Legitimate Home Based Businesses
Today we find millions of people turning to the Internet for income. It is so fantastic to be able to work from home. Many people simply have an office at home, which is an extension of their JOB, while others are looking to replace there yearly income and have a piece of the pie for themselves.
Almost anyone with the right discipline, basic computer skills and work ethic can create a nice income from home. Once a person has made the decision to do so, then the big question becomes how? You can waste a lot of time and money trying to figure it out yourself or with a little research you can follow in someone else’s footsteps that has been and is successful.
I had been a business owner and Vice President of a large company for years. To be honest I simply got tired of working. Tired of the day-to-day rat race of life. I saw my Dad save every dime and finally retire only to die one month after doing so, thus never getting a chance to enjoy life. On top of that I had a lifetime of happiness with a son I lost to leukemia when he was fourteen. I just decide enough was enough. I wanted more time with my family and further more I did not want to let the same thing that happened to my father years earlier happen to me.
After finally making the decision to take control of my financial future, I started looking for an on line business that would give me the following:
· Income level that would take care of my monthly expenses and more
· Residual Income if possible
· Web based Business – It seemed as though it was the easiest way to reach the masses
· An on line business that could still generate cash, while I was traveling
· On line business that would require a minimum of effort once setup so I could have my time back
· A business which would not require anyone other than myself or perhaps my wife to operate a few hours a week
After many hours of research I found a man, his name is Erich Winnecke, who seemed to be very successful and was willing to be helpful with others. I read all of the testimonials, but I did not really expect to find any bad ones. I wanted to believe them all. If I’m honest I didn’t really know, but I had a good feeling about him. I was simply at the point where I had to give myself a shot. I knew from past experience to either use PayPal and / or my credit card to protect myself.
Well the results are in and I have to say I have gotten so much for joining his program. Here a just a few of the many areas that Erich and his team have given me support in.
· Step-by-Step guidance on how to create exactly the type of business I was looking for.
· With in minutes I had my own web page capable of generating multiple income streams.
· Step-by-Step guidance and excellent support on how to modify my own web page thereby adding new companies on a regular basis.
· Step-by-Step guidance on how, when and where to market my web site
· Special savings on getting my web site published on the Internet
· Lifetime support for my web site
· Access to a large group of successful people who are doing the same thing (It’s like having my own board of directors to help me)
· Step-by-Step guidance on how to get people like yourself to visit my website
I cannot list all of the areas I have gotten support and direct guidance from Erich and his team. I have never gotten more support from anything anywhere.
I can tell you that I am writing this article sitting in my bus overlooking the Gulf of Mexico at South Padre Island, Texas. As I sit writing this article I can look out the window and see the waves rolling in. Mexico is about a mile away. It is so beautiful and relaxing here. Wow ! My wife and I will stay here for a few months, then if we do like last year, we may go out west as far as California. We will visit my oldest son whom I'm quite proud to say is fulfilling his dreams to be in the movies. We usually end up back on the east coast visiting the rest of our family and children. It is so beautiful here and unlike my poor dad I'm getting to see how beautiful the United States of America really is. I only wish he could have done so as well.
The best part is if you want to do the same thing as I have, or if you simply want to make some extra income, then the opportunities are there for you. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
I knew absolutely nothing about creating and on line web business or web site for that matter. I could not believe how inexpensive Erich's program was. The roadway to success has been paved for us.
Please feel free to read more of this article by visiting my link in the resource box below. I always enjoy getting emails pertaining to my articles or my site. Your feedback is important to me.
Is An E-based Home Business So Much Different From Other Businesses?
The question posed in the heading can be answered from several angles. Let¡¯s first agree that no business is the same. If that would be the case we could just write a standard manual and copy and paste it directly to other businesses. But still, let¡¯s also agree on the fact that there are several similarities for businesses in general. Having said that, we can actually conclude that an e-based home business is not more different from or than other businesses.
But let¡¯s elucidate on that a bit further. An e-based home business is a business. So, by definition it is in essence not different from other businesses. Businesses are operated to fulfil a need and to generate a return on investment, whatever is decided this should be. But there are a few very definite features that are different from the regular bricks and mortar businesses. This article only mentions three, but there are many more.
First and foremost, most of the business is done online. As you do most of your business online you are likely to be much more efficient in using your time. No travel, no hassle, just you and your computer to do your business. Second of all, in many cases you do not have the products you sell in house. That¡¯s why you also do not need to take care of the physical logistics that is involved with most other businesses. And for sure you don¡¯t want to find out how much time, effort and money is going into the distribution process! And as a last point, most e-based home businesses you can basically run yourself. Of course, you still need advice. Because of that you probably visit forums or buy a service online. But you don¡¯t need staff to do things for you.
These three very important features prove to be a major time saver. All this ¡°abundant¡¯ time can be put into the promotion and marketing of your products and services. So if you want to describe what it is you do for your home business and what makes it so different from other businesses, than you could say that you spend most of your time and efforts on marketing your products. Compared to the majority of businesses you would find that they spend relatively much less time on marketing.
Legitimate Home Based Businesses - PAS tops the list
Have you always struggled to find the right home based business or the right coach? Though there are plenty of home based business opportunities floating around amidst a lot of hype, it is difficult to locate one that really fulfils all of the tall promises it makes.
Things to keep in mind before starting work at home business
Making money on the Internet from home based businesses is easier when you start at the top – the proven home based business opportunities.
There is no dearth of home business scams. While most home based business opportunities claim that you will earn guaranteed money where you have to do little or nothing – only some actually deliver.
Prosperity Automated System(PAS) is the best home based business program, where anyone can make money! Developed at the cost of $3.5 million and years of research and planning, PAS is a fully automated hands free home business system. PAS does it All, everything is OUTSOURCED. You basically DO NOTHING.
PAS takes all those online marketing work which make the conventional marketing over the net really boring and unyielding, and generates only prospects, i.e., real buyers. You are backed by Prosperity System Network that does everything – from generating leads to closing the sales for you. It combines the creativity of man and the speed and accuracy of a machine.
The bottom line is - irrespective of nature of the home business you are interested in, No doubt, online businesses are real cash cows, but you need to know:
• How the cash flows?
• How the prospects are generated?
• How your sales are closed?
• How to take help from the company or the up line?
Online home based businesses have great prospects. Find the legitimate home based business and you are on your way to financial freedom and live the life of your dreams.
Successful Home Businesses – A Second Income from Homes
Successful Home Businesses – A Second Income from Homes: The dilemma whether your legitimate home based businesses will be a success or not can be nerve wrecking. So evaluate all aspects of your stay at home business solution before you actually start a home business. Examine the pros and cons of money making home business ; especially it’s financial and commercial aspects before starting one. The reason is most people lose money in their home based business ventures. The market is teeming with hundreds of ideas of stay at home business. Every single day new schemes come into the market calling them money making home business opportunity. Sadly, most of the so-called successful home businesses are scams.
The right money making home business: If you are planning to start home based business, choose a stay at home business that interests you. If you are pursuing it just for kicks, sooner or later you are going to fail in legitimate home based businesses. Hence choosing the right kind of money making home business can decide whether you will be successful or not. So do your research and then decide on which of the successful home businesses suit you.
Speculate all your issues minutely: Do not leave your stay at home business solution midway and change to a stable but permanent job This is the mistake most people in legitimate home based businesses do. Once you start home based business, try to understand the nitty gritties of it. Also don’t expect that you will become successful within a few days of starting your work from home business . So stays put & work hard at your work towards making your home based businesses a grand success.
Choose the Right Partner: Successful home businesses will bring you rewarding results in the due course of time. At the beginning, there will be certain difficulties associated with your work at home business solution which will frustrate you. Your mental and physical stress will hinder you to resolve these issues. The best solution to such a situation is a partner or a mentor who will be at your side and guide you through the difficult times.
Make failures your strength : Once you decide on a stay at home business, make sure you allocate the resources in a planned way. And in spite of everything, you keep in your mind is whether the legitimate home based businesses will actually make money or not?
There are chances of failure in every business, and work in home businesses are no exception. That doesn’t mean that you should give up all your efforts and leave everything to destiny. But if any unfavorable situation has evolved, face it bravely with confidence. S tart a home business only if you are comfortable with the idea. If your financial situation doesn’t permit you to take risks then it is better to take up the idea of work at home business solution at a later time.
Remember, success of your business depends on the way you project your business to the world. The success or failure in home businesses depends on the degree of confidence you have in your home business and also on your own abilities.
5 Low Cost High Profit Businesses You Can Start From Home While Working In Your Pajamas
There are two type of people in the world. Those who see the glass half empty and those who see it half full. This experience was heightened for me when I had lunch with an old colleague from work and he began to complain about how only rich people could start a business. I thought he was joking.
As I sat and listened he ranted for almost ten minutes giving all the reasons he could not start his own business and get out of the rat race. He talked about the high cost of start ups,
franchising and real estate development. When he finally came up for air I decided to ask simply ask him one question. Mark, “Have you every asked yourself what kind of low cost businesses with high profit margins are out there?”
He looked like he had been run over by a truck. I went on to say, “You are just asking the wrong question.” He sat for a minute and said, “Ok, if you’re so smart give me some ideas.” I said, “Great. Oh and by the way let's make it fun and focus on the ones you can work from home in your pajamas.”
Here are the 5 low cost high profit businesses I shared with Mark.
1. Internet Marketing: Do you have a computer in your home? If so you could be sitting on a gold mine. People use the internet to do all types of things. From a multimillion dollar wire jewelry making enterprise to a young kid from Long Beach California who created his empire teaching people how to play music by ear. Everyday people are getting on the internet and pursuing their own dot com fortune.
2. Tele-seminars: If you not a very technical person one of the
best strategies is tele-seminars. With simply a telephone and a
conference call line for your guest to call in on you can offer
a class or seminar. You can either use it as a lead generator or you can sell your product or service from the seminar itself. An additional product can come from recording the class. Once you record the class it can become an instant product you can create passive income from.
3. Joint Ventures: If you like the idea of not needing a product or money of your own than the idea of joint venturing could be for you. This business is simply the art of the deal. You are paid in direct proportion to your ability to bring together two parties who would not otherwise know each other outside of your introduction.
For example if you combine company A’s products, knowledge,
resources and partner it with company B’s client list you get to share in the profits. And it would not cost you one cent.
4. Affiliate Marketing: What if someone else did most of the work but you got to share in the profit pie? Well, that is
what affiliate marketing is all about. There are thousands of
products ranging from digital down loads, books,seminars not to
mention hard products like computers, cell phones and other
techie stuff. Your job is to find the products that your market is interested in and when you sell something you get a percentage of the sale. You can do this without having any inventory or the overhead of a traditional business.
5. Information Products: This is one of the most highly lucrative low cost businesses you can get into. If you have specialized knowledge or can do you can research and reporton it you can create products that are highly profitable. For example, one of the fastest ways to success is to interview experts in a high demand niche market.
Once you have interviewed these experts you can take the information and create several different products from the one interview. Some of the things you can do is sell the recording itself, sell the transcript of the call, use some of the content create an e-book or report or take several of the interviews and put them together for an expert tape series.
6. Network Marketing/MLM: I have always been a fan of network
marketing because the business model is as much about self
development as it is building a business. The premise is you find a company that you are passionate about the product, has a proven system and strong team leadership. Most of these companies are low cost of entry. And you build your empire leveraging the efforts of many.
Some people incorrectly believe you are going to get rich off the back of someone else. Not true. The very core of network marketing is built on the fact that you get paid in direct proportion of your ability to recruit, train, inspire, support and lead a voluntary group of people. For those who can do this the rewards are great.
7. EBay: I was recently introduced to the EBay craze by someone
who in the beginning had no money so he decided to sell a tape set a friend had created. This product was a compilation of interviews with successful entrepreneurs. Their first sale was $37.00 and they went on to build multi-million dollar empire. EBay is one of the quickest ways to get to a profit. You can take things that you have in your garage today and sell them on EBay tomorrow. Remember one mans junk is another mans treasure.
At the end of the lunch something interesting happened. My friend Mark was starting to see the glass half full. How about you? Are you looking for a business you can start without breaking the bank? The above five businesses are just a few ideas to jump start your thought process. However, make no mistake you can start a low cost high profit business and enjoy it while lounging in your pajamas.
Promoting Independent Businesses
If you own your own independent business, there are two organizations that hopefully your are already aware of. They are doing great work promoting small, locally owned independents by promoting community and government involvement. It takes all of us, working together, to improve our communities and the local business environment.
The National Federation of Independent Businesses helps individual business owners with planning, taxes, and legislative matters. They have representatives in all 50 states and in D.C. I visit their site often for advice and articles. I guarantee that you will find several useful items of information within their site.
The American Independent Business Alliance, based in Bozeman, MT, promotes independents buy helping business owners form IBAs, or Independent Business Alliances. These alliances in turn promote community involvement, the best example being the annual America Unchained Day, which takes place every November, the Saturday before Thanksgiving. They show their communites the power of "putting your money where your house is".
I urge all independent business owners to join NFIB and look into starting an IBA. I am in the process of doing both. We need to team up for our communities and independent business owners.
Make a difference as a consumer as well. You do have choices. A good place to start is by watching Independent America, a documentary about a married couple searching for Independent America and filming the results. It's a real eye-opener.
Perks Of Home Based Businesses
More and more people find themselves enamored with the idea of getting themselves involved in some form of home based businesses. And indeed, it is a very rewarding and fascinating career which one can have at the comforts of his or her home.
Home based businesses are relatively easy to set up as compared to businesses where you will have to worry about finding a strategic location. If you intend to start any form of home based business, you will only need to free up some space in your home for your work and a few resources depending on what kind of home based business you intend to start working on. You will not worry about lightings, fixtures, rent and promotions.
Being in a home based business requires less maintenance because when you do your cleaning, you will be doing general cleaning for your house as well as for your bureau. It is like hitting two birds in one stone. Also, if you have a family, you will find that you will be easily within reach for your children and other loved ones and work will not be a reason for you to be unavailable for important and urgent situations that arise within a family from time to time. If you are in a home based business, you call the shots and you have more freedom to move in the way you want and at the time you want.
Home based businesses also have instant clients. Your neighborhood is a prime place to render the services of your home based businesses with. For one thing, you have already been relating with them on a social level. It will be much easier to market products to neighbors than it is with random strangers who haven't really had the time to sit, chat and attend barbeque parties with you prior to the business' inception.
Being in a home based business is also the epitome of convenience. You can work even with your most comfortable clothes, and the fridge will be readily available for you if you experience some pangs of hunger in the middle of your work. You will also be able to get some rest in your own bedroom in between your work without having to commute if you are in a home based business. It saves you those extra expenses working people have when buying food outside and commuting via trains or buses. You also get to preserve much energy since you will not have to go anywhere else to do your business.
In a home based business, clients can be treated with utmost hospitality. They are not just entitled to seeing you work at your most comfortable best, but they will also be able to feel at home while doing business with you. There is nothing more cozy than discussing transactions in a well furnished lanai over glasses of lemonade and homemade cookies. That homey atmosphere somehow allows your client to relax and see the person behind the business and the services they require from you.
If you have a fast Internet connection at home, you can even plug away your home based business to a much wider market. There are various online communities for home based business owners online, as well as tips on how to go about home based businesses. You will find these information pieces valuable as you try to keep your business in top condition.
Secured Loans For New Businesses
In today's fast paced and ever changing society, we can no longer be sure of having a job for life. If you lose your job over the age of forty, you are less likely to find further employment as soon as you might want and you don't have the money to start up that business you've always dreamed of owning.
Large numbers of homeowners in this situation will take out a secured loan, using their home as collateral, or insurance against non-payment of the debt. Essentially, this means that until you pay off the loan, the bank, or whoever the lender is, owns your house. If you go for a secured loan, you are more likely to get the money than if you simply approach a prospective lender with a business plan, no matter how good it might be.
If you decide that setting up a business with the help of a secured loan is the route for you, make sure that you arm yourself with as much information as possible before you settle on a loan and sign on the dotted line. This may seem tedious but this is the roof over your head that you are using, so it makes sense to try to do your best to safeguard it.
Check out different banks and loan companies. Perhaps you might even try one or two of the online lenders to see what they have to offer. Pay careful attention to the following:
- Loan repayment terms
- APR or annual percentage rates – this affects how much interest you pay the lender.
- Credit agreement. Read the small print and consider having it looked over by a legal professional before you sign.
Never, ever take the first loan that you are offered until you have done your research and made some comparisons of terms and repayment and APR rates. When you are dealing with large amounts of money, it is always a good idea to be in possession of as much information as possible, that way you make an informed decision.
More people are taking out secured loans with online lenders because they often have lower rates of interest because their operating costs are less. They may also be able to do a comparison for you and give you a best case scenario for your particular needs. This does take some of the strain out of the process and gives you the opportunity to use that time to concentrate on how you are going to run your business.
Reforming How Businesses Are Taxed
Tax reform is a lot like the weather-everyone talks about it but no one seems to do anything about it. Incoming Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson could change that by focusing on the need for corporate tax reform.
Congress should not ignore the tax rules governing individuals, but modernizing America's business tax system is critical to promoting growth, creating jobs and narrowing the budget deficit. In deciding how best to proceed, Secretary Paulson and Congress must recognize four things.
First, America's Tax System Must Be Competitive. Every day we make choices based on cost: If gasoline is selling for 10 cents less on the left-hand side of the street than on the right, few of us turn right to fill up the car. Similarly with taxes: They are a cost that a business rightly considers as it locates new plants, creates distribution networks and hires workers. Taxes are not the only or most important cost to be considered, but they do matter. The U.S. system must change to remain competitive.
Second, Tax Rates Matter. A critical aspect of tax competition is the tax rate. Regrettably, while individual rates have been reduced, the corporate rate has remained unchanged since the 1990s.
In contrast, lowering tax rates has become the rule of the day in Europe. Significantly, lower rates do not mean lower revenues. Economist Martin Sullivan of the independent publication Tax Notes has confirmed that tax rate reductions in European countries have led to increased tax revenues. Moreover, a recent study of more than 70 countries by the American Enterprise Institute strongly links lower corporate rates with higher wages. Corporate tax reductions should do the same here.
Third, The Tax Base Matters, Too. The amount of revenues raised by a tax system is the product of the tax rate and the tax base. While some incentives-such as those for research and education-have wide support, a growing consensus favors lower rates and a broader tax base to reduce complexity, ease tax administration and minimize the government's role in picking "winners" and "losers."
Fourth, Complexity Matters. A primary advantage of lowering taxes through a rate reduction is that such a system is much easier to construct and, hence, simpler for taxpayers to follow. Simple is good, because complexity represents a daunting, hidden tax on American business. The Tax Foundation estimated that in 2005 it cost taxpayers $265 billion to comply with federal income tax laws, with business's share being a staggering 55 percent.
It is time to embrace corporate tax reform in order to promote growth, create jobs and reduce the trade and budget deficits.
Michael P. Boyle is President of Tax Executives Institute, an organization of more than 6,000 corporate tax professionals.
The Most Unusual Businesses
Since childhood I've had an interest in unusual businesses. I grew up with four brothers, and when it was time to vote for which television show we would watch, I sold my vote to the highest bidder. You could call that the business of politics. I collected the paper-wads that fell all over when my brothers had their wars, and then sold them back to them for a couple cents each. I was a war profiteer in the paper-wad wars. I also sold candy out of a hollow book in school.
My business activities were more conventional as an adult, but I still loved to hear about and read about the more unusual businesses. Sitting around a fire in an Arizona desert, I once talked to a man who sold used stuffed animals on the side of the highway. He claimed he sold $3000 worth his first month.
The Most Unusual Businesses
Then there was the guy I talked to in Grand Rapids, Michigan, who collected the bodies of dead deer. The county needed the deer carcasses off the roadsides for health reasons. They contracted with this guy for $25 per body. I'm not sure how he disposed of them, but maybe his other business was providing meat to dog food companies.
When I was living in Traverse City, Michigan, someone started a dog poop cleaning business. Want the dog without the responsibility of cleaning the yard? Call A-1 Pooper Scooper. I'm not sure if this would be better or worse than the dead deer collecting business.
Right here in Tucson, Arizona, there is a man who takes leaves from palm trees and twists and turns them into amazing animal sculptures. He sells these for anywhere from $2 to $12 in the street. The palm-leaf scorpions are the best. He just grabs leaves from the nearest palm tree and he can sell dozens of these in a day.
Unusual Online Businesses
Maybe you remember a few weird businesses from back before Ebay got all their rules. One woman made thousands per month selling used panties to fetishists. She bought new panties for her friends, who got them for free as long as they returned them to her unwashed, trading them in for the next new pair. The used and unwashed panties sold for $10 or more on Ebay auctions and they sold fast.
Perhaps you have heard about the online fantasy role-playing game called "Runescape." It has four million players now. What you might not know is that in addition to buying "virtual real estate" in the game, and earning online gold pieces, you can buy these game things for real cash. There are Runescape entrepreneurs who sell their online houses in the game for hundreds of real U.S. dollars. I think it would start to get confusing - what is real here and what isn't?
Then there was the guy in who decided last year to finance college by selling one million pixels of advertising space on his web page for a dollar per pixel. You had to buy a minimum of 100 pixels and you could have any image you wanted linking to anywhere you wanted. He succeeded in selling all one million within a few months. Maybe it's time for me to get back into unusual businesses.
What Is Missing From Your Home Based Businesses?
Many home based businesses are not making the money they should be making. Many home business owners are failing to turn a profit because they have no clue how to build a business. Many home based businesses cannot turn a profit for this reason. Many owners are finding out the tough way that building a home business does require work. Many people come into this industry with the wrong frame of mind and therefore end up quitting before they even give their business a chance to succeed. Many people come into this industry thinking this is a get rich quick or something for nothing scheme. It is not. No matter what anyone may tell you it is not the truth. Yes you can make a lot of money from having a home business but it will take work and dedication. It is not something that builds itself or happens overnight. This business is just like any other business and any other business takes time and skill to build it does not happen overnight.
Many people have trouble making money in this industry because they have no clue how to market. Marketing is essential in any type of business. Marketing equals sales, period. Many people try to sell their services or products to friends and family. Normally when they go through the list of friends and relatives they have no other solutions on how to gain new business or customers. That is when business goes bad. Many people miss the main point of running a business. The main point or the key to running a business is to have strong marketing. You have to market as if there is no tomorrow. You must always have new customers coming in. Many business owners have no clue about marketing and they end up hurting their bottom line due to this fact.
Okay now there are two types of marketing, online and offline. Both are equally effective and both should be used. I will cover online marketing since it is the one most business owners struggle with the most. Online marketing can be very powerful if used correctly. Okay first for those of you who may have a self replicated website. You have to get rid of it. You will need your own website and domain name, plus hosting. These are a must for anyone or any company looking to market online. Next you will need to drive traffic to your websites. There are many different ways to drive traffic to your websites. You can go after organic listings in the search engines. Or you can pay for PPC. Or hire a professional online marketing company to market your business for you.
Whatever you choose be sure to do your due diligence before hiring someone. You may have to take a few courses on Internet marketing but once you understand how to market, I believe you can sell pretty much anything online or offline. Having a few home based businesses can make you very wealthy but you must know how to drive new customers to your business or product.
Why Most People Fail In Home Businesses!
At one time or another, we’ve all fantasized about creating our own business and being so successful that we can tell the boss or manager to “take a hike” and loose the compass! It’s exciting to consider the possibilities. But then the fears creep in. We’ve all heard stories about people who have joined a home based opportunity full of hope and faith, only to unwind shortly thereafter and fail miserably…and lose some good hard earned cash in the meantime. And some of us have lived those stories! Ouch! I have been on both sides of this continuum, succeeding more often than not, but with enough range of experience for both myself and others I’ve worked with to offer some perspective.
Let’s take a look at some of the underlying causes that are not always discussed. You might be surprised to hear that the lack of money is not the main reason for failure…hummmh.
There are several reasons why people fail in business:
LACK OF DISCIPLINE AND CONSISTENCY
This is a big one. Most people get the idea that they can make millions by simply signing up. The money will just roll in…the streets are lined with gold and all you have to do is bend down and pick it up. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this were true? Or would it? Developing the discipline and consistency necessary to be successful in any endeavor is part of what makes success so sweet. There aren’t many accidental success stories. It takes tremendous discipline to be successful in anything including a home business. It’s like getting in shape or going to college. You will not make it through college if you only study one day in each semester. Similarly, you will not get in shape with one “power walk” on just one day. Once you know what is required daily, learn to discipline yourself and be consistent. Amazingly, consistency and discipline not only elevate you to higher levels of success, they also make your work so much easier!
LACK OF PERSONAL GROWTH
Most people have it backwards. They think that one becomes a millionaire and then starts thinking like one. But it’s the other way around. Before you can be successful, you have to think like a successful person. Your thoughts, words, and your imagination will affect whether you succeed or fail. Personal development of your attitude and communication skills are a must. It’s hard work and it takes discipline. You will have a hard time succeeding without protecting and working on your attitude. This is especially true after some failures. This is a learned skill.
LACK OF DIRECTION (A PLAN)
Most people that start a business have little or no idea how to succeed. Therefore it is extremely important to find a sponsor who has the time and experience to you by the hand and guide you through the maze, step by step. Be sure this person will actually have (or make) the time for you. Ask specific questions about what kind of support you can expect from them. If you’re already in a program and your sponsor is not helping you, go up to the next level until you find someone who will. Sit down with them and create a plan of attack, set realistic goals and then learn everything you can to help you succeed!
LACK OF MARKETING SKILLS
There once was a time when you where told to make a list of all your family members and friends to build your business. Today, most of the prospecting is done via advertising and marketing. That’s good, because you don’t have to talk to your family (they might say “harass them”) to build a business. The other side of the coin is that it takes experience to compete for these sales. If you do not have much marketing experience, be prepared to learn as much as you can about it. Don’t panic about this…you are also a consumer so your common sense can take you a long way if you are willing and teachable. Still, it’s good to get a clear picture of what kind of marketing training will be made available to you in advance. Finally, don’t forget, it’s your job to continue to learn how to market…it’s a continuous process.
WRONG EXPECTATIONS
This is sometimes the fault of the sponsor that just wants to make a sale. People are being sold the idea that all you need to do is get in and the money starts rolling in without doing anything. Sometimes it’s the new person’s fault, because they only hear what they want to hear or they think they know better. Bottom-line, building a successful business is not a 60 yard dash but a marathon.
QUITTING TOO SOON
This is probably the biggest reason. People “try” to work the business for a few weeks or even a few months and then quit and they’re on to their next failure. First, you can’t try any business and succeed. You need to work the business to succeed. Have you ever done anything in life half way and succeeded? With that attitude, you’ve failed before you’ve even started. You have to have the attitude of I will do whatever it takes to succeed (I’m not talking about illegal stuff). It’s a mindset. Will you throw in the towel after 50 no’s. I had 200 no’s before I made my first sale and I was willing to go to a 1,000 if I had to. Just imagine if I’d quit after 199 no’s. You have to fill your pipeline of prospects. Now I have people joining me that I talked to months ago. DON”T EVER GIVE UP!!!
The article is brought to you by Peter Grundner at P&T Enterprises.
Why Postcards are Popular to Businesses?
To make a business endeavor a success the people behind it must be good in communication. It is the idea of what you communicate and how to communicate that matters. Good communication is thus, the link that connects business and clients. It is also the controlling factor that links all types of businesses.
One of the most effective ways to communicate about any business is the use of promotional materials like postcards, business cards, posters, flyers and the likes.
Let us discuss the significance of the first item. Postcards are usually rectangular shaped piece of paper or cardboard with the significant details of the business on it.
Why are they popular to businesses? The ultimate reason is to make a sale. However, before a sale can take place there must first be familiarity with its products and services. With regards to this aspect, postcards can be used. Be sure that postcards have retention value in order for customers to easily recall them. As a result, it will drive them to buying or subscribing of your products or services.
Another reason is to follow up on customers. At first sight, the postcard may not get the goal of the company thus, it needs considerable amount of follow ups. Retention is the key factor to yield forthcoming sales.
Third reason is to update regularly. The details of the business might have change with time and strategies thus, we have to consider these changes and come up with an updated version of rush postcards.
After the updates and the usual hi’s and hello’s to the customers, the next thing to do is to check out its affectivity to the sales world. This phase may be called ‘checking out customers’. Moreover, postcards are needed to be sent in order to refresh the customers of your products and service especially the latest ones.
Postcards are powerful marketing tools that can convey message through its colorful, clear and striking images and crisp texts. Full color postcards are the most effective type of postcard used by businesses. This is because of its enigmatic effect on the eyes and emotions of the viewers. Try to capture it in your postcards as well. All you have to do is place moving pictures and texts that way, you can very well catch and seize your viewers decision so as to be favorable to your business!
Year End Tax Tips For Home Businesses
Someone recently asked me what they could do now to make tax time easier for this upcoming tax season.
The best thing you can do is to think about taxes before then year ends. Most people wait until the tax filing deadline before they ask how they can reduce their income taxes. Unfortunately, once 2007 ends, there's very little you can do to minimize your taxes for 2007.
To start your tax planning, you should review your income, deductions and withholdings before the year ends. Which means you need to get your bookkeeping caught up! You should use a software program, such as QuickBooks, Quicken Home and Business, or spreadsheets to keep track of your income and expenses for your business.
Once you're bookkeeping is caught up... do you expect your home business to have a profit or a loss this year?
If you have a profit, here are some tax planning tips to help minimize your home business taxes this year:
1. Defer your income. If you have a home based business and it looks like you'll have a good profit this year, consider invoicing your clients in January instead of December, to defer the income to next year. Or, just wait until the end of December to send invoices. Any money you receive in January will go on your 2008 tax return, not 2007.
2. Accelerate expenses. Do you need to purchase any inventory? What about supplies? Does your computer need to be replaced? If you've got a profit for 2007, consider purchasing inventory, supplies or other items that will need to be replaced soon this year to reduce your taxable profit.
In addition, if you itemize your tax deductions, make sure you pay all mortgage payments, property tax, medical expenses, etc. this year, even if they aren't due 'till next year, to help increase your tax deductions for this year.
3. Contribute the maximum amount to retirement plans. As a home based business owner, you have several retirement plans to choose from. You can setup a traditional IRA, a SEP IRA, a Simple IRA, or even a 401K. The maximum contribution amounts vary based on the retirement plan, but these plans allow contributions from $4,000 up to $44,000 per year. Contributing to a retirement plan is a great way to maximize your retirement savings and to minimize your taxes at the same time.
4. Give to charity. Although charitable donations don't reduce your business income, they do reduce your taxable income if you itemize your deductions. Gifts of cash or goods are a great way to help reduce your tax bill this year.
On the flip side, if you expect a larger profit next year, or if you expect to jump into a higher tax bracket next year, it's best to report as much income this year, and to defer as many expenses as possible 'till next year.
Either way, year end tax planning can really help minimize your taxes. But you have to make it a point to review your taxes before the year ends. Once 2007 is gone, so are your tax planning opportunities for 2007.
What Is The Number 1 Determinant Of Success In Home Based Businesses
What is the most important factor in your success with a network marketing or MLM type business? In my experience, the most important factor in success in any of these businesses is the person who sponsors you or that you sign up under...
1. What level of success are they having? Can they prove it to you? If they aren't successful, how can they help you? Internet businesses take a lot of knowledge to correctly market and build. Buying leads that are not targeted enough to your business and have probably been sold 3-5 times already is not going to work.
2. If they are successful, is their system duplicatable? Some people are successful but you can't do what they have done. Do they already have a website like WAHM that has thousands of subscribers? or maybe they have a radio show? Or they signed up someone underneath them that has a large percent of there actual success... Or in a lot of cases, they just got in early and everybody signed up under them by default - and you cant duplicate that!
3. Do they have an unlimited budget of money or time to spend on the business that you cant duplicate? If they are just buying their traffic and you can't then they really cant teach you anything...
There are people out there who are making lots of money and are driving traffic to their business with a combination of pay and free resources, but you have to find that person. And then make sure they are truly willing to teach you the ropes and not just tell you whatever it takes to get you signed up into their business...
Top Home Based Businesses for Writers
Have a way with words? If you dream of writing for a living, but feel stifled in your everyday job, there are some top home based businesses for writers that you should consider. The demand for good writing is very high, so finding one of the top home based businesses for writers that fits your needs just takes a little digging.
One of the five top home based businesses for writers is being an advertising writer. If you have a flair for writing that sells, then being a copywriter may be your niche. Advertising agencies, private companies, non-profit agencies and more are all looking for someone to sell their products and services through ad copy, making copywriting one of the top home based businesses for writers.
The second of the five top home based businesses for writers involves creating a resume writing service. Not all job seekers have what it takes to create an effective resume, and having a talented resume writer on hand can be a blessing to them. If you find that you have a knack for putting together resumes that get people in the door, then you should take advantage the second of the top home based businesses for writers.
E-book writing and publishing is another of the top home based businesses for writers. In our technology soaked society, you can immerse yourself in the e-commerce boom by writing fiction or non-fiction e-books. The sheer number of topics available is endless. More and more people are looking to purchase their literature on the net, which makes writing e-books another one of the top home based businesses for writers.
Business writing is also one of the top home based businesses for writers, and it can be one of the most lucrative home based businesses. Companies are always looking for writers to create brochures, annual reports, sales letters, direct mail pieces, instruction manuals and more. The fact that there are all kinds of businesses out there means that this is one of the top home based businesses for writers just out of the sheer volume of writing available.
Finally, freelance article writing is another of the top home based businesses for writers. When people think of freelance writing, they most often think of magazine writers, but there are a number of people who will use freelance writers to create articles for their websites, e-zines, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, and more. The sheer volume of periodicals both online and on paper make this one of the top five home based businesses for writers.
Still, no matter what type of writing you love, you need to remember that your writing is your business, and you want it to be one of the top home based businesses out there. Make sure you stay abreast of current trends and hone your writing skills before you take advantage of any of the top home based businesses for writers. In order to sell your work and build your reputation as having one of the top home based businesses, you need to produce quality work on time, every time.
Businesses, Money, And Usa Grants!
Now you know why businesses revolve on money. There can be no other tool that is as important as money in the business world.
Hence, if you do not have all these money to start and develop your business, you can never see your business grow. The saddest part is that you can never achieve financial stability.
So if you are having some problems in funding your new business idea or product expansion concept, it is best to find good financial sources.
Generally, most business owners will run to their family, relatives, or friends to get financial backups or investments. Others would turn to financial institutions such as banks or lending companies.
As much as these things can help you fund your new project, these sources are inadequate, or they can charge you with higher interest rates, which, in turn, will put your business on a financial risk if neglected.
For this reason, additional financial help is necessary. Why don’t you try having the government fund your invention? Government grants are one of the most common and efficient financial alternatives you can get. Even if it requires a lot of documents or paper works, the support you will obtain is still beneficial on your part. Up to $500,000 from venture capital companies for your new business. US Government Grants for Citizens
Why the Government?
The government is willing to support those businesses that continuously evolve into a more progressive industry by developing and entertaining new industrial and technological concepts. The government seeks to help those businesses that, in spite of the limited resources, can still develop innovations and launch them in the market without hesitation. Guaranteed US Government Grant for USA Citizens at http://www.trustedreviews.info/money/usm/index.html
By doing so, the government believes that ideas like these can, likewise, help them develop and expand the country’s economy. That is why the government is willing to help those kinds of businesses.
Creating Your Businesses' Sense Of Style
The look of your business-and a great design concept-can make a powerful impact on customers and help generate revenue. That's the word from Susie Mendíve, a graphic designer who has spent years helping brands-from nonprofit organizations to large beauty companies- create their own unique image.
Mendíve believes it is important to create an image that is consistent throughout-from Web site to letterhead to the storefront window. The image should clearly communicate what it is your company does.
Here are her five tips to step up your business style:
• Observe, observe, observe. Consider your favorite clothing designers, boutique hotels you love and your must-have magazines. Each of these can provide clues to how they created their business style through hangtags, labels, menus, drink napkins, font choices, color schemes and Web sites.
• Get organized. Every small business has a similar list of tools, including a logo or specialized version of their company name, letterhead, stationery, business cards and a Web site that shows current and potential customers that it is in business. Take time to think about your customers and what they need from you and your business.
• Go digital and save money. Forrester Research recently found that 42 percent of small businesses are marketing or advertising their business online. A Web site and e-mail address are musts.
• Find the right partners. It can save time and money to have an outside expert help with the process. For example, a company such as Network Solutions can help you create a Web site, design a logo and even drive traffic to your business. You can even design your Web site yourself with their Do-It-Myself easy-to-use Web templates, or have one of their Web designers create a site for you.
• Style equals advertising. Make sure your style is consistent across all elements of your business. This conveys a sense of attention to detail and helps build consumer confidence. It's also important to use that style wherever you can-a branded envelope may be seen by more than just the recipient of your invoice.
Comparison of Affiliate Marketing With Other Businesses
Affiliate marketing is a type of internet advertising in which affiliates drive the traffic to the advertiser’s website for sales. In turn the affiliates receive a share from the advertisers. Affiliates place the ads of advertisers on their websites.
There are various advantages as well as risks associated with this online business. Let us compare this online business with an office job or other business. This may help someone who is considering this business.
1. Low Cost Business
Most people are afraid to start a home based business because of the capital that is normally needed. With affiliate marketing, you need not worry about the money because it does not require much investment. It truly is a low cost business. It is even possible to start this business without any investment.
2. Inventories Not Required
In all other businesses, product management is the most stressful aspect in running your business. In many cases, it is necessary to hire additional people to handle your inventory. But in the case of affiliate marketing, you are not required to maintain any inventory. All of this is done solely by the merchants. This is yet another advantage of affiliate marketing.
3. Unlimited Income
If you are a successful affiliate marketer then you can earn unlimited income. If your website has got a high page ranking then it is assured that you will get more and more sales with the passage of time. After your business is up and running well, you usually don’t need any more investment. Not like other businesses where your income is always limited and you are always required more investments to expand your business.
4. Worldwide Business
With affiliate marketing, your market is not limited to your city or even your country. In this field you have a global market. You just need to set up your website and drive traffic to it from all over the world.
5. Risk
As you know, to start marketing as an affiliate you are not required to make a big investment. This makes it a virtual risk free business. This is the reason why more and more people are engaging in this field day by day. The only risk involved in this business is your time if you are not doing it properly. If you are not equipped with proper knowledge to do this business then you may end up with nothing in hand after waiting for months.
6. 24 hours Sales
As I have said, if you choose to earn your income as an affiliate marketer, the entire world becomes your potential customers. Your business in affiliate marketing continues twenty-four hours a day. This means that yes, you are earning even when you are sleeping.
You will only enjoy all of the above benefits of affiliate marketing, if you have selected the right products, the right merchants and the right market.
Affiliate marketing has many benefits over other businesses. The main benefits are less investment requirement, 24 hours sale and unlimited sales. But not all the people can be successful in this business as it requires the patience, focus and proper knowledge of market trends. So the risks associated with this business are for those who are not well equipped with proper knowledge and training.
Discovering Ethical Work At Home Businesses
The Work at Home Nightmare
The work at home entrepreneur has many obstacles to face. Typically the notion begins as we are heading off to a disgruntled job, leaving our kids behind to face a day that we are simply fed up with. It strikes us how wonderful it would be to leave behind the work a day world and provide for our families at home. Once the notion strikes, and it tends to strike hard, we begin the exhaustive search for the perfect work at home business.
How frustrating! There are literally thousands of businesses on one single website that are promising us time and fortunes. If we want to know what they are all about, we have to fork over some hard earned cash only to discover that the business plan is out of our reach or the product is marginal, or it just simply isn’t something we can do.
I love those work at home business plans that promise success in one month. You fork over your $49.95 to find out that if you want to make any money you have to chunk down thousands of dollars in advertising, seminars, and product. They guaranteed your money back, didn’t they? Ever try to get your money back from one of those work at home business plans? You have to provide proof that you did everything they told you to do, and often a few of those things can never be proven. How do you prove you followed the script when you finally got your first prospect, if you ever get there?
In the end you do what they wanted you to do in the first place and you eat the initially cost as well as any other cost you incurred and you are still stuck with the job you resent. Unfortunately, you can spend a lifetime going through the same revolving door while trying to find a better way. Yet you refuse to give up because you know that there is an answer out there somewhere.
The Work at Home Business Plan Success
You are right. There is a work at home business plan out there that will allow you to work your way to freedom in a relatively short period of time. In fact, there are many. The work at home industry has wised up a bit and the truly competitive business will give you all the information you need to know without forking over a dime.
These particular work at home business plans have discovered that people are tired of being ripped off and lied to, and they decided to do the right thing and actually talk to people. Informed people who make a solid business decision are more likely to stick around and build their work at home business. It just makes sense. Selling people information they can’t use only runs for so long before the general work at home industry becomes wise to the scheme.
Here’s a basic work at home business plan theory. It’s completely my own but I have found that it works. Anything that comes in through your inbox will make someone money. That person needs to have a lot of start up capital and be fairly internet business savvy, but all of those programs are making someone money. I have discovered they won’t make me any money. Unless you have ample start up capital they probably won’t make you any money either.
Home based business plans that you leave the comfort of your e-mail and go out onto the web searching for are harder to determine. They might make you money but chances are that most will not. Anything that is making promises and then asking for money up front is not a good way to go. How can you be expected to buy something without knowing what it is that you are purchasing? They are giving you no information except that they made some whopping $35,000 last month and you can too if you just follow their simple instructions. If a sales person showed up at your doorstep and tried to sell you something in a brown box but wouldn’t tell you what it was, would you buy it? Of course not! Why keep sending money into these programs that are making promises without giving you any information? Because there’s a touch of desperation for the person who really wants to build a home based business lifestyle. So we talk ourselves into taking chances.
Any solid home based business will at least tell you what it is they do to make their money. Some will tell you whether they are flipping properties (by the way check your local laws if that interests you, some states or counties have critical laws that make that impossible) or if they are marketing on e-bay or if they are selling candles. Most are learning to at least let you know the product or service up front. That’s a start.
An ethical home based business will give you contact information, whether it’s just an e-mail address or you receive a full address with a phone number. Some ethical home based businesses are starting to encourage people to ask questions before making their decision. That’s a benefit for everyone.
An ethical home based business may have lead capture page where you are required to insert you name and contact information before entering their website. This is a good thing. By doing this you will receive a phone call from an actual human being who can then answer your questions and give you a feel for whether this is a business that is right for you.
I ran a little test before writing this article. We’ll call it the ethical home business test. I entered my name and phone number in forty different lead capture pages and sat back to see how many people would return my call. Within two weeks I had received thirty eight phone calls regarding my interest in an ethical home based business. Out of those thirty only one of them was unprofessional and even in fact rude to me on the phone. The other thirty seven spent the time to answer my questions and all of them gave me both the company’s contact information as well as their own.
This is important because we are typically hesitant to enter our personal information on lead capture pages. However, while I did receive follow up e-mails, I did not receive any harassing phone calls or spam related to the experiment. Some of the ethical home based businesses were out of my price range and others did not interest me. But each and every one of them was up front about advertising costs.
Advertising your home based business is vital. You will not be able to get into internet marketing without factoring at least some advertising costs. Depending on the home based business you choose, some encourage fairly high advertising costs, but some are willing to show you ways to advertise with very little out of pocket. It might take a little longer to build your home based business, but the low cost and free methods do work. Advertising your home based business should be something you can comfortably fit into your budget. You are not looking to break the bank, you are looking to find a profitable home based business.
When factoring in your advertising costs for your home based business, also factor in the assistance you will receive from whomever is introducing you to the business. Are they really in it for the long haul or are they simply making promises to you based on what you want to hear? Talk to someone several times before deciding whether or not to join their home based business.
Just because a home based business doesn’t offer contact information or charges up front doesn’t necessarily mean they are unethical, but the unethical ones definitely don’t offer any information and always charge up front. The ethical, solid home based businesses out there that are still using old methods of recruiting are slowly making the shift to better methods because they are seeing that it works well for other. For you that means better quality decisions when looking for the perfect home based business for you.
That, after all, is the whole key to this picture. Most home based businesses will work, but finding the one that will work for you is an entirely different game altogether. A little patience and research will certainly improve your odds of finding the best home based business for you and your family.
Finding the Ethical Home Based Business
Where are the honest and ethical work at home businesses? In my experience, which involves wasting thousands of dollars and years of my time just like everyone else out there, I have found several work at home businesses that are honest, ethical, affordable, and realistic. I’m not going to promote any of them here because I’m not here to influence which business you decide on. But I will tell you where to find the lot of them.
The allworkathomeguide website has some of the best and most solid information available on finding the ethical home based businesses we are talking about. There are nd articles that actually explain the entire business to you before you even click on their link. It is a solid place to start the search for the business that can change your life.