A home cooking buisness requires a few basic items.
Starting a business from your home is becoming easier, especially with the boom of the internet economy. Starting a new cooking business is a very inexpensive way to make money from your home. You will be more successful if you follow a few simple steps to set the foundation for your endeavor.
Instructions
Preliminaries
1. Decide exactly what your cooking business is going to be. Consider whether you will teach others to cook, prepare meals and cater them or make specialties and sell them from your home. Determine whether you will ship your products or not. Be specific in your goals.
2. Research the legal aspect of the business. Consult a lawyer or do the research yourself on how you'll need to comply with the law: licenses, health department rules, various permits, etc.
For example, as stated by Entrepreneur magazine, certain departments of health require that home-based food business entrepreneurs use commercial kitchens to prepare their foods. In this case, you'll need to rent a commercial kitchen.
If you're cooking for people, you'll also need liability insurance in the case that someone becomes ill after sick after eating what you prepare and possibly a certification which proves that you understand the potential of food allergies and dietary restrictions.
Contact your local county health department to find out the details of what is required of you.
3. Come up with a name for your business. While it's tempting to name your business creatively, you should also try to use key words or phrases that people will look for when they search for your business online. This will help you later in the online marketing of your business.
Define Your Target Market
4. Determine, for example, if you will be targeting students who are looking into cooking careers, mothers who need home-cooked meals or hotels that need a party organizer. You could also target a certain location or age group.
5. Develop a profile of what your target market is looking for so you can fill their needs. Make a list of all of the characteristics of your target market and all the questions and concerns that they may have that are related to what you will offer.
6. Start to put together some products or services that are based specifically on the needs of your target market.
You vs. the Competition
7. Research your competitors. Depending on what you've decided as your main focus, your competitors could be restaurants, caterers or schools. Look at what they are offering, to whom they offer it and how they provide their target market with information.
8. Analyze what is missing in what your competitors offer to their market.
9. Identify your unique selling point. After looking at your competition, figure out how you will stand out from them. Maybe you can focus on a certain cuisine that is not available in your area or reach a higher or lower price point than what is currently offered.
Gather your Materials
10. Make a list of all the supplies, materials and equipment that you need for your new business and the costs associated with each.
11. You'll need a range of equipment including a food processor, pots, pans, cooking utensils, measuring cups and a cutting board. If you'll be doing cooking classes in your home, you'll need a classroom setting with chairs, tables and multiple cooking supplies. If you're offering an online cooking course, you'll also need the video/audio equipment.
12. Then purchase those items that you would need if you wanted to start tomorrow. You can add to this list as your business progresses.
Marketing your Business
13. Establish your first online presence (no website needed). Set up accounts on Google Business Center, Yahoo Local and Bing Local. List your business contact information and use key words that relate to what you are offering. Put yourself in the shoes of your customers when you write in your keywords. Use words that you would use to search for the service you offer. You can also include photos of what you are promoting.
14. Place online and offline classified ads. Several online sites offer free advertising such as Craigslist.org and USFreeAds.com. Newspaper ads will be more expensive.
15. Tell your family, friends and neighbors about what you offer. They can be your first customers, provide helpful input and even review you on your online listings.
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