Go Busy!

10 Ways to Grow Your Homebased Business

2007-09-19T16:53:00.000-07:00

When the status quo just won't do anymore, these 10 ideas will help you take your homebased business to a new level.

Small is beautiful.

Slow and steady wins the race.

Inch by inch, row by row, that's the way my garden grows.

While such homespun wisdom might be fine for common folk, it can be awfully frustrating for an ambitious homebased business owner determined to take his company to the next level of growth and profitability.

Sure, a thriving one- or two-person service business with no inventory, rent or employees can seem like an easy way to make money at first, but when the phone starts ringing off the hook and customers keep coming back for more, homebased business owners who fail to plan often fall victim to their own success. Either they burn out trying to juggle everything themselves or they spend so much time and money hiring people to help them that their profits go down the drain.

Fortunately, there are some ways to take your homebased business to new heights without sacrificing your business's profitability or losing your peace of mind.

Follow these 10 steps to grow your homebased business into the personal and professional success it was meant to be:

1. Focus on a single product or service, and then market it, sell it, promote it-do everything you can to increase sales of that one product or service. While it's tempting to swing for the fences and try to be all things to all people, it's often less risky and more profitable to pick a product or two that you can execute really well and just try to get on base.

Richard Roy, a Sparta, New Jersey landscaper, started a homebased dog-waste removal business called Dr. Pooper Scooper when he got tired of picking up the dog poop from his customers' lawns. Instead of splurging on a retail storefront or an expensive Yellow Pages ad, Roy decided to use his truck as his primary advertising vehicle.

Says Roy, "I decorated the truck as a Dalmatian, used full signage and put magnetic business cards on it. By using the truck as my moving billboard, by joining community groups and through word of mouth, I've turned what was once my nightmare into a thriving business serving 100 customers and making 1,100 pickups a week."

Thanks to Dr. Pooper Scooper's success, Roy is now planning to phase out his landscaping business and focus on his new venture full time. "When I scoop the poop, I do it 12 months a year and never have to fix or replace equipment," Roy says. "It's also three time easier than landscaping, and I can do it until I can't walk anymore."

2. Expand your product line to offer complementary products or services. Once you've hit on a product or service that customers really like, don't miss the opportunity to bring out related items to diversify your product line. Not only does that give your customers a wider selection, but it also makes your products more appealing to retailers who typically like to stock a line of products as opposed to a single item.

Meredith LiePelt, who runs a company called Contemporary Baby out of her home in Dublin, Ohio, started off making colorful burp cloths for newborns. Now she's expanded her line to include such "go along" products as receiving blankets, bibs and gift baskets. Says LiePelt, "Our retail customers have enjoyed having more gift-giving options, and our wholesale clients are able to offer their customers a wider selection to choose from."

3. Find ways to increase sales to your existing customers. It's a lot cheaper than finding new ones. Even if you can't expand your product line, you can boost revenues by selling more of your existing product or service to the clients you already have. One easy way to do this is through volume discounts. Especially if your products cost little to produce, offering your customers the chance to buy, say, two T-shirts for the price of one lets you ring up additional sales without sacrificing much profit.

Another common practice is to reward loyal customers by giving them a punch card that entitles them to a free product or service for every 10 items they buy. This technique is common at hair salons, car washes and arts-and-crafts stores, but homebased businesses can use it, too.

4. Hire someone to help you out-an employee, a freelancer, an intern, an independent contractor, even your kids. Not only does this free up cash flow by adjusting your expenses to the level of work you bring in, but it also enables you to cultivate a large network of talented people you probably couldn't afford to hire full time.

Marc Kirschner, a neighborhood directory publisher in New York City, employs 50 to 75 writers-all of whom are freelancers-to develop his directory's content. This way, Marc saves on payroll taxes, medical benefits, employer liability insurance and all the other costs of hiring full-time staffers. There are other benefits, too. "Bringing in outside help gives you someone else to bounce ideas and strategies off of," Kirschner says. "It prevents you from feeling you're going it alone."

5. Create a Web site to advertise your company or sell products online. Thanks to the Internet, it's no longer necessary to open a store to reach retail customers. For marketers of specialty products like rare books, collectibles and gourmet foods, a Web-based boutique lets you reach millions of shoppers around the world without paying for rent, utilities or garbage collection.

And while creating Web sites once required a big investment and the skills of an experienced Web designer or programmer, do-it-yourself Web sites are now available for less than $30 a month with no technical knowledge required. Typically, the companies that help you register your domain name (Web address) will provide online templates you can use to build your site, host your Web pages on their server and provide you with multiple e-mail addresses as well. E-commerce capabilities can often be had for an additional charge. You can also set up low-cost Web sites through Web hosting companies and search engines.

6. Join forces with another business to promote your company. Partnering with a company in a related industry is one of the cheapest and easiest forms of marketing that you can employ. If you make spa products, for example, you may be able to convince a local health club to carry them in its store by offering a discount to its members. Likewise, you can send a free, one-day health club pass to anybody who buys your lotions and scrubs.

Nancy Tamosaitis, a homebased publicist, says her New York firm, Vorticom, has partnered with a graphic design firm to provide creative services such as Web design and brochures to her corporate PR clients. From time to time, she also joins forces with specialty PR firms to assist clients in fashion, finance and other industries. "Now that I'm working from home, my clients receive infinitely better service and results-at much lower cost-than when I managed a $3 million profit center at a top PR agency," Tamosaitis says.

7. Target other markets. If you sell to teens, start marketing to college students. If you sell to working moms, maybe your product will work for stay-at-home moms with a few modifications. Another strategy is to take a retail-oriented product or service and sell it wholesale. For example, a homebased catering business that specializes in cakes, pies and other tasty desserts can contact local bakeries to sell its goods on a wholesale basis. While the price you get from the bakeries will be lower (because the bakeries need to mark it up to their customers to make a profit), you'll sell more products and generate consistent cash flow that you can bank on.

8. Find new and different ways to market your business through e-mail newsletters or by doing guest-speaking gigs or by teaching a class. Marketing your homebased business doesn't need to involve spending big money on newspaper ads, Yellow Pages listings, or TV or radio spots. Grassroots marketing techniques cost far less and are often much more effective. Most chambers of commerce and community groups are more than happy to provide a forum to a local business owner who's willing to share his expertise at no charge. Sending out a weekly newsletter is also a great way to get your name out in front of new and potential clients. Thanks to the Internet, you can send out your newsletter via e-mail using online templates and automated delivery systems.

9. Expand to another location. That could mean renting "virtual" office space in a business center or by sharing office space with another growing business. Brad Taylor, a CPA in Springfield, New Jersey, spends most of his time at home preparing tax returns, developing tax-planning strategies and revising his clients' QuickBooks files. But when he needs to come to New York City for a meeting, he sometimes rents space at a Manhattan business center operated by HQ Global, a national provider of temporary office space.

For a monthly fee or a la cart, business centers like these offer everything from conference rooms and receptionist services to remote-access voicemail, high-speed Internet connectivity and tech support, offering homebased business owners as much or as little outside office services as they need. Taylor pays just $10 an hour to use the space and is able to bill the cost to his client. "While I still want to run my business from home, this has allowed me to pursue new opportunities and network with other professionals," Taylor says.

10. Think about turning your business into a franchise or business opportunity. While most homebased businesses remain small, yours may have the potential to hit the big time through franchising, licensing or wholesale distribution. The key question to ask yourself is if your business can be converted into a business format that somebody else could operate (a franchise) or if you have a standardized product or service that someone could resell multiple times (a business opportunity). While you may think that expanding your business requires raising capital, hiring employees, buying equipment and leasing office or warehouse space, it's often more profitable-and less risky-to license your product to a big corporation with manufacturing capabilities and an existing sales force to do the work for you.

By Rosalind Resnick

Eleven Ways To Find Customers

2007-09-15T22:56:00.001-07:00

What's the hardest thing about starting a business? For many new business owners, the answer is "Finding customers". Having a great product or service that you are sure many people will need isn't good enough. Customers won't find you or your web site just because you have started selling a product or service. Indeed, most business owners have to go on regular and frequent fishing trips to find customers and keep new business coming in their doors.

But how do you do that? Here are several suggestions to get you started.

Develop a plan. Consider who would make the ideal customer. If you sell to businesses, consider what department is most likely to buy your products or services, and what individual (what level of responsibility) would be the one to determine the specific purchase requirements. (Make some calls if you don't know!) Then consider how that individual would normally find products or services like yours. What circles do they travel in? Who are they likely to listen to or where do they look when they want to buy a product or service. Find a way to put your information, or yourself, in their path.

Realize there is no one path to success. Sales often happen because prospective customers hear about your products and services in several different ways and from several different sources. The more often they hear about you, the more likely they are to consider what you have to offer when they are ready to buy.

Work your local newspapers. Daily and weekly newspapers are an incredible source of contact information and leads to potential customers. Watch for names of people who have been promoted, who have won awards, who have opened new businesses, or who in any way may be potential customers. Send those people personalized mailings letting them know the benefits of what you sell. Try to attend meetings they will be at, as well. When you meet them or send mail, let them know you read about them and congratulate them on their success or mention how interesting the article about them was.

Watch for events that may bring your potential market together. Contact the organizers of the event and offer to give away your product or service as a prize during the event in exchange for having the group promote you in their promotions.

Attend meetings and seminars that your prospects might attend. If you've been doing that and haven't made contacts that could lead to sales, look in the newspapers to see what other organizations hold events that might attract your target market and attend some of those meetings.

Follow up after meetings. Contact the people you've met to see if they may be prospects. If they say they don't need your services now, ask when a good time to call them back would be, or if they have business associates who could use what you sell now.

Give a little to get a lot. Give away free samples of your product and ask the recipients to tell their friends if they are pleased. Or, if you are a consultant, give away some free advice. This could be in the form of a newsletter with that contains news or tips and hints, or it could be a free consultation during which you provide just enough information to help the client scope out their project and know that you have the ability to handle it.

Work your personal network. Ask your friends if they know of people who can use your services, or people who may know others who could use your services. If your pricing structure will allow it, offer friends and business associates a finders' fee for referrals that turn into jobs.

Study your competition. Advertise where they do. Promote yourself where your competition promotes themselves.

Use multiple small ads instead of one big one. If most people in your type of business advertise to bring in customers, you should do the same. But don't plan on making a big splash with one large ad. Plan smaller ads to run over a long time in the same publications that your competitors advertise in. The repetition will build name recognition. If you advertise in the yellow pages, consider taking out ads in multiple category headings. If you provide office support services, you might want to advertise under the Word Processing and the Typing headings.

Ask for feedback when prospects don't buy. Did they find a product that better served their needs? Did they decide they don't need the product at all? Did they just postpone their buying decision? Did they find it difficult to place an order on your web site? Use what you learn to make needed changes and watch your sales start to grow.

By Janet Attard

10 Things You Need for a Home Business

2006-09-30T11:37:00.000-07:00

You've got an idea for a winner of a home-based business, and you're about ready to announce it to the world. Good for you.

I certainly don't want to delay you from joining the millions of people now running viable businesses from the comfort of their own homes. But take a moment to read this checklist. It's the 10 things you need — besides customers — to start your home business off on the right foot.

1. First and foremost, a market for your product or services. If you haven't done any homework on this, go no further. "This is a critical first step, and it is amazing how many people set up a business without having a market for it," says Jane Applegate, nationally known small-business author and advice columnist. Even "verbal" market research can clear up a lot of questions, she says. "If you want to do cake decorating at home, talk to 50 people you know and see if they would buy from you. Talk to people at your church. Make sure there are people who want to buy what you have to sell."

2. A separate space for your office. Yes, a separate room in your house would be nice. No, it is not mandatory. But you do need an area that is distinctly your workspace, and can be closed off from the rest of the house by partitions, dividers, drapes, even a shower curtain, if that is all you have. "You really need some sort of boundary," Applegate says, "so that on one side you can say, 'This is my business,' and on the other, 'This is my life.' " Don't use your dining room table as a desk, advises Jeff Berner, an author and consultant who has worked out of his home for more than 35 years. "You'll never get it back to eat on." Ah, but if you rarely use your dining room table for dining, go for it, counters Lisa Kanarek, a home-office expert and organizational guru. "I converted our dining room, took out the chandelier and put French doors around it for my office," she says.

3. An ergonomically sound workstation to go with your PC or laptop. If you are Azriela Jaffe, a noted author and writer on home-business psychology, you might spend nearly as much money on a comfortable chair as you would on your computer. "Years of sitting on the wrong chair can leave you with disabilities and poor posture," she says. "I think it is worth the investment to spend $750 on a chair." Jaffe feels similarly about her mouse. "You need a mouse that doesn't stress out your wrist. Your basic cheap-o mouse won't work." PC or laptop? Suit yourself. Today's laptops offer many of the same features as a PC, and greater mobility. You are subjected to a smaller keyboard and, in many cases, a touch pad instead of a mouse. But if you travel or are outside of your office a lot, a laptop may be the way to go. If you can afford it, it may be worth having both a laptop and desktop PC.

4. A separate phone line — or two — and a decent modem. Your customers will appreciate their calls being answered by you, your assistant or a professional-sounding voice-mail message — not your young child, with the dog barking in the background. A separate phone line for your business is a must, and another line for online access is highly recommended. Get a voice-mail system too, rather than an answering machine, says Applegate, because the recordings are better quality and the system is more reliable. Do you need a high-speed DSL or cable modem? Absolutely, most home-biz pros will tell you. "It depends on what your time is worth," says Kanarek. "If you spend all day on the Internet, it may be worth it to you to invest in DSL."

5. A separate bank account. While not legally required for tax purposes, this is important, because you never want to mix your business money with your personal money. Having a bank account in your business's name is the way to go, Applegate says. She also recommends a finance software program such as Microsoft Money to keep track of your business finances.

6. A business license and federal tax ID number. Your city or county may or may not require you to have a business license; it varies per jurisdiction. Contact your local governments to find out. Many large companies will want to see a business license before they do business with you, Applegate says. Getting a tax identification number is a must. Get one from the IRS.

7. A Web site and e-mail account in your business's name. Yes, you need a Web site, for business and marketing purposes. And you want a Web domain name that matches the name of your business's name — not some complicated slash-tilde gibberish that no one can remember. Same thing with your e-mail address — an account with an Internet service provider (yourname@yahoo.com) won't do here. Not only do you want to sound professional; you also must promote your brand. "My Web site definitely helps my business," says Kanarek, who runs HomeOfficeLife.com out of her Dallas home. "I get e-mail from around the world from it. It is probably the best marketing tool I have."

8. Business cards, stationery and, yes, a fax machine. Are fax machines obsolete? "Becoming so," says Applegate, "but you still need some sort of faxing capability." She prefers faxing software, so that you can send faxes through your computer. Jeff Berner would rather have a regular fax machine, so he doesn't have to scan documents into his PC to fax. Both like the idea of a pricier fax copier-scanner machine in addition to your PC.

9. Health and liability insurance. If you quit your other job to do this full-time, you're on your own now. You won't have paid sick days. You don't have paid vacations. And you're responsible for acquiring your own health coverage. Health insurance is probably the biggest thorn in the sides of small-business owners; it's expensive and sometimes hard to get. One of the best ways to get health insurance is through business or trade organizations — even your local chamber of commerce may offer a health insurance option. You also need to consider business insurance.

10. Regular business hours, and a life outside your office. For many people, starting a home-based business means blurring the lines between your work life and family life. Veteran home-based business operators say they set regular business hours and stick to them. When they are off work, they shut the doors to their office or close the partition around their workstation, and leave. Likewise, they don't allow children to hang around their workspace when they are trying to get work done. You're kidding yourself if you expect to get a lot accomplished with a baby on your lap. "You have to be disciplined," says Applegate. "You need to tell others in your family, 'Interrupt me only if the house is burning down.'" At the same time, home-based business owners can go too far and isolate themselves from the rest of the world. "Don't cocoon yourself," Berner says. Maintain your network of friends, and find ways to make new ones, he says. "Seek out other independent professionals doing similar work as you are, and form a 'skill guild.' Meet people for lunch as much as possible." Secluding yourself in your office not only ruins your social life, but it's bad for business.

By Monte Enbysk

Making Time for Marketing

2006-09-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

"I don't have time to market."

It's a common complaint from self-employed professionals. When you are the only one who can serve the clients, manage the business, and perform all the sales and marketing functions, time becomes the most precious commodity you have. How can you find time for marketing with so many other important priorities? There are many time management techniques at your disposal, of course. You can defer tasks or delegate them, chunk down projects to smaller steps, and set aside time on your calendar for making calls, writing letters, or updating marketing materials. Perhaps you have already tried all those methods and discovered that time is still scarce.

Maybe the real answer is not to find more time for marketing, but to MAKE time. Every day, you take part in many time-consuming activities that don't include marketing.

What if you could integrate marketing with all those things you are already doing? Here are some examples of how that can work:

1. Attending workshops, business mixers, and cultural events. Whenever you plan to attend an event like this, consider inviting a business contact to join you. Just extending the invitation will contribute to building a stronger relationship between you. If your contact decides to attend, you can often get to know each other better in a more relaxed way than meeting one-to-one.

2. Having lunch or coffee with a prospect or colleague. If you are already planning to take time meeting with someone, add a third or fourth person to the party. Those invited will usually appreciate the opportunity to make new contacts themselves, and you may find conversation flows more easily when there is a group.

3. Traveling to another city. Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, arrange to meet for lunch or dinner with a client or colleague. On a business trip, this is usually much more enjoyable than dining alone. As a tourist, a meal you would be eating anyway takes no time out of your vacation schedule, plus you'll often get local tips about where to go and what to do.

4. Taking a walk, visiting the gym, and other forms of exercise. Meetings with business associates don't have to take place in the office or a restaurant. Invite someone to join you for a walk in the park, run around the track, or a game of tennis. You don't have to learn to play golf in order to get exercise and do business at the same time.

5. Reading an article. Any time you read an interesting article in the newspaper, a magazine, or online, think of three people you could send it to. Writing a short "thought-you-would-be-interested" note and forwarding the item will take only a moment, but can make a big impression on the recipient.

6. Shopping, dining, or running errands. Every time you leave your home or office, you meet new people. They are behind the counter at the office supply store, in line at the coffee shop, sitting at the next table, or shopping in the same aisle. Whenever you find yourself chatting with strangers, remember to introduce yourself by name and occupation. You'll be surprised to discover how often this will lead to a connection that can result in business.

7. Attending social events. The best business relationships often begin casually in social environments. Keep your business cards in your pocket when you attend a wedding, housewarming, holiday party, or your child's soccer game. After you ask, "How do you know our hosts?" or "Which child is yours?" make your next question, "What do you do?"

8. Relaxing. You may have a long list of marketing projects that will take time but not your full attention. Consider doubling up these mundane tasks with a fun activity or some pleasant company. Enter business cards into your contact database on your laptop at the beach. Make phone calls from the hot tub or a park bench. Review your prospect list while watching old movies or listening to music. Ask your kids to help you stuff and address envelopes. Take your project to a friend's house so the two of you can work together on marketing.

As you can see, there are many ways to include marketing activities in your busy life. So instead of wishing you had more time for marketing, why not make marketing a part of the time you are already spending?

By C.J. Hayden

Five Common Mistakes of Home-Based Business Owners and How to Avoid Them

2006-09-16T05:37:00.000-07:00

More and more individuals are opting to work from home. According to the latest U.S. Census, nearly 4.2 million people worked from home in 2000; this up from 3.4 million in 1990. The Census estimates are for people who work most days of the week from home. Additionally, there are about 16 million more individuals who also work from home one to two days a week.

Many of these work-at-home individuals are entrepreneurs: The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2004 more than 4.5 million people worked at home with a home-based business, these individuals comprising about 30 percent of the work-at-home population.

The advantages of a home-based business are many and include:
- Zero commuting time and expenses
- Lower start-up costs and overhead
- Tax benefits
- Optimum flexibility and time management
- Part or full-time work options
- The satisfaction of being your own boss
- Greater income potential

The reality though of working from home presents a number of new challenges unique to the home-based business owner. Knowing about these potential pratfalls ahead of time can be a key factor in preventing them from becoming a roadblock to your home-based business success.

1. Not keeping business and personal life separate

Too many people have learned the hard way that if you commingle business and personal responsibilities at the same time, you won't make any real progress in either.

Family members need to know that your being home does not equate to being at their beck and call 24/7. Frequent interruptions can wreak havoc with performing business tasks efficiently. And when the chores of the household start beckoning, you'll need to be able to resist their call.

If possible, have an entire room of your home set up exclusively for your home business, optimally with an outside separate entrance if business clients or visitors will be coming to call. If not possible, and your home office is part of a larger room, be sure to partition it off with something like a screen or an area rug. Have a dedicated phone line for business use only, and make sure your home-business space has a door to close off any household noise. You may also need to come up with a "signal" so that family members know you literally "mean business." Closing your office door or affixing a sign reading "Hard at work -- Do not Disturb" may be all that's necessary.

And the flexibility afforded by having a home-based business doesn't mean there should be no schedule at all. Yes, it's great that you can adjust your work hours to attend Timmy's kindergarten graduation, but do plan out blocks of time every week devoted exclusively to the business and try to stick to it; i.e. every weekday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 6 to 10 p.m. (i.e., when your spouse can take over care of the kids or household duties).

Remember, treat your home-based business as a "real" professional business and others will follow suit.

2. Not doing something you really like

"You have to love what you're doing, because then it won't seem like work to you, and you'll bring the necessary energy to profit from it." Billionaire Entrepreneur Donald Trump

In addition to being good at what you do and fulfilling a real need in the marketplace, you need to have a real passion for what you'll be doing in order to be a success at it. If you don't love what you do, how will you "sell" it to someone else? Enthusiasm is contagious and so is the lack thereof.

Of course passion alone does not a successful business make. Other factors such as sufficient start-up funds, proper planning and management, and understanding cash flow all contribute to the success of your business. But, the ultimate factor in starting your own business should be that it will allow you to earn your living by doing something you truly like or love to do.

If not -- those sometimes-necessary long hours, those ups and downs, and those long trade journals -- may eventually be just too much to bear.

3. Not considering the legalities or protection of your home-based business

One tax consultant spent thousands of dollars renovating his home for his home-based business. He should have known that in areas zoned as "residential only," restrictions may rule out home businesses that involve the coming and going of customers, clients or employees. Soon after his neighbors became aware of his steady stream of client, their complaints started and then continued. Within months, this tax consultant closed down shop at his home and rented a building for his business on a nearby street zoned for business.

Don't leave yourself open to this type of scenario -- be sure to check with your city and county zoning boards to ascertain how the ordinances in your particular area may affect your home-based business plans. You may find that, for example, that business sign you were planning to hang outside your side door is forbidden, or that it is illegal for you to sell your products on your premises.

Another consideration: Will your homeowner's insurance policy cover the property and liability involved in your home-based business? Be sure to speak with your insurance agent about obtaining the coverage needed for your in-home business; sufficient coverage may be as simple as adding a fairly inexpensive rider to your homeowner's policy.

Like any other business, a crucial element in your home-based business success will be your ability to minimize potential risks.

4. Not charging enough

A college art student started a home-based business selling jewelry made with Swarovski crystals. She based her jewelry prices on what she felt were prices her prospective customers would be willing to pay. While tabulating her receipts for that year's tax returns -- and after countless hours of making her custom-made jewelry -- she was shocked to find that she had actually spent more on crystals and jewelry supplies than she had earned on her finished products. This dean's list student learned the hard way about appropriate pricing.

It's not just students who miscalculate pricing; this is a common mistake many home-based business owners make when setting prices for their products and services. New business owners often charge lower prices initially to drum up business. Then they find themselves in the awkward position of having to boost prices in order to stay in business, while customers' expectations for lower prices have already been set.

Prior to setting prices for products and services, business owners need to determine fair market pricing in their industry, and then establish and maintain an optimum pricing strategy. Pricing items correctly is a key way to: improve short-term cash flow; improve return on investment (ROI); and to manage and maximize profits. And when determining prices, don't forget to factor in the slow times -- every business has them. On the other side of the pricing coin, home-based business owners should periodically compare prices from different suppliers in order to get the best price for their business needs.

Don't forget that incoming revenue is the financial lifeblood and nourishment your home-based business needs to grow and thrive in order to stay alive.

5. Not considering a website

Every home-based business should consider a website. For the vast majority, a website can be a powerful and relatively low-cost way to announce a business, its products and services -- and reach prospective customers 24 hours a day. With a new home-based business, you may not want to tackle this right away, but failing to have a website indefinitely may prove to be a critical mistake.

Be aware that e-Commerce revenues are on the rise. Statistics from The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce show total U.S. e-Commerce sales for 2005 at $86.3 billion; up from 15 billion in 1999 when e-Commerce sales were first tracked. Additionally, U.S. e-commerce sales are now 2.7 percent of total retail sales; up from .6 percent of total retail sales in 1999.

Remember, at some point, your home-based business should have a website -- one that is professional looking and well-designed, and one that enables users to easily find out about your business and how to avail themselves of your products and services.

by Patricia Schaefer, www.franchisetrade.com

10 Networking Tips for Home-Based Businesses

2006-09-13T22:44:00.000-07:00

Referrals are a powerful way to increase your sales, and networking is a proven way to generate referrals for your business. When you reach out to other business owners, you are forging an alliance which can benefit everyone involved. Networking involves meeting with business peers and discussing ways that you can work together to improve sales. For example, if you operate a dry cleaning store, you can begin networking with local clothing retailers. They can provide referrals for your service and, in turn, you can refer your existing customers to these retailers when your clients need to purchase new clothes.

You can join local business organizations to meet other business owners who are looking for the exact same thing you are: more business. By banding together and offering referrals, everyone benefits.

If you cannot find any suitable networking organizations, you can create your own by contacting businesses in your area that share your interest in networking. You will have the added bonus of making new contacts as you form your organization.

In addition, there are also several national networking organizations that utilize the power of the Internet to increase referrals and bring many companies together.

Here are ten tips to becoming a successful networker.

1. Set your networking goals. What do you hope to achieve by networking with your peers? More sales, more customer leads, or just helpful information? Setting your goals now will help you focus your networking efforts.

2. Join existing networking groups. There is power in numbers -- and that certainly applies to networking. By becoming a member of several groups, you can ensure that you will be creating more opportunities for your business.

3. Become a volunteer. If you have extra time, you can volunteer for local or state events. As you get yourself out in the public eye, your company will become more visible.

4. Get informed ahead of time. The more you know, the more your peers will be drawn to you. Make sure that you are prepared before joining a networking group or attending an event.

5. Be sincere. Don't say things you don't mean or make offers you have no intention of keeping. In networking, as in business in general, maintaining your reputation is critical. If you are disingenuous, your peers will eventually find out, and word will get around.

6. Work on your communication skills. You will need to be able to state clearly what you are looking for when you are networking. This way, your peers will be able to provide you with the help that you need.

7. Learn to share. If something has worked for you in the past, do not keep it a secret. Sharing your successes -- and even your failures -- with your peers will build relationships and gain you even more networking partners.

8. Work on your follow-through. Many busy business owners get caught up and forget to follow through on networking promises. Don't disappoint your new networking associates. Follow through if you want to receive good referrals from your peers.

9. Word your questions carefully. When you are asking questions at a networking event, try to make them open-ended. This will result in better responses.

10. Be indispensable. If you have a great deal of knowledge, you can become a networking resource on your own. By sharing your knowledge, you will be gaining more potential referrals and more networking partners.

By AllBusiness.com

Guerrilla Marketing, Why Not?

2006-09-10T08:54:00.000-07:00

One of the books that I really found useful to guide your home or small business is Guerrilla Marketing. Not only this book gave a lot of inspirations, also that it can be easily used. This is what I got fro amazon.com.

Editorial Reviews

Review
The Los Angeles Times: "No matter what business you're in, Guerrilla Marketing, the bible of lively, low-cost marketing tips, is invaluable."

Review
"No matter what business you're in, Guerrilla Marketing, the bible of lively, low-cost marketing tips, is invaluable."

Book Description
When Guerrilla Marketing was first published in 1983, Jay Levinson revolutionalized marketing strategies for the small-business owner with his take-no-prisoners approach to finding clients. Filled with hundreds of solid ideas that really work, Levinson's philosophy has given birth to a new way of learning about market share and how to gain it.

In this completely revised and expanded third edition, Levinson offers a new arsenal of weaponry for small-business success in the next century. Filled with strategies for marketing on the Internet (explaining when and precisely how to use it), tips for putting other new technologies to work, programs for targeting prospects and cultivating repeat and referral business, and management lessons in the age of telecommuting and freelance employees, this book will be the entrepreneur's marketing bible in the twenty-first century.

About the Author
Jay Conrad Levinson, president of Guerrilla Marketing International, lecturers around the world on guerrilla business techniques for majors companies, professional organizations, and universities. He is the author or coauthor of eleven books in the Guerrilla Marketing series and write the popular "'Guerrilla Entrepreneur"' column for Entrepreneur magazine. The author currently lives in California.

10 Ways to Stay Motivated When Working From Home

2006-08-22T20:30:00.000-07:00

Learn how to keep yourself motivated when you are working from home.

When you work from your home, it can be difficult to keep up the energy necessary to keep on doing what you need to accomplish. You may be all too aware of your comfortable bed beckoning to you from the next room, or develop a sudden urge to clean your house. How do you keep your motivation up and keep on going, without your working at home experience turning into a misery?

1. Schedule structured breaks. After you complete a task or set of tasks that has taken an hour or two, go ahead and go do the dishes or start a load of laundry. You will get up and get your blood pumping a little harder, and feel as though you’ve accomplished something around the house as well. If you make this into an efficient routine, you’ll feel like a dynamo!

2. Pump up the jams. Turn on your favorite music and let it wake up those brain cells and get your feet tapping. One of the advantages of working at home is that you don’t have to worry about what your coworkers might think about your choice of music or the volume at which you listen to it.

3. Open the doors to your house and let the fresh air and sunshine in. This is another advantage that you have. Since you don’t have to work in a stuffy office with florescent lighting, why pretend that you do? Make your environment pleasant, and let breezes and sunlight lift your mood and boost your productivity.

4. If you have wireless internet, and working on the computer is part of your job, purchase a laptop computer and take your office outside altogether. There is nothing like working at a table with a big umbrella outdoors. Take your phone with you. Put on some sunscreen. Be careful not to tell too many people about your office arrangement, because they will be jealous!

5. Give yourself rewards for staying focused for specific amounts of time. For example, after you have completed a couple of hours of work, go and make yourself a tall glass of iced tea and sit down on the couch for five minutes, away from the computer or your workshop.

6. Since working from your home can be very isolating, make sure that you keep up with your friends. You have the ultimate in scheduling flexibility. Call up some of your friends who work in offices and ask them to lunch. You don’t have to worry about when you lunch break is, so you can gladly accommodate their needs. Focusing on the perks that you gain from working at home can be very rewarding. You may also want to join a professional organization so that you continue to meet new people and make new friends and contacts.

7. Take your work away from home for a while, if possible. If you use a mobile phone and a laptop, the world can be your office. Go to a local coffeeshop with WiFi and sip a latte while you are working. Feel how very cosmopolitan you are. This also gives you a reason to wash and style your hair in the morning.

8. Tell your spouse or a close friend about the goals that you are setting for yourself each day. Then you can report back to them that you met or exceeded them. If they are supportive folks, you’ll get some of those pats on the back that we all love to have every now and then.

9. Don’t be a bad boss. Give yourself a break when you need it. Don’t work through the weekend just because you can. Don’t sit in bed with your laptop working on layouts or reports late into the night just because the work is there. Follow a normal routine and you’ll feel fresh to work again the next day. Don’t forget to schedule an occasional long weekend and vacations if you are self-employed.

10. Keep track of your accomplishments. Chances are, few others will, so it will be primarily up to you to self-evaluate and give yourself good feedback for a job well done. Think about giving yourself long-term rewards. Just as employees might receive an employee of the month reward at a conventional job, you should give yourself the same opportunity. Set goals for the week, month and year, and reward yourself accordingly for accomplishing them. For example, go to a nice restaurant at the end of a productive week. Treat yourself to a pedicure or custom car detailing after a month of meeting goals. After a year, go on vacation for a week or two.

If you take good care of yourself, and set the appropriate boundaries between your work life and your home life, it will be easy to remain motivated. Also, focusing on the benefits of working at home helps as well. Be sure to utilize those benefits and not shut yourself up in a closet-like office for most of the day. Enjoy the sun, the long lunches, the mobility and flexibility that working at home can offer. What more can you ask for?

Written by Michelle Gaut

Work At Home Business Tips

2006-08-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

There are so many people who dream about working from home and being their own boss these days. Just step out of bed and drink their morning coffee while pondering through their e-mails. There would be no commuting, no one to distract you, and your focus would be total.

It's not quite as simple and straight forward as that. Being solely in charge of yourself and your time is not as easy as you might think. The over confidence and surprise of unexpected issues can cause enormous stress and confusion. There is also the problem of being able to self-motivate without the pressure of the manager on your back.

Many people find themselves more distracted and less productive when left to their own devices. When you work from home you are responsible for managing your own time.

To organize yourself better and get more done try the following tips to successful time management as your own boss.

1. Make sure you have a separate work area in your home. This does not mean that you have to have a complete office in a private room. Just make sure you have a desk and all your accessories in a corner of one room. This will be your defined work area and everything you need should be in reach.

2. Understand how you work best. You really need to find the best place in your home that will make you the most productive. Make sure you are comfortable but not distracted by outside influences.

3. Be mentally ready to take on specific tasks. Make sure to plan your workday to fit your energy level. Be realistic on what you can accomplish. If you are a morning person then do the hardest things in the morning hours. Make sure to value your personal commitments too, these will give the breaks you will need to clear your head and get you energized.

4. Make sure you have the time to accomplish tasks by setting specific business time hours. Most people just figure that because you are at home you are available. This is not true. Interruptions are the biggest problems with the self-employed. Make sure that everyone knows when you are working and not to call by phone or in person. Put the hours you are available to and from on your website to allow customers to know when you will be there physically. Also let friends and anyone not business related know that during this time frame you will not be available for social calls.

You must realize that this way of working takes a lot of negotiating, planning, and prioritizing. No matter what you do you will get that personal call or drop in while you are trying to work. You will also get that business call or e-mail after your specified hours. It happens to everyone. Don't stress out. Take the emergency approach. If this is a personal or business emergency deal with it immediately. If it is something that can wait till an appropriate time then kindly let the person know.

by Vincent Murphy

How Libraries Can Help a Home Business

2006-08-10T22:04:00.000-07:00

The local library is a treasure house of resources that can help your home business build a client base and promote services.

If you are in the process of starting a home business, you are probably wondering about local resources that may be able to help you build a client base and advertise your product. You don't have to rely exclusively on the classified ads anymore.

Here are some creative ways in which you can take advantage of an array of services made available through your local public library.

1. Check out the business indices. You can browse publications like Dun and Bradstreet with a broad range of business reports and information. There are also business and finance Web logs, global economy publications, and others on ethics and responsibility. If your library doesn't have these on hand, they can be ordered through interlibrary loan. Free journals, government reports, and other resources are available for review at your convenience.

2. Borrow business books to read when you have time. You can get self-help books on starting a business or others related to building a home-based company. Best sellers by blue chip company CEO's and self-made millionaires can offer tips on how to build a business from scratch. You can get accounting blueprints, business plans, and marketing strategies for free reading when you stop by the library to check out the offerings.

3. Give a talk at the library for those who might be interested in what you are offering in terms of products of services. For example, if you are starting a home-based plumbing business, ask the library if you can give a free demonstration to the public on how to fix a leaky faucet. Make up fliers and distribute them in advance to draw interested people to the event. Libraries love to provide educational talks or demonstrations to the community, so they may be able to promote your talk. Take several business cards with you in case some of your audience members want to get in touch with you for a consultation or have you come and check a more serious plumbing problem at their homes.

4. Ask about tax forms when filing time comes each spring. Libraries often provide state and federal tax forms of all kinds, so you can count on getting those you need at a convenient location. Supplemental filing forms are often available as well, along with handy guides for tax preparation.

5. Participate in other library programs and events. For example, there may be a speaker series on home repair. Attend these when possible so you can start making connections that will help your business. If your library doesn't already offer this type of series, why not propose one? Contact other professionals in your area to see about creating a pool of small business resources that can benefit others, and then arrange a four- or six-week speaker's series to help residents in your community.

6. Look for miscellaneous guides and support items. Foreign language audiotapes can prepare you to serve immigrants in your area. Magazine subscriptions in your field of expertise may be available for additional reading. Travel guides and information for cities that host conventions can save you time and money.

Whatever your home based business needs may be, stop by the library to see what they can offer. Be prepared to offer a little bit of information in exchange, and everyone can benefit.

What's In a Name?

2006-08-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

The wrong name can slow your success. Create the perfect name for your biz with these six steps.

Naming your business can be a difficult task no matter how creative you are. Burt Alper, co-founder of www.catchwordbranding.com, a marketing company in Oakland, California, that specializes in branding, has been an expert in naming products and companies for almost a decade.

Here are six steps Alper believes every entrepreneur should follow when choosing a business name:

Step 1: Identify who has a vote. Everybody involved in your startup has an opinion and will want to participate in the naming process. Leave the decision in the hands of those who know the business best.

Step 2: Know yourself. Understand the essence of your company. Find a hookùsomething that's compelling about who you areùand build on that from a vocabulary perspective.

Step 3: Know your competition. Understand what other people are doing, and dare to be different. You don't have to jump into the middle of the pack and use the same language or style as that of your competitors.

Step 4: Be creative. Don't come up with just two or three names. Push the envelope, and try to expand beyond the obvious by not getting stuck in generic naming solutions.

Step 5: Do your homework. Before you form an emotional bond with any name, find out if it is legally available for use; and make sure it won't translate oddly or offensively in another language.

Step 6: Select a name. It's an obvious step but often the most difficult to make. If you're waiting for an epiphany, a moment where you say, "This is the one," you could be waiting forever. Set a deadline, and just choose a name.

Alper says the latest naming trend is choosing a name that pins your company to a certain geography or to the founder's last name. Entrepreneurs will also find success this year by staying away from fanciful names and naming their product or company for exactly what it is. Customers value honesty and directness, and want to be reassured you're not trying to deceive them.

By Sarah Pierce

Ten Quick Tips for Getting Organized

2006-08-09T09:42:00.000-07:00

Don't let the new year get away from you before you have a chance to implement these office-organizing tips.

Every year, I spend time in January and February getting organized and ready for the upcoming year. My organizing actually starts during the holidays--with every present I receive, I'm thinking "Out with the old and in with the new." When I receive a gift, I have to decide what old item I'm going to get rid of. This year, after putting away the new china I got for Christmas--and selling my former set on eBay--I moved on to organizing my office.

If you'd like to get the new year started right, follow these tips to help you get organized for a successful 2006:

1. Clean, organize and purge your desk. Update your files and replace all torn files. Buy new files, in different colors, and organize them by color: green for financial papers, purple for clients and so on. Be sure to label all the files, and then organize them alphabetically within each color scheme. And never, ever put the word "Misc" on any file--once you file it, you'll forget what you put in it. If you can say out loud what the file is, you have your label.

2. Be like Santa every day of the week. Make a list and check it twice. There's nothing more satisfying than checking things off your "to do" list! Make a list every night of all the things you need to accomplish the next day. Do this every night, including the weekends, so you get in the habit of relying on your to-do list to help you get things done.

3. Use only one calendar. Choose the one that works best for you: one on your computer, a handheld one like a PDA, or a paper one on your desk. Then get rid of all your other calendars and use just the one to record and keep track of everything. If you're maintaining more than one person's schedule, like your children's, use different colored inks to record information for each family member.

4. Make a note on your calendar, one week ahead of any event, about what you need to do for that event. Do you need to buy wine to bring to a housewarming party? Do you need to send flowers for your mother's birthday? Whatever it is, make a note of it in advance so you can stay of top of your tasks.

5. Make a list of your goals. Write down at least 10 goals you want to accomplish in your lifetime. Be specific. Then put the list away and update it again next year.

6. Choose one or two goals you want to accomplish this year with your business. Maybe it's to make more money or to land more clients. How will you accomplish that goal? What amount of money will you make this year? How will you do it? Type that information out in a clear sentence, put by your bedside, and read it every morning and every night to help inspire you to reach your goals.

7. Get rid of any office supplies you haven't used in the past year. Return them to the store for credit or donate them to your favorite charity. The less clutter there is in your office, the more happiness there'll be in your life. If you buy a new printer, donate the old one. You don't need two printers--the old one is just taking up space. This goes for everything in your office.

8. Start planning now for the 2006 tax year. Label a box "2006 Taxes," and put it in your office. This box will hold all your 2006 tax-related documents throughout the year: bank statements, receipts for business expenses, online statements indicating what bills you paid and charity receipts. At the end of the year, remove the contents from the box and make two piles--business and personal--for your accountant (or for yourself, if you do your own taxes). The box will be the one place you put everything that has anything to do with your taxes. It sure beats searching for the paperwork at the end of the year.

9. Update your rolodex. Clear out all the cards of people you never called last year. I can tell you that if a year goes by and you haven't contacted them, chances are, you'll never call them. If you feel you need to keep the information, put all the "maybe I'll call them one of these days" cards in a file and label it that.

10. Feng Shui your desk and surroundings. If it's good enough for Donald Trump, it's good enough for you!

By Leslie Jacobs, the owner of www.lesismore.net, a personal organizing business based in New Britain, Connecticut. (entrepreneur.com)

Tips For a Successful Work From Home Based Business

2006-08-07T21:05:00.000-07:00

Planning to work from home? Don't imagine yourself sitting on the couch, watching TV through the day. There is some differences between working at home and at the office, but working at home is as hard as working at the office. Well, you have to fix your routines to get the best result of your time.

Here's some tips that you can use to support your home based bussines:

Work From Home Planning
It is important to develop a work schedule. Work from home can be great but there are many temptations that can get you off track. Self-management skills are a must. Know what you are going to do (When, Where and How).

Work From Home Environment
Make sure your surroundings look and feel like a real work from home based office. Don't wear pajamas. I find when i'm wearing pajamas, I tend to be lazy. Make sure your work from home based business office is noise free from pestering family members. Let them know its work time for you.

Loving What You Do
There is no use doing something you hate doing. Give %120 or its sure to fail. Be passionate about your work from home based business.

Start Your Day Very Early
Like you would a 9 to 5 job, start your day early. You want to get the most out of a day. Keeping fit and eating a well balanced diet is very important in maintaining body energy and mind focus. So take care of your body and exercise when you wake up. Have a well balanced breakfast before you start your day.

Seven Businesses Perfect for the Home

2006-08-07T20:17:00.000-07:00

Yes, many businesses do follow the stereotypical evolution from corner of the living room to the corner office.

But there are many small businesses that, in fact, are better suited to the cozy confines of the home front. In this column, I'll specifically discuss seven businesses that are perfect for the work-at-home crowd.

Before I do that, however, you need to understand that are three specific criteria you need to evaluate before you decide to set up shop at home:

Client contact. This is perhaps the first issue to tackle in determining whether a business can reasonably remain and prosper at home, or whether it's better to move it elsewhere. Think carefully how much, if any, sort of client contact your business may bring about and, in turn, whether that contact may be suitable for a home office. Gauge how much "professionalism" — at least in the conventional sense of the term — your clients and customers demand. If that can be achieved adequately at home, perhaps through a separate entrance and special meeting room, fine. But for many businesses, the better solution is a separate office.

Branding. This is not to suggest that a professional persona can only be achieved outside of the house. Far from it. Rather, it depends more on how the people with whom you work have come to see you and your abilities. If, by chance, you're an attorney who does a first-class job of representing large companies but does so from the loft of a New England farmhouse, that reputation actually depends, in part, on keeping your office down on the farm. "It really all matters on the brand that you've built up," says Julian Lang, a professor of entrepreneurship at Babson College in Wellesley, Mass. "No matter what you do for a living, staying at home can mean you've disdained all the trappings. It can be seen as quaint and neat."

People and products. No matter how professional you keep things at home, you need to understand that an eventual need for employees or space to store what you sell may force even the best organized home office to emigrate. So, if your product is largely intellectual or something that you can do by your lonesome, chances are better that you'll be able to stay at home. As Lang points out: "If you have too many employees or products stocked all over your house, you really don't have a house any more."

With those three broad considerations in mind, have a look at a quick list of businesses that, in fact, are better suited to a home office rather than an outside location, as well as some businesses that just won't cut it on the home front:

Home bodies

Architect: This could well be the ideal at-home business. Not only can you work pretty much by yourself, having prospective clients stop by actually sells your business. "I, for one, would never hire an architect without seeing what his or her own house looked like," says Lisa Kanarek, founder of Home Office Life.com. "There, you see the proof is in the pudding."

Interior designer: The same dynamics as a home-based architect, only with an emphasis on how the home is decorated. "Does the designer have a beautiful home that's nicely decorated, or do you see paintings of dogs playing pool?" asks Kanarek.Home builders: Again, do you live in an eye-grabbing home or one fit for the cover of Hovel Monthly?

Cooking-related professions: If you write cookbooks or food reviews, it's better to have a full kitchen nearby rather than an old microwave down the hall with Velveeta stains that date from the Carter administration. "I know that the columnist Heloise works at home because she's always testing recipes," says Kanarek.

Caterer: This is actually more of a maybe. While proximity to cooking facilities is a major plus, certain jurisdictions mandate health licensure to prepare large quantities of food. Check with your city or county health department.

Computer professions: From Web designers to software engineers, computer work meshes beautifully with home offices. It's often solitary work, with no or modest product storage requirements. And, if Lang's observation about persona holds true, what better image than the counterculture computer genius ensconced at work at home?Service professionals: What I mean here are those businesses where most of the work is actually in other people's homes or businesses. This can range from cleaning services to home repair to carpentry work. The work done at home is mostly phone calls with clients, setting appointments and doing accounting and paperwork.

Office bound

Physicians: With apologies to Bill Cosby's television home-based doctor who waddled into his basement to perform pelvic exams, most doctors are far better taking their stethoscopes to an outside office. Necessary space, necessary medical equipment, not to mention the professional persona yet again.

Mental health pros: While the idea of a home office may seem comforting to persons seeking counseling, the issue of absolute privacy often nixes the idea, not only in terms of a solitary meeting room. Consider how your clients may feel walking into a home that the neighbors know houses a psychiatrist or some other therapist.

Businesses with sensitive records: Once more, this can depend. For instance, a CPA may run a thriving home-based practice. But give some consideration if you generate a pile of for-your-eyes-only material. "If you're an attorney, doctor or accountant, you don't want to give a party and have someone walk into your home office and see three years' worth of records on your desk," says Kanarek.

By Jeff Wuorio, an award-winning writer and columnist, and is the author of "The CNBC Guide to Money and Markets." For more information, check out his Web site: http://www.jeffwuorio.com

Five Tips for Successful Work at Home Business Ideas

2006-08-05T23:46:00.000-07:00

As more and more people move into the home based business, arena new websites show up everyday selling some sort of service or product. Along with all these, new websites comes a stronger group of competition for other similar businesses.

To be successful you need to separate yourself from the other online marketers. There are five things you can do to stand out from the crowd.

The first option is to have freebies available on your website. If you are trying to promote your product or business, offering a freebie is a great way of attracting potential customers to your site. You potential customer will appreciate your thoughtfulness and you will already be establishing good terms with the client even before they shop through your website. If you have an online business, you can consider offering a free e-course, a free e-book, a free newsletter, or even free trial period software. The further you want to stand out then the more unique your free offer should be.

Next make sure you website is full of content or products that you have become an expert on. You may not have a lot of knowledge about a particular product at first but it is important to the survival of your business that you gain as much knowledge as fast as possible. Knowledge will greatly increase you effect on marketing efforts. People are more likely to buy from experts. A good way to show your knowledge is to write articles on your subject and publish them on the internet at article information sites. If people are looking for the information pertaining to one of your products you will end up getting traffic from potential customers.

Third is you should make your site attractive to search engines. The two best to submit to are Google and Yahoo. If you want heavy traffic, you need to have your website ranked high on the search engines.Being aware of your competition constantly is the fourth tip. You should be aware so that you can take advantage of any opportunity to gain an edge by networking with those who have similar ideas. An example would be if you ran a garden e-book sight, you would want to establish links with a gardening tool site. Just remember to use good judgment when selecting link partners. This can be possible by joining a forum where you can get to know the people and exchange ideas with them.

Finally, tip five is to exhaust all the avenues of traffic to your site. If you want to make it big with an Internet home based business then this is the most important part. You don’t just have to stick to online marketing, consider offline methods such as television, radio, newspapers, etc. Make sure you cover every possible avenue that can bring traffic to your website.

Author: Shirley Widdows

Are you Ready to Work From Home

2006-08-05T23:25:00.001-07:00

Many people I know say "I would love to work from home!" They want no commute, a relaxing work environment, the ability to work in your PJs. In fact I am actually in my PJs as I sit here and type this. :) However, you have to come down from the clouds and really, honestly evaluate your personality and how well you would do in this environment.

You will Be Alone
As much as you might dislike one or two people at your office, it is VERY hard to be all alone, every day, in a room in your house. Nobody to chat with, nobody to bounce ideas off of. Yes, you can build up your networking but it takes a lot of time. Some people might thrive on that isolation, but others will not be able to take it. Really think about times that you had to spend long stretches of time on your own. Did it make you happy, or was it something you had to 'tolerate'? You truly must be happy being on your own for this to work.

Your House will Surround You
For some people this isn't a problem. I personally don't mind at all walking through a messy house to get to my computer. But I know many people who easily get distracted - who start to watch TV, or run the laundry, or do other things. The more that you are drawn away from your task, the less work you will get done - and the less success you will find. I know many people who tried a home office and then had to rent a "real" office space because it was the only way they could make it work. If you are addicted to the TV, or focussed on a clean house, this might not work for you.

You MUST be a self starter
If you are the type that tends to surf the web when the boss isn't looking, you are going to be in serious trouble when you work from home. There won't be anyone to tell you to work - so the temptations will be overwhelming. If you play games or go web surfing, you aren't going to be working. It is your own life that will be getting ruined - but for some people that's just not enough motivation. Some people truly need a boss and guidance, as much as they hate to admit it. Think of the projects in your life. Do they tend to get done on time, or do they tend to drag on and on, never being completed? If you are a go-getter that finishes what you start, then working at home is for you. Otherwise, you really need to develop those skills first.

It Doesn't Come Quickly
Remember, 9 out of 10 business attempts fail, and success builds up slowly. You won't get millions of dollars the first day - or the first month. No matter what you attempt, you have to build up your product, build up advertising and name recognition, build up your network of contacts. Even if you have a head start, it is still going to take time to get everything rolling. You'll need a nest egg to carry you through a few months, and a backup plan if this doesn't work. You must be patient - and you must be tough enough to survive the grumpy people around you who tell you it won't work. You need to put your head down and focus for weeks, if not months, to get this launched. The people who pour in the time and energy to build up huge networks of contacts are the ones who succeed brilliantly.

Network, Network, Network
It's a cliche, but it really is amazing how well you can do in business if you get out and network. Join your local chamber of commerce. Join the small business associations in your area. Join magazines and groups dedicated to your topic area. The more people you know, the more they can give you advice and refer people to you. This is one of the keys to success and it takes a LOT of work - but it is incredibly worth it.

www.lisashea.com

Choose Your Own Style

2006-08-04T20:09:00.000-07:00

Your equipment is ready. You've got the computer, fax, and everything that you think is sufficient to start your own home busines. But you haven't got the idea of what your home business will be.

Well, the great thing about home business is you can get to do what you really like. Of course, there's other things to consider. But, basically, it will depend on what you want, how you define to be interesting. At least you will have fun in doing your home business. And that will save you from boredom.

Dan Ramsey in his book "101 Best Home Businesses" has a chapter on how to find YOUR best home business. He suggests these 10 steps:

1. List 5 things you do best
2. List how others would benefit from what you do best
3. Find out how to give people what they want
4. Learn the value of your services to others
5. Find out who else offers similar services6. Learn from the successes of others
7. Learn from the failures of others
8. Plan your own success
9. Make low cost mistakes
10. Enjoy what you do and how you do it

He then made suggestions on the best home businesses according to type. Here are a few of them:

Best Businesses Using Craft or Physical Skills
- antique restoration
- auto detail service
- carpet cleaning business
- errand/delivery service
- housecleaning business

Best Service Businesses
- bed and breakfast operator
- caregiver
- catering service
- senior day care center
- tutoring service

Best Professional Businesses
- desktop publisher
- magazine writer
- import/export service
- income tax preparation service
- event planner

So, what are you waiting for? Get a pen and start figuring out which home business fits you best...!

The First Rule of Home Business

2006-08-04T19:03:00.000-07:00

The federal court of appeals judge I clerked for had a phrase he would often quote to his clerks.
¨The first rule of warfare,¨ he would say, ¨is ´Define the Objective´.¨

What´s your objective? What goal are you trying to reach?

There´s no one answer. You might want to take your home based business, and grow it into a major public company - as Michael Dell did with his dorm-room based Dell Computer and the folks at Hewlett Packard did with their garage-based technical instruments company.

You might want to enjoy being at home, with your family, as much as possible - while generating some revenue and building value in the business.

You might want to create something substantial enough, working part-time at home, to enable you one day soon to leave the corporate world and answer to no one but yourself.

All worthy aims - and all requiring different plans and approaches.

If you don´t yet have a defined goal, set one. It may help if you set one for one year out, or three years out, so that the goal is more nearly immediate and real.

Once you have this goal, write it down. Reflect on it, and begin thinking about how you can achieve it. It can become the starting point for a more detailed business plan, but it certainly should become a touchstone against which you test every major decision in your business.

If your goal is to be with your family, there are customers and accounts that will be well worth turning down - the money they generate won´t outweigh the downside if they take you away from your family more than you want.

If your goal is to be a public company, you should start networking right away with experienced people who can give you seasoned guidance. Michael Dell lined up a blue chip advisory board when his company was still in its infancy, and those links helped him build toward being a far larger company.

If your goal is to build a business that replaces your current day job, you should test constantly whether what you are building can grow large enough to support your financial needs.
By defining your goal, and testing decisions against it, you can keep focus both in your business and your life.

So here´s the takeaway point. Define your objective. It´s not only the first rule of warfare, it´s the first rule of home business.

Starting Home Bussines

2006-08-03T22:06:00.000-07:00

Little three year-old Austin walked around the corner to his garage. Inside, the walls turned purple and 320 pairs of little black eyes were looking down at him. "Wow, Daddy! That's a lot of Barneys," he exclaimed. His Dad ran over and gave him a big hug.

For Mike Enos, storing hundreds of stuffed dinosaurs in his garage is just part of being an eBay Power Seller. Mike left a corporate career behind to follow millions of other Americans who are starting home businesses.

Morning rush hour, useless water cooler chatter and harried goodbyes to family members are a thing of the past. Now Mike starts his day preparing oatmeal for his children and doing what he loves in the comfort of his own home. However, it's not all fun and games.

Like Mike, we ran our business out of the basement for eight years. Just because you're home-based, it doesn't mean you can don the fuzzy slippers, blast your favorite CD, or watch the soaps all day. "People think you can have a home business and twiddle your thumbs," states Enos. "It's not like that. You're very, very busy. A home-based business is a business, and you've got to treat it like one."

In fact, if a home-based business is your way of putting food on the table, you've got to be more disciplined than ever. Here are some tried and true tips that can help you.

Create a space
To facilitate focus, set aside a dedicated workspace. Let's call it your own "personal productivity sanctuary." Make sure all the tools and resources you need are right at your fingertips. You home business will benefit if you try to locate your workspace in a room with a door so you can avoid natural distractions like your refrigerator, your adorable infant or the boob tube. And the door helps when it comes to "man's best friend." Without it, you may learn what we did long ago - Fido's very good at doubling as a voracious paper shredder!

Dress for success
It might not be obvious, but one of the easiest ways to get into the business mindset is to "suit up." We've noticed that if you ditch the bathrobe or tattered t-shirt in exchange for business-casual attire, it puts you into the right mindset. It's a subtlety, but "dressing for success" can actually help you maintain your business edge.

Try technology
The supreme equalizer between traditional office-based businesses and home-based businesses is technology. Cell phones follow you everywhere, software organizes your finances, your email campaign gets the word out and a website hangs your shingle 24 hours a day. Don't be shy about tapping into the innumerable technology resources available for greater efficiency, connectivity, management, outsourcing, marketing and more.

Get out
If you spend hours each day glued to your computer screen, isolated from the world beyond your front door, beware! When starting home businesses, it's easy to become a hermit, so make a concerted effort to take meetings at the coffee shop and do things with your friends and family to help refresh your mind and entrepreneurial spirit. Many times, creative breakthroughs for your business come from interaction with people and exposure to what's happening "on the street."

If that clogged commute has got you down and you want to make a lifestyle change, consider starting a business from home. As we've confirmed in starting a business from our basement, applying these simple tips can position you for success, and before you know it, home will not only be where the heart is, but where the business is too!

By The Sloan brothers - StartupNation

10 Offline Tightwad Marketing Strategies to Help You Get More Clients

2006-08-03T10:16:00.000-07:00

Several years ago, in response to client requests for no-cost or low-cost marketing techniques, I coined the term "tightwad marketing". My definition of tightwad marketing is the art of doing more with less, or using your creativity instead of your checkbook to get the word out about your business.

Even though the saying, "If you build it they will come" worked for Kevin Costner’s character in the movie, "Field of Dreams", life doesn't often imitate art. Usually the first thing that pops into someone’s mind when they think about marketing is, "I've got to place an ad." Place a few ads and soon your marketing budget has totally dried up. Statistics say that someone must see your ad six times in the same publication before thinking of using your business. If it’s a weekly or monthly publication, that could be six weeks to six months down the road, and you can't afford to wait that long!

In order for the public to find your field of dreams, here are ten inexpensive ways to get started:

1. Define your USP--your Unique Selling Proposition--and use it in everything that you do. Make sure your customer knows what it is that you do that is unique to you and your business. Don't make them struggle to answer the question of why they should do business with you instead of your competitor.

2. Create joint ventures with other businesses that complement yours. For example, if you’re a real estate agent, team up with a cleaning service, an interior decorator, and a personal chef to offer a nice packaged deal to a new home buyer.

3. Stress the benefits of what you do, not the product or service. There’s a great story that’s passed around about the world’s most successful insurance salesman, who, when asked what he did for a living, responded, “I buy life assurance.” Most people responded, “What do you mean?” to which he replied, “I buy life assurance for my clients at the best possible price. Would you like me to buy some for you?” Make your potential customer think, “I've got to get that!”

4. Become newsworthy! Send out media releases to announce a new service or product or sponsorship of a charity event. Create an event or a special day. Link what you do to an existing trend or news event. Talk about your personal story in the business, i.e. if you went broke and bounded back, started to create one product and ended up with another, etc. Issue an award or give something away. Conduct a survey and report the results. Write a letter to the editor.

5. Talk to your customers. Call 5 previous customers and find out what they liked and didn't like about their dealings with you, and how you might better serve them in the future. Have them write testimonials that you can use. Ask and reward them for referrals.

6. Love what you do and become a model of what you’re selling. If you don't absolutely love what you do and feel passionate about it, your customers are going to see right through you and not be convinced to buy what you are offering. For example, if you’re a car mechanic and your shop sits on a parking lot full of clunkers that don't run, why would anyone hire you to repair their car? Or, if you’re a landscaper and your lawn is full of weeds and crabgrass, who wants to hire you to beautify their yard? If you don't truly feel passionate about your business and become a living model of that business to everyone you meet, then find another business!

7. Network, network, network! Join organizations, such as Chambers of Commerce, professional groups, civic groups, etc. and any type of organization to which your target market might belong. Attend community events like business open-houses or neighborhood picnics. Sales master Joe Girard lives by his “Law of 250”, which states that everyone knows about 250 people well enough to invite to their wedding or to be in attendance at their funeral. Lesson: Perhaps the person you’re speaking with isn’t interested in what you offer, but there’s a good chance s/he knows someone who is 250 of them!

8. Use attention-getting devices -- make yourself visible. Always have business cards on hand to distribute. Have a t-shirt personalized with your business name and wear it when you run errands. Wear an outfit or uniform that shows the world who you are. UPS has taken their identity as seen in their brown trucks and uniforms and embraced it with the tag line in their current commercials, "What can brown do for you?"

9. Talk and teach. Approach local organizations about being a guest speaker at their next meeting. Give a workshop that is open to public and is low-cost/no-cost for participants and discuss a particular aspect of your business, or demonstrate what you do. Offer them valuable information, but leave them hungry for more. For example, a financial planner might offer a free seminar called, “Planning for Retirement as a Thirty-something” or a bank loan officer might offer a workshop in conjunction with a real estate agency called, “Everything a First-Time Homebuyer Needs to Know But is Too Scared to Ask.” Or, work with your local college or recreation department and get paid to teach what you know.

10. Implement 5 a day. Make a list of all the creative ways you can market your business, and implement 5 of them per day.

Remember, in Tightwad Marketing, you’re limited only by your imagination!

Donna Gunter, World Wide Information Outlet http://certificate.net/wwio/, your source of FREEWare Content online

Pros and Cons of Starting a Business

2006-08-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

Are you still in the "should I do it" stage of launching a new business?

Take a look at this list of pros and cons of starting a business.

If you are not truly excited by some of the pros, you may find that the sacrifices are not worth it.

On the cons, be sure to factor in some of these gritty realities of having your own business. It is not all wine and roses, and you want to factor in some of the inevitable negatives before you jump off the precipice.

But if the pros excite you and the fully-understood negatives don't scare you, what's keeping you?

Pros of Starting a Business:
- If it works, you can make more money than you are making now - a lot more money.
- You get to personally make the decisions that determine success or failure.
- If you are right, you get to show it.
- Only the marketplace can fire you. No need to worry about office politics.
- You get to be creative - if you have a great idea, you can put it into practice.
- No more being pigeonholed - you get to learn about and participate in each and every aspect of a business.
- You get direct contact with your customers and potential customers.
- You help build the local economy, by creating new jobs and new demand.
- It just feels good, and creates a sense of personal satisfaction.
- You can become an important player in your local community.
- You can create something to pass on to your children, or something to sell to fund your retirement.

Cons of Starting a Business:
- You will have to work like a dog.
- You have to be involved in all aspects of your business - right down to whether the toilets are clean - even if you can best leverage your skills by focusing on your area of expertise.
- Starting out, you probably will have less income than you are used to. Long term, income can be unpredictable and unreliable.
- You may have to take a big financial risk - investing your savings or incurring personal debt to get the business launched.
- There's absolutely, positively no guarantee that you will succeed.
- Success depends on your becoming competent in a wide range of disciplines, ranging from accounting to marketing to customer service.
- Support services you may take for granted at your current job - from someone setting up your computer to arranging travel to seeing that your social security taxes are filed on time - now become your exclusive, time-consuming responsibility.
- When you have a great idea, you will have less resources to draw on in making it happen - and more external obstacles to prevent it from happening - than if you were able to draw on the resources of an established business.
- If you currently have a high-status job, don't expect people to be as impressed with your position as the owner of a small, unproven business. If the psychic income of impressing people is important to you, prepare yourself to live without it until after your business becomes a hot success.