Going Online with a Roommate Finding Service
Business Overview:
A roommate finding service can be a valuable tool for college students and older single people alike and can make a wonderful part-time business. Renting an apartment, especially in a big city, can be outrageously expensive, so many people look for a roommate to share the expenses. However, living that closely with someone you don’t know can be difficult if you don’t share the same ideas on things like television volume, sleeping hours and sharing food. A service that matches roommates based on personality sounds a lot like an online dating service but instead of love, your clients are simply looking for someone they can peacefully live with. Another difference between a membership site like a dating service and a roommate finding business is that you will likely not have repeat business since once a client finds a roommate, they don’t need your service anymore (assuming they found a good match). However it might take a client several months to be matched with a suitable roommate so you can either charge your clients a monthly membership fee or a one-time registration fee then give them a certain number of months for free. If they have not found a suitable roommate in that time, they have the choice of paying a continuation fee or leaving your service and going it alone. Business ideas like this one require that you have a database in which to keep your clients’ information. You’ll need a website that displays pictures of your clients along with information about their likes, dislikes, religious preferences, etc. You can choose to let roommates find each other or you can be more personally involved if you want to keep things small and search through your database regularly for people who would make a good match. The internet makes this the perfect online business idea that you can operate completely from home in your spare time; however, you don’t have to be limited to an online-only service. If you happen to live in a college town, for example, you might choose to specialize in college students and organize meet-and-greet activities for your clients so they can meet each other in addition to seeing each other on your website. Other areas you could specialize in are single moms or elderly people looking for younger roommates who can help them with various chores, etc. Finding just the right person to share a living space with is an important aspect of day-to-day happiness for most people. Owning a business that helps roommates find each other could prove to be quite a satisfying venture.
A Day in the Life of a Roommate Finding Service Owner:
Assuming your website is up and running, you will spend your day looking through your database for clients who might make a match. If you choose not to be that hands-on in the matching process, you will spend your day marketing your site. You will look for websites that align with the interests of your target market. For example, you might want to advertise with AARP if your market is elderly people. You will also want to check your email each day to see if any members have issues or questions that need to be addressed.
About Your Customers:
Your customers will be individuals in need of a roommate to share living expenses. They will pay your service for access to other people looking for the same thing.
What You Need to Start:
- Business plan
- Website
- Marketing plan
- Computer with finance software
The Good:
- The startup capital required for this business is low.
- Once your website is set up, very little hands-on work is required.
- This type of service will always be in high demand.
- Members will gladly pay more for access to your site that is specialized to their particular situation (religious preference, pets, children, etc.)
- It’s rewarding to help people solve a problem.
The Bad:
- It can take a while to build up your membership.
- You will need to be sure to protect yourself legally in the case that a roommate match goes sour.
Resources:
About The Author
Templateify
Praesent nec tortor quam. Quisque ac malesuada augue. Sed dignissim gravida odio ut bibendum. Cras fermentum euismod turpis. Nunc nec diam ante, et faucibus ipsum. Etiam imperdiet mattis elit et molestie. Nulla feugiat mollis leo vel egestas. Pellentesque convallis
Abonați-vă la:
Postare comentarii (Atom)
0 comentarii