One of the most valuable sources of sales leads for builders is a list of planning applications. People planning a home extension will have a variety of imminent needs. ‘Open Soon’ works on the same principle, but for companies supplying products and services to businesses.

‘Open Soon’ is a tool for providing sales leads to companies supplying to restaurants, shops, cafes and bars. Users can sign up for a monthly subscription via computer, laptop or smartphone, and then get access to information on new businesses about to open in their area of interest.

This is a US based service. Could there be an opening for something similar here in the UK? I see no reason why not. Thinking a little more widely, are there other opportunities to create a business providing valuable sales leads?

www.opensoon.co

Ever had the joy of travelling dulled by the misery of packing and dirty laundry? Maybe you need ‘Dufl’. ‘Dufl’ is  a digital valet service which stores, washes and re-packs a traveller’s wardrobe between trips. The  service even collects the user’s suitcase from their hotel and delivers it to their next destination, through partner company Fedex.

Users sign up  via a smartphone app and are sent a Dufl branded suitcase. Next,  they pack the case with their chosen  clothes. Dufl collects the suitcase and takes stock of the items, professionally photographing  everything and creating a virtual wardrobe. Next time the user makes a trip, they ‘pack’ using the app, and inform Dufl of their destination and arrival date. Dufl  packs and delivers the suitcase to the point of arrival. At the end of the trip, the user schedules a pickup and Dufl collects the suitcase and  cleans and stores the contents at the Dufl warehouse, until the user’s next trip. The service costs $9.95 per month for storage and $99 for each trip.

The service is limited to the U.S at the moment. Might something similar work in the UK and Europe?

www.dufl.com

A couple of years ago, I was driving to work when I heard a guy on local radio talking about his business. He travelled around local restaurants, sharpening their knives. He had a van kitted out with sharpening tools, took the knives into his van, sharpened them and then gave them back. Customers were on a regular cycle, so pretty much everything was repeat business.

In these days of myriad online opportunities, it’s easy to overlook the traditional ‘old school ones’. Think how many restaurants and café’s there are in your area, the number of hairdressers with scissors and shears…and then add in the number of households with blunt knives, hedge trimmers and lawn mowers. Might there be a business there for you?

What do you need to do to create a successful online business? Well one way is to find a great product, market it in a compelling way, and then open up an outlet to sell it in volume. Sound like hard work? Well here’s how to do it using just three websites.

1. Alibaba

Alibaba allows you to source just about anything, anywhere in the world. It’s a gateway to the worlds manufacturers and suppliers. If you need it, you’ll find it on Alibaba.

www.alibaba.com

2. Fivver

Want to create great sales copy, marketing on a shoestring? Want to source third parties who can design you a logo, some packaging or other graphic design?  Fivver is the place to go, with prices often as little as just $5

www.fivver.com

3. Shopify

So you have your product, your packaging, you company image and your marketing  – now you need to sell. Shopify provides everything a business needs to create an online store including a shopfront, payment systems to accept credit cards and the Shopify point of sale application to power retail sales.

When you’re looking for a business opportunity, it’s sometimes difficult to see the wood for the trees. Here are three simple opportunities using skills and resources you already have:

1. Freelance Writing

If you’re comfortable with he written word, what better way to work than  from the comfort of your own home, than to become a freelance writer? There is always a need for quality content. Gone are the days of being limited to feature articles for print magazines. You could write for websites, or even greeting cards. The options are extensive.

2. Cleaning

There’s always money to be made doing things that people don’t want to do themselves. People hate cleaning! If you know how to dust and vacuum (and who doesn’t?) then you can get started operating your own professional cleaning business. You’ll have to work hard at first to get clients, but after you do, your long-term success will depend on the reputation you build.

3. Tutoring

You probably don’t realise the wealth of knowledge you’ve accumulated throughout your education and career. You don’t have to keep all that knowledge to yourself if you don’t want to. So why not try offering your services as a tutor in a subject you’re comfortable with? The business will build through word of mouth once you’ve attracted a few clients.