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All Work At Home and No Play Make Jack a Dull Boy
We've all done it!
We sit for hours in front of our PCs searching, submitting and scrutinizing, while the very freedom we are building a home business to achieve, dwindles to stolen moments in between search engine submissions.
I can be...
Fallacies Regarding Online Home Based Businesses
In the course of my home business coaching activities, I have often found that people head into the startup of their online home based businesses with a wildly unrealistic mindset. Many have been told that they can sign up for a few programs,...
Home Mortgage Loan Refinance – Benefits To Refinancing Your House Online
Here are some of the benefits to doing your home loan refinance online: Everything seems to happen faster - Online, when looking for a mortgage loan you can search around, fill out an application and a few minutes later, you can be receiving a...
Is having a Business in Your Home Legal
There are various laws you will need to consider before you
start running a home business. Millions of businesses are
operated illegally out of peoples homes, in violation of their
local laws. This approach isn't recommended. You should...
MLM - The Good, The Bad, and Your Home Based Business
MLM, or multi-level marketing, is a legitimate and potentially lucrative way to have your own home based business. By directly selling products while creating your own upline downline, you can work your MLM business part-time, from home, and at in...
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10 Money-Saving Tips for Home Businesses
One of the most common obstacles many home-based working moms
face is trying to start or run a new business on a limited
budget. The first few years of a business are usually the
hardest financially. Some moms leave full-time careers and
substantial salaries to start a new business. Others start a
home business as stay-at-home moms wanting additional income to
support their family as well as a professional outlet to balance
their diaper-changing days.
In either case, starting and running a home-based business takes
money. How much money will depend partly on you and the type of
business you choose to run.
Below are our top 10 tips to save you and your home business
money:
1. Do your own market research by talking to potential clients
or customers. Many new home business owners skip this step only
to come back to it later (or wish they had). Those who start
businesses without doing any type of research, risk the
possibility of their target market not needing or wanting their
particular product or service. The competition may be too
fierce, or there may not be enough potential customers to
support the business. Or perhaps, the product isn't priced
correctly. It is just as important not to price your product too
low as it is not to price it too high. Talk to others in similar
businesses as yours to see how much they charge and what they
offer for that price.
2. Team up with other non-competitive businesses that target the
same market to do some co-marketing. For example, desktop
publishers and print shops can do a direct mail campaign
together advertising both of their services or buy an ad in a
local publication and split the costs. Neither is in competition
with the other. They also can hand out business cards or flyers
for one another as well as give word-of-mouth referrals. It's a
great way to double one's marketing efforts while splitting any
advertising costs.
3. When you have a satisfied customer, don't be afraid to ask
for referrals. People like to help others especially new
businesses trying to succeed. Show pride in your work and people
are sure to notice, and when they do, ask if they know any
others you can send a brochure or sample to. Another great way
to encourage referrals is to offer a discount or special offer
for any customers who are referred to you.
4. Barter or trade your services for other products or services
you need. Associations and organizations are not only great
places to network; they are also great for finding businesses
that offer services and products you need. Look for businesses
you could help with your product or service and offer to barter
or trade for theirs. (Be sure to
check with your tax
professional for tax issues involving bartering and trading.)
5. Find another home-based working mom to swap babysitting with.
All home-based working moms need some dedicated time to work on
their business tasks. By swapping with another mom, each can
work on their businesses without adding to their childcare costs.
6. When buying new office equipment, go to a place that offers a
low-price guarantee. You can save time and money by shopping at
places that will refund any difference in price if you find the
product cheaper elsewhere.
7. If you are looking for computer equipment, consider buying
used equipment. Look in the classifieds and talk to others that
may know someone looking to upgrade. Ask for warranty
information and make sure the machine is in good working
condition. Also take a look at the computer companies offering
refurbished machines. Some are priced accordingly and usually
come with some type of warranty.
8. Send postcards for direct mail solicitation. They are cheaper
to print and less expensive to mail. Another advantage is that
they are more likely to be read since they take no effort to
open.
9. If you hire sales help, pay by commission only so you only
spend money if you make money. A salesperson can increase your
sales without adding any up-front fees or salaries.
10. Use pre-printed design papers for letterhead, brochures and
business cards if you only need a small amount. The papers can
be found at most large office supply stores, and they are great
for new businesses trying to get started on a small budget.
Lesley Spencer, the founder of Home-Based Working moms has
helped thousands of moms start their businesses in the 10 years
that she has been in business. Their group provides networking,
support, media opportunities, and more. By actively being
involved in such a group you also increase your chances of
success because of the power and support that she offers and the
opportunity to network with other professionals. Getting
connected with positive "winners" in the entrepreneurial world
is just another way to succeed.
These money-saving ideas should help with your budget but new
business owners also need plenty of drive and determination to
succeed. It takes time to develop and grow a business. So be
patient and give it all you've got!
About the author:
Diana Ennen, author, publicist, book marketer and mentor. She
has written numerous books on operating a home-based business
including Virtual Assistant: the Series and is president of
Virtual Word Publishing http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com and
http://www.Publicity-VA.com.
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