Another factor to remember is that it is very important to keep your setting-up costs to a minimum. A characteristic of successful entrepreneurs is that they usually manage to equip their new businesses on a shoestring and actually take pride in how little they have spent to achieve their overall objectives. This whole aspect of being careful with your funds cannot be overemphasized. It is not smart to spend your hard-earned, tax-paid money (or expensive borrowed money) unnecessarily, even more so before your venture has actually started to make a profit.

There are a number of key factors to bear in mind when selecting equipment:

• Alternatives
• Features

• Financial considerations
• Warranty and back-up
• Used equipment.

ALTERNATIVES TO CONSIDER

The first thing to think about is whether you are able to get by without the equipment. Are there alternative ways of working that make the purchase of the equipment unnecessary? Would it be cost-effective to pay someone else to do a portion of the work requiring specialist machinery? Maybe you can decide to put off purchasing the equipment for a while. This will help your cash flow and also establish whether or not you really need the item. If you conclude that you really must have a particular item, then see what rival products there are.

Business publications often carry out tests on equipment where several rival models are put through their paces. These articles are usually illuminating. They not onlycompare the models themselves, but also highlight aspects of the models that may not be evident from the manufacturers’brochures.

FEATURES

When choosing equipment, such as a computer, cash register, or piece of machinery, there is usually a wide variety of models available, ranging from the basic to the fully featured topof-the-range model. You need to be clear about which features you think are essential, and which are merely desirable for your own purposes. The only unknowns will be if you think the business may grow or alter and these requirements might therefore change. As with any big decision, it is best to think about it for at least a few days before committing yourself. Some items can be upgraded — ask the supplier if this is possible, and at what cost.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS

The real price of any piece of equipment is not simply the purchase price, but must also take into account the equipment’s depreciation and running costs. For simplicity, even if you disregard the depreciation, you ought to consider the running costs, as these can vary enormously between rival products.

A big question is always whether to buy equipment outright or to rent or lease it. Since renting or leasing involves borrowing money and paying interest on that borrowed money (whatever the deal is called), it is usually best avoided. The exceptions are: if you are offered a genuinely interest-free deal; if you must have a piece of equipment but do not have the cash upfront; or if you are fairly sure you will have to change the equipment within a couple of years. For this last option, be sure that you are offered a rental or lease arrangement that allows you to change the equipment without penalty

WARRANTY AND SUPPORT

All equipment breaks down at some time, and it usually seems to occur at the most critical moment. So you need to know what is covered by the warranty, for how long a period of time, how prompt the service back-up will be, and the cost. Although greater bargains may be had purchasing some equipment by mail order or over the Internet, it is when something breaks down that you may be relieved you bought it locally and can get it repaired or replaced relatively easily and without delay.

USED EQUIPMENT

Generally, second-hand business equipment has very little resale value, which is precisely why the smart entrepreneur should be able to pick up some bargains. In particular, office furniture — such as desks, chairs, and filing cabinets — can be bought from suitable auctions for a fraction of their value when new. Slightly scratched filing cabinets can be resprayed if necessary If you are buying second-hand furniture, you need to weigh the savings you make against the image you want to project in your office — if a stylish or co-ordinated appearance is important, or you expect to receive a lot of visitors, it might be wiser to buy new furniture.

Computers and business machinery can be purchased, with a limited warranty, from companies that specialize in selling these goods second-hand. They advertise in appropriate business publications. Unless you really need . the latest state-of-the-art machine, you can obtain good value here — although do check that the model you are buying is still supported in terms of service and parts, and that it comes with full instructions. One phone call or e-mail to the manufacturer should give you the answer.

There are also local variations, usually depending on municipal requirements, so you should check first with the Receiver of Revenue, and then with the zoning department of your local municipality.

Local bye-laws regulating the running of small businesses from the owner’s home are usually laid down to protect the rights of other residents of the same area, with regard to noise, pollution, traffic, etc. They are usually quite fairly based on the needs of the majority — in other words, your neighbours.

Nevertheless, some of the regulations and requirements have a tendency to be nit-picky, and occasionally people unwisely ‘overlook’ the necessity to apply for a licence. This is not a good idea, since you will inevitably run into problems if you are operating in infringement of a local bye-law, and your municipality could be forced to take a stern line over something they might have been sympathetic about, if you had approached them in the first place.

Most municipalities, worried about high unemployment figures in their areas, are aware of the need to encourage small business development, and some are attempting to ‘deregulate’ in those areas where unnecessary rules apply.

Earlier this year, the City Engineer’s department of Council produced a report on home industries in its municipal area, pointing out the benefits of small business to the community in general, as well as the need for the authorities to take a more sympathetic line on licensing in the ‘informal sector’.

As a result of the report, certain recommendations were made which, if accepted, should make life easier for the home business operator — and, hopefully, halt his or her urge to go into hiding. Hopefully, also, the general mood of encouragement for small, informal businesses will lead other municipalities around the country to follow suit.

To apply for your licence (for which a nominal fee is usually levied), you should approach the zoning department of your local municipality, or the City Engineer’s department for more information.

PATENTS

In some instances, where you’ve invented a unique gadget or perhaps a tool, you should consider patenting your product. A patent would protect you from unfair and/or unlawful competition.

A patent can be granted for any new invention, but it must be a tangible product and not something abstract like a concept, formula, theory or, strangely enough, even a computer program. Generally, patents are used to protect specific products or manufacturing processess used in the industrial or agricultural fields.

A patent gives the holder the sole right to produce and market the invention or product and, therefore, receive all the profits from its sale. The scope of the invention is defined in the patent specification in your application which needs to be drawn up by a patent agent, usually a lawyer specialising in this field.

Once granted, a patent lasts for 20 years provided that the renewal fees, which come into force after its third year, are paid regularly.

To obtain a patent, you should consult your attorney, who will instruct specialists with the additional technical training and qualifications to draw up patent applications.

The application consists of several forms and a detailed set of drawings which have to be submitted to the Patent Office in Pretoria. The cost of submitting an application is in the region of R1 000 depending on the complexity of the drawings and the process generally takes some time to complete, so consider very carefully the relative need for it before launching yourself into an application.

Patent costs, or a proportion of them, are tax deductible, so if you do patent your product, remember to include the costs on your income tax returns.

TRADEMARKS

You may decide to use a trademark — displayed on your product or used in your trade — to distinguish your products from those of a competitor.

If so, it must be registered under the terms of the Trade Marks Act, with the Trade Marks Office in Pretoria. Once registered, only you will be entitled to use it. Approximate costs are R250 initially, and if you wish to continue using the trademark, it must be renewed after 10 years.

COPYRIGHT

If your business deals in the written word, works of art, films, videos or recorded works, you may be interested in the need for retaining copyright, which prohibits the copying of any material covered by copyright.

This is, of course, a fairly difficult area to define, but definitions are provided by the Copyright Act.

For more information on patents, trademarks and copyrights, you should consult your attorney who will advise you if you need to apply for any of these protections, and how to go about it.

Women, in fact, tend to make natural salespeople, with a warmer, more sincere approach than many men. Certainly with those products that are home-orientated, women can often discuss the product and its advantages with more credibility than men.

The better-known, larger companies that use the direct selling method are well aware of the persuasive power that women can bring to the market place and they provide their recruits with extensive training, support and motivational programmes so as to help achieve the best results.

Many of those women who have chosen direct selling as the basis on which to form their own successful home businesses, love the opportunities it offers — deciding on your own hours, meeting new friends travelling overseas (by winning trips on motivational programmes). You can set your own promotional goals and, so it’s often claimed, virtually write your own income ticket.

As with anything worthwhile, however, to get something out of direct selling you’ve got to put plenty in, and you’ll need the following attributes if you’re to be successful:

Enthusiasm. Stacks of it — though one of the advantages of this kind of business is the enthusiasm-generating meetings and seminars that are held regularly as part of the marketing programmes.

Organisational abilities. You’ll have plenty of organising to do: the parties or demonstrations, deliveries of the goods, and a fair amount of paperwork as well.

Strong self-motivation. On the whole, it’s a pretty competitive business. You’re encouraged to set yourself goals and targets, and to plan the growth of your own agency. But at the end of the day, it’s up to you to decide what you want and to go all out to get it.

Your family will, in addition, have to deal with your working in the evenings. Some of the time, of course, you can arrange to do your demonstrations during the day. But essentially direct selling — especially on the ‘party plan’ — takes place in the evenings or over weekends when your clients can get agroup together.

Twenty years ago, when I lived in a ’satellite town’ in England, I started selling plastic kitchenware at afternoon tea parties for housewives — and limped along not too successfully for a couple of months. Then I realised that the women who had money to spend were sitting in the factories and offices during the day. At lunchtime, most of them were too far away from home or shops to do anything constructive.

So I approached personnel officers and the like, most of whom were happy for me to arrange demonstrations in the factories and offices during lunchhours. I demonstrated every day from 12 until 2 in one factory or another for almost a year — and made a small fortune!

That was, of course, a unique set-up, since I had scores of ready clients sitting and longing for someone to entertain them during a boring lunchbreak, but it’s worth studying your area to look for new outlets or ways of fitting direct selling into a timetable better suited to you and your family.

Not all direct selling companies, unfortunately, are reputable so you should approach the idea with some caution. Before committing yourself to anything:

Get advice. Speak to people who are already in this kind of business. Ask them to give you real facts and figures.

Don’t sign any form of contract until you have checked it thoroughly and are positive you understand it — especially those clauses that refer to any financial commitment by you. If you don’t understand, then have someone explain it to you — your attorney or bank manager, for instance.

Find out if the company you are considering is a member of the Direct Selling Association. They have a code of ethics and standards to which their members must adhere, and this will at least give you guidance as to their credentials.

Start small. Most companies expect you to contribute to a starter kit, or to a set of samples. That’s fine if they’re talking about a manageable sum, or will allow you to lease the kit at a nominal amount for a certain period — until you’ve made up your mind that this is what you really want to do.

But watch out for companies that want you to purchase samples immediately for a large sum of money, particularly if they encourage you to take a loan or even to sign an agreement committing all your income to its repayment before you can earn anything yourself.

Avoid too, those companies which insist on your joining their training scheme, and expect you to pay large sums for it. The Direct Selling Association actually legislates against this in their code of ethics, and members of their organisation are expected to give any initial training in product-selling free of charge to new agents.

Be determined. Don’t approach this kind of job unless you really mean to work hard at it and are confident of your ability. If you’re looking for something that you can do a couple of times a week, when you feel like it, you probably won’t make much of an income at it. And frankly, you’re not the kind of person direct-selling companies are looking for.

One more word about that paperwork. You’ll be responsible for your own tax payments, so it’s important that you keep a special file containing details of your income and outgoings — car running expenses, postage, stationery, etc.

There are several expenses that you can claim for since you will be working from home. This is an area where you will find a good tax consultant worth his weight in gold, especially if you’re married and your husband is responsible for your income tax.

To buy a viable existing business you need to do your homework thoroughly and to maintain an open, yet cynical mind. Why cynical? Because one must examine why a good small business is being sold. If the business is doing even reasonably well, it is more likely to be taken over by a close friend or a member of the proprietor’s family, or the proprietor could employ a manager. That is not to say that good or potentially good businesses do not come on to the market, but you need be fully aware of what you are taking on and why it is being sold.

First, ensure you are well informed about the trade and the type of business you are contemplating taking over. Contact your local business development unit for their advice and ask if they can put you in touch with a similar business far enough away not to be in direct competition. If you are still interested, then the next step is to value the business for sale.

DOING YOUR RESEARCH

Obtain good advice from an accountant, who should go through the last few years’ accounts of the business and explain to you all the salient features. Be sure you also understand any tax and VAT implications of the purchase.

By buying an existing business you have access to their real trading figures, so you can make better cash flow and profit predictions than if you were starting from scratch. But trading conditions vary constantly and you must still do thorough market research to ensure that market conditions are not likely to vary adversely for the foreseeable future. If there are any existing staff, look carefully at their terms, conditions, and rates of pay as you will have to observe these. If you plan to reduce the number of staff, you could be liable for redundancy payments.

Enquire fully into the situation regarding the premises. Are the premises owned by the business or rented? If rented, then check the lease carefully. It is essential for a structural survey to be done and to find out if you would be responsible for the repairs and insurance of the building. The surveyor can also comment on the lease prior to you consulting your solicitor.

If the business you are buying is a limited company, you will need to obtain excellent legal advice, because when you take on a company (usually by the purchase of a majority of its shares) you take on not only the assets, but also all of its liabilities, which might be substantial. Ideally, and wherever possible, you should aim to acquire the assets rather than the company itself.

The franchise you take on should be a well- proven business idea; unfortunately, the success of franchising has attracted many unscrupulous businesspeople who are offering franchises of dubious value. There is therefore a need for caution and independent professional advice. Franchising was developed in the US in the 1950s, and many of the well-known franchise names are still American.

HOW DOES FRANCHISING WORK?

Setting up any business takes money but with a franchise operation it costs you more, because you are also paying for the business experience and proven product or service of the franchisor. In return they may set up the whole business for you, including taking care of all the legal work, training you and any partners and staff, and helping you to select stock and/or tools. In some cases this hand-holding is very complete, but you need to decide if the extra cost of a franchise is worthwhile.

The franchisor provides an operations manual, which lays down the whole format of how to run the business. There is also a contract, which forms the basis of the close association between yourself and the franchisor. Check this document very carefully, no matter how well- known the franchisor. Read all of it and ensure you understand it. Ask questions about any part you do not understand. Before you sign it, consult a solicitor — some contracts have hostile clauses that, should you have a problem running the business, are likely to work in favour of the franchisor rather than you.

HOW TO ASSESS A FRANCHISE

Many franchisors are members of a national association, which you can contact for information, and there are a number of franchising magazines available. To meet franchisors, there are various franchise exhibitions held annually. When you have found several franchises that interest you, get their free information packs (also called prospectuses). Each should describe the franchise in detail. If your bank has a franchise unit, get their advice. The next step is to visit the franchisor’s head office.

If satisfied so far, ask to see a specimen contract and take it away to read carefully and show it to your solicitor. After the meeting, visit at least two of their franchisees (of your own choice) and get their viewpoint. Now do your own market research. You need to find out just how strong the market demand is for such products or services, what customers think of the franchise, and the strength of the competition in your area.

A common complaint is that franchisors understate the necessary capital to start the business. They sometimes entirely omit your living costs prior to the business making a profit, they may quote a low figure to purchase a second-hand van or other piece of essential equipment, and omit your own legal and accountancy fees. VAT is also often omitted: you will have to pay this and can claim it back only if you are going to be VAT-registered yourself.

Taking on a franchise does not guarantee success. Some franchises fail altogether, while others do not meet projected turnover figures.

QUESTIONS TO ASK A FRANCHISOR

When you visit a franchisor; ash probing questions — even if some are answered in their prospectus — and note down the answers.

When was the business established?

Are they members of the national franchise association? And, if not, why? How many outlets are there in the country?

How many outlets have ceased trading, and why?

What are the credentials of the people behind the franchise?

How good is the company’s financial performance?

What is the initial capital required? What are the addresses of franchisees you can visit?

How is the royalty calculated?

What do you get for your money?

What ongoing support do they give? Are there other charges, e.g. advertising? What are the long-term prospects for the franchise?

What is the length of the agreement and how can it be terminated?

Whois the competition?

The first area to consider is planning permission. The planning legislation basically divides properties into those which can be used for commercial purposes, and those which are purely domestic. Planning authorities are obliged to prevent residential areas being infiltrated by offices and factories, and so legislation ensures that a house which has been used for domestic purposes cannot be used for commercial gain without planning permission. In most cases such permission will not be given, simply because the local authority’s aim is to keep areas of housing and business as separate as possible.

If you intend using your home for business purposes you could fall foul of this area of legislation. Without planning permission, the authorities could obtain a court injunction restraining you from carrying out your business from home. However, it is still possible to work from home without contravening the planning legislation. The Government has relaxed the rules somewhat, since it is encduraging more and more people to start small businesses. Consequently planning permission is not needed if your business will not ‘materially change the use’ of any part of your home, but this definition is open to interpretation, and various local authorities construe it differently.

Generally, you will not need planning permission if you do not alter the structure of your home, and if the rooms you use for your business are still largely available for ordinary domestic functions. If you use a spare bedroom as an office but can still use it as a guest room as well you will not have ‘materially changed’ the use of the room, so planning permission would not be required. However, check with the local planning authority before starting work. Each area of the country is different, and there may also be local bye-laws applying which affect the use of your premises for business purposes. 

If you do need planning permission, you will have to get a change of use certificate. These are difficult to obtain in residential areas and you may well find it easier to abandon your ideas for a home-based business and look for business premises.

Landlords

If you rent your home your landlord may object to you using his building as a base for your business. If you don’t check this out, and start your business regardless, you may ultimately find yourself evicted for being in breach of your contract with your landlord. Council tenants must also check with their local authority that they will not break any rules by working at home.

Property deeds

If you own your own home the deeds of the house may contain paragraphs relating to its possible business use. Often when large estates are built the developers include covenants or clauses in the deeds forbidding the use of the dwellings for any kind of business purpose. This is to help ensure that the area remains primarily residential. If this is so in your case, obtain legal advice on whether or not to proceed.

You may find that running a business from home against the written word of the property deeds is not a problem unless your neighbours complain. They might then be able to obtain an injunction against you to stop working in contravention of the property deeds. Few neighbours would take this step if your business was not troublesome or causing problems in the area. However, if you plan to operate a noisy motorcycle manufacturing plant in the garage, you could end up in trouble! Whatever you plan to do from home get a solicitor to check your property deeds so that you know of any risks you may be taking.

Mortgage companies

 Virtually every mortgage agreement contains a clause relating to the business use of the premises. Mortgage companies will not lend you money to buy a house if you then use it as a base for commercial gain. They, like planning authorities, clearly distinguish between residential and business properties and argue that if you want to run a business from a house you require a commercial property loan and not a domestic mortgage.

Fortunately, most mortgage companies are prepared to bend the rules slightly providing you can establish that you are not changing the basic use of the premises. If your home is still to be used mainly for residential purposes, the mortgage company is likely to continue your mortgage on the existing basis. However, if you plan to convert all of the bedrooms into a mini-factory, the company is unlikely to turn a blind eye! Check your mortgage documents to find out whether or not you are going to breach any clauses of the contract. If the contract does forbid the business use of the premises get advice from your solicitor as to how to proceed. However, the fact that an estimated two million people already work from their own home, is testimony to the flexibility that exists.

 Insurance

Working from home will almost certainly affect the type of policy which covers your house, and now might be a good time to inform your insurance company. Find out what sort of deal they offer, but don’t commit yourself to their policy simply because you’ve used them before — it pays to shop around first!

1. What type of home is it (House, Flat, Bungalow, Caravan, etc)?
2. How many rooms does it have?
3. How old is it?
4. What material is it built with?
5. Is your home self-contained, or part of a block?
6. How many outbuildings (shed, garage, etc) are there?
7. How many spare rooms are there?
8. What facilities are there (eg hot water, gas, electricity, central heating, etc)?

This information will enable you to check that your home will provide the basic requirements for your work. For example, working at home will almost certainly require central heating. You will not be able to work effectively in winter if your home is cold all day. Ideally you should be able to use a spare room for your business activities so that work does not intrude on home life. Also, a self-contained environment is better if your work is likely to be noisy. Of course, you do not necessarily have to move house in order to have the perfect workplace, but bear in mind that if your home is not ideal for your kind of business there may be problems in the future. The best arrangement would be:

• a solidly constructed building that is warm in winter
• a spare room
• a home which is self-contained and not part of a block.

But if you cannot achieve this ideal, do not give up. You may still be able to work from home in a tower block, providing it does not upset the neighbours, and assuming that you will not have to haul tons of equipment up and down the stairs! Just think carefully about your circumstances.

If you do not have a spare room, think of the ways around the problem. Could you convert the garage, for example, or could the garden shed be used? Is the loft large enough to be converted into a spare room? Think of all these alternatives and work out the costs of making any conversions. Discuss other possibilities with your family, such as using half of the dining room for your office. If your only problem is a lack of storage space for raw materials, why not all have a spring clean one weekend, throwing out as much rubbish as possible, and selling off any unwanted items? Perhaps you can release extra cupboard space which could solve your problem.

Space required

To determine the amount of space you need list the equipment and furniture required in your work. The following questionnaire will help.

1. What basic equipment do you require (eg desk, filing cabinet, chair, table, etc)?
2. Do you need any specialist equipment?
3. What services do you need (eg electricity, gas, water, etc)?

This questionnaire will highlight the amount of space needed. Two desks, a sink with running water and four filing cabinets will obviously need more space than just a table and a chair. However, a good rule of thumb is to look at your initial requirements for space and then double it. You will be amazed how quickly you accumulate material, so it’s better to have space available at the outset than to become cramped and find it difficult to work.

Whatever type of business you intend to start, you will almost certainly need to allow space for the following items:

• desk
• chair
• four-drawer filing cabinet
• bookcase
• large cupboard

Legal considerations

Contrary to popular belief, an Englishman’s home is not his castle! There is a long list of laws and regulations which control what we can and canot do in our own homes. The main legal area to be investigated before starting up is whether or not you are legaly entitled to use your home for business purposes. There are many laws which prevent people running profit-making enterprises in their homes. It is wise to check your own position before you begin, otherwise you may end up in trouble once you have started your business!

to be continued

If you are determined to start a business from home you will want neighbours who are not going to complain and who do not really mind you working from the spare room. If neighbours do Complain and worry about the effect of your work on the value of their in it can make life a misery, and reduce your effectiveness n business, thus reducing profits. So it is wise to advise your neighbours of your plans in the first place, and seek ways of coming to a compromise over any disagreements. If your friends meet your neighbours socially it is wise to get on good terms with neighbours from the outset because any problems could ripple through an entire network of friends!

With careful planning, this situation should not arise. However, working from home is a lonely occupation, and you may make demands on friends for extra social outings, just so that you can get outside the house! Look at your circle of friends and assess the likelihood of them accepting this increased social activity. Tell your friends of this possibility, and check their reaction! Your business life will be boosted by a good social life, so it is wise to consider now the problems which may arise in the future.

The ideal candidate for a home-based business will have:

• understanding neighbours
• a good relationship with neighbours
• good friends who can be relied upon.

1. How well do you get on with your neighbours?
2. Have you mentioned your plans to your neighbours? If so, what was their initial reaction?
3. Are your neighbours the sort of people who complain readily?
4. Are your neighbours particularly keen on keeping property values as high as possible?
5. Do you have good friends? Can they be called upon as shoulders to cry on?
6. Have you told your friends of your proposed home- based business? What was their reaction?
7. Do your friends enjoy socialising, or are they stay-at- home people?
8. Do your friends and neighbours mix socially?

Computer consultancy

Computer consultancy is a rapidly expanding area of home-based business. You should of course have wide experience of using computers, and you need to own, or rent, a number of different machines if you are to satisfy the varied needs of clients. Computer consultancy therefore requires a fairly large investment and a fairly large room for the equipment. You can of course specialise, providing expertise in the use of just one computer, one program, or the use of computers in a particular industrial setting; there are, for example, computer consultants who specialise in the use of computers in publishing.

Design consultancy

Design consultancy requires an artistic flair, but you can specialise in virtually any field which takes your fancy. You can provide assistance in designing anything from a new living room for home owners on an estate, to designing the estate itself! Whether you choose interior design, industrial design, or any other kind of design consultancy you will need a portfolio of work to show your potential clients.

Employment consultancy

Employment consultancy can be virtually anything connected with the world of work. You can advise individuals on the jobs they are best suited to by using sophisticated psychological testing. Or you can simply act as an agent for local businesses, matching their vacancies with people who are seeking employment. Alternatively you can provide counselling services for the unemployed, helping them to improve their chances of employment. You could even set up a consultancy on how to benefit from self-employment!

Management consultancy

If you have managerial exerience you can offer this service to companies requiring advice or information on management. Often management consultants will also offer marketing advice as well. Little investment is required for this sort of consultancy — you are literally selling yourself.

Planning consultancy

Every week local authorities up and down the country discuss millions of planning applications. These range from extending a lounge to building a motorway. Planning consultants help the applicants present their case in such a way as to increase the likelihood of acceptance. They also provide advice on changing applications if necessary. Planning consultancy is a very specialised home-based business so it is really only possible if you have, or are prepared to get, a thorough understanding of planning law.

Other consultancy ideas

•  advertising consultancy
• beauty consultancy
• entertainment consultancy
• financial consultancy
•  health and fitness consultancy
•  marketing consultancy
• pet care consultancy
•  public relations consultancy
•  publishing consultancy
• relocation consultancy

Business Services

Every business requires extra help from outside sources from time to time. The sort of help required is easily provided by home- based businesses. Experience and knowledge are not always vital for these services but obviously they help. Accurate typing is usually necessary, but you can always learn that fairly quickly.

Book-keeping

Many small businesses cannot afford to employ a full-time bookkeeper so they use the services of freelancers. Many bookkeepers work from home providing a range of businesses with basic accountancy help. You may also need to have a computer to provide computerised books for some businesses.

Mailing service

This kind of service covers a wide range, from simply stuffing envelopes with mailshot materials and posting them out, to compiling mailing lists. You can also act as a recipient for mail which companies want sorted and organised for them — this is often necessary when they are due to receive coupons from adverts, or competition entries, for example.

Telephone answering service

Many companies will not want telephone calls to them which interrupt their daily business. So you can offer to have your number placed on advertisements, or in promotions, so that you deal with the calls. You can also offer a telex service or a facsimile transmission and receipt service for companies who do not have the necessary equipment for themselves. (The cheapest way to do this is to buy a good computer and use the rapidly growing electronic network.)

Typing service

Every now and then businesses and industrial concerns have more typing than their full-time secretaries are able to cope with. Providing a typing service will help companies out of difficulties. An electric typewriter is necessary for this business, since very few firms will now accept the low standards of manual typewriters.

Other business services

• collection and delivery
• computer maintenance
• driving/chauffeuring
• filling service
• office planning services
• training services fro employees