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childcare during the day while parents work
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Personal/Public Services Small Business Ideas : Costume Making and Rental
Whether it's singing in a choir at church, acting in a school play or performing in a band, we all have had to wear a costume at least once in our lifetime. If you live in the US, you would understand how some people will go to extreme lengths to get THE perfect costume especially around Halloween. The problem of course is that "THE" perfect costume often requires creative and intricate sewing skills - more than what the average person may have. That's where you come in.
If you're someone artistic and creative with the ability to sew, then you have the basic skills to start a Costume Making and Rental business. Lots of stay-at-home Moms and Grandmas are actually part-time Costume Makers - making costumes for their kids (and friends). If they were to take the effort to go into it a little bit more seriously and maybe invest a little money, they could turn their skills into a full blown Costume Making and Rental business! Costume Making and Rental doesn't have to be a seasonal thing. If you make a name for yourself, you could be up to your eyeballs in costumes all year round. The trick is in working smart, but more about that later.
Other than the skills I mentioned earlier, you DO need to have a sewing machine for starters, a good eye for detail and lots of patience. Before you go scaring yourself silly thinking about how you're not a business woman and how you can't compete with fashion stores, tailors etc, don't. Starting out is easy. You DON'T need lots of fancy gadgets and gizmos and hi-tech skills to make costumes. More often than not, you will receive requests for simple costumes for school plays and recitals. If someone comes to you with a job that you can't handle, you can always turn them down politely, but ALWAYS keep their request in mind and LEARN how to create what they wanted so you'll be ready the next time someone comes around asking for a pink frilly fairy costume with glow-in-the-dark wings that can flutter!
Your first step in marketing yourself is to let people know that you can make costumes. Make friends with parents who have small children. Get in touch with kindergartens and schools in your neighbourhood. Make contact with event organizing companies. Let them know that you're handy with a sewing machine and that if they ever need a Honey Bee costume for their daughter or a Pink Dinosaur costume for their son or a choir uniform, to give you a call.
As your business expands, you will notice that there are seasonal demands for specific types of costumes. If you want to tap into the Costume Rental business, you will need to create and have these popular costumes in stock and if possible, in different sizes. If you add one costume design - including accessories - every month, in one year, you will have twelve designs in stock. You'll need to keep in touch with the Costume Rental industry - making sure you expand carefully, and in tandem with market demands. Get quotes on your costume materials and figure out how much material you will need to produce the quantity of costumes you need. Check out your competitors and see what they have to offer. Mark your calendar for seasonal trends, making sure you have designs ready well before popular holidays.
Starting our small in the Costume Making and Rental business is easy and doesn't cost much, but like all potentially lucrative businesses, as you expand you will need to consider lots of issues - insurance liability, staffing needs, opening a store and adding equipment. Tackle these issues one at a time. Having a website definitely helps build your market presence. It also gives you an opportunity to sell more than just your Costume Making and Rental business. This is a really good niche for creative folk who love making people happy and making money at the same time!
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day care center guide |
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The 3 Little Things You Do That Mean A Lot In Your Family Daycare
By Christine Groth
Have you ever noticed that when you visit a business you can just tell that every little detail is well thought out? That customers are appreciated, cared for, or maybe even loved.
This is very true especially for some major corporations in the United States for example, Disney. When visiting a Disney Theme Park you’ll never notice anyone working on the grounds maintenance during the day. All work, including cleaning, planting and water flowers is done at night. After the park closes massive flood lights go on so that all the workers can complete maintance at night. Why do they do this you ask? Well, because Disney Theme Parks are all about the illusion of happiness and escaping from the real world. Everyone is always friendly and there to help the visitor.
Getting back to family how can you do the little things that mean a lot to your customer? Another thing to think about is, how can you set yourself apart from the down the block?
Tip #1
Make Birthdays for
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your children a BIG deal: Each time a child in your has a birthday, especially the 1st make a totally big deal out of it. Have a small birthday party, have the special child wear a birthday hat, make some cupcakes and of course purchase a gift for the child. Know, I’m not saying break the bank, but you can definitely go to the Dollar Store and buy a few items. All these thoughts spell out one idea to your parent, “I really care about your child”. Parent’s will feel all warm and gushy inside when they arrive to pick up their child and you tell them about their special birthday, and then hand them a small present to take home.
Tip#2
Offer coffee or warm cookies when a parent drops off or picks up their child. This is just one way to make your home inviting to the parent who is on the rush to or from work. Little items that set you apart from other day care centers and ease the craziness of the work day for most parents.
Tip#3
Taking Pictures of children’s activities:
Wouldn’t a parent who misses their child and want’s to participate in their activities love a picture at the end of the day? Or we could even take this one step further, for those of you who are technical savvy (it’s not me) what about sending an email to the parents workplace with a pic of their child having a great time? “Mom, look at me I’m having so much fun!”
The fact of the matter is so many parents feel guilty about dropping off their children in the morning, why not make them feel a little bit better about their choice.
Pretty simple right? The little things mean a whole lot in every small business. Go out of your way to help others and you will reap the reward.
(c) 2006 CG Groth Inc. Article Source: http://articlecrazy.com The “Daycare Queen”, Christine G. Groth, is the creator of “The Guide to Instant Profits”. To learn more about this step-by-step program and to sign-up for her FREE “How to Start a Daycare” tips and articles, visit www.startingadaycaretips.com
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Here are some articles to start with.. |
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5 Tips To Having Excellent Communication In Your Daycare
By Christine Groth
One of the biggest reasons for parent dissatisfaction is lack of communication. It’s extremely important in any small business and especially in family daycare. Remember daycare centers are taking Read more...
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Is It Too Expensive To Start A Daycare In Your Home?
By Christine Groth
Opening a daycare in your home has so many benefits to it; the list goes on and on. One of the greatest benefits that excites so many ladies is the fact that you can make money and stay home and Read more...
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