Business Advice Needed?!?
I own and run a small business which is basically secretarial services, i.e. i type up documents and audio type.
However, at the moment my business only seems to be coming from Solicitors firms which is fine but the work comes and then goes and I am quiet for about four weeks.
I have advertised by sending leaflets to various organisations and have advertised in the local Yellow Pages.
I keep having companies call me up to ask whether or not I would be interested in advertising with them for over £500.00 per year but that is not an option as I do not make that much money.
I do understand that you have to spend money to make money but how can I gain extra clients without breaking the bank?
All answers will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Answers:
Network.
Join the Chamber of Commerce and any other business organizations that are affordable and convenient. Attend their meetings.
Attend other government meetings, city council, county commissioners, or anywhere business people are likely to congregate.
Don't bother with social clubs if they do not have a majority of business people attending, i.e., PTA or Sewing Circle type arrangements.
Try to get elected to boards or committees so you can use your influence to steer business in your direction.
It takes legwork and time, but business will not come to you, you must go get it.
Good luck.
Additional:
You might try running ads in local professional or educational publications. If you live near a university, you might try advertising in their school paper.
These people:
http://www.pens.com/pens/default.aspx?mi.
have some really cheap stuff that makes for good advertising.
Buy fifty pens and carry a dozen or so with you and give them to people.
Go for the internet business which require less of your time and the one that will not make you feel headache with web designing or which require IT knowledge. Second, choose the internet based company which offer you the opportunity and at the same time giving you the convenience to start the business. Third, choose the business which does not require big money to start it.
All the above is only available from: http://www.website.ws/powercontrol.
PLEASE NOTE: You only will understand the whole marketing concept if you read every details & the trial period is FREE!
Remember, You CAN'T guarantee whether you will get many fish or not by spreading your net into the sea, but u CAN guarantee that there is no fish at all if you never spread your net into the sea.
Okay, given that you are a small business, there are many hundreds, maybe more, other small businesses who simply cannot afford their own in-house administration and typing facility.
Go fnd them, and in addition, as siad above, offer them more, such as administration and things, thus getting more business and spreading the word.
Advertising is useless, go find the work, generation s the thing.
An ad is nothing but a useless trial like aiming some bird in the pitch dark. So, it is just a waste of money.
Companies and Government Offices do have plenty of work which either they have to get done from outside or postpone for the next day due to having shortage of manpower. But for that purpose you may have to make personal efforts to fix some appointment with some senior executive or officers. Of course before that you may have to address good personal introductory letters to the head of the office. When you meet them take another copy with you to hand over personally while having talked about your business.
Some company Executives, Government officers have also some confidential work, which they normally don't want to get done in their offices. They have to get that typed from the open market near their homes, or even try to get done themselves. Try to meet personally with some executives or officers having some position and competent to get work done from outside their office.
Assure them about the confidentiality of their papers and try to get that work and if possible do the job free for their personal confidential documents.
These methods will surely help to expand your business.
yes in some cases it does take a little money to make more money. but where and how you advertise is crucial. the shotgun approach is a waste. be specific in your target market, IE if you want to transcribe notes from doctors then market your ability to do so by printing up a one page report on why you can do it with less errors and faster turn time. list what new technology you have that can enable you to keep pace with today and be set for changes in the future. list your clients. better get a referral from them. everyone sees a doc have them get you in the front door.
also never be ashamed or pre judge anyone who you run into even if they don't need it they may be working for someone who does. so have a business cards ready at all times and always give them two cards. one for them to keep and one for them to pass on.
good luck and hope this may help
Maybe you could try branching out into other areas too, like filing. A lot of large organisations like Councils are very disorganised, and end up having piles and piles of paper, which they get expensive temps in for, and they could send to you, or you could collect.
Or you could learn new skills like web design through your computer (this doesnt take too long to learn if you have Macromedia Dreamweaver, or Microsoft FrontPage), and do some small work here.
There are always other things you could do, like AVON catalogues, or the Body Shop have home working positions, just to get work constantly, even when the typing business is slow.
Just look into ways your computer could work harder for you, good luck.
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However, at the moment my business only seems to be coming from Solicitors firms which is fine but the work comes and then goes and I am quiet for about four weeks.
I have advertised by sending leaflets to various organisations and have advertised in the local Yellow Pages.
I keep having companies call me up to ask whether or not I would be interested in advertising with them for over £500.00 per year but that is not an option as I do not make that much money.
I do understand that you have to spend money to make money but how can I gain extra clients without breaking the bank?
All answers will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Answers:
Network.
Join the Chamber of Commerce and any other business organizations that are affordable and convenient. Attend their meetings.
Attend other government meetings, city council, county commissioners, or anywhere business people are likely to congregate.
Don't bother with social clubs if they do not have a majority of business people attending, i.e., PTA or Sewing Circle type arrangements.
Try to get elected to boards or committees so you can use your influence to steer business in your direction.
It takes legwork and time, but business will not come to you, you must go get it.
Good luck.
Additional:
You might try running ads in local professional or educational publications. If you live near a university, you might try advertising in their school paper.
These people:
http://www.pens.com/pens/default.aspx?mi.
have some really cheap stuff that makes for good advertising.
Buy fifty pens and carry a dozen or so with you and give them to people.
Go for the internet business which require less of your time and the one that will not make you feel headache with web designing or which require IT knowledge. Second, choose the internet based company which offer you the opportunity and at the same time giving you the convenience to start the business. Third, choose the business which does not require big money to start it.
All the above is only available from: http://www.website.ws/powercontrol.
PLEASE NOTE: You only will understand the whole marketing concept if you read every details & the trial period is FREE!
Remember, You CAN'T guarantee whether you will get many fish or not by spreading your net into the sea, but u CAN guarantee that there is no fish at all if you never spread your net into the sea.
Okay, given that you are a small business, there are many hundreds, maybe more, other small businesses who simply cannot afford their own in-house administration and typing facility.
Go fnd them, and in addition, as siad above, offer them more, such as administration and things, thus getting more business and spreading the word.
Advertising is useless, go find the work, generation s the thing.
An ad is nothing but a useless trial like aiming some bird in the pitch dark. So, it is just a waste of money.
Companies and Government Offices do have plenty of work which either they have to get done from outside or postpone for the next day due to having shortage of manpower. But for that purpose you may have to make personal efforts to fix some appointment with some senior executive or officers. Of course before that you may have to address good personal introductory letters to the head of the office. When you meet them take another copy with you to hand over personally while having talked about your business.
Some company Executives, Government officers have also some confidential work, which they normally don't want to get done in their offices. They have to get that typed from the open market near their homes, or even try to get done themselves. Try to meet personally with some executives or officers having some position and competent to get work done from outside their office.
Assure them about the confidentiality of their papers and try to get that work and if possible do the job free for their personal confidential documents.
These methods will surely help to expand your business.
yes in some cases it does take a little money to make more money. but where and how you advertise is crucial. the shotgun approach is a waste. be specific in your target market, IE if you want to transcribe notes from doctors then market your ability to do so by printing up a one page report on why you can do it with less errors and faster turn time. list what new technology you have that can enable you to keep pace with today and be set for changes in the future. list your clients. better get a referral from them. everyone sees a doc have them get you in the front door.
also never be ashamed or pre judge anyone who you run into even if they don't need it they may be working for someone who does. so have a business cards ready at all times and always give them two cards. one for them to keep and one for them to pass on.
good luck and hope this may help
Maybe you could try branching out into other areas too, like filing. A lot of large organisations like Councils are very disorganised, and end up having piles and piles of paper, which they get expensive temps in for, and they could send to you, or you could collect.
Or you could learn new skills like web design through your computer (this doesnt take too long to learn if you have Macromedia Dreamweaver, or Microsoft FrontPage), and do some small work here.
There are always other things you could do, like AVON catalogues, or the Body Shop have home working positions, just to get work constantly, even when the typing business is slow.
Just look into ways your computer could work harder for you, good luck.
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