Small Business Idea

How to Start a Mattress Cleaning Business (Small Business Solution)

djenyns — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:13:32 +0000

A Mattress Cleaning Business might be just for you if you have tried everything to contain your allergies, but feel like it is not enough. Instead of just purchasing the equipment to rid your fabric furniture and mattresses of allergens, you can also help others in your community to feel the relief and make a good income at the same time.

Mattress cleaning companies have been available for approximately 12 years in Europe, and are just now starting up in the United States. No matter where you live, this business has virtually no competition, and is useful to all people. If you think it is very expensive to start, you re wrong.

You can find mattress cleaning service franchises or companies wanting to set up dealers. You will purchase a franchise or license, and start your business. Either way the companies include the equipment, training, support and marketing tools to help get your mattress cleaning service up and running.

Each company offers its own system at its own cost, but they normally start about $3,000 per system and you will probably want to purchase more then one system. The up side of this mattress cleaning business is that you will see a profit fairly quickly. However, you should do some things before purchasing your franchise or license.

The first thing is to check with your local and state governments to find out the regulations and requirements you will need. You should also check with your insurance agent to inquire about insurance requirements for your mattress cleaning business. Make sure you have these before you open for business.

You may also want to visit the Small business web site or go to the local office and get a copy of helpful forms and a sample business plan to use to help you start your business. These forms will help you answer questions, and budget your investment. It will also help you to discover any items you may have not thought of or forgotten about prior to opening.

If you need help financing your mattress cleaning services, you will need this document as well as a proposal. You will take these to private investors, banks, and the Small Business Administration. If you are turned down at first, reevaluate your proposal and business plan, make any changes and try again. Never get discouraged.

Once you have financing and have purchased your mattress cleaning business franchise or license, use the tools the company has given you. Advertise, focusing on the ability to clean allergens out of fabric furniture and mattresses. Everyone has furniture and beds and everyone wants those things clean. This works to your advantage to get clients. Don t forget to send a sales letter to local hospitals and hotels announcing the opening of your incredible mattress cleaning business.

Run an ad in your local paper. You can even run ads in surrounding areas, depending on how far you are willing to travel. If your area has coupon mailers, consider putting a coupon for the mattress cleaning business in it. It will get your business name out there. It will be one of the best ways to advertise.

Once you have a few clients, they will start telling friends and family and your client base will grow. Your clients are your best advertisements. You may also want to put fliers in mattress and furniture stores. Always ask first, but they may refer people to your mattress cleaning business.

Subscribe to newsletters and periodicals to keep up on the industry trends. This way you will stay ahead of any competition. Also, check out books and web sites. Always know what is going on in your industry.

If you already have a cleaning service, you may want to consider adding this to the services you already provide. Or you may start with this service and gradually grow into other cleaning services. Your options are endless and the industry is wide open. Your biggest chance of failure is if you don t try.

About the Author

Randy is owner of Profitable Home Businesses, How to Plan a Baby Shower and Las Vegas Weddings.

Small Business Solution - How to Start a Low Cost Home Based Business

djenyns — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 23:12:10 +0000

Low Cost Start Up Businesses ideas are literally lying around, just waiting for you to snatch them up. In fact, there are so many of them, you might have trouble deciding which one you want. One thing is for certain, there has never been a better time for home business start-ups. So the sooner you get going, the better.

One idea out of the many for low cost home based businesses that you should know about is right here at your computer. Online auctions are big business these days, and it s likely you already have items ready you can post for sale.

With the profits from sales on those things you might otherwise call junk, you can hit your local flea markets, estate sales, and garage sales for more goods to sell online. You will be amazed at how easy and profitable this is!

Another low cost home business that you might want to consider is to buy vending machines. These are generally low-cost and low maintenance, and you can place them everywhere from your large local companies break rooms to carwash waiting areas.

The possibilities for where to put vending machines are as limitless as your imagination. Ideas for what to put in them range from peanuts to bubble gum. You can pick up this type of item at any discount club or grocery store for a song and pull in big profits in the bargain.

You can also form a personal errand service. The need for these just can t be stressed enough. People are so busy these days that getting to the dry cleaners can feel like trying to get to the top of a mountain.

Other people who are in major need of a personal errand service are the elderly. They are particularly grateful to have someone to do their personal errands for them. Creating a personal errand service is a great choice for a low cost home based business because it offers so many people what they really want more of time.

You also might want to consider car detailing as your low cost start up business. Americans spend more time in and money on their cars than anyone else in the world. And they re willing to pay $150, and often a lot more, to have their cars clean and shiny. If you love cars and being outdoors, this is the low cost home business for you.

Moving services are also a good choice from the list of low cost home businesses. Do you know anyone who wouldn t love to have someone else do the heavy lifting when it comes to moving? Didn t think so. Plus, they re willing to pay big bucks for someone else to do it! Also, this is an especially great home business if you live near a college or university. If you like physical activity, a moving services business might just be the ticket for you.

If having fun is more what you have in mind consider becoming a party planner. You can plan parties ranging from children s birthday parties to gala events for large local corporations in your area. The terrific thing about this low cost home business is that you get to go to lots of parties! After all, you simply must be at those parties to make sure all those little details you planned for so carefully are attended to correctly!

The list for low cost start up businesses could go on for days. Hopefully, you ve found the one for you or have gotten the idea for one from this brief guide. The main thing you want to remember when choosing the business that s right for you is to consider your likes and dislikes.

After all, it s going to be your business and you ll be spending lots of time at it, so make sure it s something you enjoy. After you make your choice, make a plan for the things you need to do to get your business up and running. Follow it, and before you know it, the checks will be filling up your mailbox!

About the Author

Randy is owner of Profitable Home Businesses, How to Plan a Baby Shower and Las Vegas Weddings.

How To Start A Legal Courier Service Business (Small Business Solution)

djenyns — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 01:10:20 +0000

The legal industry can provide great business to a courier company. Attorneys often use same day delivery services for transporting legal documents to and from offices , as well as courts. Legal professionals also use courier services for delivering last minute evidence to court rooms, which often is a last minute on demand or rush delivery service. These accounts can provide great income for a growing courier company and should be pursued aggressively.

A small local courier company can easily aquire these local legal offices and gain a nice income from them. The first step would be to publish a newsletter or brochure and have a sales representative personally introduce themselves to the owner and present the marketing papers. A personal introduction between local business can gain a great relationship of trust and word of mouth between other legal offices may increase your business with little effort at all.

If presenting your company in person is not your style, preforming monthly “mailers” can work just as well, either way you are “cold” selling, by meeting in person you have more of a chance to present your company and warming up the potential client, however, there is the risk of a bad presentation. A bad first impression can cause many negative effects, so simply mailing your marketing brochure to every local legal office a few times might just do the trick. The conversion rates are not as high as a in person meeting, but with some persistence they can be effective. A few mailers spread out over a few months could prove very effective.

The legal industry is a very good resource for the growing courier company. The best way to gain the account is dependable on which way you feel you can better represent your company to a potential customer. If you are not a salesmen or do not have a sales representive who is capable of handling such a task, a mailer is the right option for you. If you are personable and able to present yourself and your company well, by stopping by the office you will increase conversion rates and have a better chance of landing the account.

About the author:

Webmaster Legal Courier

This article is free for distribution as long as the link is provided in it’s exact manner above.

How to Start A House Cleaning Business In 7 Simple Steps (Small Business Solution)

djenyns — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 03:08:16 +0000

One of the main reasons people start businesses is to make money. For some it s a blessing to make money doing something they love. I m not saying that you have to love house cleaning in order to have a successful house cleaning business; however it would be a good idea if you didn t hate it.

How much money you make depends on how big you want your business to be. It could be a one person operation where you set up at home and service areas close to home, or you could set up a commercial office and hire people to work for you.

Here are 7 simple steps to get you started on your own house cleaning business.

1) Decide exactly what kind of house cleaning services you will offer.

Here you decided what cleaning you will do, like making beds, vacuuming, mopping and waxing floors, dusting and so on. Also note what you won t do, e.g. laundry. You can also decide to specialize, e.g. by cleaning carpets only, or cleaning suspended ceilings only.

2) Pricing your housecleaning service.

To have an idea of how to charge for your housecleaning service, use your competition. Check your telephone directory and the classified ads section in your local newspapers for cleaning businesses, call them up (pretend to be a prospective client) and find out exactly what cleaning services they offer and how much they charge. With this information gathered decide the best price to charge for your cleaning service.

3) Workout startup costs.

For this you need to consider, tools, material, transport, advertising, insurance etc. Write down a list all the tools and material you need, like cleaners, sponges, mops, carpet cleaning equipment etc. Next find out the cost of each item on the list and write it down next to the item.

Transport: you will have to estimate your costs here. You see it depends on where your client is located and your means of transportation to get to your client. (Having your own vehicle would be to your advantage).

Advertising: You can use free advertising (word of mouth) and paid advertising (classifieds, telephone directory ads etc). Phone calls to your local newspaper and the telephone company who publish your telephone directory will tell you the cost of placing ads.

Once you ve gathered all this information, calculate your total startup costs.

4) Name your business.

Choosing an appropriate name for your house cleaning business is important. Here are a few examples I got of the internet, Maid Brigade , All Shine Cleaning , White Glove Cleaning Service . Please avoid using Your Name Cleaning Services . Using your own name as part of your business name is over done by many house cleaning businesses. Brainstorm and come up with a name that helps you stand out of the crowd.

5) Learn the zoning regulations of your community.

Check the city clerk s Office or your local library for a copy for a copy of the zoning laws governing your community. Your reason for doing this is that some zoning regulations prohibit home businesses in a community.

6) Do a few free cleaning jobs.

Well you re not actually doing them for free. You re doing them in exchange for references (these add to your credibility for future paying clients and are invaluable). You can offer these free cleaning jobs to friends, non profit organizations in your communities etc.

7) Get your first paying client then get another and another and another and so on.

Tell everyone you know that you ve started a cleaning business and place ads in the local newspapers. In the beginning you need to spend most of your time and money getting paying clients. However, the more clients you get the less time and money you spend on marketing and more time you spend on cleaning and making your clients happy.

This is just the beginning. Once you start making money take a house cleaning business course to help you better manage your business in terms of growth, accounting, taxes, insurance better marketing strategies and more.

–

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated. fayolap@yahoo.com

Fayola Peters is the webmaster of housecleaning-tips.com. To find more information about a house business cleaning course check out her website at http://www.housecleaning-tips.com.

fayolap@yahoo.com

How to start a house cleaning business (Small Business Solution)

djenyns — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:08:01 +0000

How to start a housecleaning business

Have you ever thought about how to start a housecleaning business? When you think of how to start a housecleaning business you will probably think of questions such as - How do I start a housecleaning business? - Do I have what it takes to run my own house cleaning business? - How do I find and keep clients? - How much should I charge? - What other services can I offer to my clients? - How do I hire and train staff? - How does commercial cleaning differ from home cleaning?

And most of the people who have dreamed about how to start a housecleaning business have been hesitant to put their plans into action, as they cannot find the correct answer for these questions. This comprehensive guide will help you to successfully launch and grow your business by offering expert advice on each and every aspect of setting up and running a prosperous home-based housecleaning business.

Housecleaning businesses are one of the fastest-growing service businesses in the United States. It is an ideal option for new entrepreneurs, part-time workers, and also for those people who would like to make a career switch. In today’s busy world, these are highly sought commodities, and a good housecleaning service offers comfort and order. Housecleaning is a cost effective business with low operating expenses, inexpensive equipment, and a flexible work schedule. Generally speaking, the answer to how to start a housecleaning business is an understanding of basic cleaning technology. In the very beginning of housecleaning business, the home cleaning service might start out small, but it has the potential to foster into a multi-million dollar business with branch offices and franchises.

The very first thing about how to start a housecleaning business is to develop a business plan and policy. After developing a business plan you need a unique name which must stands out from the rest. The next and important step before starting the business is to insure your housecleaning business. You are starting the business, and as you are the sole-proprietor, insuring your business entitles you to the status of independent contractor. Insurance also eases the minds of your future clientele as well as it gives you peace of mind to work freely.

The next important step is to get a copy of your background check and police record. Hopefully, you won’t have one; but depending on which state you are residing in, you have to pick up the application at the State Trooper Barracks, City Hall or the Police Station. This is a simple step; you just take about 5 minutes to fill out the form. The application fee will be between $3 and $15.00. After filling out the form, mail it in, and within 14 days the form will be mailed back to you with an official stamp stating “No record.” You can take photocopies of this form, as you should provide this certificate to your prospective clientele with your information packet.

The information packet is the major step in the housecleaning business - it is what makes your business professional. The information packet must contain a printout or photocopy of your policy and procedures, insurance and background check, references and a sample work order. In your policy statement you should explain the details of your working policy. This will give information such as: your hours of operation; if you will work in a house that has a dog; if you bring the cleaning products or the client has to provide his/her own cleaning products; your rates (per hour or per job); and what form of payment you take. All these details have to be included in the policy statement.

Don’t forget to include a sample work order in your information packet. For example, in cleaning a bedroom, what will you do? That is, you must write - ceiling fan will be dusted, trinkets dusted, bedroom furniture dusted, sheets changed and bed made, carpet vacuumed and any other service you will provide. Also, you can custom create a work order if a client wants something done which is not on the work order.

Also, it is a plus for you to include at least two references. Adding references might be a difficult task as you are just starting out so add them as you go along. You can get a references by offering a free cleaning for some community organizations or churches.

When you create your business cards, you must only include your name with the title of proprietor, and your telephone number. Don’t put anything such as FREE ESTIMATES or CHEAP on the cards. You have to present yourself as a person offering a professional service.

Now you’ve got some idea about how to start a housecleaning business! It is a highly profitable business. So what’s stopping you now?
About the Author

Other Business ideas

http://www.bringyourbusinessonline.com/how-to-start-a-vending-machine-business.html

Small Business Solution - How to Start a Home Wood Working Business

djenyns — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 15:07:05 +0000

Starting a Home Wood Working Business is just the thing for those who love working with wood as a hobby. The quality and design of hand crafted wood is prized the world over. Furniture, toys, boxes and the like are used everyday. There is a definite market for Woodworking Business Opportunities.

Many products of woodworking are marketable today. Everything from shipping crates to armoires are made from wood products. There is also an emerging market for hand made wooden toys. If you posses skill and talent, you can make money in the wood working business opportunities field.

Things you will need to start a woodworking business are fairly simple. You will need to know your state and local requirements for opening a business in the woodworking business opportunities field. More importantly, you will need to know what types of items you want to produce. This will have a definitive bearing on the supplies and tools you will need to have on hand. Also think about joining a trade organization associated with woodworking. This can help guide you in advertising your work as well as shows and events to help showcase your finer pieces.

You will need a good supplier of various woods and wood handling tools. Though you should never use sub-standard materials, quality is especially imperative for toys, furniture, and other practical items that your clients will be using daily. A long lasting product will get you plenty of referrals.

Once you have established a relationship with a supplier for your Home Wood Working Business, you will need to consider your area and what your advertising should be. There are several ways in which you can market your products. Having a web site to direct clients to for a glimpse of your products is a fantastic way to get your name out there and to showcase your work. People who shop online will be quick to refer you if they have a pleasant experience and are happy with the outcome of the purchase.

There are also more traditional means of sales in the Home Wood Working Business Opportunities field. Trade shows, flea markets, arts and crafts fairs, malls and small outlet stores are all resources that need to be investigated. Marketing your custom designs to furniture stores and specialty stores is a great way to start your home wood working business rolling. Make sure you do not over-book your business, however. You will need to consistently maintain your level of quality throughout the sales process.

Advertising your home wood working business on the Internet, local bulletin boards, trade magazines and the like will help you establish a reputation and make your name known. Going to arts and crafts shows, trade shows and flea markets will aid in showcasing your work and increase your sales. All of these opportunities should be taken advantage of as often as possible in order to increase your profile and resume’. Entering contests in the woodworking trade will also help with referrals and increasing sales.

Don’t limit your imagination. Many clients may ask for custom work. Be sure when handling custom orders that the direction of the project is clear. There are design copyrights to be considered also. If a client has a copyrighted design that he would like for you to build, be mindful of that. However, you can also copyright your own designs. This could lead to increased revenues in your Home Wood Working Business.

Fashion and home decor trends are on your side in this industry too. Beautifully crafted wooden bowls and home accessories are always popular. If you are interested in doing these types of small jobs, keep in mind that they are relatively inexpensive to ship and make great online products.

There is also the artistic side of the woodworking business opportunities field. Sculptures, frames, and other art objects can be sold as well as furniture. Your only limit in woodworking is your imagination and your bravery to try new things.

Woodworking can be a fun and lucrative career. The woodworker has the ability to create as not only a practical tradesman, but as an artist as well. If you have dabbled in woodworking, think of it now as a career. Woodworking can be a fulfilling and successful endeavor.

About the author:

Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

Randy has dozens of home based business articles such as Medical Billing Business. You can also sign up for Randy’s free newsletter and 8 different FREE e-courses:Profitable Home Business Newsletter.

How to Start a Home Decor Business (Small Business Solution) for Profit

djenyns — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:05:57 +0000

Love home decorating? Then a Home Decor Home Business is something you want to know about. Interior decorating has exploded in the years since 9/11 as people began seeking security and comfort in their homes. And home decorating businesses have benefited tremendously.

There are some home decorating businesses that are part of the home show business trend. You sign up as a sales representative with a company specializing in home decor or home decorating products and have shows where you present the items and sale them. You can offer these shows in your own home or go into other people s homes and give them. These shows can be a great deal of fun and are a way of having your own home decor business. If you re a little unsure of your abilities or afraid of getting in over your head as you start your home decorating business, this could be a good home decorating businesses opportunity for you.

If, however, you re more independent and have a flair for interior decorating, you may want to start a home decorating business all your own. You don t have to go for entire home overhauls, either. You can specialize in draperies, kitchen remodeling, carpeting, art and accessories, or color scheme choices, just to name a few, as the focus of your home decor home business. The possibilities are as endless as your home decorating ideas for the home decor home business concept.

As you start your home decor home business, some contacts you ll want to make are with:

Interior designers
Home builders and contractors
Architects
Art galleries
Carpet companies
Paint companies
Antique dealers
Thrift stores
Surplus stores
Arts and crafts stores
Lighting specialists
Furniture stores and dealers

Why, you ask, do I need contacts with businesses like these? Because they know people who may need the services of a home decor home business. They can spread the word about your business and put you in touch with prospective clients. Which means you can get to work more quickly, and often with more upscale clients than you could reach on your own, especially when you re just starting a home decor home business.

Now some questions to ask yourself before you run off to tell that antique dealer you love so much about your new home decor home business are:

Do I have space in my home for an office and the necessary supplies?
Is my family supportive of my having a home decor home business?
What will I do about accounting?
Where are my special skills and talents?
Do I enjoy this kind of work?
What are the zoning regulations concerning home businesses for my neighborhood?
What s the competition in my area?
Is my area saturated with interior decorators and designers?
If it is, can I find a way to work with them on a commission basis, perhaps?
Do I need to take courses or get a certification of some kind?

Ask yourself lots of questions about the business side of having a home decor home business. When turning a hobby or passion into a business, it s easy to forget the nitty-gritty details like how you will pay your taxes. Don t let your excitement and enthusiasm get you in over your head.

Because it will be a business. And you ll need to think like a business person and make a business plan for your home decor home business. So think things through carefully. Do a lot of research, and find out all you can about a home decorating business and a home decor business.

Learn what people are looking for right now in terms of interior decorating. You may love country home decorating, but the people in your area may be on an Oriental or Southwestern home decorating kick. Go to furniture stores and see what they re stocking. Talk with owners about what s hot and what they think will be next season.

And after you ve done all these things, by all means, run off to tell that antique dealer all about your new home decor home business. He or she may have just the right person in mind for your first client.

About the Author

Randy is has dozens of home based business articles such as Mattress Cleaning Business and Nutrition Home Business.

How to start a home business. (Small Business Solution)

djenyns — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 03:06:04 +0000

Do you know that it s possible for a housewife or a one-man-show around the world to start a home business for full time income?

It s possible. And I’m going to tell you what you need and how to do it.

First you need to get an extra phone line, fax and a computer in your home. This should be different from your existing home phone line or computer. That was easy to get started, wasn’t it?

The secret to start a home business quick and profitable is to be a middle man between the prospects and the products or services they are looking for. It s that simple! Of course you can create your own products or services to sell, but why go through the hassle in the early stages of getting started? By being the middle man , you can get started immediately.

Then, you have to determine whether you want to be a middle man for a product or service oriented business. Both will give you the same benefits. Even if it s product oriented, you are not be producing it. You are just merely getting it from someone and passing it to the customer. Therefore, you should not have any inventory. However, I ll prefer to be involved in service oriented home business because it s less sticky . Products may have more issues such as delivery, order fulfillment, product return and so on.

Here are 3 ways you can immediately start a home business by being a middle man for a service oriented home business:

1. Human Resource Department

Do you know that many companies are hiring and many people are looking for a job? This is one of the best opportunities that you can get started immediately. It s low cost, almost zero in cost. Go to all the offices and factories in your city and tell the human resource manager/department that you want to help them find reliable staff. They will have a list of vacancies. Get all the details. Compile it and start announcing to the public what vacancies you have to offer! You can make money from either the company or anyone who gets a job from your help. You decide how much commission you want. If the company already has their own commission scheme, you can just earn from there.

2. Real Estate

You’d be surprised that many people are actually buying houses each day. And many people are selling houses as well! Don’t believe me? Go to your local real estate dealer s office and you’ll see there are plenty of requests from people wanting to buy or sell houses. You can just be a middle man to get the deal. In fact, all real estate agents are middle men in reality. You can just tie up with a few real estate agents and negotiate for a commission from them if you help them to get the houses their customers are looking for, or to help their customers to sell off their house.

A few deals a month will land you in big commission checks because houses price can vary from $50,000.00 to $5,000,000.00! However, you do want to set a certain criteria of amount that you will not participate. Example, you might not do any deals below $25,000.00 (or whatever figure you choose) because you’ll need to put in the same effort and yet the return is too minimal.

3. Seminar business

Do you see seminars conducted in your city or state? It can be any type of seminars. Doesn’t matter what seminar it is. Pick up your phone and call the seminar organizers. Tell them you’ll find participants to fit in their room and ask them how much commission they are willing to pay you per head. If the company is smart, they’ll pay you good commission because they no longer need to invest their money in advertising. And secondly, they cannot lose because they are paying you for results only.

Once you have experience of it, you may even consider engaging your own speaker one day and organize it. This can be your quarter year project for quick, instant cash.

There are so many other ways to start a successful home business. I’ve not even covered on how to start a home business by using the internet (If you want to learn that, go get a copy of 5-Step System To Make Money Online VCD Package at http://www.sellingonlinesecrets.com ).

So don’t give excuses for yourself that it s too much work, you need a lot of money to get started, and so on. Those are all excuses you create for yourself because of unconscious fear of failure. Or your own limiting beliefs.

It s your life. It s your decision. Sit on it, and there is no way you can expect to start a home business. Start it today, and maybe you’ll start making money in a few months and generate a full time income in a year or 6 months.

All the best.

Patric Chan

http://www.AutomateInternetMarketing.com

Patric Chan is an internet infopreneur, and author. He had joint-ventured with many famous internet marketing experts in product creations and selling online.

Get the latest internet marketing tips at http://www.automateinternetmarketing.com.

How to Start a Home-based Service Business for under $200? (Small Business Solution)

djenyns — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 23:04:25 +0000

Many people are not satisfied with their 5-9 day jobs. They felt that their talent aren’t fully utilized. They stick with the jobs for financial reasons other than fulfillment of lifetime dreams. Instead of complaining how dump your bosses are and how boring the jobs are, it’s time to take action to do the things you like and make good money as well. Whether you want to go to the path of self-employed or just to add some extra income, it depends on many factors. We all have one life to live, what life is gonna be like without even trying to pursue our dreams.

Ideas

A right business idea is crucial to the success of your new venture. The most important thing in choosing a business is to follow your heart. The business you are in should be the things you’re passinate about. Second, you have enough knowledge experience and talent to compete. Finally, it’s to start small and to choose a business that can generate small and steady income without heavy initial investment while having the potential to grow to eventually support your family. Freelance writing, Web design, online marketing, freelance programming, bookkeeping are just a few ideas to consider.

Registration

In United States, registration of a business is required in many states unless you do business in your own name. The registration may cost about $50, and it’s free if you register with your state online. Next step is to obtain a Tax Identification Number from IRS if you operate as a business not an individual. Again it’s free.

Promotion

For a new business, promotion is where you need to spend money. Distributing business cards is one of the most popular and inexpensive ways to market or advertise your service. Though you can do business card printing yourself using many different business card templates, it’s wise to spend a little money to order professional designed business cards. For as little as $20, you can order 500 business cards. Color business cards will cost a little bit more.

A professional Web site is next thing you must have to promote your service so that the prospects can obtain information about your business 365 days a year and 24 hours a day. Affordable Web hosting costs as little as under $50 a year. For another $80, you can have one or two simple Web pages. We still have $50 to spend for the promotion. If it’s a local business, spend it on flyers. If the prospects are likely looking for the service on the Internet, spend $50 on Pay-Per_Click (PPC). $50 on PPC will actually bring you a few customers and generate some revenues.

Starting a home-based service business isn’t all that harder. It’s lot of trial and error. It takes a lot of harder work to truly succeed.

Copyright @2005, 4th Media Corporation

You have permission to publish this article electronically free of charge, as long as the bylines and links in the body of the article and the bylines are included.

About the author:

Natalie Aranda is a freelance writer. She has great experience with using business cards to promote her website that offers Christmas gift ideas and anniversary gift ideas. A color business card works even better.

How To Start A Home Based Gift Basket Business (Small Business Solution)

djenyns — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 03:04:32 +0000

Many of us dream of working from home, spending more quality time with our families. I decided to do just that. Yes i was afraid of failing, not being able to handle the pressures of running a business, and looking after my family at the same time. So i began my search for the right business to start, GIFT BASKETS! I use to give them for gifts to family members, so I thought why not make money while doing something I loved.

STARTUP

As with any new business,you will have to make a number of decisions. What types of baskets will you offer? If you are working from home do you have enough space for creating your baskets?

What is your target market? And most of all how will you reach them? If you plan to start on a shoestring budget, start slow and work from home. running your business from home will allow you to save on overhead expenses.

Income Potential

Your income potential depends on how hard you work and market your business. Industry insiders estimate potential revenues to range from 10,000 annually working part time from home.

Your Gift Baskets

You can either offer a wide selection of gift baskets, or focus on a smaller market. Some of the common gift baskets being offered include the following:

Gourmet/Food Gift Baskets. These are the most popular gift baskets businesses give to their clients, friends and family.

Bath And Body Gift Baskets. These are very popular! Ingredients of these baskets include toiletries like scented soaps, fragrances, olis, lotions, and aromatherapy products. These are just a few selections of gift baskets offered, the list goes on.

Inventory

You inventory level should alway grow as your sales grow. Start small, keeping inventory at a relistic level. You can purchase inventory for your gift baskets either wholesale or retail. I would advise buying at wholesale price, because you may buy in quantities.

LaTunya Sifford is an Work At Home Mom with a online gift basket business. She has 2 children ages 13, and 18 months.She can be contacted at the following:

Email: info@fullmoongiftbaskets.com

Wesite: www.fullmoongiftbaskets.com