WAHM > Stay at Home Mom Work Ideas > Selling a Service > Start a Desktop Publishing Service

How to Start A Desktop Publishing Business from Home

What you will be doing.  All businesses today need a way to let others know that they exist.  This is where advertising comes in.  Good advertisers can make any business appealing to the average consumer.  As a desktop publisher, your job will be to make the advertising visions of a company a reality. 

Desktop publishers have the skill to make flyers, ads, brochures, newsletters, and other printed materials for various clients.  An understanding of graphic design allows them to combine eye catching graphics with persuasive writing.  Corporate work includes producing color reports for meetings or printing in-house business manuals.   

How to start.  Skill with a computer will serve you well.  Start with family, friends, and business contacts.  Do some pro bono work for birthday parties, church functions, family gatherings, and neighborhood events.  Let others get a chance to see your work.  Be as professional as possible with every project, paid or not. 

Start small and work your way up.  Get in touch with small business firms in the area.  Learn all that you can about their products and create a sample ad for each.  This will show that you are serious about getting their business. 

Starting costs.  For the software, paper, ink, computer, printer, and other equipment, the price tag can range from $10,000 to $15,000.  Deciding to specialize in one specific area can increase the costs.  Binding reports or manuals adds to the cost of the equipment. 

You will need an area in your home to set up an office.  Page layouts for print ads and web page designs require an area to work and a large screen monitor to better view your work.  A website is useful for growing the business and selling your services on eBay. 

Skills needed.  A desktop publisher will have to have computer skills and experience working with graphics, editing layouts and photos, and photography.  There is no formal training required, but an eye for design is useful.  Some clients will be looking for you to take their basic idea and come up with the rest. 

Marketing.  Meeting potential clients in person will jumpstart the business.  If you take out a small business loan, they you can start with the traditional forms of advertising such as directories, classified ads, trade magazines, and website marketing.  Still, working with the local establishments can have just as far reaching business opportunities as the website if you are outgoing and savvy. 

As your business grows, people will see your handiwork everywhere.  The product itself will be your best selling point.  Desktop publishing is a wide open field with room to carve out your own niche.

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