How to choose an idea for a small town?
When you hear the word “business,” a certain image often comes to mind: a respectable man in a business suit leaving the office of an international corporation. Moreover, the office is certainly located somewhere in a skyscraper in the very center of the metropolis.
However, we all know that businessmen can look whatever they want, and business has a place not only in million-plus cities, but also in small cities. And you can run your business in the regional center no less successfully than in Moscow.
You just need to take into account some of the features of small towns. If you are just about to open your own business in one of these settlements and are looking for a business idea for it, this article is for you.
A little about small towns
When opening a business in a small town, it is important to take into account its features. As a rule, they are approximately the same, regardless of whether it is a resort town in the south or a small northern settlement.
There is no consensus on which city is considered small. As a rule, small cities are those where the population does not exceed 50 thousand people. But businessmen often call cities with a population of 500 thousand people small.
The main thing that allows us to classify cities as small is, after all, the state and characteristics of the economy. What are they?
The first thing you should pay attention to is the welfare of the residents. In small towns, as a rule, there is little work; often a large proportion of residents work at one city-forming enterprise. This allows business owners to set low wages. Therefore, the income of the population in such towns is often low. Although, of course, there are exceptions to this rule.
The second important factor is the mentality of the city residents.
Olga Kosets
President of the Interregional Public Organization for the Protection and Support of Small and Medium Businesses " Business people»
Take into account the specifics of the population, namely the qualitative composition: military, workers, people of science, as well as age categories.
Features of business in a small town
Perhaps it’s worth starting right away with what “pitfalls” a small city is fraught with for business. Let's talk about the cons:
Small income
Since your potential clients earn little and are ready to spend accordingly, you can hardly count on a million-dollar profit. Assess the situation soberly.
Limited growth opportunities
If in a metropolis you have practically no limits to the development of your business, provided that the idea for it is chosen correctly, then in a small city everything is different. The number of your customers will increase only up to a certain point, after which the growth in demand will stop. This point should be taken into account in advance and include opportunities for scaling in your business. When new buyers stop appearing, you should try to open your own branch in the suburbs or take up the development of some related business. You can also try investing in absolutely new project, if in the course of work you see that there are more promising niches. But you shouldn’t always focus on increasing the average check. Remember: residents' incomes are often low.
Narrow market
In a small town there are not many opportunities to implement some extraordinary ideas. They may simply be unclaimed. At the same time, for standard establishments the market capacity is also limited. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, you can safely open another pizzeria, even if there are already a hundred exactly the same ones. In a small town there may not be any customers for the next establishment.
However, the peculiarities of small cities provide novice businessmen with some advantages:
Low barrier to entry into the market
Starting a business in a small town will cost you less than starting a business in a metropolis. Rental rates for commercial real estate in the province are lower than in million-plus cities, as are staff salaries. Thanks to these points, the regular expenses of your business will be lower.
Favorable competitive environment
Small businesses in small cities are usually poorly developed, and you will most likely have few competitors. In addition, many potentially in-demand business niches turn out to be completely empty. At the same time, it will not be difficult to find such niches, says Ivan Plastun, co-owner of an online cargo transportation service: “In a small city, this is much easier to do, because you can get around all the companies and retail outlets on your own.”
Support
This feature is somewhat related to the previous point. Since private business in small towns is poorly developed, the authorities are willing to make efforts to change the situation. There are support programs for entrepreneurs, for example, issuing grants for opening or providing subsidies, as well as special institutes helping to start your own business - business incubators, business accelerators. True, the attitude towards them on the part of entrepreneurs is ambiguous.
Olga Kosets from the organization “Business People” advises studying support programs and getting to know the employees of relevant departments:
Olga Kosets from the organization “Business People” advises studying support programs and getting to know the employees of relevant departments: “Their direct responsibility is to guide you in the right direction.”
And here is Anatoly Churgel from the Russian National Committee for the Black Sea Economic Cooperation warns: “You shouldn’t turn to local structures for advice - they’ll grab ideas on the fly.”
In his opinion, it is better to start not with a large-scale business project, but with something that requires small investments. Subsequently, they can be multiplied, and at the same time, gain business experience and look at the problems of entrepreneurs from the inside. You can also turn to the experience of your friends: which of them resorted to the help of local authorities when opening a business? What result did this lead to?
In the case of businesses in small towns, there are also several controversial issues, which can be turned both to the benefit of your business and to the detriment.
How to choose a business idea for a small town?
Once you become familiar with the characteristics of small towns and entrepreneurship in them, it will be much easier to choose your own business idea. True, the criteria for choosing a business idea for a small city are absolutely the same as for a large one, insists Ivan Plastun, co-founder of the “Everyone is Lucky” service. In both cases, it must have a certain novelty. This doesn't mean that your business has to offer something that no one has ever heard of before. On the contrary, it must be understandable to consumers. But you shouldn’t completely copy other people’s business ideas.
If your competitor has already opened Tire fitting on Vishnevaya, do not open another one, advises Olga Kosets. It’s better to complement it with a “Sink” or a small cafe, or you can do both. It is likely that this format will subsequently grow, and in symbiosis you are more crisis-resistant, and you have a greater chance of survival and success.
Another criterion for a successful business idea for both small and large cities is its demand among a wide range of potential consumers. Ideally, your business should solve some kind of massive problem that plagues the majority of city residents.
But what this problem is will have to be solved individually in each case. There is no single universal answer for the average small town.
Before you start looking for a business idea, take a look around. Perhaps you will immediately see that your city lacks, for example, inexpensive entertainment venues.
Take a closer look at potential consumers. This should not be some narrow group of the population, but the overwhelming majority of the city's residents. Who are these people? What interests do they live by? What do they need?
If you notice some need of the population that you can make a business out of satisfying, conduct benchmarking*.
*Benchmarking - search best companies in a certain industry and implementation of the solutions they use in their practice.
Dmitry Kobets
business consultant at Group-inform
See how similar demand is met in other cities. If stories and examples are repeated frequently, you will likely identify a viable option.
In a small town, it makes sense to think about a business based on some consumer goods.
Victor Erofeev
technical director of CG Projects Group
The lion's share of successful small businesses around use products and needs that have not changed in any way for almost a century.
When looking for a business idea, try to start from the characteristics of the labor market. Are there few highly qualified lawyers or programmers? Give up the idea of launching your own website or opening a legal services agency. Instead, try focusing on what people can do with their hands, such as fixing phones, computers, motorcycles or cars. If there are enough personnel with such competencies, open a service center or service station. Such a business may also be in demand in a small town.
Your business idea can be very simple or have some special features. For example, if you are thinking about opening a store selling farm products, try developing an online store and providing delivery. This will immediately set you apart from your competitors, and at the same time provide additional opportunities for scaling your business, which is so necessary in a small city.
If you decide to open a business in a small tourist town, this can also be used to your advantage. Look at the cozy private shops, workshops and family businesses of old Europe. You can open something similar in your city, making your small business a local landmark.
Another successful move for tourist place- pay attention to local traditions and crafts. At the same time, it is not at all necessary to open another souvenir store. Try organizing traditional entertainment, such as falconry or fishing tourism, advises Anatoly Churgel.
So, small cities have certain specifics that affect the conditions for doing business in them. Not every establishment can be opened in a small town. When choosing an idea for a business in a small town, take into account the economy, living conditions of the population and their mentality. You shouldn’t open a luxury clothing store in a mining village, or a raw food cafe in a military town. You simply won’t find buyers, and your establishment risks closing quickly.
In a small town you can organize profitable business no worse than in the big one. Many people think that it cannot be profitable in a small town. Anyone who thinks so is immediately setting themselves up for failure and does not consider the positive aspects of this issue.
There are many advantages of living in small towns. Here are some of them.
Residents of such settlements should not rush to choose the specifics of their future business. You need to carefully weigh all the pros and cons and only then make the only right decision. Only in this case will the work bring you a good profit. The ceiling on sales volume in small towns may be limited by the size of the population and its purchasing power.
From the very beginning, you must “soberly” assess the market of your locality. Find out what services or goods residents want, what they need and what they expect. Clarify the number of your future competitors, their strengths and weak sides.
It would be great to start your own business using the system franchising. There are hundreds, or even thousands of items. In this case, the entrepreneur can count on a loan and comprehensive assistance from the franchisee. This can be a good way to get going. Working under a well-known brand is much easier.
For the little ones, organize a Leisure and Development Center, where they will study and explore the world.
A popular business in a small town is a private one with a range of services: haircut, hair coloring, holiday hairstyles, manicure, pedicure. This type of business will never fail. Women always strive to be beautiful and attractive.
Freight and taxi services. In small towns, people also sometimes prefer taxis to public transport. Recruit a few drivers with personal transport, and things will go according to the established pattern. Thanks to this direction, business in a small town in winter will become even more popular.
and selling them in big cities. To do this, you need to have a small plot of land and the desire to work on it. The population of megacities gladly buys such products.
Massage at the client's home. Many pensioners or people with disabilities cannot afford to get to the clinic and wait in long lines there. Several experienced masseuses - and your business will flourish.
Having a small room at your disposal, you can open studio for tailoring, bed linen or repairing leather goods, umbrellas or making keys.
A new, in-demand type of service not only in big cities, but also in small ones - the provision of assistance with garbage removal, old furniture And household appliances for disposal. In small towns, the problem of recycling household appliances is even more acute, since in megacities this issue is solved better.
Considering the unique location of your town, you can start making jewelry, which would be ideally suited to the original culture of the city.
Even in tiny towns there are people who will spare no expense for cleaning clothes, since not everything can be washed or cleaned at home. And you can provide this service to the population.
Opening a small branded sweets store, which will have several tables for tasting your products. A cup of tea or coffee will attract those who want to enjoy delicious products to the establishment.
Gifts and cards shop. If you try really hard, you can make an original boutique with beautifully designed gift sets and postcards with the appropriate theme. In this business, you need to take into account the following feature: customers need to be treated with respect and warmth. Need to don't just sellgifts, but also to be able to offer a product that is appropriate for this particular occasion. Calculate how much customers can leave in your store, and based on this, formulate your pricing policy.
Mini bakery. This type of business will provide your town with always fresh baked goods. The bread that is brought from a large city is not always soft. You can bake not only bread, but also: straws, buns with various fillings, and so on. Such a business has much more opportunities to flourish in small towns than in big cities.
In the conditions of life in a small town, there is an urgent need to open a business related to modern technologies: repair of mobile phones, sale and installation of satellite dishes and other related products.
Opening a private dental clinic. The population of our cities, both large and small, cannot boast of the good condition of their teeth. Therefore, treatment, removal, prosthetics may be precisely the type of activity where you can earn a lot of money.
Private driving school. You will be able to provide driving training services. In small towns, a car has long ceased to be a luxury and almost every family has a car.
Service " Husband for an hour" Having several men on staff who know how to do everything around the house, you can organize a good business. This includes minor repairs, connection and repair of equipment.
Private kindergarten or babysitting services. In small cities the problem is no less acute than in large ones. Sometimes parents have nowhere to put their children, especially during school holidays. In small towns, everyone knows each other, and finding good teachers or nannies is not difficult. It will be difficult for you to make a mistake about the staff and their work ethic.
Car repair and maintenance workshop,. You don't need a very large room for this. It is enough to equip it with the necessary equipment. A few competent car mechanics will be able to attract many clients to the workshop. Believe me, there are not many good specialists to whom people can trust their car. You can open it nearby.
If you live near a village, you can organize ethnotourism. Residents of big cities will be happy to come to you. Many people want to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis and feel the village spirit for a few days, dig in the soil, and look after their pets.
An excellent way to earn capital can be opening sports or gym. Young people in small towns have long understood the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
Opening computer store or a store selling mobile phones. Innovative technologies are not alien to residents far from major cities.
Workshop on furniture manufacturing and repair. Surely in your city there are several skilled craftsmen who have golden hands. Offer them cooperation with you, together you can achieve good success.
Can become a good income generator hotel business. If you have a premises that can be converted into a small hotel, motel or - this would be a good option. The rooms can also be rented out on a daily basis. With proper organization of work and advertising, success will not take long to arrive.
For residents of small towns, one of the best options may be Internet business. In this case there will be no restrictions or barriers. No one will “put a spoke in your wheels”; you will depend only on yourself.
Bureau of funeral servicesis also a profitable business in small towns. Unfortunately, people die everywhere, regardless of where they live. The moment comes when we are faced with the problem of burying loved ones. List of services that you can offer to clients:
Whether a certain type of activity in a particular city is profitable or not depends on many components.
Before starting work, you need to study well consumer market your locality, assess possible competition. Then you need to select competent personnel whom you can trust. It will be necessary to treat product suppliers responsibly (if the specifics of the work require it). It will not be profitable for you to attract suppliers from big cities - look for them in nearby settlements.
How quickly the investment can pay off will depend on certain conditions. Residents of small towns do not have a lot of money, so you should not count on quick profits. It may take several years for the business to break even. Much will depend on the demand for the type of services that you offer to citizens.
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Possible only in large cities, where money and highly qualified personnel are concentrated, but this is not the case. Of course, the specifics of entrepreneurship will be different from those inherent in megacities, but the income will not be long in coming. Moreover, the costs of organizing it will be significantly lower, and if you calculate well and come up with a development strategy, you can completely capture the market in the region.
Starting a business from scratch in a small town can be profitable for several reasons:
Advice: the situation with word of mouth can work in negative side. You shouldn’t skimp on quality, it can lead to a fall financial profit and bankruptcy of the enterprise.
Speaking about organizing your business in a small town, one cannot fail to mention its weaknesses:
It all depends on what goal the entrepreneur pursues. If money is a priority, then it is necessary to consider the most profitable areas of activity. If the whole idea is for pleasure and earning a living, then everything is much simpler here.
When pursuing maximum profit, the first thing you need to do is analyze the market and identify the 5-10 most profitable areas in the region of interest. Then select the most best option from the presented list and take up its implementation. There is one unspoken rule that should be followed. If an entrepreneur wants to succeed, then his services must be of higher quality than those of competitors, at least they should not be worse. After all, the determining factor influencing the client’s choice is price and quality.
If the priority goal is “business for pleasure,” then you should choose an idea to your liking. This could be, or other interesting solutions. It is better to give preference to a business that will make you want to do business in 2-5 or more years. It is worth noting that even “business as a hobby” can bring in very good money.
When choosing what to do, an entrepreneur must rely on his own knowledge, skills and desires.
Advice: When planning to do something interesting and unfamiliar, the first thing you should do is study in more detail this area. It will be useful to get a similar job. 2-3 months of employment will allow you to obtain the missing information and experience “from the inside.”
Opening your own business from scratch is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. There are many ideas available for starting a business without initial capital, and almost all of them are in the service sector. To start making money with your own hands, an entrepreneur should determine which area is closest to him.
Every person is an expert in something. Some people are professionals in several fields at once. If a future entrepreneur sews well, then it’s time for him to provide repair and sewing services; if you are fluent in Photoshop tools, then provide advertising services; understands the structure of a car - offer assistance in car repairs; knows how to bake - make custom cakes, etc.
The primary task of a novice businessman is to become independent from the employer. This will allow you to devote all your time to organizing and developing your business. It is also important to take care of the reserve of funds so that it is enough for life, at least for the first time.
A prerequisite is the high-quality provision of all services; it is desirable that each of the work performed be accompanied by a guarantee with a minimum period of 6 months.
At first, there is making money and creating a customer base, which in the future will become the main backbone of the business. They will continue to buy goods and services in the future.
For further development business, you need to start accumulating savings, otherwise it will be impossible to take your business to a new level. In the process of work, certain expenses will arise associated with the purchase of materials necessary for the provision of services.
It is worth noting that services are always in demand, regardless of the season. It’s just that during the season the demand is much higher, but there is also work throughout the year. And the main task of a businessman is to attract clients to himself.
The most popular types of small businesses are trade and services. For a business in a small town with small investments, a store is not the right solution, because one way or another you will need a large sum to purchase goods. It’s easier when a person knows how to do something with his own hands and does it well. For example, the services of plumbers, hairdressers, massage therapists, and seamstresses are in demand always and everywhere. Registration as an individual entrepreneur will allow the entrepreneur to provide professional services on a completely legal basis.
It is unlikely that such a business can make its owner a millionaire, but a small and stable income is an expected prospect, especially if you manage to acquire a regular clientele. If over time your own efforts are not enough, then you can think about hiring help. The main goal of this business is to transfer the business in the future from the category of “handicraft” services to a full-fledged company serving the public. This is often what the path of the majority looks like. successful businessmen local scale - owners of repair and sewing workshops, hairdressers, etc.
The service sector is always relevant if we consider it as a business project: investments are minimal, the main thing is to have the necessary skills.
Organizing any business requires the presence or absence of initial investments. Some ideas do not require any costs at all.
If you have a garage, it can be considered an ideal place to organize your small business. Such a business can bring a stable income. However, the amount of profit will depend on what the entrepreneur intends to do and how much effort will be invested in promoting the business. Having your own free space is a big plus, because you immediately eliminate the need to rent. Of course, a garage is not exactly a suitable place to open a bakery or cafe. But there are many other options.
When thinking about what kind of business to open in a garage, many make the same mistake. Often people use the most common idea. Auto repair shops are often set up in garages. However, this option can be considered outdated and it is better to discard it immediately.
Firstly, because this area is highly competitive. Car repair services are provided by many individual entrepreneurs who have large premises and expensive modern equipment. Those cars that are covered by insurance are repaired in workshops that cooperate with insurers.
Secondly, because the required areas are usually not available. No more than two cars can be accommodated in one room at the same time, and this is subject to a double garage. But in order to provide high-quality services, you need special equipment, which, as a rule, has large dimensions. Which means it won't fit in the garage.
Thirdly, due to the “impassable” location. To ensure an influx of customers, the auto repair shop should be located in a convenient and accessible location. To popularize such a business, large expenses are also required.
Ideas for small businesses can be divided into three areas:
Despite the fact that trading has always been a profitable business, it has not only strengths, but also weaknesses. What is profitable to sell in a small town is an age-old question that almost every beginning businessman asks. It can be answered only after conducting marketing research.
An entrepreneur who wants to make efforts in the trading field must clearly understand what he wants and what is profitable for him to trade specifically for him.
For example, trade in food products has always been and will be a profitable area. Products constitute a constant cost item for each family. And if prices are lower than those of neighbors, this will ensure stable profits. However, this business has its drawbacks. Firstly, products deteriorate over time, and to preserve them you need special conditions. Secondly, this activity is under the close attention of sanitary services.
Industrial products do not have an expiration date, but they are not purchased every day. Thus, the demand for office supplies increases in August and September, while in other months there is a lull.
When starting any business, demographic and geographic factors must be taken into account. It is also worth taking into account that a business that will bring big profits in a large city may fail in a small one.
Of course, the most win-win option for any locality is opening a grocery store. But there are other promising solutions:
While on maternity leave, many women begin to feel an acute lack of money. But at the same time they are not ready to give small child to kindergarten or do not have such an opportunity, as a result of which they cannot return to work. The only way out for them is a home business, which will allow them to devote time to their children and earn money at the same time:
And this is not a complete list of “women’s” business ideas. For example, a businesswoman can start, etc. These projects are more suitable for those who live in their own home and have at least a small plot of land.
Below is a brief overview of the most for a small city with a population of up to 100 thousand inhabitants. New projects and know-how will not be touched upon here, but only proven solutions that, with the proper approach, are sure to bring profit:
In summing up, I would like to give several recommendations aimed at developing business projects in a small town. First of all, you should take on what is well known and does not raise many questions. This will allow you to cope without staff for the first time. It is better to choose those areas of activity that maintain stable demand for goods and services for a long time. Their list includes food products, entertainment, medicine, etc. You should also not forget about the pricing policy: goods that help save money will always be a priority for residents of small towns.
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It should also be remembered that the basis for promoting any business is competent advertising. The Internet can provide considerable assistance in this matter: the rich target audience and availability of resources will allow as soon as possible earn the trust of potential clients.
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Of course, determining the direction of the project will depend on how profitable the activity will be.
In this article you will see some tips and tricks for starting a business in a small city. But first, I recommend that you take a look interesting video from Vladimir Dovgan:
In this video, Vladimir talks about how you can start your own business from ZERO. In addition, Dovgan’s story is very “motivating”, so to speak. In general, watch, ask questions and learn.
What is the most profitable business in a small town? When opening a business in a small town, you must remember that you will have to work not in a metropolis, but in a small town.
If we assume that due to the population the number of clients will be limited, then we can confidently say that opening your business on the Internet will be a good idea.
It's not at all difficult to do. You just need to register a company and recruit staff.
But, if the idea of working on the Internet does not suit you and you want to open a business in reality, then you need to think: what is it that you are missing in this small town? Are there many companies with this specific specialty open in this city? What kind of business to open now so that it is the most relevant and profitable? In each city, the answers may be completely different, so it will not be possible to advise anything specific in this situation.
By the way, here is an interesting video about how the guys opened an organization for the supply of environmentally friendly (natural) products:
This video clip briefly reflects the essence of the work of organizations. At the same time, as is clear from the interview, quite considerable investments were made by the shareholders. But the result is excellent! The markup of about 100% and profits of several million per month speak for themselves.
You should never open a business if the topic of its activities is alien, if its specifics are far from the interests of the founder. Such a thing will never succeed. You won't be able to go far on sheer enthusiasm.
There are some types of products that a person will need always and everywhere. These types of activities include providing the population with food. You can open such a business regardless of the city in which it will be conducted.
Products are something without which no person can exist normally. Therefore, a grocery store is almost always a profitable business. However, it is worth considering that if there is a store nearby that provides residents with quality products at cheap prices, then the chances of making a good profit are significantly reduced.
You can focus on the preferences of people living in a given city. What is the favorite product of city dwellers? Confectionery? Then you can think about opening a store that will sell only one specific type of product, for example, baked goods. It is unlikely that anyone has already opened the same store, working according to a narrow specificity, in a given city, which means there will be much fewer problems with competition.
In any, even the smallest locality, a cafe or restaurant will be in demand.
Usually in small towns there is a problem with the number of kindergartens. There are constantly not enough of them, and existing kindergartens have queues for several years in advance.
If the founder has a love for children and a suitable education, then you can open your own kindergarten.
In addition to a kindergarten, opening a dry cleaner can be a profitable business. Today, many housewives want to use dry cleaning services to get clothes processed with professional equipment. In addition, some materials will be difficult to wash in a washing machine. Some items of clothing simply cannot be restored to their original appearance without seeking the services of specialists.
What girl now doesn’t want to be the most beautiful and unforgettable? Almost all representatives of the fair sex experiment with a variety of diets and other beauty secrets, but each of them understands that hair styling or a mask made by professionals will have a much greater effect than the same manipulations done at home.
A beauty salon is always a profitable business. A beauty salon will never cease to be in demand, and now not only girls, but also young people use the services of qualified specialists.
Also, in every locality there will always be people who want to keep themselves in excellent physical shape. Therefore, opening your own fitness club would be a smart idea. Moreover, such a business project will most likely attract the attention of regional authorities, since sports are actively promoted in our country, which can save many young people from bad habits(smoking, alcoholism, etc.)
A flower or indoor plant store will always be in demand. Flowers are needed in many situations: on a date, at all kinds of holidays, the number of which is off the charts. A beautiful bouquet attracts many people, especially since the tradition of giving flowers in our country is very much observed.
To increase the effectiveness of the project, you can arrange bouquets and offer consulting assistance to buyers.
Holidays, by the way, will also never cease to exist in any city. Therefore, opening a gift shop or an agency for organizing holidays would be a profitable business.
Whatever business is opened, it is necessary to fulfill the main criterion for its success: to provide only high-quality products. And don’t forget to always draw up a sound business plan before investing.
There are no fewer opportunities for opening a profitable business in a small town than in a metropolis. There is an opinion that starting a business and making it profitable in a small town is almost impossible.
People don't see positive aspects and believe that their idea will fail. Actually this is not true. Let's consider the most promising business ideas for a small town.
In the minds of many people, when they hear the word “business,” a stereotypical image of a middle-aged business man leaving the chic office of a large company involuntarily appears. At the same time, it seems like a metropolis with dozens of skyscrapers.
However, many businessmen conduct their business in small towns and do not necessarily wear a business suit. In a small city it is possible to open a business no less profitable than in the capital.
There is still no consensus on which cities are considered small and which are not. It is generally believed that the population of a small town should be no more than 50 thousand people. But for business people, these can also be cities with a population of half a million or more. However, we should not forget about some of the peculiarities of doing business in small towns.
If you have business ideas for small towns, consider the following features:
When exploring business ideas for a small town, pay attention to the disadvantages that exist in a small town. These include:
You should not think about huge profits expressed in millions, because the income of people from your target audience quite modest.
If you have a great business idea, then there are much more opportunities for its implementation and development in a metropolis than in a small town. The number of clients of your company will grow and stop at a certain level. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the possibilities of expanding your activities. For example, this could be opening a branch in a suburban area or some related business. It happens that entrepreneurs find promising industries while working on an existing business. In this case, you can create something new, thereby increasing your range of possibilities. However, one should not always hope for an increase in the number of average checks, since residents of small towns, again, receive small incomes.
Unusual small business ideas in small towns cannot always be realized. There may be low demand for them. Even a standard business idea won't always work. For example, if in megacities you can open your own pizzeria, despite the fact that there are already hundreds of them, and at the same time count on a good profit, then in a small town, perhaps no one will visit your establishment, preferring a long-familiar and favorite place.
You need much less money to start your own business. much easier to implement. Renting real estate is cheaper than in big cities. Wages will also be lower. Thanks to these two conditions, your fixed costs will be significantly lower.
In a tiny city, small business is developing poorly, so you can count on a small number of competitors in your industry. It is possible to occupy a niche that is in demand, but is not occupied by anyone. This will be much easier to do than in a metropolis, since all trade points and companies can be visited by yourself.
This advantage is somewhat related to the above point. Due to the poor development of small businesses in small towns, the authorities are willing to accommodate them halfway. Entrepreneurs are offered various subsidies and grants. Your business ideas will not be left without government support.
In the case of business in small towns, there are also several controversial issues that can be turned either to the benefit of your business or to the detriment.
In small towns, the word of mouth effect works very well. This can be an excellent advertisement for you or, conversely, ruin your reputation, especially if significant shortcomings were identified at the beginning of doing business.
It is also worth paying attention to the fact that the number of your clients in a small city may be limited. However, here it will be much easier to study and create a portrait of your consumer.
Before you start implementing your business idea, consider the following points:
Whether your business will pay off or not depends on a number of conditions. However, you should not count on quick profits. It may take several years before your initial investment is recouped. This will largely depend on the demand for the goods or services offered.
Profitable business ideas for beginners and experienced entrepreneurs in a small town:
№1. In small towns, it is logical to open stores with socially low prices. This way you can provide yourself with a stable profit, although it may be small. Those products that consumers use daily are always in demand.
№2. In the age of the Internet, you can open your own business online. Online stores sell goods from all over Russia and neighboring countries. Here you can trade whatever you want: children's clothing, auto parts, jewelry and much more.
№3. Opening a small cafe would be a good idea. Just choose a menu familiar to residents and pay attention to the number of similar establishments in the city (as a rule, there are few of them).
№4. A canteen with low prices or a mobile cafe will also be in demand.
№5. Entertainment services may also prove popular: organizing and holding weddings, corporate events, and children's parties.
№6. The audience will be interested in a club for people over 30 or a disco for young people. All you need is a room with a pleasant interior and lighting. If the city already has something similar, you can always open a nightclub and invite popular DJs there, which will be your competitive advantage.
№7. In a small city, many parents are looking for an opportunity to give their children an education that will be no worse than in a metropolis. They hire tutors and look for teachers. Opening language courses is a profitable business in a small town, to start which you can use ready-made ideas (buying a franchise, etc.).
№8. For children, you can create an educational and leisure center for the purpose of development and learning.
№9. All women want to be beautiful, so opening your own hair salon with standard services would be a good idea to start with.
№10. Residents of small towns do not always use public transport. Many people require the services of taxi drivers. This is especially true in winter. Find drivers with personal cars and you can safely start your own business.
№11. You can sell in major cities products grown independently without the use of toxic fertilizers. Organic vegetables and fruits are always in demand among residents of megacities.
№12. A small room can be used to operate an atelier for repairing and sewing clothes or for other purposes (shoe repair, key making).
№13. Garbage disposal is a pressing issue for many small towns. You can create your own business that will solve this problem.
№14. Taking into account the traditions and life of the residents of your city, you can create decorations that correspond to the culture.
№15. In any locality there is always a demand for cleaning clothes that are difficult to wash at home. You can open an establishment providing such a service.
№16. You can open a branded sweet products store offering tastings. Many will not be able to pass by without trying the delicious products.
№17. Gift shop. You can stylishly and beautifully decorate a boutique in which you will sell gift sets and cards for all occasions. The main thing is to treat clients with respect and meet them halfway. You also need to always be able to offer the buyer a product for a specific event and for a specific person. Assess the financial capabilities of the residents of your city and, taking this factor into account, indicate the price of the product.
№18. When exploring business ideas for a small town, you should pay attention to the sale of essential goods. You can open a small bakery where you will always have fresh and tasty bread. This will be your advantage, since bread from the metropolis does not always meet these criteria. The assortment can be expanded with any types of baked goods: tubes, puff pastries, pies, and so on. This type of business has more prospects for development in a small town.
№19. Modern technologies are also popular in small towns. Businesses such as repairing mobile phones, computer equipment, selling satellite dishes and related equipment will be in demand.
№20. For residents of a small town, dental services are also relevant and necessary. By opening a dental clinic, you can earn a lot of money.
№21. Private driving courses for future motorists may be in demand.
№22. Minor repairs and work with equipment. All you need is to have a few men on your staff who know how to do all the necessary household work.
№23. A private kindergarten is more relevant in a small town, as in a big one. Nanny services are also always in demand. Many parents have no one to leave their children with school break or weekends. You can easily select staff using reviews local population, since the city is small and everyone knows each other.
№24. Since almost every family in a small town has a car, opening a tire shop would be a good idea. You need to have a large room equipped with equipment. Find good locksmiths who will attract people by doing quality work. Nearby you can create a car wash and a small cafe.
№25. If your house is near a village, then you can receive tourists. Many residents of megacities miss the silence and want to relax in a real village, caring for their pets and garden.
№26. Sports complexes and gyms are becoming increasingly popular in both small and large cities. By opening such an establishment, you can earn good money.
№27. Stores with modern technology(computers, mobile phones and so on).
№28. Opening of a furniture workshop. This may include the manufacture and repair of furniture. All you need is to find good craftsmen and invite them to work for you. This will bring considerable success.
№29. If you have premises that can be converted into a small hotel, this would be a good move. You can offer rooms at any time, working around the clock. If you take into account all the nuances and good advertising, you will quickly achieve success.
№30. “Husband for an hour” service. The better you do your work, the more clients you will have. The main task is to solve everyday problem, be it minor repairs, connecting equipment, plumber or electrician services. All you need are the tools and the ability to perform any homework. To open a business you will need no more than 5 thousand rubles.
№31. Creation of handmade products and their subsequent sale. This could be jewelry, toys, soap, paintings and much more. Initial investments may not exceed 3 thousand rubles. Skills and abilities can be acquired for free by watching videos on websites and communicating on thematic forums.
№33. Translations. If you know foreign language at an advanced level - carry out translations by placing advertisements on the Internet or in offline advertising channels.
Expert opinion
Alexey Kanevsky,
President of the Interportfolio company, Moscow; PhD in Chemistry
My advice to entrepreneurs: be more attentive to the service and sales sectors. These industries in Russia seriously lag behind the world level in terms of quality and quantity of proposals.
In provincial cities, small businesses are less developed than in the capital. However, after a while all Moscow tendencies come there. For this reason, entrepreneurs from the regions should pay attention to the capital’s new products and introduce trends before their competitors.
You may have a talent that everyone admires. For example, you knit well, sew beautiful high-quality clothes, embroider beautiful paintings. Why not consider making money from your hobby?
It may happen that in the city there are many people already doing what you love. If so, advertise and sell your creations online.
You will need to create your website, add photos of your work and invite your target audience to purchase your products, which can be sent to customers by mail. You will be pleasantly surprised by the number of responses from residents of big cities who miss handicrafts.
All you need to start a business is the Internet and mail. You can create a simple website yourself or entrust it to a friend who knows the specifics of this issue. Here are some promising business ideas for beginners in a small town.
Business idea 1. Hand-made products
These can be paintings, a sewn dress, handmade gifts for loved ones and much more. Using your skills, you can open your own business.
Business ideas for a woman in a small town:
Friends and acquaintances will eagerly purchase your crafts. In addition, you do not need to buy gifts in the store, since handmade items are more valuable than any purchase from the supermarket. The cost of making one creation, as a rule, is no more than 500 rubles.
If, for example, you purchase materials for making your fake for the amount of 300 rubles, then you can sell it for at least one thousand or even more. Business ideas for a small town from the handmade sector can be absolutely unique.
If you think that all the income can be associated only with the sale of your creations, then this is not so. You can also train others to do the same, thereby increasing your earnings.
Business idea 2. Creative studio for children.
Unfortunately, today parents spend little time on the development of their child. Usually they just take them to kindergarten in the morning and pick them up in the evening. However, in many such institutions, children are practically not taught real creativity.
You can open your own business in a small town by creating a wonderful creativity studio for children. Ideas for developing children's creativity can be very different. For example, you can teach children pottery or knitting or sewing. In general, everything that you own.
Business idea 3. Various courses for women.
This line of activity seems to be a continuation of the previous idea. You can organize some courses for women in the area in which you are well versed. This can be in several areas depending on your skills and experience.
Many women would like to learn how to sew and cook, and learn the psychology of raising children. Modern girls I am interested in such a topic as relationships with the opposite sex. And if there is demand, then supply needs to be created. Take a closer look at the people around you and see what you can do for them. If you are considered an excellent employee at work, and you have leadership qualities and a strong desire, then most likely you can easily organize courses for women.
Business idea 4. Clothing and underwear store for women.
Many small business ideas for girls in a small town are related to the sale of women's underwear and clothing. In the future, you will be able to sell other women's products in your store in addition to clothing. For example, this could be cosmetics and various accessories. This type of business requires the creator to have certain funds to start, time and experience in commerce.
Before starting a business, we advise you to do an analysis of existing stores for women. You can introduce yourself as a buyer at a retail outlet and find out which products are in highest demand and why. This way you will be more likely to achieve success in your store.
Women with small children are not recommended to take out a loan and open such a business, especially if they have no experience. It’s better to consider business ideas for a small town from scratch and choose a project in which you can gain experience in order to take on a more complex business in the future.
Business idea 5. Services from the field of “Beauty and Health”.
If you love to take care of yourself, don’t have bad habits and are ready to provide beauty services for other women, then this is the business for you.
Expert opinion
Pavel Shubin,
General Director of the branch of the Belousov Group company, owner of the Azhur knitting production, Nizhny Novgorod
It so happened that until 2012 I was passionate about the field information technologies, but then I suddenly wanted to change something in my life. One day I was visiting my friend and noticed a very funny knitted doll. My friend said that the doll is interesting not only for children, but also for adults. At that moment, I decided to start making similar toys that would bring joy to people.
I have no knitting skills, so I had to turn to experts in this field. It turned out that such a doll is not easy to knit. For this reason, I rejected my first idea and concentrated on knitted New Year's toys (or rather, a wrapper for a New Year's ball). I managed to find a woman on a forum for knitting enthusiasts in Nizhny Novgorod. I explained my idea to her and she did the first job I liked. At that moment, I decided to order 70 balloons from her, made in the corporate style of the IT company where I worked. We gave the balloons to our clients and partners. People were delighted and said that they had never seen anything like it. Then I realized that this idea was worth developing.
Later I turned to other knitters, but they made much worse wrappers. I decided to offer the first craftswoman, for a certain amount, to make several options for a sample and write a description of their creation. Using the instructions, other knitters also began to produce beautiful products. Two months before the end calendar year I had half a thousand of these balls. I gave away some of them, but sold most of them very easily. Those who managed to see photographs of the products contacted me with the question “Where can they be purchased?” I'm currently trying to automate the process by choosing a knitting machine. This is something like my hobby, I don’t take this topic as a serious matter, but I think my friends won’t have any questions about choosing New Year’s gifts for a long time.
Ideas for a small business in a small city mostly involve minimal start-up costs and quick payback.
Tip 1. Find a field that is in demand and interesting to people. When you discover a need, think about how you can satisfy it.
Tip 2. Develop a detailed business plan and think about it carefully. Don’t throw all your resources into an area about which you know little or nothing.
Tip 3. Assess the level of income of the residents of your city. As a rule, in small towns there are few jobs, and most people work in one enterprise. Owners of city-forming enterprises take advantage of the situation and pay employees little money. For this reason, in tiny towns, residents very rarely have a good income.
Tip 4. Study the qualitative composition of the city. You can open a small business in a small town, aimed at tourists, if there are many interesting places there. You should not use extravagant ideas if your city is not popular with visitors.
Tip 5. Pay attention to the labor market. It is unlikely that you will be able to find a highly qualified specialist or employee in a small city. Therefore, you should not take risks and open a business, the development of which requires exclusive personnel.
Tip 6. Shortage of in-demand goods. For example, there is no store of a well-known inexpensive clothing brand or there is only one in the entire city grocery supermarket with social prices. In this case, the idea of opening a store that will fill the existing deficit will be successful.
Tip 7. Consider the effect of word of mouth in a small community. Information spreads very quickly in a small town. If you sell a quality product, word of mouth will help you get by without advertising; if your business has significant flaws, then you risk losing all your customers.
Tip 8. Small businesses must use relatively new ideas for a small town. But at the same time, your case should be understandable to the majority. However, you shouldn’t adopt everything from someone else’s business.
Tip 9. Pay attention to the demand for the idea. In the best case scenario, your business should solve the problem of the majority of the city's residents. However, her character itself is not known. You will have to discover this for yourself.
Tip 10. If you manage to discover any need of city residents, then organize benchmark marketing. Evaluate the work of the best companies in your industry and use a successful example of their work in practice.
Tip 11. You can organize a small business by choosing ideas for a small city that are profitable to implement, since they involve the sale of goods that are in great demand. These can be food kiosks, construction shops, car shops, and so on. This also applies to services. In a small town, popular places can be tailor shops, dry cleaners, auto repair shops, etc.
Tip 12. Choose a legal form for registration and resolve all financial issues. Here you can register an individual entrepreneur or LLC. Each form has its own advantages and disadvantages. If you work without registration, you risk falling under the watchful eye of the tax office, since you are in a small city. What the tax system will be depends on the type of your business. If it is small, then you need to choose the option where you need to pay less taxes.
Tip 13. Initial investment. You cannot open your own business without any investment. Here either personal or borrowed funds. If you find an industry with low competition and high demand, you will quickly be able to make a profit and recoup your investment.
We conclude that it is not difficult to organize a profitable business in a small town if your ideas are promising and you have taken into account all the nuances.
Alexey Kanevsky Graduated from the Moscow Institute of Petrochemical and Gas Industry named after. THEM. Gubkin (now Russian State University of Oil and Gas named after I.M. Gubkin) and graduate school at this university. Since 1995 – Commercial Director group of companies "Centaur". Since 1996, he has been developing and promoting exclusive brands of imported beer. Chairman of the Economics Committee of the Moscow city branch of the public organization "Support of Russia".
Pavel Shubin at the end of 2012, he headed the branch of the multidisciplinary company Belousov Group that opened in Nizhny Novgorod; before that he was the general director of the IT company NS Labs. In 2011 he founded his own knitting production “Azhur”, to which he devotes his free time from his main job.
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