Ten Tips on How to Start a Concierge Business!

Ten Tips on How to Start a Concierge Business

By Katharine Giovanni

Katharine Giovanni

Level: Basic PLUS

About the Author: Katharine Giovanni, the world's leading international concierge training expert, has been training concierge for over 10 years. She is Triangle Concierge's senior ... ...





1. Do a business plan. It really doesn't matter how short or long it is, nor does it have to be fancy with colored charts. However, you really should do one so that you know where you are going, what you are doing and how you're going to get there.


2. Get some business liability insurance! Please don't start a business without it.


3. Legal Documents - contracts, agreements, etc... Get this right the first time and you won't have to put out fires in the future. You'll need both client contracts as well as vendor agreements.


4. Create your brochure, business cards, website and sales kit. This can all be done on a shoestring with today's software that is available, but having them is a vital part of a business.
You can obtain some terrific free business cards by visiting s site such as vistaprint.com and you can do a website pretty inexpensively as well. If you don't want to do it yourself, here are a few links to some "instant" website creation sites where you can have a site up in minutes ... bigstep.com networksolutions.com and godaddy.com


5. Do NOT quit your job, go out and rent an office, buy or rent furniture and hire employees. THINK ABOUT IT FIRST! First and foremost, you need to be able to feed your family and pay your bills so make sure that you have either enough money saved to last you at least 6 months, possibly even a year worth set aside or you have some other form of steady income flowing into your household.


6. Find a target market! There are so many niches for this business that you might be tempted to do them all when you first open up. However, I strongly suggest that you choose one or two niche markets and go after them first. Do them well and then you can choose a few more. If they don't do well and tank, then you have hundreds of other niches to choose from!
Choose a new niche and then re-focus, re-work your business and then re-launch! The key here is to never ever give up!!! Some niches around the country include hospitals, small/medium/large companies, condominiums, shopping malls, airports, office buildings, neighborhoods, individuals, colleges/universities, country clubs, senior market and more. I could go on and on there are so many out there!


7. Market, market, market ... join your local chamber of commerce, networking groups ... get out there and shake people's hands and tell them what you do! Talk it up everywhere you go. Attend as many expos and receptions that you can! I think face-to-face marketing is key when starting up a business ... so talk it up people!!


8. Be warm, friendly, approachable and extremely courteous 100% of the time. This is the key to being a great concierge! People may not remember what you did for them, but they will always remember how you made them feel and how you treated them.


9. Keep your focus on where you are going ... and not on what is hitting the fan at any particular moment. KNOW that you can do this!! See the future that you want, daydream about it and see yourself being there!!!


10. Finally, the most important part of concierge work ... Customer Service! It's the hallmark of the concierge industry ... over-the-top unbelievable customer service. I think everyone should build a customer service plan. You should talk about every day, not just once in a while! It's a way of life and something that you practice every minute of your life and in every facet of your business.



You can visit my resource directory on Triangle Concierge's website and you'll see a few insurance companies who are currently insuring the industry. You can also join the International Concierge and Errand Association and get insurance through them.




About the Author: Katharine Giovanni, the world's leading international concierge training expert, has been training concierge for over 10 years. She is Triangle Concierge's senior trainer and speaker, and is the author of their best-selling book The Concierge Manual. Katharine has traveled around the country teaching workshops to groups, individuals and corporations. She has appeared in dozens of newspaper articles, magazines, radio and TV shows around the country including ABC News Nightline, CBS News, ABC News, Delta Airlines Sky Radio, WOR Radio, the Washington Post, LA Times, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Women's World Magazine, The New York Times and Conde Naste to name a few. A dynamic public speaker, Katharine has been a speaker at seminars and conferences around the country. Raised in New York City, Katharine has a B.A. from Lake Forest College and currently lives in North Carolina with her husband Ron and two children. Katharine is a member of the National Speakers Association. She can be reached through her website at http://www.triangleconcierge.com
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7 Ways To Help Teens Start A Summer Business!

7 Ways To Help Teens Start A Summer Business

By Andrew Morrison
President, Small Business Camp

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that the unemployment rate for teens this summer is expected to be 26.4 percent -- the highest number since they began tracking in 1948. Double that number and you begin to come close to the unemployment rate for black and Hispanic teens. Summer jobs that many of us were accustomed to growing up are virtually non-existent. Research shows a direct correlation to criminal activity and lack of meaningful work experience among teens.
What's the solution?

We could demand that the federal government allocate more dollars for summer employment programs and make sure that the state spends the money wisely. This political option should be pursued. As a business coach and someone who built a multi-million dollar company in my 20s, I suggest that all of us can also pursue a practical approach as well. Instead of helping a teen find a job -- how about helping them to create one?

Here's what you can do to help a teen or young person start their own business this summer.

1) Listen for their Passion. Teens have their own unique voice, dress and style. I know that you despise the tongue-ring, tattoo and sagging pants. A constant attempt to correct their behavior prevents you from listening to their dreams, desires and goals. Despite any outward appearance of apathy, all teens have something that inspires them. There is an activity that they will cause them to jump out of bed at 6am. Listen carefully and you can uncover it.

2) Connect Passion to Project. Find a two-month project. You can keep your teens interest by showing how they can achieve tangible results in a specific period of time. It's not always about the money. Not everyone is motivated by money. Maybe there is a service project that a young person could take the lead-on. Cleaning-up a park, preparing food for the homeless and reading to children are examples of projects that can occupy a teen and look good on their college application.

3) Bring their Friends. Peer pressure is the most powerful force on the planet. If you really want to keep a teen involved then make sure to invite their friends. They know which friends will take this business or service opportunity seriously. Any disagreements that arise serve as opportunities to improve their conflict resolution skills. The team approach will also help them to recognize and appreciate each others gifts and talents. That "shy" kid who they avoid may have the graphic design skills they need to start a clothing line.

4) Recruit a Mentor. Now that you have a team and idea in place, you can significantly increase their odds for success by asking a business person or executive to serve as a summer mentor. It's best if the individual had some experience in the industry that your teens plan to pursue. You could contact Score, chambers of commerce, local retailers or Rotary clubs to find a mentor.

5) Raise Start-up Money. The teens may need capital to get started. Help them create a one-page description of their idea and begin to share it with friends and relatives. Most concepts should require less than $500 to get started. Encourage them to find 5 people to invest $100 each and offer a promissory note that pays 10 percent interest in six months. Seeking investors may be the least glamorous task but this will determine if they are serious about making money this summer.

6) Events Are Hot! People enjoy going places during the summer. Maybe your teen business owners could work with an organization to promote a trip. Make sure they have at least six weeks to promote the event.

7) Internet Money is the Best Money. Billions are spent online each year. Teens could use eBay to list a neighbors items and take a commission on each sale. CreateSpace can be used to sell books, CDs and DVDs on-demand with no initial investment. Do you have an idea for a design or saying? Then CafePress and Zazzle is the place to create custom t-shirts, posters, bags and etc. without paying a penny.

Andrew Morrison is the President of Small Business Camp. The company provides high-impact marketing strategies for entrepreneurs, executives and non-profit leaders. Andrew has as trained thousands of entrepreneurs from Hawaii to Nigeria and appeared on Oprah. Visit www.smallbusinesscamp.com to receive his no-cost report entitled, "Identifying and Growing Any Business Idea in 16 Weeks".

http://www.blacknews.com/news/ways_t...iness101.shtml

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to read more go to the website in the article.