How To Start A Small Business At Home For Free
Starting a small business at home doesn't always require a large financial investment. Many individuals already possess the skills necessary to provide a quality service to the public. Copywriting, bookkeeping, day care, consulting and a number of other service-based businesses are possible without substantial upfront costs. Most individuals already possess the necessary basics such as a home computer and an internet connection to conduct business in their area. Yes, broadband and a laptop do you have a cost but they are considered a requirement by most households simply to pay bills and send e-mails. The key is that they don't cost additional money where you may need thousands of dollars for leasing space or purchasing inventory.
As we all know, nothing in life is completely free and that is true for starting a small business from home. You still have to go through the basics of setting up your business by registering with the State Corporation Commission to obtain a business license and then using that record to open a business bank account. You also need an Employee Identification Number, or EIN, from the federal government which is used when filing small business taxes. Are these requirements free? No. Still, for the purposes of this article if you want to start a small home business, any business, there are a few things that will always need to be purchased just to be legal and properly registered.
In an ideal situation, that is all you would need to do to start your small business at home for free. If you already have a large network of friends, family and coworkers, it is possible to start providing a specific service with a built-in client base and be profitable immediately. Even if you have to network, it is still possible to use free word-of-mouth advertising to promote your business and find new customers. There are still certain requirements with regards to marketing and accessibility that any small business should consider.
Creating a website should be the bare minimum any small business provides in terms of marketing. And website is your salesperson when you're not available and it provides information and a means to contact you outside of normal business hours. It also conveys additional details about your services, prices and personal history. There are many entry-level website hosts which can be purchased for as little as $5 per month on a prepaid twelve-month plan. But if you are still interested in maintaining a free presence online you can create a blog using your business name at WordPress.com or Blogger.com. Once your free blog is created, submit it to multiple search engines like Google.com, Yahoo.com and Bing.com so potential clients who search for your service in your area are likely to find your website or blog.
Also create any social accounts including Twitter, MySpace, Reddit, Facebook and Flickr which are linked to from your blog or website. Social accounts allow existing and potential customers to follow you in an easy and comfortable manner on their terms. Also, consider making professional looking business cards especially if you are providing a service in a local area. You never know who may be a potential customer. Handing your business card to everyone and anyone may make a difference in being successful or not when starting a small business at home for free.
