The swimming pool business is booming. The good news is, you don’t have to start out as a landscaping/hardscaping company to start building swimming pools for others.

Homeowners enjoy the convenience of having a pool in their own yard so they can enjoy the beautiful summers that many areas in America offer.

In some southern areas of the US, in states like Florida, Texas, Arizona, and California, it’s potentially pool season all year.  Temperatures rarely dip below daytime highs of 65F, and so it makes sense, for an aspiring entrepreneur, to look at starting a pool business.

In some areas, with temperatures that only dip to a low of 40◦F in the winter months, it’s a fairly moderate climate where homeowners don’t have to worry about a pool cracking and sustaining damage from the cold and ice, which means the pool business is rather robust.

What this means for entrepreneurs looking for that “great idea” to develop is that starting your own pool business in the southern US states could prove to be quite wise and even lucrative. If you’re thinking about starting your own pool business, here are some tips that can help you ensure your swimming pool business is a successful venture.

How to Start a Successful, Profitable Swimming Pool Business

Think About the Type of Pools You’ll Offer

First things first, you need to think about the kind of products and services you will be offering to your customers. Saying you want to start a swimming pool business doesn’t narrow it down. It’s a good idea to look at trends and the most popular types of pools at the moment, as well as the different services.

Take for example fiberglass pools which seem to be having a real moment right now. You can find a supplier that offers fiberglass pool construction so that you can provide your clients with top-notch pools that meet all their expectations. Then again, maybe you don’t want to be involved in the construction side of things, maybe you’d rather offer cleaning and maintenance services, and sell parts and accessories. That will take you in a whole other direction.

What makes a stellar pool design?

• Simplicity is key—unless the client specifically wants it to be, don’t make a pool too gaudy. Put functionality first and make it fit in with the rest of the outdoor landscape.
• Listen to the client—you could choose to be a business that listens, or one that doesn’t. Which one do you think will get the best reviews? When dreaming up a pool design, you’ll always need to keep the client’s needs at the top of the list. If they want a certain thing to be done, you’ll need to do everything you can to make their dream a reality.
• Work with the client—any project could go a lot smoother if there is clear communication between your employees and your clients from the get-go. Make sure you all agree on a design and work process before you start digging. This can cover you in the case of a mishap, and on a more positive note it can facilitate the best results for everyone.

Research Your Competition

The next step will be to research your competition. You want to make sure the market isn’t overly-saturated with pool businesses. Also, you want to look for signs where the competition is doing well and where they may be missing out on opportunities. That can be where you carve out your own niche. Researching the competition will also help you to figure out pricing. Obviously, you don’t want to price yourself right out of the market, but at the same time, you don’t necessarily want to be on the lowest end.

Connect with Suppliers

No matter what kind of swimming pool business you decide to open, you’ll need suppliers, which means you need to get out there and network and make those connections. You want to partner with suppliers who are reliable, have a good reputation, offer quality products, and fair pricing.

If you’re lucky, early on you’ll be able to foster an ongoing relationship with a good and honest supplier. They’re not super hard to find, if you look carefully. If you stick with a certain supplier for a while, it will be easier and easier to communicate and ensure your needs are met.

A great bonus of a long-term relationship with a supplier is that they may start offering you discounts reserved for long-time customers. This is to increase your loyalty, and it’s a win-win for the both of you if your relationship stays healthy and prosperous!

Get All the Equipment You’ll Need

You also need to think about the equipment you’ll need to perform maintenance and cleaning services if that’s part of your business. While you may not want to invest in top-of-the-line equipment, remember you will be working to create a reputation for your business so you want to show clients that you are using high quality practices and equipment on their pool.

The number one thing you’ll need to focus on when it comes to materials is the quality. The investment could be worth it; when you’re a business that makes its money through clients directly experiencing the materials used (i.e. the masonry and tiles), you need to prioritize it.

Top-quality materials and above-average materials may not seem so different to you as the producer. This could at least be true in that the price point matters more to you at first. However, your client will know the difference once they step into their new pool. The customer is always going to be wary of what they’re purchasing and a little quality boost could go a long way.

Create a Marketing Plan

Another aspect of opening a successful swimming pool business is the advertising and marketing of that business. People need to know about you and hear about you in order to hire you. This usually means creating an online and offline marketing plan that targets your specific audience. Social media networks can be a wonderful way to advertise nowadays, especially considering how much time people spend on these platforms.

You may also want to consider cross-promotion with other businesses in town. This means they will promote your business to their clients and you can do the same with them.

Hire On the Right People

If you plan on hiring staff for your company, make sure you spend the time to find the right people for the job. Staff can make or break a company and when you’re just starting out you want to be sure you’re getting the best of the best in there. This means people who are qualified, trained to do their job, and who are able to represent your company in a professional manner.

It Can Be a Bumpy Journey

It really doesn’t matter what kind of business you decide to open, owning your own business can be a bumpy and very rough journey, especially at the beginning. You need to make sure you know this going into it, and are prepared to keep on fighting and pushing forward so your business can succeed.

So, I hope that this article helped you learn more about how to start a successful swimming pool business. Let us know if you have any comments or would like to share your experiences! Post them in the comments below.