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.

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