Is Running a Service Business Right for You?

These are things I had to think about when I began cleaning houses and walking dogs. Selling a service isn't as easy as some people think. Your customers have to see a need for the service, be willing to pay for it and that you're qualified for it.

Is there a need? When trying to sell a service you need to decide if there's a need in your area for the service. You should be filling a need, use your imagination. Are there a lot of senior citizens in your area? Maybe you could do grocery shopping for them, for a small fee.

Are there people who would be willing to pay you to do the service? Weigh the time it takes to provide the service against what would be a reasonable price to charge. Charging someone $20 for a 20-minute dog walk isn't going to get you many customers.

What service? Specialize in only one service at a time. People won't take you very seriously if you're doing 8 different things. I choose dog walking and house cleaning, I would clean the houses of a lot of my dog walking clients. If you're going to do more than one thing, it always helps if they go hand in hand together.

Are you a people person? Selling services can be harder than selling actual products. You need people to like and trust you. If you aren't a people person, chances are you won't have too many clients. You need to be friendly and project trustworthiness. Clients like it when you chat with them and spend a little extra time.

Are you responsible enough? If you're suppose to walk Fluffy at 9am, you have to be there. You're the boss and you're the one responsible. There's no sick days when you are the boss and people will not be very understanding if you just don't show up.

What are you good at doing? Always use things you already know how to do. You don't want to start a carpet cleaning business when you have never cleaned a carpet before. Do what you know how to do and what you don't mind doing.

Are you ready for full time? Until you build a steady clientele and full time income, keep your day job. Service jobs are built on word of mouth and reputation. Those can take time to develop and meanwhile you'll need an income.

Is it just seasonal? Try to find something that will be needed year round. Or, you could always have a winter service and a summer service. I chose year round ventures because you never have to worry about having new customers when one season ends and another begins, I have my clients all year.

These are just a few of the things you need to think about when first starting out in a service business. This type of business takes a lot of people skills, the ability to work alone and the drive to keep moving when you don't want to.