The Number One Solution For Balancing Work And Family, A Home Based Business

Today there are numerous work from home opportunities available. Many people dream of being their own boss so they can spend more time enjoying their family and children. The solution may be a home based business. Work from home opportunities can help to restore balance between work and home life.

The number of work from home opportunities can be over whelming to many as they start their search for what may be right for them. No matter how over whelming it may be one must sort through the various opportunities presented in order to decipher which opportunities are legitimate and can actually produce an income and which one’s are scams designed to only take your money.

There are choices in what type of home based business opportunity you will want to use. There are many network marketing (MLM) opportunities as well as Online Affiliate marketing plans and actual work at home jobs as an employee for a company.

Starting Your Own Business:

The choices are almost limitless and all depend on your personal interest.

Many people start an EBay Business. While it is highly competitive, money can be made from doing so. You can search the Internet and find drop shippers who allow you to sell their products under your own label and will then ship to your customers using a return label with your company name on it. Another way to start an EBay business is to buy from Flea markets and Garage sales and then add a markup and list it o EBay for sale. One last way and one I did at one time is to buy return merchandise and resale it on EBay and at Flea markets on the weekends. A simple net search for return merchandise/salvage merchandise will give you plenty of buying options. The biggest problem with selling your own merchandise, is no matter how you plan on doing it, you will have to keep items in stock. This usually means setting up a room, your garage or where ever you have space to store, repair, and pack your items. The more inventory the better. You will need lots of stock to actually profit on EBay or at your own garage sale. If investing in inventory and online sales is what you desire there is money in it for the willing.

Online paid Surveys:

There are companies all over the world who need people to take surveys of their products. The surveys help them advertise, distribute and design better products. Many companies are desperate to understand how you think and shop and what motivates you to buy their products because it helps companies improve their products and advertising, they in turn then pay YOU good money for your opinion. Online surveys can be fun, and exhilarating, and, they can make you money from home giving you more of the precious time you need with your family.

Affiliate Marketing:

Affiliate marketing is simply being paid to promote other peoples products. When a sale is made from your affiliate web site you make a commission from the sale. But it doesn’t stop there. Not only do you sell products you build a residual income by signing others under you as an affiliate of your programs. As they make sales you get a percentage. It is actually one of my preferred work from home opportunities because there is no inventory to stock, all sales are made online. You simply promote a product. Affiliate marketing has become a significant force in how commerce on the web occurs. Thousands of merchants now use affiliate marketing to get business done. Affiliate marketing is simply connecting buyers and sellers and paying those people who facilitate the connections. It is all done from the comfort of your home using your personal computer. Many people are now making a significant income with Affiliate Marketing.

Network Marketing:

Network marketing has been described as the “Greatest opportunity for ordinary people to make an extraordinary income”. There are many advantages in both life and financial aspects in Network marketing. First off, it allows you to build a significant life changing income and more importantly it allows you to build it at your own pace. Unlike the Corporate world where employees are burdened with deadlines and quotas you set your own pace, work it as little or as much as you like. Many Network marketing companies design their individual growth plan around working 2 hours a day in the comfort of home. But that’s not a demand. Many people work their business just a couple hours a week while others work it far more. The beauty of it is the companies put no demands on you and whether or not you are successful, if you work it 50 hours a week or just a couple they will continue to invest in you no matter your success level.

The tools you need for success will be provided for you, such as online business presentations, video and written script, a promotional web page tagged with your business ID, telephone scripts you can use when calling a contact you may not know, marketing programs and many more all designed so you can promote your business and make a living from home.

Another benefit is no experience needed. Legitimate Network Marketing companies will provide online training through video presentations and one on one mentoring with those who have already gained a level of success. Virtual training is a major player in the Network marketing world allowing you to learn at your own pace. The only requirement you need is to be teachable. Approaching your new business venture with an open mind and willingness to apply what is taught is the number one factor in having a successful Network Marketing business. The truly great part is anyone can do it if you are willing to learn.

There are many other types of work from home jobs available such as Data Entry, Day Care, Medical Transcriptionist, etc... But few that offer the freedom and financial gain of Affiliate Marketing and Network Marketing work from home opportunities.

The Number One Reason For Business Failure!

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door."

But when you're starting your own business, there's no guarantee that your "mousetrap" is going to survive, especially in today's fast-paced business world.

Nearly half of all small businesses fail within the first two years of operation. The number one reason for business failure is inadequate planning. The second reason is under-capitalization.

So before you mortgage your house, or go into debt financing your business, you need to know if your business is going to do more than survive -- you want to know if it's good enough to thrive! Here are three things successful businesses that have stayed in business for five years or longer have in common:

1. The idea. A successful business start-up always starts with an idea. Something that makes your business stand out from all the rest. So how do you know if you've got a good idea?

You've probably got a good idea if you can answer yes to any of the following questions: Does your idea provide the solution to a significant problem for your target market? Does it satisfy a need or want? Does it create an opportunity?

The most successful businesses either fix problems (either real or perceived), or they increase your customer's pleasure. They create a repeat need for a product or service among the target market.

2. The market. Your chances of survival are better if you can answer the following questions with a yes: Is there already a market for your product or service? (It's much easier to fill a need than trying to create an entirely new market.) Can your target market afford to buy your products or services? (If they can't afford it, it doesn't matter how great it is, you won't sell any!) Will your target market perceive your product or service as valuable? (If they want it, but don't think it's worth what you're selling it for, you won't make any sales.)

3. Your ability. Do you have the people, the resources and the knowledge to be able to consistently provide your products or services to your target market? Can you maintain a competitive advantage? Do you have enough manpower? Can you purchase the supplies and materials you need over the long run?

Your first step always is to create a solid business plan. Your business plan is more than an essay on "Why I deserve to get funding for my idea" however. Don't spend all the time creating a business plan and then toss it in the bottom drawer of your desk. Your business plan should be a living, breathing roadmap that helps you make sure you're on course and reaching the goals that you set for your business.

The second step to business survival is getting enough financing. Although the term "bootstrap entrepreneur" describes most small business owners, having enough capital to be able to keep your business afloat is vital to your survival.

When you're creating your financial analysis of your business, make sure you're being realistic about costs and expenditures, so that you give yourself the cushion you need to succeed.

If finding financing is a problem, either because you don't have enough credit or equity, or there are other problems, take the time to look into the resources that are available in your community. There are a wide variety of grants and loans (including microloans) for entrepreneurs, if you know where to look.

Some great resources will be:
-The Small Business Administration
-Local Small Business Development Centers
-Women's Organizations
-Local University or Community College
-Chamber of Commerce
-SCORE (The Association for Retired Executives)
-Nonprofit organizations that work on economic development in your area

Use other successful business models as a guide. When you're getting started, look around. What businesses are successful? Why? What is it they're doing that is working? What attributes do you admire, and why? You stand a better chance of succeeding if you're modeling someone who is already successful.

Find a mentor. Most entrepreneurs have great skills and abilities, but no one does everything well. You probably already know what your strengths and weaknesses are. (If not, there are many resources and tools that can help you figure it out!) Rather than ignoring your weaknesses, find a mentor who can help you either build your skills in your weaker areas, or offer advice for getting what you need.

If you take the time to plan to succeed, you could be creating a legacy that will be enjoyed by future generations, and that other entrepreneurs will look at as a model for building their own businesses.

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...

Different Telephone Number Options For UK Business

As a UK business owner, before you choose any telephone option, you want to make sure you have all the facts about different telephone number options for UK business owners. The good news is that you have many different options available to you, which means more choices and more chances to save money for your business. After all, you are in business to make money, not necessarily spend a great deal of it.

What different telephone number options for UK business owners do you have?

Freephone Telephone Numbers:

These types of phone numbers are generally 0808 or 0800 telephone numbers. This means that it is free for your customers to call you, but not free for your business. Some of the benefits of this type of phone number is that your customers will be more likely to respond to advertisement. They will also feel like you are a business that really wants them as a customer. Furthermore, it has proven to be a great advertisement tool for many UK businesses.

The down side to freephone numbers is that your business is responsible for the costs. For each minute your customer is on the telephone, your business is charged.

Local Rate Telephone Numbers:

This is one of many different telephone number options for UK business owners, that offers long distance customers the ability to call the company and receive lower rates than traditional long distance calls.

This type of plan offers encouragement for phone calls and is flexible in its routing options. The down side to this type of plan is that it generally requires a large connection charge per routing option and a rental charge each quarter, along with other traditional charges.

National Telephone Numbers:

This type of plan allows UK businesses to maximize on their potential income. This type of number, which is generally an 0871 or 0870 number, requires callers to pay special rates when they call the number.

The benefits of national numbers include customer loyalty, a potential to increase income for your business, and take advantage of routing options. The downside is that many customers don't want to pay to call these types of phone numbers.

VOIP Telephones:

VOIP phones are phones that run directly off of your broadband internet. This is a great way to take advantage of two services at once. This type of phone also operates with a traditional telephone and works in the same way, except that it runs off of your internet connection.

Benefits of VOIP is that it can be a cheaper option than other different telephone number options for UK business owners. It also helps you combine two services in one bill. Furthermore, it is easy to install and to get started.

Some disadvantages of VOIP phone include the fact that if the electricity goes out, it is highly likely the VOIP phone features will not work.

Overall, these are great different telephone number options for UK business owners, you just have to choose the right one for your specific business, its budget, and its needs.

How To Get An 800 Number For Your Business

In today’s world of cell phones and digital media, many business owners – particularly small business owners – no longer consider an 800 number a necessity to running a successful business. After all, many cell phone plans offer free long distance; and in any case, many customers choose to get in touch for free via email.

Having an 800 number can still benefit a business immensely, however. Although a toll-free number is no longer a necessity for allowing customers to get in touch with you, it definitely makes your business appear more credible. A small business without a toll-free number gives an impression of being run out of someone’s garage – whereas when customers see an 800 number, they imagine a brick-and-mortar business with a storefront, dedicated phone lines, and phone book ads.

Whether or not your business fits the latter example, it is obviously in your best interests to give your customers the impression that it does. Getting an 800 number can be a little intimidating, but it isn’t as difficult as you might think. Here is what you need to know in order to get a toll-free number for your business.

How Does an 800 Number Work?

Years ago, the expense of setting up a toll-free number prevented many small and mid-size businesses from getting their own 800 numbers. Even today, most people think of a toll-free number as unattainable for most small businesses – which is probably why it impresses customers so much. On the contrary, though, an 800 number is relatively easy to acquire – in most cases, all you need is an existing phone, even a cell phone.

Toll-Free Forwarding Versus a Dedicated Line

For the typical small or mid-sized business, the toll-free service provider simply forwards calls to the designated number. Depending on your business setup, that could be your office phone, your home line, or even a cell phone. Some providers will even forward the call to multiple lines at once, allowing you to answer the call wherever you are at the time.

Businesses with higher volumes of incoming calls might want to consider a designated line instead. Basically, you will need to have a new phone line installed, which will be used solely for incoming toll-free calls. Although you will need to pay for the installation and setup, you will get a better per-minute rate on incoming calls, which will more than make up for the initial expense.

The Toll-Free Prefix

It used to be that an 800 number was the only kind of toll-free number. However, as these numbers became more popular for businesses, other prefixes were added in order to increase availability. The benefit is that if an 800 number you want – such as one that is similar to your local number, or one that spells something out – is already taken, you can get it using another toll-free prefix.

The prefixes for toll-free numbers are:

• 800

• 888

• 877

• 866

Finding a Toll-Free Service Provider

There are many toll-free service providers to choose from: the big, well-known providers such as AT&T and MCI, as well as many smaller providers. Contrary to common belief, large providers cannot offer you a greater choice of numbers. Although each provider typically has a pool of available numbers under their name, you can choose any toll-free number that is not already in use. Since the availability of numbers is the same for every provider, you are free to choose your provider according to the rates and features they can offer.

Finding the Best Rates

Rates can vary widely between toll-free service providers. Although many people believe that large service providers will be able to offer the best rates, in fact the opposite is often true. Your best bet is to shop around, comparing the rates and features offered by different providers.

There are two basic types of rates you will need to compare:

•Monthly rates – Most toll-free service providers will charge you a base fee every month, regardless of whether you receive any incoming calls. Monthly fees may be as much as $20, or you may not need to pay any at all.

•Per-minute rates – On top of the monthly fees, you will need to consider how much you are charged per minute for incoming calls. In general, these rates range from 7 cents to 30 cents per minute, although smaller businesses will pay more per minute than those that receive a higher volume of calls. You should also compare billing increments between plans – the smaller the increment, the better – and avoid plans that require you to meet a minimum number of minutes every month.

Deciding What Features You Want

There are a number of features available for toll-free numbers. You will need to decide which features you would like to have, and then compare the availability and price of these features between different providers.

Some of the features offered on 800 numbers include:

• Call blocking – Block callers who fall outside your coverage (and would therefore cost you more than other callers), such as calls originating from pay phones.

• Account codes – By requiring employees and/or customers to enter an access code, you can ensure that only authorized callers get through.

• ANI – Just like caller ID on your home line, ANI tells you who is calling. This feature can also be set up to display the caller’s information on a computer.

• Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS) – If you have more than one 800 number, DNIS lets you know which number was called. This is particularly useful if you are running multiple marketing campaigns, and would like to know which is the most successful.

Choosing a Toll-Free Number

As already noted, your choice of a toll-free service provider will not limit the variety of 800 numbers available to you. You can either choose a number from the provider’s pool, or a “vanity number.”

Choosing from the Provider’s Pool

Service providers generally have a pool of toll-free numbers that have been set aside for them. Because these numbers are already in the provider’s system, your 800 number can be set up much more quickly than if you choose a number from outside the provider’s pool.

Selecting a Vanity Number

A toll-free number that you choose yourself, either because it is similar to your office number or because the corresponding letters spell out something memorable, is known as a vanity number. As long as the number is not being used by another business, you will be able to claim it. However, if it is not already in your provider’s pool of numbers, you will need to wait about a week for the number to be transferred and your account to be activated. The good news is that once you have claimed an 800 number, it is yours: Even if you decide to change providers, you can take your number with you.

Using Your Toll-Free Number

Once you have selected an 800 number and a provider, you need only to wait for your account to be set up. Before you start giving your toll-free number out to customers, you should test it with the help of family and friends in various locations. After you have ensured that the number works and the sound quality is acceptable, you are ready to benefit from the added credibility an 800 number gives to your business!

5 Easy Ways to Increase Your Business Using a Toll-Free Number

Toll-free numbers allow customers to contact your business without them having to pay for their call. Studies have shown that consumers are more likely to call a business with a toll-free number than those who only have a long-distance number, and 90% of Americans say that they use toll-free numbers. By following these five easy steps, you can discover for yourself how a toll-number can help your business grow.

1. Expand your market. Toll-free numbers allow you to use the same number for receiving local toll and state-to-state calls. This gives you the opportunity to market your business nationwide. Even if you don't provide service in certain areas, toll-free numbers have the flexibility to block calls from those areas.

2. Advertise your number. Toll-free numbers lend an air of legitimacy and professionalism to your business. By using a toll-free number, your business may appear larger and more established to the consumer which will make him/her trust you more.

3. Initiate a direct response mechanism for impulse buyers. By allowing your customers an avenue to immediately react to your company's efforts calling for their action, this prompts significant increases in phone orders. It has been found that these buyers generally order more merchandise and higher ticket items nearly every time they call.

4. Qualify your buyers. Toll-free numbers enable your business to use time more efficiently and effectively. With a toll-free number, you know that someone who has called your business is already interested in what you have to offer. You spend less time trying to find interested prospects and let the number find them for you.

5. Analyze your call detail. Toll-free numbers allow you to track calls and access all of a call's details such as the number, time, date and duration of every call. This information cannot be blocked and is an excellent tool for generating leads which can lead to more sales.