Work At Home Online Business

Working at Home Isn’t All Fun and Games

2008-01-02T06:09:00.000-08:00

by Jan K., The Proofer

I enjoy telling people that I “work at home.” I can see that wistful look in their eyes, and I can hear it in their voices when they say, “That must be nice.” And then for about five minutes, they do a little daydreaming about what it would be like to “work at home.” I never explain to them about the measure of self-discipline it takes, and how great are the temptations to take a “break” and reorganize my sock drawer when I find myself faced with working on a project that is less than interesting (or worse yet, “not as profitable” as other projects). Why burst their bubble? Let them daydream awhile….

Working at home can be all the wonderful things that those people daydream about. Setting my own hours, working at my own pace (project deadlines permitting), running to the market at 1 o’clock on a Wednesday afternoon when there’s nobody there---these are just a few of the plusses of working at home. For parents (whether it is the mom or dad, or both working at home), being able to adjust their working schedule to school schedules, being able to take the kids to the orthodontist or to soccer practice, working at home is a definite plus. For people who don’t work at home and who want to work at home, it is probably hard to think of even one minus. But the fact of the matter is, the minuses do exist---in abundance.

It is not my purpose here to ruin all your hopes or plans to establish yourself as a work-at-homer. In fact, I do encourage you to follow that dream and be your own boss. However, I want you to take just a few minutes to take stock of your situation and once and for all decide if working at home really is in your best interest.

First, and obviously, you have to have a job skill that is amenable to the at-home environment. If you trim poodles on the weekend and think you can turn it into a full-time at-home business, then look around. Do you live in a two-bedroom apartment on the second floor and just do your neighbor’s poodle once a month (but you do it really well)? Or do you live a four-bedroom ranch house with a three-car garage that can be made over into “Donna’s Clip Joint” and happen to live in an urban neighborhood where everyone has pets? And even if you do, what about all the permits that you will need? Will you be able to pursue this type of work at home, and do so legally?

The most applicable work-at-home job skills involve the use of a computer, the Internet, phone, fax, and other small business/office machines. You can hardly drive from home to the grocery store without seeing those signs nailed to telephone poles: “Got a Computer? Earn up to $2000 at home!” Of course, you can, but can you?

For the sake of argument, let’s presume then that you have a computer and an assortment of small business machines, and that you do indeed have some skill that you believe can be marketed. Let’s focus on you for a minute: Are you self-disciplined? Are you organized? Do you have the proper workspace where you can work undisturbed? Are you able to face a workday where you have no supervision or guidance? Can you work at home, day after day, without having the people contact that you would typically find “on the job”? When you have overlapping projects, will you be able to cope with the necessary prioritizing so that you get the time-critical job done on time without jeopardizing the next job in line?

The list of questions goes on. And this doesn’t begin to address the “what ifs” that go hand-in-hand with working at home. What if you don’t have any work this week? What if work doesn’t come in the week after that? What if you get sick and can’t finish a project on time? What if your client doesn’t pay you on time? What if your client doesn’t pay you at all?

Financial gurus recommend that we all should have three months’ wages tucked away in a “bail out” savings account so that in case of illness or work stoppage, we can “bail out” our sinking checking accounts and pay the bills, pay the rent, buy groceries. Let’s face it, how many of us really have three months’ salary bankrolled? Most of us are lucky if we have one months’ salary in a demand savings account that’s hooked to our checking account that gets dipped into on a more regular basis than we’d like to admit. If that is the case, then are you really in a position where you can handle the uncertainties of establishing and maintaining a work-at-home business?

This isn’t to say that even if all these things are true, that you shouldn’t make the move to be your own boss and work at home. I’m a perfect example. I did have the fortunate circumstance that I had a husband working full-time and earning “decent” money (not a fortune, not more than enough, but “enough”). He believed in me and gave me great support while I established my business. It took me more than five years to get to the point where I can count on having work just about every day (based on a five-day, 50-week “normal” work schedule). During that time, I had periods when I didn’t work for five weeks or more (and even still, my primary client goes through a month-long “dry spell” while their organization holds its annual meetings). It took me over three years just to finally break the “one client” barrier (I now have five “regular” clients). The point here is that I did it; I built my own at-home business, and I now think of myself as “successful.” I don’t earn a fortune, but I “make a living at it.”

I don’t think that anyone could ever honestly tell you that there is one no-fail method of how to become your own boss and establish a “successful” at-home business. The variables are endless and there is no way to provide you with a formula for how you go about setting yourself up as an entrepreneur. In the end, becoming successful and realizing your dream of working at home depends on you, and you alone. You must have a marketable skill; you need adequate workspace and supporting equipment; you must have the personal demeanor that lends itself to this type of work environment; and you must have confidence in yourself. With these things, you can be a success. You’ll be able to tell people, “I work at home”…then stand back and watch them daydream.

Jan K., The Proofer is a full-time freelance proofreader and copyeditor. In business since 1995, she has enjoyed working for a diverse world-wide clientele, covering subject matter including academic research, medical law, consumer surveys, and self-help materials. Please visit http://www.janktheproofer.com for more information.© Copyright 2001 All rights reserved.

Are You Building Your Business By Guessing Or Testing?

2007-11-27T15:54:00.000-08:00

By Bob Leduc

A distributor for a network marketing company called me this week for help in promoting her business. Julie places ads in ezines (email newsletters) to generate traffic to the free website provided by her company. She also sends postcards to several targeted mailing lists to generate inquiries and traffic to her website. I asked her what was producing the most profitable results. She answered, "I don't know." It's amazing how much money some business owners spend on an ad, sales letter or other business promotion without evaluating how much profit it produces. Your advertising decision is only a guess if you don't know how much profit it's likely to produce. Advertising based on guessing is gambling with the future of your business.

Increase Profits And Reduce Risk

Effective testing increases your profits and reduces your risk. Decisions based on the results of continual testing put you in control of your business profits. I once increased the response to a postcard promotion from 3 percent to over 20 percent by constantly making changes based on results revealed by repeated testing.

Testing may be fun for engineers but it's boring for most entrepreneurs. That's why many business owners avoid it. If you're one of them, you're making an expensive mistake. The benefits you gain and risks you avoid by testing make it a valuable function you can't afford to ignore.

You may want to copy the 80/20 guideline I use if you find it difficult to test your marketing efforts on a regular basis. I simply invest 80 percent of my advertising budget in proven promotions and 20 percent in testing new variations. This formula generates a constant stream of profitable business from proven promotions while forcing me to continually test for better results.

Continually Test Everything

Continually test and evaluate everything you use or do to promote business. A partial list of things you should test includes:

* Different offers
* Different ad copy
* Different webpage layouts
* Different sales letters
* Different media (where you place ads)
* Mailing lists
* Different guarantees ... and some less obvious things like:
* Timing of your advertising (day of week, week of month)
* Products and/or services offered (or combinations of them)
* Networking activity (time and money allocated)
* Affiliate programs (time and resources to promote)

TIP: Test the headline for an ad, sales letter or webpage before testing what follows it. Find the headline that attracts the most readers before testing what the headline attracts them to read.

Test only one change at a time or you won't know what variable produced the new result. Code each variation you test and track the results. Every time a change produces better results, make it your new standard and continue testing. There is no such thing as the perfect promotion. But continual testing gradually gets you closer to it.

Testing is boring work for most business owners. But it pays off in higher profits and reduced risk. Start testing today if you've been avoiding it. Implement a program to continually test and evaluate everything you do to promote your business. The steady increase in your profits will surprise you.

Making Money Online A Myth? Or, Reality?

2007-11-24T05:51:00.000-08:00

By: Jolanda Leuschner

How easy could it be for someone to make money online? Over the last year I have been researching strategies to make money online. Many times I read about the offers made and some offers sounding just a bit too good to be true. Surely there has to be a way for people to make money online?

Making money online can be for many people a way of still being productive in society. For others making money online has become a sport. Yes, it is a true challenge day in day out yet, with so much fun. Making money online can also be a great way for a stay-at-home parent to still have an income.

In short making money online is absolutely not a myth with a bit of effort and research it can pay off very well. Here are a few ideas to help you on your way.

Write articles with catching titles. (Post these to article directories and or revenue sharing sites)
Make videos with good content. (Post these to revenue sharing sites.)

Go outside and make photos of your surroundings. (Post these to revenue sharing sites)
Find affiliate programs that pay good commissions. (Build your own sites or place this in a forum)

Start a web blog and write on topics you enjoy. (Place ads around your articles)
Yes, even a newbie to the internet money making can do all of the above. I am living proof that it can be done as long as you place a bit of effort into it. Sometimes it requires a little falling down and climbing back up especially when you are totally new at this. In the end you will be surprised and oh so proud of all the work you did. The best part you made money and became your own employer. How sweet can sweet be? Be aware some programs offered online sound a bit too good if your gut feeling tells you to watch out then absolutely stay away and listen to your instincts! When it would not cost anything to try it have fun and explore after all there is no money involved except an attempt to make money.

Always have fun with what you are doing and be persistent these two ingredients will be your best friend online. So what makes me an expert? No, I am by far an expert in making money online, however I am well on my way to have all my bills paid by working online and that to me is fantastic. I am a stay-at-home parent due to varies reasons and the online money making is for my children and myself a reality to be thankful for.

Hope you enjoyed this article as much as I enjoyed writing it. I hope you will consider or at least try making money online. Use your imagination the opportunities are ready and waiting to be picked up also by you. There is no need in reinventing the wheel, my statement “It can be done” is true I am doing it and will be right here waiting for you to make the same step as I did.

Jolanda Leuschner is a proud mother of 3 lovely sons and is the owner and founder of Best Daily Articles She invites writers,webmasters, readers and publishers to come and visit her site any time.

Start A Money Making Home Business

2007-11-21T20:55:00.000-08:00

by Chris Peterson

Many people think that you need to have experience to start a money making home business on the internet. That is not true at all.

Yes, it does take time to see your efforts pay off, regardless of what you read in sales letters, it can take up to three months to start making money with your home business or it can happen alot faster, that is all dependant on your efforts. But as far as experience goes, there is no better way to gain it than through doing.

You see many people like to just sit back and say to themselves " I really want to start that home business, but I just don't have the time or knowledge to make money with it." That type of thinking will actually hold you back from making your wealth with your own business. Why put off today what you will more than likely venture into sometime down the road?

By taking action today and reassuring yourself that you will learn as you go, you have already set up momentum for success. When I first set up my home business website years back, I had no clue as to what I was doing and at first I had nothing but failures. As time went on though, I started to learn what worked and what was just a waste of my time. I started to read as much information as I could about marketing online and learned a heck of alot in a few months by just reading in my spare time.

What is that you like to do in your spare time when you get off of work? Do you think that you could find some time here and there to read up on internet marketing? If so you will surely start to see profits with your online business in a much shorter time than the person that just sets up a website and never markets it and than complains that there is just no use to this home business thing.

Now mind you there will be work along the way to start making money online. If not than every single person in this world would be running a home business through the internet right? What will seperate you form the pack is a desire to succeed for yourself and your loved ones. The best move I ever made was to start a online business sevral years back, even though my wife told me I was nuts and those things are all scams.

Now that I strictly make a nice living working online with my home business andI feel a deep satisfaction with the fact that I stuck with and learned along the way. You will too once you start seeing your first profits come in.

Chris supplies you with the best rated money making home business opportunities that the net has to offer.

Top 10 Tips on Starting a Successful Home Business

2007-11-16T07:01:00.000-08:00

Home based businesses are rapidly gaining in popularity. Not only do they offer you the opportunity for freedom and the flexibility to set your own work terms, but you also have control over your financial independence. What do successful home businesses have in common? Here are a few tips...

Research Your Market.
Don't try to force a new product or service on an unwilling market. Research your intended market first, then create a product or service to fit that market.

Put another way, you can't force people to want what you have to offer... but you can offer them what they want.

Your research should also include an in-depth look at your competition. Is there too much competition for the area that you plan to service? Can you offer something that your competition cannot, while still making a profit? By analyzing your competitors, you'll be able to learn from both their successes and failures.

Don't Try to Be Everything to Everyone. You will never make everyone happy, no matter how hard you try. So don't; instead, focus your efforts on one particular segment of the population.

For example... let's say you run some sort of business related to gardening. Gardeners range in skill from the rank amateur, who can barely manage to keep even the most robust houseplant alive; to the serious professional who is able to nurture and coax exotic and fragile flowers to bloom.

Instead of attempting to offer every type of plant or information to all types of gardeners, you could instead narrow your focus to one specific group: for example, amateurs who are interested in colorful, low-maintenance and easy-to-grow plants.

Focusing on a niche market allows you to more easily build a unique and solid reputation for your business.

Keep Your Spending Under Control.
Keep overhead costs low, and don't spend frivolously. There will always be necessary expenses - for example, if you're running a business online, you'll need a good computer and a reliable Internet connection. But would you also need new, top-of-the-line home office furniture?

On the other hand, don't balk at spending money when you need to. Figure out which expenses are true necessities, and which are luxuries. As cash flow improves you can look into purchasing other items you may need.

Keep Growing.
A business can't be successful unless people know about it. That's where marketing comes in. All businesses require hard work - and even after you've established your business, you will need to continue to work hard in order to make it grow. At times, the hard work may be necessary just to sustain your current level of profitability.

Have a Contingency Plan.
Businesses go through rough times. Sometimes it will appear to happen "all of a sudden", but there are always warning signs. Learn to recognize the signs of trouble. By pinpointing potential problems before they occur, you can try to prevent them from occuring at all.

Develop a well-thought-out contingency plan to keep your business running with a minimum of lost time, effort, or profits.

Learn From Your Mistakes, and Build On Your Successes. Just as you will experience success in some of the things you do, you will also make some mistakes. In both cases you'll have an opportunity to improve your business. Ask yourself what you did right (or wrong), why it worked (or didn't work), and what you could do differently.

Ask yourself questions. What kind of startup capital do you need? What are your estimated monthly expenses? Is your business making the profits you expected? If so, what are you doing right and how can you improve upon it? If not, what can you do differently? What are your competitors doing and how can you convince customers to switch (or stay) with you?

These types of questions will help you to make smart, educated business decisions -- decisions that will help your business to grow and flourish.

Be Customer-Focused.
It's much easier to sell to a happy customer, than to try convince a new prospect to buy from you. Be professional, courteous, and always deliver a quality product or service. Your customers will be thrilled and much more inclined to come back.

Target Your Marketing.
This goes back to the research you did before you started your business. Know who to target in your marketing efforts. You want to attract people who are interested in what you have to offer -- not just curious 'passers-by'.

You can see great examples of targeted marketing by looking in your mailbox. If you've ever ordered from a mail-order gardening club, you've probably received additional catalogs from them *and* from other gardening clubs who purchase the customer lists. They know that you have an interest in their products, so the chances of you ordering something are much higher than if they were to send a mailing out to a random bunch of addresses.

Take Your Business Seriously.
There are lots of images floating around that show relaxed 'home business owners' reading a book, playing with their kids, lounging in a comfortable chair, etc. There's a tendency to think of a 'home business' as 'not real work', or not as serious as a 'real' (corporate) job.

To start and build a successful business, it needs to be treated like a business - not a hobby. Take it seriously and work hard to achieve your goals.

Do Something You Love!
This is what it all boils down to. Find something that you're passionate about, and will enjoy doing. Business doesn't have to a daily grind; it can be a true pleasure!

How To Make More Money In Network Marketing

2007-11-13T14:45:00.000-08:00

Network marketing and the internet were made for each other.The world is your oyster. It's as easy to send an email around the globe as it is to talk to your next door neighbor.If that's true how can we explain the fact that 95% still fail in network marketing?

What are the traits of the top earners?

1. They have a solid bullet proof marketing system.
2. They have the patience of Job.
3. They have the persistence of a bull dog.
4. They set goals.Short term goalsIntermediate term goalsLong term goals
5. They market daily.
6. They believe in what they're selling, beyond a shadow of a doubt.
7. They sell there selves first.
8. They understand what motivates people.
9. They train their first level down line members to duplicate their efforts.
10. They praise their down lines accomplishments.
11. They learn from others.
13. They never become complacent. They are always recruiting.
14. They keep it simple.
15. They stay in contact with their down line and their prospects.
16. They go the extra mile. They give more.
17. They follow up on leads at least seven times.
18. They accomplish tasks in order of importance.
19. They concentrate on benefits.
20. They automate their efforts.
21. They have a daily study plan.

Books,
Newsletters,
Cassettes.

22. They are global thinkers.
23. They only spend money when it will earn them a profit.
24. They reinvest their profits in their business.
25. They are willing to step out of their comfort zone.
26. They reward themselves when they reach a goal.
27. They enjoy what they are doing.
28. They are organized.
29. They don't waste:TimeEnergyPeople.
30. They reach decisions quickly.

And act on them.

Now that you know the basics, it's up to you to follow through.

Finding The Right Home-Based Business

2007-11-12T09:18:00.000-08:00

Over the years, many people have said to me "I'd love to start a home-based business, but which kind would be the right one for me?" The answer is difficult, as it is different for just about everyone. I looked for five years before finding the right home-based business, only to find out two years later, that it really wasn't the right business after all! I searched high and low, read just about every book on the subject, and still found myself struggling to find the 'right' biz! Luckily time and experience finally led me to that home-based business that really was "the right one". But I'm sure YOU don't want to wait that long.

So, what can you do? First, there are some questions you have to answer before you can decide on a business. It's important to remember, when you work for yourself, you are your only employee--you have to do everything from marketing, to accounting, to taking out the trash--and everything else in between (unless you outsource). You will probably work harder for yourself then for any "Employer" you've ever had!

With that having been said, I believe it's extremely important to find something you love, something you are passionate about, and then you can turn it into your business (or find a home-based business opportunity that is a good fit). It's much easier to get up in the morning and start doing something you love than it is to get up and force yourself to work. There will be no boss to poke you along--just you.

So, what questions should you ask yourself? First and foremost, what do I love doing? When answering this question, be open minded! Don't hold yourself back by saying things like "I could never make money doing that!" That is not what this exercise is about. Just jot down some things that you really enjoy doing, and try to be as honest as possible. Try to remember times when you felt happiest, your most vibrant and alive. Write those things down, even if they don't seem 'work' related (yet!).

Once you have finished writing down the things you are most passionate about, try brainstorming about how to turn those ideas into a business.

The next question you must answer is "Where do I have experience?" This can be a very important question, or, believe it or not, a completely irrelevant one. Many people start their own businesses without an ounce of experience in their business field. You may need to take classes, attend seminars, or just practice, practice, practice before you learn your trade.

But the question still needs to be answered. This 'experience' need not come only from prior jobs, but also from volunteer positions, hobbies, school, etc. Once you have finished writing this down, try to see how your experience could help you turn your passions into a business.

Another question you should ask yourself "What contacts do I have from my prior experience that could boost my business?" But don't discount your former employers, teachers, and/or friends and family as possible sources for business and/or networking.

So, taking your passions, experience and contacts into consideration, your answers might look something like this: You have a passion for Art, went to school and received a degree and know many gallery owners. If it's that cut and dry, you have a link, and a very feasible place to start your brainstorming. Many times these links will not be so obvious.

Finally, "what resources or assets do you have?" This is important. If you want to raise Emu, but live in a condo in the city, you will have to find a way to obtain land and care for the animals. On the other hand, if you have a great computer, and you want to start a desktop publishing business, you may only need some software. The more assets you have related to the business you want to start, the better. Because if start up costs are low, you chances for success should be much higher.

Whatever business you start, you must prioritize. Can you work "from" home (when the actual "work" is done somewhere other then home, like in the cases of the following businesses: landscaping, handyman, direct sales via home parties, etc.) as opposed "at" home (graphic design, newsletter publishing, web design, etc.)? Will your business be full or part time? Will you need to schedule your work around nap times and soccer practice, or a part time job? Will your business fit well with the lifestyle you want? City dwellers probably wouldn't enjoy ranching, and folks who live in rural areas probably would want to start a personal shopper business.

If you answer these questions, and still don't have any ideas, give yourself some time . . . do some research. Don't get sucked into a scam, just because you want to work from home. And don't get into the latest 'hot' home business just because everyone else is doing it, because you will probably end up quitting because it was never something you were passionate about.

On a final note: If you think you must start a home business, because you need money as soon as possible, remember that most businesses don't actually make money for many months, if not years. Building a business takes time, effort, persistence, and a passion for what you do!

Why must you JOIN this work at home online business opportunity?

2007-11-12T07:55:00.000-08:00

This is NOT A SPRINT!! This is NOT get rich quick! Yes, you can build a substantial income through the SFI system (SFI already have members earning over $10,000 a month!), but it WILL take effort.

Work totally at home, from your computer online.
It’s made for busy people --as few as 5 hours a week can gradually be parlayed into a full-time income .
You’ll grow your home online business on a rock-solid base, built on over 17 years of proven strategies and street smarts.
Builds “do-it-once, get-paid-for-a-lifetime” residual-type income.
You can build your business with nominal or even no out-of-pocket costs.