Solo Professionals Ideas

These are uncertain and scary times for alot of people, maybe you, too! Will you have a job next week? Are your hours going to cut back? What will you do? Take charge!

An entrepreneurs know that they will make money when they, not anyone else, are in charge of their own destiny. Do not fear that unless you work for someone else, you will have no real security. Start an office cleaning business...it's relatively easy, fast to get started and has a low start up cost and overhead. You will discovered that you actually earn more money and gained genuine security when you started an office cleaning business. And, your work schedule becomes flexible, giving you more time to do what you truly want to do. Here are four outstanding reasons to start an office cleaning business:

1. A Cleaning Business is Not Hard Work

You think, "Ugh, who likes to clean?" You do! When you are getting paid well to do it and you discover cleaning offices is not hard or dull work, you will love going to work. And cleaning offices and commercial buildings is different than home cleaning businesses because you don't have to interact with people. Most of the time, when you clean an office, the office personnel will be gone. This allows you to get done fast and distraction free.

2. The Sky's the Limit for Income Potential

You get to choose how many offices you want to clean, how much you want to work and how much you want to earn. Because you are not going to invest in a cleaning franchise, which will put you into debt before you ever lift a dust rag, you're start up costs are minimal. There are easy to find resources that will guide through the set up and answer all your questions, without depending on a big corporation that will also want a chunk of your hard earn money.

3. You Can be Making Money a Month from Now

Start up is not only low cost but relatively fast. You can begin to find interested clients almost immediately and start giving quotes. * hint: look at older office buildings where the rents are lower, so not only do they have a higher occupancy but the businesses will have a more flexible budget! * A month from now you'll be collecting checks from your clients. And, because you are your own boss, you decide how much you want to work and how much you want or need to make. Your confidence will rise because you're in charge of your future! Sure you'll make a few mistakes in the beginning, but you'll learn from them and go on to be better. And no one is going to 'get on your case' about it because You Are The Boss!

4. Before Long You'll be Cashing Checks Daily

As your client? grows, so does your pocketbook! You will not longer fret about paying your bills because you will be receiving a check or more almost on a daily basis, depending on how you choose to set up your billing and payment schedule. And because you are dealing with established businesses, there is little worry you'll have a large, if any, outstanding accounts receivable debt.

It may not be glamorous to operate an office cleaning business, but who cares! You're paying your bills on time with money to spare and have the freedom in time to truly do the things you only dreamed about before you started your business. You'll lower your stress level, become more productive and happier, make a good living and gain long lasting financial security.

Here are some tips that will help you with your profit and loss statement. You probably already know these things, but it's nice to be reminded of them once in awhile.

Keep your overhead low. Instead of renting a building, why don't you buy a building? Let's take that even one step further. How about buying a building that is in foreclosure, so you will have instant equity. These properties are out there, you just have to look patiently for them.

Buy low and sell at a fair price. When I first began construction, I worked for a guy who was a smart businessman. He told me that if you offer a fair price and do good work, you'll always be busy. My ex-boss was always busy. He's now retired and wealthy.

Furthermore, if you buy products from a manufacturer, distributor or wholesaler, ask for a discount. When I first started one of my internet businesses, I asked for a discount from a manufacturer and the company gave me a 10% discount. That might not seem like a lot to you, but when you're selling hundreds of items, it adds up very quickly.

As I write this, I think of a business plan. If you are able to remind yourself of your purpose for wanting and venturing out and doing your business, then your business plan will have details with a complete financial and marketing plan. Your marketing strategy should be built around your strengths, your competitors' weaknesses and your customers' desires. Test the reality of your business. In other words, know why your business will work and how you will make it work. You need to think your business through step by step. Imagine everything being done to bring it to reality, especially the "bumps." You'll be able to even them out before one even happens.

Many business advisors say to allow yourself two hours every week for ONLY thinking and planning. This gives you time to map out how to keep your business going in the right direction. Do not allow anything to interfere with this time. You run your business. Don't let it run you. Lastly, make sure you've established an annual operating plan. Review it and update it monthly with appropriate employees.

These are some smart business tips, much comprised of making a sound business plan. Hope it helps out somewhat. Feel free to email me.

Is it fair to say that all artists have ADD, Attention Deficit Disorder. We can't focus, can't concentrate...except on art. When it comes to day to day living, when it comes to life, that doesn't come easy. A lot of artists have tremendous difficulty with the day to day stuff, you know, like having money and paying bills.

I could talk about why we have this problem. One reason is we are sponges. We soak up whatever stimulus is around. Later, that goes into the art. We know art works that way. We know we have to be sponges - that's part of the job. But if you are a sponge all day long, you end up getting very little accomplished. Plus, you have a hard time seeing you in all this. You are whatever is going on at the time. No wonder so many artists - like me - get depressed.

You complain about the money, the lack thereof, rather, but let's look at the core of the problem, and it's not galleries and others who take advantage. It's you. You can't focus on making money. You can go into the studio and create art, but when you get into the office - how is it that you seem to spend all your time surfing the net instead of sending out that grant proposal or whatever?

Learning, and more than learning - doing - the business end of your art venture is tedious to say the least. You don't want to do it. The main reason, I have to be honest with you, is that you're not good at it. Well, duh.

Let's not stop here. We are making the assumption that no one likes to do something he or she is not good at. That's not altogether true, but it surely is true for artists. We are perfectionists, the lot of us. We are that way with our art, but because early on we developed skills to match our talents, we get along in the area of making art. But making money? Getting out there and selling yourself? Forget it. What's that the gallery says? They now want 60%? Oh well, I guess I'll have to let them have it since I'm not willing to learn and do in the biz world.

A lot of good - even great - artists get trampled this way. Meanwhile, shrewd businesspeople who are artists on the side learn how to make a fortune making and selling their slick, fluffy, and sometimes downright schlocky art. Is that fair? Who said life was fair? The business world sure isn't fair. It's cut-throat. Dog eat dog and gallery eat artist.

What's an artist to do? Start a little at a time. Learn...how...to be...a good businessperson. It will take time. You'll have to work at it. It will be like exercise. You will increase the intensity of your work-out as you gain momentum.

Look, I know you suck at this biz thing. I sucked at Tae Kwon Do when I started. But now I'm a red belt. In a couple of years, I'll be a black belt. It takes work, persistence, development... It doesn't happen overnight. It didn't happen that way with your art. I know you had talent. But... You can learn to translate some of your creativity and talent into biz skills. No, it's not the same as art. But making art has a lot to do with energy. You can call it creative energy or just plain energy. Being an entrepreneur and a small businessperson has to do with energy.

Once you are willing to work out and get your business chops down, you'll be good to go. You'll make it as an artist.

You have to be willing to do the work, day in and day out. You have to recognize that this art thing won't happen the way you want unless you become part businessperson, and that's probably a talent and skill you lack. You'll have to work to get it.

You may not be the best. Probably, you won't be. But you'll be good enough. Match that with your fantastic art, and you will be dynamite. Watch out world.

Have you started your office cleaning business yet? Are you hesitating or frustrated in getting new leads and more business? Don't get stuck in a rut, start thinking like your potential customer does. Customer service and customer care are becoming a dying art in today's marketplace, no matter what companies say.

Let's look at your office cleaning business from your potential customers' point of view. Maybe you have a few clients that can give you testimonials or reference letters...that's great! But a potential customer still might not be convinced. Why not give him something free! I don't mean a magnet, pen or some other type of promotional piece. Offer to clean their office for a week Free!

Wait a minute, you say, I could be doing a lot of work for nothing! That could be true, if you don't set it up correctly. Yes, you tell the potential client you're so confident in your work, you'll clean his office for free the first week of service. But, you have a contract or agreement already made up that states if the client signs up for a month, the fee is for 3 weeks instead of four. Should he be dissatisfied with your service, you'll refund the two weeks of prepayment. A different approach is to have the contract made for one week, prepaid. When the client likes your service and signs a long-term contract, the one week prepayment is applied to the long-term payments. This way, you gain a customer and the client feels he is getting a good deal.

This method is also good to gain feedback about your service. Since the potential client has nothing to loose-except one week payment of your service-the customer is more likely to give you honest, constructive feedback. Keep in mind, though, there are always people who like to complain--about anything! Do not take everything personally. Analyze and use the feedback to make your service the best it can be and knock out the competition.

After you have acquired a few clients, it's time to seek referrals. Referrals are the life blood of sales. All great salespeople depend on them, as they are so much easier to close than a cold call customer. How do you do it? Again, offer free service to your existing client. Type up a letter that briefly outlines your service and your relationship to your client. Then offer them a free week of service for every referral they give to you that signs a contract with you. You may be out a week of pay, but you gained another long-term customer that you didn't have before!

These are just a few ideas to get your cleaning business going or expanded. Think "outside the box". Think creatively. Think like your potential customer does. Then your business will blossom and grow.