My last post gave you the easiest way to find just the right business for you. Plus I shared some examples of clients and friends who have used this tecnique to create successful home businesses. Now I want to share internet businesses that are fairly simple and inexpensive to start. I have used each of these during my own online business career so I can tell you - they work!
1. Affiliate Marketing: The easiest way to get started online is through affiliate marketing. What's affiliate marketing? Promoting other people's products and/or services. This was how I started. In fact I'm still an affiliate for Ken Evoy's Site Build It!, Mike Dillard's Magnetic Sponsoring, and Rick Raddatz's Instant Teleseminar. To get started, look at the products you use and trust. Then find out if they have an affiliate program. Chances are they do. Then simply register to be an affiliate and you are on your way. If you don't know of any affiliate programs, a little online research will help you find them. Affiliate programs are free to join. If someone is asking you to pay to be an affiliate, beware! Most programs will also provide you with a website, training, and promotional tools. These are great to get started, but you will want to learn some web marketing skills to increase your income potential.
2. Blogging: I started blogging simply as a way to share my experiences with others. I never dreamed you could actually use your blog to may money until I met Darren Rowse aka ProBlogger. While participating in his 31 day Build a Better Blog program, I discovered that you can use the power of your blog to drive people to your websites, promote your affiliate programs, and even set up some advertising. Now my blogs are a main source of income for me. If you like to share your ideas and can express yourself well, blogging may be for you. If you are considering it, I highly recommend you check out the ProBlogger site. No one teaches the ins and outs of blogging better than he does.
3. Your Own E-Commerce Site: Once you have learned your way around the internet business world, you may want to consider setting up a site of your own to promote your own product or service. Infoproducts are especially easy to create and market and as Ken Evoy says - Everyone knows something someone else will pay to learn. If you aren't sure how to create and market an infoproduct, there is help available. Marlon Sanders has created the InfoProduct Dashboard. I use it and I like it so much that I became an affiliate of Marlon's products just so I could promote this product. You'll need to understand internet marketing, copywriting, networking, and a host of other skills - but that's why you started with affiliate marketing and blogging.
4. Freelancing: One of my businesses is the Travels with Bob shop. In in you will find all sorts of merchandise with designs featuring Bob - and soon, some of his friends. And if you think I created those designs myself, think again. I hired freelance graphic designers to do the work. In fact, all of my graphics on every site I own were designed by two wonderful designers - PopArtDiva and Karlyn. If you have a skill such as design, or copywriting, or web design, or programming, becoming a freelancer may be for you. And freelancing can lead to regular work. I started out as a freelance writer, submitting articles to various publications. That landed me a regular spot as a business columnist and travel writer on Boomer-Living.com!
5. Coaching/Consulting: Those that can, do. Those that have proven that they can and want to help others, coach. Or consult. Either way, if you have expertise in something, you can provide that expertise to others and get paid for it. BoomerBizCoach is my coaching business. I love sharing what I have learned with others. And thanks to my friend Wendy Y. Bailey, now I charge for that! You can too. (You can hear how Wendy helped me by listening to my interview with her on the BoomerBizCoach site). By the way, this is my first attempt a building my own site. That's another task I usually outsource. Why not this time? Long story. But I would appreciate some feedback on the site. Email me with your input and I'll send you a free internet marketing report.
These are the ways I make money online. There are others. If you have a unique business that you have taken online, we'd love to hear about it. I may even want to do a blog post about you or invite you to be a guest on my next series of interviews. Share your business in the comments. P.S. Commenting on other blogs is another great way to market your business. A tip I learned from ProBlogger!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Creative Businesses You Can Run From Home
So you want to start your own business. Awesome! There is only one small catch - what type of business to start?
Deciding what type of business to start can be a difficult decision - or not. If you base your decision on your skills and interests, coming up with the right business for you can be a relatively simple decision. The first step, then, is to determine what your skills are and how they relate to your interests.
I am very good at teaching and coaching others. I am also very efficient at organizing things. I love to talk and write and I've been told I communicate very effectively. Math and science are a breeze. And I have an amazing memory for facts and figures. I have also been told I have quite the flair for the dramatic. I am extremely quick at learning other languages.
I'm not very artistic. I can't draw a straight line. Even my stick people look odd. I am also not very athletic. I enjoy some sports and I love the outdoors, but I am not going to win any medals. I get bored easily and I detest routine and repetitive tasks.
I love music, art, travel, books, gardening, teaching, parties, cooking, theater, animals, outdoor activities such as camping and hiking, science - especially astronomy and physics, history - particularly medieval, languages and I am quite the do-it-yourselfer.
Now, taking a look at my skills, my interests, and areas where I'm not so skilled - what types of business are good for me?
First, I got started in meeting and event planning. I'm a good organizer. I love to travel and have parties. I'm great with words and language (helpful in reading and understanding contracts) and I communicate well and love to talk (helpful in contract negotiation). I enjoyed it and probably would still be involved if not for the current economic situation. More and more companies are cutting their meeting budget.
I like animals, I love to travel, and I write well. Sounds like the start of "Traveling Bob." A travel blog and site written by a dog? Why not? It's been fun - and profitable. Creative enough to hold my interest (remember I tend to lose interest quickly). Unique enough to catch the public attention.
I still needed something else to do. I am a certified master trainer. I love to design training courses and curricula. And I love to help others, especially those who are much like me. BoomerBizCoach is the perfect business for me. It taps into many of my skills and interests. And there is a definite need for this type of service.
The point I'm trying to make is that by combining your skills and interests, and making sure you account for the areas you are lacking in, you can easily find the perfect home business for you.
I have a friend who is a military wife. She is also the garage sale queen. She loves everything about them - organizing and running them, shopping at them, finding that perfect item for a great price, or selling an item at a great price. She watched as military family after family held their own garage sales either before a transfer or right after. And she listened as most of us grumbled and groaned about it. And she saw a niche for her perfect business. She organizes and runs garage sales for military families. She does all the work. Clients pay her a commission out of their earnings. And these are usually more than average since Chris is very good at what she does. Chris has been doing this for a number of years now, and still loves what she does.
Jessica loves photography. She takes fabulous photos. But she doesn't stop there. She then uses photo editing software to turn them into truly unique pieces of art. Now she has a very successful photography business. People come to her to get work they can't get anywhere else. I even have one of her photos - a portrait of the women in my family that looks like we all posed together for it, when in reality, my grandmothers and my mother had passed on many years before the photo was created. It's beautiful and one of my treasured possessions and I gladly paid her price when I saw what she had put together.
David, a client, loves computers. He also loves to write and does so very well. After several years at the local poultry plant, David was offered the chance to write the company newsletter and a new business was born. David now publishes newsletters for several local businesses who don't have the staff to create their own and gladly pay him to perform that service for them.
I could give example after example of friends and clients who have taken what they know, combined it with what they love, did a little creative brainstorming, and came up with the perfect home business. You can do it also. Not sure how to get started? Take advantage of my free workshop that helps you do just that. You get all of the tools necessary to help you assess your skills, talents, passions, and interests, plus a 60-minute coaching session with me where we work together to help you find the right path for your business. Interested? Contact me at mwhiteley@boomerbizcoach.com. Let's find that perfect business you can run from home.
Deciding what type of business to start can be a difficult decision - or not. If you base your decision on your skills and interests, coming up with the right business for you can be a relatively simple decision. The first step, then, is to determine what your skills are and how they relate to your interests.
I am very good at teaching and coaching others. I am also very efficient at organizing things. I love to talk and write and I've been told I communicate very effectively. Math and science are a breeze. And I have an amazing memory for facts and figures. I have also been told I have quite the flair for the dramatic. I am extremely quick at learning other languages.
I'm not very artistic. I can't draw a straight line. Even my stick people look odd. I am also not very athletic. I enjoy some sports and I love the outdoors, but I am not going to win any medals. I get bored easily and I detest routine and repetitive tasks.
I love music, art, travel, books, gardening, teaching, parties, cooking, theater, animals, outdoor activities such as camping and hiking, science - especially astronomy and physics, history - particularly medieval, languages and I am quite the do-it-yourselfer.
Now, taking a look at my skills, my interests, and areas where I'm not so skilled - what types of business are good for me?
First, I got started in meeting and event planning. I'm a good organizer. I love to travel and have parties. I'm great with words and language (helpful in reading and understanding contracts) and I communicate well and love to talk (helpful in contract negotiation). I enjoyed it and probably would still be involved if not for the current economic situation. More and more companies are cutting their meeting budget.
I like animals, I love to travel, and I write well. Sounds like the start of "Traveling Bob." A travel blog and site written by a dog? Why not? It's been fun - and profitable. Creative enough to hold my interest (remember I tend to lose interest quickly). Unique enough to catch the public attention.
I still needed something else to do. I am a certified master trainer. I love to design training courses and curricula. And I love to help others, especially those who are much like me. BoomerBizCoach is the perfect business for me. It taps into many of my skills and interests. And there is a definite need for this type of service.
The point I'm trying to make is that by combining your skills and interests, and making sure you account for the areas you are lacking in, you can easily find the perfect home business for you.
I have a friend who is a military wife. She is also the garage sale queen. She loves everything about them - organizing and running them, shopping at them, finding that perfect item for a great price, or selling an item at a great price. She watched as military family after family held their own garage sales either before a transfer or right after. And she listened as most of us grumbled and groaned about it. And she saw a niche for her perfect business. She organizes and runs garage sales for military families. She does all the work. Clients pay her a commission out of their earnings. And these are usually more than average since Chris is very good at what she does. Chris has been doing this for a number of years now, and still loves what she does.
Jessica loves photography. She takes fabulous photos. But she doesn't stop there. She then uses photo editing software to turn them into truly unique pieces of art. Now she has a very successful photography business. People come to her to get work they can't get anywhere else. I even have one of her photos - a portrait of the women in my family that looks like we all posed together for it, when in reality, my grandmothers and my mother had passed on many years before the photo was created. It's beautiful and one of my treasured possessions and I gladly paid her price when I saw what she had put together.
David, a client, loves computers. He also loves to write and does so very well. After several years at the local poultry plant, David was offered the chance to write the company newsletter and a new business was born. David now publishes newsletters for several local businesses who don't have the staff to create their own and gladly pay him to perform that service for them.
I could give example after example of friends and clients who have taken what they know, combined it with what they love, did a little creative brainstorming, and came up with the perfect home business. You can do it also. Not sure how to get started? Take advantage of my free workshop that helps you do just that. You get all of the tools necessary to help you assess your skills, talents, passions, and interests, plus a 60-minute coaching session with me where we work together to help you find the right path for your business. Interested? Contact me at mwhiteley@boomerbizcoach.com. Let's find that perfect business you can run from home.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
BoomerBizCoach.com is online!
It has been a long and frustrating process. But BoomerBizCoach.com is finally online!
After struggling with two different web designers - both of whom proved to be unreliable - I decided to just do it myself. Now, I am in no way a web designer. But I was tired of waiting. The programs were ready. My products are almost ready. I needed my website up and running. So this weekend, I locked myself in the bedroom on my husband's computer and didn't come out until I was finished. The result? A working website. It may not be as sleek and "professional looking" as the one I was having designed for me. But it's functional and pretty user-friendly. And frankly, it has more of my own personality on the pages than the "designed" one. I'm pretty happy with it.
Now you can find all of my programs in one easy location - at http://www.boomerbizcoach.com/!
And since the web designers don't appear to have gotten any further with Bob's site than they did mine, I think I'll tackle that one myself next!
After struggling with two different web designers - both of whom proved to be unreliable - I decided to just do it myself. Now, I am in no way a web designer. But I was tired of waiting. The programs were ready. My products are almost ready. I needed my website up and running. So this weekend, I locked myself in the bedroom on my husband's computer and didn't come out until I was finished. The result? A working website. It may not be as sleek and "professional looking" as the one I was having designed for me. But it's functional and pretty user-friendly. And frankly, it has more of my own personality on the pages than the "designed" one. I'm pretty happy with it.
Now you can find all of my programs in one easy location - at http://www.boomerbizcoach.com/!
And since the web designers don't appear to have gotten any further with Bob's site than they did mine, I think I'll tackle that one myself next!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
My Blogs
My goodness - it HAS been a while! But 2009 was an interesting - if challenging - year for me. Personal and family issues that needed to be dealt with. If you are a reader of some of my other blogs, then you know what I am talking about.
Yes, I have been more active on my other blogs. It's not that I don't love this one - sharing general business building info with everyone is how I started building a presence online. But, as I said, it's been an interesting year, and time has been tight so I've been devoting more time to the more narrowly-focused blogs. Truthfully, they are a bit easier to write since they are targeted to a very specific market for a specific purpose.
Don't Trip Over Your Brain! is my network marketing blog. I am involved in a great network marketing opportunity (love that whole multiple income streams concept!). The blog provides tips and advice for others in the network marketing business. It doesn't matter which company you are with, you will find helpful information here. Of course, I also talk about my own personal experience with the company I am associated with. If you are looking for advice on how to build your network marketing business - or if you are looking for a great company to get started with - stop by and check it out.
The Adventures of Traveling Bob is the second blog I started. Actually, it started as a joke after a VERY late night conversation with some fellow marketers at one of Ken McArthur's jvAlert events. (Honestly, guys, did you ever think it would actually amount to anything?). Bob is my little dog who just happens to love to travel with me. He shares his travel tips and advice with other four-legged friends who travel with their owners. A former shelter dog himself, he also features different shelters in an effort to help other dogs (and cats and even rabbits) find a home. Add to that his input on everything from grooming to nutrition - and his ongoing squabble with co-traveler and purebred dog, Austin, and maybe you can see why this blog has grown from joke to income producing business. Bob (along with Austin and the rest of the Whiteley menagerie) will be launching their own site in the next few days. Stay tuned!
Baby Boomer Business Coach, like Traveling Bob, was born at a jvAlert event. (See? If you need new ideas, this is where you need to be!). Along with doses of encouragement from me, this site posts articles by and about members of the Boomer Biz Coach family. I admit, I've been a bit neglectful of this one. BoomerBizCoach will be launching a new site with some great online coaching programs in the next few days. Once that's ready, we'll be moving the blog there as well and I promise, it will be posted to more frequently.
BoomerBizCoach Recommends. What do Denise Michaels, PopArtDiva, Karlyn, and Felicia Slattery have in common? I think they are fabulous! I highly recommend them to anyone needing assistance in their respective fields of expertise. And as I find others who are just too great not to share - other people, tools, sites, books - I'll be sharing them here. If you are like me and need all the help you can get - stop by and see who and what taught me what I have learned along the way.
God Has Big Plans for You. I am a Christian. But there was a time when I doubted my faith and even my reason for living. Some wonderful friends helped me rediscover Christ and when I turned my life over to him, everything changed. I have tried to follow his lead since then, and now I feel called to share him with other women. Ladies, if you believe that being a Christian woman means sacrifice and want, you are so wrong. God wants us all to live in abundance. He has a plan for you. Are you ready to find out what it is?
Things have settled down at last in my life. I once again have time to devote to all of my passions. So I will once again be posting here regularly. Meanwhile, I thank those of you have have stayed in touch through these other blogs. And I hope others will stop by and get to know me a bit better.
Yes, I have been more active on my other blogs. It's not that I don't love this one - sharing general business building info with everyone is how I started building a presence online. But, as I said, it's been an interesting year, and time has been tight so I've been devoting more time to the more narrowly-focused blogs. Truthfully, they are a bit easier to write since they are targeted to a very specific market for a specific purpose.
Don't Trip Over Your Brain! is my network marketing blog. I am involved in a great network marketing opportunity (love that whole multiple income streams concept!). The blog provides tips and advice for others in the network marketing business. It doesn't matter which company you are with, you will find helpful information here. Of course, I also talk about my own personal experience with the company I am associated with. If you are looking for advice on how to build your network marketing business - or if you are looking for a great company to get started with - stop by and check it out.
The Adventures of Traveling Bob is the second blog I started. Actually, it started as a joke after a VERY late night conversation with some fellow marketers at one of Ken McArthur's jvAlert events. (Honestly, guys, did you ever think it would actually amount to anything?). Bob is my little dog who just happens to love to travel with me. He shares his travel tips and advice with other four-legged friends who travel with their owners. A former shelter dog himself, he also features different shelters in an effort to help other dogs (and cats and even rabbits) find a home. Add to that his input on everything from grooming to nutrition - and his ongoing squabble with co-traveler and purebred dog, Austin, and maybe you can see why this blog has grown from joke to income producing business. Bob (along with Austin and the rest of the Whiteley menagerie) will be launching their own site in the next few days. Stay tuned!
Baby Boomer Business Coach, like Traveling Bob, was born at a jvAlert event. (See? If you need new ideas, this is where you need to be!). Along with doses of encouragement from me, this site posts articles by and about members of the Boomer Biz Coach family. I admit, I've been a bit neglectful of this one. BoomerBizCoach will be launching a new site with some great online coaching programs in the next few days. Once that's ready, we'll be moving the blog there as well and I promise, it will be posted to more frequently.
BoomerBizCoach Recommends. What do Denise Michaels, PopArtDiva, Karlyn, and Felicia Slattery have in common? I think they are fabulous! I highly recommend them to anyone needing assistance in their respective fields of expertise. And as I find others who are just too great not to share - other people, tools, sites, books - I'll be sharing them here. If you are like me and need all the help you can get - stop by and see who and what taught me what I have learned along the way.
God Has Big Plans for You. I am a Christian. But there was a time when I doubted my faith and even my reason for living. Some wonderful friends helped me rediscover Christ and when I turned my life over to him, everything changed. I have tried to follow his lead since then, and now I feel called to share him with other women. Ladies, if you believe that being a Christian woman means sacrifice and want, you are so wrong. God wants us all to live in abundance. He has a plan for you. Are you ready to find out what it is?
Things have settled down at last in my life. I once again have time to devote to all of my passions. So I will once again be posting here regularly. Meanwhile, I thank those of you have have stayed in touch through these other blogs. And I hope others will stop by and get to know me a bit better.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Moving Your Business Beyond the Idea Stage
You have a great business idea. You know it will work and you could finally fulfill your dream of being your own boss. If only you knew how to get started.
Too many ideas remain just that - ideas. But you can move your business beyond the idea stage by following these simple steps.
1. If you have a basic idea of what type of service or product you want to provide, do some research to make it as marketable as possible. Are other businesses offering the same thing? If so, how is your business different. If your idea is completely unique, do some further research to be sure there is a market for it.
2. Write your business plan. Every business, no matter how small, needs a written business plan. What's in a business plan? It depends. You can create a fairly elaborate plan with an executive summary, market analysis, business strategy, financial plan, management summary, implementation steps and much more. These are great if you are applying for a loan to start your new business or are bringing in partners or investors. But if you just want a plan to help you get your new home business idea off the ground, it can be much simpler.
3. Assess your financial situation. How much money will you need to get your business off the ground? Do you have enough to finance it yourself or will you need a loan? Will you continue in your current job while you build your business? If you are going to devote yourself full time to your business, how much will you need to finance it and cover your living expenses until you start making a profit? Do you have enough money set aside to live on while you build your business? If not, where will you get it?
4. Create your marketing plan. Who is your target market? How will you reach them? Is there more than one market for your product or service? Will you market to them both in the same way? How much will you need to spend on marketing? If you don't understand marketing, study what the Top 10 Internet Marketing Gurus and my Favorite Women Entrepreneurs are doing and apply it to your own business.
5. Prepare to Launch! Set up a step-by-step task list of what you need to do to get your business idea off the ground and make it a reality. Each day do at least one thing to move you closer to your goal.
From idea to prosperous business - all it takes is a few steps and you'll be on your way!
Too many ideas remain just that - ideas. But you can move your business beyond the idea stage by following these simple steps.
1. If you have a basic idea of what type of service or product you want to provide, do some research to make it as marketable as possible. Are other businesses offering the same thing? If so, how is your business different. If your idea is completely unique, do some further research to be sure there is a market for it.
2. Write your business plan. Every business, no matter how small, needs a written business plan. What's in a business plan? It depends. You can create a fairly elaborate plan with an executive summary, market analysis, business strategy, financial plan, management summary, implementation steps and much more. These are great if you are applying for a loan to start your new business or are bringing in partners or investors. But if you just want a plan to help you get your new home business idea off the ground, it can be much simpler.
3. Assess your financial situation. How much money will you need to get your business off the ground? Do you have enough to finance it yourself or will you need a loan? Will you continue in your current job while you build your business? If you are going to devote yourself full time to your business, how much will you need to finance it and cover your living expenses until you start making a profit? Do you have enough money set aside to live on while you build your business? If not, where will you get it?
4. Create your marketing plan. Who is your target market? How will you reach them? Is there more than one market for your product or service? Will you market to them both in the same way? How much will you need to spend on marketing? If you don't understand marketing, study what the Top 10 Internet Marketing Gurus and my Favorite Women Entrepreneurs are doing and apply it to your own business.
5. Prepare to Launch! Set up a step-by-step task list of what you need to do to get your business idea off the ground and make it a reality. Each day do at least one thing to move you closer to your goal.
From idea to prosperous business - all it takes is a few steps and you'll be on your way!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Join the Ranks of the Work at Home Professionals
Let's face it. The economy may be getting better but most of us still aren't feeling it where it counts - in our pocketbooks. And the unemployment rate is predicted to continue to rise in spite of the fact that we are coming out of the recession. So, you've lost your job, the economy is still not growing, the unemployment rate is still higher than ever. You hear that working from home is the answer to your problem. Are you supposed to believe that? You'd better!
Thousands of women successfully run home businesses. You can too! It really is easier than you realize. All you need is an idea and the desire and drive to get started. How? Follow my step by step process and you'll be up and running in no time.
1. Decide what your business will be. This is actually probably the hardest part of the whole process. There are so many ways to make a living from home today. The best thing to choose is something you love. What are your interests and hobbies? What are your skills? Where do these - skills and interests - overlap? That is probably your best direction when just starting out. I love graphic design. I'm always having great ideas for a new design for the Traveling Bob store. But I don't know a pixel from a pasteboard, so I'm probably not going to make a living as a graphic designer. I am a certified master trainer and coach and I love helping others. I'm never happier than when I'm in front of a room full of people and I see the light in their eyes that says they get this. A coaching/training/mentoring business is ideal for someone like me. So the first rule of business success - do what you enjoy and what you are good at.
2. Get your domain name. You can't start a business online without one. And you don't want to wait or you make lose it. I had to learn this lesson the hard way. I had ideas for several mini-sites with great names. But I waited to purchase those domains until I was ready to launch the business. By the time I finally got around to it, the domains were gone. What is even more frustrating is that a couple of them aren't even being used. They were just purchased by someone who is in the business of buying and selling domains. I can now still purchase it if I want to pay about 10x the amount I would have paid originally. Legal? Yes. Ethical? Business is business I suppose. However, I won't pay the amount being asked. And if I a great idea for a domain name suddenly comes to me, I purchase it right then. I may not do anything with it. But for the price it costs, it's better to buy it and have it if I want it than to discover it's not available when I'm ready. Where do you go to buy your domain name? There are literally hundreds of places. I use http://www.godaddy.com/. The prices are reasonable and they are reliable.
3. Decide exactly what you will market. A product? A service? Both? What type of product? An actual physical product or an infoproduct? What type of service? Will you offer it strictly virtually (online) or will you actually physically connect with your clients? What about a combination of the two? Can you offer both a product and a service?
4. Create your product or structure your service. If you don't know exactly what type of product to offer, check for affiliate programs that are a good fit with your business. If you want to design your own infoproduct and don't know how, there are loads of resources to help you. If you need suggestions on where to get help, read my blog post on the "Top 10 Internet Marketing Gurus". Any one of them can provide the assistance needed.
If your business is service oriented, decide what types of services you will offer and how you will package them. Will you provide just a single service? Multiple services? Will you have different packages and fees?
5. Build your website. If you know computers at all and have the time and patience, you can build your own. If not, there are plenty of template-based applications available. My favorite is Site Build It! because it works, even if you're like me and know nothing about web design. Or you can hire a professional web designer. No matter how you do it, though, get a site up. Even if it's just a blog to start while you build your actual site.
6. Choose your host. Once again, there are lots of choices. If you use Site Build It! to create your site, they will also host it for you. If you have chosen some other means of building your site, then you will have to decide which hosting service is best for you. Research what's available and make your choice based on which service best suits your needs. Not sure? Ask. If you know someone with a site you like and you trust their opinion, ask for a recommendation.
7. Promote, promote, market, market. The coolest site and greatest product or service in the world won't make a bit of difference if no one knows how to find you. Become a master at "tooting your own horn" and driving traffic to your site. Once again, if you don't know how, there are tons of resources to help you learn. Study this blog. Check out those "marketing gurus" I mentioned earlier. Read. And read some more. And then most importantly - put what you have learned into practice. If you make a mistake, that's okay. You learned something. As one of my favorite internet geniuses, Mike Litman, says, "You don't have to get it right. You just have to get it going." Or in the words of Bob The Teacher, "Take Action. Revise Later." You can always come back and fix or revise what isn't working. But if you don't try something, you'll be right where you were when you started - nowhere.
Follow these seven steps and you will soon join the ranks of the work at home professionals. Find your passion. Match it to your skills. Plan your business. Work your plan. And market, market, market. Maybe one day you'll make my Top 10 list!
Thousands of women successfully run home businesses. You can too! It really is easier than you realize. All you need is an idea and the desire and drive to get started. How? Follow my step by step process and you'll be up and running in no time.
1. Decide what your business will be. This is actually probably the hardest part of the whole process. There are so many ways to make a living from home today. The best thing to choose is something you love. What are your interests and hobbies? What are your skills? Where do these - skills and interests - overlap? That is probably your best direction when just starting out. I love graphic design. I'm always having great ideas for a new design for the Traveling Bob store. But I don't know a pixel from a pasteboard, so I'm probably not going to make a living as a graphic designer. I am a certified master trainer and coach and I love helping others. I'm never happier than when I'm in front of a room full of people and I see the light in their eyes that says they get this. A coaching/training/mentoring business is ideal for someone like me. So the first rule of business success - do what you enjoy and what you are good at.
2. Get your domain name. You can't start a business online without one. And you don't want to wait or you make lose it. I had to learn this lesson the hard way. I had ideas for several mini-sites with great names. But I waited to purchase those domains until I was ready to launch the business. By the time I finally got around to it, the domains were gone. What is even more frustrating is that a couple of them aren't even being used. They were just purchased by someone who is in the business of buying and selling domains. I can now still purchase it if I want to pay about 10x the amount I would have paid originally. Legal? Yes. Ethical? Business is business I suppose. However, I won't pay the amount being asked. And if I a great idea for a domain name suddenly comes to me, I purchase it right then. I may not do anything with it. But for the price it costs, it's better to buy it and have it if I want it than to discover it's not available when I'm ready. Where do you go to buy your domain name? There are literally hundreds of places. I use http://www.godaddy.com/. The prices are reasonable and they are reliable.
3. Decide exactly what you will market. A product? A service? Both? What type of product? An actual physical product or an infoproduct? What type of service? Will you offer it strictly virtually (online) or will you actually physically connect with your clients? What about a combination of the two? Can you offer both a product and a service?
4. Create your product or structure your service. If you don't know exactly what type of product to offer, check for affiliate programs that are a good fit with your business. If you want to design your own infoproduct and don't know how, there are loads of resources to help you. If you need suggestions on where to get help, read my blog post on the "Top 10 Internet Marketing Gurus". Any one of them can provide the assistance needed.
If your business is service oriented, decide what types of services you will offer and how you will package them. Will you provide just a single service? Multiple services? Will you have different packages and fees?
5. Build your website. If you know computers at all and have the time and patience, you can build your own. If not, there are plenty of template-based applications available. My favorite is Site Build It! because it works, even if you're like me and know nothing about web design. Or you can hire a professional web designer. No matter how you do it, though, get a site up. Even if it's just a blog to start while you build your actual site.
6. Choose your host. Once again, there are lots of choices. If you use Site Build It! to create your site, they will also host it for you. If you have chosen some other means of building your site, then you will have to decide which hosting service is best for you. Research what's available and make your choice based on which service best suits your needs. Not sure? Ask. If you know someone with a site you like and you trust their opinion, ask for a recommendation.
7. Promote, promote, market, market. The coolest site and greatest product or service in the world won't make a bit of difference if no one knows how to find you. Become a master at "tooting your own horn" and driving traffic to your site. Once again, if you don't know how, there are tons of resources to help you learn. Study this blog. Check out those "marketing gurus" I mentioned earlier. Read. And read some more. And then most importantly - put what you have learned into practice. If you make a mistake, that's okay. You learned something. As one of my favorite internet geniuses, Mike Litman, says, "You don't have to get it right. You just have to get it going." Or in the words of Bob The Teacher, "Take Action. Revise Later." You can always come back and fix or revise what isn't working. But if you don't try something, you'll be right where you were when you started - nowhere.
Follow these seven steps and you will soon join the ranks of the work at home professionals. Find your passion. Match it to your skills. Plan your business. Work your plan. And market, market, market. Maybe one day you'll make my Top 10 list!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Six Steps to Happy Holidays!
I know it seems a bit early. But in reality, it's not too early to start planning your holiday sales promotions. If this is the first time you've ever thought about a special promotion for your business during the holiday season, you need to get started right away. Experienced marketers often put months of planning into their holiday promotions. We only have a couple of months left. Lets get planning!
Step 1: Choose your theme. Having a theme will help you tie all of your marketing together into a fine-tuned campaign aimed at your target market. Don't make the mistake of trying to offer too much to too many and end up coming across as tacky and pushy.
Step 2: Create your offer. There are lots of ways to promote holiday sales. Packages are always great because they take the thought out of buying. For example, when I was a Girl Scout leader, my girls sold more than almost any other troop. How? They learned the value of the special package. And so they created the Chocolate Lover's Package (Thin Mints, Caramel Delights, and Peanut Butter Patties), The Classics (Thin Mints, Shortbread, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Caramel Delights), Something Old, Something New (Thin Mints, Shortbread, and whatever new cookie we had that year). They tied each package together with ribbons and sold them like crazy. What can you bundle together and offer as a holiday package?
Holiday discounts are another great way to generate sales. Try to come up with something for every budget - gifts under $10, under $25, under $50, under $100. Another way to use holiday discounts is the volume discount. Encourage your customers to purchase multiple items from you by offering a discount when they spend a certain amount or purchase a certain quantity.
Give something away. Do you have some items you are getting ready to discontinue? Or perhaps you have an e-book, or a special report you can offer. Or you can offer an hour of consulting or instruction. Whatever you have, promote it with your holiday offer. "Purchase this - and get this free!" It's like getting two gifts for the price of one.
3. Get your site in the holiday spirit. Be careful with this. You don't want to appear tacky! But do add some holiday-themed images and colors to your site to make sure your customers get the message.
4. Prepare your holiday newsletter. Or email. Or postcard. Whatever you use to communicate with your current customers. All of the steps listed previously are to help you gain new business. You might also attract some repeat business, but why wait? Send a special holiday offer exclusively to your current customers.
5. Offer holiday gift certificates. Even if you don't normally offer them, now is the time to do it. I always buy some sort of "kitcheny" thing for my brother-in-law, the chef. But he is a chef after all so it's hard to know exactly what he needs. A gift certificate solves the problem. He can choose whatever he wants. I love to read but I'm not much for the novel of the month. My favorite Christmas gift is the Barnes and Noble gift card my husband gives me every year. I get the pleasure of spending time in one of my favorite stores and he doesn't have to worry that he bought me something I already read or have no interest in.
6. Promote, promote, promote. Announce your holiday specials in your newsletter or ezine. Change your email signature to include a link to your holiday specials. Spread the word on message boards and online groups. (Don't SPAM, though, unless you want to drive your prospects to someone else). Write a press release. Announce them in your blog. Promote them through social networking.
Take action now and have a Happy and profitable Holiday season.
Step 1: Choose your theme. Having a theme will help you tie all of your marketing together into a fine-tuned campaign aimed at your target market. Don't make the mistake of trying to offer too much to too many and end up coming across as tacky and pushy.
Step 2: Create your offer. There are lots of ways to promote holiday sales. Packages are always great because they take the thought out of buying. For example, when I was a Girl Scout leader, my girls sold more than almost any other troop. How? They learned the value of the special package. And so they created the Chocolate Lover's Package (Thin Mints, Caramel Delights, and Peanut Butter Patties), The Classics (Thin Mints, Shortbread, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Caramel Delights), Something Old, Something New (Thin Mints, Shortbread, and whatever new cookie we had that year). They tied each package together with ribbons and sold them like crazy. What can you bundle together and offer as a holiday package?
Holiday discounts are another great way to generate sales. Try to come up with something for every budget - gifts under $10, under $25, under $50, under $100. Another way to use holiday discounts is the volume discount. Encourage your customers to purchase multiple items from you by offering a discount when they spend a certain amount or purchase a certain quantity.
Give something away. Do you have some items you are getting ready to discontinue? Or perhaps you have an e-book, or a special report you can offer. Or you can offer an hour of consulting or instruction. Whatever you have, promote it with your holiday offer. "Purchase this - and get this free!" It's like getting two gifts for the price of one.
3. Get your site in the holiday spirit. Be careful with this. You don't want to appear tacky! But do add some holiday-themed images and colors to your site to make sure your customers get the message.
4. Prepare your holiday newsletter. Or email. Or postcard. Whatever you use to communicate with your current customers. All of the steps listed previously are to help you gain new business. You might also attract some repeat business, but why wait? Send a special holiday offer exclusively to your current customers.
5. Offer holiday gift certificates. Even if you don't normally offer them, now is the time to do it. I always buy some sort of "kitcheny" thing for my brother-in-law, the chef. But he is a chef after all so it's hard to know exactly what he needs. A gift certificate solves the problem. He can choose whatever he wants. I love to read but I'm not much for the novel of the month. My favorite Christmas gift is the Barnes and Noble gift card my husband gives me every year. I get the pleasure of spending time in one of my favorite stores and he doesn't have to worry that he bought me something I already read or have no interest in.
6. Promote, promote, promote. Announce your holiday specials in your newsletter or ezine. Change your email signature to include a link to your holiday specials. Spread the word on message boards and online groups. (Don't SPAM, though, unless you want to drive your prospects to someone else). Write a press release. Announce them in your blog. Promote them through social networking.
Take action now and have a Happy and profitable Holiday season.
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