Tap into a Money Maker by Selling to Online Business Owners

by Melissa Ingold

Are you own an online business owner who has recently opened your cyber-doors? Are you getting a few sales but nothing particularly notable? This is a common experience for online business owners who have just set up shop and are testing the waters.

For your business to succeed you need to do more than break even, or cover the running costs of your enterprise. If that’s all you’re managing you might be staring failure in the face, despite the hard work you’ve put into launching it.

If this is where you’re at, what can you do to get your business off the ground? You need to get your business out there, making yourself known to more people, and more customers. You’re motivated to succeed, so you surf the internet for resources and information to push the process forward.

There’s plenty of free information out there. It may include:

- Articles
- Reports
- Guides
- Newsletters
- E-Courses

These can be helpful but if you’ve got this far, you probably know the basics already. You need more detailed, in-depth information to take you to the next level. The reality is that this is information that you…

…Have To Buy!

You’re the customer in this scenario, not the information marketer. Step back and look at it from the marketer’s point of view.

As the service provider, you’ll be looking for a lucrative mass market for your information. How will you find it? Consider this:

Business owners who are driven to succeed are ready to purchase that information instead of picking up freebies, and they could pay good money for it. It costs little or nothing to produce the information and create a product and sell it on – for prices ranging from $20 to as much as $100 in some cases.

Think how many people out there are operating online businesses. New enterprises are opening up every day, all seeking exciting and innovative ways to get their business noticed in the business community. You have a ready-made and growing market.

These business owners are dedicated to find the informational nuggets that will give them the edge over their competitors. There’s a wealth of information to be compiled and products that people will be interested in, if you can only tap into that need and get people to purchase them.

Some of the things that business owners will buy to help their businesses include:

- EBooks
- Reports
- E-Courses
- Memberships To informational items
- Guides
- E-Zines

Quality always sells. If you can provide top quality information then you have customers already prepared to buy from you.

One way to make it easy to get this information out to your market is with Melissa Ingold’s Special Report Club. Each month you receive a brand new fully-customizable 30 page report and complete marketing materials, so you can start selling information the lucrative online business owner market right away.

Starting a Pet Sitting Business in 8 Easy Steps

Start a Pet Sitting Business – the Vital First 8 Steps
by Lee Anne Emig

Do you love animals? Are you dreaming of a low-cost start up business you can run from home? Pet Sitting may be just the answer you’re looking for. You can be your own boss, follow a flexible schedule, start with very low up front investment and it has loads of potential for growth. As with any business, the first step to being successful is laying the proper groundwork. It takes much more than having a good idea or having a passion –it takes preparation to beat the odds. Some of that preparation should include the creation of legal documents and service contracts, obtaining proper insurance coverage, conducting research and learning more about the industry. While there is no single way to guarantee success, the following are the vital first 8 steps to get you started in the right direction.

1. Develop a business plan
Preparing a business plan is the first step of starting a successful business. A business plan acts as a road map for your business. It outlines your goals and identifies specific financial projections. A good business plan should help you define your target market, identify your competitors, project start up expenses, illustrate how to allocate resources and give you a realistic timeline. If utilized during your initial business set up it will keep you on track and make you successful in achieving your goals.

What goes in a business plan?
The plan should be divided into 4 sections:

1) Description of the business
2) Marketing Plan
3) Finances
4) Management

The plan should include an executive summary, supporting documents, and financial projections.

2. Decide on a legal structure for your business
a. Decide how much personal liability protection you need
b. Decide how you want your business to be taxed
c. Research the various types of ownership structures

1. Sole proprietorship
2. LLC
3. C Corp
4. S Corp

The choice you make will have a large impact on how legal issues are handled. Sole proprietorship is the simplest legal structure but it does not protect your personal assets. Forming an LLC is more complex and expensive. However, it is designed to provide the limited liability features of a corporation and the tax efficiencies of a partnership. This is a popular choice for sole proprietors who are looking to incorporate simply to protect personal assets.

There any many online resources available to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of each structure type. Conduct research and decide which ownership structure is right for you.

3. Choose a name for your business (and a domain name)
Choosing the right name for your business is very important. Choosing the right name can impact the overall success of your new venture. Remember to do your research, take your time and pick wisely.

A worthy name should:
1. Leave no doubt about the industry you support –it should directly relate to your service
2. Be easy to say, spell and read
3. Be memorable
4. Suit your business 5-10 years from now
5. Set you apart from competitors

If you plan on including a website with your new business, you should also consider that when deciding a name for your business. You can check out a domain name vendor to see if your preferred name is available.

4. Register your business
Every city, county and state has specific requirements about doing business within its jurisdiction. Call or visit your local offices to see what particular requirements and fees exist in your area.

5. Obtain Insurance
Investigate the types of insurance you will need to get your business started. Auto insurance, liability insurance and bonding policies are a must for pet sitters. Often times clients will request to see proof of coverage prior to the first sit.

Auto Insurance- Commercial auto insurance is necessary to protect your business against potentially devastating liability costs resulting from an accident involving your vehicle while conducting company business. Typically, time spent conducting company business is not covered under a personal automotive policy. Check with your agent to see if you need to make additions or changes to your current policy.

Liability insurance – Liability insurance will protect you in the event that unforeseen circumstances arise. Lawsuits occasionally follow events such as dog bites, property damage in a client’s home or a pet passing away in your care. A good liability policy will protect you in such cases. It is a must have!

Bonding – “honesty insurance” ensures clients you are trustworthy, and if they prove otherwise, the insurer provides them compensation. Bonding policies are necessary for any business where an individual is entrusted with valuables, like the key to someone’s home and all its contents. There are several Bonding companies throughout the country; each providing a different level of coverage. You can locate many of them by performing a Google search or asking your local insurance agent.

6. Establish website/email account and telephone line
Website presence – Establishing a web presence is a must in today’s high-tech world. A website can set you apart from competitors and open your business to a much larger market. Customers will be able to get information about your service 24/7 (even when you are not available). Having an email account linked to your business site is a convenient, low-cost way to communicate with clients.

Telephone Line – It’s a smart idea to invest in a separate phone line for business use only. Purchase a reliable voice mail plan and use it effectively. Your phone is a very important business tool if used properly. Your outgoing message should be professional, include any pertinent details and identify your business to the caller immediately.

7. Prepare Service Contract and Important Forms
Service Contract – A written service contract is a necessary tool. It outlines what services you will provide to the client, what fees you will charge for those services, what is behavior is expected of the client and/or pet, when payment is expected and what happens if payment is not made in a timely manner. A service contract formalizes the client/sitter relationship and ensures you have a shared understanding of the services you will be providing. Do NOT provide any service without a signed contract.

Veterinary Release Form – This form serves as written permission for you to seek medical care for a pet in your custody when a client cannot be reached during a medical emergency. Important document you won’t want to do business without.

8. Advertise
Advertise, advertise, advertise!!!! Advertising is a big key to success! Advertising promotes your business to a wider market. Advertising allows you to build your company’s brand. The more familiar your target market becomes with your brand, the more credibility your business establishes. The more trusted your brand, the more clients you’ll attract. The following examples are a few of the low-cost things you can do to get your advertising program started:

Design a memorable Business Card

Deliver fliers to local vet offices, groomers, pet stores, trainers, shelters, etc. (Maybe doughnuts, too –good to establish a relationship and referral base)

Design a Logo – create a brand for your company

Local Newspaper ads- advertise only in the areas you’re interested in working

Telephone directory listings

Submit a press release to local media – free and very effective

Send direct mail postcards

Host or plan a pet event with other pet vendors (Halloween pet costume contest, open house, pet first aid class, etc.)

Magnetic car signage – advertise to the locations you visit most

Participate in community parades

Send out quarterly newsletters

Canvass your local area with door hanger ads

Following these steps will start you on the road to success – the rest is up to you!

About the Author

Lee Anne Emig is the founder of The Pet Sitting Institute. She owned a successful pet sitting business and is the author of several pet care articles. The Pet Sitting Institute offers proven, easy-to-use products to help people start the business of their dreams and succeed in pet sitting. Visit www.PetSittingInstitute.com for more information.

Click here for more information on Starting a Pet Sitting Business

How to Start an Event Management Business

How to Start an Event Management Business
by Erica Brooks

From personal experience I know how planning even the smallest events and get togethers can be very time consuming. There are the tasks of checking out venues, finding quality entertainment, planning of dates and times, getting the guest list together, food preparation shopping for event necessities, decorations, etc. Think about starting an event management business so that you can offer your clients the benefit of hosting a great event with the convenience of one stop shopping for all their event planning needs.

Skills you need when you start an event management business
Having an eye for detail, good time management and organizational skills are necessary when planning great events. Being on time and keeping invoices, orders, client information, vendor lists, venue information and any inventory you choose to carry such as party supplies organized is a must for your business to succeed. Having a fun personality and enjoying working with people are helpful as well.

How do you get started?
Starting an event management business takes time and research. The best way to get started in your area is to offer to plan events for your family and friends. This will give you experience in planning a variety of events as well as build up your portfolio for future clients to see your work. Reading books and attending event management workshops will help you to get started right. Ongoing continuing education will help you to continue to grow your business. Join the International Special Events Society (ISES), to stay on top of events and happenings within the event planning industry. It will also help you to network and learn from seasoned professionals in your industry.

Niche market
There are many types of events that you can plan including private parties, children’s parties, fundraising events, corporate events, weddings, business launch parties and more. Start off by putting real thought into what type of events you would be best at planning. Even though you may be good at planning all types of events to be successful it is always best to choose one area of expertise and add to that if you choose to as your business grows.

Reliable Vendors
A major component to event management success is to develop a rolodex of reliable vendors to work with including venues, caterers, photographers, musicians, videographers, entertainers, party supply companies, etc.

A good business and marketing plan
Sit down and write out your business and marketing plan. Even if it is only on a single sheet of paper, writing it down will really help you to start your business off on the right foot. Who will your clients be? What services will you offer? What will you charge for services rendered? How will you market? Are some of the questions to keep in mind when starting your business.

Starting an event management business is the perfect choice for someone who is detailed oriented and enjoys working with others. Research your industry well and learn how to market yourself to prove your credibility. Be patient and your hard work will eventually pay off.

Click here for more information on Starting an Event Management Business

Kids Sports Photography Business Idea

Turn your love for children and passion for photography into a profitable home business. No parent can resist seeing their child’s image captured in a quality portrait. Start a Kids Sports Photography business and you will bring joy to parents while doing something rewarding for yourself by owning your own business.

What’s included:

· How to get the skills you need to start a professional business.
· What training you will need for a solid foundation.
· Why you need professional equipment.
· How to go about getting business.
· How to create a plan.
· Time Management tips.
· Where to find events and what to charge.
· Marketing tools and techniques.
· Information on setting up as a real business.
· How to set up a website.
· Extra things to expand your business.
· Tips to do and things to avoid doing.

All together you get a 30-page eGuide, a Success interview and some great photography business ideas and resources. Click here to learn step-by-step how to Start a Kids Sports Photography Business from home.

Sell Candles From Home -Mia Bella Gourmet Candle Business

Are you looking to market a great consumable product that your customers will love? Sell candles from home as a Scent-Sations distributor and join the $2 billion dollar Candle Business.

Our Gourmet Candles are:

• Soy based for a healthier alternative to traditional candles.
• Virtually soot free for cleaner burning.
• Triple scented.
• Easy clean up- just use soap and water.
• Long lasting.
• Double wick design.
• Available in over 100 scents.

Our Candle Business Opportunity offers you:

• High quality gourmet soy candles.
• Over 100 scents available.
• Soy based bath and body products.
• Consumable products.
• High profit margin – earn 50% commissions.
• Low start-up cost – less than $50 to get started.
• Free company website included.
• Free training and support provided.
• You choose how to run your business -online sales, home parties, fundraisers, etc.

Do you need more money?
Know anyone who burns scented candles?

Here are 3 ways for you to make money as you sell candles from home in your own Gourmet Candle Business:

1. Retail profits

You earn 50% profit on all products sold. Office sales, home parties, online sales and craft shows are just a few of the lucrative ways that our products are sold.

2. Fundraising

Our fundraising program allows you to approach fundraising organizations in a way that has led to remarkable success for many distributors nationwide. You could make a full time income working on fundraising alone!

3. Team Building

You can earn residual income by simply referring five people to the Candle of the Month program. Distributors are eligible to receive 8 levels of income on the commissionable value of all the products ordered by that organization.

Want to Learn More?

Click here for a free sell candles from home information packet including free scent samples

Techniques For Finding Telecommuting Employment

It seems everyone wants to do it: Work from home, that is. Whether it’s being able to work in their pajamas, or getting to spend some extra time with their children, something is prompting people to consider giving up their day job to look for this “alternative” form of employment. The only problem seems to be actually finding a work-from-home job! Where are these companies that have openings for telecommuters? And how does one go about finding them?

As the number of people wanting to work from home grows, so does the number of opportunists who hope to profit from this group that seems to be so naive. (And, at times, so desperate.) Advertisements appear almost everywhere claiming to be the answer to people’s work-from-home dreams. Most of these claims end up costing want-to-be telecommuters more money than they will ever make from actually working at home. Despite the best efforts of government, these opportunists (AKA “Scammers”) seem to be gaining momentum. Is there any way for job seekers to avoid them and actually find home-based jobs?

The answer is “Yes”. How? Through information. Information that will teach you, the job hunter, how to find your own home-based job. Learning how to research can be the best investment a job seeker can make; therefore, in the paragraphs that follow, you will learn how to research and find a home-based job.

SCAMS
The first thing to be aware of is what makes a job lead a scam. There are business “opportunities”, and there are actual scams, such as when a person or company poses as an employment firm, yet requires you to pay X amount of money in order for you to be placed. Or, the company claims to be a hiring company, but requires you to pay X amount of money in order to “process your application”.

If you are looking for a home-based job, you should follow similar steps that you did when you sought traditional employment:

1. You send a company your resume tailored to the position for which you are interested.
2. You go through some sort of interview.
3. You get hired, sometimes signing an independent contractor agreement form.
4. You complete the necessary tax forms.
5. You do the work you were hired to do.
6. You receive a paycheck of a predetermined amount, either commission or wages, for performing a specified type or amount of work.

A real job does not require you to pay them for training. (Either you have the skills, or you don‘t.) Nor would they charge you for materials necessary to do the job. (Either you already have them or they will GIVE them to you.) Finally, a real job would never expect you to pay for information about the position. In sum, you don’t pay a company to work for them; they pay you!

DIFFERENT JOB CATEGORIES
When searching for a home-based job, keep an open mind. Working from home has gone way beyond envelope-stuffing and craft assembly. In fact, thanks to the widespread use of the Internet and e-mail, the possibilities are almost endless. To simplify things, I’ve broken down the different types of telecommuting options into four categories.

1) 100% REMOTE OR VIRTUAL
Virtual or Remote work typically means that you will never personally meet your employer or your client. Your location is irrelevant. You will apply for the job online, perform an online “interview”, such as a test, or maybe do a telephone interview; and your work is delivered to you via e-mail or through a network. Obviously, jobs under this heading will require that you are very computer literate.

Jobs that fit under this category include:

• Some research
• Customer service and other telephonic-oriented work
• Web design
• Online tutoring
• Transcription
• Writing
• Telesales/telemarketing

This is typically the hardest category to find work in because, even though the job is virtual, you are still dealing with real human beings and there are trust issues. You will have to be very good at selling yourself on your resume to get such a position. Competition is also high in this category, so having a professional resume and good interview skills are crucial.

2) HALF IN/HALF OUT
I use Half In/Half Out to refer to work that is based from home but requires you to leave your home to complete important functions of the job. You still might never have to visit your company’s office, or even personally meet anyone that you work with or for. However, portions of your job must be performed away from the home. This is a very good option for people who are want to work from home because they value independence or do not like commuting to an office every day. Jobs in this category usually allow you to create your own hours, work at your own pace, and work around your own schedule.

Examples of half in/half out jobs are:

• Mobile notarizing/signing
• Some consulting positions
• Estimating
• Probate research
• Investigating
• Merchandising
• Mystery shopping
• Social work or nursing Case management
• Insurance or mortgage appraising

3) MAKING AN OCCASIONAL APPEARANCE
Some jobs allow for working from home, but require that you physically check in from time to time. You might need to receive your initial training in person, such as when you are selling something very specialized. You may need to attend weekly, monthly, or yearly meetings or conferences. If you aren’t local to the company’s headquarters, you may need to be prepared for occasional travel, sometimes including overnight stays to accommodate meeting or training schedules.

Examples of Making An Occasional Appearance jobs include:

• High end sales
• Consulting
• Real estate or insurance
• Medical
• Recruiting
• Legal work
• Certain business-oriented jobs.

When you show up for a company meeting or conference, be aware that you are also being re-evaluated. Be prepared to continue to sell yourself as a valuable employee. Your boss will be asking him or herself, “Why should I keep this employee?” during every meeting. You will have to prove yourself a lot.

4) LOCAL CANDIDATES ONLY
Some companies might allow you to work from home, but want to make sure that you are physically accessible. Either that’s how they feel comfortable or, perhaps, there are assignments that need to be delivered to you in person. In this category, you will more than likely be under an employee status, not operating as an independent contractor, which is common within the other categories. You might have to pick up your work assignments every day or week, and then deliver completed work to them personally at a determined time. For these companies, it would not work to use a totally virtual employee, or even someone fitting under the other two job categories.

Examples of jobs that tend to work for local candidates only are:

• Sewing or piecework
• Data entry work
• Transcription
• Art jobs
• Clerical
• Craft work
• Babysitting

Clearly, some jobs listed under one of the above categories could also fit under another one.

Transcription work, for example, can be Local Only or 100% Remote. It all depends on what is most practical and comfortable for a particular company. How a company chooses to operate can also change after working with a person for some time. As previously mentioned, trust is a big factor in how a company decides to employ a home-based worker.

Once you have learned the various types of working from home opportunities that exist, and you are able to avoid the scams and “joke” jobs, the next step is to actually locate an actual job. For most people, this is actually the hardest part: finding a company that will allow them to work from home in the first place!

There are several good sources to use when you look for home-based employment. They include:

1. Job boards
2. Staffing firms’ web sites
3. Fee-based job sites
4. Work-from-home sites
5. Freelance web sites

The first place most job seekers look when they want to find employment is in their local newspapers. However, if you find even one legitimate work-from-home job ad there, you’ll be lucky. Companies rarely advertise at-home positions in newspapers.

Most likely what you’ll find are ads, such as, “Earn $1,000-$5,000 a week from home! No experience necessary!” This seems like an obvious red flag for a pending scam, but it is actually common. I’m sure you’ve seen this type of ad. I suggest that you steer clear of these and not even check them out in the hope that they are real jobs. Trust me, they ARE too good to be true.

The Internet, word-of-mouth, and creating a job are the best ways to find a home-based job. For one reason, the Internet is the primary way a home-based worker and a company communicate. Whether it’s through e-mail, or logging on to a company’s network to make reports, almost any job–even the least technical one–will probably require you to use the Internet. The Internet also offers the widest array of sources for job hunting. You can use job boards, or visit actual staffing firms through their web sites. So, if you aren’t Internet savvy it’s time to get that way.

JOB BOARDS
Within the Internet are several excellent types of sources. The first and most common online source that’s used to find jobs is the Mega Job Boards. There are many different sizes and categories of job boards. Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com are a couple examples of what I call Mega Job Boards. They are general job boards, and will post any job, in any occupational category. (Such as accounting, psychic reading, or nursing jobs). These boards will post any job lead that a company pays them to post.

It is possible to find some good job leads here; however, because they post any job a company pays them to post, you’ll also have to do a lot of screening. Start out your search by entering specific keywords, such as “work from home”. You will probably be presented with at least a thousand job ads. However, of those thousand or so results, most of them will be scam or junk ads. You will need to scan through those all those ads in order to get to the real telecommuting job ads. (We’ll talk about how to do a quick scan in a following paragraph.)

Fortunately, there are other job boards worth looking into, too. One type is called NICHE job boards. These are boards that advertise jobs within a particular industry or category. Retailjobs.com is an example of an industry niche board. This site posts only job leads from companies seeking retail-related workers, such as clerks, merchandisers, stock personnel, and so on. NetTemps.com is an example of a category niche board. Rather than posting jobs within a particular industry, however, they will post for any industry as long as the job are all for temporary or contractual positions.

Another type of job board is what I call SUPERNICHE job boards. These boards go beyond job postings within one industry or category. They focus on a single profession within an industry. iHireNursing.com is an example. This site focuses strictly on nursing jobs, and does not post jobs for the entire medical field. Accountants.com is another example. Ads on niche and super-niche boards carry a lot less junk and scams than the mega boards because moderators of these boards screen their ads more carefully before posting them. Therefore, these are good sources for finding work-from-home jobs.

Now, when viewing search results from these bigger boards, you can scan these ads without actually having to read all of them. Look for some common denominators, so to speak. For example, if you have 50 job results on one page, and most of them start with “Work from home! Easy work!” you know not to even bother looking at those. Or, if you see that one company is posting dozens of the same ad for areas all over your country, you will probably want to avoid those, too. (Such ads are probably ads posted by a Webmaster or affiliate in an effort to lure to you a site to purchase something.) Look for ads that advertise specific positions, posted by a real-sounding companies or staffing firms. For example:

Case manager needed for adolescents.
Orange County Appraiser needed.
Account executive for Northern territory

Legitimate jobs rarely put “work from home” in their job title. Why? Because working from home is a benefit, or perhaps a requirement. It is not a job! So, scan past all the amazing results and focus on the jobs.

Another internet job resource is STAFFING FIRMS’ WEB SITES
There was a time when, if you wanted to apply for a job through a staffing firm, you would have to actually visit a firm in person. Now, you can simply visit their web site. The whole process is completely virtual. You can browse their lists of jobs–even using search words, like on the bigger job boards–and submit your resume for their database in the event that they have a position that meets your criteria. And, since these companies are hired to find people to fill job openings, they will actively seek you out if you are qualified for a job they’ve been asked to find people to interview. I suggest that you leave your resume on every staffing firm web site you can find.

FEE-BASED WEB SITES are another option
Because of the growing popularity of telecommuting, there are some people who make it their business to comb the job boards, the newspapers, online groups, staffing firms, and search engines for good job leads; and then arrange all their information into sensible formats so that, for a fee, you can simply log on to their web sites and view nothing but legitimate work-from-home jobs.

Unfortunately, there are also people who think they can make a quick profit by promising job seekers that they can help them find this difficult-to-find type of employment. Be careful to research each site before you simply read the sales pitches and claims, and then pay their fee. You may not get what you pay for.

If you come across the right fee-based site, you are doing well. You will have a flow of home-based job leads at your fingertips at all times. However, if you buy into the wrong one, you’ll end up in a mess: applying to companies that don’t really hire home workers, or no longer exist, or do not want their job ads posted on work-from-home web sites. Investigate each site before you pay them their fee.

Just like spotting for scams, there are some points to research before you join a fee-based lead site. In brief, you need to check into the following:

1. Their guarantee of employment
2. The type of advertising they do
3. Their reputation
4. The length of time they’ve been in business
5. Verifiable references they provide
6. Contact information

Guarantee of employment
If a fee-based job site offers you a guarantee stating that by joining their site you will get a home-based job, run. No one can promise that you’ll be hired! In fact, whether home-based or other wise, I think we all know that being employed is probably the last thing we can bank on these days!

The type of advertising they do
If you find that a fee-based company advertises itself on job boards as a company who is hiring, be wary. There’s nothing wrong with advertising; however, if they are trying to lure you to their site by posing as a hiring company just to sell you their services, take that as deceptive advertising. If they can’t be upfront in the beginning, then don’t trust that they will be upfront throughout your membership.

Their reputation
Before you invest in a fee-based site–no matter how low their fee is–ask around. Visit work-from-home message boards and chat groups and ask members what their opinions are of a particular site. Forum members love to blast a scam, so they’ll tell you if they know of someone who was disappointed by the service or actually was scammed. On the other hand, they’ll also let you know if the site is valuable, or at least worth a try.

Length of time in business
Just because a site is new doesn’t mean it isn’t valuable. However, if they make claims that they’ve helped thousands of people, yet they’ve only been operating for three months, then you should stay clear. You can check a site’s age by looking at the copyright date on their homepage, or, better yet, looking up their information on Whois.net. Although new companies might have the best intentions, due to unforeseen circumstances they might not last. If you invest money into a membership with one of them, and it folds in three or four months, you’re back to square one.

Verifiable references
Testimonials look nice on web sites, but are they real? Ask the site owner/manager if you can actually contact previous and current customers. Are they open to letting you hear from other members? Or, are they reluctant? There is nothing wrong with doing this. It’s just like any other service. Find out from these references if they ever found work through the site in question. If not, was there at least an ample amount of leads that could have helped someone? Also find out what kind of support was available to members. Was there someone to talk to when they had questions? Were their e-mails answered in a timely fashion?

Contact information
I can hardly tell you how many times visitors of my own web site have called and then said they couldn’t believe they were actually speaking to me. It wasn’t a miracle; I simply posted my real contact information. Unfortunately, many sites don’t do that. If a site is asking you to pay for their service, yet doesn’t provide a way for you to reach them to ask a question or place a complaint, be leery. You have the right to know who’s behind a service you are paying for. There’s no reason you should have to go through a fill-in-the-blank form and then be clueless of where it goes when you hit the Submit button.

Take the time to look into these points before you sign up with a fee-based job site. It’s your money; don’t lose it trying to make it!

WORK-FROM-HOME WEB SITES
Another option that you should look into is the numerous free work-from-home web sites out there. These sites are usually graciously run by stay-at-home moms, for other moms. Although they have only a fraction of the job resources that a good fee-based web site has, and they are typically loaded with banner ads and non-work related information (such as breastfeeding), they are still worth looking into. If you find just one applicable job lead, you haven’t wasted your time.

FREELANCE WEB SITES
A growing type of web site is the freelance site. These have developed tremendously over the past three or four years, and are good resources for people seeking home-based employment on a contractual basis. AllFreelance.com is a one such site. The jobs posted on this site typically are projects, as opposed to long term, steady employment. Employers/companies that have projects that need to be done, such a writing a manual, sewing a line of dresses, or creating a database can post their projects online, and let freelancers bid on them. The person who seems the most qualified at the right price wins the job.

If you are highly skilled in a particular area, this is a good type of site to seek home-based employment. If you do a job well, you will get a good reputation and will soon be in high demand. I suggest placing your profile on these sites if you have a specific skill that is marketable.

CREATE YOUR OWN JOB
Staffing firms, job boards, and job lead services are all valuable tools to use when seriously looking for a legitimate home-based job. A final option to mention here is to create a job for yourself.

If you are a technical writer or medical transcriptionists, for example, why not contact a company who is looking for such a person to work onsite, and then meet with them to discuss working for them from your home? As I mentioned before, companies are sometimes leery of using home workers; but, if you get an interview and go in with solid qualifications and a clear blueprint on how this type of work arrangement will actually help them, you have a pretty good chance. This works particularly well with very small or very large companies.

Just remember that you not only have to be qualified enough for someone to hire you for a job onsite, but you must spell out how you will be able to perform your duties just as well–if not better– offsite. To help negotiate the arrangement, be willing to make a few sacrifices, too. For example, since you won’t have the commuting costs that other workers might have, maybe you could agree to take on an extra or more difficult project. Perhaps you could cover the office for them on Saturdays. This will help you get your foot in the door, at least.

There are numerous jobs that can be performed from home. With a computer, a telephone, and a fax machine, there is almost no limit to the jobs that can be done remotely, partially from home, or occasionally from home. If you are clear on what your skills are and if you can sell yourself properly on a resume and in an interview, you can use the vast online resources to find a home-based job. It takes effort. But if you use the ideas we’ve discussed here, you can find a job that’s suited for you.

About the Author

Pamela La Gioia is Founder and Administrator of Telework Recruiting a premier job-lead web site that provides thousands of job leads and job resources for the US, Canada, and the UK. She is currently writing a workbook on telecommuting, which offers step-by-step guidance on finding real home-based employment. Questions or comments are welcome and can be sent to Pamela

How Do Affiliate Programs Work

Affiliate programs are one of the web’s most effective marketing techniques. They create a win-win situation by which site A refers a visitor to site B, and site B pays site A a commission if the visitor makes a purchase. The referrer site (affiliate), can make money with no overhead (no product, no warehouse, no collection risk). On the other hand, the destination site (vendor) receives a steady stream of qualified leads from hundreds, maybe thousands of affiliate sites, and doesn’t have to spend a dime unless a visitor makes a purchase.

The way it works is like this: the vendor gives the affiliate specific HTML code that it must use on its site to create a link to the vendor’s site. This code contains an embedded ID number that allows the vendor to know when an incoming visitor comes to them by clicking the link on the affiliate site.

The vendor’s servers will then set a cookie (a time sensitive electronic identification mechanism) in the visitor’s computer so that every time he comes back to the vendor’s site, the vendor’s servers will ‘remember’ that he was originally referred to them by the affiliate, and will pay him a commission when the visitor makes a purchase.

This makes it possible for the affiliate to make a commission even if the visitor doesn’t purchase anything the first time, but comes back and buys later. Also, it is not necessary that the visitor enter the vendor’s site through the affiliate’s link other than the first time, since the vendor’s servers will identify the cookie and will know that the visitor was originally referred to them by the affiliate.

At the vendor’s discretion, the cookies can be set up to expire that same day, remain active indefinitely, or anything in between (vendors usually call the duration of a cookie the “referral period”). For this reason, it is better to choose vendor partners that offer long referral periods (120 days is considered very good). This increases the affiliate’s chances of success, since very few people will buy on their first visit, although exceptions do occur with vendors that enjoy superb brand recognition and feature user friendly interfaces, like Amazon.com (the pioneer of affiliate programs) who, in spite of keeping cookies alive for only 24 hours, is able to generate a significant portion of its sales in the first few minutes after a visitor has clicked into their site.

About the Author
Mario Sanchez, Miami, FL, USA
TheInternetDigest@hotmail.com
http://www.TheInternetDigest.net

Mario Sanchez publishes The Internet Digest, a website and newsletter that gives you free advice on Internet Marketing, Web Design and Small Business. To subscribe go to: http://www.theinternetdigest.net/newsletter.html

Start Your Own Home Based General Transcription Business

There are few home based businesses that you can get started with that will require less training and equipment than General Transcription. If you can type well with minimal errors, you can be on your way to earning an income from home.

You’ve probably heard of transcribing before. Medical transcription gets a lot of attention in the work at home community. It’s a career that requires an expensive education and substantial experience in order to develop a full time income. By contrast, General transcription has no training requirements. This makes it very attractive to moms who want to make some extra money from home while caring for their children.

One of the most convenient aspects of a transcriber’s business is that you can build a work schedule that suits your personal preferences and your families needs. Transcribing can be done anytime and as long as you’re not on a hot deadline, it can easily wait for you if you’re interrupted.

There is a large demand for transcribers in our high speed internet world. Internet marketers, podcasters and many others are producing internet audio at amazing rates and they want every hour of it transcribed. Transcribed audio is useful for developing information products, creating fresh original website content and many other uses.

Providing transcribing services is often a specialized service that a Virtual Assistant provides. Even though general transcription is a specialization, a transcriber can target an even tighter niche. Perhaps you will want to specialize in transcribing teleseminar audio. There is certainly a high demand for it.

Finding work at a transcriber means making connections with those who are hungry for your services. Making the business profitable requires that you educate yourself in the going rates and ways of billing for your time. Take the time to learn all that you can now and you will be better prepared when you open doors to clients.

Nell Taliercio is a full time work-at-home mom whose passion it is to teach moms how to start their own business, quit their jobs, and become full time work-at-home moms too.

Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to start your own home based General Transcription Business today!

Do You Have What It Takes to Start a Virtual Assistant Business?

If you have any previous administrative experience, working from home as a virtual assistant seems like an easy way to end the daily commute to your job outside the home. However, just because you have the knowledge, skills and abilities in virtual assisting, does not automatically mean you have what it takes to be a VA.

Before you consider starting a virtual assistant business you need to determine if you are disciplined to work hard without a boss looking over your shoulder. If you’re the type who is easily distracted, unfocused and disorganized then becoming a virtual assistant may not be for you.

There are a number of areas to seriously consider before you hang a shingle and call yourself a VA. Can you make a schedule and stick to it? Can you meet all deadlines? Do you have a screaming baby or a barking dog that would interfere with needed phone calls?

You will be responsible for the marketing, accounting, and all operations of the business. Do you have the personality or drive to promote yourself; to let others know about your services? Jobs will not simply fall into your lap. Competition is keen.

Are you prepared to initially work long hours and multiple jobs simultaneously? Will your household survive the potential loss of income as you start your VA business?

Do you have a specialized niche? Do you enjoy article submissions, search engine optimization, presentation creation, accounting, or web design? You should not try to be all things to all people. Determine your best skills; then promote those services to the target market who will most benefit.

While starting a virtual assistant business requires a much smaller financial investment than some other businesses, there are still expenses. You must have a reliable computer and the ability to use the telephone at the same time you’re online. You’ll also need a decent printer and a fax machine.

Run your business like a business. Every VA should have a website which highlights skills and services. If you don’t have the skills or money to have a professionally designed website, you better start saving or learning. A less than professional website will absolutely hurt your business – guaranteed.

Do you have what it takes to be a virtual assistant? If you have the skills, the personality or drive and some available funding – you just very well may have what it takes to be a great VA. Follow your dreams!

Nell Taliercio and Jennifer Houck grew successful virtual assistant businesses quickly and are showing you how to do the same thing in their complete How to Become a Virtual Assistant course.

Get Yourself A Piece of The Ebay Auction Business Pie

Get Yourself a Piece of the Ebay Pie

Ebay is without a doubt the greatest internet marketing phenomenon of all time. Millions of people log on every minute and every second there are hundreds of items listed, sold and bought, and of course money is made. It has become the world’s largest marketplace, where the potential for selling an item is exponentially increased due to the sheer volume of people who can view the item for sale. The attraction Ebay holds for the most people is the possibility of selling or buying anonymously, and getting a great bargain. And for the first time ordinary people are making extraordinary incomes selling literally everything from beanie babies to diamond rings and cars. For those who venture out of their comfort zones into the cybermarket place, the following may com in handy as a guide to selling on Ebay:

A. RESEARCH WHAT IS LIKELY TO SELL, DON’T JUST SELL ANYTHING

Contrary to what you might think, not everything sells on Ebay. Your success on Ebay depends on selling what people want and need, and what they will pay for. You can find this out by browsing closed auctions of items you are interested in selling, see how many bids there were for the item and how high the bid price went. The more bids and the higher the closing price the more successful the auction.

B. ASSESS THE COMPETITION

It’s no use selling an item that there are hundreds of thousands to choose from. Your chances of success will be severly diminished. The rarer the item and the fewer the number of people selling the same item the better your chances of making a sale. Find out how many similar items there are for sale by using the search feature on Ebay. Avoid items that are oversupplied and that everybody else is selling.

C. FIND THE CHEAPEST SOURCE OF THE ITEM

The best way to begin is by using a dropshipper. This is a wholesaler who will ship single items on your behalf to your customers and does not charge you a fee to do so. You don’t have to keep inventory of the items you sell, and you order the item to be shipped to the buyer after you have sold it on Ebay, thereby reducing your risk to near zero. Remember the principle “Buy low and sell high” That is the key to maximizing your profits.

D. LEARN THE TRICKS OF THE TRADE

It is prudent to learn as much as you can about how Ebay works before you start, as there is more to it than meets the eye. There is no surer way to fail than to jump in without doing your homework well and believe me, it is work. If anyone says otherwise they’re simply not telling the truth.

E. START WITH A SMALL MONTHLY BUDGET AND STICK TO IT

Don’t spend more money that you can afford to lose. As with all businesses it takes time to tweak your skills to perfection. It is very easy to fall prey to internet sharks who promise fantastic returns in a short period of time. It simply does not work that way.

F. GIVE IT TIME

Forget about making a lot of money in a short time. It is slow tedious work,a ndmake some allowances for failure. Don’t get discouraged. Find out what works and what does not work and improve yourself as you go along.

About the Author

Michael Schandorf-Lartey is an internet entrepreneur, and operates a successful wholesale sourcing website that assists internet newcomers to launch their own Ebay businesses. He lives in Clermont, Florida with his wife and three children. amazingdealz.dropshipdesign

Click here for Ebay Auction Business Dropship Wholesale Resources

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