Tips for starting a neighbourhood snow shovelling service? -

Any tips would be fine.Finance/prices, setting up, advertisement, etc. Any advice is appreciated :)

Start a survey now... Just write up a questionaire that asks the following: We are doing a marketing survey, and would appreciate your opinion in this matter. No name is required, and there is nothing to buy. * approximately how big is your yard?* do you shovel your own snow (or have snow blower and such?)* if so, how much of it do you do? (just door to curb, etc.)* how much would you pay for such a service when it snows?* if such a service is retained, power tools or manual shoveling?* any other opinions you have on this, please write in below. Then knock on each door and see if you can get a live person, or if not, leave the survey taped to the door, with a note that you ll come back for it in 2 days, just leave it taped on the door as well. Once you *have* the market data, you can then calculate costs, like cost of shovels, hiring help, renting / buying power equipment, and so on, and determine if the price people are willing to pay will make you a profit. Advertising can be done almost the same way: door to door tie a brochure to someone s door knob or mailbox. However, keep in mind that it s better to start a real corp to do this, for liability issues, as you do want to buy insurance and stuff like that, in case something happens, you know. :)