When I write the words, “Home Based Business,” you might automatically assume I am writing about a Network Marketing opportunity or some type of an MLM. When all it really means is exactly what it reads, a home based business, or a business based at home. Since the words “home based business” have been tagged to the network marketing industry, the non-network marketing businesses have been tagged as “work at home jobs” or “work at home businesses.” Read the rest of this entry »

There is a simple rule that I have learned in my journey of success is that everything is relevant and related. Some people are a success naturally. It’s in their nature, while others really have to work on it.

What I’ve noticed in my own life, is that most of my successes are directly related to how I feel about myself. Now what I mean by that, is if I feel like I am a fat slob, unhealthy and unattractive, my self esteem is going to be rock bottom. My opinion of myself may or may not be a reality, but that’s what my mind believes. Until I can change this mental picture of myself, how can I view anything that my fat, ugly self creates as attractive? Make sense?

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Don’t despair if your advertising budget is less than you’d hoped—just get creative! There are plenty of low-cost or no-cost marketing options for your home business, but you have to work hard and seek them out.

Customize and Use Promo Items:

Personalized products are far cheaper than traditional advertising outlets and they boost the effectiveness of your networking. Wouldn’t you be more likely to remember a company if you received colorful sports bottles or reusable tote bags in place of just a business card? Have the name of your home business and your contact information printed on useful or fun items of your choice and start handing them out when you meet people who are interested in your products or services. If you have a logo to print on your merchandise, then that’s even better!

Start a Blog for Your Business:

Blogging can be all fun and games, but it can also be used as a marketing tool. Set up a blog on your website or create one through a service like WordPress or Blogger and start writing about hot topics in your industry. Be sure to include pictures and relevant links in your posts, too. Your expertise could be valuable to customers, not to mention you’ll build credibility and encourage customer interaction by sharing your knowledge with the world.

Social Media and Share Sites:

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube allow you to interact with customers in ways you never imagined. Many companies use their Twitter or Facebook pages to field client questions, conduct polls, or run contests, but at the very least either of them will give you another listing in search engines and help people find you. LinkedIn is an excellent service for networking and building relationships with your customers and colleagues, and YouTube gives you the option of sharing your instructional videos or commercials. The best part is that all four of these social media sites are free!

Answer Online Questions:

Q&A sites like Answers.com, Yahoo! Answers, and Quora provide significant opportunities to establish credibility and expertise in your field. It’s free to sign up and you can subscribe to receive updates when new questions are asked about your industry. Making an appearance on Q&A sites is another way to get your business name out there, and you’ll have fun helping others. No matter which method you choose, start a schedule for yourself to ensure that you’re spending adequate amounts of time and money on marketing efforts. It’s all too easy to drain your budget without even realizing it and other aspects of your business will suffer if you spend too much time on advertising. The sooner you work out a routine for yourself, the sooner you can watch your home-based business thrive!

Unfortunately, Network Marketing companies come and go, or, you are someone that comes and goes, bouncing from one company to the next. Although a company seems solid, with a good product and great compensation, there’s no guarantee that it will be around forever.

My BIGGEST mistake as a home business owner, was putting all of my eggs into one basket. I put so much trust in the concept/product/owners of the company I was part of that I didn’t have a back-up plan. Now, if it’s all solid, there are no worries. But, if things go a different direction, if the company crashes, if the products lose their value or if any other variable happens that effects the company, it also directly effects your income. Instead of putting so much into the company, put that focus on the goal.

So imagine that 6 figure income you had managed to create while working your home business, suddenly gone, or significantly reduced. Now, if it was your doing, that’s one thing. But if was a direct correlation to something that happened in the company, that’s an entire different story! Without pointing fingers or taking a victims mentality, how does one recover from something like that?

Here’s how I recovered……I relied on the online presence I had. With the amount of content I have all over the net, the presence in social networking sites and the organic rankings on all major search engines, I had choices. With consistent, FREE traffic coming to my website, this site, a crash of a company wasn’t a complete disaster. All that did was gave me options.

I could…….

1. Join another business opportunity or….
2. Do something else with the traffic I was getting.

I could develop my own products and promote them on my site. I could completely monetize my website with sponsored listing from ad networks such as Adsense. I could continue to capture leads and sell them. I could promote affiliate products on my site. The list could go on and on.

So if you find yourself in a home based business, and you are purchasing leads, spending high dollar on CPC ads or don’t have a web presence, you may want to rethink your strategy. Set yourself up to win regardless of the opportunity.

One thing I teach people about marketing is to use three or four different sources of lead generation. If one or two drop out, you have the other two to rely on until they can be replaced. Without spreading yourself too thin, the same thing applies for your sources of income.

I believe in the Cortez concept of burning your boats, but I also believe in having a back up plan. Expect the best but prepare for the worst and you’ll never find yourself in a hard spot, without options.

Stay tuned for my SECOND BIGGEST MISTAKE in the next post!

Did you know that more than 50% of small businesses don’t have a website? For me, it’s insane to think about running a business without one. Call me an internet nerd, but when I think of starting a business, the first thing I think of taking care of is snagging up a good domain name……not finding investors or establishing an LLC. If I can’t get a good domain name, FORGET ABOUT IT! The business won’t work! I know…I’m weird like that. But that’s how important I feel a website is to a business. Instead of asking for a business card, people often ask for a website. It’s a form of validation and tells your potential customers who you are and what you offer.

And I’m willing to bet that the number of businesses without websites is even higher, including within home based businesses. When I first entered the industry of network marketing, some of the top income earners in the industry were still using solely traditional marketing techniques to generate their customer base: Print ads, billboards and direct mailing. Only after noticing the gradual decline in their income and the gradual incline in those who had a web presence did they inherit an interest to learn. Think about it. How many home based businesses do you know of that depend on house parties and hotel meetings to promote their product or service? And how many of those business truly succeed on an individual basis?

Unless you consider an average of less than a thousand dollars a year a success, not many!

A business without a website is like milk without the cookies…..they’re just not as good by themselves.

I don’t know what keeps business owners from creating a site for their business. Maybe a lack of knowledge or an unnecessary additional expense. Whatever it is, if you’re a small business owner, it is worth the effort. Think about the pros and cons.

Marketing/Advertising Cost = $600/month for a billboard OR ten years for a domain and hosting (for you beginners….a website).

Reach = Potentially world-wide with the ability to be found in first page results, all over the world, for the key phrase of your choice.

Maintenance = Virtually none aside from an occasional blog post or product update. Again…it’s worth it. Give and you’ll get.

Traffic = The chances of someone building a freeway next to your billboard for a drastic traffic spike are slim. There is no limit to the amount of traffic you can receive to a site. And it’s extremely targeted! You’ll never see a billboard go viral like a helpful article online.

If done right, a website for your business can make a VERY significant difference in your results. It’s all about branding yourself and extending your reach. More visitors to your business is a good thing. That’s what a website does….it brings traffic….and traffic equals dollar signs where I come from.

If you are a business owner and need help getting started, let me know. I have assisted business owners create successful small business websites for their business over the last several years. Look at my website as an example. Centered around the Home Based Business industry, I rank first page for key phrases such as home based business and business opportunity, to name a few. To take the first step, Click HERE.