homebiznotes.com

November 9th, 2007

Great Advice for Home Business Start Ups

Starting a home business can be puzzling and frustrating before it’s satisfying and producing an income.  That idea you approached with excitement, still seems great, but is producing uncertainties as you wonder where to begin.

Go on over to Startup Spark and see what Shannon Cherry has to say in Starting a Business on a Limited Budget.

Using the example of Kay, who wants to start a business marketing aprons and chef’s hats for children with a limited marketing budget of $500, Shannon mentions many tips that will give this business great exposure.

She discusses such areas as:

*Know your goals

*Do some research

*Get an inexpensive online presence (web site & blog)

*Use guerilla marketing

*Find free publicity

*Invest in quality photos

Even if you already have your home business up and running, you’ll benefit by checking out these tips at Startup Spark.

Do you have any marketing tips to add that you’ve found successful.

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By Mary Emma -- 2 comments

October 28th, 2007

Home Business Owners Make Home Visits & Give Personalized Service

 In this age of often less customer contact, with a great deal of shopping taking place over the Internet, some home business owners find an increase in their business if they make home visits.  This doesn’t mean being a salesperson who stops by the home, only to find no one there.

Make appointments to conduct your services at your customer/client’s homes, deliver products, adapt to their personal needs.  An article at Seattlepi.com, Mobile business owners find personal touch is worth hassles, by Mary Ann Albright, relates the experiences of several who’ve taken their business to this level.

“By being willing to fit into customers’ lives, these business owners are collecting friends as they win over clients.”

Included in Albright’s discussion of small businesses with the personal touch are a massage therapist, dry cleaning pick up and delivery service, and food delivery.   I’ve also heard of veterinarians who equip a van and travel to the home to treat pets.  Another gal I know has a pet grooming business and visits pet owners’ homes.

You might give this some thought and see how you can include personal touches and service in your home business.  Even if you can’t incorporate home visits into your home business(the nature of your business/service, higher price of gasoline, lack of a vehicle, etc.), consider how you can personalize your service so your customers/clients feel you care about their needs.

Personalized service may be that ” extra something”  you can give to your business that helps you succeed in this Internet age.

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By Mary Emma -- 0 comments

October 7th, 2007

Top Home Biz Tip - Choose A Home Business That Is A Passion

My top home biz tip is to choose a home business that is a passion, or that you feel you will enjoy and be able to sustain long term.

That doesn’t mean that if your favorite thing in the world is gift baskets, that you should necessarily have a gift basket business. It means, choose a business you’re passionate enough about to sustain the enthusiasm and momentum, even through the more difficult times.

Financial Return & Your Home Business
Money is, of course, important, and choosing a business that has a decent finanancial return is part of the planning process. But surveys and studies repeatedly show that money is not the only or primary motivation, for many people. Job satisfaction, being valued, and freedom also feature highly.

Balance & Your Home Business
In the end, it’s all about balance. In a home business, your business is right there, albeit in the next room 24 hours per day. So if your business gets you down, it’s double the angst. It’s not good for you, your family, or your business.

On the other hand, if you love what you do in your home business, you have a strong foundation for a good business.

What Is YOUR Top Home Biz Tip? Share It With Us
This is the first of an ongoing Home Biz Notes series. I’ll be showcasing the Top Home Biz Tip from fellow home business owners. If you have a top home biz tip you’d like to share, I’d love to hear from you. What is YOUR Top Home Biz Tip?

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By Yvonne Russell -- 2 comments

September 23rd, 2007

9 Mistakes a Home Business Owner Shouldn’t Make

We frequently find advice about what you need to do to maintain a successful home business, how you can build it up, how you can have happy customers.  Are we ever warned about some of the worst mistakes we can make…so we can stay away from them?

Not usually…so, Business Channel bloggers will be giving you advice on things you shouldn’t do.

Some of the mistakes a Home Business Owner shouldn’t make….

*Tell a customer they’re wrong or stupid and don’t know what they’re talking about…even when they have no clue.

*Don’t worry about meeting deadlines for producing an item or providing a service. 

*Ignore a customer’s complaints. 

*Fail to file taxes because it’s “just a little business.”

*Pay employees “under the table”

*Use “shoe box” bookkeeping. 

*Cut corners on quality because “the customer won’t know.”  They should be glad I’m keeping the price cheap.

*Fail to return customers’ phone calls or e-mails.

*Fail to add all your expenses and overhead when determining price…then wonder why you keep losing money.

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By Mary Emma -- 12 comments

August 28th, 2007

Great Information Site for Home Business Owners

Laurie Neumann, at Christian Home Business Connection, continues to offer useful information and tips for the home business owner, or someone considering starting a business from their home.  She spends a great deal of time researching legitimate business opportunities.

At her web site, you’ll find a very helpful feature, an archive of articles on home business topics.  You, also, can sign up for her free newsletter with it’s business tips.

You may want to check out Laurie’s web site and blog to see what information applies to your situation.

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By Mary Emma -- 0 comments

June 29th, 2007

Do You Need Advice Before Starting a Home Business?

Many home business owners (and traditional businesses, as well)  start their venture without seeking advice or learning much about the various aspects to consider about a business.  Some businesses require more business accumen than others, yet some basic business knowledge is beneficial.

Nowadays, operating a business by utilizing the Internet often requires much less investment and stocking of products than businesses which operate out of a physical location (your home, in this case) or perform services requiring equipment (like carpenters, lawn maintenence, etc.)  

(See the posts about Mark and Dorothy’s  online businesses as examples of those requiring little overhead.)

Here are 7 items to consider and perhaps seek advice on:

*What types of taxes will you have to pay?  Will you need to file quarterly tax returns?  (This will vary depending the country where you live.)

*Will you need insurances…liability on your products and people coming to your home office?  Are there others?

*Will you need an occasional employee?  If so, how will you pay and what will you be required to file with the state and federal governments?

*Do local zoning ordinances affect you, especially if you have clients/customers coming to your home?

*What is your projected gross profit?  Then after expenses, what will your net profit be? Will it cover your overhead?

*Do you need a loan to get started for supplies, equipment, products?  If so, how much?  How will you pay this back if your profit isn’t what you expect some month(s)?

*What happens if you become ill and can’t work?  For six weeks, several years ago, I lay flat in bed in a body cast with a broken back.  Even when I was allowed up, I was in the cast for another six weeks.  My writing business slowed down.  Another home business was on hold during that time.

There are other considerations, but these should start you thinking about information and advice you may need before starting a home business.  Also, if you are operating a home business and haven’t considered some of these, you may need to.

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By Mary Emma -- 5 comments