Services of this kind of business can include any of the following: transcription, resume writing and career consultation, word processing, editing and proofreading, business writing, preparing spreadsheets, bookkeeping and billing, database and contact management, desktop publishing, graphic design, multimedia presentations, office management and organizing consultation, web site design, and even Internet research. Nowadays, an increasing number of clients need help in managing and answering their emails. I am sure you have an idea of what kind of service you will focus on.

The possible markets you can tap for this business include the following:

• Brand new businesses with no support staff. Most of these will also be small businesses and self-employed individuals that may need some help on as-needed business. 
• Other small business entrepreneurs have little time or desire to do their own administrative work, and your service will be of great help to them. 
• Small and medium businesses experiencing difficulty in hiring full-time staff. Despite the good economy, attracting good employees is a major problem of most small businesses. Labor market is so tight nowadays, that even established firms are continuously looking for temporary help to do administrative tasks. 
• Students, either college or graduate students, oftentimes need help for their research. Your organizing and research skills can come in handy for this segment.

Your quality of work and ability to meet deadlines are two of the most important factors you need to succeed in this business. Your plans to market your business are definitely a step in the right direction. Here are some other suggestions:

1. Word of mouth is the best form of marketing your secretarial and office support business. Capitalize on your good reputation in the industry (and even your present employment) to find clients for your business. 

2. Yellow Pages Advertising. This is still a very effective way to get your secretarial business noticed. The success in acquiring new business through this medium hinges on three things: size of your ad, frequency of your listing, and your business name. In addition to a listing, you can buy a box advertising, the size of which depends on your budget. You can get a ¼ page or a 1x2 box ad. The bigger your ad, the greater your chances of being seen by prospective customers. Another strategy is through multiple listings. You can ask pay to be listed under multiple categories, such as Secretarial Services, Word Processing, Legal Assistance, and other relevant pages. Finally, if you haven't named your business yet, you should consider getting a business name that either starts with the letter "A" or a number to get the first listing in the alphabetically arranged directory. 

3. Networking. Your present job is a fertile ground for meeting prospective clients' sources of referrals. Join any professional organization in your field, if you have not done so already. 

4. Get a listing of new businesses in your area and send out information about your business to them. Some local business newspapers provide a listing of new businesses within the locality. You can either send a direct mail, business postcards, or half-sheet cards with a listing of your services. Then follow up mailings with phone call. 

5. Advertise your services in local publications within 50 miles of your home. You can place ads in your church bulletin, country newspaper, chamber of commerce bulletins, university newspapers and related clubs. If you wish to concentrate on providing legal support, advertise in any legal publications in your area. 

6. Contact similar businesses. While some will refuse to cooperate (much less talk with you!), there is something to be gained from building strategic alliances with competitors. You can work together on some accounts, particularly businesses that they cannot handle because of work overload. There can also provide you with leads on accounts that they do not cover but falls within your expertise. Present to them a win-win situation, and chances are they will agree to your proposal. 

7. Marketing your business on the Web is a smart move. Make sure that you get listed in search engines, particularly your directories focusing on your city or locality. Be prepared to devote considerable time in promoting your web site as search engines takes weeks, even months to list new sites. Yahoo, for instance, takes more than six months to list new sites (if they list you at all), unless you pay the $198 fee to fast track the review of your site (just a review, no guarantees on listing). 

8. If you want to target traveling businesspersons, contact hotels about offering your services to their guests. A lot of business travelers need office support of all kinds when they are on the road. This can be a good market for your business if you are living in a major urban area or city that can attract a lot of business travelers.

About the PowerHomeBiz.com Guide: 

Nach Maravilla is the Publisher of Power Homebiz Guides. He has over thirty years experience in sales and marketing of various products, which covered as he jokingly describes, "from toothpicks to airplanes"  He also had extensive experience in International trading and he always excelled in special promotional ideas for  retail outlets.