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Service-based businesses are unique. They’re often local and focus on the needs of people in your area rather than on a nationwide or worldwide scale. With so many digital companies seemingly taking over things, those who want to start a service-based business have to think on a local scale rather than as a large corporation.
That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s easy to start or run a service-based business, however. There are many factors to consider to make sure you’re following your community regulations, marketing yourself properly, and hiring people that will represent your business well so you can grow a strong reputation.
The first step in starting a local service-based business is to decide what you want to do. Think about the needs of your community and how they might overlap with your passions. Starting a cleaning business is much different than starting a handyman service or pet-sitting business.
Once you’ve decided what type of business you want to establish, it’s important to take the proper steps to ensure success. Let’s cover some of the basics that can help you to get started.
Understanding Local Laws and Regulations
Every community has its own laws regarding small businesses. There are also state-wide and nation-wide laws to keep in mind. After you determine which type of business you’d like to start, make sure you’re qualified. For example, if you want to start a pet-sitting company, it might help to have a background in dog training. On the other hand, if you want to offer plumbing services, you’ll need to show specific certifications along with your experience.
An easy way to make sure your business lines up with community regulations is to talk with a local small business association representative. If your town has a Chamber of Commerce, ask for a meeting with a representative and go over the ins and outs of what it means to have a business in your area.
Hiring the Right People
Once you’ve gone through the paperwork and your business is ready to get off the ground, you’ll quickly realize you can’t do it on your own. A successful business depends on reliable employees. That’s particularly true when it comes to service-based businesses where your employees are often the “faces” of your company, working with the public every day. Over time, as you grow, you will also be faced with changes in your workplace. Hiring employees who will be able to grow with you and adapt if a change in workforce management becomes necessary is important.
There are plenty of tactics for hiring great employees. Sometimes, trusting your gut instinct is enough. Other times, you’ll want to look through resumes and discover who has the most experience in your type of business.
Psychology can also come into play when you’re hiring. You can work to identify a candidate’s self-awareness and use positive psychology to help reveal his or her strengths. In doing so, you’ll have a better idea of how well they might work for your business. It’s also a great way to observe some of their natural talents. Employees in the service industry should have the following traits:
- Emotionally-intelligent
- Patient
- Good listeners
- Attentive
- Willing to learn
- Humble
- Good at multitasking
Marketing Your Business on a Local Level
Just because you’re a local business doesn’t mean you don’t need to market yourself. Whether you have local competition or you’re just trying to promote a successful launch, using digital marketing like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can help you get your name out there. Many social media outlets connect directly with the people in your area since you can specifically target ads locally and will allow you to see real-time analytics to see how well your marketing efforts are doing.
Starting a local service-based business in your community is a great way to make a difference in your hometown. Make sure you know the rules, know who you’re hiring, and know-how to promote yourself. If you’re able to do that, you’ll be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor in your neighborhood for years to come.
