A CHECKLIST FOR START-UP AUTO LOCKSMITHS

All The Tools & Equipment You Need To Build A LUCRATIVE Auto Locksmith Business..

WITHOUT Getting Ripped Off By A Course Instructor!

STEP 1: First, you need to understand that you are making an INVESTMENT..

It can feel stressful at first - laying out a lot of money at once on something you are not familiar with.

I felt the same way when I started, I didn't have much savings so I had to finance my equipment.

But what I quickly found was once I started to get the paid jobs coming in, and I started to see profit - it was all worth it.

Auto locksmithing has a higher barrier to entry - meaning it's more difficult and expensive to start an Auto locksmith business Vs a standard home service domestic business.

But this is a GOOD THING, it means there's less people willing to bother doing it - Which means YOU can get more of the market share so you can earn a lot more money than domestic locksmiths.

Just keep in mind that every single thing you buy is there to MAKE YOU MONEY so try to think long-term gains rather than short term.

You need to be patient and know that you are going to go through some ups and downs in the beginning but eventually it will all iron itself out and you'll be flowing like a well-oiled machine.

STEP 2: Decide HOW you are going to fund your equipment..

If you have savings AKA "money in the bank" then great!

You won't need to pay any interest on loans, credit cards or overdrafts.

If you're not fortunate enough to have savings then you can do what I done when I first went into Auto Locksmithing - You can finance the equipment or take out a small loan. 

You may even consider borrowing off friends and family.

Whatever you do - just make sure you'll be able to make the repayments - Obvious I know!

But let's say your monthly loan repayment is $350 and your vehicle and website costs are $100 per month - You'll need to make at least $500 in the first month to cover costs.

This is EASILY done as each lost car key job will earn you around $300 - So you'll only need 2 jobs within 30 days and you're in business!

And remember - As your website starts to rank in the search engines, word of mouth spreads and your reputation grows - Your work rate will continue to grow until you are turning jobs away for lack of time.

If you're in the US and need to loan the money for your equipment, I recommend the company below. They have been very useful for a lot of our students (even with a bad credit rating) as you can get approved fast for up to $50,000 with the money in your account the next day.

CLICK HERE FOR UNITED STATES LOANS UP TO $50,000

STEP 3: Decide HOW MUCH you are comfortable investing..

My advice to start-up locksmiths is to think small.

Sounds strange I know but if you go and purchase every gadget and machine there is - not only will it cost you a fortune, you'll also be overwhelmed.

Try to stick to a minimal kit list when starting out and BUILD from there.

Only purchase new tools if you personally have a demand for them - not just because it's recommended by someone.

The kit I list below is more than enough for you to get started in this business.

IF YOU HAVE LESS THAN $5,000 TO INVEST:

If you have less than $5,00 to start, I would recommend just starting off offering a "gain entry" service.

You can start buy just buying the Lishi picks (listed below) and try to build up slowly from there by offering car lock outs only.

This is actually a great way to practice, here's why:

Most of the skill of the Auto locksmith lies within the picking so once you've mastered this, the rest is just pushing buttons.

By the time you expand into offering a full lost car key service, you'll be very well practiced and will have mastered this skill.

IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN $10,000 TO INVEST:

If you have or can get access to more than $10,000 - you're in business!

The kit I list below should be affordable for you and you'll be able to set yourself up with no problems.

When you purchase a key cutting machine or key programmer, check with the supplier if they offer you technical support in case you get stuck on a job.

The companies I've listed below have been very supportive to newbies and most of them are offering a discount for the first purchase.

AIR PUMP WEDGES

Air pump wedges are always good to keep as back up when you cannot pick a lock.

You can insert one of these in the gap between the car door and the frame and pump it up to create a gap big enough to get a fishing tool in there.

Then you can do a number of things from pulling the handle, fishing the keys out or even pushing the central lock button!

On the blue button below you will find a decent set of KLOM Air Wedges.

You can also get 12% OFF with this code: LM12OFF 

CAR OPENING KIT

Every Auto locksmith needs an emergency car opening kit.

Most times we will use a Lishi pick to open the vehicle but you may come accross a vehicle with a broken lock which you can't pick.

By using a car opening kit, you can "air wedge" the door slightly and insert a rod that you can pull the level handle to open the door.

See my recommended Klom opening car kit on the blue button below.

Get 12% OFF by using this code at the checkout: LM12OFF

CAR BATTERY BOOSTER

When programming a new car into a car, it's necessary to keep the battery of the car at an optimal level.

Failing to do this may mean that the key will not program into the car properly.

Before you program the key into the car, you will need to open the bonnet of the car, connect your battery booster before you proceed.

If you find a key is not programming, the chances are you have forgotten to connect your battery booster!

The link below will take you to a battery booster I recommend on Amazon.

CAR KEY BOARDS

The easiest way to stock yourself up with transponder keys is to purchase these JMA car key boards.

They come in 3 seperate boards and you can screw them to the inside walls of your van.

The great thing is, they come with 1 of each key for just about every car you will need so it's a great way to keep an eye on your stock level.

If you see that a peg is empty - simply order more!

There are not many companies that sell these and you may need to check availability in your country but I have put a link to where you may find them below.

LISHI PICK & DECODERS

If you're going to become an Auto locksmith - you will need a set of Lishi picks.

THE BIG QUESTION IS THIS:

"What Lishi picks do I need when starting out?"

In an ideal world, you would have the FULL SET of Lishi picks - Especially if you're only offering car openings.

The worse thing you can do is turn a customer away just because you don't have the right pick for the job. 

The chances are, they will never call you again.

If you're really on a budget and can't go for the full set, I have recommended my top 10 in this video.

(Please note: This may vary on your location - please check the most common cars you see in your area)

At the end of this video - I show you where to get the full set of Lishi picks for a CRAZY DISCOUNT! 

You can also click on the blue button below to see this offer.

DON'T FORGET YOUR DISCOUNT CODE: LM12OFF

CAR KEY PROGRAMMER(S)

In my Online Locksmith Blueprint Course, you will see that I use not one but TWO car key programmers.

And I recommend both the SmartPro AND the ZEDFULL.

HERE'S WHY:

There is a bit of a crossover between the two machines.

For example, the Smart Pro will program some car keys that the Zedfull won't and the Zedfull will program some keys that the Smart Pro won't!

This is also the same for "reading PINCODES" on the car's ECU.

Sometimes, a PINCODE is required to allow your programmer to "talk" to the car so you can program the key.

By having these 2 machines, you're giving yourself BETTER COVERAGE.

If you're starting on a budget, I would recommend that you just go for the SmartPro as it will give you decent coverage.

I have found that this company offers a very easy sign-up process without have to jump through too many hoops.

AUTOMATIC KEY CUTTING MACHINE

When I started out just 5 years ago, there were very few options on what key cutting machines were available and I would of always recommended the Miracle A9.

Nowadays, there are so many to choose from and based on feedback (from my Facebook locksmith group of over 2,000 locksmiths) The Xhorse Condor Dolphin XP005 Key Cutting Machine seems to offer the best value for money.

The blue button below will take you to a website that's selling this at a discount but please check stock level before ordering as they sell out fast!

ALL-IN-ONE STARTER BUNDLE (USA VERSION)

When you're just starting out, money can be tight - I know because I've been there!

With this bundle that's more suited for brand new Auto locksmiths in the USA, you can get your key cutting machine AND programmer and save yourself over $600.00!

The great thing about this, is the fact that the company who sells it offers technical support so if you get stuck on a job, you can call them.

If I were starting out on a budget, I would seriously consider this all in one bundle.

The blue button below will take you to the website for more info.

KEY DIY REMOTE GENERATOR

This handy gadget is used for generating "blank" remotes into whichever car you are working on.

The idea is that rather than stocking hundreds of different remotes for each car - You can stock generic "blank" remotes and then program them using this machine.

This is so you can save money on stock - save space in the van stocking every key and also the mark-up on profit is much greater as the blank KEYDIY keys are as cheap as $10!

You can learn more about this machine on the blue button below, there's also a video explainer.

VAN STOCK

Along with your JMA boards and KEYDIY blank remotes, you'll have a very good starting base.

I do not recommend that you go crazy and buy a remote for every car. This will be a big outlay and you might not end up using half of them.

What I personally done when starting out is this:

When you get an ALL KEYS LOST job, just cut and program a simple NON REMOTE key to get the customer out of trouble and back on the road.

You can then order the original remote from one of the dealers below for next day delivery.

Alternatively, you can cut and program a remote key for them using the KEYDIY generator.

When it comes to ordering stock, I've listed a couple of specialist car remote dealers below that have a very easy search function on the website.

Simply order by selecting the make, model and year. 

VAN vs CAR

If you're just offering the minimal "lock-out" service - A car is more than enough.

I wouldn't bother purchasing a van at this point, just invest your profits back into saving for the rest of the equipment.

If you want to offer a full lost car key service, then I would say you definitely need a larger van.

I have seen people use a small Peugeot Bipper all the way up to a large Ford transit van.

Basically - there more space you can have - the easier your life will be and the more space you'll have to work.

YOU WILL NEED AN INVERTER TO POWER YOUR MACHINES

If you plan to have a key cutting machine to offer a lost car key service - you'll need an inverter.

The way it works is on a "split relay" system so the power from the battery in your vehicle charges your additional battery in the back of your van.

You only need a 1000 Watt inverter to power your machine, but the one I recommend offers you a bit more in case you add any additional machine in the future.

I did not fit my inverter myself as I'm not an electrician so I simply contacted a local electrician in my area and asked them to fit it for me and wire it up safely which cost around $150.

YOU MUST HAVE A LOCKSMITH WEBSITE!

Unless you plan to work for another company - You MUST HAVE a locksmith website.

In fact, I think this HANDS DOWN IS THE MOST IMPORTANT step of all to becoming an Auto Locksmith.

This is going to be your life blood and it's going to be where 90% of your customers come from.

If you've already got a website - you've got a good head start - If not, I would start this right now before you're even ready or before you buy any equipment.

HERE'S WHY:

I have seen start up locksmiths QUIT and lose all the money they invested - just because they overlooked this step and didn't get any paid jobs.

It will take a few months for your website to start climbing to the top of Google so all that time you're getting yourself set up and familiar with the equipment - Your website is starting to rank.

KEEP TRACK OF YOUR EXPENSES & REDUCE TAX BILL WITH THIS SOFTWARE

When you have a system in place to email invoices, track expenses and stay on top of the business side of things - life becomes so much better! 

I remember the feeling of stress and anxiety every April that I would have to file my taxes and I hated every minute of it.

I now use Freshbooks which automates everything for you which means you can focus on the job in hand so you can make more money, save more money and spend more time doing what you love!

Below you can get a FREE TRIAL and 60% off through my partnership link.