How to Obtain Clients for a Home-Based Answering Service
The closer you are to a large metropolitan area, the greater your potential for income in a home-based answering service. However, small towns are also in need of your services as many of the businesses may be sole proprietorships who spend the bulk of their day outside their office and away from the phone.
This is a good place to start. Virtually anyone that works away from their business might have need for an answering service. Salespeople, repair services, people on call like towing services, survey organizations and firms who might use the computer-based automatic dialing system are all potential clients you can contact to offer your phone services.
The phone book, the local newspaper, the small “Pennysaver” type publications and community bulletin boards are all places where you can find the type of business most likely to be interest in your service. This will give you a solid local list to begin your prospecting.
In addition, here is a short list of those companies that might be interested in the phone sales service which you set up on a computer basis to automatically dial a pre-set number of calls:
- Amway
- Mary Kay
- Magazines
- Auto Dealerships
- Portrait Studios
- Vitamin Companies
- Avon
- Real Estate agencies
- Insurance Agencies
- Coin Dealers
- Remodelers
- CPA firms
- Roofers
- Decorators
- Stockbrokers
- House painters
- Tupperware
The businesses that can utilize your ability to advertise for them using the phone are substantial, and include:
- Retail stores
- Credit agencies
- Restaurants
- Wedding services
- Modeling schools
- Furniture stores
- Employment agencies
- Collection agencies
- Financial Services
- Hotels
- Dance schools
- Carpet cleaners
- Car washes
- Video stores
- Travel agencies
- Pet services
You’ll probably start out with a few message service contracts, requiring only a few lines, but you could easily work your way up to dozens of lines and services.
Remember to ask you early clients for referrals to others whom they may feel could use your service. Your existing clients are the best source for leads!
