Offer free advice on your web site. Rather than "giving away" advice, you are establishing yourself as an expert who has even more to offer.

A resume writing service is not type of business that has many repeat customers. (Actually, a repeat customer in this business is kind of a bad thing.) Don't expect a lot of repeat customers, but do make it easy for your customers to refer their job-seeking friends and family members. Your business depends on word of mouth.

Training, Skills or Experience Needed:

A professional writing service is driven more by results and marketing than a particular college degree. Becoming certified by Professional Association of Resume Writers (PARW) or National Resume Writers Association (NRWA) can help establish your credentials.

Educate yourself by studying resumes of current and past job seekers. Search web; they're easy to find. Look for examples of good, bad, and just plain ugly. This will be some of biggest help in preparing you to produce resumes from scratch.

There are many books and online tutorials dedicated to what authors consider to be best advice for writing a resume. Read them all, connect dots, and you will come away with a realistic understanding of what employers seek in a resume.

Helpful Books or Trade Publications:

How to Start a Home-Based Resume Business

Start Your Own Resume Writing Business

Send greeting cards to pet directly with a coupon for dog treats or other pet supplies from a local pet supply store.

Real Estate Agents - Photograph your clients new home. Make 20 copies, put them in photo frame cards and give them to your client as "we've moved" cards to send to their friends. (not recommended for fixer upper homes)

If your client lives at beach send cards with ocean motifs.

Go to mapquest or yahoo maps print out map of immediate area of your clients new home make copies and slip into a photo frame. Mark their house's location with a happy face.

Auto Repair or custom shop Take before and after photos, slip "before" photo into a photo card and attach "after" picture to inside of card when you ask for referrals.

These are just a few examples of power of greeting cards in making a real connection with your clients. The cost $5-$10, but result is a card that has real meaning to client. This kind of greeting card will generate conversation and referrals. A word of caution...be sure photographs are close ups with pet (no red eye please), house or car clearly visible.