A. Dear
Jennifer:
There are two dimensions of starting a mystery shopping company:
- getting corporate accounts who will hire your company to do the
mystery shopping
- recruiting the mystery shoppers who will actually do the mystery
shopping for you
Like many new companies, your main problem will be how to get that first
corporate account. Companies who engage in mystery shopping in most
likelihood already have a company that they work with; some may even have
contracts with mystery shopping companies.
You have to first identify the establishments in your geographic area and
categorize them accordingly:
- which ones CURRENTLY USES a mystery shopping company
- which ones SHOULD USE but are NOT using a mystery shopping company
- which ones are not but could benefit from a mystery shopping service
Then network with these companies. Learn who their main decision makers
are. But you need to develop a solid presentation for your business:
- Why should these companies use your mystery shopping company instead
of the one they currently have?
- What do you have extra to offer to them?
Once you develop your unique selling proposition, it would be easier to
do sales calls and sales presentations.
The finding the mystery shoppers will not be as challenging considering
the number of those looking for part time income. But you have to have a
training system in place and teach them the right questions to ask, what to
look for, who to talk to, how to evaluate an establishment, etc.
Here are some resources I highly recommend:
About the PowerHomeBiz.com Guide:
Isabel Isidro is the
co-founder and VP-Managing Editor of PowerHomeBiz.com, an online magazine
for home business entrepreneurs that provides guidance on starting, running
and managing a home-based business.
The opinions expressed in this column are
those of the author, not of PowerHomeBiz.com.
Users
should not treat the Guide's response as legal, accounting, or
professional advice as all answers are intended to be general in
nature. Such advice can only be properly given by qualified
professionals who are fully aware of a user's specific geographical areas or circumstances, such
as
an attorney or accountant.
