Etiquette Adviser

Social etiquette plays an important role in all of our lives; it is present in every interaction we have with other people, whether it be in person, on the phone or over email. Having perfect social etiquette might not be the goal of your next-door neighbour, but it is increasingly important to business people and those of high social standing. If you have a talent for social etiquette then this is a consulting business you can start from home, with little or no start-up capital.

Before The Start-Up – Let’s Not Get Ahead Of Ourselves

To be a successful etiquette adviser you’ll need a wealth of knowledge and experience in all fields of social etiquette. This includes more traditional forms of etiquette such as table manners and office behaviour, as well as more modern forms of etiquette such as email and cell phone etiquette. All social etiquettes are founded in history and tradition; it will also be helpful to have a thorough understanding of etiquette history and origin.

The Start-Up

Being a work at home consultant means there is little start-up expense and effort involved. To begin work you’ll need a home office to handle administration and marketing. You’ll need a work space, desk, computer and Internet connection if possible. You’ll also need a printer to print invoices, receipts and even marketing materials. To promote your business you’ll need some essential business stationary such as business cards, an invoice and receipt template and promotional materials such as a brochure.

Get started by creating several etiquette course options for clients to choose from. While it’s still wise to make yourself available for specific consulting jobs, you’ll most likely have the most success by offering short courses in social etiquette. Average rates vary from $15 - $35 (USD) for a one our class.

Making It Work

Your clients, whether they be business men looking for an edge or a young couple looking for seating advice for their wedding, will likely be in a serious mood. Take the time to lighten things up, and make any etiquette advise a fun and slightly humorous occasion. Sometimes the best learning is done while having fun.

Marketing

Marketing this kind of service isn’t an easy task. The main stream of society doesn’t desire what you are offering; all your marketing efforts will have to be as targeted as possible at those seeking your services.

For off line marketing consider advertising in local newspapers, business publications and networking within your local business community.

For online marketing, consider getting a website developed and learning to run a pay per click campaign with a service such as Google Adwords. Make sure you get a simple and cost effective website developed with an outline of your services, courses and testimonials from your best clients. Pay per click advertising is a brilliant way to drive traffic to your website as it’s possible to target the ads to small geographical areas. A website is possibly the best way to find people in your area who are looking for you. Don’t forget to add some free etiquette advise on your site to attract potential customers.

Don’t Forget

In this type of business people will often try take advantage of your knowledge. Don’t be tempted into answering etiquette questions over the phone unless you are charging for the call, or expect to get future business from the client. Your time is money so make sure you are charging for your time.