Starting A Work At Home Typing Business On A Shoestring Budget

You have decided to start your own work at home typing
business. Money is in short supply, so where do you start?

Identify Your Target

The first thing to do is to identify your potential
customers. Don't bother asking big companies for work at
home typing, you will be in competition with existing staff
and employment agencies. Look around for small businesses,
the smaller the better because they won't have support
staff. Pick them out from classified ads in local
newspapers, flyers and phone directories. Start with
tradesmen such as auto mechanics, carpenters, washing
machine repairers, plumbers, electricians, general
builders, painters and decorators etc. Avoid any business
connected with IT, they are almost certain to be keyboard
literate.

Business Cards

Get business cards printed. You can get this done free of
charge. Make sure that, in addition to your name and
contact details, your card states that you offer a typing
service. Get as many free business cards as you can, you
will need them to hand out to everyone you meet as well as
sending them out with mail shots.

Flyers

Have flyers printed. Flyers are very useful: they can be
posted in locations where local traders will see them,
delivered to targeted businesses and used in mail shots.
If you want to hand out flyers or put them on windscreens
in a car park, make sure you get whatever permission is
needed from the land owner before you start.

Classified Ads

Place ads in any local newspapers, trade journals etc.
which offer ad spots within your budget.

Free Ads

Many places such as shops, wholesalers, supermarkets and
church halls have notice boards where you can place an ad
free of charge. Take advantage of this and remember to
return regularly to make sure your ad hasn't been removed
or covered over.

Mailing List

Build a database containing the names and addresses of
local companies and sole traders.

Brand Yourself

Make yourself a professional looking template with your
word processor to use as a letterhead. If you opted for a
logo on your business cards, repeat the logo on your
business stationery.

Mail Shot

Set up a standard letter to be sent to all the people in
your database. The letter should announce the service you
are offering and ask the recipient to save your card for
future reference. When you get your free business cards,
you can do your first mailing shot.

Delivery

If you are able to target groups of companies in small
areas, hand delivery of your letters is feasible but don't
make the mistake of wasting gallons of fuel for the sake of
saving a few pennies on postage.

The small traders will mainly fall into one of two
categories: either they will have a computer and do their
own typing of invoices, estimates etc or their typing work
will be done by their wife, girlfriend or mother. Your
want to find traders who don't like doing their own typing
work and will be glad of help or whose wife/girlfriend is
too busy and wants to get rid of the typing work.

If you get nothing from your first mail shot, don't
despair, repeat it after a couple of weeks or a month. You
can alternate between sending a flyer or a letter enclosing
a business card. In the meantime, continue to add likely
candidates to your mailing list. You need your offer of
home typing work to be in the right places at the right
times. When the plumber splits up from his girlfriend or
the electrician's wife has a new baby to cope with, make
sure they think of your home typing service. One of the
best home typing jobs I had was for a local Private
Detective. I just happened to be seeking typing at home
work when his wife who had done his typing for years
decided she'd had enough ot typing reports about
adulterous husbands!

If you are lucky, you might hit a candidate for your
services with your first shot and be in business
practically overnight. It won't be big business but it
will be a start. Give your clients an excellent typing
service and chances are they will recommend you to other
small traders. Personal recommendation is the most
powerful form of advertising anyone could hope for. If you
don't score a hit at the first try, keep repeating the mail
shots. Make patience and persistence your watch words and
you will succeed.

----------------------------------------------------
For more information about working from home go to
http://www.elainecurrie.com/workathome
or visit Elaine Currie at http://www.HuntingVenus.com