Marketing and advertising a home business takes a lot of time, commitment and work. Those who say all you need to do is put up a website and watch the cash come in couldn't be further from the truth!
We need to do as many things and try as many ways as we can to get our name out there and establish our business and reputation, whether it be online, offline or both! This takes imagination, and perseverance! Below are affordable and fairly easy ways you can begin to build your home business.
1. Word of Mouth - talk to as many people as you can about your business. Bring it into the conversation at every opportunity. By doing this, you could be starting a domino effect. Some of the people you talk to mention it to others and so on & so on. Your business has to become a part of you and your daily life.
2. Business Cards - When you are talking to all these people, be sure and give them a business card. Business cards are very important and do not cost a fortune. A good place to get business cards for only a small shipping charge is http://tinyurl.com/6t7mw . Take advantage of the backs of the business cards as well for sales, specials, catchy messages - anything to help make you and your business more memorable. Business cards can be left almost anywhere and can also be sent in all your mail correspondence.
3. Prizes - Contact your local radio stations, stores, etc. that have contests. There are many places online that have sweepstakes and contests as well. Offer your products/services as prizes in these contests. This is a great way of getting a lot of affordable exposure.
4. Use Testimonials - Take advantage of what others say about you. Have one on your business card, flyers, etc. Use them whenever you can. Most people will put a lot of stock in what other customers say.
5. Customer Service - For a lot of businesses these days, this seems to be a lost art. You need to go the extra mile for your customers and make them feel special and appreciated. This will do a lot for your business. These customers will give glowing reports of you to their friends and family.
6. Flyers - Design and print flyers right from your computer. Post them on bulletin boards at grocery stores, churches, malls, post offices, banks, etc. Use brightly colored paper to get people's attention. Make the message interesting enough so they want to visit your site.
7. Article Writing & Submitting - This can be a very powerful method of advertising as it not only brings people to your site, it builds your reputation as someone who knows what they are talking about an this will bring trust. I believe just about anyone can sit down and write information on things they know. You do not have to be a writer nor a college graduate to write effective articles.
After you have written your first article, start submitting it all over the net. There are article groups, article banks, and publishers who accept article submissions.
http://www.workathomearticles.net/
http://www.creativehomemaking.com/submit_article.shtml
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Free-Content/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Free-Reprint-Articles
For more information:
mailto:articletips@getresponse.com
mailto:articlelibrary@getresponse.com
8. Networking Groups and Boards - Networking is when you come in contact with as many people you can to learn, share, promote, and form relationships with prospective customers and associates. Get to know others, learn from them, let them learn from you and get to know you. This is an excellent way of building a strong foundation for your business. Networking can also bring you a lot of referrals from your associates.
http://selfstartersweeklytips.com/forum/
http://www.bizymoms.com/discus/
http://www.williecrawford.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi
http://bltshw.proboards37.com/
http://www.javajane.com/forum/index.php
9. Online Mailing List - Make sure you capture your visitors' emails and mailing addresses, if possible. Start a mailing list or newsletter for your visitors. Keep them up to date on your products, services, specials, etc. You might also want to give them some useful information in your newsletter. For more info on starting a newsletter sign up for this free ecourse:
ezine-publishing-ecourse@getresponse.com
10. Moving Billboard - Turn your car into a moving billboard. Put a magnetic sign or decal on your car so you can advertise your business wherever you go. Be sure and have catalogs/business cards handy for anyone who is interested.
11. Link Exchanges - Link exchanges can bring you a lot of traffic and they can improve your search engine ratings. For those of you who are not familiar with link exchanges - this is when you and add a link to another site on your site and they would add a link to your site on their site, linking them together.
Choose sites that are complimentary to yours, example: if you have a site that sells pet supplies, link to sites that give info on how to care for pets, or where to get pets, etc. Email the webmaster and invite them to have a look at your site.
I hope some of these ideas help you get started with an effective advertising campaign. They have helped me tremendously!
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Terri Seymour has several years online experience and has helped many people start their own business. Visit her site at http://www.seymourproducts.com for resources, $1 resell ebooks & software, free tutorials, affiliate programs, and a free ezine with bonus report: 77 Ways to Get Traffic! mailto:subscribe@seymourproducts.com
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Article Source: Moms United in Business
http://momsunitedinbusiness.com
Can you really be a work at home Mom with a toddler in the home? Yes! Here are my tips and tricks for making it happen.
1. Work Schedule
The most important thing I have found is setting a schedule and sticking to it. Your toddler will learn your schedule, grow to appreciate it and keep you to it! I always get up at least 2 hours before my son to work in quiet. I devote 1 hour to my son when he wakes up for bathroom duties, breakfast and quality time and 1 full hour for lunch and quality time which he needs and appreciates. Working while he naps in the afternoon is more great quiet time. Set a quitting time and stick to it. My son is so used to the schedule, if I am running a little late, he lets me know. No he can’t tell time, it’s the old biological clock kicking in.
2. Organizing Your Work Load
Buy an eraser board and list all the things that have to be done in your business in categories starting with daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annually duties. Add on new one time projects you want to get involved in as you discover them. First thing every morning write out the days “To Do List“. Draw from the eraser board and prioritize keeping in mind how much time different tasks take. Follow the list and cross off things as they are accomplished. Following the list keeps you focused and saves you time because every time you complete one task, you don’t have to re-access all tasks to figurine out what should be done next.
3. Talking To Your Toddler About Work
Your toddler does not want you to work. He wants you to play and give him 100% of your attention all day, every day. Unfortunately that is not possible when you are running a business. I find talking to your toddler like he is an adult works best. I’m not saying you should try to teach your toddler algebra. What I mean is speak calmly, clearly, firmly, to the point and with respect to your child. The same way you would speak to any adult or expect to be spoken to. Children understand approximately 1500 words more than they verbalize and they will listen and learn more if you don’t sound irritated or speak “baby talk” to them. For example: When lunch hour is up and my son doesn’t want me to go back to work, I explain, “If Mommy doesn’t work at home we wouldn’t get to spend lunch hour together at all because Mommy would have to go to an office building everyday and you would have to go to a babysitter‘s everyday. Please allow Mommy to go back to work now so I can continue to have lunch hour with you every day. Thank you for being such a good boy for Mommy.” I’ll never forget when my son was 2 /12 years old and we were in the check-out line at the grocery store. My son and I were talking and during our conversation he said please and thank you. The woman in line behind us said, “I can’t believe your son says please and thank you on his own at his age!” I said, “Why wouldn’t he? I always say please and thank you to him.” Children learn from example and repeat what they see and hear!
4. Teach Your Toddler To Respect Your Work Area
You must have a designated work area that is mostly but not completely off limits to your child. You must have a designated play area that is child safe, within hearing and if possible seeing distance of one another. Through out the day, one ear and if possible one eye must be on your child while you work. Communicate with your child while you work and instill the off limit rules at the same time. For example: When my child sings a song, I sign along with him. If he comes over to my work area he can stand close but not touch my papers or computer. If he does touch, I calmly and firmly say, “I love singing with you but please do not touch Mommy’s work papers.” When he removes his hand say thank you!
5. Entertaining Your Toddler While You Work
Your toddler’s designated play area must have plenty of age appropriate books and toys. However, I have learned not to allow him access to all of them at once. Your child will become bored of all of them quickly and come to you for entertainment. Rotate the toys and books from a place he can not access to his designated play area every month. Have a selection of inexpensive children’s DVDs or Video tapes and teach your toddler how to work the machine. It only took 2 1/2 days for my 3 year old to learn how to put in, play and change a DVD by himself. I didn’t teach him how to work the TV controls so he couldn’t watch shows that are not suitable. If you are interacting with your child while he watches his shows, don‘t worry, the TV is not being a babysitter!
6. Playing Work With Mommy
Sometimes your toddler will just have to be involved with Mommy and her work. Create a toddler work area that is very similar to yours. I bought an inexpensive child table and chairs, gave him an old telephone and calculator I no longer use and bought a very inexpensive children’s learning PC. I give him the unused back side of discarded work papers and color pens and pencils. When he just will not play on his own, I give him tasks to complete. For example I say, “Call Grandma on the phone and tell her how many orders we had this morning.” The phone isn’t really hooked up but he has to use his imagination to keep the conversation going and he is entertained for a while.
7. When Your Toddler is a Little Sick or Cranky
Every child wants extra time and attention when they feel a little sick or cranky. Unfortunately, most work at home Mom’s just can‘t take the day off it is not an emergency. I found a little trick that works the best for me and my son. I comfort him on my lap while I work. Sounds impossible to do but it’s not. Yes, the work goes a little slower but my son gets the extra love and attention he needs and the best part is gets bored within 20 minutes and goes off on his own to find something more interesting to do while I finish the work that has to be done!
8. Other Interruptions
What do you do about snack time, the telephone and the door bell. Set a 10 minute time limit and stick to it. Your toddler will get used to this limit just like all the other schedule limits. If you receive a phone call or the door bell rings with an unexpected visitor and your 10 minutes is up, you have to calmly, firmly and politely explain that you work from home and have work that needs to get done today. Say thank you for calling or visiting and say it was wonderful talking to them and end the call or show the visitor to the door. Invite them to call or visit after work hours.
9. End The Work Day Right!
Select something that your toddler can do that symbolizes the end of your work day and the start of your evening with him! I allow my son to turn off the computer monitor. This is the only time he is allowed to touch my computer. It is special task that makes him feel grown up, important and in charge for a few seconds. It has become a fun and meaningful ritual for both of us!
10. What About The House Work?
Throw a load of laundry in the washer at breakfast time and throw it in the dryer at lunch time. Only 2 minutes each time and a chore is done! Major household chores will have to be done after your business work is done. If you make cleaning house a fun game that your child participates in, he won’t even realize that 100% of your attention is not on him and won’t resent the time it takes you to do it My son sings the “Clean-up, Clean-up” song and turned one of his push toys with the long handle and pop balls into his vacuum cleaner. Use dinner cooking time to teach him the names of all the appliances, what they do, hot from cold, etc.
11. When Do You Rest?
I have only found one answer to that question that works. Learn to go to bed as early as your toddler does. If you are really exhausted, take a short nap in the afternoon when your toddler does.
As you can see working from home with a toddler is challenging but if you prepare yourself properly and keep a positive outlook it will also be a lot of fun!
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Elaine Stephen is a work at home Christian Mom and the Sole Proprietor of the Inspirational Gift Gallery an online store that is dedicated to making the giving of inspirational gifts affordable to every Christian for every occasion, holiday and event. Elaine says her inspirational gifts express God’s word, Christ's sacrifice and inspire Christian love, comfort and joy. Visit the Inspirational Gift Gallery at http://storesonline.com/site/inspirationalgift where hundreds of inspirational gift are on sale every day!
Article Source: MUIB Article Directory, http://muib-article-directory.blogspot.com
Sponsored By: Moms United in Business, http://www.momsunitedinbusiness.com
A lot of student who graduated from fashion design school
somehow has expectation of having their own fashion design
business. Some of them may want to be a designer and just want
to have own little studio then taking the job from outside, mean
while some other want to join reputable fashion design schools
or institutes or even work for the company which can pay highest
income. However, the fashion business today has more variety of
options. As the fashion business actually can be started from
very small scale like family business where one or two family
member could set up by using only little budget, to the very
large fashion items manufacturers.
There are so many business owners who are now are very
successful and are the owner of very famous fashion design
companies, and these people started their business only from
home business. However, it is fairly to say that at present
time, there will be only a little chance for the home business
to become success without having huge amount of money.
Therefore, many of graduates who finish from good fashion school
and they also paid the expensive tuition fee may not want to go
back to start his/her own home business for just to get a little
of money.
Even though the key of success seem to be the money that
designer have to invest on the business, but in fact, the most
important thing that is really keys of the success is the idea
of the design. No matter the size of the business that you have
just started, it is very important for you that you have to find
the chance to get your design out to the public and if your
design are acceptable by the market, then you will have more
work as well as possibility to expand your business.
There are so many for example of the people who just started
from very small home business but finally gain reputation from
their design and it means that you can gain reputation by doing
in the same way too!. The most effective way to present your
design items to the word it the internet. If we were in ten
years back from now, I would say that there is very least chance
for small business to compete with giant companies because there
are very limited channel for small business to present products
to public.
But now we are in internet age, where everything is possible
and the competitive advantage is no longer limited by the size
of the business at all. There are places on the internet to
present your work and also not just to present and you can sell
them on line as well. There are also many of online auction site
that you can capture the market and sell your products. It is
the place where any one who wants to sell not only fashion item
goes and present the design to people all over the world. Now it
is you decision if you are one of the people who want to start
up your fashion design career and want to gain competitive
advantage of your design.
About the Author: http://www.fashion2design.com
Source: http://www.isnare.com
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The laundry pile is beginning to resemble Mount St. Helens and
you’re afraid to touch it for fear of what might jump out at
you. Your sink is overflowing with dishes caked with food two
days old. Dust bunnies are multiplying under your kitchen table
faster than you can say “hippety-hop.” You allow your home to
remain in a state of disarray for weeks until you have company
coming and then give it an eight-hour power-clean.
Sound familiar?
To a work-at-home mom, keeping the house clean may seem like an
unachievable goal. And it’s no wonder. Because you and the kids
are always home, there’s constant mess-potential. Plus, you’re
always there to see that mess, which adds to your stress-meter.
And added stress is something you just don’t need. But, let’s be
honest. Between work and the kids, cleaning is low on the
priority list. So how do you keep your house clean and still
keep doing everything else a working mom has to do?
First, cut yourself some slack. Remind yourself that people
actually live in your home and keeping it spotless is near
impossible. Be thankful you have a family to make that mess in
the first place! Not so easy to do when you’re stubbing your toe
on toys scattered on the floor, I know. But even though there
are probably times you long for a few consecutive quiet days to
yourself, admit it. You’d miss them – they’re your family!
Next, decide what areas of your house are most important to you
to keep clean. For instance, while I was growing up, my mom was
notorious for leaving dishes in the sink and lying around the
counter for a couple days at a time. I hated that! So one of the
things I make sure is done every day is the dishes. Having the
dishes done every day is something that makes me feel more on
top of things.
Your priority may be having counters or floors free of clutter,
vacuumed carpet, a sparkling bathroom or dust-free furniture.
Focus on keeping clean those areas that are most important for
you. If your priority is different from your husbands, work it
out so he is in charge of his “area” and you take care of yours.
Third, ask for help! As mentioned above, your kids and husband
live there too. It’s only fair that they do their part. If
getting your kids to pitch in is difficult, consider incentives.
A trip to the ice cream shop, a movie, cash…it’s amazing what
kids will do for a few bucks. Five-year-olds can pick up toys,
seven-year-olds can dust baseboards, ten-year- olds can help
with laundry or the dishes. Every little thing helps and lessons
your load.
If the budget allows, hire someone to deep clean your house
once a month. This will be the best money you ever spent because
it will not only free up your time but will eliminate the stress
of getting to those nasty chores you’ve been putting off for
months.
Finally, come up with a plan that works for you and your family
- whether it’s a couple of brief cleaning bursts per day, a
daily sweep of your entire home or a once-a-week thorough
cleaning.
Remember, keeping a clean house certainly has its benefits, but
the next time you trip over a toy or tackle that pile of
laundry, remind yourself that the people who live there are what
truly make up your home.
About the Author: Visit WahmZone, the ultimate community for
the Wahm and work at home mom. http://www.wahmzone.com or
http://www.wahmforums.com/
Source: http://www.isnare.com
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