What business is it profitable to open in a small town now? Business ideas for a small town - review of the most profitable businesses How to open a business in the city

Many people who are planning to start their own business unfairly believe that they can only develop their business and make high profits in a big city. In fact, this is not true for several reasons, the main ones we will consider below.

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First, let’s understand what business technologists mean by “small city.” This is considered a settlement that has up to 100 thousand inhabitants. It should be noted that in Russia there are only more than 83% of such cities, that is, business ideas for a small locality open up enormous prospects; opening your own business in a small city is much easier and more profitable.

Own business for a small town

Living in a small community, there are many business opportunities. This is due to lower costs than in a metropolis and lack of competition.

Why is it needed?

By opening his own business in a small town, a businessman first of all gains independence and the opportunity to earn fairly large sums.

At the same time, a considerable part of the money is saved due to the fact that starting a business in the provinces incurs much lower costs than in cities with a population of one million.

In addition, you can be the first in the city to offer certain services, in which case the absence of competitors will allow you to quickly expand and strengthen your business.

Differences from large cities

There are quite a lot of differences, and almost all of them benefit those who decide to start their own business in a small town.

Let's take a closer look at some of them:

• Residents of small towns tend to have low incomes. Therefore, it is not profitable to develop a large business in such populated areas (with the exception of opening large enterprises that require labor);
• The demand in such cities is for ordinary, familiar goods and products that we use every day. This allows you to expand your business in several directions at the same time;
• Not a high investment at the start (low rent for premises, low wages, low costs for advertising campaigns).

An important factor for successfully running a business in a small town is the reputation of a businessman. After all, residents often learn city news not from newspapers, but from neighbors and friends. Therefore, this aspect should be given special attention; measures to attract and retain customers are very important.

Best ideas 2014

Before deciding what business to open, let’s name a few of the most popular business ideas of this year.

Small business in the catering industry

A profitable business is opening a small cafe with affordable prices and familiar dishes. In small towns there are usually few such establishments, so they are very popular among residents.

This type of business is perhaps the most profitable. It will not require large expenses, and the self-sufficiency is quite high.

Mini cafe on wheels. Nowadays it is a fairly common type of business that is in demand. The assortment in such cafes is small; it is enough to offer several types of pancakes, hot dogs, and drinks. If the snacks are tasty and inexpensive, such a cafe will always be popular;

The canteen at the enterprise will be in demand - it does not always have its own catering station. By setting low prices and offering homemade dishes, there will always be customers in the dining room.

Entertaining

If one cafe seems not enough for you, try offering your clients to organize holidays, corporate events, weddings, setting a low price. In small cities there are unlikely to be many event agencies, so there is a chance of becoming a pioneer and a monopolist.

A club with a disco will be very popular among young people. To do this, you will need to rent a large room and equip it. Modest but tasteful is not your option; such an establishment most likely already exists in the city. But a real nightclub with performances by metropolitan DJs will attract the public. In such a club you can hold themed parties, games, and events. There you can also offer your clients training in various courses (music, singing, dancing, etc.)

During the daytime, you can arrange in the same club.

Services

The service sector will never lose relevance from the point of view of a business project: investments are minimal, the main thing is to have the necessary skills.

A manicure and pedicure salon is always held in high esteem. Even in a small town, the female population will be delighted with such a service and will come there again and again. Additionally, you can offer the services of a cosmetologist and massage therapist, make-up and holiday makeup services.

A taxi service may also be a good idea. Even in a small city, there will be people who want to get to the right place by car rather than by public transport. It is enough to have several drivers on staff with their own cars, make them business cards, which they will distribute to clients, and the business will certainly begin to generate income.

Another option for providing services is a tailoring studio. To open this type of business you will need a small premises, appropriate equipment and several employees. By offering low prices, such a business will flourish;

A company that provides services for garbage removal and demolition of old buildings is a new but popular type of service. In small towns there are enough buildings that are subject to demolition and houses are built in their place. You will need to purchase the appropriate equipment and find several employees with experience in such work.

Garbage removal is a popular service even in the smallest locality.

Car repair, tire fitting. In this option, it is enough to have a garage and minimal equipment. Almost every city resident has a car that periodically requires repairs and seasonal tire replacement. It is enough to hire 1-2 employees who understand car repairs. Such a business will be in demand.

Key making has been popular among the population since Soviet times. You will need a small room, a special machine for making keys and minimal advertising. To open your own business of this type, you need to have a starting capital of about 2 thousand dollars;

A private driving instructor can be an idea for extra income. Even in a small town, a car is no longer a luxury; almost every family has one. You can offer such a service on the client’s car, in which case the costs are minimal;

The Good Offices Bureau or the popular name today “Husband for an Hour” is a fairly popular type of business that will always be in demand. Having a set of tools, you can offer your customers minor repairs, installation and connection of household appliances at an affordable price. The costs are minimal.

Trade

Growing fruits and vegetables will be a profitable business. If you have even a small plot of land, your own business will soon flourish.

But you will have to look for sales of plant products in other, larger cities. In the periphery, every resident has an abundance of this product due to the availability of garden plots.

A grocery store is a banal but always relevant idea. The main success factor is the correct location and reasonable prices for the goods.

Other types of business that generate income in a small town

Today, throughout Russia, young parents are faced with the problem of kindergartens. Enterprising businesses are opening private development centers and mini-kindergartens for children in small towns.

This type of business will be in demand, especially among those parents who do not have the opportunity to leave their children with grandparents.

Of course, to open it you will need a qualified specialist who can be trusted with children. The costs are minimal; a mini-kindergarten can be set up even in your own apartment, if living space allows. In other cases, it is enough to rent a small room, make the appropriate repairs and obtain all the necessary permissions from the authorities (this often becomes the last stage, becoming an insurmountable obstacle for novice businessmen).

The delivery service for groceries, sushi and pizza is very popular. In small towns, such a service is rare, so you can become the first in the city to offer a service of this kind.

Opening a mini-bakery will require a small investment of money. Delicious bread is always in demand. If the products are of good quality and the price is affordable to the consumer, such a business will flourish even in the smallest town.

If you have real estate in a small town, daily or monthly rental of premises will be profitable. Not all small towns have a hotel, so this type of business, with proper advertising, can become quite successful and will not require special financial investments.

Internet: yes and no

The virtual space, which attracts an increasing number of people, both young and not so young, opens up many opportunities for earning money.

The easiest ideas to implement:

• If a lot of young people live in the city, opening a computer salon will be profitable; such an establishment will quickly gain popularity. By setting low hourly wages, such a club will become a favorite place for young people to spend their leisure time.
• Website content services can bring good income. Such a business does not require investment, but allows you to save significant money on renting premises and transportation costs.
• Another type of earning money on the Internet is opening your own website. But here you will need certain skills and funds to open a business of this kind.
• Some provide goods delivery services by opening an online store. For a small town, this could be household appliances and household items. Gone are the days when you had to go to the capital or another big city to buy large equipment; today it is possible to provide similar services in your city. This will save customers money and allow them to expand their business.

But you should remember that in a small town, not everyone has access to the Internet. In this case, one should build on the demand and capabilities of the population. A positive factor in favor of working on the Internet is little competition and little or no initial investment.

There is a fly in the ointment here too. Working from home, you will miss personal interaction. And opening clubs and an online store will require significant costs.

Where to start?

Assessment of the situation

Before opening your own business, you need to study the market, find out what kind of services the city’s population needs. Having decided on the type of activity, it is necessary to select qualified personnel who will provide quality services and will help increase the client base.

Finding a good specialist is not easy; to do this, you can contact a recruiting agency.

The Internet will also help in searching. You can place a recruitment ad and a response will follow immediately. Considering that it is quite difficult to find work in small towns, this method is quite effective. Word of mouth will also be a good help, as it works better than any advertisement in small towns.

The second important step is to find product suppliers; this requires a lot of responsibility. Products must be of high quality and in demand among the population. First, you need to determine what type of service will be popular in a particular city.

Attracting suppliers from big cities is a thankless and unprofitable undertaking. Look for manufacturers (if you intend to trade) or sellers (if you need equipment and tools) in nearby cities.

The business must be in demand and be popular among the population, at least potentially.

Of course, you need to assess your strengths, what funds can be invested, and calculate how quickly the investment will pay off.

Finding funding

The most popular way to open your own business without investment is. You can choose which one is better by contacting several banks and comparing the conditions they offer.

It should be remembered that it is necessary to comply with some mandatory rules for a potential bank client, otherwise you will not receive a loan.

You will have to provide some documentation, you may need to present your business plans, based on the profitability of which the bank will decide to issue a loan.

Don't forget about government support for small businesses. Currently, there are special programs that are aimed at developing business in the regions, which allows you to receive certain benefits for lending, subsidies and tax breaks. In order to competently use such a program, it is better to contact a qualified lawyer who will give detailed advice on this issue.

Selecting a location

For those who decide to start a business from scratch, the most profitable would be premises with a low rent. You may need to carry out minor repairs; to save money, you can do this yourself.

We must not forget that the appearance of the room is very important. It should be cozy and comfortable, the furnishings don’t necessarily need to be expensive and pretentious, but it should make you want to come back again. Residents of small towns are not tempted by rich interiors, but they should not be considered backward either. Bring everything into the proper form for a businessman. They greet you by their clothes.

The location of a business matters depending on its target audience. For example, it is better to open computer clubs in places where young people gather: near universities. Vocational schools, etc. Avoid schools, otherwise you will be tormented by listening to parents’ complaints that it is your direct fault that their child does not want to attend classes, but sits at the computer in your institution.

Catering and trade will naturally take root closer to the center. With the exception of a grocery store, which will be extremely welcome for residents of the outskirts, from where they have to travel far to buy bread.

Let's count?

Having even the smallest start-up capital, you can develop your business in a small city. Let's consider options for initial minimum investments for different types of business.

Minimum investment

As can be seen from the figures, starting your own business does not necessarily lead to large financial expenses. It’s enough to simply decide which type of business is closer, what your heart is most passionate about, and most importantly, what will be in demand in a particular city.

Expected profitability

You should not expect that a small business in a small locality will quickly pay for itself. Residents of such cities often do not have high incomes, so it will take several years before their own business begins to generate income. This also depends on the demand for services that will be offered to the consumer.

Seasonality also plays an important role.

For example, beauty salons, even in big cities, are practically empty in summer. On the contrary, the business of selling kvass in the summer will bring much more relevance than in the cold season.

What is the basis for a successful business in a small town?

In order for a business in a small town to be profitable and quickly pay for itself, you should remember several rules that will help bring a stable income and attract a large number of clients.

Basic aspects

• The price for services of any kind should not be overpriced. The mentality of residents of small towns is such that people are not ready to overpay extra money. A low price and provision of discounts to regular customers will attract attention much faster than beautiful packaging or an expensive service.
• If customers are satisfied with the service, they will definitely recommend you to their relatives, friends and neighbors. A bad reputation in a small town will kill any business much faster than in a metropolis. Even if your product is in demand and popular, you should not allow a negative opinion about yourself.
• In a small town there is little competition, perhaps even its complete absence, so there is room for your imagination to run wild. By providing a high-quality and inexpensive service or product, your potential customers will become regular ones.

Watch also a video about business ideas in a small town:

Development methods

The key to success and prosperity of any business is constant development. Even the most profitable type involves improvement, offering new goods and services.

There are several ways to help expand and develop your business.

1. First of all, this is competent advertising aimed at attracting new customers. This could be promotions, holding an event with a free presentation of products. These types of advertising are always relevant and popular with customers.
2. It is also important to remember about marketing. Special offers with a limited validity period attract attention.
3. The image of your business is equally important. Good reviews and new offers at low prices can increase the number of customers several times.

An example of an unusual, but quite successful business is chinchilla breeding. In recent years, this animal has become very popular; it is raised not only to make expensive fur coats for women, but is also kept as a pet. A Moldovan businessman who started this type of business notes that the investments are minimal, but the income exceeded all his expectations.

Some aspiring businessmen figure out what to do just on the fly. An original way to make money was founded by American fitness instructor Kristen Horler; she developed a training program for women who had recently become mothers, and the classes were held right in the park.

This idea did not foretell large incomes, but quickly began to be in demand among city residents.

The price per lesson was set significantly lower, so the client base expanded very quickly and brought in good income. Today, these are quite popular courses that are attended by a large number of young mothers. This type of earnings can also take place in small towns in Russia. Many young women will be captivated by the idea of ​​playing sports without leaving their children to relatives.

Of course, determining the direction of the project will depend on how profitable the activity will be.

In this article you will see some tips and tricks for starting a business in a small city. But first, I recommend that you watch a very interesting video from Vladimir Dovgan:

In this video, Vladimir talks about how you can start your own business from ZERO. In addition, Dovgan’s story is very “motivating”, so to speak. In general, watch, ask questions and learn.

Advantages and disadvantages of business in a small city

What are the features of business in a small town?

• It goes without saying that there will be fewer clients in such a city than in a metropolis, but opening your own business will be cheaper.
• A problem may arise when recruiting workers, since there may not be highly qualified workers in a small town. Since the city is small, competition increases due to the large number of people wanting to open their own business. And, of course, everyone wants to get a worthy specialist. So you will have to fight for quality staff. But, of course, you can choose an activity in which there will be no competitors.
• A very big advantage of doing business in a small town is cheaper rent of premises. Thanks to this, the dream of creating a profitable business becomes even more feasible.
• When thinking about what kind of business to open, it is better to remember that it will not be possible to adopt the idea and strategy of another enterprise. It will be necessary to create something truly unique.
• In a small town, any establishment that provides quality services instantly becomes popular. This is due to the fact that, as a rule, almost everyone knows each other and word spreads instantly.

How to choose a business activity in a small settlement?

What is the most profitable business in a small town? When opening a business in a small town, you must remember that you will have to work not in a metropolis, but in a small town.

If we assume that due to the population size the number of clients will be limited, then we can confidently say that opening your business on the Internet will be a good idea.

It's not at all difficult to do. You just need to register a company and recruit staff.

But, if the idea of ​​working on the Internet does not suit you and you want to open a business in reality, then you need to think: what is it that you are missing in this small town? Are there many companies operating in this specific field in this city? What kind of business to open now so that it is the most relevant and profitable? In each city, the answers may be completely different, so it will not be possible to advise anything specific in this situation.

By the way, here is an interesting video about how the guys opened an organization for the supply of environmentally friendly (natural) products:

This video clip briefly reflects the essence of the work of organizations. At the same time, as is clear from the interview, quite considerable investments were made by the shareholders. But the result is excellent! The markup of about 100% and profits of several million per month speak for themselves.

What not to do

You should never open a business if the topic of its activity is alien, if its specifics are far from the interests of the founder. Such a thing will never succeed. You won't be able to go far on sheer enthusiasm.

What types of business are in demand in any place and at any time?

There are some types of products that a person will need always and everywhere. These types of activities include providing the population with food. You can open such a business regardless of the city in which it will be conducted.

Products are the most important and essential part of every person’s life!

Products are something without which no person can exist normally. Therefore, a grocery store is almost always a profitable business. However, it is worth considering that if there is a store nearby that provides residents with quality products at cheap prices, then the chances of making a good profit are significantly reduced.

What kind of business should I open then? There is another option

You can focus on the preferences of people living in a given city. What is the favorite product of city dwellers? Confectionery? Then you can think about opening a store that will sell only one specific type of product, for example, baked goods. It is unlikely that anyone has already opened the same store, working according to a narrow specificity, in a given city, which means there will be much fewer problems with competition.

What other product-related business can you open?

In any, even the smallest locality, a cafe or restaurant will be in demand.

Providing services to city residents

Usually in small towns there is a problem with the number of kindergartens. There are constantly not enough of them, and existing kindergartens have queues for several years in advance.

If the founder has a love for children and a suitable education, then you can open your own kindergarten.

In addition to a kindergarten, opening a dry cleaner can be a profitable business. Today, many housewives want to use dry cleaning services to get clothes processed with professional equipment. In addition, some materials will be difficult to wash in a washing machine. Some items of clothing simply cannot be restored to their original appearance without seeking the services of specialists.

Beauty has always been, is and will be a sought-after commodity

What girl now doesn’t want to be the most beautiful and unforgettable? Almost all representatives of the fair sex experiment with a variety of diets and other beauty secrets, but each of them understands that hair styling or a mask made by professionals will have a much greater effect than the same manipulations done at home.

A beauty salon is always a profitable business. A beauty salon will never cease to be in demand, and now not only girls, but also young people use the services of qualified specialists.

If education does not meet the specifics, then you can take courses

Also, in every locality there will always be people who want to keep themselves in excellent physical shape. Therefore, opening your own fitness club would be a smart idea. Moreover, such a business project will most likely attract the attention of regional authorities, since sports are actively promoted in our country, which can save many young people from bad habits (smoking, alcoholism, etc.)

What other business can you open?

A flower or indoor plant store will always be in demand. Flowers are needed in many situations: on a date, at all kinds of holidays, the number of which is off the charts. A beautiful bouquet attracts many people, especially since the tradition of giving flowers in our country is very much observed.

To increase the effectiveness of the project, you can arrange bouquets and offer consulting assistance to buyers.

Holidays, by the way, will also never cease to exist in any city. Therefore, opening a gift shop or an agency for organizing holidays would be a profitable business.

Whatever business is opened, it is necessary to fulfill the main criterion for its success: to provide only high-quality products. And don’t forget to always draw up a sound business plan before investing.




What kind of business can you open in a small town, village or rural area with minimal capital?

What business to open in a village, town or small town - basic rules

Starting your own business in a small town is a rather difficult task associated with many risks.

Business ideas for 100 thousand rubles

Entrepreneurship is becoming increasingly popular not only among residents of big cities, but also in small towns.

Any business, even the most modest one, requires certain investments. In modern realities, it is unlikely that it will be possible to establish a profitable business in a big city with only 100 thousand rubles as starting capital, while in a provincial town or in a rural area, you can organize a fairly profitable business with these funds.

Business ideas for 100,000 rubles in a small town:

• Mini real estate agency. This type of business is suitable for people who have some experience in this field, for example, former realtors, while the entrepreneur does not need to hire a large staff. To start an agency, it is enough to rent a small room. An initial capital of 100 thousand rubles is enough to organize an agency in a small town.

Advice! Despite the fact that the services of companies selling real estate are becoming more in demand every year, before organizing a business, you need to make sure that you will have a sufficient client base in your city.

• Atelier for sewing or repairing clothes. In small towns there are not many such services, however, there is always a demand for them. Opening your own atelier is a good idea for those who are interested in this field. In addition, in small towns you are likely to assemble a good team of employees for your organization.

Advice! At first, to start a small studio, it is not at all necessary to rent premises - the work can be quite successfully done at home.

• Creative agency. With 100 thousand rubles in a small town you can open a good creative agency that will specialize in advertising. Even in a small city, the advertising sphere is developing and unusual, interesting ideas will always come in handy. To organize such a business, it is absolutely not necessary to have a specialized education, and the team itself can consist of only a few or even one person at first. In addition, you can open such a business with even smaller investments, for example, having a starting capital of 50 thousand. With a minimum amount of money you can start working as an agency from home.

What business to open in a village for 100,000?

Living in a rural area, in a village or in a small town, with 100 thousand rubles you can organize a fairly profitable and quickly paid off business.

• One of the best ideas to implement in a village is opening. With a starting capital of 100 thousand, you can open a grocery store or a household chemicals store. This business option will definitely be profitable and will pay off in a short time;
• Installation of satellite dishes or Internet. In rural areas, an organization that provides the services of a high-quality Internet provider will be very useful. To implement such an idea, an entrepreneur should enter into an agreement with a large company that provides Internet or television services and organize a small representative office in his town or village. Capital of 100 thousand will allow you to purchase the minimum set of equipment necessary to start your business. This business option can also be carried out from home.
• Auto repair shop. To open your own in a rural area, it is enough to get by with a capital of even less than 100 thousand. An entrepreneur can carry out this type of activity at home - in his own garage.

What business to open in a small town for 500,000 rubles

In a small town or rural area, there are many useful and profitable ideas for organizing your own business with a capital of 500,000 rubles, for example:

• Auto parts store in garage. This business option pays off well in small towns and villages. In addition to selling ordinary auto parts, which are also sold in other stores, you can start distributing a franchise, for example, automotive chemicals from a foreign manufacturer, which are not available for free sale in your locality. You can start such a business at home or rent a small space;
• 500,000 rubles is a sufficient investment for a car wash. This option of owning your own business is also possible at home by equipping your own garage. However, the best option would be to rent specialized premises;
• Flower shop - to open such a business, it is enough to have a starting capital of 500,000 rubles, which will allow you to rent a good premises and purchase the necessary equipment, for example, refrigerators for flowers. Recommended starting capital is 1,000,000 rubles.

Advice!For greater profitability of a flower shop, it is worth organizing the order of bouquets on the Internet and providing customers with prompt and high-quality delivery.



What business to open during a crisis with minimal investment?

It is generally accepted that a crisis is the best time for change. Even during a difficult economic situation, competent entrepreneurs have the opportunity to start a profitable business from scratch and with minimal investment, the main thing is to choose the right idea and implement it with the highest quality possible.

In a crisis, it is worth giving preference to those business options that best satisfy the needs of society, that is, analyze which goods or services are most popular during the crisis period.

Ideas for starting your own business from scratch with minimal investment:

• Grocery store - food products are always in demand, so this business option will quickly pay off and begin to make a profit even in a crisis. To open a small store, it is enough to have a starting capital of 500,000 rubles;
• Renovating apartments or private houses - oddly enough, in times of crisis, this type of business is developing well and brings in a stable income. A company providing repair services will be in demand both in a small city and in a village and even in rural areas. To start repair activities, you can get by with minimal investments;
• Car service. In times of crisis, when the services of official dealers become very expensive, many car owners prefer to have their cars repaired in private services. If you have a starting capital of 500,000 rubles, you can rent a good premises and purchase a minimum set of equipment that will be needed in the first stages;
• Online business from home. The basis for implementing this type of business can be taken by writing advertising texts or translations from foreign languages. Experienced programmers can provide qualified services while working from home and with virtually no investment.

For starting a business in a small town or village, there are a large number of interesting and profitable ideas that can be implemented with minimal investment, alone or with a team of like-minded people, at home.

It is important to approach the task as responsibly as possible, analyze the specifics of doing business in a particular locality and develop a high-quality action plan.

How to build a business in a small town?

We all understand that a big city brings great opportunities. This is due not only to the fact that people living in a metropolis have a significantly higher income level than in the regions, but also to the fact that there are many enterprises and private companies that employ hundreds of thousands of workers. The second point is the number of the target audience; in a large city you are more likely to find a customer for your product than in provincial towns. Small business in a big city is very developed. Starting from the catering sector and retail trade of goods to small-scale production and services for the population. Due to this, a fairly high level of competition is formed in the market, primarily in areas where a lot of money is constantly circulating. For example, the construction sector, food products and other niches where it is actually very difficult to do something new, because experienced players and large companies have been working in this direction for decades, have experience, qualified personnel and a large number of regular customers. If you are a beginner and are looking for a business to open in a big city, then look towards less competitive areas, such as cleaning, sales of trendy goods, training services and others, which also have competitors, but not so large, and the number of potential buyers are very high, there is enough space for everyone. Before starting, it is best to analyze the market and determine which type of business is more profitable to engage in and which is less profitable.

It is worth noting that the metropolis allows you to look for ways to earn money not only in standard topics, but also to bring new products or services to the market. This is especially true in the entertainment niche. For example, we can cite the success of quest rooms, various unique catering establishments, and others. In addition, new trendy products can be tracked in the markets of China and the USA, after which you can search for suppliers and sell them with us using the Internet. Online sales in large cities now occupy a very significant role, including their own online store, message boards and social networks. All these channels for attracting customers help to quickly sell goods, with minimal costs for the monthly maintenance of the business. A wide network of couriers throughout the city will allow you to quickly deliver the order to the client’s home or work. Catering establishments and home delivery of food are also actively working in this direction.

Let's highlight the top business ideas for a big city that you can start implementing from scratch. We will list the main categories where there is high demand.

• construction and real estate. Repair, sale and rental.
• retail. There are rather clothes, shoes, children's products, books and much more.
• services: cleaning, repair of equipment, shoes, consulting, legal support and others.
• entertainment. Activities for children and adults, ranging from laser tag to horseback riding.
• field of study. Language schools, advanced training, seminars, trainings, etc.
• tourist destination. City tours.
• other.

In fact, there are no restrictions; you can find a buyer for almost any product or service. In this section of the site, we have prepared for you a list of ideas that will help you make money in a big city and start developing your own business. They vary in subject matter, the amount of start-up capital and the amount of labor that needs to be invested in starting your business. In addition to the description, you will be able to familiarize yourself with cost calculations and profit forecasting. We look forward to your feedback on your experience in any of the areas of activity presented below.

How to choose an idea for a small town?

When you hear the word “business,” a certain image often comes to mind: a respectable man in a business suit leaving the office of an international corporation. Moreover, the office is certainly located somewhere in a skyscraper in the very center of the metropolis.

However, we all know that businessmen can look whatever they want, and business has a place not only in million-plus cities, but also in small cities. And you can run your business in the regional center no less successfully than in Moscow.

You just need to take into account some of the features of small towns. If you are just about to open your own business in one of these settlements and are looking for a business idea for it, this article is for you.

A little about small towns

When opening a business in a small town, it is important to take into account its features. As a rule, they are approximately the same, regardless of whether it is a resort town in the south or a small northern settlement.

There is no consensus on which city is considered small. As a rule, small cities are those where the population does not exceed 50 thousand people. But businessmen often call cities with a population of 500 thousand people small.

The main thing that allows us to classify cities as small is the state and characteristics of the economy. What are they?

The first thing you should pay attention to is the welfare of the residents. In small towns, as a rule, there is little work; often a large proportion of residents work at one city-forming enterprise. This allows business owners to set low wages. Therefore, the income of the population in such towns is often low. Although, of course, there are exceptions to this rule.

The second important factor is the mentality of the city residents.



Olga Kosets

President of the Interregional public organization for the protection and support of small and medium-sized businesses “Business People”

Take into account the specifics of the population, namely the qualitative composition: military, workers, people of science, as well as age categories.

Features of business in a small town



Perhaps it’s worth starting right away with what “pitfalls” a small city is fraught with for business. Let's talk about the cons:

Small income

Since your potential clients earn little and are ready to spend accordingly, you can hardly count on a million-dollar profit. Assess the situation soberly.

Limited growth opportunities

If in a metropolis you have practically no limits to the development of your business, provided that the idea for it is chosen correctly, then in a small city everything is different. The number of your customers will increase only up to a certain point, after which the growth in demand will stop. This point should be taken into account in advance and include opportunities for scaling in your business. When new buyers stop appearing, you should try to open your own branch in the suburbs or take up the development of some related business. You can also try investing in a completely new project if during the course of your work you see that there are more promising niches. But you shouldn’t always focus on increasing the average check. Remember: residents' incomes are often low.

Narrow market

In a small city there are not many opportunities to implement some extraordinary ideas. They may simply be unclaimed. At the same time, for standard establishments the market capacity is also limited. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, you can safely open another pizzeria, even if there are already a hundred exactly the same ones. In a small town there may not be any customers for the next establishment.

However, the characteristics of small towns provide budding businessmen with some advantages:

Low barrier to entry into the market

Starting a business in a small town will cost you less than starting a business in a metropolis. Rental rates for commercial real estate in the province are lower than in million-plus cities, as are staff salaries. Thanks to these points, the regular expenses of your business will be lower.

Favorable competitive environment

Small businesses in small cities are usually poorly developed, and you will most likely have few competitors. In addition, many potentially in-demand business niches turn out to be completely empty. At the same time, finding such niches will not be difficult, says Ivan Plastun, co-owner of an online freight transportation service: “In a small city, this is much easier to do, because you can get around all the companies and retail outlets on your own.”

Support

This feature is somewhat related to the previous point. Since private business in small towns is poorly developed, the authorities are willing to make efforts to change the situation. There are support programs for entrepreneurs, for example, issuing grants for opening or providing subsidies, as well as special institutions that help start their own business - business incubators, business accelerators. True, the attitude towards them on the part of entrepreneurs is ambiguous.

Olga Kosets from the organization “Business People” advises studying support programs and getting to know the employees of relevant departments:

Olga Kosets from the organization “Business People” advises studying support programs and getting to know the employees of relevant departments: “Their direct responsibility is to guide you in the right direction.”

But Anatoly Churgel from the Russian National Committee for Black Sea Economic Cooperation warns: “You shouldn’t turn to local structures for advice - they’ll grab ideas on the fly.”

In his opinion, it is better to start not with a large-scale business project, but with something that requires small investments. Subsequently, they can be multiplied, and at the same time, gain business experience and look at the problems of entrepreneurs from the inside. You can also turn to the experience of your friends: which of them resorted to the help of local authorities when opening a business? What result did this lead to?

In the case of business in small towns, there are also several controversial issues that can be turned either to the benefit of your business or to the detriment.

How to choose a business idea for a small town?



Once you become familiar with the characteristics of small towns and entrepreneurship in them, it will be much easier to choose your own business idea. True, the criteria for choosing a business idea for a small city are absolutely the same as for a large one, insists Ivan Plastun, co-founder of the “Everyone is Lucky” service. In both cases, it must have a certain novelty. This doesn't mean your business has to offer something that no one has ever heard of before. On the contrary, it must be understandable to consumers. But you shouldn’t completely copy other people’s business ideas.

If your competitor has already opened Tire Fitting on Vishnevaya, do not open another one, advises Olga Kosets. It’s better to complement it with a “Sink” or a small cafe, or you can do both. It is likely that this format will subsequently grow, and in symbiosis you are more crisis-resistant, and you have a greater chance of survival and success.

Another criterion for a successful business idea for both small and large cities is its demand among a wide range of potential consumers. Ideally, your business should solve some kind of massive problem that plagues the majority of city residents.

But what this problem is will have to be solved individually in each case. There is no single universal answer for the average small town.

Before you start looking for a business idea, take a look around. Perhaps you will immediately see that your city lacks, for example, inexpensive entertainment venues.

Take a closer look at potential consumers. This should not be some narrow group of the population, but the overwhelming majority of the city's residents. Who are these people? What interests do they live by? What do they need?

If you notice some need of the population that you can make a business out of satisfying, conduct benchmarking*.

*Benchmarking is the search for the best companies in a certain industry and the implementation of the solutions they use in their practice.

Dmitry Kobets

business consultant at Group-inform

See how similar demand is met in other cities. If stories and examples are repeated often, you will surely identify a viable option.

In a small town, it makes sense to think about a business based on some consumer goods.



Victor Erofeev

technical director of CG Projects Group

The lion's share of successful small businesses around use products and needs that have not changed in any way for almost a century.

When looking for a business idea, try to start from the characteristics of the labor market. Are there few highly qualified lawyers or programmers? Give up the idea of ​​launching your own website or opening a legal services agency. Instead, try focusing on what people can do with their hands, such as fixing phones, computers, motorcycles or cars. If there are enough personnel with such competencies, open a service center or service station. Such a business may also be in demand in a small city.

Your business idea can be very simple or have some special features. For example, if you are thinking about opening a store selling farm products, try developing an online store and providing delivery. This will immediately set you apart from your competitors, and at the same time provide additional opportunities for scaling your business, which is so necessary in a small city.

If you decide to open a business in a small tourist town, this can also be used to your advantage. Look at the cozy private shops, workshops and family businesses of old Europe. You can open something similar in your city, making your small business a local landmark.

Another good move for a tourist place is to pay attention to local traditions and crafts. At the same time, it is not at all necessary to open another souvenir shop. Try organizing traditional entertainment, such as falconry or fishing tourism, advises Anatoly Churgel.

So, small towns have certain specifics that affect the conditions for doing business in them. Not every establishment can be opened in a small town. When choosing an idea for a business in a small town, take into account the economy, living conditions of the population and their mentality. You shouldn’t open a luxury clothing store in a mining village, or a raw food cafe in a military town. You simply won’t find buyers, and your establishment risks closing quickly.