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
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
Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=226117&ca=Womens+Interest
A work-at-home mum's biggest challenge is maintaining a balance
between running her successful business and raising her
children. Who doesn't want their business to succeed? Who
doesn't want financial independence?
We want to make a difference, experience personal fulfillment
and use our skills. But we also want to be there for our
children. What we need to accept is that we can have both. Grab
the opportunity to make a huge difference in the world and to be
a great positive influence in our children's lives.
We can inspire our children to be proactive by showing them how
it's done. If we want them to experience the best of life,
accepting challenges and rewards as they arise, we can be an
example with our own lives. Show them how to live their life to
the fullest, to experience joy, fun, and personal satisfaction.
My 5 Must Do's for maintaining balance when operating your
home-based business:
Look After Your Physical Health
Balance is constantly a work in progress for a work-at-home mum
(WAHM). You need to keep in mind the basics. The first is to
take care of yourself and your health. You are not valuable to
anyone if you you haven't got good health. This means taking
care of the simple things, for example:
* Start the day with a healthy nutritional breakfast
* Exercise regularly
* Get enough sleep
If you feel rested and you're in a good frame of mind, your
productivity will be higher.
Take Time Out
Don't spend all your time running around after everyone else
and have nothing left for yourself. Make time for yourself.
Include in your schedule time to just relax and process what
needs to be done. Write a 'To Do' list and prioritise it. This
may need to be done several times during the day as different
projects arise.
Get Support
Without a support, its easy to feel overwhelmed and sometimes
isolated. Having supportive, healthy relationships is essential
for maintaining balance and creating success.
Ask for support from family and close friends. Learn to
resource support in your local area if you don't have a close
family. Find ways to reduce the energy-draining tasks in your
life. The Mum's school network is a great place to start.
Network
Moral support is just as important as physical support.
Networking with other work-at-home mums is a great form of moral
support and inspiration. It's also a great way to foster and
share ideas, hopes, and have your questions answered. You may
even be able to share your own experience and answer the
questions of other mums.
It's important to have a connection with other like-minded
mums. There are plenty of home-based business forums to join
online. Experience the mentoring and many friendships available.
Take risks
Our roles as mums are primarily to nurture, care for
and...naturally.....be cautious. Dare to challenge yourself in
your business. Set your goals high but be realistic. Allow
yourself to go higher than you ever imagined you could. The
flip side of fear is courage. Yes, it is scary out of our comfort
zone but it also presents a challenge to make a difference in
what you do in your home-based business. Express who you are and
what you believe in through work that is meaningful and
purposeful. Follow your dream, and become a better person for
the effort. The benefits of achieving your dreams and goals are
invaluable.
About the Author: Mary-Lou Halvorson is Work-At-Home mum of two
children and the creator of http://www.groovy-kids-parties.com.
She has successfully built her on-line business from home
providing Kids' Birthday Party ideas. If you would like to see
how she built her business, visit
http://www.can-work-from-home.com.
Source: http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=185182&ca=Womens+Interest
I'd like to say from the outset that being a work-at-home mum
(WAHM) vs a work-outside-the-home mum is not that different in
terms of being organized or, for that matter, personal
fulfillment, just a few different variables - and the benefits
are many and well known. Many of the tools needed to manage both
family and career, whether that career be at home or in the
traditional workplace, overlap. However this article is
primarily focussed on the work-at-home mum and the mental
preparation that precipitates the decision to work from home.
If your dream is to be a work-at-home mum and have your own
home-based business, there are a few elements that need
considering. The first involves looking at the big picture of
your life and making some decisions - then following them
through and sticking with them.
The second is knowing what it is you want to do to create an
income to support your family. There are literally hundreds of
work-from-home possibilities - but that's probably best left for
another article....
If you're determined to make your dreams a reality it’s about
focusing on what you really want and then harnessing your own
power from within to make that happen. Visualize the path to
achieving your personal and professional goals.
Being a work-at-home mum means having and maintaining an
enthusiasm for your business matched only by your dedication to
your family. Kids are great motivators. You can make sure that
you're there for the doctor's appointments, piano lessons, and
after-school sports. You can be involved in every aspect of
their lives and juggle work and family responsibilities. It can
be done!
Often people fall into the trap of shaping their path then not
being proactive. Having a vision is one thing. Taking the
necessary actions to make it happen is another step altogether.
Having the strength of your convictions and faith in yourself
will help you attain what you want.
Know the value of creating a timetable and stick to it. It's
important to focus your energy, pace yourself, and not allow
distractions to replace that focus. Be careful not to lose
control of your schedule or allow other people's priorities
dictate where you need to be or what you need to be doing. Learn
to say 'no' and say it, if necessary.
A positive outlook is a major factor to succeeding in running
your business from home. Your attitude can really alter your
chances for success. Sometimes your frame of mind can even get
you further than your abilities! View a situation as an
opportunity instead of an obstacle and you'll maintain that flow
of productivity.
Mind over matter is paramount. You must think positively of a
situation, of others, and of course, yourself. If you approach
anything with a cynical attitude, you'll immediately create a
negative dynamic.
WAHMS can and do successfully balance working from home
together with managing their family life. In my opinion, they
actually have a competitive advantage — it broadens their
horizons on many things- and I believe that in itself pushes
them to the forefront as being better contenders for success -
both as loving, nurturing mums, as well as mums operating their
own successful business from home.
About the Author: Mary-Lou Halvorson is a Work-At-Home mum of
two children, and the creator of
http://www.groovy-kids-parties.com. Mary-Lou has successfully
built her own on-line business from home, providing ideas for
Kids' Birthday Parties. To see how Mary-Lou built her website,
visit http://www.can-work-from.com.
Source: http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=185181&ca=Womens+Interest