Many people want to start a business, but are worried about how much money they have. They won’t be able to afford startup costs, and maybe that they have poor credit and won’t qualify for loans. This is unfortunate, since they are looking to better their economic fortunes, but are prevented from doing so. However, there are ways to start businesses with little to no money, and you can build it up to great things.
Starting a business is hard, but you can do it, even without a penny to your name. The following are businesses that either don’t cost anything to start, or you can purchase what little equipment you need with no credit check online loans. You can live the life you want without having to break the bank.
Start With A Plan
Now, just because the business doesn’t cost anything, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to have a plan. A business plan will help you stay on track to reaching your goals, and will help you stay within budget. When you start out with little money, you can easily become overextended if you’re not careful. A business plan will outline all of your expected costs and revenues, so there will be no surprises. It will also outline your marketing strategy and how you will run your day-to-day operations. Be very detailed with your business plan to avoid any surprises.
Get a Name
The next step is to have a name. Your name can be anything, as long as it’s not already registered with your state. Use an online name generator if you’re having trouble. Also, your last name might be appropriate. The name should reflect the work you do, or at least evoke the nature of your business. For instance, a maid service doesn’t have to have “maid” or “cleaning” in the name. However, it’s usually a good idea to have something clearing-related, like “bubbles,” or “scrubbing.
Website
So far, the first couple of steps have not cost you any money. This is the first, however it doesn’t have to. You can get a website for cheap using a website generator. The free ones don’t have a lot of bells and whistles, but you can get by. Some businesses opt to have only a Facebook page, since it’s free to set up. This will work when you are first starting out, however you will want to have a real website later on. When you have a website, make sure to use free tools to collect data and analytics so that you know what’s working and what isn’t.
Social Media
Social media is crucial to any business, but especially one that has a limited startup budget. It’s a free way to reach your customers and audience. First things first, and signing up for a Facebook account is a no-brainer. Use your Facebook feed to connect with your audience. Like and comment on the public’s replies. Respond to reviews, and post relevant and informative content. Your clients can also reach you by DM. You should also have at least an Instagram page. TikTok is incredibly popular, but you need to work on it to be good.
Branding
Branding seems like it would be hard to do without money. It involves your logo, color scheme, fonts, and everything else that goes into how you present yourself. First, you should think about what personality you want to convey. Then you can build your brand around that. You won’t even have to pay much for a logo and a color scheme. You can outsource to a task website and someone there will do it, sometimes for as little as $5.
Business Ideas
Of course, for any of this to work, you need an idea. There are countless business ideas that involve little to no money.
Make Something
Making something is a good way to start, but it can be time consuming. There is also some startup investment in materials, but if you sell enough, it will be well worth it. Homemade goods can sell for several times the cost of making them. The only catch is to watch how long it takes to make them. If it takes you all day to make one item, then unless you’re getting a couple hundred for it, it’s not worth it.
Sell a Service
Your sweat equity doesn’t cost a thing. You can start a business by selling a service. For example, a show shoveling and lawn care service. There is almost no startup costs for this one, other than a shovel and a lawn mower, which you probably already have at home. Eventually you can build the business and invest in new equipment.
Resell
This involves either going to thrift sales or buying off of EBay. This can be tricky, because you don’t want to end up with too much stuff. The concept is simple: you buy stuff and then sell it at a markup. You often have to have some creativity to upgrade the items, but a lot of this business is knowing when you’ve found a good deal.
Freelance
All you need is a laptop, and you are good to go. You can be a freelancer in several ways. You can write blog posts, media releases, marketing content, graphic design, grant writing, and video transcription, just to name a few. The best thing about this job is that you can work from anywhere.
Even if you have no money, there is no reason you can’t start a business. Use any of these ideas to run a business you can love and to grow into something you can be proud of.
Also Read: 5 Basic Business Steps You should Know Before Starting A Startup
