So, you've decided you want to work at home. There are some very obvious reasons why more and more women and men are opting for the home office, mostly due to other commitments like children and aging parents. People who choose for these reasons may not necessarily be entrepreneurs, but rather are going with a growing trend in the workforce that includes flex-hours and telecomuting.Others who have become fed up with the seven to ten grind and are tired of being at the mercy of someone else's whims, have chosen to start their own business and be their own boss.
Whatever your reason for Working at Home, we hope you'll make In-Business-At-Home your regular watering hole. We're going to start talking about getting started in an Internet business first. But this is by no means the total focus of this site. Please visit often and even consider contributing. We'd love to hear from you.
Other sources on this site for Home Business, as well as taking some of the stress out of working at home, include Lady Gryphon's Study and the Consummate Shopper's free newsletter, Shop Talk. If you're planning on putting up a page yourself, sign up for Olson VanderPloeg Designs' free newsletter for tips on setting up and promoting.
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Direct Sales
Chances are, whether you're planning to sell a product or provide a service, if you're starting a business online, you'll be dealing with direct sales.
What do we mean by Direct Selling? Simply put, it's selling and shipping directly to the end user cutting out all the middlemen (and women) in between (as opposed to the old retail chain of manufacturer to job lotter to trucking to buyer to store to consumer with it's huge price markup on each step.) So, whether you choose to buy cases of something from a manufacturer, store them in a locker or your basement and take orders and handle the shipping - or if you choose to arrange with a wholesaler to drop ship on orders you generate - or a number of variations in between - you've in direct sales.
Let's face it. You've got to have a product or a service to sell. One that everyone wants, needs or thinks they need, and - for repeat sales - one that must be renewed, upgraded, sequelled or replenished.
If you don't already have a product or service, you might want to look into these programs below for some ideas for getting started.
- On a Wing and a Prayer: Going it Alone on the Web
- Ready-toWear Businesses: Turnkey Operations and Pre-fab Stores
- Have Website, Will Sell: Internet Affiliate and Partner Programs
- MLMs: Multi-Level (and Multidimensional) Marketing
ServiceMany of the rules that apply to selling a product apply also to a service business. However, there are some things that are unique to services.
First of all you have to take in account whether this is a service that can be rendered entirely over the Internet and / or by fax and teleconferencing, or if there has to be face-to-face contact with your clients. This will effect the extent of your web content and will dictate to some degree the type of promotion you'll be giving your site.
Even if you are offering a completely local service where you must go to your clients' homes or offices, you should consider putting up a website for presence and corporate identity. Also, you can offer your local clients 24-hour support by posting FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions) and e-mail form with an auto-respond message that lets them feel they are important. You can offer them, and potential new customers, a free newsletter with up-dates on your service and your industry in general.
Customer service is going to be especially important in this hig-tech world of sales. Use everything at your disposal to make your clients feel you care about them as people, not just accounts in a database.
Another thing you'll have to consider is pricing for your service and billing for it. Some services might have a set fee (ie. XYZ Painters will paint one room up to 12x14 feet for $50; two rooms for $90... and so on). But what about services that traditionally incure hourly rates (ie. Joe Josephs charges $120 per hour for his legal consulting fees).
When buying products, customers know exactly what they're getting and what it's going to cost them. With services, the costs-to-benefit ratio can blur and it's especially important to give web customers a sense of security when they have no in-the-flesh sales rep with whom to talk.
Be as specific with your clients as possible about your prices. Post them clearly on your site. You can say they're based on examples of what an average contract or job might cost, and then list what extras might be added given certain circumstances. If you're not collecting the full amount before starting the job, put a customized quote in writing, fax it or email it to them, and have them sign it and send it back via fax or snail mail.
Then, stick to your quote. If youcve been up front with your client, and you've given them the service outlined in your contract talk you into giving them something for free after they've agreed to your price. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. It could make sense to add something au gratis if a job has run over estimate due to unforseen factors (ie. fire or a natural disaster, or hitting an potential archealogical site), especially if you have a great rapport with your client and there is a possibility of repeat business (not to mention, referrals). If you've made a mager faux paux in your estimate, negotiate with the client for part of it, or otherwise, just let it go. The ill-will it could cause isn't worth your reputation.
Of course, most of this is good, common business sense - online or off. But once again, we're not dealing with business as usual here. We're making giant strides into business in a high-tech, and often, long distance world. It's going to be more important than ever to build a good rapport with your customers.
Still need some ideas to get you going?
Think for a moment. What's your passion. It's a fact that people are more successful doing something they enjoy. What exactly is it going to take to get you up every morning if you don't have a BOSS to answer to?
Now, make a list. Here's the fun part... I've added a search engine here for your convenience. Look up each of those things on your list that you enjoy doing, and see what others have done. (Keep notes and hold on to this list - youll need it later!)
The businesses you turn up in your search will quite likely be your competitors, although many can become great resources for your business and even colleagues. You might end up linking with some. Are there a lot in your favorite area already? Don't let that discourage you. No two businesses are likely to approach the market the same way. You are unique and bring your own experiences and your own flare to your business. Go for it. Have fun! And enjoy!
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