Online And Offline Service Business Ideas

A service based business is a great idea for both online and offline. You can choose either consumer based services, or business to business services. A lot will depend on your interests and qualifications. But, people always need services, and generally they remain affordable, even during tough economic times.

What Are Some Service Business Ideas?

If you have qualifications in administration, or experience in offices, setting up a Virtual Assistant Business could be an excellent way to use your skills.  A home based virtual assistant business will give you the flexibility you don't have when working for a large company. There are many entrepreneurs looking for people to take care of admin work, and most provide training in the way they want things done. It can be a good way to improve your skills in various areas too.

For example, if you are good at research and writing, you could provide articles for online businesses. There are many places you can get work - bidding sites like elance and getafreelancer are two.

Or, if you have skills in web design, computer programming, graphic design, or similar, you can also generate a lot of work this way. You could set up a small site showcasing examples of your work, that acts as a kind of online business card. You can learn how to set up your own website using free tools here.

If you have skills in marketing, or PR, you could set up a consulting business. This is a rich area to mine online, and you can use elance and getafreelancer to get work also. These offline skills still translate well online, and there are a lot of people looking for specialists in those areas.

There are many service business ideas for those interested in working with pets. You could start a dog walking or grooming business. Dog walkers in particular do well in cities, where there is a high proportion of people who have dogs but don't have the time to exercise them because of job demands. To make matters worse, these people often live in apartments or have small backyards where their dogs just don't get enough exercise. Some people spend more on getting their dogs walked than they spend on their own personal training!

If you have an interest in fitness, you could always become a personal trainer. My sister, who is technically overweight but very fit, recently started taking aerobics classes and doing personal training after gaining her qualifications. And whilst she gets a bit of gawking because she doesn't fit the stereotype of how a fitness instructor should look (slim), she has developed a great, loyal following. And she is finding she's encouraging people who wouldn't normally take a class that they can do it. The gym where she works loves it!

If you have a creative flair, you could always look at hairdressing or beauty. There is a huge demand for these services, and you don't just have to be an employee. You could start your own business if you have the capital, or go into partnership.

Other service business ideas include paper shredding (this tends to have high set up costs but can be very profitable), and courier services.