Business
Fact-checked

At WiseGEEK, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

How do I Start an at-Home Data Entry Business?

Tara Barnett
Tara Barnett

Starting an at-home data entry business is as easy as finding clients. That said, it is usually not easy to find clients at all. For this reason, the most difficult part of starting an at-home data entry business is avoiding scams. While many people desire the freedom of working at home, there are very few reputable companies that hire people to do data entry at home. Once you have a small number of clients, though, building and maintaining the business becomes easier and easier.

The first step to starting an at-home data entry business is ensuring that you are qualified for a data entry job. There are a variety of training programs that can increase your marketability, but listing experience in the field is also a relatively acceptable way of representing your expertise. It is important to remember that running an entire business at home is often unlike being an employee, even though you may be hired in a similar way. When working at home, you may have to perform other duties, such as billing and reporting progress, so it is important to have some understanding of these areas as well.

The most difficult part of starting an at-home data entry business is avoiding scams.
The most difficult part of starting an at-home data entry business is avoiding scams.

Next, you must make contact with clients. There are a number of ways to do this, including looking at job boards, talking to other people who run at-home data entry businesses, and searching the Internet for opportunities. This step, however, is where most potential at-home data entry business beginners go wrong. No company that demands money in order to find a job is reputable, and jobs that sound far too good to be true are almost always scams. If you are looking for a fast and easy way to make money, a data entry business is usually not a good route to take.

Someone looking to start an at-home business may borrow money from relatives to cover start-up costs.
Someone looking to start an at-home business may borrow money from relatives to cover start-up costs.

It is usually possible to start with a few reputable clients. Pleasing these first clients is essential when trying to get additional jobs. For this reason, it is a good idea to go above and beyond what is expected with these first jobs, offering quick delivery times and absolute accuracy.

Once you have an established list of clients and a steady inflow of funds, it may be time to expand the business and take on several employees. By extending the business, you increase risk, but this is also how you move beyond having a job toward owning a business. While some people manage to make a living doing at-home data entry themselves, it is much more profitable to hire others to do the work and make money by maintaining the business.

Discussion Comments

keerthika

What is PDF?

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • The most difficult part of starting an at-home data entry business is avoiding scams.
      By: Eugenio Marongiu
      The most difficult part of starting an at-home data entry business is avoiding scams.
    • Someone looking to start an at-home business may borrow money from relatives to cover start-up costs.
      By: JackF
      Someone looking to start an at-home business may borrow money from relatives to cover start-up costs.
    • Although many enjoy working at home, few companies hire people to do data entry from their home.
      By: Matthew Antonino
      Although many enjoy working at home, few companies hire people to do data entry from their home.
    • An individual interested in a data entry career should be a skilled typist.
      By: Kurhan
      An individual interested in a data entry career should be a skilled typist.