How can I identify the services that I should offer through my business? How can I market my skills and services effectively?

Hi, Allan here. I have been leading our market research team for the last 3 years. I would say that market research is very essential in setting up your business. You need to know the demographics, people flow, availability of physical location, etc. I want to help you further so please let me know if we can talk. Thank you very much!

The best way to work around something like this is to map out the long-term strategy in phases. Build out a brief project map that outlines what they will receive within the 1-3 month period, the 4-7 month and the 8-12 month period. Set micro objectives for each period and this will give the client a bit more confidence in the short-term plans as well as the long. The key thing to remember here is that the client will often be worried about being tied into a contract that doesn't deliver results. As a result, you need to show why you need the time that you do. One thing that I often throw in is an extra incentive for longer contract lengths - for example, an extra PR/content campaign or some paid advertising extras. Try to assure them of some shorter term results that you can obtain as 'quick wins' and build their confidence this way - the major targets will always be longer term but if you can demonstrate that there will be progress between then they will be a lot more receptive.

Quick answer on this one: talk with somebody who has already succeeded in this field (built similar product or company). He/she will be able to quickly get you on track and avoid common pitfalls of your industry. If this person can't help you 100%, he/she will certainly be able to point you other people to talk with among their network.

I've heard really good things about Ruby Receptionists - http://www.callruby.com/. The should be able to cover all the needs you outlined. - mike

As you are looking for a ready-to-use solution to create yur own Fiverr like marketplace. I would suggest you to explore YoGigs ( www.yo-gigs.com ). YoGigs is the most feasible option to develop a marketplace like Fiverr. It is a readymade solution with built-in features and functionalities to emulate Fiverr’s business model and deal with various use cases. For example, just like Fiverr, YoGigs lets freelancers create multiple service packages and sell them on the platform. It also has an internal messaging system to ensure smooth communications. To manage payments, Yo!Gigs has both split payment and eWallet management systems. Furthermore, as the marketplace admin, you can create as many service categories and subcategories as you want. You can book a free one-on-one demo of Yo!Gigs to get more detailed information on how it works.