BRING THOSE POTENTIAL CLIENTS TO YOUR DOOR

A : Starting a research business will allow you to serve both companies and individuals looking for specific information. The greatest challenge for this type of business is obtaining clients. In the beginning, expect to spend half your time doing research and the other half marketing your business.

Specialising in one or two fields is the key to success as an independent researcher. Find an area where you are knowledgeable and become proficient in researching that topic. Use your success in this specialty research as part of your marketing efforts.

Build your client bases by making cold calls to local businesses you think might need your services. This will give you the opportunity to identify the research needs of prospective clients and advertise your specific skills. You can also reach potential customers by mailing brochures and arranging follow-up sales appointments.

Until you’ve built up a significant client base, your research venture should be viewed as a part-time business that will serve as supplemental income

Q : I have been a paralegal for 24 years, and I am at the point of burnout. I would like to venture into a kiosk business, but I’m not quite sure how to get started or what approximate startup costs would be.

Can you point me in the right direction and provide me with some information that would assist me?

A : It’s great that you want to venture out into a new area in your life.

I would recommend that you first speak with other kiosk owners and/or operators about the pros and cons of the business. You will probably find that it’s a bit different from owning a storefront or home-based business; you have to attract mall clientele, deal with unpredictable customer traffic patterns, and compete for customers with different types of businesses.

Also, keep in mind that you’ll need to speak with mall management about cart and kiosk rules and regulations, or contact the city or county if your kiosk will be in a public space. You’ll want to discuss permits, rental fees, locations, and product approval and displays.

As with any new business, you should think about startup costs. Creating a business plan will help you get started. To research owning a kiosk take a look at www.allacart.com, and read Business Start-Up Kit by Steven D Strauss and What No One Ever Tells You About Starting Your Own Business: Real Life Start-Up Advice from 101 Successful Entrepreneurs by Jan Norman. These are available on amazon.com