How to Start a Secretarial Business


If you have previously worked in secretarial jobs and are thinking about a home business, starting up a secretarial business could be the answer. Perhaps you gained a qualification at one of the secretarial schools and never used it. - this could be your chance! Or even if you haven’t had formal education and have taught yourself how to use a computer, this could be a possible business startup idea.

However, if you haven’t got any experience, make sure you learn to touchtype and get a good typing speed. Once your business takes off, you’ll need to be able to work as quickly as possible.

You don’t need to spend a huge amount on equipment - a computer with internet access, a fax machine, telephone and answering machine and filing cabinet are the essentials and you probably already have at least the computer and phone.

It’s important to have the ability to use a number of common computer programmes, such as Word and Excel, since these are used by the majority of businesses and your work must be compatible with the clients’ software. And of course, you will have to be able to use email and the internet. You’ll need to be very highly organized and keep files for each client and a diary with deadlines to ensure that everything is completed on time.

You can then offer a secretarial service to small business owners in your own area. There are many different services which you can offer and you should start off with those in which you are most proficient, adding new services as you grow your business to meet your clients’ needs. If you have specialized in a particular area, you could consider targeting that niche, for example, if you are a legal secretary or have medical secretarial experience.

Your first clients are likely to be local small businesses or sole traders, who don’t have enough work to justify the expense of a full time secretary, but need help with tasks like wordprocessing letters or invoices, bookkeeping, transcription and keeping financial records on spreadsheets.

More and more people are setting up home based businesses these days and as they become established, many will need help with secretarial work . A common problem for many people who operate their business from home, is not having someone to answer the phone. Examples would be therapists or practitioners of complementary medicine who work in their own homes all day, but can’t leave a client to answer the phone. You could offer to have calls diverted to you, taking messages or booking appointments. Many people do not like answering machines and will try the next number in the phone book until they talk to a real person.

You can find clients by looking in the local Yellow Pages or online small business listings and contacting them directly by phone or letter. You’ll need to work out your rates in advance and prepare a price list. You can do this by going online and checking who else is offering a similar secretarial service in your area. Are there any obvious gaps in the market which you could fill? You should also have good quality business cards and letterhead printed, as this will give you a professional appearance.

As a business owner, you will be responsible for your own taxes and insurance and you must check the local requirements before you start.