If you’ve got the heart to perform, the desire to entertain and the will to succeed, then the magic business might be for you. The line of work isn’t considered conventional by most people, but unless you are like most people, this shouldn’t be a problem for you.
You’ve decided to embark on a career that involves connecting with audiences by entertaining them with magic and illusions. You’ve worked on your skills, your presentation and on your show. Now you’re ready to get out there and find people who will want to see you perform.
That can get tricky because with so much competition out there, being good at your show may not be the only requirement to get bookings. And unless you’re prepared to do some more work and to wait for the fruits of that work to pay off, you might be disappointed at the lack of gigs you can get for yourself. But if you’re prepared to go the distance, learning how to find and get performance gigs will eventually pay off with results you may never have initially imagined.
First thing you should know is what kind of audience you’d want to perform for. Are you more inclined to work with children? Or is a more mature, corporate environment more your liking? Don’t be concerned now with what is more financially rewarding. The idea is to get you performing at your best because this increases your chances of referrals and repeat bookings.
Once you’ve established your target audience and you’ve created the best show you can for it, you can go out soliciting bookings for your performance. But before you do, it will do you a world of good to have a video presentation of one of your performances (preferably with the target audience of your choice). This is so that as you approach potential clients, you will be able to demonstrate your skills and how your audience responded to your performance. For a prospective client, being given this kind of information is important as it answers their concern of your effectiveness as an entertainer. Once that has been settled, it greatly increases the chances of you getting awarded the project.
After creating your demo video, you will need to look at your calendar to see what times of the year does your target audience hold most of its events that will be needing your services. If you plan to perform for corporate audiences, it will be best to take note of a company’s annual conventions or sales rallies. Also note the organizers who will be planning such events and call to inform them of your services. This initial call is meant to introduce yourself. (Your demo video will be important here.)
However, that one call should be followed up by at least 2 more over the course of a quarter. Make sure that you’re within the organizer’s radar especially a month before the events you’re targeting take place. If you call too early and not follow up, they might forget about you. But if you call too late, you might miss the opportunity and someone else would have snapped up the gig.
If you are prepared to do some pro-bono work or for a very low fee, then participating in as many events as you can will get you exposed to as many people as possible. As more and more people get to know you and your show, interest may drum up and requests for better paying gigs may come in.
Finally, if you are truly committed to the profession of magic and illusion shows, it will help for you to be a member of magic guilds and societies such as the International Brotherhood of Magicians, the Society of American Magicians, or the Society of Young Magicians. These groups can help you not only with your magic skills but also in getting you recognized in the area you are based in.
With all these information in getting your next gigs, it cannot be stressed enough that you need to be dedicated to this kind of work. It is not the easiest and the rewards may leave much to be desired especially if you’re just starting out.
But if your desire to entertain and interact with your audience is genuine, they will be able to feel that and connect with you in turn. That is by far, the most effective basis of getting asked to perform again - the rewards for which aren’t simply measured in terms of money.
The Business Side Of Magic Shows: Finding Your Gigs
Easy Home Business Ideas For Finding Customers
What are best avenues to bring customers to you and increase your visibility? In this article, we will look at some methods that business owners have used for many years and have been very successful at increasing their customers and generating more revenue for their business.
A very effective way to generate business, thus increasing your profits, is to talk to people you know; friends, families, neighbours, hit the pavement, spread the word to everyone you know, especially those who like your business and the products you have to offer. Be creative; if for example one of your products is balloons consider going to all the restaurants in your area and make a deal to have your balloons given to the children who enter. When you visit businesses or friends take a few samples of your products to show them, leave your products with them so they can look at them while you are gone and then follow-up with them and find out what they think. Make them feel a part of your business.
Networking is a great way to make business contacts and you can do this almost anywhere that you go. Your local chamber of commerce often has networking functions where you can meet other business owners in your area. You can talk to them about their business and what works for them, exchange business cards. This is a great method for making contacts. After the social function make a point to go and visit their business,it is important to develop a relationship with them.
Take a walk around your neighbourhood. This is a great way to meet new people in a casual environment and allows you to sell your product without really selling it. You will have an opportunity to find out what customers who are near you like. Will your product appeal to them? Should you tweak your products to match the potential customers that are near your area? Go into that coffee house that you may not frequent and spend sometime talking with the other customers. This gives you a good feel of the potential market near you.
If you do not have a web page yet, then it is high time to utilise this tool for marketing your business and the products you offer. If you are not comfortable creating your own page there are many professionals that can do this for you and you can use this as an opportunity to promote your business as well. As they get to know your product while they are creating a web page for you, they can also refer others to your site. Remember, when creating a web-page you want to provide the potential customers with information and keywords that are specific to your company.
Finding A Unique Business Opportunity
Are you tired of the same old same old when it comes to what you do for a living? Are you ready for a change and ready to get your feet back on the ground when it comes to taking control of your life? There are many ways for you to find a unique business opportunity that fits your needs and can take you far. Here are some tips to finding one.
The first thing that you should know about finding a unique business opportunity is that you can find one just about anywhere. You should be keeping your eyes out for opportunities no matter where you go, even to the store, because you can find unique business opportunity in your own home town. You never know when you are going to see that there is a need for something, and you are going to be able to be the one to make that need a reality. You might be able to take that need that you see and turn it into a unique business opportunity that is just right for you and for your life.
Remember that when you are looking for a unique business opportunity you have to be sure that it can be one that can support you. There are many ways to make money, but there are many things that you might decide to do in life that simply cannot support the lifestyle that you want to lead. That means that the unique business opportunity has to be something that can support you and that can take care of your family.
Once you have a found a unique business opportunity you need to turn it into a reality by making sure that you have a good business plan that will outline for you how the unique business opportunity is going to work and how it is going to make you money. Then you can really start to make money by putting your unique business opportunity into action.
One of the best places that you can go to make sure your unique business opportunity becomes a reality is the internet. Nothing is going to be too unique to be found on the internet, and you can get lots of different tips when it comes to running your own business and using it to make the money that you need for life. All of these things can be found online, and it can be a great way for you to advertise your business as well. Remember, no matter how unique your unique business opportunity you should still be careful to advertise it the best you can and to make sure that your business gets the best placement in the search engines so that whenever people are looking for you then can find you, and you can get the business.
Grow Your Business By Finding Your “Hidden” Organization
Have you ever wondered what enables some entrepreneurs to exponentially grow their businesses while others go flat, or worse? Their secret lies in their ability to find and lead what I call their “hidden” organization. You may think you don’t have an organization, hidden or otherwise, especially if your business consists of a “gang of one” or there are only a few employees on staff. But the fact is that even the smallest businesses have an organization, and your success or failure is determined by your ability to find it and then lead it in a way that gives you more of the results you want.
This may be a totally new concept to consider. It’s easy to think of giant corporations as having organizations. These are the “internal stakeholders” consisting of employees, departments and committees on the payroll. However, large companies are realizing that independent consultants, suppliers, outsource providers, alliance partners, customers and other “external stakeholders” also play a critical role in their organization’s ability to achieve high performance results.
Just as your business is part of your customers’ external organization, it also has external stakeholders of its own that make up your hidden organization. The better you become at recognizing and leveraging the power of these many relationships, the more likely it is that you’ll survive unexpected twists and turns in the economy, minimize problems, and take your business to the next level of growth.
Who makes up your hidden organization?
It can be challenging to identify the many stakeholders who impact your business. While some of these relationships are obvious, it’s easy to overlook and underestimate the impact of others. However, if you think of an external stakeholder as any person, group or organization that has a stake (whether they recognize it or not) in the success of your business, your organization includes, but is not limited to:
•Customers
•Suppliers
•Outsource providers (payroll services, virtual assistants, etc.)
•Advisors (attorneys, accountants, bankers, business coaches, consultants, etc.)
•Alliance partners
•Subcontractors
•Competitors
•Business and trade associations to which you belong
•Advisory boards
When you uncover the wide variety of support, knowledge, skills, capabilities, and resources that are available through your stakeholders, you can offer services and products in ways that you may never have considered before. For example, a specialty-clothing designer with one store location teamed up with an online distributor so that she now runs a global business, reaching customers around the world. Even competitors have found that there are a number of ways to benefit through limited collaborations. The possibilities for growth are there if you look for them.
While large companies have organizational charts that map out functions of departments and roles of employees, you can also create your own “organizational chart” to map out how external stakeholders fill essential functions and roles that are essential for conducting business. For instance, your accountant, attorney, and insurance agent are important parts of your “executive team.” Your organization also includes your customers, along with the alliance partners, outsource providers, and sub-contractors who may work with you to deliver products and services.
As you continue to identify stakeholders, be sure to update your organization chart on a regular basis. Depending upon, your own goals, customers’ objectives and needs, new technology and shifts in the economy, some stakeholders will take on increased importance while others play a less important role for a period of time.
Realigning your vision of your organization so it includes these and other external stakeholders will enable you to think about new ways to reach your customers, expand your capabilities, and discover new opportunities for increased revenue and profitability.
Leading and managing your hidden organization
Now that you’ve discovered your hidden organization, the next challenge is to lead and manage it so that you are achieving your growth objectives.
Clients often tell me that unexpected and persistent problems seem to come out of nowhere (this is what I call “strategic gridlock”). However, when we look back, it’s possible to trace the source of problems to one or more common but mistaken assumptions that we all make about our organizations, based upon our individual perceptions of reality.
As you lead and manage your hidden organization, here are three questions to ask yourself on a regular basis to begin to uncover assumptions, avoid gridlock, and grow your business:
• What is the uniqueness of each stakeholder? Just as no two people are alike; no two stakeholders are alike. Yet it’s easy to adopt an approach to dealing with others that doesn’t allow for these variations. This can lead to persistent problems, especially if their values and practices are different from yours. Understanding the uniqueness of each stakeholder will help everyone get the most out of each relationship.
• Are my stakeholders capable of doing what I want? Since external stakeholders have other priorities outside of yours, unexpected changes in direction can easily happen. Consistent communication with your external stakeholders minimizes the risk of being blindsided by these issues, and allows you to make contingency plans. It also alerts you to developments that could result in new opportunities for your growth.
• Are my stakeholders willing to do what I want? External stakeholders don’t always share your objectives or sense of urgency. The more that you understand how they perceive your objectives and what their needs are in relationship to yours, the more likely it is that you can head off conflicts, improve decision making, and negotiate solutions that represent a “win” for everyone.
To fully meet organizational challenges and lead your organization to high performance results, it’s essential to know not only who your stakeholders are, but also what issues they face and the impact those issues may have on you. When you seek out the perceptions of your stakeholders on a regular basis, you’ll be able to address any potential challenges from a position of organizational reality, not individual assumption.
Discover the power of your hidden organization
Many entrepreneurs, especially those who are used to working as “gangs of one”, overlook and underestimate the many ways that they can leverage and grow their businesses by working in collaboration with their external stakeholders. .
Once you recognize that you are the architect of your own organization, the issues of leading and managing organizations of all sizes are the same; the same organizational principles apply to mega-corporations as well as to solo entrepreneurs, because even the very smallest businesses have “hidden” organizations within them.
Harnessing the power of your hidden organization will help you to discover untapped opportunities, avoid organizational jams, and grow to new heights of success.
7 Points In Finding A Home Business
There is so much information online it’s amazing. You find something that interests you and you request information and then……you are never there.
• Is it that you are bombarded with calls and emails?
• Is it that you clicked on something but don’t remember?
• Is it that you were in a different state of mind at the time and it’s changed since?
• Is it that there is too much to choose from?
Are you looking to make money but you think everything is a scam or it’s too good to be true? You have been burned before and it’s a very hard thing to get over. I know. I’ve
been there.
Or maybe you want to stuff envelopes or make crafts……
I’ve learned the hard and expensive way. I have yet to find a legitimate envelope stuffing company. If you find a craft to do they are very particular on what they receive. They are so picky that you never get paid and you are stuck with all these crafts. Data entry is another opportunity I have yet to find a real company. The only paying company was through a company my Aunt worked for that I actually got paid for data entry. Otherwise, I never got paid but lost money. You feel violated when you are scammed.
When people ask for more information, why do they ONLY want a quick overview of something?
In order to make an informed decision you need all the facts. You need to do some research:
• Check the company out with the better business bureau.
• Remember products are involved otherwise it’s not legit. Read about those products and see why they are different and if everyone can use them.
• Go to their website
• Get a brochure or PDF file with more information about them on it.
• Is it a team environment? Will they help you achieve your goals or just sign you up?
• Do they refund your money and how much time do you have?
• Do they have start-up costs? How much?
• Email, call and ask questions
When you do your homework by researching and ask questions you have the information to make an informed decision. I’ve learned that when you just want a 5 minute overview you miss a lot of details. Not everything can be summed up in 5 minutes.
I thank you for taking the time to read this over. I hope you have learned something and
I hope you use this information to find what you are looking for, freedom.
Business Organizations - Finding The Best Ones To Join
Business organizations are a great place to do some relationship marketing. By joining business organizations you meet key business owners and leaders in your community. By getting active in these business organizations you can use relationship marketing to its full potential.
The most common business organization we think of joining is the Chamber of Commerce. There are a number of other organizations out there however that are worth checking out.
Finding Business Organizations
Read your local newspaper and watch for mentions of business organizations in your community.
Subscribe to a business journal in your area.
Visit government offices, business assistance officers, and economic development offices and ask for referrals to business organizations that people join for economic purposes.
Research the Gal Group Encyclopedia Associations.
Ask the reference librarian the names of some good business organizations in the area.
Use your network. Ask everyone you know whether they know of an appropriate business organization you could join.
Start with national organizations and then drill down to the state, country and city level.
Look at Business Referral Networks to get leads on business organizations. Two good ones are BNI.com and bltip.com
Don't forget civic organizations. They aren't business organizations per se but lots of business owners are members. Some popular ones are Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions. Don't forget religious based organizations like the Knights of Columbus.
Then there are the specialty business organizations:
Minority business owners associations
IT related business organizations
The ICCA, Independent Computer Consultants Association
International Association of Microsoft Certified Partners for Microsoft certified partners
The “F” group, which is one of the bigger IT related business organizations for resellers
The Bottom Line on Business Organizations
Business Organizations are a great way to meet other business owners and potential clients. Don't stop your search at the local Chamber of Commerce. There are many business organizations out there and one may be perfect for you. Check out the web, the library, your contacts - be proactive in your search for business organizations. Your payoff will be lots of good leads and great opportunities to network and use relationship marketing.
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Business Loans: Finding The Right One
Business loans are not very difficult to come by these days as might be thinking. What with so many governmental and private financial lenders vying with each other for a share of the business loan market, there are brighter chances for businessmen and women to get one provided they have their credit ratings and documents right in place.
Small Business Loans
Small business persons feel the need for loans when they are short of investment at the time of start-up or when they find their business can do better if financed. Small businesses can approach US Small Business Administration (SBA) for loans tailored for different needs of businesses.
Critical Analysis of Business Loan Needs
When it is time, you know you can’t proceed without financing either the expansion or augmentation of your business. But many conditions and issues need addressed critically at this stage.
1. If yours is a start-up, it’s an uphill task as it is generally deemed that your credit history is still to develop. So much so, lenders perceive you as a risk. Financing most part of it through friends and relatives plus own resources augers well initially by lowered interest burden.
2. If the loan is for working capital, chances are better for you on following counts. You have credit history, credit score, possible assets for collateralization and business experience plus ready market/orders.
3. Business expansion loans are based on your projected growth in turnover and profit margins.
4. Loan processing times play crucial roles in choosing loans and lenders. Choosing lenders that take longer may harm your business.
5. A line of credit can suffice working capital needs some times. Here the rate of interest will not burden much as you pay only for the used portion.
6. Nature of the need more or less decides the type and tenure of the loan. For example. Working capital requirement may be taken care off by line of credit; equipment or real estate purchase requires a long term loans (Basic 7 (a) loan guarantee) etc.
7. Also playing critically here is where you hunt for loans. Grants, SBA guaranteed loans have different interest rates, documentations and processing than private institutions which process faster but have stringent terms and conditions.
Loans benefit by retiring old debts at new, relaxed payment terms because of consolidation. If this is your intention, highlighting the different payables contrasted against each other stands a better chance. Lenders are quick to catch this point as the accrued benefits are in an unambiguous state.
Rather than anything, it is your innovativeness which opens avenues for loans. Rationalizing may even reduce the need from the original loan estimate.
Business And Podcasting: Finding The Benefits
In recent years, podcasting has become quite a phenomenon. Who hasn’t heard of iPods or Apple iPods – small portable and trendy media players? Originally intended for users to listen to music even while on the go, podcasting is now used by companies as a marketing tool to communicate with their target audience and grow their businesses. Media, fashion, technology and the consumer markets have especially benefited from podcasting as present day consumers become more tech-savvy.
Podcasting Defined
Podcasting is shortened for iPod and broadcasting. Tech experts refer to it as personal on demand casting. In plain language, podcasting is simply a method of making radio-quality audio files from the Internet available for download through an RSS feed to a computer, iPod, MP3 player or other portable audio devices. An RSS feed is an XML file format that provides web content or summaries of web content together with links to the full versions of the content and other metadata. Listeners need to subscribe to a podcast only once. They can subscribe to podcast feeds with Yahoo, iTunes or any desktop podcast RSS feed reader software application. Fresh content is then delivered automatically to them as it becomes available without them having to do anything. Listeners can also download and listen to any programming of their choice whenever and wherever they want. With podcasting, listeners have full discretion over what they listen to and when they want to.
Podcasting is just like radio broadcasting with a difference. Broadcasting happens at a set time and place. If a listener wants to avail of the broadcast, he has to be in front of the computer at the exact time. Even if a radio broadcast can be recorded for listening later, it still requires manual work. On the other hand, it is possible to listen to podcasts from diverse sources at a listener’s convenience. Podcasts are available online or from any mobile audio device. Podcasts eliminate time and content constraints. Listeners also have access to the audio archives of the programs they like.
Podcasting’s popularity is simple enough to understand. At length, it is an inexpensive way to receive and discover information and communicate with others. It is, therefore, no surprise that podcasting is becoming a mainstream communication medium for businesses wanting to touch base with potential customers globally.
Business Benefits Gained
Business blogging is an effective marketing tool in creating online visibility, extending brand awareness and reaching out to a larger targeted audience. Adding podcasting to blogging and other marketing channels can bring beneficial impact on any business.
Podcasting is an innovative way to promote business. It is not just text or images on a blog page but listening to someone talking. It is a human voice speaking to listeners. This is definitely a more effective way to gain customers and potential clients’ loyalty.
There are various ways to put podcasts to good use. For one, you can offer your listeners short audio messages just like an e-mail course. It has a much better effect than e-mail messages or newsletters in the box. If you have a podcast, listeners can stream the audio and let it play while doing other tasks. You can also record seminars live or interesting excerpts as sound files and upload to a blog where listeners who have subscription can listen to the podcast. You can also provide company news and updates thru podcast. You simply create an audio message and post it in your podcast. There are other different ways
Having a properly executed podcast that delivers honest, timely and relevant content can increase visibility. The whole concept behind blogs and podcasting is to give users information that is difficult to find. Podcast is about credible content that people will want to listen to. Delivering significant content to targeted audience yields high return on investment as compared to any direct marketing campaign. Coupled with this, search engines will index these podcast feeds. Blog and podcast directories will list them too and targeted audience will subscribe to the podcast feeds. A quality podcast can also be listed in the iTunes podcast directory which boasts of over 40 million listeners.
Businesses are also using podcast to promote their products and services. They publish podcast shows regularly to allow prospective customers to be exposed to their products. This, in turn, will create interest in their product or service and subsequently drive sales and increase brand perception.
Another benefit of podcasting is interviews with guests in your particular niche who the audience can learn from will establish your business as a leader or expert in your industry. Internal communication is another area where podcasting can be of good use. Instead of sending out periodic newsletters, conducting training, business podcasting is a cost-effective method of distributing and sharing information. Company staff can simply download updates to catch up on corporate developments and listen whenever and wherever they want to.
The possibilities for businesses to use podcasting for its benefits are immense. Businesses that create podcasts can have direct communication with a focused audience. Podcasting adds a human voice and a distinct personality that builds listener loyalty.
Podcasting Process Summarized
Realizing the limitless benefits of podcasting, the logical question that comes to mind is how to create and deliver podcast. First, create your audio content. This can be spoken commentary, interviews, presentations and updates. You can use a digital voice recorder with plug-in microphone or the microphone that comes with a computer to record your audio content. Save the audio content in the form of an audio file or MP3 file.
The MP3 file is uploaded or published to a blog from where listeners with subscriptions from that blog can download and listen to the podcast. The MP3 file is referred to as RSS feed. The RSS feed shows up on the blog as a list of descriptions of one or more episodes of the podcast available to the listener. The description contains the date of publication of the feed, title, brief description of the feed or of the series that the feed is part of, author or presenter. The listener enters the feed URL into a software application called podcatcher. The podcatcher downloads podcasts (free or paid) and regularly checks for new additional feeds and downloads the new feeds automatically for the listener. This can be downloaded to either a mobile audio device or personal computer depending on the application that the listener is using.
Listeners can then enjoy listening to their podcast of choice any time and any place they want to. As long as you listen to podcasts in your computer only, you can use the audio player like Windows Media Player, RealPlayer that comes bundled with the operating system of your computer. If you want to subscribe to a podcast feed, you have to install a podcatcher software, the most popular of which is iTunes, available as a free download.
Simply put, podcasting is inexpensive, easy to create and convenient. However, it is important to touch base with customers and prospects using various marketing channels. Podcasts should in no way replace newsletters, direct mail campaigns, teleseminars and the like. Podcasting is a complimentary marketing tool that can be added to the marketing mix to maximize business benefits online. So, start podcasting and leverage this new technology to give your business a marketing edge.
5 Tips For Finding A Successful Home Business
Ok, you have scoured the internet for a business opportunity that is going to make you that dream income. You know it’s out there; you just need to find it. But which ones are good and which ones are bad? How do you know? What are the signs to success with a home business?
No matter where you go on the World Wide Web, everyone seems to say “I have found what is going to make you successful”. But without some extensive research and a little insight on how the whole web thing works you just might find yourself loosing a lot of money and time. I mean do these people actually think we are going to put trust in something or someone that promises me to be making 10,000 dollars the first month in business?
That’s a little far fetched if you ask me. No doubt, in some really rare instances it has happened but could it really happen to you? In my years of trial and error, I have found that it does not happen over night and you do have to put in effort to get paid for it. So that seems to help you weed out a few thousand opportunities. So, what next?
For one it would be good to ask “how long has the company been in business?” I know there are companies out there that haven’t been around long and you would just have to take a gamble that they are all they say they are, but there are some other ways to “test” them. One thing to look for: Do they provide a phone number for you to contact them? This may sound simple, but just do a little research for yourself and see how many actually provide you with a number! And yes some will give a number but you can never talk to a real person. It does make a huge difference.
Next, what about the product? How big is the market for it? Is it consumable? Is it a product you can believe in and truly “love” to share with others? These are some great questions show the “signs to success”. First of all let’s say you find a product that everyone is buying and it is consumable (which means it can be used up and orders will need to be repeated) ok you seem to have found it, but you decide that I don’t really like it myself but since there is such a huge market for it and it’s consumable I think I can do this. Do you really think you can sell something you don’t truly love? I have tried it already and it made me hate the opportunity I was in just like having a job I hated! Who wants that? So finding something you feel good about promoting is a very good “sign” to look for.
Ok now you have found your perfect company with a perfect product. Now what? Another good thing to check for is the cost to become a member of that opportunity. I know the old saying: “you get what you pay for” and while that does ring true in so many cases, it’s not always the case in this business. For instance, I paid $3,500 to join a business and they didn’t even provide a product! I had to find one for myself! You would think it would have been a great opportunity since it cost so much but not in that case! I found one that was free to join and the company disappeared after I first looked into it. So it can really be a matter of investigating the company further.
What about a compensation plan? Well we all know the “pyramid” schemes and how they only make the top spot rich. So how do you know the difference? For one Multi Level marketing, at first glance appears to be a pyramid, but after you understand how it works, you will see that it works to better anyone who puts in the hard work, not just the lead guy! And yes I did say “hard work”. It won’t just happen for you; you have to make it work. Although you can find opportunities that will work with just a good product, I recommend you finding one that provides a great comp plan.
For instance I joined a company that had a comp plan that only allowed you to enroll 6 people in top spots and after that you had to put people under other people. That was bad because you were practically giving your hard work away! There are companies that allow unlimited top spots and pay down 8 levels! So you make the most out of what you give in!
Finally a good “sign to success” is a good support and mentoring team. Not one that just claims to have one but who actually put it in motion! How many jobs have you had that just put you out there and said “do it” without any training? Of course it’s in the best interest of the owner to train you to do your job. It works the same in internet home business opportunities. You want to find someone who has been successful and is willing to teach you how to do it too! Some things to look for are: Do they provide team meetings via telephone? Do they have training calls available every week? Can you contact them with questions? Do they have annual conferences?
Although these are just some great guidelines, not all companies will have every one in place and still be a great opportunity. So just get out there and do some research for your self you will find pretty quickly that they all pretty much fall into the same categories. Just keep in mind: “if they promise big things in a short time”, it is probably too good to be true!
Finding inventory for a Wahm auction business
If you are interested in becoming an auction Wahm, you might be curious about where to get items to sell on eBay or one of the other popular online auction sites. Actually, there are a wide variety of choices for your auction inventory. Each has different benefits and disadvantages. However, with so many options it is easy to find a method that works well for you and that can help you start a successful Wahm business.
The first, and most simple, method of finding things to sell in online auctions is searching the garage sales in your local area. Many people are not comfortable with selling online, or they don’t want to take the time to do it. You may find a lot of interesting and valuable treasures that can be sold for a nice profit. The benefit of this method is that your inventory can usually be purchased very cheaply. Try going to yard sales as they are ending and see if you can get a bulk deal to buy whatever the person has left for a flat fee. Sometimes there will be items that will double or even triple your initial investment. You also have the benefit of being able to shop locally. You won’t have to travel far to get the items that you need. Another similar option is to look for estate sales and auctions in your area.
On the downside, when you purchase inventory from yard sales, you really have to know what you are looking for. Sometimes this method works better if you are focusing on selling a specific category of items, like pottery or children’s toys. If you have a category of items that you are familiar with, you’ll know how much you can afford to spend. You will also be able to spot deals when you see them. The other downside is that when you purchase items, you need somewhere in your home to store them before you sell them. If you buy a lot of items and have to sort through them, your garage and spare room will fill up in no time.
Some people prefer to keep the inventory out of their homes and work with a drop shipper. Drop shipping companies have items that you can sell on auctions. You list the items on the auction site, and then once the auction is complete, you arrange shipment with the drop ship company. You never have to have the product in your home, and don’t have to worry about going to the post office a few times a week. As a Wahm, the convenience of working with a drop shipping company can be a huge benefit. However, the profit margins of having the company do the shipping can be very small when compared to some of your other options.
When you obtain a business license you can order wholesale products from a company. Light bulk wholesale is the best option for most Wahms. These wholesale packages include from several hundred to a thousand dollars worth of product. Light bulk wholesale can be delivered to your home and won’t require excessive amounts of storage space. Selling from a wholesale lot means that you are in charge of setting your prices and can have more profit than you would by drop shipping. You are also not at the mercy of a drop shipping company, who may deliver your items late and put your customer service at risk.
On the other hand, stocking your own inventory can be a bit overwhelming unless you are organized. You can easily get bogged down in getting the right items to the right buyers. You will also be responsible for going to the post office several times a week, and packaging the items yourself.
However, with a bit of preparation, the most successful auction site Wahms find that buying items in wholesale lots gives them the most control over their business and the best profit margins. If you are just getting started, try one of the other methods first and then work up to buying wholesale lots.