There aren't a lot of business specific supplies you will need. Make sure to have the basics: business cards, contracts and professional attire to meet with potential clients.

Mystery Shopper Skills

Negotiation and Verbal Communication skills - you need these to seal deals with clients.

Objectivity - you need to be able to provide an objective report on your shopping experiences - WHAT happened - not necessarily your opinion.

Customer Service Skills - clearly you need to have customer service skills to establish relationships with clients and potential mystery shoppers, but you also need a solid understanding of customer service so that you can evaluate the service offered by others.

Observation & Memory - You need to notice all the little things and you can't take notes while you're there. You will have to remember all the small details and record them later.

Mystery Shopper Rates

The amount you make will depend on who is your client. Some companies only reimburse for expenses, some companies only pay a set amount for expenses (regardless of what you paid) and some do pay an hourly fee of $10-20 for your evaluation in addition to your expenses. You need to decide what you are willing to work for and choose your clients that way. As you gain more clients and references, you will be able to be more choosy in your assignments.

Get Your Business off the Ground

- When approaching smaller companies emphasize that you are a small enterprise as well. Many small companies cannot afford to pay the large Mystery Shopping company rates and might be interested in using your services if they are affordable.

- Save your money. Avoid paying for a list of potential clients. The companies or individuals selling these lists are making money by doing so and will sell the list to as many people as they can. That creates a lot of competition.

- Only take jobs that fit your schedule. Don't leave your client hanging. This will help establish your solid reputation.

- Check out the competition. You can do this on the Internet. Check out the big companies and the little ones. What services do they provide? What do they charge?

- Make a professional-looking brochure that outlines the benefits of your shopping program, etc. You don't need to spend a lot of money. If you're going to print your own brochures, avoid color ink unless you have a high quality laser printer. If you have an inkjet or other similar printer, your best bet is black ink on subtly colored paper.

Online Marketing Ideas

Although most of your clients will be local and much of your business will be run offline, don't forget the importance of an Internet presence. Your web page is your "office". It's where your clients and potential clients can go to see you and what you do. If you plan to expand your business and offer the mystery shopping opportunity to others, a website is essential. It is a way to attract potential clients and mystery shoppers nationwide. Expanding your business in this way is what will ensure you the greatest success to your home based enterprise.

1. Include your website on all your promotional materials (i.e. business cards, brochures, etc.). It is a place where your current and potential clients can read about the services you offer, your rates and helps establish you as a legitimate business.

2. Join some home based business discussion groups. These are a perfect way to network and find potential mystery shoppers that would like to work for you. Try http://groups.yahoo.com for some good groups or start your own.

3. Form partnerships with other sites that compliment your business. This can include everything from a simple link exchange or why not go a step further and really promote one another's businesses on each other's sites? Offer to incorporate their business information right into your website. Give them a page or two about their business, with links back to their site and have them do the same.

New Earn Extra Money as a Mystery Shopper - If you love to shop, we'll show you how to legitimately make extra money with mystery shopping.

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