1. Use separate phone line.
Whether it is a cell phone or an additional land line, make sure that it is always answered professionally and that it has voice mail. There is nothing worse than calling a number listed for a business and having it answered with just a "hello" or "yeah" or worse yet, never answered at all. Remember that you are the voice of your business.
2. Work in your office only.
You don't allow the kids to keep their projects on the kitchen table or your husband to keep his sports magazines in the Den. Don't allow your work to take over your family's space.
3. Set reasonable work hours.
Nothing drains a work at home business owner faster than not knowing when to leave work. It is a common problem because the work is so easily accessible, but be diligent and realistic about the number of hours you can and should work each day.
4. Once you set your hours - stick to them.
Treat your work at home just as you did your work outside the home. Get up, get dressed, and arrive at your office on time and then also remember to leave on time. Staying on a schedule is the best way to ensure that you won't burn out.
5. Consider getting a PO Box for your business address.
Having a separate address for your business mail will help you keep it apart from your home mail as well as give you a reason to take a break and get out of the house. It is also a very good idea to maintain your safety since your address goes on your business cards and possibly your website.
6. Get the right equipment.
Invest in the best equipment your budget can afford. Buy a quality office chair (your back will thank you), Upgrade your computer, get a good quality printer/copier, get a DSL line, and make sure your software is up to date. There is nothing more frustrating than dealing with slow, outdated, and under performing office equipment - so just don't.
7. Move away from the computer.
Take regular breaks to get up and stretch, get a drink, or step outside for moment. Eat lunch away from your office. A change of scenery will do wonders for your mental and physical well-being
8. Stay up to date.
Subscribe to your industry journals and make a day for professional development. Don't get stale or become out of touch with what’s new and exciting in your field. If you like to write - contribute to your journals or online forums and become a thought leader for your industry, that way you can make the trends instead of trying to keep up with them.
9. Don't Isolate.
All work and no play really does make for a dull person. Join your local Chamber of Commerce and professional groups and get yourself out of the office once in a while.
10. Make your office a space that you enjoy working in.
Paint, buy new furniture, put up pictures, bring in plants, or do whatever will make your space one you enjoy. A word of caution, moving the play station and TV to your office probably isn't a good idea - remember that this is your work space and really should be the only thing you do in it.
Let's face it, not everyone is highly successful in their respective home business opportunities. Even if their own business opportunities are highly similar to other opportunities, there can be some factors that affect why some of the businesses fail and why others continue to succeed.
The main factor of this is the heavy competition amongst other online entrepreneurs that are starting businesses of their own. The only ways for you to succeed are either to take on the competition directly or start something new or innovative. No matter what path you take, you should still know the other reasons why some of these opportunities fail and how to work around those.
The Website Doesn't Look Convincing Enough
When companies want to introduce their products to a large audience, they would think of a really creative commercial and then put it on TV and try to draw people into it. This is exactly what you should do when promoting your business opportunity. Of course, making a TV commercial of your own would be nice if you can afford it, but the least you can do is make your website attractive.
Websites that look boring or contains too many images and stock photos that are commonly used in other websites may turn down a few potential prospects. Keep the design minimal and emphasize the most important information that you want people to read first so they can read the smaller text. Good use of graphics and color scheme contributes to a good overall design.
Website isn't Optimized for Search Engines
There are so many people that still use search engines in finding a good home business opportunity. You should make an effort to get your site in there too. Even if you don't have money to buy keywords, you can still get into the game by rewriting your content in such a way that certain keywords that relate to your business opportunity are used. You can also write articles or hire a writer to do them for you if you don't have time. The more content you have, the more your site gets crawled on by the search engine bots.
The Opportunity Doesn't Have Much to Offer
Some opportunities do not have much attention because there are simply better programs out there. It is up to you to find out what these opportunities are and if you optimized your website, you can figure it out easily by typing the keywords that you used in your content and check the top results. Observe what those opportunities offer and try to think of something to offer that gives them a reason to consider your home-based business instead of theirs.
Insufficient or Ineffective Marketing Efforts
Sometimes the blame doesn't go on whatever you are promoting, but on how you are promoting it. Either you are targeting the wrong crowd or you are not diversifying your efforts enough. Try to dedicate 3-5 days on a single marketing method and observe the results. Then try something else afterwards and compare with your previous efforts. There are so many marketing methods that you can use and for best results, you should continuously try them all.
Now that you know why these businesses fail, you can take advantage and change the way you handle your home business. From there, you should keep checking the competition and make sure you are always ahead.
posted by Chris Simpson
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Tuesday, April 21st 2009
When you start a work at home business, two things happen. First, your nerves fire up and let you know what losing sleep feels like. Then comes the second part; a fear of failure. The nerves can be calmed with time and a few deep breathing exercises. But how do you deal with that nagging fear? Here are a couple of tips to get you through it.
Fear of failure -
At the beginning, there will be doubts and fears. Let's face it; you probably have a substantial financial stake in this and it's a scary thing. You have exposed your weak spot and are vulnerable. This is part of the process and we, as humans, do not deal well with the unknown. The best thing you can do at this time is to surround yourself with a business team you KNOW you can trust. Add a supportive family and you're on the way to your dream(s).
Do not let that irrational fear of the unknown stop you from achieving your dream of financial independence. Remember the excitement you felt when you got the idea and did your research? Bring all that to mind and use positive affirmations to build yourself up and know that you will emerge victorious.
Fear of success -
Now this sounds like a contradiction in terms doesn't it? Who in their right mind would be afraid of success? In reality, a lot more than you would think have this fear. It comes from the base of "What happens if my business really takes off? Am I ready for that?"
Well, the best defense is an awesome offense. First, gather your business partners and put your heads together. Figure out your responses BEFORE things start happening. In other words, have a business plan. After all, an architect can't erect a building without a blueprint, can he? No, he can't because he needs to know each step before he takes it. So do you and so does your business.
Your business needs to grow at a pace that is comfortable and doesn't overwhelm you. This is another area where planning is the way to go. If you know your reactions ahead of time, you will never be taken by surprise. Recall the story of the three little pigs? Be like piggy #3 and plan ahead.
Of course it always helps to have a family that supports you, so bring your family on board. Let them know that you need their approval and support all day, every day. Keep them up on improvements and positive things, because if you succeed, THEY succeed, right? Make them feel like a part of what you are doing and they will pitch in gladly.
As your business begins to grow, it will be a little rough for a little while. Even though you have planned and plotted your success, you will need to acclimate yourself to the situation. This is natural and will take care of itself with time. The fear and anxiety will jump up and make you feel like you can't handle it. You can and you will.
A fear of success is part of the natural progression in opening a new work at home business. It is, however, not necessary to respond to it. Make the choice to keep moving forward.
posted by Chris Simpson
1 Comment »
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