All About Internet Marketing #5

All About Internet Marketing #5

In the last issue we talked about building your own system for financial freedom. In this issue we are going to go over some tips for starting a successful home based business.

The thrill of growing your business, the freedom and flexibility to set your own hours, and the possibilities of ever- increasing financial rewards are all wonderful reasons to start your home based business.

Now that you've decided to start your business, you might be wondering "How can I get it off to the strongest possible start?"

These seven tips will help:

Set up a separate working space in your home. It doesn't matter if this is a small bedroom, one part of the garage, or a corner of the living room. The important thing is to have some space that you can designate as your working area. This will give you the space and room you need to craft your dream.

Stock your working space with materials. This sounds basic, perhaps, but one underlying element of success is that you have easy access to the tools, materials, and other resources you need.

Gathering everything close by also keeps you from wasting time searching for it, so this step can be considered a time management strategy, too.

Speaking of time management, your third step is to define the parameters of your business. What days and hours will you work?

When will you market? When will you provide services or products to clients? How will you keep all of this straight?

Balance action with planning. One of the most common pitfalls to successful entrepreneurship is getting too caught up in action without enough planning. Stated another way, this means that you confuse "being busy" with "working on important projects." The best approach is to plan your next couple of goals and then work backwards to create step by step action plans to reach them.

Once you have the plan, then it's time to take the action.

Network like crazy. One of the fastest ways to grow any business is to make connections with other people. Be sure to share your passion and enthusiasm with others at every opportunity. Let people know who you are and what you offer.

Remember, people can't buy if they don't know you're selling.

Present a professional image. If you want to be treated professionally, present a professional image. Set up a separate bank account for your business. Install a separate phone and fax line. Create professional marketing materials. Be courteous and pleasant in all your customer facing interactions. Basically, be someone people want to do business with.

Automate your business as much as possible. Granted, you are just one person (right now) and might have a lot of extra time to take care of all the details. This might work for now, but won't work into the future as you get busier and busier. It's best to set up automatic systems and processes right from the start to free up your time to concentrate on the most profitable activities.

These simple tips will get your home business started (and growing) in the right direction.

Make sure you look for your next issue soon. We will be talking about separating your personal life from your business.

All About Internet Marketing #4

In the last issue we talked about using a good internet marketing plan for your business. In this issue we are going to go over some of the steps need to build your own system for financial freedom.

Every entrepreneur knows that setting goals is crucial to business success. If you don't know where you're going, how will you know when you've arrived? Or, more importantly, when you're heading in completely the wrong direction? If you're the owner of a small business, what is your goal? To make it to the end of the month with enough money in the bank to cover the bills?

To take a vacation for the first time in five years? Every small business owner should have the same goal – sooner or later, to become independent of the business. Small businesses turn into big businesses only when they are able to operate smoothly without the owner being present. When you can stay away for a week, or a month, or a year, and return to find the business running better than before you left, you have the opportunity to do whatever you like - sell the business and start a new one, retire, buy a yacht and sail around the world.

True financial independence is the ability to live your life doing what YOU want to do. Do you really want to show up for work an hour early every day, leave late at night and never take a holiday, for the rest of your life? Surely not.

What is the key to being able to walk away?

It's simple. You need a system in place so that everyone in your business knows exactly what's expected of them. When you take on a new employee, how do they learn what they're expected to do? Does an existing employee take them in charge, explaining how things work? How can you be sure that the new employee is learning what you want them to know?

As the owner of the business, it's your job to ensure that a system is put in place as the business grows. The system will ensure that everyone knows what they need to know to do their job effectively.

How do you think companies like McDonald's are able to manage thousands of restaurants across the planet? McDonald's Head Office doesn't sell hamburgers. They sell franchises, and their customers are the franchisees. The most valuable asset they have is their system. It regulates what employees wear, the words they say to customers, how many seconds a patty is left on the grill. to variables within their business, every contingency is dictated by the system. The system makes it possible for new employees to fit in. They are educated on 'how we do things around here'. They are taught the specifics of their job. They may be required to sign a performance agreement.

In a well-designed system, there is still space for individual creativity. Better ways of doing things should always be sought out and encouraged - and written into the system for the future. The system provides the framework for ensuring that the business is never entirely dependent on any one person. If you own the business, your future depends on the quality of your system. Make sure you look for your next issue soon. We will be talking about some simple tips for starting a successful home based business.