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[L627]Low Cost Business Startup

by Danny Austin, Dan

Get advice from a successful mentor who's already
been through the rough-and-tumble first stages of
starting a business. You should find someone who
has 100-percent faith in you and your business
idea and should preferably be someone who's
already stable and established, not some
overnight success: A good mentor who's already
experienced business success will have been
through a lot of ups and downs and can offer
useful advice on what not to do when developing
your business. This secret alone could save you
thousands of dollars!

Have your business plan drawn up for free by
submitting your business to MBA students. Most
MBA students are required to take a class on
devising complete business plans. If your
business idea is well organized and creative, you
could score a pretty snazzy A-list plan at no
charge! Plus you'll be able to see your company
from the perspective of numerous objective eyes.
This will give you insight into any loopholes you
may have overlooked when drafting your original
plan. Pinpointing these errors early could save
you money in the long run and will also help you
be better prepared and organized for the future.

Barter strengths with other start-ups. Start
networking with other small-business owners by
joining your city's chamber of commerce or other
local business group. At the networking events,
don't by shy-ask questions. What are the needs
these other businesses have? How are they
struggling with different aspects of running and
growing their companies? Pinpoint the areas in
which they need help and creatively offer those
services of yours that can enhance their business.
In exchange, propose that they provide you with
help in their area of expertise in the areas
where you need help. Small-business owners love
to barter: Hiring outside consultants can be
pricey, but bartering for both businesses are
priceless.

Get low-or no-cost advice from a university-
affiliated Small Business Development Center.
These centers, offer free advice and free-to-very-
cheap workshops to new companies. They provide
resources and information regarding every aspect
of business. More often than not, entrepreneurs
are creative people with great products but are
lacking in some of the other, "not so exciting"
areas of business. Services at these centers
include such things as one-day seminars on
getting started, free one-on-one counseling,
legal clinics, online resources and downloadable
forms.

Hire a virtual secretary. Hiring a virtual
secretary provides the illusion of a professional
office atmosphere, even if you're just working
out of your den. Virtual secretaries can do
anything from setting up appointments and taking
messages to answering FAQ's and even answering
your calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Hiring a virtual secretary could cost you as
little as $40 a month to start, a small price to
pay for excellent customer service.

Hire college interns to help with simple tasks.
Interns can help out by running errands, making
copies or helping with mailings. They can also be
trained to answer customers' initial questions
about your product or service or can handle PR
duties or Web design-it will depend on the
expertise of the students you hire. By hiring
smart, you can carve out the time you need to
deal with bigger and better things.

"Pay as you use approach." Why pay monthly rent
for office space when you're just starting out?
Instead, employ a "pay as you use" approach. Do
most of your work out of your home office, and
then when meeting prospective business associates
or clients, rent space by the hour.

Join/start your own support network. When you
start a business, it's imperative to enlist the
help and support of people you trust. It's easy
for entrepreneurs to get into the mindset of "If
I need to get something right, I have to do it
myself." While this may be the case, spreading
yourself too thin keeps you from building your
business properly.

With all these low cost methods, you have no
reasons not to start up.

In today's economic crunch, it can be tempting for hopeful entrepreneurs to renege on their once strong desires to go into business for themselves. Because most assume a very high price tag associated with purchasing a franchise business, it can seem unreasonable or perhaps even foolish to spend money when things are tight. But that conclusion is based on one very flawed presupposition: the notion that all franchises are more costly than the average businessperson can afford. In fact, there are many business opportunities that can be started for an initial purchase price no greater than the value of a mid-sized sedan, and a business is certain to bring in greater revenue than a Toyota. If you've been pondering the business options available to you and have lost the hope of being able to afford a franchise business, here are 10 great, low-cost businesses you may want to take a look at.

1. US Lawns

Regardless of whether you've had previous experience in the landscaping industry, this 22-year-old company is the choice for anyone wanting to make a go of it. Today US Lawns is the largest and fastest growing commercial landscaping business around, specializing in serving the lawn and garden needs of only commercial clients, like offices buildings and apartment complexes. The initial cost and overhead are very low, and overhead only increases as the franchise grows.

2. Von Schrader Carpet Cleaning

One of the best known and respected names in carpet cleaning, this business has been in operation since 1935 and has seen over 50,000 work at home franchisees benefit from its proven methods. Initial franchising fees and startup capital requirements are very low, and with most franchisees reporting that they see a return income of $40/hr, it pays off rather rapidly. And for those who can't afford the initial costs but are interested in the franchise opportunity, financing help is available.

3. Wood Defender

Every year millions of feet of wood privacy fencing goes up around the country as people opt to separate their yards from the outside world, but without the proper finishing stain to seal the wood, weather wears on that fencing at an alarming rate. Wood Defender franchisees are taught how to properly stain 200 feet of fence in under an hour and make over $700 in the process. With an initial price on this home business that varies depending on each person's commitment level, it's the perfect opportunity for both the fulltime entrepreneur and the weekend warrior.

4. Value Forward Management Coaching

While most coaching companies accept any and all entrepreneurs and teach them how to help small businesses, Value Forward Management Coaching does things a little differently. Taking only those entrepreneurs with a history of executive experience lasting at least 10 years, Value Forward Management Coaching then teaches them how to serve clients operating $2mil-$300mil companies. It's the low startup business for the longtime business professional.

5. Fabulous Floors

Depending on the territory size a franchisee is interested in, this low-cost business costs between $20,000 and $30,000, making it a very affordable opportunity for a talented handyman to start a turnkey home based business. Equipped with a proven business model and equipment that allows for the quick, odorless, and dustless refinishing of hardwood floors, franchisees can be well on their way to financial independence in only 30 days.

6. Let's Gogh Art

Though it's primarily targeted at children, the venue options for this low-cost franchise opportunity are many, ranging from afterschool centers to corporate team building days. For much less than the cost of most franchises, Let's Gogh Art licensees purchase access to one of nine different curricula models, instructor materials, a 45-mile protected territory, and much more.

7. Eagle's Nest Homes

If you have a knack for sales and a passion for home construction, this is your business. Become a professional seller of panelized homes, one of the most cost-effective methods of construction available, which ultimately produces a home appraisal up to 25% higher than local market value. Provide your clients with the choice of over 50 house models and the option to go green, an increasingly popular alternative to standard construction.

8. Moneylendingbusiness.com

Online payday loans are a big business these days, and for a very low startup cost, you can profit from the industry with a Moneylendingbusiness.com business. Unlike a franchise, this work from home opportunity comes with no royalty fees and the right to make up your own company name instead of taking that of the franchisor, but of course you still receive all the benefits of having a franchisor looking out for you and helping you refine your business. With all the necessary software and business structures you can begin profiting from payday loans online or in person as you see fit.

9. PreQuence

Serving the housing industry with one of the newest advertising methods available, PreQuence franchisees are responsible for sending clients real estate listings via cellular text messages. It's a green alternative to paper fliers that saves on personal cost, frees up the franchisee's schedule, and makes the advertising far more convenient for the client.

10. Candy Bouquet

If you're interested in purchasing a cheap retail franchise that is unlike anything else out there, Candy Bouquet is the way to go. Unlike a bouquet of flowers, candy never wilts, fades, or dies, making it the perfect gift alternative. With a full array of initial training, access to easy online product purchasing, and protected territories, franchisees receive all they need to really sell this wonderful product.

Our economy may not be in its finest days right now, but that doesn't mean it's a bad time to start a business. There are many cheap franchises that are as viable business options as their pricier and rather inaccessible counterparts, and they're just waiting for the perfect franchisee to come along and profit from them. Be that entrepreneur and see what your low initial investment can turn into.

Article Source : Pg. 6

About Author

Both Danny Austin & Candice Clem are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Danny Austin has sinced written about articles on various topics from Finances, Vitamin and Mineral Supplement and Small Business. If you want to learn some Power Principles of Maximizing Your Business Success for FREE, subscribe to my FREE Newsletter by visiting http://www.ministryofbiz.com/eproducts.html. Danny Austin's top article generates over 450000 views. to your Favourites.

Candice Clem has sinced written about articles on various topics from Work From Home, Online College and Work From Home. . Candice Clem's top article generates over 60500 views. to your Favourites.