Aquarium Services Business Plan

EcoAquatics will manage saltwater aquariums for its clients.  We will help every step of the way, from setting up the aquarium, to cleaning it, maintaining it, and feeding the fish.  Depending on the client, they can go step by step along with us, or simply enjoy the finished product. 

We will help clients make choices that will not harm the environment in any way.  We understand that sometimes this hobby can be damaging to the reefs we are trying to simulate.  One of our main goals is to help our clients understand this, and choose reef friendly inhabitants. 

The client must pay for equipment, supplies, and inhabitants, directly through the supplier, using their credit cards or accounts with local retailers.  We are not going to buy and resell, just direct purchases. 

We will focus on saltwater tanks only.  Freshwater tanks are easier and require less maintenance.  Saltwater takes advantage of what we know how to do.  Furthermore, saltwater tanks are more likely to have features, colors, and visuals that enhance an office appearance. 

We will customize the aquarium to match the client’s budget.  We will help our clients decide whether they want a fish-only or a reef tank, while we have an emphasis on reef aquariums, we can do both.  We will also make sure that all the inhabitants of the tank are compatible with each other, the size of  the aquarium, and the equipment in it.  We can offer advice on the best equipment and find the best deal.  We will discuss what type of equipment and inhabitants are needed, or wanted, and do our best to match both the client’s budget and their expectations of the finished product. 

We typically visit the client’s location four days a week during the start-up process, and once or twice a week afterwards.  We will clean any filters or other equipment, feed fish, watch fish’s health carefully, care for corals, trim any macroalgea in the tank, check water quality, and clean glass on a regular basis. 

During the start-up we will go out and get the equipment and creatures so the client need not do anything except set up the initial account with local retail, or supply the credit card for Internet orders.  Our service can be used for a range of needs, from those who have never done this before and need step by step help to someone who is an expert, but does not have time to do everything.  We will tell our clients the truth and not let them get something that will not thrive in their specific tank environment.

3.1 Market Analysis Summary

Although our immediate market is friends and family, the potential long-term market is businesses in Eugene.  We’re looking eventually at two kinds of offices:

• Chamber of Commerce members.
• University of Oregon offices.

In addition, we’ve left some room for “others” such as school rooms, some private homes, and businesses not members of the Chamber of Commerce.

3.1.1 Market Segmentation

Although our immediate market is friends and family, the potential long-term market is businesses in Eugene.  We’re looking eventually at two kinds of offices:

• Chamber of Commerce members.
• University of Oregon offices.

In addition, we’ve left some room for “others” such as school rooms, some private homes, and businesses not members of the Chamber of Commerce. 

3.1.2 Target Market Segment Strategy

We don’t have immediate capacity to serve more than one or two clients in the beginning.  For the immediate future we focus entirely on word-of-mouth clients, accessible through friends and family.  We move into the Chamber of Commerce as a marketing tool later, when we need more sales. 

3.1.3 Service Business Analysis

Aquarium maintenance and design is by nature a smaller business full of small single competitors.  In Eugene, two aquarium stores offer these services, but only one of them even bothers to advertise in the Yellow Pages of the main phone book.

3.1.3.1 Competition and Buying Patterns

Of course there is competition – there always is – but we don’t see competition as a limiting factor in this small hobbyist business, because we focus on friends and family first and we must maintain low capacity to be true to our underlying objectives.