Showing posts with label Starting a Home Based Business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Starting a Home Based Business. Show all posts

August 1, 2009

Weekend Business Idea-- Starting a Personal Concierge Business


Starting a personal concierge business is a home based business idea that really doesn't need a lot of money upfront to get started. A concierge business involves performing routine errands for clients, such as picking up dry cleaning, buying birthday party supplies for client's children, returning videos, library books, taking pets to appointments, and so on. With the rise of two-income families, working people nowadays seldom have the time to do life’s little chores. If you do not mind performing these little tasks and enjoy doing something different each day, this is a business with excellent growth potential.

To start a concierge service, supplies you would need would include: a computer, fax machine, Internet access, pagers and cell phones. Another possible start-up expense includes the cost of bonding and insurance to protect you in the event of accident, theft or other unexpected situations.

You can start building your business by offering services to friends, neighbors and family. Consider doing errands for free in exchange for reference letters and referrals. You may find it useful to advertise your services and company in the classified ads and be sure to print and distribute business cards every place you go. Consider placing magnetic signs on both sides of your vehicle, or buy vinyl letters and numbers to stick your company name and phone number on the rear window.

Start slowly by offering your concierge services to people looking for help with their groceries and errands around the house, and as you grow, try tapping into into the office support services market. There are people looking for workers with office skills to just come in and help them once a week or even once a month and they are willing to pay top dollar for this limited time.

You can also specialize your concierge services for new mothers, elderly, pet owners, and so on.


Don't forget to research and fill out business license application and all other forms required by federal, local and city government.

Check out the National Concierge Association @ http://www.nationalconciergeassociation.com/

Check local concierge/errand services in your area to get an idea for pricing and services offered. Check with your city's business and licensing departments for business requirements.

So do a little brainstorming this weekend if a personal concierge business sounds interesting to you, and don't forget to check out this week's TGIF Drink Recipe (even though I'm posting it on Saturday instead of Friday...oops.)

Check Out Other Home Business Brainstorming Ideas
Wine Stoppers-- Make and Sell Your Own Creations
Organic Delivery Baskets
A Mom's Home-Based Business Inspiration
50 Home-Based Business Ideas

June 16, 2008

Start a Stork Sign Business


Competition can be a good thing, right? So starting a stork sign business may mean you will have to face competition, but that shouldn't be a deterrent if this idea appeals to you.

And a stork sign/ lawn sign rental business is a fairly easy home-based business to start up. Even starting out with one or two signs, and some word of mouth advertising could get you a customer or two.

Craigslist offers free advertising for your service, and you could design a mailer, or better yet, go to Vista Print for very inexpensive business cards and postcards to mail/hand out. Vista Print also offers T-Shirts for affordable prices that you can design. So you can "wear" your advertising when you go shopping, to playgroups, school, etc.

As far as the signs themselves, you can either make them yourself, or you can buy a package through The Stork Lady. There are several different packages offered there for starting your home-based stork sign business, so you might want to check it out.

One more important thing to remember is to check with your city for registering business names and obtaining licenses, regulations for lawn signage, etc.


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