There are five ways in which to build your new home watch business that will cost you nothing. When you are just starting, the last thing you need is a lot of upfront costs as that will put you in a hole before you get your first customer. I have never really understood the principle behind that. If you are launching a home-based business as a means to earn some extra income and to keep busy doing something you enjoy, starting with a deficit takes some of the fun out of your first day with your new job, don’t you agree?
To save you from having to deal with being in the hole from the very start, I have put together a list of five free ways to build your new business. Here is a look at what they are:
1 – Customer Service
Think about this as your top priority. With today’s world of new technology, it is far easier to post reviews (good or bad) online about businesses. If you have ever taken a look at review sites you’ll find that when the customer service is bad, there are a lot of negative things said about that business. If you concentrate on doing your best and taking care of your customers, you will be remembered the way you want to be remembered. Plus, good customer service often translates into both repeat customers and customer referrals. When you treat a customer with respect and give them the attention they deserve, it gets noticed. Practice treating your customers the way you would like to be treated and you’ll go a long way with your home watch business.
2 – Pay Attention To Customer Feedback
In addition to providing excellent customer service, you can also learn a great deal by listening to what your customers have to say about your business. Even if you think you have thought of every possibility that you could encounter or provide as part of your home watch service, your customers will help you to learn how to do things a little better or differently. I’m not talking about ‘difficult’ customers, although you still want to try to work out any issue you may find yourself up against.
Ideally, customers who want you to be successful will have constructive criticism that can tip you off to a new service to provide, a better way of delivering a service or whatever. Always be receptive to what your customers have to offer because they see your business from a very different perspective than you do.
3 – Use The Power Of Google
I’ve mentioned new technology. One of the best things about the internet is that it gives you a platform to promote your business. It also costs you nothing more than a little bit of extra effort to get your home watch business noticed online. One of your best tools to do this is Google. Google is the largest and most powerful of the search engines online. Instead of people using a phone book to find you, with handheld devices and computers, your customers will be searching for you through Google. This means having a properly functioning listing online with Google My Business.
With a Google My Business page, you can list your website, phone number, hours of operation, contact information, post photos and generally promote your business as if you would in a phone book. Even a basic listing will be indexed by Google and the next time someone in your town searches for “home watch business” your service should appear.
4 – Brand With A Logo
One of the most effective tools at your disposal for building your business is a logo. It not only ties into your branding and creates an image to promote, with the right logo your home watch business will truly stand out. For example, a well-designed logo gives your business a professional look that may impress potential customers and helps you to gain their trust. A strong logo also makes your home watch business a little easier to remember because it creates a visual entity to connect you to. However, as useful as a logo can be, there are a few guidelines I would like to share with you concerning the design of that logo.
– A good logo is timeless which means it can be used for a very long time and not look dated.
– A good logo is simple in design and is easy to read, understand and remember.
– A good logo is unique and not a copy or variation of something that already exists.
– A good logo can be easily recognized regardless of what size it is.
– A good logo does not have to cost a bundle. Our new book has resources to help you design your custom logo for just a few dollars.
5 – Free Advertising
The best way to build your business without a doubt is with free advertising. With the new technology I’ve already mentioned, it is even easier now for a small business owner to promote a business and reach a large audience of potential customers. You have so many options available to you ranging from the Google My Business page option I noted above to a free website, free online directory listings, free online classified ads and free social media promotion.
Then several traditional forms of advertising may be free or just cost a little. Signs on your vehicle may cost a bit but everywhere you travel and park that so you will be getting free advertising. Business cards and posters will cost you a little but if you post them or hand them out, you will be receiving free advertising as a result. Even your happy customers will be giving you a fair share of free advertising each time they talk about your wonderful service. There is no better compliment for a job well done than a referral from a customer.
In Conclusion
What holds back many entrepreneurs these days is the fear of having to spend a lot of money upfront before launching their business. You have chosen one type of business that can be launched on virtually a shoestring budget. A home watch business not only costs little to start, but there is also a demand for the service at all times. As long as people keep taking vacations away from home for extended periods, there will be a customer base for your home watch business. The building of that business should not be costly. If anything, building your business should be fun and exciting with all the new tools available to you to use with computers and the internet.