I'm not so sure much money on advertising will get you anywhere. Where do most people turn for needing scrap pick ups? Craigslist. It's free...and will get you the most return. Other ads will cost a lot, and there's really no guarantee on your ad being in front of the right person when they need you. It's too much of a gamble for such a small budget. A small, easy website is maybe a good way to spend a couple hundred...and a set of professionally made
business cards can go a long way. Also having a few t-shirts made up will help you come across more professional and legit when approaching prospective customers.
A truck and trailer for SURE. Nothing too expensive, but also keep about $1500 to $2000 aside for repairs that WILL be needed soon. Also setting aside $500 for fuel isn't such a bad idea, to help you get through those slow periods where the money isn't coming in quite as well. A good cordless sawzall with an extra battery and some blades will be a good investment, too. Processing those radiators and pipes on the fly will pay for itself.
Another decent thing to spend a little money on is some truck lettering or magnetic sign to attach to your vehicle. You'd be amazed how many sets of eyes will run across your vehicle on a typical day of work...and this type of exposure is the sort of thing that can help a lot. If someone happens to see you driving down their road while they have a big ol claw foot tub in the garage they've been dying to get rid of...you might have just landed you some good cast from a very minimal investment. Moving billboards are a hit!
Without creating any major overhead like a building or recurring advertising costs...you should be turning a profit in no time. If you find yourself unable to keep up with the work load, or there just aren't enough hours in a day...a second truck/trailer and a helper or two is a great way to invest a bit of what's left. But remember - two trucks is double the gas, double the odds of a breakdown, and double the repair costs! Just make sure there's at least double the profitability out there before you put the cart before the horse!
Happy Scrappin!!!
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