Owning a home based business gives the business owner a lot of freedoms. You can choose a line of work that makes you happy, you can choose who to work with as clients, and you can possibly become debt-free by eliminating the need for childcare and a work wardrobe.

Now that you have decided to start your own home-based business, you need to select what type of business you want. Do you want to sell products or do you have a service to offer? Also be realistic about your abilities. Word of mouth recommendations often make or break home based businesses so be sure you are supplying your customers with quality work.

Writing a business plan is crucial to seeing your business succeed. Very often small business owners are afraid of this step or think they can skip it because they are working from home. In fact, quite the opposite is true.

Many opportunities abound for the home based business owner and if you follow your business plan, you will know which opportunities will be worth your time and which would be a waste of money. Consider the business plan your roadmap to success.

As part of your business plan, consider how much money you will need to start your business. Some common expenses include: computer, bookkeeping software, legal fees, insurance premiums, domain name, web hosting, web design, advertising and promotions, and supplies. These costs will vary as will your needs, depending on which type of business you are starting.

A common mistake that home based business owners make, especially if they have an online business, is not checking out the zoning laws in their town. Different towns have different rules about what kinds of businesses can be run from home, so call your town clerk’s office for clarification.

Taxes will play a large role in your business so do research ahead of time. If necessary, find an accountant who specializes in home based businesses. Find out if you need to charge state tax and when the deadlines are for filing your taxes. Many states also have a self-employment tax so ask lots of questions and fully explain your business plan to the experts so you can get accurate tax information.

Now that you are ready to open your doors, you need a plan for attracting customers. Word of mouth is very important but you need that first customer before that starts to happen. A complete marketing plan will include ways in which people will learn about your home based business, such as fliers posted in your town, handing out business cards to your neighbors, or networking with other business owners.

Once the basis of your home based business is set, you will need a personal family plan. How many hours each day do you plan to be available for clients? What happens when the kids get off the bus? Who will drive them to after-school activities? Will your clients mind if they hear children’s voices in the background of a conference call?

Keep in mind that once you open your doors for business, you will still need to work hard to provide quality work and advertise your home based business. But the hard work will certainly pay off when clients start hiring you and you can work in the comfort of your own home!

posted by Chris Simpson