Document Service For ESL

Document Service for ESL

When foreigners come to this country, many forms need to be submitted with the government on a regular basis. You could offer your services to visitors that have not mastered the English language yet. If you know other languages, and aren't bothered by filling out forms, this is for sure the 'business idea' for you.

Unfortunately, many people have to turn to lawyers for this type of service. If you were familiar with the paper work and forms that need submitting, this would be an excellent way to make money, offering your services for much less than a lawyer would charge.

You will need to make sure that you are able to help others fill out their paperwork properly. If English is a visiting person's second language, it can be very hard for them to fill out simple and complicated government forms. They must fill out the forms correctly, pay a fee, and if the forms are not filled out correctly they are shredded, and the fee usually not refunded to them. This can prove to be very costly if the government requires them to re-file repeatedly. It can also be very dangerous if the forms require submitting before mandatory dates. Help people save time and money by helping them fill out these crucial forms.

You can charge about $10 per sheet of each form that you help people fill out. If clients have large numbers of forms, you could offer a discount for an unusual amount of forms, this can happen, when large families are involved.

Advertising will be very important for the success of your business. Try to advertise in magazines and newspapers that appeal to people of foreign languages. Invest in flyers that explain what you are able to do and what you charge for your services. You can then get permission to place your flyers in markets and shops that are frequented by people of multiple ethnicities. Don't forget campuses that cater to helping people learn English as a second language also.

Once you establish your business and are well trusted, word-of-mouth advertising will work well for you. You will also have clients that will return on a regular basis as long as they choose to stay in the country.

If you live in an area that has many different language groups, you can start your business by opening up the phone book and looking for names of people that are typically foreign. Call these people and see if they are aware of your services and ask if they would be interested in receiving information about your services, then send a flyer to them. On the other hand, if you are not comfortable with phone calls you can get the addresses, and mail your flyers to these people.

Resources:

http://www.usingenglish.com/links/

http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/reading/li7lk12.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070725152034.htm