[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he fantastic business proposal is ready. And you have crossed the biggest and most important hurdle of paying for a strategic site. Congratulations. But how about equipment? Do you know where and how you can find and pay for the type of equipment you need for your sports facility?
This step requires a lot of attention and expertise. So before you start purchasing equipment, you must review your business plan. Successful sports facility owners will tell you that a thorough review is essential if you want to avoid mistakes. Below are three tips that can help you succeed in buying the right equipment for your sports facility.
1.Create A Comprehensive List of Equipment You Will Need For Your Business
Look critically at the mission and objectives in your business plan. What activities have you described in the products and services section? Do you intend to host basketball, volleyball, and football matches? Were there plans of offering fitness training services or hosting table tennis tournaments?
List the most basic equipment you’ll need to provide all the services in your plan. Keep your list concise and clear. You can always upgrade your equipment and add new features as the business grows. For now, focus on the most important aspects. Reserve your money for operating costs and unforeseen crises.
The ultra-modern sports facility in my neighborhood has football, basketball and athletic training facilities. If you’re looking to open something similar, here is a list of essentials you’ll need to purchase.
- Football Field
- Balls
- Whistle and Cards
- Basketball Court
- The Backboard and Rim
- Digital Scoring Tables
- Basket Nets
- Workout Equipment, weights and a gym room
- Laptops and other electronic devices for employees
- Furniture
Read through your business plan again. Ensure that every single equipment has a place on your list of activity. Also check the cost of each equipment. Be sure that these equipment will be profitable to the business, else reconsider replacing it with something more essential.
2.Discover The Best Buying Routes
Once you have a list, the next step will be choosing the most affordable and easiest ways to buy each equipment. Intensive research revealed that there are tried-and-tested strategies that guarantee successful purchases. If you aren’t a fan of DIY, it is best to buy your sports facility equipment brand new. It’ll save you money and time and a lot of trouble in the long run. You really don’t want to risk losing a lot of money when you’re just beginning an important project.
But if you’re a handyman with an eye for quality equipment, you can consider buying fairly used equipment from a secondhand store and then make arrangements to transport them to your sports facility.
Consider purchasing some equipment online. Balls, digital scoring tables, basket nets and pretty much any sports equipment can be ordered by the click of the button. But you have to do proper research and read reviews to determine the most reliable sources.
3.Be Frugal in Your Expenditures To Avoid Financial Pitfalls
While it’s fantastic to buy all of the best equipment you can find, it is also important to save as much as you can. Like I said earlier, ask yourself if the equipment you’re purchasing will bring in a lot of income. If the answer is no, scratch it off the list.
Here’s what one expert said: “Buy only what you need, not what you want. All the shiny, ultra-modern stuff is unnecessary.”
Research studies showed that you should save enough operating cost to keep the sports facility running for up to six months, even if no one patronizes the business. Don’t forget that most sports are seasonal. One source says that sports facilities rake in profits only quarterly. And so you must consider alternative sources of income because you’ll be needing money to repair and run maintenance checks on facility equipment as often as possible.
As for how to save from purchases, consider looking through classified adverts for quality equipment. Below are some recommended sites that can help you save money while purchasing equipment.
- Amazon
- Craigslist / OLX/ Jiji
- Your local flea market
Get quotes from local dealers, compare prices and judge the quality of the equipment before you start negotiating rates. Whatever you do: don’t be in a hurry to buy anything.
Chioma Iwunze-Ibiam writes creative non-fiction and prose fiction. Her works have appeared in Romance Meets Life, Flash Fiction Press, MTLS, Saraba Magazine, Sentinel Magazine and others. Her first novel, Finding Love Again, was published by Ankara Press. She owns and manages Creative Writing News.
