Why Shouldn't You Do Everything Yourself In Your Home Business?

Did you ever hear of company blindness? It means that you do not see what goes wrong or what could be done better. This happens due to several reasons. Many times people get blind because they work somewhere for a long time and do most of their tasks the same way as they already did for many years. It can also happen that you just don¡¯t have that certain expertise. And you know what they say, what you don¡¯t know you cannot influence, however incorrect it is what you are or aren¡¯t doing.

Especially when you have your own business, and this can be a Home Business, it is important to be surrounded by other people. These people should have preferably other talents than you have. However, you started your Home Business on your own and you might not want to have other people involved. Or maybe you just don¡¯t know anybody who would be able to help you or would be interested in it. But we are not talking about a full time employee or partner. You just need someone you can talk to, who knows your business and listens to you and gives you an opinion.

A much used phrase is, it is lonely at the top. This is not only valid for the top executives of large corporations, but also for the Home Business owner who works alone. Successful people usually have their own coach and are surrounded by experts. How else do you think a top executive was able in the first place to get that demanding position?

So the message of this article is clear. Get your team of experts and/or coach. Where to find them? If you do not have anybody among your circle of friends who would fit go to a forum with like-minded people. Stick long enough at a forum and you will find so many people who can answer all your questions. In the end you will get to know some people better than others and some are just as you interested to talk about their business. As mentioned, what you don¡¯t know you cannot influence. You will need to find somebody who you can level with on a more personal base. For sure there are people out there that would love to talk about your and their business. Form a group and make an agenda to meet each other on the internet or in person. It will definitely be a learning experience for all and you might even find that a deeper contact with other people can be very refreshing.

Steps To Improve Your Business Credibility

Credibility is critical in order to convert website visitors into clients or customers. Consequently, website credibility is a requirement for a successful web presence. If you are a fortune 500 company building your website, you don’t have to worry about establishing credibility. You have an established brand name, most likely recognized worldwide. Unfortunately, the rest of us will have to work hard to establish credibility online.

In the process of building a successful online business, you have to establish credibility. Take steps to establish your site as a credible business. Credibility does not guarantee sales, but, without a doubt, it will improve your sales conversion. As you consider your strategy for building credibility, think of the companies you consider credible. Think of the characteristics that make them credible. Is it their, customer service, product, quality of service, image in the community, philanthropy?

Make your site personable. Post pictures of real people. Don’t use stock photos of models. Your clients want to see the people behind your business. On your “About Us” page, take a picture of your team members and provide a brief description of their job descriptions. Posting the pictures will have a positive impact on your customers. In addition, your team will have a growing self-respect.

Make your contact information highly visible. Don’t hide your phone number if you want your customers to call. If your business is unable to support phone calls, don’t list your number. Instead, implement an easy to use “Contact Us” form. Your physical address should be listed on your site. If you are a home-based business and you don’t feel comfortable listing your address, get a PO Box. It is an inexpensive solution. Real businesses have real addresses.

Do not use auto responders. Ten years ago, when people were receiving ten percent of the e-mail they are receiving today, it would have been a great idea. Today, auto responders are the sign of amateurs. With a few exceptions, you should not use them. Don’t ever send an auto responder to an e-mail. Your customers don’t care that you have received their e-mail. They want an answer to their query, and if your response doesn’t include the answer, you have no business sending the e-mail.

Referral Business: 3 Steps to Generating Unlimited Referrals

Of course, every sales person knows referral business is vitally important. But how do you generate enough referrals to triple your sales and commissions? That’s easy, keep reading and I will share three sure fire steps to creating massive referrals for your business:


Step#1: Wow your clients

The first step to generating referral business is to go out of your way to demonstrate a high level of service to EVERYONE who comes in contact with your business – not just clients.

Everyone who comes in contact with your business is a potential customer or referral source. As a mortgage lender, I’ve had service people come into my office, see how we do business, and ask about refinancing.

But how do you “wow” your clients and others to generate referral business?

Basically, you will need to be honest, knowledgeable, friendly, professional, and deliver on your promises.

Exceed their expectations. Set yourself up to succeed. If you think a task will be completed on Wednesday, tell your client it will completed on Friday. Then, when you call them on Wednesday to report that the task has been completed you’ll look like a superstar because you exceeded their expectation. In short, deliver ahead of schedule.

Communicate proactively. Find out why your clients call and stop them from calling by answering all questions ahead of time. In the mortgage business, I found that clients and everyone else involved in the transaction would call for status updates. So I put a system in place to communicate updates to everyone automatically. Now, my phone doesn’t ring because clients get regular scheduled updates.

Give unexpected bonuses. Give your clients some kind of surprise bonus. Give them more than what they expected. Your bonus could relate to your product or it could be in the form of a gift. Here are a few gift giving ideas to help generate referral business:

Before the sale
Try to give your clients something right up front. Try giving clients a $5 gift card before they even agree to do business with you.

During the sales process
Send cookies to both spouses’ work with a thank you note and plenty of your business cards so they can give them to co-workers. This is a excellent technique for creating referral business.

After the transaction is complete
Send flowers to your clients’ home.


Step #2: Collect testimonials

Now that you have wowed your clients, get a testimonial from them.

In fact, it would be a great idea to survey your clients at the beginning, middle and end of the sales process immediately after they have received one of your gifts.

Collect your surveys in writing by using short, quick answer questionnaires – 10 questions or less. Here are sample questions for your questionnaire:

1) Why did you choose to do business with us?

2) Was your transaction closed on time? YES / NO

3) How would you rate our courtesy?
EXCELLENT / GOOD / FAIR / POOR

4) How would you rate our efficiency and speed?
EXCELLENT / GOOD / FAIR / POOR

5) How would you evaluate the competitiveness of the price you received on your product?
EXCELLENT / GOOD / FAIR / POOR

6) Overall, how would you rate the service you received during this transaction?
EXCELLENT / GOOD / FAIR / POOR

7) Have you ever purchased a similar product from a company other than Your Company Name? YES / NO

8) If you answered YES to question #7, would you say we were:
BETTER / SAME / WORSE

9) Would you recommend us to a friend or relative? YES / NO


These questionnaires will serve as testimonials for the next step in the creation of your referral business.



Step #3: Generate more referral business

Use your client’s testimonial to target everyone in their center of influence. Send your testimonial to prospective clients and referral business partners along with an approach letter.

More on the approach letter in a moment; first, here is a list of potential referral business partners that can be targeted after a mortgage transaction just to give you some ideas:

* HR manager at their work
* Listing real estate agent and that agents entire office
* Selling real estate agents and that agents entire office
* CPA
* Financial planner
* Insurance agent
* The seller of the home on a purchase transaction
* Title Company
* Real estate appraiser
* Neighbors


Now, do you need some ideas for writing your cover letter? To download three approach letter samples visit: www.Mortgage-Leads-Generator.com/a/approachletter.htm

In summary, incorporate these ideas into the way you conduct business and you will automatically deliver such a high level of service that your clients will jump at the chance to tell their family, friends, and co-workers about your service.

Please feel free to reprint this article as long as the resource box is left intact and all links are hyperlinked.

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.

Staying Safe And Relaxed On Your Business Trip

A business professional can lead a pretty hectic life if they are constantly on the go, from one business trip to the next, to the next, to the...you get the point! Companies rely on their businessmen to represent them on the road, whether pitching new products or enticing potential clients. One big concern however is the safety of these business professionals. Since they are going to unfamiliar territory, sometimes in other countries, it is especially important to keep a few safety precautions in mind. Here are some tips for a business traveler when traveling!

• Know the area! Sure, you are probably in a place you’ve never been before but you can still do a little research and find out enough information to keep you safe. There are always places you will want to stay away from and places that you should visit to stay safe. Know what you can expect from each place that you go!

• Don’t dress up! Sure, you are probably going to be wearing business suits and dress clothes on your business trips but make sure you dress down your accessories such as watches, necklaces and rings. There is nothing more that will attract a thief in a foreign city then expensive ‘flash’!

• Act like you know the area! If you want to do your best to keep the ‘bad guys’ away from you when you’re on a business trip just try to act like you are a local. Tourists and traveler’s are often the first hit targets by criminals so if you pretend like you know the area and live around town you won’t have as high of a chance of getting mugged or getting in trouble.

• Avoid bad areas! Every city, in the United States and overseas, has their bad areas. Whether this means certain streets or corners or different restaurants, you should stay away from them when on a business trip. Bad areas can get you in bad trouble and you can’t guarantee your safety! Plus, your company would rather have you safe then sorry!

Business professionals can have safer business trips if they can just concentrate on staying safe while on the road. They are often labeled “road warriors” but in order for these warriors to stay safe they need to follow these important reminders! Business trips can be fun, interesting and most importantly, effective- but only if you are safe!

5 Reasons to Send Business Christmas Cards

The holiday season will soon be upon us, which means that it's time for businesses to start thinking about Christmas cards. If you've never sent business holiday cards, or don't make a point of sending them out every year, here are five reasons why you should start:

1. Meet Expectations. Although the adage, "It's better to give than to receive," is a sentimental favorite, those with whom you do business expect to be remembered during the holidays. Holiday greeting cards help smooth your business relationships during the rest of the year by meeting expectations during the Christmas season.

2. Improve Customer Relations. Whether you have a business-to-business enterprise, provide a professional service, or own a retail store, chances are that your success is built upon maintaining relationships with your customers and clients. Christmas cards show your customers and clients that you appreciate their business, and that you want to share the spirit of the season.

3. Cost Effective. Perhaps you already buy holiday gifts and remembrances for your best customers or clients, but business holiday cards allow you to reach many more people for relatively little money. You can purchase personalized business holiday cards for as little as $1.40 each, including options to select among many different styles and verses, several colors of ink, and imprinted envelopes. This is an excellent investment in your business.

4. Excellent Return on Investment. Chances are, you and your company receive business Christmas cards from your vendors and suppliers. So, you understand the warm feelings that arise when you read their holiday cards, and you probably experience a "carryover" positive impression when you do your purchasing in the New Year. If you doubt that business holiday cards generate an excellent return on investment, ask yourself this: All other things being equal, which company would you choose to do business with - the company that sent you a holiday card every year or the company that only contacted you when it was time to reorder or collect payment?

5. Limitless Choices. With the rise of Internet and ecommerce, companies have an unprecedented opportunity to select business Christmas cards that reflect their company's image and values. The best online sources for business holiday cards have a wide variety of high quality card designs. In addition, the best online greeting card companies offer a free choice of verse, free coordinated foil-lined envelopes, free samples of Christmas cards, and a multitude of choices for personalization.

In today's business world, you need to take advantage of every opportunity to differentiate your company from your competition. Sending business Christmas cards is a small gesture than can mean improved customer relationships and an excellent return on investment. You really can't afford not to send holiday cards to your customers, clients, and associates.

Legitimate Home Based Businesses - PAS tops the list

Have you always struggled to find the right home based business or the right coach? Though there are plenty of home based business opportunities floating around amidst a lot of hype, it is difficult to locate one that really fulfils all of the tall promises it makes.

Things to keep in mind before starting work at home business

Making money on the Internet from home based businesses is easier when you start at the top – the proven home based business opportunities.

There is no dearth of home business scams. While most home based business opportunities claim that you will earn guaranteed money where you have to do little or nothing – only some actually deliver.

Prosperity Automated System(PAS) is the best home based business program, where anyone can make money! Developed at the cost of $3.5 million and years of research and planning, PAS is a fully automated hands free home business system. PAS does it All, everything is OUTSOURCED. You basically DO NOTHING.

PAS takes all those online marketing work which make the conventional marketing over the net really boring and unyielding, and generates only prospects, i.e., real buyers. You are backed by Prosperity System Network that does everything – from generating leads to closing the sales for you. It combines the creativity of man and the speed and accuracy of a machine.

The bottom line is - irrespective of nature of the home business you are interested in, No doubt, online businesses are real cash cows, but you need to know:
• How the cash flows?
• How the prospects are generated?
• How your sales are closed?
• How to take help from the company or the up line?

Online home based businesses have great prospects. Find the legitimate home based business and you are on your way to financial freedom and live the life of your dreams.

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.

Replacing and Upgrading Business Phone Systems

Business phone systems can be simple or complex, depending on the number of lines and desk units to be installed. With a little forethought, purchasing a business phone system can allow you to have an expandable platform that is easily capable of handling the growth your company may experience. Many business phone manufacturers make equipment that is only useful within their product line. For this reason, it is essential to examine what products are offered to make sure that your needs will be met both today and several years down the road.

If you are replacing a business phone system, you may not be able to utilize parts of your current system for an upgrade if your current equipment is outdated or no longer manufactured. Some business phone systems are only expandable so far, with the number of lines being limited. For cost purposes, it is always more cost effective to upgrade an existing system than to completely replace your system, but be especially careful when doing so. Find out all the information you can on your current product line and make sure that it can be expanded even further should the need arise. Many business phone equipment retailers and wholesalers offer used or refurbished equipment that small business can use to avoid having to completely replace their existing hardware. The most important time to consider the future for your phone system is during the initial purchase.

Equipment that is time tested and offers several options for expansion may be more expensive than some of the cheaper options available, but the savings you will experience in the long run can eclipse whatever many you may save now by a substantial amount. Just as a desktop terminal and server system for a business is a serious purchase that merits future needs considerations, a phone system is no different. Do your homework and you can get a business phone system that will meet your business needs for many years to come.

The Perfect Business

Copyright 2006 Linden Huckle

Everybody wants the perfect business, most Internet Marketers will tell you that they have the perfect business.

My father in-law could sell ice to the Eskimos! But I couldn’t.

It’s not the business opportunity but the person or people involved that makes the perfect business.

You must have a business that you’re passionate and knowledgeable about, it doesn’t matter if you’re selling trips to the moon or pieces of rock from the moon, you MUST be passionate about it. You can gain Knowledge about your company, product or services by watching, listening and reading as much as you can.

We live in a ‘I want it now’ society, all the way from food to success.

Unlike food, you cannot have success NOW, you must have a plan, a dream, you must set goals and then, work, work, work and work, until your dream is a reality.

It’s there. You have just got to go out and get it!

It takes time, but it’s worth it in the end.

Are you prepared to take action, or are you one of those people who talk about it, simply giving yourself reasons why you can’t do it.

There is so much information online, a whole new world of information. Information that changes peoples lives every minute of every day.

Here’s an example of the power that is, the Internet.

Lets say someone has been interested in Fly Fishing all their life, they Google a few searches on Fly Fishing, the next thing they know they’re on a Shark Fishing site which they know absolutely nothing about, hmmm….. Seems interesting, within a few hours they have a new interest and have booked a Shark Fishing holiday, within a month they are buying their very own Shark Fishing boat, within a year they’re buying a property on the coast so they can go Shark Fishing more often.

Now that’s the power of the Internet, it can change lives in minutes.

You’re all saying, ‘What has this got to do with the perfect business’ Everything!

You could be the one who is passionate about Shark Fishing and you could be the owner of the Shark Fishing web site, you also sell them the Shark Fishing holiday and their very first Shark Fishing boat. If you’re really clever you could be on a commission for the house purchase!

Now that’s what I call a perfect business.

Keep dreaming And Never Quit