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Jasonwil

Thinking About Starting Up

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Hello everyone, my name is Jason. I am from So. California. I have been installing cctv and access control for five years now. I am thinking about starting a business and would like any tips you could throw my way. I have over 10 years in commercial and institutional locksmithing. And now I think I'm ready! Thanks for a great site!

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Congradulations! You want to start your own business!

 

Here are some articles, and some threads from the forum.

 

http://www.cctvforum.com/cms_view_article.php?aid=31

 

 

Marketing 101

 

http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=8981

 

 

Spaghetti Marketing

 

http://www.cctvforum.com/cms_view_article.php?aid=32

 

 

Labor Price Calculations

 

http://www.cctvforum.com/cms_view_article.php?aid=2

 

 

Video CAD

 

http://www.cctvforum.com/cms_view_article.php?aid=16

 

 

Free advertising

 

http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=9184

 

 

Press releases

 

http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=9165

 

 

Networking, and association groups

 

http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=9149

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Site survey equipment

 

You can buy a device to put your camera on it, and give you the hands free option. Go to a music store, and buy what is called a "light" stand, or a "speaker" stand. This is compact, and the legs slide out to form a triangle base, and the stand can be raised up to about 10 feet. When you have the desired height, you just turn a knob to tighten down to that position. You can get the cheap "DJ" version for about $75.00. You can attach an LCD monitor to it as well. Even better buy a 220X zoom camera, and use this to show wide angle verses, regular view, verses a zoom view. This makes for a great Dog, and Pony Show!!!!!

 

I actually bought the lightstand system. It is 10 feet wide, and goes up 10 feet high. It comes with two tripods, and two 5 foot pieces that link together to create a 10 foot span. I bought the crank up system. I just take the tripod out, but I use the rest of the system when I do HOME and GARDEN shows, and etc. I hang a 2 foot by 8 foot banner on the bottom of it. I take intelligent lighting, and I have them swing colored lighting all over the place to draw attention. At first I thought my "neighbors" would

get pissed, but they seem to benefit from the "attention" that draws people!

 

They have suction cup camera mounts (for dash cams) that you can lick, and stick on plateglass windows. I use this on commercial plaza jobs so I do not have to take a ladder with me, or I end up doing a D + P off the cuff.

 

Wear shirts with big logos on the front, and the back. You would be surprised at how many gas station/convenience store owners will want to have a talk with you! This is how I get a lot of free lunches!

 

I use magnetic signs on my van. It actually has home theater in vinyl, so that the customers feel comfortable when I show up for an install. A lot of people are really glad that I do not show up with signage blaring VIDEO SURVEILLANCE!!!! I can slap them on, and take off the

video surveillance signs as I need them. If I am just driving around I have it on the sides, and on the back. Get the biggest that you can afford.

 

I recommend a 13" color TV for outdoor daytime use. I do use a small LCD screen monitor, but it does not give the video any justice, in the Florida Sun. The LCD is great for the quick in and out situations though!

 

The only time I use a light meter is to show the home/business owner that they have no lighting at all. I only run in to this in the nightclub/bars, and the fake casinos, you know the kind that gives out gift cards instead of cash. I never use it to make actual lux computations.

 

I have bought a $250.00 lens selector. Total waste of $250.00 in my opion. It is great to hand to the customer, and let them slide the adjustment back, and forth, and then I can look at "their" view. It is more a prop, then a tool in all honesty. It justifies the $100 site survey fee, (they get the value back when they buy a system).

 

LCD screen was the best investment out of all of my tools.

 

I used to take a measureing tape, but I do in my head pretty much nowadays.

 

If you do x-10 stuff they have testors that you can use to verify that it will work before you do an install.

 

http://www.x10pro.com/pro/pdf/xptt_xptr.pdf

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Is this information over load yet?

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WOW! Thank you so much, it seems I haven't even scratched the surface of what this site has to offer. Thanks again!

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