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Forum nameBiz Ideas
Topic subjectdesktop publishing business
Topic URLhttps://www.businessownersideacafe.com/forums/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=272
272, desktop publishing business
Posted by dalelynn21, Thu Oct-19-06 01:59 PM
I am wanting to start a desktop publishing business and I'm trying to decide if I want to work from home or have a space downtown. I have no problem working from home, but I'm concerned about meeting clients. Does anyone work from home and how do you manage client meetings? I'm also concerned about getting my landlord's permission to work out of our apartment. I feel I should ask him if it's OK to run a business out of the apartment.

If I run the business from uptown, I would like to add on some other things to help defray the cost of the space I would need to rent. I'm thinking about offering conference room and/or renting desk space for people like me who just need a desk and a place to meet. Also I was thinking of offering copies, a fax service, and a scanning service.

One thing I would like to do is offer a place for people to come to use a high speed internet. Ohio isn't that computer literate at the moment, especially my little town. I was thinking of offering a family membership paid monthly and the members could use the computers when they wanted to during the month or sell a certain number of hours for the customers to use the computer. I also want to have genealogy programs like Ancestry.com and other fee to use sites for the use of the customers. Help would also be available for those who are trying to write a resume or doing reports, or whatever help they need with the project they are doing. Do you think I would be biting off more than I can chew with this idea?

273, RE: desktop publishing business
Posted by bizdev, Fri Oct-20-06 09:51 AM
Dale, I think if you wanted to do your business from an uptown office location and you wanted to rent out space to other small business owners, you probably shouldn't do the family membership for computer use.

If one of your renters is trying to conduct business with a client and you have families coming and going or kids running around it just wouldn't look very professional and it may interfere with meetings. It seems that you're trying to cram too much into the space.

Narrow down your focus and figure which idea is more profitable and cost effective.

As far as working from home?that would certainly be a more cost effective option. Would you be able to conduct your business at the customer?s location? If you could hold your preliminary meeting at their location and do the actual work from home, that would solve the issue of not having clients in your home. You could use email, phone, scanner, fax to send info back and forth and cut down the in-person meetings to a minimal.
287, RE: desktop publishing business
Posted by dalelynn21, Sun Oct-22-06 07:17 AM
Sylvia,

Thank you, and you're right. I was thinking one or the other not both together. That wouldn't work. For now I'm going to be doing the business from home. Maybe later I'll look into the other ideas, but for right now I think the best thing for me to do is work from home.

Again, thank you for your answer
308, RE: desktop publishing business
Posted by wjtopp, Wed Oct-25-06 10:08 AM
You may want to consider "virtual office space". These are office buildings who provide "day offices" to individuals who work out of their home. You sign a contract for a year at a low (ex. $60/month) rate and pay an hourly rate to use the office when you need to entertain a client. Professionalism on a shoe-string!

Check in your area for one.

Regards,
Bill Topp
JMC Consultants LLC
269-341-9263
317, nothing wrong with working from home
Posted by MarlinCreek, Thu Oct-26-06 05:21 PM
I would give some thought to how to make the working from home thing a positive to your customers... it provides you a lower base cost that you can pass to them... your "stuff" is always available in case they need late night / weekend support... etc...

Also, be wary of how you use the temp office spaces. I don't dislike them... just don't try to make it seem like it's your regular office. Being up front with them and explaining it's a meeting location only will help convey your desire to be professional and honest.

Marlin Creek - Idea Seeds
http://marlincreek.com
335, opRE: desktop publishing business
Posted by Adlavrinel, Fri Oct-27-06 12:39 PM
Okay the first idea sounds cool. Working out of your apartment shouldn't be a problem unless you have a stream of clients coming in and out at all times of the day and night. Then there would be a disturbance issue but otherwise most landlords do not care. As far as the family memberships are concerned that is more of a Internet Cafe idea that might not work with your clients that are trying to conduct business online. I would say stick to the desktop publishing idea. Also if you do decide that you want to get an office space make sure that you have the clientele to support the overhead that you are going to have. A lot of places charge low rent for start up companies you just have to do your homework and look around for them. Also check to see if they have business incubators in your town. This is usually an entrepreneur center that offers small offices to new people that are going into business. Good luck with your new venture.
347, RE: desktop publishing business
Posted by Strategist, Sun Oct-29-06 07:38 PM
You might see if there is a business incubator in your area. That's a great place to start a business. http://www.nbia.org/ I volunteered at one and will start teaching at another one in 2007. Some will rent you rooms for the month, along with phone, use of fax/copier, etc. Each is run a bit differently.

OR

What I do for now, is that I became a member of a club and as part of the membership, I can rent rooms out. I do so about 4 hours per month to meet clients.

I'd see what other options are available to you as you start your desktop publishing business. That's going to be a big thing for you to do as it is! And while your business grows, do some marketing research to see if people who are not computer literate might be willing to pay for.

561, RE: desktop publishing business
Posted by bizforbooks1, Sat Dec-30-06 07:44 PM
You spoke of publishing and also offering customers a place to use high speed internet and Ancestry.com. Check out my website and see if you would like to add publishing hardbound books, an easy online publishing system, no software to purchase. You become an Independent Consultant by signing up through me at www.iloveyourstories.com You then can offer your customers a place to make their stories online.
You can contact me on my website.
Create A Great Day!
569, RE: desktop publishing business
Posted by Nancy, Mon Jan-01-07 12:42 PM
Dale, my suggestion would be to choose a focus since you can always expand your business offerings at a later date. If you choose desktop publishing, you actually have a lot of latitude in what you can offer.

Don't worry about any stigma regarding doing business from your home. It's commonplace and very acceptable.

You're right about clearing things with your landlord. As long as you keep the foot traffic to a minimum, he or she would probably be okay with it. It's the right thing to do, as you pointed it, and preferable to their finding out from someone else.

You might find that it's just as easy to meet with your clients elsewhere, though. Doing so could also offer your business more exposure without the cost of renting an office on a monthly basis.

Nancy
http://www.CreateYourMarket.com
Cheap Advertising Ideas for the Home-Based Entrepreneur