A lot of workshops look to provide their services in an agnostic manner across all varieties of vehicle. This is great as you can look after any potential client, but it also means that there are multiple competitors in your area offering the exact same service range.

There may be some benefit in choosing a specialised area to add to your business – you could still do all the general work but build up a reputation for your specialist area and maybe even focus just on that at some point in the future or build a second business within your business.

One option is to look at specialising in a specific make of vehicle. While one with the largest car park might seem obvious, you might attract more customers specialising in a smaller make where people may care more about their car and be prepared to look for someone with more detailed knowledge. There are many examples across the country of workshops that specialise in Jaguars, VWs or BMWs for example. Another option is a specific form of engine – rotary, V8, turbocharged, diesels etc.

Older and classic cars might be a productive specialty as owners are enthusiasts so keen to keep their cars in good order, and performance vehicles could be another.

In this issue we look at another area where you could specialise in the 4WD area. Specialties such as this also allow for potential sales of accessories for added income.

Another area might be a technical speciality. This may require some extra equipment. Some ideas would be diagnostic, air conditioning, auto electrical, tyres and many others.

Have a think about what you like working on. Do you have any special skills or knowledge that would let you start down the specialisation path?