Start an Errand service business
These days we live busy lives and a lot of people do not have the time to carry out simple everyday tasks like walking their dog, paying bills, dropping off their vehicle for servicing, waiting around the house for cable or phone service installation, etc. For some people this is due to working many hours and sometimes multiple jobs. Others may be elderly folks or mothers with a new baby who simply cannot perform these tasks on their own. Businesses can also use an extra hand with carrying out day-to-day operations. This provides you an opportunity start an errand service business catering to these people. This can easily be a home based business because it can be operated from your home as long as you have a vehicle to run the errands and preferrably a cell or home phone where you can be reached. This allows you to start a business without having to rent or purchase a building.
Legal requirements
The type and size of business you are entering will determine what legal documents you will need in order to get started. Your business may need a DBA ("doing business as") registration and a business license, which is usually on the local level (city, county or parish). It may be possible to use your name and conduct business as a sole proprietor. It might be to your advantage to form an LLC (Limited Liability Company) for legal protection and tax incentives. You should consider contacting a lawyer to find out what legal documents are necessary to start your business.
State Guide: Obtaining Licenses & Permits
Promoting your business
You will need to market your services in order to grow your business. If you have a professional apperance, are outgoing and perform tasks in a timely manner, you should have no problem getting word of mouth referrals. You can use websites such as VistaPrint.com and PrintRunner.com to order business cards, letterhead, flyers, signs, vehicle magnets and many other types of promotional products at great prices. You can register a domain name (website address) for around $10 a year through GoDaddy.com and even build a professional looking website without having any knowledge of HTML coding. Another easy and completely free way to have a presence on the web is to use OfficeLive.com to build your website (MySpeedyErrands.com was built using Office Live). It has features that allow you to manage your business contacts, build custom forms to gather information from your visitors, and view reports of your website traffic. YouTube.com is a great resource for learning ideas from others on how to use cost effective marketing ideas to promote your business.
Everything You Need To Get Started