk about the authoritative quality standards your products comply with and the certifications your company has. Comments and reviews from customers that have used your product also help.

#8. Is your product cost effective? Or, is it going to burn a hole in my pocket?

Customers are looking for the perfect balance between a high-quality product that performs well, lasts for some time and is also suited to their pocket. When looking for a particular product they need, buyers are likely to consider all their options that have features that might vary a little from brand to brand. They also look at the cost of each option and weigh these factors against their needs. The product that has the best features and is also economical is the one that wins out in the end.

#9. Is your product easy to use and operate? Or, am I going to be struggling with the manual?

You can never go wrong with simplicity and ease of usage. The more complicated you make your product, the warier the customers will be. To further prove how easy the product is to use in their day-to-day lives, you could offer buyers the opportunity to try it out before buying. Either offer trial runs or have a representative to present a demonstration at their home or place of work.

#10. Is your product going to remain usable for a while? Or, will I have to get an upgraded one soon?

If possible, design your product in such a way so that you can offer new upgrades with it as and when technology improves. In a time and age, when newer inventions are coming out every day, products tend to become outdated very soon. Customers always appreciate products that are not likely to become redundant in a short time and will remain usable with a few simple upgrades that are also economical.

#11. Is your product compatible with the others I have in my home? Or, will I end up with a complete do-over?

Customers will always choose products that fit in with the ones they are already using. So, ensure your product design is not so different that it is rejected on the basis of incompatibility. Simply because, buyers are not interested in refurbishing their entire setup just to accommodate your product.

#12. Will your product need extensive after sales care? Am I going to be looking for service centers all the time?

Aside from ease of usage, your customers also need a product that is easy to maintain. If it is simple to clean with a few short steps and doesn’t need frequent care, that’s the product that will be successful. Any product that needs customers to make trips to the service center all the time is more likely to be rejected. That’s because the product needs to add convenience to their routine.

#13. I like your product and I think this is perfect for me. But, how am I going to get it home or to my workplace?

Often, the final factor that can clinch the deal is whether you offer delivery and installation services. Having chosen the best product from the range of offers, customers will almost always choose the one that will arrive at their doorstep with a crew of experts that will take care of all the setting up procedures.

For obvious reasons (to many of us anyway), "on your end," "on my end," and "on our end" should be shunned from all speech, emails, documents, and any and all communication.

Please stop.

It's getting bad.

Whenever I read a business email that ends with something like, "Keep me posted on your end," I think of this scene from The Great Outdoors with John Candy:

http://youtu.be/OBJ-MpPBDug?t=2m19s

That bear is not OK on his end

Jake Hoopes and I pulled all the "on (take your pick) end" statements from our inbox over the last year. Here are 52 of the highlights and our reactions to each. While some may seem a little juvenile, these are actual comments made by professionals in a wide variety of industries. We did not make this stuff up:

Emails with 'On Your End'

1. There is not a problem on your end.

When you say it that way, yes, it is a big problem.

2. I also want to be clear that we have strong evidence of a breach on your end.

What? I take offense. There has never been a breach on my end.

3. We need to speak with one of your IT guys to get familiar with some of the technical points on your end.

Sorry, I don't want you familiar with any of that.

4. Should a position become offered on your end, make sure you let me know.

Ummm ... That's not going to happen. Ever.

5. Can you track codes on your end?

Do you track them on yours?

6. I think we have what we need on your end.

I hope so.

7. Does this work for you or are things still a bit crazy on your end?

Frankly, that's none of your business.

8. If you want to put that in place on your end, I am fine with that...

First, that's none of your business either. Second, I don't need permission from you to do it.

9. Let me know if anything happens on your end.

When something happens on my end, I'll be the only one to know.

10. Can you check to see if there were performance issues on your end?

I'll worry about my own end's performance issues!

11. It'll be easy from your end.

What's that supposed to mean?

12. Let me know how it looks on your end.

It always looks fantastic. Always.

13. I have my programmer looking into it more, but I thought it might be something on your end.

Keep your programmer to yourself, buddy.

14. Even if this may not be an optimal time to entertain new opportunities on your end, I'd still like to start a dialogue with an eye toward future opportunities.

Hey! Keep your eye turned the other way, bub.

15. Please ensure to make the necessary changes on your end ...

Great advice. But my end is fine, thank you.

16. Would either of those options work on your end?

Ummm ... no.

17. If I remember right, you set something up on your end so it would work properly.

You're right. My end works perfectly. But how do you know?

18. How are things coming on your end?

Like I said before, things there are fantastic.

19. ... by asking more specific questions on your end.

What's with the obsession?

20. Would your team be able to make it happen on your end?

Not on my end!

21. You would not need to do anything on your end other than show up.

I already do that all day long.

22. I just wanted to see where we are against the prepay on your end.

I'm still confused by what you mean with that.

23. To make this work, I would need some minor development support on your end.

How about we develop your end? Would you like that?

24. Hope all is well on your end.

I would hope you wouldn't care about my end.

25. Do you track codes on your end?

Do you?

26. It's easier for you to process on your end.

How would you know?

27. Not too much text is required on your end.

No text is required there at all!

28. Keep me posted on your end.

I will keep you far away from my end, thank you.

29. Hope you are seeing that on your end.

What? What's on my end?

30. Not sure if this causes any problems on your end.

This causes many problems, but not on my end.

31. What does it take on your end to get the most out of it?

Metamucil?

32. I would like to get my arms around how things are going on your end.

Come again?

Emails with 'On My End'

33. It will take several weeks on my end to create.

Glad it's on yours and not mine.

34. Need anything else on my end?

Please no. Please no. Please no.

35. I should be able to make that happen on my end.

Well, of all people, you should know, I guess.

36. Something weird is happening on my end. What's up?

What would ever make you think that I should know that?

37. ...implement the changes on my end.

Implement your own changes!

38. I just want to get a few people on my end on the phone.

Well, to each their own, eh?

39. It was done on my end and didn't give me anything like this.

I think that's a personal problem. But I know a doctor ...

40. It was firing correctly on my end over the weekend.

I would hope so. You should probably keep tabs on that, by the way—privately.

41. I'm a bit busy on my end, but I have time later today.

Oh, man. I'm busy later today. Actually, I'm all booked up for the next 10 years!

42. There are errors, but they are not on my end. :p Somebody else caused it. (Yes, the author actually wrote that tongue smiley face.)

Really, I don't want to know about it.

43. Those are the exact numbers I will have here on my end.

The mere fact that you're counting creeps me out a little.

Emails with 'On Our End'

44. It takes a lot of effort on our end.

[Insert grunt here]

45. What do you need on our end to help facilitate this process?

Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

46. We need the ability to add on our end to take advantage of ...

Stop right there! I'm sure you can take care of that on your own.

47. We need to know if it will be compatible for us to modify the form on our end.

Is that even possible? I'd be curious to know that, too ...

48. This represents a substantial amount on our end.

That's good, right? But keep the details to yourself.

49. I think we have what we need on our end.

That's just fine. But do I really need to know that?

50. I'm happy to search for someone else on our end who can help.

Go right ahead.

51. After repeated attempts on our end to engage with the client ...

I'm surprised he didn't fail miserably the first time.

52. He knows the week is on track on our end.

... I'm so confused I have no response for this one.

The End

So next time you're tempted to write "on your end," remember the pictures and suffering that term brings to many of us, and please don't do it. For most sentences, you can just leave out those words and it means the same thing.

Keep me posted on your end means the same thing as keep me posted. Similarly, Please ensure to make the necessary changes on your end means the same thing as Please ensure to make the necessary changes.

You get the point from our end, I'm sure. So take care of this small problem on your end and everyone else's end will be much happier.

Your Turn

Are you annoyed by "on your end?" What other business terms need to go away?