How to Start a Concierge Business
Starting a concierge business is a great idea! People are busier than ever these days, and you can provide a much-needed service by helping them take care of things like errands and other tasks. Even better, you can run this business out of your home and you don’t need anyone other than yourself. You can always grow your team after you find your niche and become successful.
[Edit]Steps
[Edit]Business Organization
- Select which services you will offer. A personal concierge can offer a wide variety of services for their clients. Write down exactly what sort of concierge you want to be and what you will do. For example, maybe you are going to be a personal concierge that assists with errands and household tasks. You might include services like:[1]
- Grocery shopping
- Picking up/dropping off dry cleaning
- Purchasing and sending gifts
- Walking dogs
- Caring for plants
- Focus on a niche where you can excel. You might start by offering a wide array of services and discover that you are better at some than others. You might also find that you really love doing some things and really dislike some others. It’s definitely okay to adjust your services as you grow your business. Find a niche where you can really do well and focus on expanding that area of your business.[2]
- For example, maybe you discover that you’re getting a lot of great feedback about your gift buying services. Start developing that part of your business by adding more customizable options and doing more marketing in that area.
- Give your clients a high standard of service so they refer you to others. You want each client to feel like they are your most important. Try adding an extra touch, like leaving a personal note when you drop off their groceries or spending an extra few minutes playing with their dog. When your clients give you positive feedback, ask if they would mind leaving a positive review on social media or giving your name to a friend.[3]
- You can use these positive reviews in marketing and advertising your business.
- Get basic office equipment and reliable internet to run your business. Make sure that you have a cell phone that gets good reception so that your clients can easily reach you. You’ll also need a laptop with a stable internet connection so that you can work on your website and keep your accounts up to date. You don’t need much in the way of office furniture, especially if it’s just you starting your own business. If you have other employees, you might consider renting office space.[4]
- You can print your promotional materials at a place like a FedEx or UPS store that offers professional printing so that you don’t have to invest in your own equipment.
- Expect to work non-traditional hours. A good concierge should be available when clients need them. That means that you shouldn’t plan to work a traditional 9-5 job. Depending on what types of services you offer, you might find yourself working early mornings, evenings, weekends, and even holidays.[5]
- It’s also important to understand that most of your days will probably be different from each other. For example, you might have 7 clients on Mondays, but only 1 on Tuesdays. Use your downtime to work on things like billing and marketing.
[Edit]Finances and Insurance
- Draft a basic business plan to help define your business. You can develop a thorough plan at some point, but to get started, write a short plan that is about 10 pages. This will help you get a concrete idea of what your business will look like. You’ll be able to show it to others as you work to get the permits and insurance that you'll need to get going. Make sure your business plan includes:[6]
- Your business concept
- Market analysis
- Financial analysis
- Consult an expert about legal requirements for setting up a business. When you start a business, you need to determine if you should set it up as an LLC or an S corp. You also need to make sure that you get all of the local permits that are required. Sound confusing? It’s not just you that feels that way, so don’t worry. You’re not expected to know these things, so take a deep breath and ask someone who is an expert. Ask an attorney, your accountant, or tax preparer for advice.[7]
- Share your business plan with them and ask them to help you navigate specific resources that you need for a concierge business. Your needs are probably different from someone opening up a cafe, for example.
- Check city hall’s website for resources for starting a new business in your community. You’ll find lots of resources there, too.
- Don’t shrug off getting permits. If you don’t have them, you could get in trouble for not properly setting up your business.
- Call your insurance agent to get coverage for your business. Even if you’re the only employee and you’re working from home, your personal insurance won’t cover your business. Call or email your insurance carrier and ask about business coverage. They might need to see your business plan, so be prepared to send them what you have. Ask them to walk you through different coverage options and the rates for each.[8]
- Explain to the agent where your business will be located, how many employees will be working there, and answer any questions they have. This will help them understand your needs for your concierge business.
- Get quotes from a couple of other agents. It never hurts to shop around a little for great rates. You can usually get a quick quote by visiting a website or making a phone call.
- Open business banking and credit accounts. Even though it might seem easier, don’t use your personal accounts to run your business. It will make things a lot easier at tax time and for general record-keeping if you keep things separate right from the start. Call or visit your bank and ask them to help you get set up with business accounts.[9]
- For a business credit card, ask for one with a low APR and perks like cashback.
- Charge hourly rates for customers who use your services occasionally. As a concierge, you may have customers who contact you a few times a week or maybe a couple of times a year. For these types of clients, it's probably a good idea to set up an hourly rate schedule. Determine your rates in advance and include them on your website. It's okay to have different rates for different services. When your figure out your rates, take into account the difficulty of the task, whether you need transportation or equipment, and the going rate in your area.[10]
- For example, you might charge $25 an hour for light housekeeping, but only $20 an hour for basic house sitting services that include bringing in mail and watering plants.
- Typically, concierge services range from $25 per hour to $125 depending on the service and the market.
- Offer monthly rates for regular clients. You may attract clients that want to take advantage of many of your services on a regular basis. In this case, you will both probably find it easier if they pay a flat monthly fee rather than billing them by the hour. You can determine a maximum number of hours that you will work and make that part of the agreement. Make it clear on your website what a monthly rate includes.[11]
- For example, you could advertise a "Premium Package" that includes weekly errands, light housekeeping, and other tasks for $1500.
- Adjust your pricing as necessary. Once you’ve started taking clients you might realize that you have set your prices too low and you’re not making enough money. Or you might see the opposite and find out you’ve set prices too high and you’re having a hard time attracting clients. Don’t be afraid to adjust your prices as necessary. Starting a business is a learning curve.[12]
[Edit]Marketing and Advertising
- Come up with a memorable name for your business. The name is going to be what people use to find your business, so try to come up with one that is catchy and descriptive. It should let people know what your business does and also be something that they will easily be able to recall.[13]
- Something like Paul’s Personal Concierge Service lets customers know that they will receive personal attention and the alliteration might help them remember it.
- Run a quick Google search to make sure there is not already a business with the name you want to use.
- Build a basic website that is easy for customers to use. This might sound really tough, but don’t worry. There are lots of tools available to help you if you’ve never set up a website before. You can use an online platform like Weebly or Wix that will help you build a website for free.[14]
- You can also hire a professional to build and maintain your website for you if this is something you really don’t want to tackle.
- Use social media to attract customers. Social media is one of the best ways to advertise your new business because you can easily reach a wide audience and it’s free. Set up accounts for your business on popular sites like Instagram, Twitter, and Linkedin. Make sure to include important information like how to contact you and what services you provide in your bio.[15]
- Keep your posts professional and positive. Try an Instagram post that is a photo of a dog with the caption, “Does your best friend need some extra company while you work? Call Paul’s Personal Concierge Service! Available for pet care and all of your other personal assistant needs!”
- Ask everyone you know to spread the word about your new business. Word of mouth is another effective and free way to get new customers. Encourage family and friends to tell people about your new business. Let them know the important details, like the name, contact info, and services you provide.[16]
- Say something like, “Hey, it seems like the people you work with might be interested in a personal concierge. Would you mind hanging up one of my flyers in your break room?”
[Edit]Tips
- Ask other small business owners in your area for tips about getting started.
- Make sure you have reliable transportation for running errands.
[Edit]References
- ↑ https://theworkathomewife.com/how-to-start-a-personal-concierge-service-business/
- ↑ https://theconciergesociety.com/starting-a-personal-concierge-business-my-take-after-12-years-in-business/
- ↑ https://howtostartanllc.com/business-ideas/personal-concierge
- ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/37930
- ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/37930
- ↑ https://theworkathomewife.com/how-to-start-a-personal-concierge-service-business/
- ↑ https://theworkathomewife.com/how-to-start-a-personal-concierge-service-business/
- ↑ https://theconciergesociety.com/starting-a-personal-concierge-business-my-take-after-12-years-in-business/
- ↑ https://howtostartanllc.com/business-ideas/personal-concierge
- ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/37930
- ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/37930
- ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/37930
- ↑ https://seniorservicebusiness.com/how-to-start-a-senior-concierge-business-in-10-easy-steps/
- ↑ https://howtostartanllc.com/business-ideas/personal-concierge
- ↑ https://howtostartanllc.com/business-ideas/personal-concierge
- ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/37930
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