Posted by admin on April 13, 2012 under Online Marketing | 
You know them by heart – all those reasons why a home based business would solve all your problems. It’s a litany which runs over and over in your mind.
• More time with the family!
• You’re the boss, no time card!
• No set schedule — work whenever you like!
• Dress the way you want; work in your jammies and barefoot!
• Making a living without leaving the house!
• You’d be free – free – free!
You’d enjoy the benefits; you’d have the flexibility to be there for your family, and spend more time with your children. You’d arrange your work schedule around them… your expenses would go down, your productivity would go up. NO MORE OFFICE POLITICS!
So you surf the net… drooling over the idea. You’ve read every ‘Work from Home’ site out there… at least twice. These things never work, you mumble to yourself. They never give you everything you need to succeed. If they’d just let you in on that one final secret to success; you could do it. That’s all you need; then you would make it.
Well actually, there are two; Two Deep Dark Secrets. These are the last two pieces of the puzzle; the missing links; two things most new internet marketers miss entirely. These are the final secrets to getting results from your online business, the final ingredients which will allow you to become a Master Marketer. And I’m going to give them to you for free:
If you’re like most of us, you have a long list of free products you’ve downloaded and maybe a few you’ve purchased that show you how to start you own home business. Have you read them? Have you really read them? And if you did, then did you read them again – maybe taking some notes? You’d be astounded by what you’ll pick up the second time around. Did you devour them?
Keeping up to date by investing in informational products is a must; but it’s equally important to actually read the books and put them into practice. You don’t need to buy every new product that comes out, looking for the ‘secret ingredient’ that will finally bring you success. You’re the secret ingredient.
The first big secret then is this; read those books you download (even the free ones). Take the good information and ignore the rest. Study the information; take notes. Then get busy!
So now you are totally overwhelmed by all the work from home information you’ve downloaded onto your computer. How can you possibly implement all of this? There’s more here to do than you can ever accomplish.
Okay, I’ll agree, you can’t do it all today. But as they say, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day.’ Which leads us to the second big secret; you can start your home based business, ‘one step at a time.’ Get the basics, either from a helpful website, or by purchasing an informational product. (You’ll probably want to purchase one or two really good resource books to get started, but check your computer first; you may have already downloaded sufficient information… all you have to do is read it.)
Make a plan of action and begin setting up your business. Then follow your plan; a list of the most logical and important ‘next steps’ for your business. As you complete one phase, you move on to the next. And suddenly, you don’t have massive amounts of improvements to make; you just have one next phase to accomplish.
You’ll be focused on your goals. Every day when you begin work, you’ll always know what you’re going to do; it’s the top thing on your list. You work on it until it’s completed. Then you move on to the next phase. Before long you’ll be looking back at how far you’ve come rather than wringing your hands in frustration over how far you have to go. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step – and now you know the first and most important two.
Posted by admin on April 12, 2012 under Online Marketing |
Network marketing, or “MLM” can be a great way to earn everything from a small additional income to a generous full time living.
However, many people join mlm type opportunities without really knowing what they are getting themselves in to. This is probably one of the biggest reasons for the fact that some people have very low thoughts about this type of business.
Mlm works if you do it right. Period. That said, here are seven really poor reasons for enrolling in a network marketing opportunity:
1) Earning “easy money”
I know – the mlm-companies are very good a promoting their business as a simple 1-2-3 process that anyone can do and become an instant millionaire. Especially online it has almost become a standard to use super long and totally over hyped sales letters.
This is the equivalent of claiming that anyone who can open a can of beans can be a master chef.
Don’t get me wrong, I do think most people CAN make it in mlm if they put their minds to it. But you must be prepared to learn many new things and you WILL have to work for it. Make no mistake about that!
2) Expecting that “spill over” will do all the work
Many mlm opportunities are built on what’s called a “forced matrix”. For example, in a 3×9 matrix, when you have sponsored your three first new members, the fourth will be placed under the first person you sponsored. This person has thus gained one person in HIS downline, without any effort on his part.
Now, some companies would have you believe that their top recruiters are so effective that the spill over from their marketing will automatically make you, who are joining at the very bottom right now, an instant success.
This is simply a pipe dream – it will never happen. Yes, you probably will get a few people spilled over into your downline, but nowhere near enough to guarantee your success. The sheer width of the matrix on your level, means that there is an enormous amount of representatives that will have to shear any amount of spill over.
And who says the top recruiters are as active as they once where anyway? Worst case scenario, they are now working on something else entirely, because their money making income in this particular opportunity is already secured.
3) Thinking that a product is so great it will sell itself
This is a classic mistake, because most mlm systems simply aren’t really about the product. This fact is difficult to swallow, I know.
As a greenhorn I remember joining this lottery syndicate-mlm, thinking that “everybody” would want better chances at winning the lottery – right? The disappointment was huge when I discovered the truth – some people even made fun of any attempt to mention this great new thing I had discovered.
Likewise, in mlm, it will not matter if you are selling a breakthrough product that contains every mineral and vitamin under the sun – if you do not understand what network marketing is really all about.
4) Doing an old friend a favour
We have all been there – an old friend you haven’t met for years who suddenly calls you and want to set up a meeting about something he will tell you more about when you meet…
I’m not saying that this couldn’t be a potentially good business. But calling all your friends is a very ineffective way to do mlm, and you should never join any opportunity only to do someone else a favour. Because in the end this is about you, your money and your career.
5) Earning a lot of money in a short period of time
Most mlm testimonials always seem to go something like this:
- In my first month I made $800 and now, in my third month, I have been able to quit my job and…etc.
While not outright lies, testimonials like these are usually collected from individuals who, through luck or skill, managed to join this particular opportunity from the very beginning. They are simply at the top of the pyramid and they often know exactly what they are doing – the’re the mlm experts.
Like most offerings, mlm opportunities have a life cycle that grows rapidly in the beginning. During this phase of explosive growth it can be very easy to sponsor dozens of new people per day, with relatively little effort. After all, this is something entirely new and one well placed ad can do wonders.
However, if you join after this initial explosion, it is much more difficult to see quick results and it requires more effort to attract new people into the business. Patience, knowledge and the right strategy is required to succeed here.
6) Big name X endorses this program
This is somewhat related to the previous point. Mr. Big Hitter have made thousands of dollars with this opportunity already and he is not shy about telling anyone how EASY it was. And he’s probably not lying either. It was easy – for him.
Because, like noted above, he probably got involved in this opportunity long before it was launched to the general public, because he already knows all the right people.
He (or she), also know their stuff, and have the resources (large email lists, advanced Internet marketing tools etc.) to quickly and efficiently let the word out to a large number of people.
If you are relatively new to this game, it is a very bad idea indeed to assume that you instantly could pull off feats worthy of a network marketing guru. Would you compare your golfing abilities to those of Tiger Woods?
I didn’t think so.
7) Thinking this will be a free business to run
I’m not talking about the membership fee of your mlm opportunity here, because that is a given. But many people falsely believe that they can market entirely for free using the Internet.
While it’s true that there are some effective low cost Internet marketing techniques you can use, you should never fool yourself into believing that Internet marketing will be a no cost affair. Moreover, the online competition is usually quite fierce.
To summarize; Mlm can offer an exciting new way to earn money. But your motivation for joining a mlm business shouldn’t be based on one of the misconceptions mentioned above.
Treat your business like a business, and you will be okey.
Posted by admin on under Online Marketing |
You’ve read the ads or seen the infomercials. “Build a six or seven figure income while lounging in your pajamas in your work at home business.” For many people who hear this, their scam detector goes up and they become defensive. Why? Because they have heard countless horror stories of people who have lost their shirt trying to create a business from home.
However, the truth is there are thousands of home based entrepreneurs around the country who have cracked the code, created their place in the world and taking it to the bank. So how did they do it? Why do some people struggle and never ever break even while others create outrageously successful homebased careers?
There are certain habits which I believe are consistent with all of these enterprises. Here are seven habits or traits when implemented work to insure an outrageously profitable venture.
1. Find a hungry target market and look for a product or service to meet their needs. I am surprised how many frustrated entrepreneurs miss this. What often happens is someone gets excited, hit by an entrepreneurial seizure and tries to start a business with a product or service and feels it will sell simply because of their emotional attachment. Keep your mind open when looking at home based business income opportunities. However, make sure someone wants to buy whatever you have to sell before you jump in.
Don’t get me wrong you want to have a passion for what you do. However, if you love 8 track tapes it might be a problem. And depending on your age you might be thinking, “What’s an 8 track tape?” Get my point? However, if you find a group of people who are hungry for what you have is like shooting fish in a bucket. When you find a group that has a problem they want solved they will pay you to do it.
2. Understand nothing happens until a sale is made. I am amazed at how many budding entrepreneurs say they hate sales. This is unfortunate because everything else in a business is an expense. If you don’t have sales coming in the door eventually the doors will close.
Sales and marketing if done correctly is the engine to a company’s success. The key is to add value to the customer at every opportunity. One of the vital things to remember is the first time you obtain a client is the most expensive. But the real wealth is built when you have the opportunity to sell to a customer over and over again. Some companies even take a loss to get the customer in the pipeline because they realize the real money is on the back end and the true profit is in the lifetime value of the customer.
3. Develop a strong team. One of the traits that will accelerate the success of any business is the leverage generated by the help of others.
Robert Kiyosaki Author of Rich Dad Poor Dad says, “Business and investing are team sports.” The average investor or small-business person loses financially because they do not have a team. Instead of a team they act as individuals who are trampled by very smart teams.”
While you are building a home based business you don’t want to do it alone. There are only 24 hours a day and you can’t do everything. You want to look for opportunities to outsource all non revenue generating activities. Successful proprietors don’t waste a lot of time on filing and organizing.
4. Focus on the business not just working in the business. What separates you from being able to create a company that provides you with great income and lifestyle versus one that you are chained to the doors is a matter of focus. Successful entrepreneurs focus on the big picture.
I’m saddened when people say, “No one can do what I do.” This might be true however it presents a great challenge. You are now a slave to your business. The business no longer serves you. The goal must be to take “you” out of as much of your business as possible.
Look for ways to remove you, automate and systemize the process. One of the ways to do this is to use the leverage of technology. You might want to use a website that allows people to order your product or service 24/7. Or you might write a book which can be sold while you are sleep. Get the picture.
5. A highly successful home based business has a central theme or mission. Many home based businesses never reach success because they are trying to do too many things at the same time. You might be saying, “But I want to create multiple streams of income.”
The problem with multiple streams of income can be a nightmare if approached incorrectly. New entrepreneurs often make the mistake of trying to create several profit centers from non aligned businesses. For example, you will find people who try to start real estate, network marketing and internet marketing all at the same time.
The reason you will almost never have success with this strategy is you can not build momentum. Each business has a totally different business model and you can’t leverage the energy of one to another.
However, the successful home based entrepreneur understands the law of momentum. For example, if you were an author one of your products would be the book. However, you could spin that product into an empire by leveraging it into an e-book, tape set, work-book, seminar, boot camp and coaching program.
Do you see the power of having one central product or theme and how you can leap frog to success? You want to be focused and committed to a central theme. Once you have success you can add another stream of income. This trait is one of hidden keys to success.
6. Resilient and quick to adapt to change. This is one of the distinct advantage solo-entrepreneurs have over large companies. Often time’s large corporations invest thousands of dollars in a project and even when they know it’s not working they are slow to change. In Corporate America this may not kill a business because one mistake is just a cog in the wheel.
However, in small business your ability to change on a dime allows you test things and when things work you do it with massive all out action. And when something is not what working you simply let it go, test something else and move forward.
7. Commit to continual education. Now, I am not talking about another degree or certificate. There are plenty of people with plaques on their walls that aren’t able to create the income and lifestyle they want. However, I love the quote by one of the leading experts in self-development. Jim Rohn says, “Formal education will make you a living; self education will make you a fortune.”
Personal development and specialized knowledge often is the difference between a fledgling operation and one that has an outrageously bottom line. Why? Because successful people know that the best investment they can make is in self.
Make sure that you are always staying ahead of the curve and immerse yourself in your area of expertise. You can do this by attending seminars, tele-classes, boot camps or participating in coaching programs.
Do you want to build wealth from home? Cut your learning curve by modeling one or all of these traits from successful home based businesses. You will find when you model those who have had success you will too if you embody the same traits. Start today and you will be on your way to outrageous success.
Posted by admin on under Online Marketing |
The problem with most every home business is it’s either too expensive to set up, takes too long to begin showing a profit, or the “learning curve” is just too difficult or too time consuming for the average person.
Even worse, a lot of offers related to home business that you find in magazines, your mail, and on the Internet are outright rip-offs. That’s not to say they take your money and don’t deliver the product. They deliver the product all right; it’s the product that doesn’t deliver. Why? Because the home business “program” was designed to make money for the vendor, NOT the purchaser.
But there are ways to make money in a home business that are realistic, don’t cost an arm and a leg, and can be quickly learned with just a little time and effort. The business of Credit Repair is one such business.
Now the very name “Credit Repair” may sound intimidating to some, probably because there are high priced agencies and attorneys who practice it and charge thousands of dollars for their services. But that doesn’t mean they do anything the average person can’t do himself, given the proper knowledge. Nor does it mean credit repair can’t be done as a home business, rather than from an office with dozens of employees.
Before we continue, some explanation is in order. To start with, there are 3 major agencies in the United States who keep records of the credit histories of hundreds of thousands of Americans. These agencies are called “Credit Bureaus” and their names are Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. They’re private agencies, have no connection with the US (or any) government, and are a billion dollar a year industry.
Do you want to take out a mortgage? Your lender will be checking your credit history with one or more of the credit bureaus. And once you get your loan, he’ll be reporting your payment history to the agency as well. And based on the information in the credit bureaus’ records, you’ll be assigned a “credit score” that lenders look at to determine your credit worthiness.
The business of credit repair involves contacting the bureaus in an attempt to improve a client’s (or your own) credit score. The process really isn’t that difficult, and involves a few simple steps.
1. Have the client get a copy of his credit report from each of the 3 bureaus. This can easily be done online at http://www.annualcreditreport.com
2. Write letters to each of the 3 bureaus and dispute negative information on the credit reports.
By law, the bureaus then have 30 days to verify the disputed information with the original creditor, or they must delete it. They must then report their findings to the consumer, and also send a copy of the revised credit report.
3. When the credit bureaus respond, examine the revised reports and continue to dispute additional negative items.
You may be thinking “So is that it?” Well, while this explanation may be a bit oversimplified, generally speaking, the answer is “Yes, that’s it!”
If you perform credit repair for pay, there are some legal matters you need to deal with to avoid running afoul of the law. For instance, some states require you to be bonded or licensed. You’re also required to inform clients of their legal rights, and to give them 3 days to rescind their decision should they decide to accept your services.
But these steps aren’t anything you can’t do as a home business entrepreneur. They’re intended to protect the consumer, and in general, are good practices that any ethical business person should be following anyway.
So if it’s that simple, why do agencies charge thousands of dollars for their services? Very simply, because they can get away with it! Most people just aren’t aware of how uncomplicated the process is, or would ever believe they can do it themselves.
Now if you’re looking to start a home business that will make you rich overnight without any effort, then credit repair isn’t for you. But then, neither is anything else. You’d do better to embrace more realistic expectation, or you’ll be forever wasting your money on the home business “programs” we mentioned earlier.
But if you’re willing to invest some time and effort in a realistic home business, you might want to take a closer look at credit repair. Compared to just about every other home business it has all the advantages. It’s one of the easiest to learn, least expensive and quickest to start up, there’s a huge demand (nearly 1 of every 3 Americans have some credit problems), and you can make some very, very good money. You can also choose to do it part time or full time. The choice is entirely yours.
To get started, you’ll need to do two things.
1. Get a good book on the process of credit repair and spend a little time familiarizing yourself with the process.
2. Do some research into the laws pertaining to credit reporting and credit repair companies, specifically, the “Fair Credit Reporting Act” and the “Credit Repair Organizations Act.”
Both can be researched online.
Finally, once you’ve launched your home business and begun repairing people’s credit, you’ll have the good feeling of knowing you’re helping people in need. And you can charge them way less than the big agencies and STILL make an extraordinarily good living. That’s a win-win situation for everyone … EXCEPT the credit bureaus and overpriced repair agencies.
Gives you a good feeling, doesn’t it?
Posted by admin on under Online Marketing |
Having a home business career has become a real possibility with the dawn of the Internet. This brought about the beginning of a new way of life for many people. Instead of struggling to make ends meet with a low paying job, now you can have a business career at home by operating your own Internet business. This is not a difficult task and the cost of getting everything set up is not at all high. You can stay at home, work when you like and dress how you like with a home business career.
Many people shy away from the idea of a home business career because they feel it means door-to-door selling or managing home parties to sell products. With the advances in technology, you can have your own turnkey Internet business with just the click of your mouse. Getting started with this type of Internet home business does mean you have to do a little research to find out what it is that consumers want to buy.
Online shopping makes it possible for you to have an Internet home business career that you operate from home. With the convenience of the online retailers being open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, more and more consumers shop for just about everything they need through the Internet. An online pharmacy, for example, is a very profitable type of turnkey Internet business as is selling hard to find products, such as plus size clothing.
The wealth of information available on the Internet about various turnkey businesses and how you can get started right away is overwhelming. You do need to find a home business career in something that you really love, whether it is jewelry, address labels, or hot tubs. Anything and everything is sold on the Internet and setting up your own website is the first step involved in having your own home business career. You can write articles to lead in to each product and link to another company if you wish to become an affiliate and make money this way. Either way, a turnkey Internet business is profitable.
You do have to be patient because success with a turnkey Internet business does not happen overnight. You do have to build up the website in the search engine rankings so that people looking for the product you sell will find it. In addition to setting up your own home business career with an Internet site, you can have Google ads that pay you every time someone clicks through on one of them. Having a home business career is an excellent way to have more leisure time, but you do have to put in time getting it started.
So if you want a home business career an internet home business is a very viable alternative.
Posted by admin on under Online Marketing |
5 Top Things Baby Boomers Must Do Before Starting a Home Business
Don’t quit your day job just yet.If you are a baby boomer looking to start a home business, there are 5 essentials things you must do first.
Leaving the security of a job with an established 401(k) plan, health insurance or other benefits can create a real tug of war for baby boomers who want to pursue their dreams of owning their own business.
Analyze Your Exit Strategy
At the time of this writing, the youngest of the baby boomers are turning 42 and the oldest are turning 60. No matter where you fall into this group, analyzing and preparing your exit strategy from your job will be crucial to your long-term success as a home business entrepreneur. Do you have adequate savings? If you’re married, will you be able to participate in your spouse’s health insurance?
Create a Financial Plan
How much is your salary now? What are your fixed, variable and frivilous expenses? Creating a solid plan so that you and your family will know exactly what the financial picture will be until your business gets off the ground and starts generating revenue.
Choosing a Business Model and Legal Entity
There are several business models to choose from; home party plans, consulting, and affiliate marketing to name a few. You have to make the decision based on your personality and what you are best-suited for. Choosing a legal entity for your business should be discussed with a tax accountant or your attorney. Options are sole proprietor, LLC or Subchapter S- Corp.
Set Business Benchmarks
You wouldn’t travel across the country without a road map, your business is the same. Setting financial and business-building benchmarks will help you to create a focused plan that will help you to reach your success.
Get a Physical
What does getting a physical have to do with your business? Once you leave your job, most likely your health insurance will change and as unfair as it may be, trying to get new health insurance when in your 40′s, 50′s or 60′s can be difficult. While pursuing your dreams of a home business is something you are probably very passionate about, if you do not have good health to enjoy the rewards of your efforts, then not much else is important.
The baby boomer generation is like no other before it or after it. Technically, we are considered middle-aged, but we are anything but middle-aged in mind, body and spirit. We know there is more meaning to life than a commute to an unrewarding 9-5 job, but there are also important steps we must take first. Planning and preparing for your home business now will lead to less headache’s later on.
Posted by admin on under Online Marketing |
Does the idea of starting your own business from home sound appealing? Has finding the right one stumped you? Do you often think that if you could make money at home you would be one very happy person? Then read on and see how easy it is to make money with a home business.
Make Money with Your Interests
Everyone is born with a special talent that sets them apart from others. Your job is to figure out what that talent is and find a way to turn it into a business. One lady I profiled in my book, “The Stay-at-Home Mom’s Guide To Making Money” had always liked horses. When she was younger she didn’t have a horse of her own, so she would groom and feed other people’s horses just for the chance to ride. Now that she is an adult, she has turned that interest into a pet sitting business. While she takes care of the smaller critters, she has niched herself in the area of horse care.
What Are Your Hobbies?
Is your hobby candle making, painting portraits, herb gardening? These are all great home businesses just waiting to happen, and you don’t necessarily have to produce these items to make money. Maybe you could start a newsletter on the subject of your hobby for others just like you. Maybe you could sell supplies to other hobbyists or businesses. Or maybe you could write a book on the subject. Once you start brainstorming you’ll be surprised at all the ideas you will come up with.
One woman I’ve met online is now the owner of her own portrait sketching business. She actually had two other home businesses before she decided that she could make extra money drawing sketches of people. She does incredible work, and when you look at your pictures it’s hard to believe she hasn’t been doing this longer. Sometimes the business for you is right in front of you; it’s just hard to believe that someone would actually pay you to do something that comes so easily and naturally for you.
You’re Producing a Product or Service for Your Friends and Family for Free already.
I talk with moms all the time who say their family or friends are always coming to them because they are great at creating a resume, or because they can really put a nice bouquet of flowers together for special events. These are all great ideas for a home business. Seriously consider charging for these services. Let your family and friends know you are in business. They’ve already used you in the past for these things; they trust your work. They will probably enjoy spreading the word and letting other people know that you are open for business.
Go With What You Already Know A Lot About
Maybe you enjoy your work outside the home but still want to be home with your kids, or want the flexibly and satisfaction of owning your own home business. Use your previous skills to get your business started. Teachers become tutors, secretaries become virtual assistants, graphic artists become — graphic artists. The same can go for architects, photographers, and transcriptionists. You’ll be surprised at the number of jobs you’ve held in the past that could be the key to getting your own home business started now.
Have You Ever Thought, “Why Doesn’t Someone Start A Business Doing…?”
Do you see the need for a particular product or service in your community? Are you trying to figure out why someone hasn’t thought of it and started providing it yet? Why can’t that someone be you? There is no reason why you shouldn’t be the one to see a need, fill it, and make money from it.
You have many interests, talents, previous experiences, hobbies, and good ideas that are just waiting to be turned into a money making venture. Why not make this the year your home business dreams come true?
Posted by admin on under Online Marketing |
It seems these days that everyone wants to start a part time business. We all want to find ways to bring in some extra money. The rising acceptance and popularity of Internet commerce has also created an explosion of scam artists and online business schemes.
You’ve probably seen lots of ads claiming that it’s easy to make big money on the Internet. Some tell you that all you have to do is put up their free website and watch your bank account grow with no effort on your part. But the truth is that websites don’t make money by themselves. You have to sell a product or service, and you have to have a way to find large numbers of visitors for the site.
Others declare that you can own your own successful “business” if you just follow their secret system. They post long ads about all the benefits and wonderful features you’ll receive only if you buy their method. These ads usually go on and on about the supposed value of all the different components that are included before finally letting you know what their “bargain” price actually is. With many of these programs, the only thing you get for your money is instructions on how to put up your own ads doing the same thing to other people.
If you’re looking for ways to get something for nothing, there’s no end to the schemes you can try. Most of them are cons, many of them are illegal, and few of them make any money – except for the one who starts it.
Another popular rip-off is the so-called work at home job opening. Although there are some legitimate job offers and telecommuting opportunities available, many of these are also cons designed to separate you from your money.
So how do you tell the difference? There are a couple of ways. First you can look carefully at the ad itself. Does it try to use fantasy or emotion to create some idyllic image in your mind? Is it skimpy on the specific details of the offer or the price? This is one clue that the offer is not what it seems.
Another thing to watch out for is cost. An actual work at home employment offer will not ask for money. You don’t have to buy a list, or purchase instructions. And you also don’t have to send money to get the details of the offer. A real job offer will include contact information for the company doing the hiring. They will ask you about your experience and qualifications just like any other job. They won’t claim that “anyone can do it”.
Use your common sense when considering any offer for home based work or businesses. The old adage is true: If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Take for example the two popular scams of envelope stuffing and home product assembly. Why would a legitimate company incur the expense of shipping items and paying you to do something that can be easily and cheaply done on site with automation or their own regular employees? Avoid these offers.
The same guideline applies to business offers. If it’s that easy, they don’t need you to do it for them, except as an additional channel to peddle their product and produce profits for them. A real business takes real products and services, and real work. All of the offers you see aren’t scams, but most are – so make sure to always carefully evaluate all the facts.
Posted by admin on under Online Marketing |
If you work from home, chances are you already know that you’re really pulling “double duty”. You probably work on your business while doing the laundry, corralling the kids, or fixing dinner… and let’s not forget all the phone calls from family and friends expecting you to run errands or just “go out” for an afternoon of fun.
One of the hardest parts of running a home business is separating your work from your family and social life. Here are six proven ways to keep your home life running smoothly while keeping your business on track.
1. First, create a work schedule and stick with it. It may be tempting to answer personal calls during the day or take business calls after-hours, but doing this actually shows that you’re expendable – not dependable – and people will take for granted that you’ll “always be there” for any little things that come up. Even though family comes first, stay true to your business hours and resist the urge to chat with friends or pick up groceries during working hours.
2. Your friends may consider “working from home” an invitation to chat during the day or just go out for coffee or shopping for an afternoon. Make it clear that your business hours are just that – for business. Leave personal calls for after-hours, and you’ll find that your friends will gradually accept your schedule without feeling slighted.
3. Just because you have to set up a work schedule, doesn’t mean that you have to keep the same hours as everyone else. One of the benefits of working for yourself is setting your own hours to fit your most productive times. Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, you’ll find that you’ll get much more done when you’re attuned to your body’s own natural rhythms. Some people work in the morning, take a break in the afternoon when the kids are home from school, and work again in the evening. Schedule your work time when you feel the most productive and you’ll find that things get done easier, faster and better than when you were dragging along during those same rigid work hours that everyone else has.
4. If getting after-hours business calls or work day personal calls is a problem, it helps to have a separate business phone line, or at least an answering machine or voice mail, to take the incoming calls. This also gives your business a more professional appearance to clients than if you and your family make and receive calls from the same phone line.
5. If at all possible, try to separate your “home office” from the rest of your home. If you don’t have the luxury of a separate room, a room partition or screen can be just as helpful. This also serves as a visual cue to family that you’re working and shouldn’t be bothered.
6. Dress and act professionally while working. Some people find it helpful to dress in casual business attire during their working hours. This reinforces that just because you’re working from home doesn’t make you any less of a professional. Answer the phone with your name, or business name, and keep your children off the phone during business hours. Also, spend money investing in the tools you need to do your job right. A cell phone, fax machine or even a budget computer can help turn your home office into a true workspace.
If you follow all of these tips and stick with them, chances are you’ll find a routine that not only makes you feel productive and active in your business, but also projects the message that you mean business – literally!
Posted by admin on under Online Marketing |
Thinking about a home business? Suddenly you’re immersed in a whole new language: affiliate programs, residual income, leveraged income, pyramid scams, html, gateway websites. It’s really not all that difficult and a mentor can be a trusted guide through the home business labyrinth.
There are only three main ways to work for yourself: sell your own product or service and keep all the profits; buy the rights to sell someone else’s product and keep all the profits; and sell someone else’s products and keep a commission. This article is all about the third way, which is affiliate marketing.
Residual income is income that keeps coming in month after month, year after year, from work you do just one time. You sell a membership or a customer places a standing order for monthly shipment of a product and you receive a commission every month thereafter. Leveraged income is earning money through other people’s efforts. We choose to be affiliates because when we sign someone up under us to sell, we profit from their sales too.
There are many reasons why you may be interested in starting your own affiliate home business. Are you having difficulty finding a job? Are you afraid of being laid off? Are you worried about your retirement savings? Do you want to stay home to care for a loved one? Do you wish you could say goodbye to your boss forever?
Whatever the reason, and whatever your financial situation, a mentor can help you build an online income over time. It won’t happen overnight and it will take hard work.
How do you know if being your own boss and working on the internet is for you? How do you choose what kind of business to start?
A mentor can help you decide if an internet home business is for you. If you’re new to computers and the internet, he or she can suggest some great resources for learning the basics.
How do you choose what affiliate programs to join? A good mentor only recommends products she uses herself and programs she uses. I made my choices based on products in which I have personal interest, the programs’ track records, and recommendations from entrepreneurs I respect. Careful research is the key.
Once you have signed up for affiliate programs, you may want to start out simply promoting the affiliate gateway websites you are given within each program. Gateway websites are personalized websites given to you by an affiliate program. They are the same for every affiliate and you are not able to change them in any way. They include code that attributes all sales to you and they allow for your contact information to be included. A mentor will show you how to promote these websites. Directing visitors to them is how you make your sales and how you enroll others.
Eventually, you will want your own domain name and website. I unequivocally recommend Kiosk.ws as a web host. You can start out for as little as $1, and Kiosk has support that sets the industry standard. There are conference room trainings and meet-the-president sessions, online help desk, and of course your referrer. Your membership includes too many business tools to mention here, but it’s everything you need to conduct business online. Plus Kiosk can eventually be a good moneymaker in itself.
Once you are the proud owner of your own website, you can add your own product pages, articles, testimonials…you’re only limited by your imagination. A mentor can set you in the right direction and get your business profitable sooner than you might believe possible.