Are you looking to begin a work-from-home business that you can fit around other activities in life, set your own hours, and earn as much as you like? An errand running business could be what you’re looking for. This business will allow you to meet wonderful people, help them in their lives, connect on a personal level, and earn a healthy income.

What is an errand running business? Well, it’s as simple as it sounds. Your job is to act as a concierge, help out people with odd jobs, scheduling and simple tasks that they may not have the time to do, or be capable of due to other commitments and time constraints.

Here is what you need to think about if you like the idea of starting an errand running business.

Where to find clients

The need for errand running can run far and wide, and your audience could be almost anyone. For this reason, you’ll need to think about specializing in a particular set of activities.

As for who to target, the perfect customer will be from a group of affluent people who have very busy lives, either due to social or work commitments. Additionally, elderly people also have a need for errand running, as well as new mothers and parents of very young children.

Services to offer

There are so many services to offer; it would be outside of the scope of this article to list them all. Just think to yourself, on your most busy day, what would you wish you personally could outsource to others, to free up more time in your life?

For example:

* Dry cleaning
* Buying tickets
* Post office/shipping
* Pet sitter/carer
* Grocery shopping
* Shopping
* Banking
* Appointment making
* Cleaning
* Small household jobs and repairs
* Organizing and upkeep
* Financial

You could specialize in the things you are particularly talented in and enjoy, or you could offer many services, but subcontract to other tradespeople or hire staff for other jobs. You would act as manager, and all services would come under your company banner.

Research companies and individuals that already offer the type of services you would like to offer. See how long they have been in business, what they charge, and the feedback and reviews they have received. This will give you an idea of what you could achieve and is great for motivation.

Start-Up Equipment

The good thing about starting an errand business is the low start-up costs. Apart from standard business stationary, you won’t need much equipment or supplies to begin with. Your vehicle will probably be your biggest cost. Depending on the market and clientele, though, it may be possible to use what you already have. If you target more affluent people, though, it would be advisable to obtain a vehicle with a better image to gain custom. Just imagine, if a client is a multi-millionaire, are they likely to hire someone who turns up in a VW Rabbit?

Additionally, you will need standard supplies for the admin, marketing, and communication of running the business. A regular dedicated telephone with land-line, a decent enough computer or tablet that has access to the internet, your own website, business cards, and an advertising budget.

Marketing Your Business

The more local you keep your business, to begin with, the better. This will reduce travel time, and keep clients closer together. This is only in the beginning. Once you begin to expand, you can hire more staff and travel further.

Another benefit of being local is the trust factor. In general, people feel more comfortable hiring someone from their home town over someone from a multinational company.

A website is essential for branding and marketing purposes, from someone searching for your services via Google, your website will be the first contact, so be sure to get a professional design. Register the business in Google Places, and any online directory that has authority.

Yell.com, Yelp, and even niche directories related to errand running and concierge services. Put classified ads on Craigslist, even eBay. Leaflet, flyer, and brochure drops work too. Print a few hundred business cards and make sure you hand them out to friends and family. Word of mouth is the best mode of advertising.

Starting an errand running service can be an enjoyable and rewarding business, well suited to those who like to help others, and are responsible and trustworthy individuals.