Solo Professionals Ideas

You're looking to make a little extra cash or you need a job. Office cleaning is an easy, low-cost business that will make you more money than you ever dreamed of! In fact, many of the pros I interviewed said they started out intending to remain small, as a one or two person operation, but soon had so much business they were either farming it out or had to hire help! It's up to you what and how you want to build your office cleaning business.

To be successful as an office cleaning business, you need to start out knowing as much as you can about every aspect of running your business. It's not just going out and buying some cleaning supplies, knock on some doors, print up some fliers and away you go! There are some very important steps to take before you ever step foot into your first clients office and the pros are going to guide you through the process.

Tip #1-You need a business license or fictitious name AND be bonded

Getting a business license or fictitious name or DBA-Doing Business (depends on where you live as to which), is relatively easy and well worth the $25 or $30. First decide on what you want to call your cleaning business, it should be short and memorable, although using your name will do nicely, too. Call either your city or county recorder's office or clerk and ask about how to apply. A lot of cities and counties have websites that will give you this information. Then, follow the procedure, and within a few days you'll have your business license or fictitious name certificate.

Next you'll need to get a bond. What is a bond? Bonding insurance is for protection of the person you clean for just in case you break something or you hire someone they might steel something the insurance will pay the person back. The pros suggest you call around to various insurance agents to find the best deal. You don't need a million dollar bond, but probably a $100,000 will do. Most of the pros have say it should cost you somewhere between $100-$300 a year and if you don't find that kind of rate at first--keep calling insurance companies! Later, as you hire workers, you will, also, need liability and worker's compensation insurance. But for now, a bond will do.

By being bonded and having a certificate that shows that to potential clients, it eliminates an objection in the clients' mind. Afterall, you are going to be in the clients' business office after hours and he/she needs to feel confident you are trustworthy.

Additionally, now you can set up a business account using your business licence, fictitious name or DBA certificate. This is important for taxes and makes you more viable.

Tip #2-Getting Your Cleaning Supplies

Most of the pros recommend you purchase your cleaning supplies at a big discount store and don't forget to check the dollar stores, too! You'll need things like:

glass cleaner

furniture polish

general all purpose cleaner

trash bags-in various sizes

rags

dust cloth and/or broom

toilet bowl cleaner and brush

paper towels

vacuum-preferably a little weight or easy to carry one

-anything else you can think of.

One pro suggested that you buy several plain spray bottles to transfer your cleaning supplies so your clients won't know what products you are using. Another made a point of saying some good, solid durable cleaning equipment is a must.

Tip #3-Where and How to Find Customers

Here's what some of the pros do:

* "I have a cleaning business and I have found that profits are better to clean smaller businesses and new home construction."

* "I stopped into real estate offices with business cards, put an ad in the Yellow pages, and put fliers around. After that, all I tried to do was be as professional as possible. I think it's very important to look the part. Get a nice clean truck, get it tastefully lettered with a nice logo, and also get some shirts. When you're going around to the few accounts you get in the beginning, you'll be noticed along the way. "

* "Also, advertising is relatively inexpensive. Flyiers and word of mouth seemed to be my best marketing tool. Offer a discount or free clean for new customers or as a referral bonus for your clients who refer new business. But the most important piece of advice I can give you is to get bonded/insured. It doesn't cost that much and it gives clients piece of mind."

* "no, don't hire a telemarketer. Make a flier on your computer, make a bunch of copies and post on store bulletin boards, on car windshields, doors, etc. also, you could send a business card and flyer to real estate agents in your area that could suggest your services to clients moving or for their own rental properties for move-ins/outs. Another method is to browse the rentals section of the newspaper and either call or mail a flier/card to landlords. Placing a classified ad in the services section of the newspaper is good too. Make sure you always carry your biz cards w/ you and hand them out at every opportunity...with tips at restaurants, when paying bills, leave them on a table in a store or bathroom."

This should give you a good start on the right foot!

I recently worked with a woman who was just launching her redesign business. When I had asked her why she thought she needed a business coach she said that she was not ready to begin her business, but wanted to be ready, with clients, at the end of 90 days. As a business coach, one of the first things I do with a new client is assess their business as it stands today, in order to establish the areas in which we need to focus.

As we went over the assessment, I became more and more puzzled as to why she wanted to work with me. Virtually every item listed under my "launching your business" category had been successfully completed. In fact, she had several items completed that I have listed under my "been in business a couple of years" category!

So again, I asked her why she wanted to work with me. Again she responded with, "Because I am not ready."

After very little conversation, it was obvious she was not going to be ready any time soon. It wasn't because the business aspects of her work were not covered; it was because she was hiding behind her tasks. The things she "had to do before she could possibly start her business."

It is very easy to get caught up in the tasks of running your business. Aside from the fact that you actually will be designing for a client, whether you are doing real estate staging or a room redesign, you also have to act as sales manager, marketing manager, bookkeeper and administrative assistant. Don't forget web designer and public speaker. So put together your to-do lists, and dive in, and in, and in.

There is a reason that large companies have departments to handle the various aspects of a business, because each facet, management, accounting, sales, etc. is a full time job on its own. Especially in the beginning, we typically don't have the luxury to hire these tasks out, so we take them on ourselves.

I have found that it is very easy to use the "business" aspect of our work as a great big procrastination tool. It's not as though the individual pieces don't have to be done, because in fact they do, but the question to ask is "when?" When do they need to be done? Is it really necessary to have a three-page full color brochure ready before you tell all of your friends and neighbors that you are in business? Do you have to have a full blown computer accounting software program before you can accept a check for your services? Hiding behind business tasks is a very easy thing to do. I find that I do it most when the task I really should be doing, the priority task, is a task that I just don't want to do: for example, invoicing clients. One would think that collecting for your services would be terribly exciting, but for some reason I find the task tedious, and have to use all kinds of tricks and techniques to actually find the motivation to do the work.

I tried to impress upon my coaching client that she could launch her business today! Right now! She could e-mail all of her contacts, and let them know she was open for business. She could call her five closest friends and ask them to call their five closest friends. She could pass out her beautiful fliers in her neighborhood this afternoon! We also talked about how you never can be, nor should you ever really be ready. There is always something new to try and something new to do, so have faith in what you have done to date and get started right now!

It turns out she was right after all. She wasn't ready. And she has yet to launch her business. But you always have the opportunity to just jump in and go for it.

We all had favorite toys when we were young that just didn't last over time, or we were not able to keep them; we find ourselves wishing that we had been able to hold on to them over the years. Because of this, many people are looking for these types of old toys they used to play with on the Internet.

If you would like to make money with this niche marketing idea; you can buy and sell novelty toys from the past. Sell them through your own website and through auction sites like eBay. Most people would look for hard to find items like these on the Internet.

You may be surprised at how many old toys you will be able to find also on these auction sites. Your local antique stores, second hand stores, garage and yard sales, auctions, estate sales, flea markets, swap meets, and thrift stores would be other fine ways to find your items also. You might even advertise for these older toys in your local newspapers too. Since these old toys may belong to people that aren't necessarily sure how to go about selling them, you could be the answer to how they can sell them.

If this seems like a 'business idea' you would like to start, you will want to study this area of antiques. This will help you recognize the true items while you are shopping for them. It will also help you decide on the prices you will want to pay for items that you find. To make a good profit on your sales, you will want to make sure that you are able to acquire the items for as little as possible and know how interested buyers are in them, and an idea of how much they are selling for.

Your investment to start this 'business idea' will cost you as much as you decide to spend. It doesn't cost too much to offer your items on auction sites. You will need to buy the items and then take pictures of them with a digital camera, so if you don't own one, acquire one. Digital cameras are essential for successful sales on-line. If you need to do research on these toys, you can do the research in your local library or buy the books; which can help as constant reference guides afterwards.

Digital pictures are essential for serious buyers looking for old toys from their past. Buyers will want to be sure that your item is what they remember and are looking for; your picture will also help to show that you have the item in your possession and that it is in good condition.