-
Step 1
Learn about small business ownership. Take classes offered at your local Small Business Administration office. There are many programs available that are free. There are even online small business ownership classes that can fit into any schedule.
-
Step 2
Know what type of licensing requirements your state, county, and city have. Sometimes even local townships have different licensing requirements than everyone else. You need to have all areas covered. If you plan to service more than one county or area make sure you are in compliance with all areas you will be working in. You also need to know about zoning laws for operating a business out of your home. Usually operating a service business out of your home does not cause any problems no matter where you live. You will not create excess traffic because customers will not be coming to you, you go to them. But you will still want to check, especially if you want to put in business sign in your yard. Some areas do not allow commercial signs or they have restrictions on the size or content of a sign.
-
Step 3
Evaluate your finances. Do you have cash on hand, do you need to take out a loan? You have to consider everything you will need: equipment, cleaning products, a work van, insurance, advertising, office supplies, uniforms, etc.
-
Step 4
Consider all the services you plan to offer and the experience and knowledge you will need. Will you just offer carpet cleaning or carpet and upholstery cleaning? Will you offer home cleaning services? Pressure washing? Will you offer any other services? Do you have carpet cleaning experience? Do you have adequate knowledge of the services you want to offer? Can you find someone to train you? What kind of products will you use?
-
Step 5
Consider green services. The new trend in cleaning, is green cleaning. Many companies are now turning to all natural cleaning products. They are non toxic and are safe for children and pets. Several companies offer non toxic carpet cleaning products including www.bi-o-kleen.com, www.seventhgeneration.com, www.kokogm.com, www.envirorite.com and www.cleancraft.com. Clean Craft is one of the best places for a new or prospective company owner to go because they sell cleaning equipment and cleaning supplies and they have package deals that offer equipment, training and supplies and no franchise fees.
-
Step 6
Plan ahead financially. There are other financial things you will want to consider outside of start up costs: do you have enough savings to get you through start up and slow times? Do you have another income, either yourself or a spouse that you can rely on? Start up can be tough on the finances and even once things get going there are still slow times. You will want to make sure you have enough money to live off of in case things get tight.
-
Step 7
Write a business plan. This will help you organize everything and you will need it if you are going to apply for a loan or are looking for investors. There are many resources on the web or through the SBA that can help you write a business plan. There are also books, even computer software that will help.
-
Step 8
Set up your business space. When you are ready to get started some of the basics you will are: an office area, an area for storage of equipment and cleaning products, a separate business phone line (an 800 number looks professional), you will need fax machine and fax line, a good answering machine or voicemail, a computer, a P.O Box for business mailing and advertising purposes, and a business checking account. For your phone lines, you do not need 3 separate lines installed. You can have one new line run into your house and all the numbers can be attached to it. It will have the main phone number which the 800 is attached to and another phone number that is designated as a fax number (ask for distinct rings for each line) and goes straight to the fax machine. It makes things easier and cheaper to have one phone line with 3 phone numbers coming off it.
-
Step 9
Advertise in the yellow pages. This is a must. As a home based service business you do not have a storefront for people to find you. The way you schedule appointments and make money is by people calling you. Get the biggest ad you can afford in the yellow pages. If you can’t afford an ad right away at least make sure you are listing under the right business category in the phone book. Big signs and billboards are useless advertising if you are not in the phone book. Most people that see signs or billboards are driving and can not write down a number but they may remember your name. They will then look it up in the phone book. If you aren’t in the phonebook, that billboard was a waste of money.
-
Step 10
Take advantage of all the free and cheap advertising you can get. Word of mouth is the best if it is good publicity. Other ways are by passing out your business cards to everyone, leave business cards and brochures wherever you can. Network with other small business owners and set up referrals. You can get free business cards at www.vistaprint.com, they also offer many other low cost printing for businesses. Take advantage of free business listings online, post your business everywhere you can. List on free classifieds, on website forums, offer coupons and discounts get your name out there for everyone to see. Take advantage of anything and everything you can.
-
Step 11
Set up a website or have a nice one set up for you. A web presence is necessary. Now some people check a search engine for something before they pick up the phone book.
-
Step 12
Remember to do your research and be prepared to work hard. It can be a lot of hard work, but it can be very rewarding. You can be your own boss and run a successful carpet cleaning or other service business from your home.
