When you are starting out in a new home business and no one
knows who you are, one of the greatest challenges you will face
is how to drum up new business.
Home Business Ideas and Opportunities
If there were not people in your community or marketplace that
you knew who needed your products or services, you probably
would not have started your business to begin with. But, once
you have talked to those who you personally knew who needed your
what you offer, then your next task is to find others who will
help keep your doors open.
Many people know that they must turn to advertising at some
point in the future, but they hope that day will be long down
the road. For some, this utopian concept will come to fruition.
But for the rest of us in the real world, we must come up with
creative solutions for meeting our home business advertising
needs while working within our budget.
Most people have a misconception about having to spend lots of
money in order to advertise their home business. When you start
out, you honestly will not have much money available for
advertising, and if you do, you should still spend it wisely.
Before you jump headfirst into the world of advertising, let me
share some of the lessons I have learned concerning this most
important topic.
LESSON #1
It does not have to cost an arm and a leg to advertise your home
business, unless you fail to plan and fail to test.
As much as is possible, you should always test your advertising.
If you jump in and start dumping tons of money in to advertising
without first testing your advertising, you might find yourself
broke and without sales at the end of the road. Most people who
commit this error write off their failure on the home business
they chose or the economy or any of a hundred other excuses.
But, if they are unwilling to take responsibility for their
mistake, they will never learn from their mistake. Don`t let
this be you.
LESSON #2
All testing should be done in blocks. If you begin to advertise
simultaneously in newspapers, radio and television, how will you
know which advertising is bringing people to your cash register?
You won`t. All you will know that something might be working,
but you will not know what is actually doing the trick.
Even if you tell people in your advertising to tell you how they
found you, my experience shows that fewer than 10% of the people
ever will tell you anything --- and those people who do may not
even get the facts straight! You cannot rely on your customers
to tell you what advertising is working for your home business.
You must put in the extra effort to know for yourself.
LESSON #3
Only when you have a proven and solid advertising portfolio
should you venture to drop big bucks in an advertising campaign.
Even then, you should be careful to keep further measurements to
determine how much the maximum advantage of an ad would be.
Sometimes you might be able to reach ten times as many people,
but depending on the kind of media and other factors, the
additional exposure will only generate twice as many sales. Keep
your eye attuned to situations like this to get the most from
your advertising dollars.
LESSON #4
As Lesson #3 illustrates, sometimes your best advertising
investment may actually cost you less money. When you are first
starting out, whether you are running a home business or a
business outside of your home, you need to be able to get people
talking and thinking about your business.
If you are busy testing ads in media`s such as the newspaper,
magazines, radio, and television, you need to learn ways of
promoting your business that do not require large cash
expenditures. A few examples are:
· Word of Mouth
· Business Cards
· Press Releases
· Non-Primetime Ads on Radio and Television
Here is more information about each type of low-cost advertising:
WORD OF MOUTH
This of course is the cheapest kind of advertising on the planet
--- it does not cost you anything. Ask your customers if they
know anyone who could also use your products or services. When
they are happy with your offerings and service, they will be
willing to tell you whom you can contact, and they will pass the
word for you.
BUSINESS CARDS
You can usually pick up 500 business cards for about $20. When
you do, hand them out. Do not give more than a couple of cards
to each person. If they need more cards from you, they will ask.
Some people are known to network with others on a regular basis.
Some of these people are also known to be always looking for an
extra few bucks. With these people, you can suggest to them that
if they write their name on the back of one of your business
cards and the card is presented to you, then you will pay a
referral fee to them. You do not have to offer much ---
sometimes one dollar is enough. Look at your home business and
your offerings and decide how much would be a good referral fee.
PRESS RELEASES
Press Releases are a good source for generating news about your
home business. The business editor at your local newspaper is
always on the lookout for a good business story to fill the
business news section of the newspaper.
Of course, the business editor understands the economics of
running a paper and is more inclined to run your story if you
buy advertising in his/her publication, but will still print
stories for special events and openings.
The important thing to remember about Press Releases is that it
must be constructed in the form of a news story. Even if you are
a sole proprietorship, quotes from you should be written in a
third person format: John Doe said, "Your quote here."
A Press Release should pack the most important information at
the beginning of the copy, and leave extra details towards the
end.
You should always provide the reporter who gets the task a
simple and easy way for him/her to contact you directly. Often
the reporter will want to contact you to get details that will
enhance their take on your story.
NON-PRIMETIME ADS ON RADIO AND TELEVISION
Believe it or not, some of the best rates for radio and
television are on the overnight and non-primetime venues. These
target times are not a total waste as they can easily keep the
infomercial people in business.
These off-hours are just less populated than the primetime hours.
Don`t be afraid to check your local radio and television rates
for non-primetime hours to see what bargains may exist. With
television, primetime is 7pm to 10pm. With radio, primetime is
8am to 5pm. This sure leaves a whole lot of hours available to
advertise your home business at discount rates!
IN CONCLUSION
When it comes down to it, there is a lot to understand about
advertising, but when you have the basic knowledge down pat,
everything will fall into place and bring more dollars to your
bank account.
About the Author:
------------------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans helps ordinary people all over the world make
money online with affiliate programs. If you can follow 3
easy steps, you can get your own customized website,
autoresponder (email follow-up software) and pre-written
email marketing campaign professionally designed and
installed and ready to pull in profits for you in 24 hours
or less! See details at and sign up today at:
Plug-In Profit Site
------------------------------------------------------------
To Your Success
Len Wilton
JBLMarketing.com
P.S. Making money online is easier than you think... Start
NOW with The Home Biz Guy's Plug-In Profit Site service at:
Home Business Ideas and Opportunities
Showing posts with label business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label business. Show all posts
Sunday, 23 August 2009
Friday, 7 August 2009
How to Stay Focused on Your Home Business Goals
When you are the owner of a home business, you will find
hundreds of distractions that vie for your time, energy and
focus.
Home Business Ideas and Opportunities
Common distractions include: children, family, friends,
neighbors, pets, phone calls, mail, household chores, video
games, television, neighborhood children, visitors, and so many
more.
As an owner of a home based business, you must always remember
your purpose in bringing your profession home. What was your
reason for wanting to own a home business? Was your goal to work
from home so that you can share in the lives of your children?
Was your goal to be out from under the rule of a tyrannical
boss? Was your goal to have the freedom to work when it is
convenient for you? Was your goal to make tons of money working
for yourself?
Here`s a few good tips that will help you stay focused on your
home business:
TIP #1:
Whatever your reason for going out on your own, you must keep
your reason in the forefront of your mind. If you forget your
reason for starting your own home business, you will not be
working for yourself for long. It is far too easy to let
circumstance drive your activities --- and when circumstance is
in the driver`s seat, you are more likely to crash and burn.
TIP #2:
Remember --- your own business is a lot like a real job. Some
people go to work to play, some go to socialize, and others ---
most often those who are paid in a commission or tip environment
--- go to work to work and to make money. When you work for
yourself, your salary is directly proportional to your
productivity. Therefore, wouldn`t it make sense to stay focused
on getting as much done in as short of a period as possible?
Go to work to work and to make money. Leave playtime and
recreation for when your workday has ended.
TIP #3:
When you are dealing with family in the course of your workday,
it is important to schedule your activities as much as possible.
With small children, you must take time when you must, but you
should also work hard to make sure you dedicate a specific
number of hours to your workday.
With older children, it is much easier to tell them that you
will be working between the hours of x and y. Your children and
your friends must understand that certain hours of your day are
devoted to the activities of your business.
TIP #4:
Don`t permit your friends and extended family to run over you.
Many people get the blind idea that if one works from home then
they are not actually working.
Well-meaning people may try to fill your doorway to bring advice
about getting a real job. Others may simply believe that if you
are at home, then you are fair game for chitchat and
socialization.
You must stand firm. You must make certain your friends and
family understands that when you are working, then you ARE
working! If they wish to socialize with you, then they need to
do it during the hours that are not dedicated to your home
business.
You are the only one who can stand up for you. Your friends and
family will seldom be able to appreciate your dedication to your
home business, unless you make the effort to make sure that they
have the same respect for your business that you do.
TIP #5:
You should allot a certain portion of your day to email and to
regular mail. For example, allot one hour in the morning and one
hour in the afternoon to handling your written communications.
Unless you dedicate certain times to the handling of these
communications, you will soon find yourself on the downward
slope of decreased productivity.
TIP #6:
When you find yourself spending too much time doing
non-productive activities, then you should seriously consider
finding a third-party service provider who will assist you in
those non-profitable business activities.
As an example, you might be in the mail-order business. You
might believe that your time is best spent writing ad copy and
setting up your advertising, but you find yourself spending far
too much time taking care of your books to take care of your
advertising in the manner that you should. In this event, it
might make more sense to hire a bookkeeper to handle your
financial records for you.
CONCLUSION:
In the end, the success of your home business is entirely and
completely reliant upon you and the decisions that you make.
You had your reasons for deciding to start your own home based
business. You must always keep your reasons in the forefront of
your mind. You must always be able to rely upon your own self
and your dedication to the success of your business.
Your friends and family might be annoyed that they cannot come
visit upon their own whim, but when success comes to you and
your business, they will better appreciate you for putting your
foot down when necessary.
Success is within your reach, if only you can stay focused on
your goals. You must decide to reach for your goals, and then,
you must have the discipline necessary to reach them.
About the Author:
------------------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans helps ordinary people all over the world make
money online with affiliate programs. If you can follow 3
easy steps, you can get your own customized website,
autoresponder (email follow-up software) and pre-written
email marketing campaign professionally designed and
installed and ready to pull in profits for you in 24 hours
or less! See details at and sign up today at:
Plug-In Profit Site
------------------------------------------------------------
To Your Success
Len Wilton
JBLMarketing.com
P.S. Making money online is easier than you think... Start
NOW with The Home Biz Guy's Plug-In Profit Site service at:
http://Home Business Ideas and Opportunities
hundreds of distractions that vie for your time, energy and
focus.
Home Business Ideas and Opportunities
Common distractions include: children, family, friends,
neighbors, pets, phone calls, mail, household chores, video
games, television, neighborhood children, visitors, and so many
more.
As an owner of a home based business, you must always remember
your purpose in bringing your profession home. What was your
reason for wanting to own a home business? Was your goal to work
from home so that you can share in the lives of your children?
Was your goal to be out from under the rule of a tyrannical
boss? Was your goal to have the freedom to work when it is
convenient for you? Was your goal to make tons of money working
for yourself?
Here`s a few good tips that will help you stay focused on your
home business:
TIP #1:
Whatever your reason for going out on your own, you must keep
your reason in the forefront of your mind. If you forget your
reason for starting your own home business, you will not be
working for yourself for long. It is far too easy to let
circumstance drive your activities --- and when circumstance is
in the driver`s seat, you are more likely to crash and burn.
TIP #2:
Remember --- your own business is a lot like a real job. Some
people go to work to play, some go to socialize, and others ---
most often those who are paid in a commission or tip environment
--- go to work to work and to make money. When you work for
yourself, your salary is directly proportional to your
productivity. Therefore, wouldn`t it make sense to stay focused
on getting as much done in as short of a period as possible?
Go to work to work and to make money. Leave playtime and
recreation for when your workday has ended.
TIP #3:
When you are dealing with family in the course of your workday,
it is important to schedule your activities as much as possible.
With small children, you must take time when you must, but you
should also work hard to make sure you dedicate a specific
number of hours to your workday.
With older children, it is much easier to tell them that you
will be working between the hours of x and y. Your children and
your friends must understand that certain hours of your day are
devoted to the activities of your business.
TIP #4:
Don`t permit your friends and extended family to run over you.
Many people get the blind idea that if one works from home then
they are not actually working.
Well-meaning people may try to fill your doorway to bring advice
about getting a real job. Others may simply believe that if you
are at home, then you are fair game for chitchat and
socialization.
You must stand firm. You must make certain your friends and
family understands that when you are working, then you ARE
working! If they wish to socialize with you, then they need to
do it during the hours that are not dedicated to your home
business.
You are the only one who can stand up for you. Your friends and
family will seldom be able to appreciate your dedication to your
home business, unless you make the effort to make sure that they
have the same respect for your business that you do.
TIP #5:
You should allot a certain portion of your day to email and to
regular mail. For example, allot one hour in the morning and one
hour in the afternoon to handling your written communications.
Unless you dedicate certain times to the handling of these
communications, you will soon find yourself on the downward
slope of decreased productivity.
TIP #6:
When you find yourself spending too much time doing
non-productive activities, then you should seriously consider
finding a third-party service provider who will assist you in
those non-profitable business activities.
As an example, you might be in the mail-order business. You
might believe that your time is best spent writing ad copy and
setting up your advertising, but you find yourself spending far
too much time taking care of your books to take care of your
advertising in the manner that you should. In this event, it
might make more sense to hire a bookkeeper to handle your
financial records for you.
CONCLUSION:
In the end, the success of your home business is entirely and
completely reliant upon you and the decisions that you make.
You had your reasons for deciding to start your own home based
business. You must always keep your reasons in the forefront of
your mind. You must always be able to rely upon your own self
and your dedication to the success of your business.
Your friends and family might be annoyed that they cannot come
visit upon their own whim, but when success comes to you and
your business, they will better appreciate you for putting your
foot down when necessary.
Success is within your reach, if only you can stay focused on
your goals. You must decide to reach for your goals, and then,
you must have the discipline necessary to reach them.
About the Author:
------------------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans helps ordinary people all over the world make
money online with affiliate programs. If you can follow 3
easy steps, you can get your own customized website,
autoresponder (email follow-up software) and pre-written
email marketing campaign professionally designed and
installed and ready to pull in profits for you in 24 hours
or less! See details at and sign up today at:
Plug-In Profit Site
------------------------------------------------------------
To Your Success
Len Wilton
JBLMarketing.com
P.S. Making money online is easier than you think... Start
NOW with The Home Biz Guy's Plug-In Profit Site service at:
http://Home Business Ideas and Opportunities
Sunday, 12 October 2008
How to make money selling on eBay
You are already selling and you haven't been able to make the money you desire, you've read books and guides to help you make money selling on eBay. Even so you still feel frustrated because you are in the same spot, you haven't improved your sells, money and time is crucial and you just simply want to know what to do. In order for you to make money to sell on eBay you will have to do the following.
" Be descriptive
" Good communication
" Positive feedback
These three steps are keys to become successful in making money selling on eBay.
Be Descriptive: When you are describing your product make sure you include as much detail as possible. This will narrow down what exactly the buyer needs. Also be descriptive in you title, in your title you want to mention important detail such as size, color, brand name, etc. By doing so the costumer will find it very easy to visualize how the product looks like and see if it is something the buyer is looking for. When you are including detail in you description of your product, it is suggested to make the important words bold that will attract the buyer, for instance, if you are selling a shirt and is brand new, you will want to put in bold letters "Brand New:".
Good Communication: Communication is very critical when it comes to selling a product, for that reason it will be wise for you to respond to questions that interested costumers ask you, for they will lose interest if you don't. If you see that the question is often repeated then it is recommended to include the answer in your listing or in the descriptions of your product. Remember you can always go back an edit the product information.
Positive Feedback: Feedback plays a vital role in selling in eBay which making money selling on eBay will depend on these feedbacks either if there positive or negative. Keep the feedback system honest, some tend to simply give each other positive feedback for the simple convenience, but you want to be loyal and honest since you want buyers who can fully trust you on selling them a product. In order for you to receive positive feedback you will want to be as helpful as possible to the costumer and be prompt on shipping the product.
In order to make money selling on eBay you will want to have in mind these steps as well as try to keep you business running. Some start off selling random items from home that they feel is not of any need. Since selling items from home will eventually run out you will have to figure out a way to keep supply in hand. One way to have consistent supply is to lean your sells on items you are familiar with and you have sufficient amount of knowledge about. This is a good strategy since you will be above most competitors that are selling the same product since most of them are not as familiar as you are. This is an advantage because you will know what right product to sell is and which product is considered the most suitable.
Frustrated By Your eBay Business?
Learn The Secret Online Auctions Tips!
Learn How To Become An eBay Powerseller!
" Be descriptive
" Good communication
" Positive feedback
These three steps are keys to become successful in making money selling on eBay.
Be Descriptive: When you are describing your product make sure you include as much detail as possible. This will narrow down what exactly the buyer needs. Also be descriptive in you title, in your title you want to mention important detail such as size, color, brand name, etc. By doing so the costumer will find it very easy to visualize how the product looks like and see if it is something the buyer is looking for. When you are including detail in you description of your product, it is suggested to make the important words bold that will attract the buyer, for instance, if you are selling a shirt and is brand new, you will want to put in bold letters "Brand New:".
Good Communication: Communication is very critical when it comes to selling a product, for that reason it will be wise for you to respond to questions that interested costumers ask you, for they will lose interest if you don't. If you see that the question is often repeated then it is recommended to include the answer in your listing or in the descriptions of your product. Remember you can always go back an edit the product information.
Positive Feedback: Feedback plays a vital role in selling in eBay which making money selling on eBay will depend on these feedbacks either if there positive or negative. Keep the feedback system honest, some tend to simply give each other positive feedback for the simple convenience, but you want to be loyal and honest since you want buyers who can fully trust you on selling them a product. In order for you to receive positive feedback you will want to be as helpful as possible to the costumer and be prompt on shipping the product.
In order to make money selling on eBay you will want to have in mind these steps as well as try to keep you business running. Some start off selling random items from home that they feel is not of any need. Since selling items from home will eventually run out you will have to figure out a way to keep supply in hand. One way to have consistent supply is to lean your sells on items you are familiar with and you have sufficient amount of knowledge about. This is a good strategy since you will be above most competitors that are selling the same product since most of them are not as familiar as you are. This is an advantage because you will know what right product to sell is and which product is considered the most suitable.
Frustrated By Your eBay Business?
Learn The Secret Online Auctions Tips!
Learn How To Become An eBay Powerseller!
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