If you are tired of your ordinary 9-5 job and thinking about starting your own business, your best course is to find opportunities that are matching the skills you already possess. There are plenty of B2B business ideas on the market and companies that will use your knowledge and experience. You just need to pick the right one and negotiate good terms.
Sounds easy, right? It is not.
But, don’t be discouraged, we outlined some of the best B2B business ideas for you to start and wrote tips on how to make it lucrative enough for you.
How to find good B2B business ideas
When starting a new B2B business, coming up with the right idea is probably the hardest part of the whole process. It is the center of your strategy and business plan, and all further steps derive from the starting B2B idea.
If you want to pick the best idea for you from the vast of B2B startup ideas, you can start by doing this analysis:
- Evaluate your skills, knowledge, and work experience and research how you can monetize that. Are there companies and individuals willing to pay for your work if you are a freelancer? And how much can you charge for your work, and is that enough for you?
- List the problems you’ve encountered in your current or previous workplaces. If there is too much for you to handle, maybe you want to pick something else. Or if you felt frustrated most of the time. Although you will be self-employed, if you don’t find enjoyment in your work, it is better to pick another course of action.
- Use networking to your advantage. Ask all contacts you met during your career (from old and current coworkers, bosses, and acquaintances) to see what they would demand from the new company when hiring it. Or what freelancers are already doing for them and under what conditions.
Those are just three starter tips for you to identify profitable B2B business opportunities that match your skills, knowledge, and experience.
B2B business ideas you can start now
There are hundreds of B to B business ideas to choose from, but we selected several you can get started from the comfort of your home with the help of just a computer (or laptop) and an internet connection.
1. Business Consultant
If you have already worked in a managerial position in a medium or big company, and have experience in running a successful business, you can become a business consultant or a business coach.
Small businesses usually can’t afford full-time roles for business experts, so they tend to outsource it to freelancers when needing advice. A good business consultant can simultaneously manage several startups in their early stages by giving feedback and creating growth strategies.
The role of a business consultant may involve analyzing business processes, identifying areas for improvement, developing strategies and action plans, and helping clients implement changes to achieve their objectives. He also provides training and coaching to employees and conducts market research and competitive analysis.
To be a successful business consultant as a freelancer, you’ll need to have strong analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
To start with this job, you need to create your portfolio of experience. The best way is to establish a website with testimonials and practical examples. To find clients, you can use your previously created network where you will offer your services directly. Reach out to your contacts and people you know from the industry you want to work in and let them know what you’re offering.
2. Bookkeeping services
Bookkeeping is one more service that shifts toward outsourcing and freelancers. Companies don’t hire full-time accountants or bookkeepers to cut their costs and use freelancer services when they need the financial reports and balance sheets.
If you are good with numbers and book balancing, this is one more of the B2B ideas to start with. As a freelance bookkeeper, you can provide this service to multiple clients, allowing you to work on your own schedule and potentially earn a good income.
Bookkeeping can involve a wide range of tasks, from recording transactions and reconciling accounts to generating financial statements and preparing tax documents. Decide which services you want to offer and ensure you have the necessary skills and software to provide them. Remember, always stay up-to-date with any changes in accounting standards or regulations.
3. Freelance marketing
Marketing is one more department that can be very expensive for companies to grow inside. That is why most SME startups tend to hire a freelance marketer, and that can be your chance. If you have enough marketing experience, this can be one of the best B2B service business ideas.
As a freelance marketer, you can offer a range of marketing services, such as social media marketing, email marketing, content marketing, SEO, PPC advertising, and more, depending on your previous experience. Anyway, you need to present your client with complete marketing strategies, along with consultation services, so they can follow all the aspects of your work.
To succeed as a freelance marketer, you should have a solid portfolio of successful marketing campaigns and a network of contacts in the industry.
To find clients as freelance marketers, you can use online job boards, social media platforms, and freelance marketplaces such as Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer. You can also build your own website and use content marketing to attract potential clients.
4. Researching services
Researching and analysis are key points of every business, but some companies don’t have enough time to conduct them on their own. So those entrepreneurs and business owners ask for help from freelancers.
If you have a keen eye for details and knowledge of statistics and analytics (preferably with software solutions), this can be a great business idea for you. You can offer services such as researching business ideas, finding technology solutions, and new markets, researching customers’ needs, or doing market research.
Previous experience researching would be good, and depending on what type of research services you offer, you’ll need to be familiar with different pieces of software. You’ll also need to know how to put together and present your results to clients.
5. Recruitment services
Hiring new people for a company takes too many resources, and some companies simply cannot afford that. So when they want to recruit new employees, they often work with external companies or individual recruiters. If you have enough experience in the HR department, you can start working as a freelance recruiter.
As a freelance HR recruiter, you will provide clients with various HR services, such as recruitment, performance management, employee relations, training and development, compensation and benefits, and HR compliance.
To become successful in this niche, you will need to have a strong background in HR and be knowledgeable about HR laws and regulations. You should also have excellent communication and organizational skills.
Obtaining an HR credential can help demonstrate your expertise and commitment to the field. Numerous online/offline platforms offer HR Courses tailored to different skill levels and areas of specialization.
Once again, set up your website with a portfolio and promote yourself on social networks (LinkedIn is the best place to start). Reach out to people and businesses you know, and let them know what you can offer.
6. Web design business
Every business needs a website so it can publicly present its products and services to the audience. It is usually a one-time job and only requires regular maintenance before major updates or redesigns. That is why companies hire freelancers for this type of job.
If you are into design and have HTML/CSS experience, why not try web design? You can earn a decent amount of money and train your creativity along.
Web design is pretty easy and straightforward these days because there are a lot of finished templates for websites, and you just need to align elements and fill in the text. But, if you are an experienced user, you can offer completely customized websites from scratch (for a larger price, of course).
To start, it would be best to go with WordPress as it has the best support and the most plugins that can ease your work. Before you apply for jobs, set up several websites from various industries, so you can show them to your potential clients. One of them must be your own, and that one must be the best you can offer.
7. Writing services
Copywriters are in very high demand lately. Many companies require them when rebranding or implementing complex marketing strategies. And it is more profitable for them to turn to freelancers than employ someone full-time.
As a business copywriter, you will work closely with very creative people that have ideas and inspiration but have a hard time putting that down on paper. That’s where your pragmatism comes in handy. You will need to listen and do right as asked for an outline, but all between is your job. You will fill the gaps and create a complete pitch for campaigns.
If you like to write and have a good understanding of how the business world functions, a writing service is a great B2B business idea. From writing a blog on the website, and email marketing to writing business plans, you will always be included in the company mission.
Similar to the previous B2B idea we mention, to start a freelance writing business, you will need a website with a portfolio of your writing experience. Of course, after that, you need to start building connections and offer your services within the area you are interested in.
8. Social media consultant
Every business needs a presence on social media nowadays. They need to have profiles on every major social network, post regularly, and use them for promotion and marketing.
It is very time-consuming, so many of them hire a social media manager or consultant to do that for them. As a social media consultant, you can offer advice or coaching to companies and business owners, put together a social media strategy, or even give social media training.
Your main responsibility will be to help clients establish and maintain a strong social media presence. This may involve creating and improving content, managing social media accounts, and analyzing performance metrics.
To be a successful social media consultant, you will need to stay up-to-date with the latest social media trends and practices. Familiarize yourself with various social media platforms and their unique features. Learn how to create engaging content and how to measure social media performance.
If you love to use social networks and know what to post and where and to analyze their metrics, this is one of the perfect B2B services ideas.
9. Virtual Assistant
Entrepreneurs and solopreneurs are extremely busy and overwhelmed with everyday tasks. If you know how to handle administrative tasks, one of the freelance careers you can pursue is virtual business assistant.
There is a high demand for those services online. Many business owners want to delegate tasks such as answering and managing phone calls and emails, scheduling meetings, sending invoices, or handling other low-priority tasks.
Before you start, determine what industry or niche you want to specialize in. This can help you target specific clients and tailor your services accordingly. After that, set up a dedicated workspace with all the necessary equipment and tools like a reliable computer, high-speed internet connection, and a comfortable chair and desk.
Go to freelance jobs marketplace like Upwork and advertise your services, or send proposals to job ads. Just be aware that Upwork and similar services take a percentage of your earnings.
B2B business ideas: final thoughts
These are just a few of the best B2B ideas you could get started with.
To find one that is profitable enough and suits you the best, you will need to reevaluate your skills and work experience and do thorough research of the market. You will surely step into a saturated niche, but you need to be persistent and always deliver high-quality jobs, and your work will be your greatest reference.