Showing posts with label Start-up. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Start-up. Show all posts

Thursday, January 25, 2007

5 Ways to Stay Motivated in Your Work at Home Business

Whether you're just starting out with your work at home business or you've had a home business for many years, you'll need to stay motivated if you're going to see continual success. Everyone goes through a home business slump occasionally, but it's those who stay motivated who will reach their goals. Here are five simple ways you can stay motivated in your work at home business.

1. Work from a List

Create a daily, weekly and even monthly list of things to do in your business. This sounds so simple, but yet a "to do" list is a powerful tool in helping you accomplish home business tasks. Prioritize your list each day so you can do those things that are most important first. If you have tasks that you absolutely dread, then put those tasks at the very top of the list if possible. This will give you a free mind for the remainder of the day to concentrate on the tasks you enjoy.

A list can consist of many things, from promotion steps to phone calls to make, and even a stack of papers that must be organized on your desk. Most successful business people create a list and then check off items as they are completed. This gives a sense of accomplishment throughout the day as you complete tasks.

2. Search for New Opportunities during Slow Business Times

Having a slow time in your work at home business? Don't despair. And, whatever you do, don't go apply for a job at the local fast food chain - just yet! Stay motivated by seeking out other home business opportunities that may tie into your current business.

Perhaps you offer a product or service that sells very slowly during the spring months. You could seek out related products or services that would be popular during those months to offset the other in profits. This will give you a chance to make money and enjoy multiple streams of income year round!

3. Take an Online Training Course for Better Education

Educate yourself through online training courses related to your field so you can learn how to maximize your skills and profits. There are many training courses available online today in the fields of web design, graphic design, online marketing, real estate, travel, office skills, medical, insurance, and finance.

With online training, you choose only those courses that will benefit you and your work at home business. You can usually take the courses at your own leisure from home, and will pay far less than you would for a college course.

4. Expand Marketing Avenues

Don't settle for less. Use the wisdom and experience of others who have been in business a while to expand your marketing avenues. You might consider reading after top marketers to get Internet marketing ideas. Also, there are many ways to promote your work at home business off-line.

To stay motivated, always test your efforts to see what results they bring. This is far more exciting than paying for ads and never knowing if they work or not!

5. Network with Others



Another way to stay motivated during a business slump is to network with others. Find others in related fields who can offer advice and encouragement about your business. A work at home business can be lonely at times because you never leave the house! Finding others online and off-line who do the same thing will give you an outlet for those lonely days.

Use these tips to stay motivated in your work at home business. You deserve success, so don't give up!

Article Source: http://www.articlecafe.net

Sunday, January 14, 2007

5 Ways A Home Business Can Save You Money

When most people think of starting their own home business, they think of the income potential, the amount of free time that they will have to spend with family and the flexibility of making their own schedule. What if there were even more benefits to working at home? In fact, what if a home business could actually save you money in a big way? Five big ways, to be exact.

Gasoline. With gas prices fluctuating and, at times, being so expensive that colleagues are often forced to carpool, it’s no surprise that entrepreneurs who work at home will save big bucks in this area. If you aren’t commuting to work everyday and back home again, you could end up saving several hundred dollars each month just by having a home business.

Car mileage & repairs. The more you are on the road, the more miles your odometer records. Automobiles with high mileage often command lower resale and/or trade-in value, but may also wear out faster simply because of excessive use. When you travel a lot, your vehicle is more susceptible to flat tires, worn brakes and other needed repairs resulting from the everyday use of a vehicle. What if the only places that you had to go included common errands and recreational outings? Rather than racking up miles and risking a flat tire going to work, home-based entrepreneurs put the car in park and walk to the office.

Clothing. Have you ever gone on a job interview and found out that the company required a uniform or specific dress code for employees? Quite often, a new wardrobe isn’t on the forefront of someone’s mind when they are searching for a job. Instead, meeting important family and household expenses are among the leading reasons why most people apply for employment. For those who choose a home business, there are no dress codes, no uniforms and no specific shoes that need to be worn. In fact, you can show up to work in your favorite t-shirt and shorts if you so desire.

Lunch. If you are a full-time employee, then you probably get a lunch break. Unless you bring your own, you will be dining out a lot. Whether you choose a fast food or casual restaurant, a daily lunch bill can really add up. Although you still have to eat lunch if you work at home, you will save a considerable amount of money by eating in.

Childcare. In families where both parents work and a child is too young for school, childcare expenses are a natural part of life. As many already know, hiring a babysitter or enrolling your little one in a daycare facility doesn’t come cheap. More importantly, most parents would prefer that one of them be at home to take care of the child themselves. With household expenses and everyday bills, many families struggle with making this dream into a reality. A home business may be the answer. Why? Because it allows for one or both parents to work at home and be there to care for their children while still earning income. Not only will this result in financial savings, but will give everyone peace of mind in knowing that their children are being properly cared for.

As you can see, there are a number of ways that a home business can save you money. When you add each of these five options together, just think of the extra cash that you will have on hand for taking a family vacation which, by the way, a home business allows you the freedom to do.

Source: http://www.content-articles.com/article.aspx?i=42704

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Home-Based Business Start-Up: 7 Tips For Lowering Your Fear Factor

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All of us who tell the truth will admit to having fears. Many people live their entire lives with one fear or other, but Anne Block, discovered how to side step her fear factor into a home business reality. Read more

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Copywriting to promote yourself 5 ways

Monica, a very competent businesswoman, was explaining her new website.

“The headline will be my slogan,” she said confidently. “You know: the part that goes, ‘More impact when you speak, every time.’”

Ouch! Definitely not the way to go.

Naturally I’ve disguised the details but Monica’s not unusual. You’ve got at least 5 ways to brag – all different.

(1) Your slogan usually appears near your logo on your website, on your business card and (often) in your elevator speech.

Your slogan should reflect the benefits you offer your clients, not your own uniqueness. I once saw a slogan on a truck, “We know everything about lumber.” My response: “So…why should I care?”

Better: “We use wood to make your home look beautiful.”

Ali Brown’s “Boost business with your own ezine” does the job.
So does Michael Port’s, “The guy to call when you’re tired of thinking small.”

I’ve used “Promotion with professionalism” and, “If your website isn’t making money while you sleep, we need to talk.” My current career slogan: “From career breakdown to career breakthrough.”

(2) Resource box statement. When you send out articles to promote your business, you need a short signature block – 5 to 7 lines – to conclude your article. You’ll need a brief sentence summarizing your uniqueness, such as: “Mary Jones helps high-earning professionals lose their credit card debt and gain financial security in six months or less.”

Some professionals opt for a simpler version: “Bob Smith helped over 200 authors publicize their books to increase sales” or even, “Jane Doe has been helping corporate executives manage their careers since 1992.”

I recommend a sentence rather than a phrase because resource boxes get chopped when your article gets published.

The expert here is of course Alexandria Brown the Ezine Queen.

(3) Irresistible freebie.

To motivate website visitors to sign up for your ezine, ecourse or podcast, you need a gift they can’t wait to download. Go for broke with this one: if it feels over the top to you, it’s probably just right for your readers.

Typical titles refer to a number of critical or essential tips. “Secrets” sounds corny but it still works. I’ve had considerable success with “7 best-kept secrets of client attracting copy.” Others might be “How to avoid the 5 deadly mistakes made by career changers.”

Tip: I encourage my copy clients to begin a website copywriting project with the freebie. It’s a good way to get in touch with your clients’ pain.

(4) Headline.

Your home page needs a killer headline that motivates readers to keep reading. We could spend a whole article on this topic – in fact, whole books have been written about headlines.
Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero wrote: "Copywriting: The Secret Weapon Your Competitors Hope You Never Figure Out How to Use!" Learn more!

(5) Elevator speech.

Designing an elevator speech resembles creating copy for your website: you focus on the target and demonstrate your benefits. A new book on elevator speeches that’s worth a look. The author lives here in Seattle and I’ve heard her speak:
Give Your Elevator Speech A Lift

I don’t recommend trying to economize on promotion by using the same concept for all 5 bragging opportunities, although you’ll find this formula applied successfully to packaged goods marketing. Purina Pet Foods has a wonderful trademarked slogan, “Your Pet, Our PassionTM.” They use it on everything from their website to ads. We’re different.

Autor: Cathy Goodwin
http://www.copy-cat-copywriting.com