How to Become a Freelancer

Becoming a freelancer is a way to work at home and be independent without needing to start an actual business. As a general rule, so long as you operate under your own name you do not need to register as a business (check your home state for any special requirements). This makes it possible to get started as a freelancer overnight without a lot of hassle and with the least amount of expense.

What is a Freelancer?

A freelancer is someone who offers services for a fee. In general terms, a freelancer works independently with no expectation of a permanent or long-term relationship with a single employer.

Why Would You Want to Freelance?

If you suddenly get laid off, you'll need to do something in order to keep an income stream coming in. The sooner you can do that, the less financial trouble you'll be in. While you can look and look for jobs and hope you get hired, you could decide to freelance on day one and try to find work independently.

If you've had an urge to be your own boss anyway, becoming a freelancer may be a good way to do it. You can even continue your job search while you freelance.

What Kind of Work Do Freelancers Do?

Freelancers can be asked to do just about any kind of work you might imagine. Here are some of the most popular types of freelance services:

• Freelance writer
• Freelance Web or Graphic Designer
• Freelance Computer Programmer or Coder
• Freelance desktop publishing services provider
• Freelance virtual assistant or virtual professional
• Freelance bookkeeper

Basically, anything you might consider doing in your own business, you can do on a freelance basis under your own name. In most cases, even in those professions where a license is required.

What Do You Need to Freelance?

To freelance, you basically just need to have something of value you can offer to potential clients. Most people draw on their employment experience and offer freelance services in areas in which they are especially talented. The following items are also useful for those who want to freelance:

A website to promote yourself

A dedicated business phones or cell phones number on which prospects can reach you

A business card

Ideally, a business address (such as a post office box or mail box service)

A portfolio of your best work

Ideally, a few references, but you will build those as you go along

How Do You Find Freelance Work?

The answer partly depends on the type of freelance work you want to do. But here a few freelance job resources you might consider:

Craigs List

Guru

ELance

Rent-a-Coder

You can also use CraigsFindr to search Craig's List postings in multiple geographic areas at once.

Some freelance job sites are free - some charge a renewable fee in order to bid for jobs. In some cases, a freelance job site might offer both free and paid membership, but in such cases the jobs on which you can bid as a free member are usually very limited.

Some freelancers join a union that can also provide job opportunities.

You can also look for opportunities to get free advertising your freelance services - including CraigsList and posting your profile on freelance sites.

If you can become part of a network affiliated with your services, that's always helpful. You should also post a profile on social networks, such as LinkedIn

How Do Freelancers Handle Taxes?

Like any job or business, freelancers need to meet their federal, state and local tax obligations. This means filing any estimated tax returns, just as you would if you started your own business, except that your taxes are filed under your own name and social security number instead of your business name and tax ID number. Any clients who pay your more than $600 in a calendar year are required to provide you with IRS from 1099 reporting your earnings.

Estimated taxes are filed with the IRS (and in most states, with your state) on a quarterly basis. The IRS provides forms to help you estimate your taxes so you send in the right amount. Not paying your estimated quarterly taxes can result in interest and penalties from both the IRS and your state.

What are the Major Advantages of Being a Freelancer?

If you freelance, you can usually set your own hours. You may be extremely busy one month and at a standstill the next month in your freelance practice. Use the slow times to rest up and to find new ways to find freelance gigs in your field. Also use the time to improve your website or investigate other ways you can market your freelance services.

Freelancing is what the "American Dream" is all about for many people. Low costs and little time and hassle to get started with a great deal of independence. In the vast majority of cases you will be able to work from home. You won't have to convince your employer it's a good idea to let you telecommute.

Freelancing is also a great way to help keep your head above water if you find suddenly find yourself unemployed. It can help tide you over until you find other work, all the while giving you valuable experience in client service and giving you exposure to a variety of projects. Who knows, after you've been a freelancer for a while, you may decide you like being independent and stop looking for employment!

What are the Pitfalls of Being a Freelancer?

Some people believe that being a freelancer means they won't get paid much and some employers who hire freelancers think they shouldn't have to pay much. That's because the competition is very tough and it's global - people from all around the world may offer the same services for less than half of what you can offer them. That's to be expected. Over time, your experience and your references will help you command freelance rates you can be proud of.

Keep in mind too, that a freelancer you are not obligated to accept a job. If you don't like what's being offered, keep looking for something that pays a bit more. Unfortunately, a fair number of employers who use freelancers end up taking advantage of them - by paying a substandard rate, not paying on time, etc. As you become an experienced freelancer you will learn to recognize which employers are worth your trouble and which are not.

By :- Home Based Jobs

Finding Your Ideal Home Based Business

Home Based Business Opportunities

Entrepreneurs by nature are risk takers, willing to completely submerge themselves in a business venture and work at it until it's successful or fails completely. Generally there isn't any middle ground for these types of individuals.

Today's mantra is very different. The team approach, consensus building and becoming agents of change within an organization are the themes of the day. Good managers build consensus with there colleagues before they run with the ball.

What does all of this have to do with finding your ideal online business? Plenty. Before you decide what online business you want to be in you need to decide what group you fall into.

Entrepreneurs or consensus building agents of change? The difference is more than marginal as entrepreneurs are their own worst enemies at times, boldly going where no one dared go before and making decisions at the speed of light. If you like to work in groups however, and thrive on feedback and consensus you may not be the best online business owner, as decisions tend to be based on your own internal consensus. If working in groups does appeal to you then perhaps an MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) or Network Marketing business makes more sense for you.

What this means basically is that you really need to be a little of both types to succeed in today's Internet business environment. Running any business requires quick decision making and the Internet is no exception. However the critical nature of the decision is not as important with online business, as programs, sites and products can be changed within minutes.

There are multiple avenues to go down in finding the right online business. In fact there may be more than one avenue that you'll have to try before you become effective. Take your time and avail yourself of first, free information, there's a lot of it on the Internet. Second, there is paid information such as statistical data from data research companies. And finally just looking at what other companies are doing and what drives them is one of the best ways to research your ideal business.

New online businesses tend to be quite draining physically, mentally and financially so try to plan out how much of any of these you can stand before you begin. The net result though, when you are successful is like no other. A sense of pride and accomplishment can offer much solace.

Get More Traffic And Exposure From BlogCatalog

So many people buzz about social media, they think it is the best thing since sliced bread, and some just think it is useless. The thing is, if you are not going to use a social media site to it’s full potential, it will be useless. BlogCatalog is a very popular blog directory. But it can definitely be a lot to take in at first, I know this from experience. This simple tutorial will give you all the information you need to successfully use BlogCatalog and get exposure and traffic to your site.

FRIEND ADDING You can use BlogCatalog to your advantage…there are a huge amount of features which make it better the MyBlogLog. The first important thing you should note able BlogCatalog is the fact that you can add a lot of friends at a time (I don’t even know if there is a limit…which is great!). Many people have used the ability to add huge numbers of friends to their advantage, some people have literally thousands of friends (5000, 6000, 7000, 8000+). This is a big thing because it means that the particular person has probably attained quite a few RSS subscribers by adding that huge amount of people.

BROADCASTING Yet another fantastic feature of BlogCatalog is the ability to post a broadcast, when you do this, your logo and your headline will appear in a small box on the right hand side of your profile page under the tab “Broadcasts”. This means that when you post a broadcast, it will appear on each and every one of your friends profiles, that means it will appear on 7000 profiles if you have that many friends. The amount of traffic broadcasts can bring is quite large and it is definitely a highly useful feature of BlogCatalog.

NEIGHBOURHOOD ADDING Now, this is one of those things which has it’s benefits and it’s disadvantages. By having a lot of neighbourhoods, you are allowing other people to see 15 other links or sites which they can go to, personally I like to have only one neighbourhood and that is my own. This means that there is a greater probability of people coming to my blog from the links and the sole neighbourhood available. As you can see on the left, I have only one neighbourhood, and all the blog posts are from my neighbourhood.

CREATING GROUPS Another great feature from BlogCatalog is the ability to create groups, I recently created my own group called “Nirajperipleko”, my group talks about site monetization and the various ways in which you can successfully do it. I have called upon some followers to join the group and the response has been pretty good. You can join my Profile:
0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE nirajperipleko's profile Creating groups is a great way to network with other bloggers in your niche and talk about stuff in general. There are a couple more great features about BlogCatalog like discussions where you can ask people questions and get some feedback about your site or a product etc…Discussions are good if you are doing some research about something, whether it is good or bad etc…It can also bring some traffic if you are asking a question or offering something that everyone wants to know about. In conclusion BlogCatalog is an organized and user friendly site, it is better than MyBlogLog in several ways and continues to improve as a site and a community.

By:- Home Based Business Opportunity

Use The Skills You Have And The Knowledge You Know To Make Money Online

Almost everyone in the world has knowledge that they know or skills that they possess that others are in need of. These skills can range from programming to writing and everything in between. Some people have highly technical knowledge in fields like engineering or medicine, while others possess less technical knowledge that may none the less still be in demand. There are many people out there in the internet world who are in need of people with knowledge and skills. Many are just waiting for the opportunity to meet these people so they can take advantage of their skills. The trick for anyone wanting to market their special skills and/or knowledge is to know where to go to do it.

The bulk of the people online looking for help are website owners and designers who are building a specific website and may be in need of specific information and skills. There are many different tasks and projects that they are searching for help with. Some, but not all, of the skills that are in demand by website owners include:

• Programming
• Web Design
• Photography
• Blog Posting
• Article Writing
• Link Building
• Graphic Design
• Forum Posting
• Product Description Creation
• Blog Commenting
• Article Rewriting
• Website Security

When it comes to knowledge, almost any specific knowledge that someone has can be useful to a website owner or designer. One of the most important features of a website is it’s content. A site with high quality and reliable content has a better chance of achieving success in the world of websites. Every website that has content on it is a potential customer to a writer who can write on that subject. There are many people who have specific knowledge that they have gained through a hobby, employment, or some kind of specialized training they have taken. Most don’t realize that this knowledge, written out in the form of articles or other content, is of value to website designers and owners every where.

The key to getting paid for the knowledge or skills that a person may have is finding the right marketplace where buyers and sellers can meet and match up their needs. There are a number of sites like Elance and RentACoder that are set up so that buyers can post their needs and sellers can make offers to fill those needs. Other places to look for potential sales of knowledge and skill offerings are webmaster forums where people can freely post their desires and wants and others can answer if they find a project offer that they are capable of filling.

When you combine intelligent people who have specific knowledge and skills with people willing to pay to put those skills to use for them, you have a marketplace where everyone comes out happy and satisfied. What a person needs to do is analyze what skills and knowledge they possess, and then find out how best to market them to the people looking for someone who is looking for that exact skill set to benefit their projects. Once a person matches up their knowledge with the people who are in need of it, they have opened up a stream of revenue that they previously weren’t aware existed.

By :- Home Business Opportunities

The Evil Things That Work Against Your Efforts To Make Money Online

A number of people these days have turned to the internet as a way to make money online. They may be participating in selling items via online auctions, participating in the many affiliate sales opportunities that can be found, or developing and promoting their own website or blog. While making money online is possible and can even be fun as well as challenging, are a number of challenges that have to be faced before you can be successful at it. These challenges may take the form of learning processes and information, investing a small amount in equipment and or software that your money making venture requires during the start-up phase, or finding the time that your online project demands so that it can have a reasonable chance at being successful. There are a number of down times that will occur during the running of your online business. These down turns can happen during the planning, building, or updating phase of your project and provide a weak spot where you can easily be distracted.

Some of the biggest challenges you’ll face are the ones that at first seem like they will not be much of a problem at all.

Forums And Chatrooms

Socialization has always been one of the biggest distractions that humans have had to come up against. Many people like to meet other people and discuss issues that they are interested in. Forums and chatrooms are perfect for this type of activity as they provide a place for people from all walks of life to freely assemble and discuss issues that they may be interested in. It is very easy to get wrapped up in a discussion about something that is meaningless when compared to the online business you should be focusing on.

Free Online Games

Simple free online games are a great time waster, sadly when you are operating an online business you shoudn’t be wasting any of the time you have available to be online. There is always something you can do to build or promote your online presence and little of it can be done while playing online scrabble, chess, or poker.

Television

There are millions of people that are convinced that they have no problem working or studying with the television on. They swear that they use it for background noise and that it doesn’t distract them one little bit. While their may be the occasional person that this is true for, for the most part this is a lie used to justify wanting the television on. The truth is, anything that is video is naturally going to be distracting because you are forced to look away from what you are working on to see what is being displayed on the television. If background noise is desired, it is much better to use music instead of television

Snacking

Not only is snacking a convenient way to be distracted from working on your online business, it is also a great way to put on some extra pounds. Even when not eating the constant walking to the kitchen and staring at the cupboards and open refrigerator is not a good use of your available work time. If you do get the urge to snack while working online, try replacing food with a piece or two of sugarless gum. This allows you to get a taste in your mouth, keep your hands free, and has the added benefit of being virtually calorie free.

Online Videos

Much like television, watching online videos is a far too distracting activity for anyone working on an online business to participate in. While many online videos are funny or interesting, none of them will give you more value than getting back to work on your website or blog will.

Text Messaging

The constant text messaging that some people participate for is one of the most distracting things that people will encounter during their day. Messaging with a friend requires both hands and minds to become disengaged from the online business project that is being worked on and instead requires them to be committed to a conversation that in most cases can be put off to a better time when your time has less demands put on it.

A large part of the battle in any self-employment situation is avoiding being distracted and working to your full potential. From financial, to business contacts, to server issues, and more; there are more than enough legitimate distractions in the world of online business that an entrepreneur doesn’t have to complicate matters worse by voluntarily wasting time by giving into the temptations provided by the many evil things waiting to derail their online money making plans.

By :- Home Based Business Opportunity

Top 10 Home Based Business Franchises

Are you fed up with the day-to-day grind of your dead-end job and wish you could find a better way to make a living? It may be much easier than you think when you consider the wide range of home based business franchises with very reasonable investment costs and excellent earning potential. Realizing the dream of having your own business and working for yourself each day can be the way to a much brighter (and profitable) future! Check out the top 10 home based business franchises for 2007. One of them may be just right for you!

Home Based Business Opportunities

What’s Hot Right Now?
The top franchises are those that provide the kinds of products and services that appeal to consumer needs and current social trends. For example, the growing number of elderly persons means that there is a serious need for franchises that can provide necessary products and services for seniors.

Other lucrative home based franchise opportunities are steadily increasing in cleaning, home maintenance and repair as well as exercise and fitness. As the number of new and exciting franchise opportunities continues to grow, so too does the potential for great profit and business success for any franchisee.

Top 10 Home Based Franchises

Perhaps one of them is the franchise that can pave the way to a brand new and prosperous venture in which you can operate your own business and reap the benefits!

Molly Maid
This well-known franchise continues to remain strong and ever present among the top home based business franchises available. In today’s fast-paced and busy world, having the time to complete many household chores and daily maintenance is simply not possible. Many consumers rely on this kind of service to keep their home organized and clean. As this need increases, so does the potential for growth and income as a franchisee. With start-up costs as low as $30,000, it is quite affordable and feasible to own a Molly Maid franchise.

ServiceMaster Clean
When the unexpected happens, many property owners seek out professionals to take over and correct the problem. As a ServiceMaster Clean franchisee, you can expect to build a long-lasting and highly respected business when you have this brand name behind you. Specializing in carpet, drapery and upholstery cleaning, this franchise is available with a very minimal initial investment and even offers financial assistance for franchisees who want to get started immediately.

Home Blinds
Many people value the experience and expertise of professionals when it comes to window treatments in their home or office. When you own a Home Blinds franchise, you get all the necessary training and support to become an expert in selling and installing window blinds, shutters, shades and drapery. And with a mobile unit, you can travel to meet your customer’s specific needs and requirements quickly and easily.

1-800-GOT-JUNK
Who knew that a franchise catering to junk removal would become such a large and expansive business opportunity? But many consumers do accumulate large amounts of assorted items that they no longer want or need but don’t have the necessary equipment or time to get rid of the junk. Due to the essential equipment required to start this franchise, the initial cost is slightly higher than some other home based franchises at $90,000, it is well worth it considering the detailed training and ongoing support from the franchisor.

i9 Sports
If you are interested in sports and working with children, an i9 Sports franchise business might be the one for you! Specializing in the organization of youth sports leagues, camps and after-school programs, this franchise offers flexible work hours and is home based. Plus, initial investment is reasonably low at only $60,000.

Matco Tools
This home based franchise is one of the best offering quality tools and diagnostic equipment for automotive technicians. With your own “tool truck” and stock, you can cover a fairly large territory and build a strong customer base. The superior quality, design and durability of the product is sure to help you build a solid franchise that will provide a generous profit.

Companion Connection Senior Care
Just imagine being able to help seniors in your community with your own business! And with a limited membership opportunity with no membership fees. You provide live-in or live-out non-medical care to seniors or disabled adults including such responsibilities as light housekeeping, meal preparation or just friendship and support. As our population ages, the need for this kind of business continues to grow.

ACFN ATM Franchise
As North America’s only ATM franchise, you need no prior experience to operate this business. The franchisor locates and provides the ATM locations as well as complete and extensive training. ACFN ATM machines are located in hundreds of locations including hotels, hospitals, movie theaters and more. With a $36,000, you can get started right away!

Mr. Handyman
Whether it is a small or large job, a Mr. Handyman franchise can handle it. This business can be a dream come true for anyone who enjoys home repair and would like to make money doing it. A very modest initial investment will get you started and the highly reputed brand name and a strong work ethic will keep your franchise busy and profitable.

1800905GEEK
The new age of computers and IT technology dominates our society in both home and business. Why not capitalize on the latest advances with your own on-site computer service and repair franchise? Get comprehensive, ongoing training and support that ensures you are always an expert. And you can base your business from your home with only $60,000 for initial investment.

A franchise opportunity can open plenty of new avenues for your future. When you consider the ever increasing and expansive number of incredible Home Based Franchise Opportunities, there has never been a better time to own your own business!

People Just Like You Are Making $2,000-$3,000 A Month Or More!

There are a lot of people out there in internet land who are trying to sell you some crazy get rich quick scheme, or wanting you to sign up for their new hot program. However if you're like me, and have tried most of them, you are tired of people trying to sell you on the next great idea. Believe me when I say I completely understand you, I am completely burnt out on MLM and money making schemes. So when I finally came across something online that actually works, I was shocked to say the least.

I found a program by a company called Acme Search Engine recently and was really impressed with what I found. I had actually made money on week one (yes I did say week one), and so I feel it is something that is worth sharing with others. First of all let me start out by saying it is completely free to start up which is always what we want to here right? So now that I have made that clear, let me explain a little of the background of the program. The company was founded by a man name Tissa Godavitarne who put a large amount of money into creating a niche search engine which caters to almost 30% of what people are searching for on Google: people searches. The system he put in place made him nearly 2 million dollars in 2007, and he is giving his affiliates an exact replica of that system.
Basically the search engine generates affiliate commissions by giving away FREE people search results. So whenever someone receives search results, you receive commissions from the affiliates, some paying up to $30. It is the fact that the results are free that gives you that much needed edge over your competitors. However this is only part of what Tissa is giving away, he also advertises your search engine for free on Google, Yahoo, and MSN sending tons of traffic to your site each month. But wait! There's more! He also has a really wonderful referral program which can earn you as much as $30 per referral and he gives you $125 (free money) just for being a part of his program.

So after all of that, I hope you can see at least a little of why I am so excited about this program. I would like for you to share in the same success that I and affiliates around the world have experienced, so please visit the site, read what Tissa has to say (take a look at his gorgeous house!) and get signed up today. I look forward to making money online with you!

By :- Home Based Business Opportunities

Easy At Home Business - 8 Ways To Produce A Constant Mlm Lead Flow

Looking for an easy at Home Based Business Opportunities is something of a pipe dream especially in the area of internet network marketing. But let's make a distinction between what is regarded easy and what's not in working a business from home.

Are there work at Home Business Opportunities that are easy to run? The answer is yes but only when someone gets over the initial learning curve. In internet network marketing though, that learning curve is far from easy unless you can get into a training ground which can provide the proper step-by-step training you need.

Easy At Home Based Business

Renegaders are discovering this in large numbers. The skills needed to run a Business From Home in this niche take some learning but the truth is, while it can be difficult for total "newbies" to learn, once they understand the basics, it becomes a matter of rinse and repeat.

In other words, it doesn't matter what new endeavor you tackle there is always hard work involved in getting going. The beauty of internet network marketing is that when you have your marketing properties in place, then it is simply a matter of maintaining a regular maintenance routine to keep them fresh and front and center in the eyes of the search engines.

Let's take a look at a schedule you would expect to see running your network marketing business online:

1. Build a series of web properties including a website, blog and web 2 based sites.

2. Write articles for these properties which concentrate on providing educational and training material related to running a home business and it's content visitors can use and implement in their business.

3. Write articles for submission to article directories to gain both backlinks and traffic to your sites.

4. Submit your sites to Directories for more added link value. These should be dripped in over time.

5. Look for blogs related to your business and try to comment on the content posted but only comment if you have something useful to add.

6. Look for groups online where answers and solutions are needed to problems and answer the ones you feel you can. You need to make these answers as value-adding as possible because nothing will bring someone rushing to your site if you impress them enough with your knowledge.

7. When you make new entries on your easy at home business properties then use platforms such a Twitter and Stumbleupon to report on your activities but remember not to over do this.

8. Keep your blog or blogs in particular updated with content on a regular basis as once you start to develop a following then people will be looking for your opinion and guidance on a variety of subjects within your industry.

By :- Home Based Franchises

Three Necessary Tools to be Successful in An Internet Home Based Business

What does it take to be successful in an internet home based business? What are the ingredients of an internet home based success story? Is there a shortcut to internet home based glory? All these questions play around in the minds of affiliate marketers who want to make it big in this Home Based Business.

Although internet home based marketing is touted as one of the easiest and most effective ways to earn money online, it is not as easy as it sounds. The wise internet home based marketer plans every action and executes it the best way he can. He/she should also maximize the potential to earn by utilizing the right tools necessary for a successful internet home based business. Some of the most successful internet home based marketers in the business indicate that there are top three necessary tools for a successful internet home based marketing business.

Tool #1: Your Own Website

The most important and indispensable tool in an internet home based business is your own website. The first step in any successful internet home based business is building a good, credible and professional looking website. Your website is the jump off point of all your marketing efforts. Thus, you must first build a user-friendly website, which will appeal to your prospects and encourage them to click on the links to the products and service you are promoting and make a purchase. Therefore, you must first concentrate your efforts in building a website that will cater to what your prospects need.

The most important thing you should consider is that almost all web-users go online to look for information, not necessarily to go and buy something. Above all else, make your website full of original, relevant and useful content. People will love article that are appealing and helpful. Keep in mind that, on the internet, content is still king and good quality content will not only build your credibility, it can also help you achieve a higher search engine ranking. By posting relevant and useful articles, you establish yourself as a credible expert in the field, making you a more trustworthy endorser of the product or service you promote. Establishing a good reputation is a good step in building up a loyal consumer base.

Tool #2: Incentives

Competition is extremely tight in the internet world. You must always be one-step ahead of your rivals to ensure that you capture a significant share of your target market. Therefore, you must use every possible means to encourage people not only to visit your site but also to click and proceed to the websites of the products and services you are promoting. Building an opt-in email list is one of the best ways to gather prospects. Offer a newsletter or an e-zine. Better yet, offer incentives to your prospects to encourage them to subscribe to your newsletters. You can present free softwares, access to exclusive services and other freebies that will be helpful to your prospects.

Tool #3: Link Popularity

The importance of driving highly targeted traffic to your website cannot be emphasized enough. The all-important web traffic is at the top of the list of the most important entities in the internet world. Attracting people to your site should be the first step you should carry out. Do everything to achieve a high search engine ranking. Link Popularity is one of the factors that search engines use to determine search engine rankings. Therefore, to enhance your link popularity, you must launch an aggressive reciprocal (or one-way) link campaign.

One of the best ways to do this at no cost at all is by submitting articles, with your website's link at the resource box, to e-zines and free article sites. You will not only gain exposure, you will also have the opportunity to advertise for free, just include a link back to your site. The more sites you submit your articles to, the better your link popularity is. Make your articles original, relevant and useful so that more websites will pick it up and post it.

These are the most three important of the many tools that an internet home based marketer can use to maximize earning potential. The possibilities are endless and are limited only by your imagination, creativity, resourcefulness and determination. You can always explore other ideas and adapt other strategies, which you think might help you become a high rolling internet home based marketer. Diep Tran is Internet marketer, and webmaster of Home Based Business Opportunities .

How to Start a Home Based Business; Six Steps

Home Based Business with Six Steps

Many people dream about having their own home business in order to escape the hassle of commuting, friction with overbearing bosses and the stress of the corporate workplace. In the good old days, the ideal Home Based Businesses was some kind of mail-order business. However, in today's world an Internet-based business offers the best way to gain flexibility and economic independence. If you are not sure how to go about it, take a look at the following steps which all home based entrepreneurs must take:

1. Determine what you want to do

You know you want a business that is yours and based in your own home but you may not be sure what exactly you want to do. No one can decide this for you. You must pick an area of activity where you have a bit of knowledge and most importantly, a passion. After all, you are probably leaving your day job because you were not happy with what you are doing. Don't pick another type of work that will be a misery, rather pick something that you enjoy doing.

For example, if you are an avid athlete, maybe you will want to sell sports supplies, or some kind of information product concerned with sports. When it comes to online selling you have a choice: to sell a physical item that can be shipped, or to sell an electronic item such as an ebook or a service, such as proofreading or editing. Brainstorm and pick your area of interest and then follow it up until your business idea becomes clear.

2. Set up your Business Opportunities from Home

If you want to work at home you will need a separate area where you can work efficiently. It doesn't have to be a large office, but it has to be a place where you can work without disturbance. Once you have carved out your working area, you have to equip it. The minimum is an up to date computer with a good connection to the Internet. You will probably need software such as an html editor, an ftp program, and an art or photo editing program such as Adobe Photoshop. A good accounting program will also be required once you get rolling and the money starts flowing in.

3. Make sure that you have a back up income

Setting up a successful home business is harder than it looks and harder than the advertisements would have you believe. In the first months you may not make any money. Budget some money to cover the initial period when sales are likely to be zero or very low, and plan your first year realistically so that you can survive during the starting period.

4. Pick a proper domain name and register it at a reputable registrar

Your domain name is your brand name and it will become your online identity. The name should describe what you do and it should be memorable. Another thing to consider when deciding on a domain is to try to include a search keyword that your likely customers would use when finding you.

Many of great domain names are already taken. The best way to find out is to go to one of the reputable registrars such as Godaddy, Yahoo or Directnic and put your idea into the search box. You will find out if the domain name is available and also find alternatives. Don't be tempted by low cost registrars that are not well known. If they fold, then you could have trouble maintaining your domain name.

5. Find a reliable hosting service for your business

As with the domain registration, choose a hosting company that is well known and that has good customer support. Check to see if they have 24 hour phone service or an online chat service. Pick up a hosting package that has enough space for your needs. Generally most websites only use a small portion of the web space that is offered. If you are not sure which package to get, ask the sales departments of a few of the leading hosting firms to see what they offer.

6. Design and Promote Your Website

Your website is your store-front. It is your sales representative and it is your business suit all in one! You can make a good impression with a professionally designed site, and whatever you invest in a good design will be repaid later on. So don't skimp on your website, have it designed professionally or purchase a striking web template and customize it to fit your needs. But even the best website can't bring you sales unless it is promoted online. Advertise your site with paid ads, through high search engine place, by participating in online forums and by distributing articles with a link back to your site.

Follow these six steps and you will be on your way to fulfilling your dream of having a Home Business Opportunities.

4 Step Guide - The Best Marketing Plan That Will Grow An Internet Home Business

A lot of people start and run an internet Home Based Businesses without a marketing plan. Lack of a business and marketing plan is the main reason why many internet home businesses fail.

You may have a great idea and intentions for your internet home business, but without a proper marketing plan, you are doomed to fail.

What does a marketing plan actually do? An effective marketing plan for your internet home business precisely defines your targeted customers, the product, the price you will offer and the channel you will use to promote the product. Key questions which your marketing plan must address are: What is your business, what you offer, who needs what you offer, what are they prepared for it, how are you going to tell them about this product and how are you going to make them want to but the product?

The goal of your marketing plan is to guide your internet home business towards more profits, inform prospects about your products; establish credibility with the prospects, motivate them, prove or show value of the product to them and get them to take action to buy the product.

So, what actions do you need to take to prepare an effective marketing plan that will boost your internet home business’ profits?

Action #1: Define, Know and Focus on Your Ideal Customer

If you know your targeted customer, then you can develop the best way of reaching them. Do the necessary research to find out who your customers will be and what they will expect from you. How can you best promote your product to them? How can you best maintain your existing customer, and how can you attract new customers? For your internet home business to succeed, you will need a large customer base which you will continue to build on.

Action #2: Brand Your Business or Products

You need to know what your internet home business is offering first, and you need to develop a ‘brand’ for your product or service. Whatever product you are offering, that is your ‘brand’, and you need to name it appropriately and in an appealing way. If you are targeting a certain segment of the market, let that be reflected in your brand, if possible.

Action #3: Create a Convincing and Powerful Sales Message

This is a very important step for your internet Business Opportunities from Home. Customers want to pay for something which can give them some benefits, or can solve issues they have at hand. Are the benefits of your products emphasized in your sales copy? Your internet home business’ selling message must also have some bonuses to make your product a good ‘bargain’.

Action #4: Develop a Plan For Looking After Your Prospects And Customers

This is often neglected. For your internet home business to succeed, you must be prepared to offer that extra help and care for your customers. This includes promptly answering their questions, keeping in touch with them, offering some free benefits and tips and being available when they need you. Your internet home business has many competitors, and you will need that extra edge that can make prospects want to buy from you.

If you have a home based internet business, having a marketing plan is very important. Without a marketing plan, you can not grow your business. Do all the necessary searches and invest the effort to develop a marketing plan which will adhere to.

Do not start an internet home business without taking the steps outlined above!

Jeff Casmer is an award winning entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and internet marketing consultant with career sales over $25,000,000. He is currently featured as a "Top" Affiliate of . His "Top Ranked" Work At Home Directory gives you all the information you need to start, maintain, and prosper with your very own Internet Business in the 21st century.

How To Start An Internet Home Business Opportunity Without Tons Of Money And No Internet Experience

It's not really hard to find an internet Home Based Business Opportunity online nowadays. There are thousands home based business opportunities on the internet. When searching for an internet home based business please be careful because there are many scams out there. Making the choice is likely to be quite easy, but actually getting a good start is another thing. It is very easy to fail in this type of internet home based business opportunity if you do not know the keys how to getting start.

Part of getting a good start is choosing the right internet home based business opportunity. A person has to choose an opportunity which interests them. They should be able to easily form the determination and drive to make their internet Home Based Business successful. It also helps to choose wisely. An opportunity should be well set up and has been proven successful. It should be easy to start up, for example that the website will be set up new people and to both learn and teach the system. The right choice can influence success in a big way, so choosing a good internet home based opportunity is one of the most important aspects of starting off on the right foot.

The next part of a perfect start is establishing a good team. Residual income is all about building a team that works hard and turns a profit. If a persons team is not making money then they are not making money - that is the bottom line. A person should choose their team members carefully. It should be a serious process. Many times people simply advertise and let anyone who contacts them become part of their team. This is not the way to do it. A person needs to take it seriously. They should conduct an interview and explain the internet home based opportunity to the person. They should make absolutely sure that the person is serious and is willing to put forth a good effort to be successful. A well chosen team goes a long way to making a person successful.

Lastly, for the perfect start a person must think about the big picture. It is easy to get discouraged in the beginning because it takes some time to build a good internet home based business and start earning a profit. It is not going to happen overnight, but once a person gets their internet home based business going they will reap the benefits. If a person allows themselves to get boggled down by the little things and not keep their eye on the long term then they probably will give up. Starting out is sometimes a slow process, so a person needs to focus on their goals and keep them in mind.

A person can get a perfect start in a residual income internet home based business opportunity if they stay focused, take it seriously and remain committed to their main goal. A perfect start will allow a person to have a stable internet home based business right form the very beginning. They can avoid common pitfalls and make their business successful.

Work At Home Business Opportunity

There are literally thousands of business opportunities for entrepreneurs and small business owners to develop. Choosing a Home Based Business that allows you flexibility and convenience can also be rewarding. Evaluating and building your work at home business opportunity into a successful business can be one of the most exciting activities in your career! We will examine several of the phases of startups that everyone should know about in this business article.

The main phases of any new business whether it is a home based business or a business that begins in a factory or elsewhere are conception and initial funding, preparation for launch, initial operations, significant growth and maturity. Not all business ideas will make it through all of these steps and some new business owners may not even realize they are moving through these stages. Regardless of the type of business, most will spend time in each and depending on the growth rates, some will spend more time in once phase or another.

Conception is the phase where most people come up with an idea and take this new business idea into a full-grown plan. They will need to do a business plan at this stage, especially if they need to find funding to support their startup phases. This stage also includes preparing your plans for how you will launch your company or home based business. Taking the time at this stage to properly plan all of your activities will ensure that there is better chances of success for you're new Work at Home Business.

Preparing for launch involves everything that needs to be completed before you actually begin producing whatever you are going to produce. Whether it is software or widgets, you need to ensure that you have the right tools, space, employees, funding etc to ensure that on the day that you launch your business you are ready to be productive and deal with your customers in a professional way and ensure that your customers are 100% satisfied.

Launching your business can sometimes be almost anti-climatic if you have really done all of your homework. The first 30 to 60 days are critical; since this is when you begin to establish your customer base, establish your customer satisfaction and word of mouth sales etc. Many businesses will fail in these early days simply because the revenue did not come in and they ran out of funding. Pay particular attention to all of your operating details and ensure that your customers are extremely satisfied.

At some point successful Home Based Business Opportunities are going to reach the curve of the hockey stick. This is when sales and business volume, which has been growing steadily, suddenly begins to take off sometimes in an exponential manner. This is nirvana for small business owners and entrepreneurs, however it can also be a death sentence as well if you are not prepared. Business Planning at this stage is critical to ensure that you are growing your company in a manner that meets demand without over extending your finances, while still maintaining customer satisfaction levels. Many work at home business opportunities have the potential to mature into successful business if they are manage carefully through all phases.

Are you making any money with your computer yet?

Starting a Home Based Business is a fantastic way to earn additional income part time or full time. You can build a six figure or higher residual income
using your home computer and a few hours of your spare time each week. It is estimated that each day nearly 200,000 new people log on to the
Internet for the first time. Many of these people are looking for a home based business.


Some of these people will go on to create incomes equal to or exceeding their current pay from their jobs. You need very little capitol to
start a Home Business Opportunity and you can work the hours that are best for you.


Developing an opportunity mindset is key to your business success. Your business success is largely determined by your thoughts. If you believe
that you can be successful in your business you will be. Henry Ford once said “ if you believe you can or you can’t your right.”


Self-motivation and keeping an optimistic perspective is vitally important. You must possess the desire to succeed and take action everyday
regardless of what obstacles you encounter along the way.


Your level of success will depend on the time and effort you are willing to put into your business. To reap the greatest return on the time you
invest you must keep a positive outlook and maintain the belief that you will eventually succeed.


The author Norman Vincent Peale once said, “We tend to get what we expect.” Are your expectations for your business ones of abundance and
reward for work well done?


Everyday you must plant mental seeds of prosperity into your mind and nurture them. We become what we think, therefore develop the thoughts
that will create the type life you want to live. The key difference between a successful person and an unsuccessful person is their habits.


Develop the habit of being a power of intelligence and positive expectancy in your business and interactions with others. Cultivate patience and practice
the work habits that will get you the results you desire.


The mind is goal-seeking mechanism. Set large goals for yourself and work daily on achieving them. The purpose of setting goals is for you
to decide exactly what it is that you want. You must clearly understand where you want to go before you can expect to arrive at your destination.


The philosopher Aristotle wrote that all behavior is "teleological" or purposeful- aimed at a goal. The one factor that governs your
actions is your desire that you would be better off than you would be in the absence of your actions.


Stay positive and focused on your Home Business goals continually reminding yourself of your purpose. Whatever we continually focus on becomes our reality.
Focus on where you want to be and that is the direction you will go.

2 Overlooked Ways To Combine Networking and Your Home Business

Many times the alteration between success and failure in a Home Business Opportunities lies in doing the little things. Today we all tend to get careless as the Internet makes it so it easy to build our businesses. One thing that has not changed over time however, is the relevance of integrating networking into your Home Based Businesses.

Here are a few disregarded ways that you can blend networking in your Home Business to achieve the outcomes you are looking for.

1. Today many people have a blog, but they are not using it to its fullest capabilities. One way that you can network more with your readers is to invite them to post comments.

This is not all that abnormal and you possibly have seen people making comments on other people's blogs. One step that I do not see home business owners take however is to personally email the people who take the time to post comments in their blogs.

I'm not talking about commenting on their comments, but rather I am talking about sending a personal email thanking someone for taking the time to make a post on your blog. From a networking standpoint the consequences of taking this one little step can be staggering.

Oftentimes the people who will buy a product from you, or join your home business, are the ones who you get to know on a personal basis. This can be strenuous to do because as Internet marketers we tend to disguise behind our websites and email accounts.

Networking is where you get to know people on a personal level and provide value and benefits to each other. One little thing like sending an email to a blog post could create a lifelong business affiliation.

Another consequential step that I see people miss is taking the time to answer back to the emails they acquire. It is very easy to get assiduous on the day-to-day activities of structure an Internet Business and forget about networking.

If someone takes the time to send you an email, and ask you a question, this should be one of the most consequential things you do that day. I am not talking about wasting your time on generic questions either.

Hopefully your website has a frequently asked questions section where people can get answers on some of the easiest questions. But for more detailed questions you should take the time to answer back to those honestly and to the best of your ability.

These are two disregarded ways that you can blend networking and your Home Business that could pay off for you in the future

10 Profitable Home Business Niche Ideas

For many small businesses, focusing on a niche market could be the ticket to success. Here are 10 of some of the unique Home Based Business Ideas that have proven to be very profitable.

For many small businesses, focusing on a niche market could be the ticket to success.

Instead of being everything to everybody, many small business entrepreneurs choose to offer something different to a small segment of consumers that have unmet preferences. The key is to provide something unique that is not easily duplicated and serves a market need.

I' listed some of the profitable niche businesses today, often from entrepreneurs who are running their businesses from their homes. Some of these businesses ride on existing trends with massive customer base such as iPod or MySpace, by providing support or additional services. Others, on the other hand, are a result of the creative and innovative mind of the business owner as they produce new products. While there’s no set formula for success, the most successful businesses are those that are able to spot opportunities -- even in the seemingly ordinary things in our every day life.

Here are 10 of some of the unique Home Based Business Opportunities ideas that have proven to be very profitable:

1. Gourmet Pretzel = Plain salted pretzels are the most common types of pretzels offered in the frozen food aisles in the supermarket or grocery stores.

Pretzel-lovers Kim and Scott Holstein had the idea of offering uniquely flavored soft pretzels as the gourmet alternative to the plain salted pretzel. They experimented with various flavors, adding fruits, cheeses, spices, cheddar jalapeno, herbs, sun dried tomatoes, and others to see which flavors work best.

Believing that a huge market exists for their distinctive pretzels, the Holsteins decided to launch their business in May 1995 out of their cramped studio apartment. With $25,000 borrowed from family members and credit cards, the couple launched Kim & Scott's Gourmet Pretzels http://www.kimandscotts.com/.

Now their pretzels are sold in restaurants, coffee shops, and grocery stores nationwide, including Barnes and Noble coffee shop, Sams Clubs, Whole Foods, Albertsons, among others. However, their biggest sales outlet is the home shopping network QVC where they have appeared more than 22 times selling about 625,000 pretzels!

2. MySpace Web Layouts = According to web measurement firm Hitwise, MySpace.com received 72.73 percent of the market share of U.S. visits in May 2008 among 58 of the leading social networking websites. With the enormous traffic of MySpace, there is a huge opportunity for other online businesses to develop business models that revolve around this massive social networking site.

One entrepreneur who saw this opportunity is Ashley Qualls. Ashley founded WhateverLife.com http://www.whateverlife.com in 2004 at the age of 14 when friends and others clamored for custom MySpace layouts. WhateverLife.com was created to showcase the graphics, pictures, backgrounds, layouts, and skins she has developed for MySpace, which are all free for the taking.

Ashley does not create the best graphics in the world – but she creates the graphics that speaks to her target audience. As a teenager herself, her success stems from her unique understanding of her core audience – young teenage girls. FastCompany magazine reports that her site gets 7 million individuals and 60 million page views a month. Given the massive amount of traffic, WhateverLife.com reportedly earns more than $70K a month from advertising, such as popups and Adsense ads.

3. Domain Naming Service = Finding the right name for your website can be a difficult process. It is often hard to think of snappy domain names or domain names that perfectly capture the essence of your business – and most importantly, that are still available. Some business owners and even ordinary users who want to have a Web presence struggle to think of what domains to use for their websites. The process of naming the site can be long and hard, whatever approach you use – whether to combine key concepts of your site or use keywords describing your site.

This is a niche that Dmitry Davydov successfully ventured with PickyDomains.com http://www.pickydomains.com . Making brainstorming for new domains easier, clients who want a domain name deposit $50 and writes specifications about the desired domain. PickyDomain.com’s team of domain name contributors will come up with a list of names. If the client doesn’t like the suggestions, the client gets the 50 bucks back.

4. Sympathy Gifts = When a love one dies, be it a friend, colleague or family member, cards and flower arrangements are typically given to the family. However, there are many who are looking for alternatives to traditional bereavement cards and flowers, and who are looking for a more personal way to express their feelings.

When the father of her sister-in-law died, Renee Wood was looking for a meaningful sympathy gift to express her feelings but was unable to find one. Instead, she created a teardrop shaped pendant with a forget-me-not flower embedded in the design along with a verse she had written. When friends asked for her special necklaces, she knew she had a business on her hands. That was the start of her business, The Comfort Company http://www.thecomfortcompany.net .

Today, her company sells jewelry, ornaments, pet loss gifts, garden benches, and other items that function as sympathy gifts and memorials. Renee’s business is doing well with more than 200 orders a week – and growing.

5. Ipod Service = Ipods are the hottest music accessories today, with the signature white earphones showing up everywhere from subways to streets to offices. In March 2008, about 170 million Ipods have been sold worldwide.

Given the popularity of this product, it is no wonder that service industries revolving around Ipod would crop up. HungryPod.com http://www.hungrypod.com , a business that converts CDs into MP3s that can be uploaded to Ipods is one such example.

Catherine Keane, then 23, started HungryPod.com in September 2004 after hearing an acquaintance pay $500 to convert her CDs and load them up to her Ipod. She initially provided her services in the New York area, later branching out to the Web through her website HungryPod.com.

Her niche business grew primarily through word of mouth, Craigslist ads, and a 2004 New York Times article. In addition to CD conversions, she also offered music consulting services by selecting songs for her clients and buying them in iTunes. Her business soon earned revenues of more than $100,000 a year, employing three people.

In May 2008, Catherine sold her HungryPod business for an undisclosed amount to competitor Moondog Digital. But Catherine has shown that money can be made with the right niche business.