As with any startup, it’s important to do your homework and know your market before starting a business. But on-demand services offer a host of startup opportunities that may not have existed otherwise. No matter the industry, consumers are now well-accustomed to on-demand services, and have come to expect them with any new startups that appear on the scene. It can even be a liability if your company lacks an on-demand service element, as competitors can likely satisfy your customers’ desire for near-instantaneous results.

For the most part, the services themselves are not new, whether it’s vacation rentals or ride-sharing. What is new and novel is the speed and convenience of accessing these services (at a competitive price), with virtually all on-demand service transactions facilitated through a laptop or smartphone app. Need to paint a room, fix your car, get a ride or shop for a party? It can all be taken care of by pressing a few buttons on your phone.

And the market for on-demand services is here to stay. With some 77 percent of adults in the U.S. currently owning smartphones, and 94 percent among those 18 to 29 years old (according to the Pew Research Center), the number of Americans who buy services through their phones should only grow.For current business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs looking to tap into the growing market of the on-demand economy, the path can be fairly straightforward. The first step is to understand the mindset of your millennial customers and their smartphone user behavior. To cater to their appetite for the simplicity of on-demand services, it’s important to focus your resources on creating an attractive smartphone app that offers an excellent user experience and API (application programming interface).

Once your app is created and launched, the next task is to market it. There are numerous avenues for marketing an on-demand service, many unique to e-commerce and online sales. After making your app available on app stores (particularly Google Play and Apple’s App Store), you can reach out to online influencers in your industry to help spread the word. Consider app store optimization (ASO), which can push your app to the top of searches. If you already have a strong online presence, you can feature the app on your landing page, or spread the word to customers via email.

Once the world knows about your on-demand service, you need to be prepared to deliver. Have your on-demand service operations ironed out and well-staffed so that when customers fire off orders through their smartphones, you can provide the speedy service they expect. It also helps to be as nimble as possible, so you can tweak your operations or add workers quickly depending on demand.