| The mystery shopping business is very new in most | | | | * Produce a free newsletter for business owners, and |
| parts of the world with only a handful of mystery | | | | again ensure your advertisement appears in all copies. |
| shopping companies working mainly in larger towns | | | | You might also start an online newsletter which |
| and cities, and invariably targeting major business | | | | business owners can access free of charge either on |
| corporations, while neglecting smaller, local firms, most | | | | screen or as a downloadable PDF. file. |
| needing their service. | | | | * Look for special advertising promotions with media |
| That's an awfully big gap in the market! An awful lot of | | | | you have already tested and found to work. Where |
| business going to waste! | | | | for instance a magazine offers two ads. for the price |
| You can plug the gap by operating a mystery | | | | of one where your earlier promotions have worked |
| shopping business in your area with just two or three | | | | well, you might take them up on the offer. |
| clients and a few well paid assignments each month. | | | | * Offer to write a free weekly column for publications |
| It's one of the best work at home opportunities | | | | read by your target audience. Each time you might |
| possible and fits well into almost every lifestyle. | | | | focus on one aspect of customer service, for |
| You can target most areas of commerce, such as | | | | example answering the telephone, helping disabled |
| shops and supermarkets, garages and hairdressers, | | | | customers, organizing focus groups, and so on. Make |
| banks and building societies, or you might consider | | | | sure your resource box is included giving contact |
| specializing by setting your sites on one small group, | | | | details for your business. |
| such as family run hotels and boarding houses, seaside | | | | * Buy advertising gifts for clients - real and potential - |
| cafes, amusement arcades, doctor's surgeries and | | | | and offer these as Christmas gifts or giveaways at |
| photographic studios. | | | | business meetings. Calendars keep you to the fore |
| Let's see what makes mystery shopping such an | | | | every day of the year. The more useful the gift the |
| easy business to start: | | | | better and the more exposure for your business. The |
| * No office or special business premises required, the | | | | best include pens, mugs, table mats, mouse mats, |
| entire operation can be run from home. | | | | calendars and screen savers. |
| * No need to employ staff with all the administrative | | | | * Offer discounts to clients who refer you to others. |
| headaches and hassles commonly involved. | | | | This can be accomplished by offering a fixed |
| Experienced freelance mystery shoppers can be hired | | | | percentage of all income generated by their referral up |
| as and when required, or you can carry out all | | | | to a set fee or fixed maximum or for a specified |
| assignments yourself or get family members involved. | | | | period. The problem is that some clients might refer so |
| * Low start up costs. All you need is a telephone, | | | | many others that you end up working free for |
| some business stationery, and a small amount of | | | | referring clients! Not a good idea! So offer something |
| capital for advertising your business. With a few | | | | like ten per cent of the first shop for the new client or |
| regular clients on board, future business comes from | | | | a small specified cash sum whichever is greater. |
| referrals and repeat assignments. | | | | Professional Tips |
| * Overheads are low, usually just travel expenses, | | | | The biggest tip any new mystery shopping business |
| stationery, postage, fax and Internet communications | | | | should follow is to be professional at all times. How you |
| for submitting client reports. | | | | look, speak, write, says more about you than glossy |
| * You set your own hours and all decisions and | | | | advertising brochures and display advertisements ever |
| choices are yours. | | | | can. These tips will help: |
| * You get to eat in posh restaurants and stay in plush | | | | * Sound professional when you answer the telephone |
| hotels as part of the job. | | | | and when you place calls. Speak clearly and slowly |
| * You make a big difference to how business | | | | and repeat your callback telephone number. Be friendly |
| functions and the way in which customers are treated. | | | | but get down to business as quickly as possible, |
| * High profit potential for even small scale operators. | | | | especially where you place the call and you are |
| The secret to a successful mystery shopping business | | | | encroaching on that other person's time. |
| is in the way you promote your business and how you | | | | * Make sure incoming calls are answered clearly and |
| come across to potential clients. Let's consider | | | | professionally for live and automated answering. |
| marketing and professionalism now. | | | | Answer with a friendly greeting, followed by the name |
| Marketing Tips | | | | of your company, and open the way for callers to |
| Being different in your approach to marketing your | | | | respond. |
| business will help you stand out to prospective clients. | | | | * Specialize by offering unusual services, the more |
| These tips will help: | | | | unusual the better, especially if you also operate within |
| * Write a short booklet of tips for business owners, | | | | a market niche. |
| focusing on customer service and staff training. Offer | | | | * Carry out all early assignments yourself to gain |
| the book free in national newspapers and business | | | | experience. You might find you prefer it to hiring others |
| journals, and via online sources, but ensure your | | | | to carry out assignments. It works out much cheaper, |
| advertisement appears in all copies. | | | | too! |