Who knows what tasks people in your neighborhood need help with — it could be anything, and it may change from day to day. Offer yourself as available for any task for which they may need help.
PROS:
— Little start-up costs
CONS:
— You may need a car
— You may not be able to control your time
How to Get Started:
NOTE: Before you start your business, you should read the page on this website entitled “things to think about before you get started.” After you have taken the preliminary steps for starting any business, you can take the specific steps outlined below.
Offer yourself as available for any task for which people may need help. Give examples to get them thinking about how they could use your help — for example, you could say you’re available to get groceries for elderly people, or get clothes from the dry cleaners, or take packages to UPS or FedEx (or pick them up after a delivery person came by and they weren’t home). You could fill up a gas can for a lawnmower or help with yard work or put up Christmas decorations.
Make fliers and brochures about your errand running services. Pass then out throughout your neighborhood. Place a classified ad in your local newspaper targeting residences or a notice on Craigslist or Nextdoor.com.
How Much to Charge:
Errand businesses usually charge between $18 and $35 an hour. Start at the low end and work your way up.
Taking it to the next level:
Ready to upgrade your errand running services? Check out these tips:
- Create a website for your business so you can expand beyond your immediate neighborhood. You could also use Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to promote your business. But you may need to take in partners as you expand, so you should line up potential partners before casting a wider net for customers.
- Use your computer and printer to create and print your invoices. Keep a list of your customers.
