There are a lot of factors to consider when starting a business. Primary among these are the three “P”s – Plan, Prepare and Persist.
Plan
After you have selected some ideas from your brainstorming to base your business around, create a plan of attack. List what you'll need before your business starts. What will your ongoing expenses be? Factors include rent, utilities, permits, licensing, legal fees, inventory, staff, design, marketing collateral, mailing lists, software, advertising and more. Get as much as you can out on paper and set deadlines to get things accomplished. This will allow you to evaluate your pace.
Prepare
Once you have a plan, carry it out. Preparing to start a business can be a lot of work. Tasks include getting an identity designed, creating business cards, brochures, web sites and other marketing material, consulting with CPA's, lawyers, and HR professionals, in some cases finding and renting or buying a storefront or office, furnishing the business space, getting utilities in place, receiving and organizing inventory, getting a database for your customers and leads and any number of other tasks. By running a home business, some of these steps will already be taken care of, yet opening a business of any kind can be an enormous task. While planning your business make sure to leave plenty of time to get up and running. Better to plan your setup time too long than too short and finding yourself running out of money.
Persist
This is the most important step of running a business. Without persistence, you won't even be able to finish your business plan. Hang on like a pit-bull. When the going gets tough, get tougher. Have worst case scenario plans to fall back on, as well as best case scenario plans.
Some businesses become over-night successes, while other take year to develop. If you plan, prepare and persist, you’ve got a very good chance of making it.
Starting A Business – The Three 'Ps'
Why Work At Home? Questions to Ask Yourself Before Starting A Home-Based Business
Home-based businesses are the trend of the future. An increasing number of men and women are now opting to work at the comfort of their homes. Many of them are tired of office politics and being forced to give up their weekend for the good of the company. They are rediscovering the benefits of working at home. A home-based business is a great chance for many people, especially parents of growing kids, to strike a balance between career and family. An apparent advantage that a home-based business has over a traditional job is the freedom from the daily commute to office.
Moreover, technological innovations in the past decades have created an unprecedented environment for home-based businesses. Transactions are being made over the Internet everyday, with huge profits and hundreds of thousands of niches to be tapped into. Working from home is now viewed by many as their ticket to realizing their full potentials. The amount of money you could earn online is proportional to your own performance, without waiting for the boss to give you a raise or promotion. Whether your home-based business provides you with the sole means of support or just generates another income stream, its earning potential relies on your self-motivation and dedication to build momentum for it.
The financial benefits of working at home seem to be very attractive. However, starting a home-based business is not for everyone. If creating a successful home business is easy, everybody would be doing it. Before you jump at the chance of starting your business, ask yourself if you're willing to make the sacrifices to make your dream come true. To be more specific, ask yourself if you're the right type of person for a home-based business.
Having a home-based business means you're the boss. You're totally responsible for the success or failure of your own business. Are you able to work independently? Do you have the patience and perseverance with which you can overcome hardship and lead your business to full bloom? Are you excited about learning new things everyday? You need to equip yourself with necessary skills and knowledge to stay ahead of the competition. An important factor that determines the fate of any home-based business is consistent promotion. Do you have the drive to push yourself to make marketing plans and follow them on a daily basis? If your answers to these questions are positive, then congratulations and welcome on board.
I used to get negative comments from people when I shared with them my own business. They often labeled what I'm doing as a scam. The fear factor always holds people back and prevents them from starting a home-based business. They are so afraid of failure that they're reluctant to give it a try. To some extent, they envy those people who took action and have a home-based business. This is something they dream of but can't achieve. I'm sure you'll get derogatory remarks from time to time like I did. And my view is: follow your heart and do what’s interesting to you. You'll find a business that suits your needs because there are unlimited opportunities out there. Stay focused with whatever you're doing. Your success is the best revenge for their cutting words.
5 Lessons Your Kids Will Learn By Starting A Business
Kids need to be kids and enjoy their time as children. But, at the same time, as they get older, they also need to learn to make money and function in our society as responsible adults.
Oftentimes, they get a job at a Burger Joint, where they learn how to listen to a boss, and how to work with others, but then they may also have to give up some extracurricular activities, study time and time with family. Not terrible things, but enough of a challenge that many families are helping their kids start their own businesses.
Why? Let’s compare the lessons your kid is learning working at a burger joint verses starting a business.
1. Responsibility.
Burger Joint: Yes, it teaches responsibility. You need to show up for work and do a good job or your boss and co-workers will get mad at you.
Entrepreneur: Teaches you responsibility as well. You need to work hard or you won’t get paid.
2. The Value of a Dollar
Burger Joint: You learn that time is money.
Entrepreneur: You learn that creativity, ownership of responsibility and hard work is money.
3. How to Market Yourself
Burger Joint: Teaches you how to fill out an application and go on an interview to market yourself. You do this once and then you’re done.
Entrepreneur: You have to market yourself and your business on an ongoing basis if you want to make any money.
4. Customer Service
Burger Joint: Service with a smile or your boss may reprimand you.
Entrepreneur: Service with a smile or you don’t get repeat business and your income drops.
5. Banking Skills
Burger Joint: You learn how to collect a paycheck and how to deposit it into the bank.
Entrepreneur: You learn how to budget for advertising costs, taxes, and expenses and weigh them against your profits. You learn to deposit your income into the bank and write checks to cover expenses. You learn how business works.
As you can see, both options have benefits. As for which option you’ll choose? That’s up to you and your child.
The Biggest Mistakes That People Make When Starting A Home Business...
When you're starting a home business, it's all too easy to make mistakes -- after all, you've never done this before. Fortunately for you, though, you can learn from others' errors, by making sure you don't do any of these things.
Thinking Skills You Don't Have Aren't Important.
So you have no idea how to keep records and accounts, or you don't know how to maintain a mailing list. You need to learn these things! Too many home business owners just do the things that they know how to do, and assume that they can probably get by without everything else.
You need to realise that when you're running a home business, you're going to need to do as much as you can for yourself, especially when you're starting out. This means that you can't get by if your business skills are lacking. I always say that everyone who is thinking of starting a business should take an inexpensive and quick local business course, and I stand by it -- even if you think you'll be fine, it can't hurt, can it?
Not Managing Your Time.
When you're used to working nine to five, an easy trap to fall into is not managing your time effectively. Your home is full of distractions, and there won't be anyone there to tell you to get on with it. If you're prone to daydreaming or procrastinating then this can be disastrous -- whole days can go by with only tiny amounts of work getting done.
You need to be sure that you have a schedule, and you stick to it. Draw a clear line between work and non-work time, and don't cross the line in either direction. Apart from that, the word to remember is 'prioritise': appreciate that you won't always be able to do everything, but make sure you get at least the important things done.
Making Clients Think You're a Joke.
There are many home businesses where clients might need to visit your home -- but make sure it's fit for visiting! You can't lead them into a messy office, or be holding your dog back from barking at them when you first meet. Remember that professionalism is important, and it's too easy to end up looking silly if you don't plan how you're going to make a good impression when you invite people to your home.
If you can't afford a 'business annex' to your house, then consider hiring someone to look after your dog or children for a few hours while you have a business meeting there. It might also be worth paying a cleaner to give the place a quick once-over, if you haven't had time to clean up for a while.
Not Specialising.
Too many home businesses, when asked who their target market is, say 'well everyone, silly'. Your target market is never everyone -- if it is, you will fail. You can't just choose an industry and advertise your new-found profession to everyone, in the hope that someone will work out that the fact you're an electrician means maybe they should ask you about re-wiring their house.
The key to success is this: think about what you can do, and then market that to people who will want it. Advertise in places where these people are. If your business has no target market, then you have no business, period.
Making Start-Up Costs Too High.
Finally, too many people overestimate how much money it's going to take to start a home business. Do you really all brand-new equipment? If you're spending thousands of dollars before you've made any sales at all, you're setting yourself up for a disappointment.
Start your business on a shoestring, work hard, and expand gradually -- otherwise you're setting yourself up for a big fall. However much you might think you ought to do things 'properly', you need to make sure that you're minimising costs and maximising profit every step of the way, otherwise you're failing yourself as a home business owner. It's when you start to get some bigger clients and better cashflow that you can start paying a little extra to make your business life more comfortable.
5 Top Things Baby Boomers Must Do Before Starting a Home Based Business
5 Top Things Baby Boomers Must Do Before Starting a Home Business
Don't quit your day job just yet.If you are a baby boomer looking to start a home business, there are 5 essentials things you must do first.
Leaving the security of a job with an established 401(k) plan, health insurance or other benefits can create a real tug of war for baby boomers who want to pursue their dreams of owning their own business.
Analyze Your Exit Strategy
At the time of this writing, the youngest of the baby boomers are turning 42 and the oldest are turning 60. No matter where you fall into this group, analyzing and preparing your exit strategy from your job will be crucial to your long-term success as a home business entrepreneur. Do you have adequate savings? If you're married, will you be able to participate in your spouse's health insurance?
Create a Financial Plan
How much is your salary now? What are your fixed, variable and frivilous expenses? Creating a solid plan so that you and your family will know exactly what the financial picture will be until your business gets off the ground and starts generating revenue.
Choosing a Business Model and Legal Entity
There are several business models to choose from; home party plans, consulting, and affiliate marketing to name a few. You have to make the decision based on your personality and what you are best-suited for. Choosing a legal entity for your business should be discussed with a tax accountant or your attorney. Options are sole proprietor, LLC or Subchapter S- Corp.
Set Business Benchmarks
You wouldn't travel across the country without a road map, your business is the same. Setting financial and business-building benchmarks will help you to create a focused plan that will help you to reach your success.
Get a Physical
What does getting a physical have to do with your business? Once you leave your job, most likely your health insurance will change and as unfair as it may be, trying to get new health insurance when in your 40's, 50's or 60's can be difficult. While pursuing your dreams of a home business is something you are probably very passionate about, if you do not have good health to enjoy the rewards of your efforts, then not much else is important.
The baby boomer generation is like no other before it or after it. Technically, we are considered middle-aged, but we are anything but middle-aged in mind, body and spirit. We know there is more meaning to life than a commute to an unrewarding 9-5 job, but there are also important steps we must take first. Planning and preparing for your home business now will lead to less headache's later on.
Staying Sane While Starting A Home Business
Starting a new business can be a harried experience. There are a myriad of decisions to be made, the budget needs stretched, the new secretary quits before the end of the first week: the struggles are endless. When starting a business from your home, you can add a slew of unique challenges to the list. Being aware of the potential pitfalls, and preparing for them can provide a way of preserving your sanity.
Friends and family members frequently assume that if you are home, you are available. Nothing can set your work back hours, faster than an unplanned visit from your mother. Setting clear boundaries regarding your schedule and availability for phone calls and visits can prevent misunderstandings early on in the life of your business.
If you are choosing to keep your small children home with you while you work, that carefully planned schedule can quickly become fodder for your three year old. Getting up early is often the best way to increase your productivity while those little angels are still slumbering away.
Having a contingency plan for days when the work load requires more attention than usual is an excellent way to head off disasters before they happen. Find local babysitters who are willing to come to your home to help out when needed. Recruit friends and family to provide occasional entertainment for short periods of time to allow you to work without interruptions. Anything that helps you keep focused is a good investment in preserving your sanity.
Running a business from your home has a few perks, especially at tax time. Consulting with a tax expert or accountant early on will arm you with the knowledge necessary to save you time and money when filing your first year’s business taxes.
Finding service providers that are both competent and trustworthy is a lesson in perseverance. The business directories, internet advertisements and even newspaper ads are clogged with scams and incapable providers. Seeking the advice of a seasoned home business veteran can be your salvation. Word of mouth will reveal strengths and problems with service providers.
If you find that you have chosen poorly and end up with a full sized, ten year old copier in your den instead of that sleek, all-in-one model with all the bells and whistles that you paid for, don’t despair. Don’t back down either. You can explain your dissatisfaction firmly and politely while explaining that the services were not acceptable. If after bringing the blunder to the business’ attention, you are still left feeling cold, you can report the offender to the Better Business Bureau: and call for legal advice.
Using good old common sense, a little street smarts and a lot of charm and honesty will help your achieve your business goals, while allowing you to keep your sanity and your home life intact.
Duh Idiot’s Guide to Starting a Home Business
“Starting a Home Business”…”Work from Home”…“Be a Work at Home Mom”…”Make Millions Working From Home” I CAN’T TAKE IT ANY MORE!!!!!
So why does everyone want to work from home?? I’ll tell you why, because working 9 to 5 SUCKS!!
Hey don’t listen to me, here are the stats: According to The MicroEnterprise Journal “In the last 25 years, self-employment has grown by almost 300%, fueled by waning employee loyalty and growing worker dissatisfaction.” And the US Census Bureau reports that “90% percent of all U.S. businesses employ between ZERO and FOUR workers, making this the fastest growing segment of the business community.” See I told you!
Everywhere you look on the Internet we’re bombarded with sites peddling “work at home” opportunities. The stats prove it, we’re all looking to get out of the 9 to 5 rat race. The biggest problem is that MOST of the so called “work-at-home” related websites are so bogged down with clutter, fluff and double talk that you’d have to be a friggin robot to find and process the information you need in order to understand what the heck to do.
So where can an Idiot like me get the information I need contained in a simple, concise format that’s easy to understand and follow? Well nowhere really. That’s why I wrote this article and condensed the whole process down into 5 Summarized Steps, so that maybe other Idiot’s like me will have a fighting chance in hell to get out of the “Rat Race”.
Idiot Step 1:
SELECTING a business – simple enough right…wrong. Questions to ask yourself: What do I like to do? What will make money? What is available? Can I make Money?
These are tough questions. These days, most people are scouring ways to make money on the Internet. If considering a TV or Internet program, do as much independent research as possible on the program you’re interested in and find something that fits your personality so that you will excel no matter what.
Whatever you do use common sense and don't allow desperation to influence your decisions.
Start-Up Nation - www.startupnation.com offers SOUND advice and has tons of RELIABLE resources for selecting a home business.
Idiot Step 2:
PLANNING your business. You will have to have some “form” of a business plan before you get started with a home business. Even if you are the only one that will ever read it, you should definitely put a plan together on paper.
An informal business plan should contain a start-up budget (money you need to get to the point of doing business) and an operating budget (money you need on a weekly basis just to keep doing business).
Be certain to include all overhead expenses and be sure to include a budget for advertising. Also you should note any significant milestones you hope to achieve and list your financial goals in a time-line fashion.
Idiot Step 3:
FUNDING your home business. Every business has start-up costs and your new home-based business will be no different. As the old saying goes “You need money to make money”. So where do you get the money you need to start?
The simplest way for home business owners to get the money they need is from the principal owner’s own pockets…that means YOU! Like myself, many work at home entrepreneurs simply use their own savings to fund their businesses, using money from personal resources such as…
· Savings
· Personal Investments
· Credit Card Advance
· Sale of Assets
· Second Mortgage Loan
…are all ways to finance a small business start-up using your own funds.
The alternative to funding it yourself is to apply for a small business loan. The biggest issue there is that unless you have sufficient collateral, or any related experience in your field of business, you may not qualify for this type of loan.
The Small Business Administration - www.sba.gov has a TON of information and resources for start-up businesses. It contains valuable info on locating financing and it contains several links to other business resources, planning tools and calculators.
Idiot Step 4:
STARTING your home business. Once you’ve chosen your great new home business, and have got your starting cash in reserve, it’s time to get you up and running. But before you do, you will have to do some preliminary work just to get to the point where you can actually start operating.
Two-thirds of all small business are solo operations. Therefore, when you’re a “one-man band”, you must wear different hats and assume several roles as the “head” of various departments.
You’re the CEO, sales manager, director of marketing, director of finance, the shipping clerk, receptionist, the janitor…you get the drift Fonzi?
Because of your heavy load, you need quality office equipment, supplies, software and business services to keep you, I mean your “departments”, running smoothly and at peak efficiency.
Choose the right office equipment and machines that will keep you operating at peek efficiency.
Idiot Step 5:
MARKETING your home business. Now that you’ve got your business funded and operational you will need to implement a marketing and advertising campaign so that you can start attracting customers and finally start making some money.
This isn’t “Field of Dreams”. If you build it, that doesn’t mean they will come.
In order to draw customers to your business, you MUST do some form of repeated advertising, and you should definitely have a plan in place so that you can budget it into your overall Business Plan when you first start.
A good place to start is by reading Jay Conrad Levinson’s series of Guerilla Marketing books. This is standard reading for any small business entrepreneur. You can learn some very useful and basic techniques that will help you form a great and inexpensive plan.
Everything contained here was condensed to fit into a short article format. Obviously there’s a bit more to it. But if this Idiot' can do it, so can you.
Just don't be intimidated. Start off really, really small, maybe just part-time to start. Take one step at a time. But whatever you do, just get off your keister and get started!
“U can do it…just dive into it”
Duh Idiot’s Home Biz Start-Up Guide™
© 2005 A Covert Operations, Ltd
www.starting-a-home-business.org
7 Secrets To Starting A Home Based Business
So, you've decided to start a home based business. Congratulations, and welcome to the high energy world of entrepreneurship. I have owned and operated my own home based business since 1994. While is takes some time to learn, one of the fastest ways is to role model someone who is achieving their goals. I learned fast that having a success coach or mentor will help you succeed at much faster pace. One of the biggest thrills of owning your own business is the flexibility of your work time, deciding when to work, go to the beach or spend time with your family. The financial rewards can be numerous. The nice thing about owning your own business is you get paid what you are worth.
Now that you've decided to start your own business, you might be thinking "How can I become successful, what does it take and what do I have to do?" These seven secrets will help:
1) set up a separate working area in your home. All you need is an area that you can maintain your focus in and get your work done. I remember a person whose home based business was doing 7 figures a year say to me,” Ron when I work I work, but when it’s time for family time it’s time for family time, you have to separate the two.”
2) Set Goals that you want to achieve in the coming year. Make your goals crystal clear, put them up on the wall, and set annual, quarterly and monthly goals. The clearer your goals are the better chance you have of achieving them. Put up a Vision Board in your home office, look at it everyday and see yourself accomplishing your goal.
3) Your third step is marketing. Decide who your target market is, what is the best way to reach them. Determine the best way to attract your target market. Who is your ideal client? Invest at least a week and go to your local library and read some books on marketing to see what the experts are doing. I myself invest in one marketing book at month to keep up to date on current marketing trends.
4) Time management is crucial to the success of your home based business. We all have 24 hours in a day but how you invest them will determine your success at the end of the year. A good thought is to work on your top priorities when you are the freshest, so you accomplish the most towards your goal.
5) Network with other like minded people. One of the fastest ways to grow any business is to promote Joint ventures with people who can introduce you to your best clients. I’ll never forget one of my first joint ventures that resulted in a 6 figure income in 90 days, the feeling and financial rewards are what make owning your own business exciting.
6) Look the part. If you want to be treated professionally, act like a professional. Set up a separate bank account for your business. Have a dedicated phone line and fax line for business. Outsource the creation of your marketing materials so your business has that high tech look.
7) Automation is the key. Learn how to become a prospecting machine. The number one things most successful home based business has are good high quality leads. Have automatic systems in place to help you identify and attract your ideal client. Target marketing is where your profits are at. Focus on adding value to the life of your clients and you will be reward handsomely.
These seven secrets will jump start your home based business in a hurry.
Pitfalls To Avoid When Starting Your Affiliate Marketing Business
Well, you have left that awful job and now are working for yourself. You have jumped on board your new venture which is affiliate marketing. You’re incredibly excited and are working all the hours God sends to make this venture a success. You checking up and monitoring your site and you see that sales are going quite well. Many of the strategies and things that you put in place have helped your affiliate company sell quite a bit. The end of the month finally arrives and you’re waiting for that first large payment. When you check your account you are slightly disappointed. You did make some money but according to your calculations you should have had more. You check your sales figures again and decide to contact the company. They inform you that some of the items sold were returned so those had to be deducted from your commission.
This is disappointing but it does happen. Companies do not pay out commission on returned goods. You need to be aware of this to avoid fall into further pitfalls. No one would expect to be paid a commission on a returned item however; some less than honest affiliate marketing companies can use this to scam some of your profits. You need to make sure you understand their return policy and how it will affect the amount that you are paid.
A return occurs of course when a customer brings an item back. Charge backs can also happen when they dispute an amount on a credit card. Be sure you keep a close watch on which items are being chargeback or returned. See if there are any patterns that are obvious. If you notice that the orders that are charged back are always very high ticket orders then they could be giving you false information. They are doing this to keep you commission down and keep some for themselves. Keep a close eye on returns especially if you think it is happening a little too often.
Charge backs are also indicative of another more serious problem. If you notice that many of these charge backs are happening during an initial trial period, or the money back guarantee time, then there could be further problems. This is a sign that the product or service that you are promoting isn’t up to customer satisfaction. It could be misleading or just poor quality. However, it will effect your commission and your future as an affiliate marketer. If this seems like it is happening a little too often then again, there are problems somewhere in the company. Look to get out and make alternative arrangements.
You also need to be aware of which items are actually commissionable. Make sure you understand which products you will be earning money from to avoid disappointment later. Sometimes the company will offer a selection of products to put on your site, however only certain items may be commissionable. Before agreeing to anything like this checks your terms and conditions carefully.
Finally, you also need to make sure that items that are sold don’t have any other conditions attached. Some will only pay a commission if the customer fills in the payment details immediately. If they select an item and continue to shop, you may not receive any commission on that item. You can also loose commission if the customer clicks on any other links before completing the order. If they order 30 of an item you promoting but click on something else then you have lost out on quite a large amount of commission.
Affiliate marketing is a great way to earn money. However, before jumping in head first you need to read your terms and conditions carefully. It may be worth having an attorney look them over for you. You need to be aware of the many pitfall people fall into when they go into affiliate marketing. Read and understand your terms to avoid disappointment later.
Top Five Tips For Starting A Virtual Business
Are you a virtual worker or thinking of becoming one? If you are, you're not alone. There's been a rise in virtual workers of 800 percent in just the past five years (Nemertes Research 2005). A big reason for this dramatic increase is that it's a great way to start a company, especially if you can work from a home office or out in the field.
With that in mind, a team of experts at Hewlett-Packard came up with these five tips on how to successfully operate a business from your home.
Tip #1: Make sure your business can operate "virtually." Are you meeting with contacts at your place of business or theirs? Do you spend most of your time outside the office?
• Good candidates for a virtual business include architects, interior designers, homebuilders, computer professionals, accountants and other service professionals whose work is actually conducted in other people's homes or businesses-ranging from cleaning services to home repair.
Tip #2: Consider your personality. Are you a self-starter or do you need inspiration from others to get things done? Do you prefer quiet time to work or do you thrive around other people who can provide reinforcement and support? Are your management skills suited for a phone-based relationship with your remote team?
Tip #3: Hire the right people. Do you have trustworthy employees who can get the job done, even if they are not physically in the same office? How much of their work is actually done outside the office? Do you have access to a mature talent pool of potential employees if you are just starting out or planning to expand?
Tip #4: Leverage technology. Go wireless and take security to heart. Do you have the technology in place to support a virtual business or a good technology advisor who can help wire your business for success? Have you considered streamlining your office with an all-in-one fax-printer-copier, notebooks, PDAs and a wireless LAN network? Fight security threats with anti-virus, vulnerability and business protection solutions to protect your data and secure your networked PCs. For added security, think about connecting through a wireless virtual private network (VPN) and watch your productivity expand. Did you know that with Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) you can place a call anywhere in the world from an Internet connection without incurring long-distance fees? Even away from the home office, your employees can tap into WiFi networks at Internet cafes. Thanks to technology, many virtual companies have the face of a traditional company-yet operate with lower overhead and greater flexibility to stay competitive.
Tip #5: Create an online storefront and take advantage of e-commerce. An online presence can give your business the appearance of a traditional brick-and-mortar company. Small companies can grow into larger companies with an effective virtual business strategy.
Easy Marketing Strategies When You’re Starting A Business
Starting a business can be a very rewarding venture, but you need to take the right steps to market and promote your business to ensure success for the long run. Your online or home based business will only survive the competition with a cohesive marketing strategy that you can implement effectively month after month. Without the right plan, you can end up wasting money and losing out on some great opportunities to attract customers and make a profit. The beginning and launch stages of your online business are often the most critical to your growth, and you need an effective marketing strategy to make it through the startup challenges. Here are some easy marketing strategies to get your business going with a strong start:
Starting a Business with an Attractive Website
Building an attractive website is important because it will introduce your customers to your products and services. Making sure the website is easy to navigate and browse is essential; you’ll need to develop quality content and use relevant images to encourage your visitors to stay and explore. Remember that the longer your visitors stay on the site, the higher the chances that they’ll be interested in buying something.
Starting a Business with a Free Newsletter
Offering free information in the form of a newsletter, eBooks, or even a set of articles is a great way to attract and retain customers. People are always searching for unique and interesting content, and you can start building a subscriber list that will be invaluable as your home business grows. An online business is the perfect opportunity to create an active subscriber list, and you can use this e-mail newsletter to present and sell your own or affiliate products later on.
Starting a Business with Online Networking
Online networking has taken on a variety of forms with the growth of the internet, and you can develop a strong online presence with a variety of tools available. Take the time to share and distribute articles and content on your site so visitors can learn about your company and brand with ease. Online networking is important for generating traffic and finding out what your customers are interested in. You can start to build a community around your website or industry by launching a blog as well; this can attract traffic to your main site and encourage visitors to ‘stay in touch’ with your site for the long-term.
Starting a Business with Search Engine Optimization Tactics
Search engine optimization has become more important than ever, especially with the growth in sites that are so similar in scope and content. Earning the top rankings of the search engines will help you capture visitors as soon as they enter keywords in a search engine’s search box; this works as completely free advertising for you, and will help you increase the chances of a sale when visitors can find you immediately. Getting onto the first page of the major search engines is an important asset when you’re starting a business online or offline, and can help you generate traffic with very little effort. The best way to do this is to optimize your site with relevant content, appropriate formatting, and make sure the design and overall presentation is search engine friendly.
Marketing is an important element of starting a business, and you can enjoy long-term success with the right approach. Take advantage of the different types of marketing strategies for the easiest way to get your business to the forefront of your industry.
5 questions to consider, before starting your home based business
For many people, having a home business would be something really attractive. To be your own boss, to not having to commute, to choose the working hours freely and to be able to plan the work-day entirely on your own.
If you are considering starting your own home based business, then you could start with thinking it through, by asking yourself some initial questions, such as:
1. If I'm going to keep my current job, at least as a starter, when will I find the time to build my home based business? How many hours each day can I put aside and use to my business endeavours? Can I work early in the morning or at the late evenings? Maybe at the weekends?
2. Do I have a suitable room or place for my home business? Can I work uninterrupted? And, would my neighbours also feel uninterrupted?
3. How much energy and determination am I willing to put into learning something new, if required? Even if the basic direction of my home based business is something that I already know of and master, then: How about the management of the home business itself? Should I delegate some or any chores, like the book-keeping?
4. Do I know how to market my home based business, in order to get people aware of that they can buy something from me? Should I use online- or offline marketing, or both maybe? How much money and or time do I need to put aside for marketing efforts alone? What is the most effective way for me to market my home business, within my particular economical frames? If I plan to do this myself, could I learn something that would make it easier and more effective?
5. And, last but not least, how about the money? How do I plan to finance the start? How much money is needed? Do I have most of the equipment already or do I have to buy or rent something? If I do need to buy equipment, then what does it cost?
This is a few questions to start with, that's very good to have the answers to, before starting up your own home based business. It would make your upstart smoother and safer, to have some answers for yourself, about the home business of yours to be.
The Pleasures Of Starting A Home Business
Even with today’s relaxed corporate atmosphere and major businesses like Best Buy and Microsoft promoting more employee freedom, nothing can beat the simple pleasure of working for yourself, from the home. However, many people confuse working from home with laziness and the dream of not having to work at all. This is simply not the case. Many, if not most, times, the home business owner will work much longer and harder hours than the out of the house professional, at least in the beginning. However, there is no denying that the pleasures of working from home are vast. Here are a few of the reasons you might consider starting your own home based business.
No more answering to the man. Obviously, starting your own home business eliminates the boss factor. You are your own boss. If you want to work overtime, you can work overtime. If you don’t, you won’t. If you’re feeling sick and can’t do your work that day, you won’t have to explain it to anyone but yourself (well, and perhaps your customers). If you feel like you deserve a raise, it will be up to you to make more money. The freedom factor is one of the major forces behind many people’s decision to start their own home business.
Set your own hours. If you’ve always been something of a night owl, this could be your chance to shine. If you’ve always regretted not being able to attend little Suzie or Johnny’s school functions, you now have the freedom to work your hours around them, rather than being stuck in a cubicle from 9 to 5 every day. If you are an amateur fisherman and you’ve always resented being trapped in an office when the weather is ripe for a couple of hours out on the lake, this is your chance to take advantage of those times.
Spend more time with your family. Leaving your kids in day care or with a babysitter can be one of the most stressful decisions a young parent can make. But it is often necessary if both parents have to be out the house all day slaving away for someone else. With a home business, this decision eliminates itself. Now you can divide your time between business and family, and not miss out on the important developmental stages of your young children.
Running your own home business is hard work, and making as much as you would otherwise make in the corporate world requires a lot of patience and determination. It can happen, but it will take time. Still, the pleasure of working from home are numerous, and the rewards can be worth it if you stick to it and work hard. Good luck.
Starting your own business can be difficult
Starting your own business can be difficult, but marketing a business is impossible. This is doubly true if you live in some place like New York. I wanted to promote my business without using outside help. I have always had pretty good business sense, and I didn't have the budget to hire advertisers. I decided that the best way to go about it was to promote a business online. I run what is in many ways a normal tourists shop, but it has a few important differences. There is a real New York feel to it, something that appeals to the tourists. They can get a coffee and a sandwich while they are browsing through the various gift products. Although I have the usual plastic statues of liberty and other old standbys, I also have some pretty unusual and well made crafts.
I figured that the best way to promote my business would be to use the Internet. I would go to some of the things to do in New York websites and buy pay per click ads on them. I know that promoting businesses online is a mixed bag – although the prices are low, the results are not always impressive. Nevertheless, I figured that if I got a hit every once in a while, the ads would more than pay for themselves. When you are promoting a business, after all, you have to deal with the fact that most of the people who see your advertisements won't come to your store.
Nonetheless, my efforts to promote my business were doing nothing for me. Although I got a fair number of clicks – and had to pay for them – it didn't seem to be translating into an increase in business. I decided to go with more traditional ways of promoting my business. I put flyers up around town, bought a little bit of billboard space, and the like. Still, nothing seemed to make a difference.
I would get a steady trickle of customers – enough to stay in business – but not enough to expand. I finally figured out that it didn't matter if I promote my business or not. I'm never going to get rich doing what I do, but I think I'll always make a living as long as I stay in a good location. In this city, as everywhere else, location is everything. All the promotional contests and offers you can hold won't change that.
Choosing A Business Opportunity - Starting Your Own Business
Millions of people are desparate to escape the 9 to 5 grind. One popular alternative is to look for a business opportunity that turns you from an employee into a self-employed entrepreneur running your own business.
There are many good reasons why this can be a wise move. Being your own boss means you can set your own hours. This can be very important if you have small children, or simply want to spend more time at home. Working from home can also save valuable time, if the alternative is spending two or three hours every day commuting back and forth to your work place. And of course, working for yourself also gives you the opportunity to make a whole lot more money.
In other words, being your own boss gives you that valuable commodity called freedom. It sets you free from the limitations of being someone else's paid employee, and in return makes you responsible for your own future. As a self-employed entrepreneur you are free to set your own hours, establish your own work habits, choose what work you will do or will not do, create your own products, drum up your own customers, and do what you have to do to make those customers happy.
And perhaps most importantly, when you are self-employed you are free to set your own prices and make as much or as little income as you are able. You will not have to answer to anyone other than yourself, your suppliers, and of course, the ever-present taxman, after you become successful.
**How to get started -- Two Alternatives**
There are two obvious ways you can go about starting your own business. The first way is to quit your day job and launch full bore into your new business. We'll call this the "All or Nothing Approach". The second way is to continue on with your current employment and develop a business on the side, in your spare time. We'll call this the "Spare Time Approach".
Depending on your point of view, taking the All or Nothing Approach can be either an act of bravery or just plain recklessness. Unless you are independently wealthy, planning and timing are very important with this approach. That's because once you leave your previous employment your source of income will be gone and you will have a limited amount of time to make your business work. It is "sink or swim". And you can sink pretty quickly without a source of income.
So that means you should plan the changeover to self-employment very carefully. Every situation will be different. An acquantance of mine was able to step from his quasi-government job into a private consulting business because he spent the last few months of his employment developing leads and contacts within his industry. When he went on his own he had customers waiting in the wings and was able to more than double his income in his very first year.
But most of us are not so lucky. We do not have the quality leads or the specialized skills. Nor do most of us have the opportunity to use our present employment to build a launching pad of potential customers before we take off into the wild blue yonder of self-employment. Most of us are starting from scratch with a few vague ideas, a questionable set of yet-to-be-defined skills, and severly limited income. So our venture into self-employment had better take off within a few months or we're likely to crash and burn.
That is why the Spare Time Approach is best for most new self-employed entrepreneurs. The Spare Time Approach lets you test your ideas, develop your skills, and build your business slowly. If you are unsure about the products or services you intend to sell, the Spare Time Approach lets you try out different product lines and see how well they fit in with your overall objectives. Often new entrepreneurs find that their first ideas are not realistic, or there is no market for the services they want to provide. Or they find they cannot charge enough to make any money providing the products or services they have chosen.
**Choose your product carefully**
Like all new entrepreneurs, whether you take the "all or nothing approach" or the "spare time approach" you should be very tight-fisted with your limited resources. That means do not invest any serious money in a product or business idea until you have checked it out thoroughly. The best way to "check it out" is to:
- Talk to people who are already selling the product or service.
- Establish the credibility of the person or company providing the product or service.
- Make sure the company provides on-going support for their product(s).
- Make sure there are no hidden or unexpected costs (such as franchise fees) that will eat away your profits.
This applies whether you are looking at an online product such as an MLM or affiliate scheme, or a more traditional product or service aimed only at local customers.
For example, an associate of mine produces Business Card Displays. The idea behind this product is that it provides new entrepreneurs the opportunity to set up an advertising service for local businesses. With this product, the entrepreneur creates a network of displays placed in high traffic retail outlets like grocery stores, hair salons, and bowling alleys. Then local advertisers can place their business cards in one of the compartments in the displays across the network. If someone browsing one of the displays sees a service they are interested in, they just take a card for future reference.
Sure, it's not everybody's cup of tea. But for someone willing to put in a few months of hard work at the beginning, it is a pretty easy way to create a business that will return a handsome income for years to come.
And this manufacturer stands behind his product. He can show you examples of successful advertising networks where his displays are used. He will also provide testimonials and contact information from real people whom you can ask how well the product is working for them. And to top it off, he uses the product himself in a network of over 40 displays, and can provide hands-on information about how it actually works in a real-life situations.
This is pretty rare in the world of "business opportunities". Many are run by "take the money and run" types who make wildly exaggerated claims about how successful you can be. But in many cases they have never actually made the idea work for themselves.
As any successful entrepreneur will tell you, your choice of products is crucial to your success or failure. Many products are simply bogus ideas with no hope of working. And many others are designed to produce maximum profits for their creators, and minimum profits for people like you and me who sell them. So no matter how hard you work, or how committed you are to being successful, if you choose the wrong product you will be operating with a millstone around your neck.
Buying A Franchise Versus Starting A Business
Starting a business can be an exceedingly rewarding endeavor. From its inception you have complete authority on all decisions big and small - something as imperative as planning a restaurant menu, for example, to choosing what color and style of blinds to hang in the windows, you control everything.
Additionally, for those lacking the start-up capital to purchase or rent a location, you can start a business from home with little more than a computer with Internet access.
As attractive as this autonomy seems, however, starting a business from scratch is not without pitfalls.
For instance, there are high failure rates for new businesses. It takes time and effort to develop your business plan, secure financing, acquire the necessary licenses and get a clientele base. Indeed, it is wise for new business owners to have six months to one year of income set aside to subsist on while the business gets its footing. And, unless you have a wholly unique business idea, you will likely find yourself in competition with franchise businesses that enjoy vast brand awareness and customer loyalty.
This brand awareness is one of the major pros of buying a franchise business. You will be working within a proven system and enjoy instant brand awareness and credibility.
Additionally, a network of support is available to franchisees. This includes technical and managerial support from individuals who are knowledgeable about your specific business as well as the benefit of shared marketing.
And, if another franchisee in your area airs a commercial or sponsors an event, it stands to reason that your franchise location would share in the customers purchased by your neighbor’s advertising dollars.
All of these facts add up to a quicker return on your investment because your franchise business is recognized from the moment you open its doors for the first time. Also, should you find that you are enjoying great success with your franchise business; expansion is far easier with franchises than with a small business.
Finally, if it’s the food, hospitality or retail industry in which you’re interested, franchise businesses have a much greater success rate in all of these areas.
Despite all of these redeeming qualities, a new business owner should remember that a franchise business is not a guarantee for success, and the start-up can be quite costly. A franchise business requires the same initial investment as a new business where location, supplies, inventory and employees are concerned, but it has the added cost of a franchise fee which varies widely but can be as much as several hundred thousand dollars.
Franchise Red Flags
Entrepreneur.com lists five red flags that should alert a new business owner to a potentially poor franchise choice:
One is the franchise’s litigation history, which must be made available to prospective franchisees in the Uniform Franchise Offering Circular, or UFOC. A new business owner should look for how many cases the company has been involved in with franchisees. Anything greater than one or two cases per hundred franchisees is cause for concern.
Second, you’ll want to examine the turnover of units in the company, also available in the UFOC. How many franchisees have left the company and why? Was it due to failure or the sale of a successful unit to a new owner? The answer to this question can help determine—at least partially—how successful you might expect your unit to become.
Another factor that should disquiet a prospective franchisee is, after sincere research, an inability to come up with any substantial numbers concerning things like sales and profits. If it seems that this issue is skirted around, another franchise may be a better option.
Additionally, before buying a franchise business, you should ask around about the relative happiness of other franchisees. Talk to other franchise owners. Are they happy with the support provided to them by the company? Are they pleased with the success of their own units? A preponderance of unhappy franchisees suggests that you may be unhappy in this franchise as well.
Finally, although it seems simple enough, a brief look into whether your cultural and moral values mesh with those of the franchise might be easily overlooked. Is the franchise run by individuals whom you deem to be honest and that share your ethical guidelines? If not, it may be a difficult system in which to work.
Top Franchises of 2007
The Franchise 500® is a list compiled by Entrepreneur.com using the same criteria to judge each company, no matter what the size. These factors are “objective and quantifiable” and include, but are not limited to, the company’s financial strength and stability and the growth rate and size of a company.
Entrepreneur.com examines the start-up costs for each franchise, the length of time the company has been franchising, as well as some of the factors on their red flag list, particularly litigation and turn-over rates. They find out whether the company provides financing and use an independent CPA to audit its financial data. They insert all this data into an exclusive formula and assign each company a cumulative score. Then, the companies are simply ranked based on those scores.
Just a few of the franchises you’ll find on the Franchise 500® are: UPS Store/The Mail Boxes, Etc., Liberty Tax Service, Super Cuts, Two Men and a Truck, Golds Gym, Arby’s, Microtel, Beef O’Brady’s and Chem-Dry Carpet, Drapery and Upholstery Cleaning.
While the Franchise 500® can be a valuable resource for someone considering buying a franchise, Entrepreneur.com does not evaluate subjective criteria, and these areas—such as franchisee satisfaction—will need to be researched independently.
Great Ways To Cut The Cost Of Starting Your Franchise Business
One of the reasons a franchise business has such a high potential for success is because of all that’s included in the initial cost. In some cases, the start-up cost is the same (or very close) to building a business from scratch but without all the benefits such as established name recognition, target market research and existing publicity campaigns. With so many advantages, it can be difficult to understand why entrepreneurs choose to launch a business alone. Nevertheless, some of the high costs associated with franchises can become a deterrent for prospective buyers. What many of them don’t realize is that there are several options that help cut the cost.
Options for Financing Your Franchise
Many franchise opportunities come with a sizable price tag. Few prospective business owners can afford to make such an investment without some financial assistance. Unfortunately, not all of them will have access to the necessary capital it will take to satisfy start-up costs, franchise fees, royalty fees and a loss in revenue that will continue until the return on investment finally begins. If you have a well-established credit history (free of bankruptcies and established to the point where you’re considered as having enough credit), you may be able to get a conventional loan through a bank or credit union.
However, banks are typically reluctant when lending to small businesses. In reality, they rarely do so. Though not everyone will qualify for conventional loans, there are still options. If you have applied for credit to no avail, you can contact the Small Business Administration, an agency run by the federal government. The SBA guarantees a certain percentage of its loans, which puts lenders at ease because they are less likely to experience a loss. Plus, the SBA is usually willing to lend for longer periods of time and at larger amounts.
Of course, the SBA has specific criteria to determine eligibility. First, it must be a small business, which translates to less than $13.5 million in retail or service sales. Additionally, it must be located in the United States or a U.S. governed territory and only those interested in opening a for-profit business can apply. As you can imagine, this agency reviews countless applications, which means that you must handle yourself in a very professional manner. It is always a good idea to have your business plan ready before meeting with anyone regarding financial assistance, even a government agency.
However, the main disadvantage to getting an SBA loan is that the interest rate is set by the Treasury Department, which means that it is variable. Moreover, this interest rate is generally higher than those offered by conventional loans. Thus, if you can find a close friend or family member who is able and willing to lend you the necessary funds or even cosign, this is your best option next to financing on your own through a bank.
Economic Development Corporations
The federal government is not the only entity that provides monetary assistance to potential franchise owners. More and more state and county governments are pitching in with tax exemptions and other special programs. The New York City EDC, for instance, issues low-cost tax exempt bonds as well as double and triple tax exempt revenue bonds (these are technically issued by the New York City Industrial Development Agency, NYCIDA, an entity of the NYCEDC). Furthermore, this agency can even administer public loans. The only issue to consider before accepting assistance from an EDC is the fact that much of the available funding is dedicated to improving low-income or developing areas. Nonetheless, EDCs have funds available to prospective business owners like you. And, you have the opportunity to impact a struggling community. Still, before you decide to locate your franchise in such a community, make sure it is conducive to operating a profitable company.
Community Development Corporations
These non-profit organizations are dedicated to improving their local economies by lending money to small businesses. The goal here is to increase revenue and bring new jobs to the area. What’s more, CDCs are well known for developing affordable housing and improving education for residents in low-income areas. Once again, you must weigh the costs and benefits to starting a business in developing or otherwise lower income sections of a town or city.
Business Development Corporations and Venture Capitalists
If you’re weary of relying on public funding, you have the option of appealing to a business development corporation or venture capitalist in your territory. Returning once again to New York, its business development corporation is made up of financial institutions that pool their resources in order to lessen the risk. Rather than focusing on low-income sections of the state, this organization is devoted to helping all kinds of different businesses gain access to financing. The primary concern is to expand New York State in general.
Venture capitalists, on the other hand, are different from development corporations because they assume some ownership of your business. Because of this unique feature, they are willing to take more risks than traditional lending institutions. Depending on your specific industry and the stage of your business’s development, you may be able to find a venture capitalist fund to help finance your business.
Take Your Time
While there are opportunities for financing your franchise business and dramatically reducing your initial cost, keep in mind that some franchisees use their own resources for as much as 50 percent of their start-up expense. If you can not afford that kind of investment, consider working for a couple of years and saving some of the money for yourself. If you’re able to generate some revenue this way, you are more likely to qualify for a conventional loan. Otherwise, you will appear more serious to business development corporations and reputable venture capitalists. Thus, if you decide to wait after all, don’t become discouraged. Instead, use the extra time to conduct additional research and perfect your business plan. Sooner than you realize, investors will be eager to take part in your project.
Consider This Before Starting A Home Business
If you prefer to start a home business working as a representative for an existing company, there are plenty out there to choose from. There are things you should think about beforehand, however. Too many people make the mistake of jumping into the first opportunity they see. Do your homework before signing on the dotted line! Here are some things to consider about your prospective opportunity:
Are you passionate about the products/services? - Be honest with yourself on this, it's the most important question. Don't sign up with a company because others are doing well with them, or because your neighbor says it's the wave of the future. Can you really get excited about what you're selling? If yes, you will have a much better shot at success.
Is the company legitimate? - How long have they been in business? Are they a member of the Better Business Bureau or the Direct Selling Association? This doesn't necessarily guarantee the company is "good", but it's a good starting place. Also do a search for the company name along with the word "scam." Do a lot of complaints come up? Most companies will probably have a few, but if there are many, you might want to think twice.
Start-up Cost - How much does it cost to become a representative, and what is included in your start-up kit? Most business opportunities have a start-up cost that can range from a few dollars up to hundreds of dollars. However, you should actually receive something for this money being spent.
Product or Service - Is there an actual product or service being sold to customers? If there is no product or service, run far, far away! That is called a pyramid scheme, and it is illegal.
Training - Do you receive any training and support from the company? Ask how this training is presented. Is it online training? Telephone conference calls? One on one mentoring? Audio files? Printed booklets? Make sure you clearly understand what support and training materials will be provided for you.
Ongoing Costs - Are there any ongoing costs to running your business with this company? Some companies require that you purchase a certain amount of products each month, or they charge monthly webhosting fees or administrative fees.
Marketing Materials - Will you need to purchase your own marketing materials like brochures, catalogs, order forms, business cards, advertising or prospecting leads? Find out if the company offers any of these to you for free, or if they have low cost alternatives.
Quotas - Will you have any sales quotas you need to meet each month or year? Any other requirements you must meet to keep your business active?
Online or Off - Would you prefer to run your business mostly online, or off? Would you enjoy doing home parties? Some companies offer the option of both, and some do not. Find out exactly how you will need to run your business and make sure it's something you won't mind doing.
Website - Does the company give you a free website, or one that you pay for? Can you sign up customers and representatives at the website, or do you have to do it manually by phone or fax? Some websites are given for marketing and lead generation purposes, but you still have to sign up the prospects yourself. Others have more automated systems set up.
Product Delivery - Who delivers the products your customers order? Does the company ship them out for you, or will you have to do that?
Realistic income - What can you expect to earn, and how is the bulk of your income earned? Do you need to recruit other representatives in order to earn? Or can you sell product to earn a commission. Some companies offer both options. Don't fall for the hyped-up ads that claim you can earn $20,000 in a month. It may be possible, but be clear on exactly what would be required of you to earn that much money. Will you need to recruit a certain number of representatives per month, or sell a certain amount of products per month? Are you willing to do that?
When you finally choose a company to partner with, be prepared to work hard and be committed. So many ads out there make it sound so easy -- you just sign up and the money starts rolling in. Nothing could be further from the truth. You will need to show up each day and do the work, just like a job. You will need to stretch yourself outside your comfort zones and work on improving yourself, personally and professionally.
The good news is that YOU are responsible for your own success. There are no limits if you truly believe in yourself and the company you represent.
Change Your Career and Change Your Life By Starting Your Own Business
Even if you're not a born entrepreneur, at some point in your life you've probably toyed with the idea of starting your own business. Perhaps you've even opted out of your mainstream career to strike out on your own. If you have, you're among the legions of men and women who have made the choice to start their own businesses.
Unfortunately, many dreams of self-employment turn into nightmares, primarily because many of those who start businesses don't know how to critically assess business opportunities, how to create a business plan, how to read a financial report, or how to design and implement a marketing plan. Truly, the difference between those who succeed and those who fail most often boils down to whether or not the person has acquired the knowledge necessary to launch and operate a business.
What most aspiring entrepreneurs don't realize is that the skill set necessary to start a business isn't out of reach. It's simply a matter of finding the right tools and using them to your best advantage. These tools can be found in books, through online college courses, through training, or through the mentorship of a successful businessperson.
In a nutshell, these are the steps you need to take in order to change your career and change your life through starting your own business:
1. Identify and build on your strengths. If you are a creative person who thrives on the unexpected, starting a bookkeeping business that requires endless hours of number crunching is a recipe for disaster. You need to assess your talents and interests, and then discover how you can use them to create a niche and demand for your product or service.
2. Create a business plan. A business plan is both your vision for your business and your roadmap to achieve your goals. It must include defining your product or service, identifying your competitors and differentiating yourself from them, and pinpointing funding and financial opportunities.
3. Lay the groundwork. Businesses aren't built in a day, and you have to go through the mundane tasks of setting up bank accounts, securing business licenses, and jumping through the necessary regulatory hoops.
4. Create a marketing plan. Whether or not your business includes e-commerce, you can be sure that the Internet will play a major role in marketing your new business. But there are many other ways of garnering low cost or free advertising and marketing, and you need to make it your business to learn about them. You must also identify your target market and come up with a strategy to bring your product or service to that market.
5. Pay attention to the details. Many businesses fail because of a lack of attention to details - whether that means sloppy accounting practices, poor inventory control, or missing the deadline for a funding source. Launching a business is a balancing act, and you and your team must walk the high wire with aplomb.
6. Acknowledge and dismiss fear. Fear is what often holds us back from achieving our dreams. There's no doubt that leaving your career to start your own business is a downright frightening proposition. But with the right tools, you can acknowledge your fears for what they are, and then boldly move forward on your new career path of self-employment.
Blogging Tips For Starting A Business
A very popular way to become better known in wellness, fitness, and nutritional supplements is through business blogging. A business blog is slightly different than other traditional blogging styles that many people are familiar with. Below you will find some handy starting business blogging tips that you can use immediately.
When you are starting business blogging it is important to set your blog up on a site that is already popular in the search engines. This provides you with a stronger chance of other people finding the blog and you have to spend less time promoting it.
Once you have determined where you will host your new business blog, think about the purpose of it. Starting the business is not going to be successful if you do not have a goal or purpose set out for the blog.
Some questions to ask yourself when deciding a goal for the blog include: Are you promoting a particular product such as a nutritional supplement? Will you be blogging to establish yourself as expert in a particular field such as the fitness industry? Are you going to use the blog primarily to connect with other people in the industry and network?
Starting business blogging requires you to think about a target audience. Are you going to be writing posts that will encourage people to purchase a specific product? Are you going to be writing posts that are full of the industry jargon and very technical?
Deciding a target audience will help you decide how to actually write your posts. For example, if you are going to be targeting potential buyers you want to write posts that will excite them about a particular set of products. On the other hand, if you are going to be writing for other people in the industry, you would want to write posts that contain industry jargon, informational posts, and posts with research findings. Knowing your audience is a key to successful blogging.
Once you begin, it is helpful to set up links with other blogs and websites. For example, if you are selling vitamins as your goal for your blog, you can find other blogs that provide information about vitamin benefits. You are then linking with someone that is not competing for the same buying market and their blog posts will compliment the purpose of your business blog.
You should spend time responding to comments left on your new business blog. Monitoring comments is an excellent way to network with other people. You can also provide answers to any questions that might arise as a result of a particular post you made. Some people leave spam and inappropriate comments. Make sure to delete these off of the business blog to keep the blog clean and looking professional.
Starting business blogs is a great way to begin a newsletter. Not everyone that visits will see your blog on a daily basis. You can compile each month’s blog postings into an email newsletter that others can subscribe too. This will increase regular readership as well as help you make additional contacts in your niche.
Starting business blogs is an excellent way to network market products with a soft-sell approach and it provides more information to the public about your industry field and to create newsletters. Take advantage of business blogs to help mold and shape the future of your company.