How to Start a Proofreading Business At Home
Do you get annoyed when people keep writing “there” instead of “their,” “its” instead of “it’s” or “ affect” instead of “effect”? Do your friends sometimes call you a “grammar Nazi” (in the sweetest way)?
If so, then you are probably the right person to start a proofreading business at home.
Before you entertain this thought, it should be something that you really want to do. This is because this business is only for those who truly enjoy looking into little details, bugging people about word order or reading the same text over and over just to make sure that “it flows.”
Otherwise, you won’t survive there for too long!
Now, you might be wondering about one thing: How can you start a proofreading business at home?
We know the answer and we will show it to you in a second. But, before that, make sure you know these things about the market:
1. Getting into the market will take some time as there are many people like you trying to top the list of successful business owners in this niche.
2. You will need much patience when trying to build your own network and get your first orders.
3. People in this niche need to take courses and do research on their own to make sure their knowledge is still relevant.
4. You will have to start at a lower rate, so don’t expect high revenue at first.
5. All business people need to be good marketers (or hire the latter to work for them), as that’s the only way, besides networking, to land new orders.
6. This market changes a lot and you will have to catch up with it all the time.
7. Select your specialization as an “I will proofread anything” approach does not sound professional enough to attract new customers.
We hope we painted quite a picture for you here. Now, let’s move to the actual steps on how to start a proofreading business at home.
See Also: 9 Ways How To Earn Money Online
How to start up your own business in proofreading niche
Develop a proper mindset
When you start a business, remember that it is YOUR business. You do not have a boss to blame for a weak marketing strategy, a supervisor to delegate all tasks to, or a director who will cover any financial loss.
You are in charge of all these things. So, before you start acting, think twice. Choose targets carefully, research every step before even making it and search for solutions only after seeking the assistance of experienced business people.
And also, start with a professional business plan, license, checking account, email and a phone number. Be professional on all stages!
Evaluate your financial situation
You need to make sure that you have the funds to start your own business. You will need to support yourself for some time, purchase professional tools and pay salaries if you want to hire more employees to work for you.
So, be realistic when it comes to your financial state and calculate all the possible outcomes before even starting.
Polish your skills
As a proofreader and an editor, you will have to work hard not to lose your skills in the midst of all the marketing campaigns, networking and other business issues that are not particularly related to the actual proofreading.
Besides, there are so many freelancers out there so you will have to work hard to strengthen your presence in the market.
Analyze your target audience
Who are the people you want to deliver your services to? What are they genuinely interested in? What are their core values?
It is important to have a clear customer’s portrait from the start. It is a huge help both to your marketing strategies and customer satisfaction.
Know who you are aiming to reach out to and adapt your strategies exactly to their needs. For instance, students might need an additional plagiarism checker and if you offer this service for free, they will be very grateful. Your success is only one market research away.
Build your portfolio
People want to see results. Therefore, getting testimonials from your former employers, clients or the people you helped before can be a huge step forward.
Boast.io states that “Customer testimonials and case studies are considered the most effective content marketing tactics, identified by 89% and 88%, respectively, of B2B marketers.”
Besides, remember that competition is huge and to have new customers come and tell you to just take their money, you need to go over and beyond with your business ideas.
Establish your rate
Yes, you need to establish your rate. There is no one common formula to help you calculate a perfect rate. However, you need to remember that as your reputation and skills grow, your rate will grow, too.
Research the pricing of your business rivals in the same services and make your rate somehow close to theirs. Remember that you should also have a loyalty program and bonuses to those who leave their testimonials, bring friends, or recommend your services.
Have a set of essential tools to use
Before you launch your business or start your first marketing campaign, you need to ensure that you have all the necessary tools you need to run the business. Thus, you might want to buy some grammar checkers to save your time or your own domain to run the business on.
All this has to be established and tuned up before the first clients fly in, as managing organizational things on the go is not easy if you are a newbie to this area.
Start the advertising campaign
Finally, the time has come to launch those marketing campaigns. Start with Facebook ads as that is where most people spend time daily. Besides, they are easy to set up and analyze so not using them is almost a crime!
Then, consider running special campaigns on Google or elsewhere. You will probably need help with writing all the texts right and pushing the right triggers there so be ready to pay for the services of real professionals here.
See Also: The 5 Internet Marketing Trends That Will Dominate in 2017
Network
Networking is powerful. People find jobs with the help of their friends’ recommendations and you can easily find new customers in the same way. Simply ask your friends if they know anyone looking for proofreading services. It never hurts to ask and you might get new clients in no time.
And also, leave your business cards wherever you go. They might do the job for you, too.
Work on your people skills
Every business is all about relationship. Unless you know how to find a key to every individual person out there, you are at a risk to fail.
So, master the art of being a friendly business as that is your key to success. People like businesses with a soul behind it. Be that kind of business!
Learn how to deliver the best client service
Finally, you need to be ready to deal with the complaints of any frustrated customers. Make sure that they will be left with nothing but a good impression of your business in the end. You can either hire a professional to deal with frustrated customers or learn how to be the perfect fit yourself.
In summary
Running a personal business is a dream come true for many. However, to make sure that your home-based proofreading business will last and prosper after years of struggles in the market, follow our simple tips.
