Goal Setting in MLM and Network Marketing

I have coached thousands of clients over the past 10 years, many of whom were just starting out in a part-time home based business. It is estimated that at least 50% of Americans are involved in a home business.

In the beginning, the vast majority of clients I coached were people who still worked a full time job but were either dissatisfied, had a desire to be near their children, set their own schedule or wanted to create another source of income with no ceiling and no boss. Every single person desired more freedom.

The fact is that any and all of these reasons are great. Your own internal reasons are always the best motivators in life.

One of the easiest businesses to start at home with minimal investment is in network marketing. Sometimes referred to as MLM, they used to get a bad wrap, but they can be the perfect starting point for someone who is a newbie entrepreneur. I don't know of any other business that a person can start with less than $100 and be provided with a built in support system and unlimited income potential. Your support system is your upline, the company and it's support staff, training materials, marketing materials, and a proven product line.

One crucial key is choosing a company that is right for you. My first and only experience with Network Marketing was with a wellness/nutrition/weight loss company. I watched a friend who went from $0 to making $10,000 per month within just a few months and that was all I needed to take a closer look.

I thought, if she could do it, then I could do it.

My friend agreed to mentor me and away we went! A nutrition/weight loss MLM was a perfect fit for me because I was a fitness fanatic. I was always outdoors, went running daily and lived an active lifestyle. I was inspired because I would actually get paid to help others get healthy. It is incredibly emotionally fulfilling and financially rewarding AND you get to make a major positive contribution to people's lives.

Goal setting was easy for me when I first started. In fact, my goals were downright primitive. I needed to earn $_____ to pay the bills, so I needed ___ many customers in order to achieve that. I did have larger dreams of wealth, but my immediate needs were to provide for myself.

As I grew in my business, I needed to look at the bigger picture of creating a residual income by building an organization and mentoring my downline to achieve the results they were seeking.

Fortunately in my company, the marketing plan was easy to learn and follow and provided it's own goals to strive for. When a person reaches a particular milestone, there is another step, another goal inviting you to achieve it, with a hefty financial bonus waiting for you when you succeed. Your residual income only rises when you are helping others simultaneously reach their goals and achieve success.

Your next major goal is always to reach the next level in the marketing plan. You will inevitably reach the next level when you are helping others reach their next level! As you grow your business, you are constantly learning, growing as a legitimate entity in and of yourself, and growing your business skills and strengthening entrepreneurial muscles.

The key to goal setting in MLM is to focus on the marketing plan and whatever the next step is for you in it. Then you can break down your monthly goals into weekly goals and break the weekly goals into daily goals in order to achieve it. Figure out how many customers and new prospects you need to serve in order to achieve your goals and then go do it.

One of the biggest skills any MLM'er can learn is how to keep accurate gauges and stats of their business on a daily business. It is the only way to know whether or not you are on track to reach your goals.

As you progress in your MLM home business, the three most important factors that determine your success are:

Discipline
Goal Setting
Time Management

Since you no longer have a boss directing your day's activities, it's easy to get off track. You must have a 90 day plan and a daily method of operation that are tied to your goals. Your mentor should help you until you master this and if you are fully investing yourself into your business, your mentor will be standing by to invest in YOU!

The finest network marketing companies will train you and actually groom you, so that over time you will become a super successful entrepreneur in your own right. My mentor helped me to grow faster than I ever knew I could.

I was a kid from the south side of Chicago who knew nothing about business when I started. But with a good mentor who held me accountable, a reputable company with amazing, in demand products, and with my own desire and commitment, I rose to the top 2% of the company of over one million distributors in dozens of countries. It's easy to get comfortable and stop growing when you reach that level. I had a huge house, two cars, got to travel and often this is where complacency sets in. It is easy to get comfortable here. Goals at this point are just as crucial as when you first started out. Having a mentor and a coach can help you set goals that are right for you, regardless of the level you currently reside.

I never would have achieved a six figure income that quickly without all of those ingredients. I had my own goals of income and production that I wanted to achieve and then I had the goals and the extra incentives and rewards the company created in it's marketing plan and promotions. Consistently setting goals within the company's marketing plan always kept me on track.

One major secret to my success was that I sought out educational and motivational products and newsletters, like the one you're reading now. When you run your own business, you are part of a team but you are always 100% responsible for your own success. Rising to the top requires investing in yourself. This includes reading on a daily basis and listening to motivational audio programs on success, personal growth, leadership, goal setting and time management.

There used to be a stigma attached to MLM. These days, one of the smartest moves you can make is to start a MLM home business. There is minimal investment, outstanding proven products, training and materials, you set your own schedule, there is real potential to quickly earn hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, and you get all the benefits of owning a business without all of the overhead of creating it all yourself.

So work with your mentor, keep your eye on the marketing plan and set goals that will enrich your life and the lives of others.

In case you're wondering, I'm still in madly love with my MLM and their products have been an integral part of my life since that very first day!

Cheers to your health and wealth,

Live Your Dreams!

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About the Author: Jill Koenig, the "Goal Guru" is America's Top Goal Strategist. A self-made millionaire, she is an expert on the subjects of Goal Setting, Time Management and Business Success. She publishes the world's largest Goal Newsletter and offers free resources at: http://www.GoalGuru.com

Your New MLM Recruits Were Not Born Leaders

There is a myth among many in the MLM industry that would have us believe that leadership was somehow given away to everyone at birth. Yet not one doctor can ever say that at anytime in the delivery room ever held up a new-born infant and exclaimed, "See, here. We've got ourselves a natural born leader." Your local paper didn't report the birth of a seven pound six ounce leader yesterday. The skills of leadership can only be learned through experience, and the decision to accept the role is always a personal one.

In our own increasingly competitive individual business ventures, successful businesses need leaders, not managers, to handle the heat. Even so, know one can anoint him/herself a leader. Leadership is an honorary stage which can be bestowed only by those who are led. Those who have been assigned to lead others but lack the skills or motivation to do so will forever remain mere managers.

Some of the greatest leaders in business spend much of their time dealing with common everyday details, prospecting on a daily basis, follow-up with new recruits, training etc. What separates these people from the masses of ordinary everyday MLM dropouts is how they deal with ordinary road blocks as well as major challenges.

Keep these 3 principles or points in mind when seeking developing leaders on your team...

1. Identify those who are willing to accept the challenges and responsibilities of leadership.


2. Identify those on your team who are willing to be led and gives respect to YOU their upline. It's not a popularity contest, but a nominated leader must be able to earn their respect.


3. Assess the new leader’s performance in real, non-scientific terms, understanding that people are not machines. Leaders must be merchants of hope as well as a motivator to build their teams.

Many people graduate from school intending to save the world by slaying a fire-breathing dragon. Once they discover how few dragons there are to slay, they must content themselves by campaigning against an occasional lizard. Nevertheless, the great ones fight lizards with tremendous style and vigor.

www.magneticleadershipmarketing.com

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About the Author: Magnetic Leadership Marketing specializes in helping brand new and seasoned MLM professionals build successful businesses that are 100% Internet-based, without spamming, mass advertising, or bulk emailing.
Sign-Up for a 10-Day Magnetic MLM Attraction Boot camp at http://www.magneticleadershipmarketing.com

Make Your Pro-like Business Card

Defining Your Image

Your business cards are miniature billboards, advertising your business--those receiving them will get their first impression of your business based on their "look". The image that your card presents must convince them that you're the one to do business with.

In order to define your own business image, take a few minutes now to consider the following questions:

What is your current image--how do your customers see you? Is it important that you convey respectability or trustworthiness? Or should your target market see your business as creative and innovative?

Is your image unique? Does it set you apart from the competition? Perhaps you offer personalized service, the lowest prices, or the widest selection. If your business's image is not unique, how can you make it so?

If you already have a business card design, what do you like about it? How does it enhance or detract from your business image? If possible, get some constructive criticism from colleagues and friends.

Take your time when considering these issues. Whenever you use marketing materials such as your business cards, letterhead, envelopes, and tri-folds, you build customer recognition. Later on, if you decide you're not comfortable with this image and you need to change the design, you'll lose any cumulative advertising effect you may have gained.

The most effective image for your business may not always be obvious--and your success can depend on it. In recent years, even those in traditionally conservative fields such as banking or medicine have responded to changing market conditions with more contemporary-looking logos and advertising materials.

Business Card Uses

You're investing your time and energy into creating business cards that will be a powerful marketing tool for your business--why not maximize the impact? Business cards can serve many functions beyond simply displaying your name and address. You can enhance your business's image and build customer recognition by printing directions to your business, a mini-list of your products or services, a photo of you or of your business, and much more.

Choosing a Logo

You may opt for type alone on your business card, but consider using a logo for more visual impact. Infact, from a marketing stadpoint it's best to develop a logo and use it all of your printed materials. It's an incredibly effective way to build public recognition for your business.

Think of some of the best-known logos--they're instantly recognizable and have a meaningful connection to the company's name, products, or services. Let your company's image guide you when you're deciding how plain or sophisticated your logo must be.

Using Your Company Name as Your Logo
A logo is usually a special type treatment of your company name or initials. If you're using a computer, this type of logo is not difficult to design yourself. Most word processing and publishing programs include type style choices that range from traditional to stylized and contemporary (see "Choosing a Type Style" for more on type styles). Try viewing your company name or initials in several different type styles before choosing the look you want. If you're using color for your business card, thry several different colors as well.

Using a Graphic Design Element as Your Logo
You may choose to accompany your business name with some kind of graphic design element. Check your word processing or publishing program's clip art for a suitable image. If you don't find what you need in your current software, there are clip art software packages available in computer of office supply stores and catalogs. If you have the use of a scanner or digital camera, you can import artwork that you or someone else has created. You may also be able to purchase clip art images for scanning at your local print shop, art store, or office supply store.

On note of caution: if ckip art images are readily available to you, they are also available to other businesses. You risk customer confusion or maybe worse if you choose a logo another business is already using. You may want to have your attorney chekc your logo for availability, and register it for your own use when you get the okay.

Choosing a Business Card Type Style

While it's critical that your logo is appealing and communicates your business image, it's also important to choose an attractive, compatible type style for the rest of your business card information. Obviously, you should include your address and phone number. You may also want to incorporate your fax number, web site and email address.

Here are examples of some type styles and the images they present.
Times represents traditional
Helvetica, Arial represents Straightforward, No nonsense
Castle represents Antique
Impact represents High Tech
Burlington represents UpScale, High end
Comic represents Fun, contemporary


Choosing a Business Card Format

Once you've chosen a logo and type style for your business card, then you can decide how you would like it positioned on the page. There are three basic heading formats:
Centered
Flush Left
Flush Right

Printing Your Business Cards

It's easy to get professional-looking results using your own computer and inkjet or laser printer. And with today's low-cost printers, you can include graphic elements and color in your design. Here are some general tips on how to format your business cards in most word processing or publishing programs. Due to the richness of this heavyweight stock, we recommend hand feeding through your printer.

Using Word Processing Software with Templates
Many word processing programs include templates that will automatically format the page for you. If your software includes templates:

• Access the Envelopes and Labels templates.


• If necessary, specify the Labels templates.


• In some cases, you have to set the labels' left margin to .075".


• Within the list of Label products you'll see a Business Card template.


• Follow the program's cues to print your Southworth Business Cards.

Note: These programs bay require adjustment to fit the templates provided.

Using Word Processing Software with Tables
Some word processing programs let you create a table within the document. If yours does, use the following measurements to format the table:

• Number of Columns: 2


• Number of Rows: 5


• Column Width: 3.5"


• Row or Cell Height: 2"


• Text Margin or Indentation, All Sides (within each table cell)

You may also have to set the margins for printing:

• Top: .5"


• Bottom: .25"


• Both Sides: .75"

After you've got the Table formatted, design your Business Card in the top left cell. Use tabs for positioning your information inside the cell, as necessary. Then copy your format to all the other table cells and print.

Manual Formatting
If you're using software that doesn't include templates or tables, or you'd prefer to set up the page manually, use the following to set your margins for printing:

• Top: .5"


• Bottom: .25"


• Both Sides: .75"

Use your tabs to format the business card information into two columns. Your business cards will measure 2" high x 3.5" wide when detached--space your information accordingly.

Mom's Guide To Social Marketing

Your mother, if she did her job right, taught you everything you need to know about how to get along in the world and how to get ahead in it. When we were kids, we thought these rules were silly, but later we learned her advice was pretty valuable. In honor of Mother's Day (May 13), we've put her wisdom to work in online marketing. Editor's Note: Social marketing is quickly becoming an integral part of generating business online. While search is the on-ramp, social networks are the destination. And just like any social setting, your rep is important. Mom's Guide to Life, we thought, was a great Guide to Everything. Did we forget some valuable tip? Let us know in the comments section.

Mom's Top 10 Steps To A Good Online Reputation

1. Put Your Best Foot Forward: As recently as a year ago, when things were newer, more experimental, a presence on MySpace only was fine. Not so anymore. You have to be everywhere, treating branding in the online world the way you would in the real world. Most social networks allow you to set up a profile page for free (the ones that matter most do anyway). Create your online persona (a polite one), then clone it as necessary.

2. Make Eye Contact: Just like in the real world, wallflowers don't get noticed. The wallflower is most likely an incredible resource – it's just that nobody knows her because she doesn't put herself out there. Be a participant by commenting, inviting, giving. Show up at your new neighbor's door with a gift. It always goes over well – just remember to button your blouse.

3. You Are a Reflection of Your Mother (Company): Nobody likes a poorly kept lawn except the lazy bum that lives behind it. Maintain your public face on the social networks, shine your shoes, crease your pants, embrace your OCD. It may not be your homepage, but it is a home away from home. Maintaining several of these online presences is work, but so is business.

4. Keep An Open Mind: There's an appropriate cliché for every situation – all your eggs in one basket comes to mind here – but I prefer my grandfather's chestnut: "You drove your ducks to a damn poor market." Poetic, that man was. For a long time it was search, search, search. Before that it was email, email, email. But now you need to integrate your campaign. Search is a staple, a pillar of your online campaign, but we also know that Wikipedia ranks consistently number one in the SERPs. That means you need a Wikipedia page, too. Note: YouTube also ranks well.

5. Become Necessary: Viral marketing is tricky, difficult business. But maybe it doesn't have to be. Maybe if you realign your approach to reflect what you, as an individual enjoy, instead of being a salesperson, you can find a more intuitive connection with what the public wants to see. It's often been said that a salesman sells himself more than the product. So if you want to make linkbait, think about what would cause you to bite first. If you look at your viral attempt and see more corporate talking points than linkable material, it's time for a do-over.

6. Like the People that Like You (Even If You Think They're Annoying): Barack Obama's campaign people did something brilliant, and followed up with something not so brilliant. That makes it a great case study. An Obama fan set up a MySpace page and soon attracted thousands of friends. Instead of competing with his biggest fan, Obama endorsed the site as the official MySpace campaign headquarters. That was the brilliant part. After the page "got too big" for the original operator, the campaign crew took staged a coup to wrest control of the page from their biggest fan. That was the not so brilliant part, even if politics is mean by nature.

7. Watch Your Mouth: Again with the clichés that still hold true – if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all. Steve Rubel learned the hard way that stream-of-consciousness blogging can have you saying something you wish you hadn’t. Transparency doesn't mean total access.

8. Don't Be a Fake: Who do we dislike most in civilized society (aside from the violent)? Liars, cheats, and thieves. We don't like them because we view them as betrayers. That principle applies online, too, when your network discovers you're not what you say you are. And the mob's wrath is one that is hard to endure. Ask Edelman PR about their Wal-Marting Across America campaign.

9. Mind Your Manners: Mom's favorite Bible verse still applies: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Commonly referred to as the Golden Rule on Earth, in Cyberspace, manners and etiquette are becoming increasingly more important. People are getting angry about anonymous drive-by (rude) commentary, salesy and useless comment spam (spam in general constitutes harassment in some form)…the list of ethics and etiquette violations is a long one, so it's probably best to ask yourself: Would I appreciate this if it were done to me?

10. Stay Hip. Right now, MySpace, Facebook, Wikipedia, and YouTube are essential, but they're still relatively new. Few really saw SecondLife coming as a virtual marketplace. Still yet, only the early adopters are talking about Twitter. But change online is swift, and the smart marketer keeps up with what's hot. The last thing you want to do is look outdated. Just don't sell out your core identity in the process.

While that's just ten guidelines out of many, Mom always had one rule that ruled them all: Use your head, dodo bird! This is a thinking man's game. Indeed it is. Good luck with your campaigns.

About the Author:
Jason L. Miller is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business.
Taken from WebPro Newsletter on May 08, 2007

7 Ways To Guarantee Success For WAHM (Work At Home Moms)

Are you a WAHM (work at home mom)? Or maybe you’d like to be one?

You’ve made a great decision. As a work at home mom you get the best of both worlds. You are home with your kids so they are being raised by you instead of a daycare worker, and you also are making an income to support your family. Work at home moms have it all – the joy of their children, the mental stimulation of a career, and a stress-free, comfortable work environment.

“Wait!” You say, “WAHM jobs are not stress-free!” Well ladies I’m here to tell you it can be done. Consider me your personal WAHM resource for solutions to your work at home problems. Follow these simple steps to create an organized and effective work at home environment.

Key to Success #1: Create A Flexible Schedule

Babies need to be on a schedule right away. In fact they thrive and actually cry less knowing that they can count on their needs being met regularly.

For most babies you can follow a simple schedule of feeding time, followed by activity time, then sleep time. The length varies for each step depending on the age of your child.

Activities also vary according to age. Your baby could be staring at a mobile turning above her, playing with brightly colored toys, reading a book with you, or banging away on a drum and singing.

Here’s the key – your baby needs to learn how to play on their own as well. So during part of activity time you should allow your baby to enjoy playing alone. This will give you a little “you” time. You can keep a watchful eye on them from across the room, or depending on their age and if they are in a safe area, you can use a baby monitor.

Be sure to watch for signs of your baby getting tired. If you delay putting them to bed you can actually miss the window of opportunity and you’ll have a very fussy baby who won’t go to sleep. At the first sign of a yawn or face and eye rubbing, it’s time to put them down for a nap.

Then you can knuckle down and accomplish your work tasks. It’s very important for you to list your goals and action steps and do the most important tasks first. That way if baby wakes up early you have already done the most important thing for your day!

Repeat this schedule throughout your day so you and your baby know what to expect and when. They won’t adapt to this overnight, be patient and keep at it. And remember that the length of each cycle will continually change as they grow. Stay flexible while still maintaining the cycle of feeding, activity then sleep.

Key to Success #2: You Can Only Do What You Can Do

This is so important for WAHM work at home moms. Think about it a second. You can only do what you can do. There is no sense in worrying that your day didn’t go as planned and you didn’t achieve this or that. Get used to it!

You have an important job here, and that is taking care of your little one. Work is important and has its place but you have a responsibility to keep yourself healthy and sane. If your baby has a meltdown and you’re unable to get to your work for another hour, so be it. Don’t waste energy worrying or fretting about it.

If you’re going to be successful you’ll have to work at odd times and make sacrifices here and there. Maybe you’ll do a little work after baby is in bed for the night, maybe you skip some TV time. Do what you can, when you can, and feel proud that you are taking steps every single day towards your goal – a happy baby and a successful mommy!

Also, consider working for yourself in a home business instead of working an at-home “job”. You’ll have much less stress because you’ll answer to you, not your boss, and you won’t feel like you’re trying to compete with the others at the office. Plus, you’ll be earning money for yourself and growing your business instead of working to make your boss rich.

Key to Success #3: Practice Good Self-Care

During your baby’s alone activity time and his sleep time you can get a lot of work done. But don’t forget that you need to take care of YOU! Without you at your emotional best even the smallest thing can turn you into a walking time bomb.

Take the time to relax in a hot bath, read an inspirational book, get a massage, take a walk alone, or whatever helps you to clear your mind and focus on you. You are the most important part of this equation!

Key to Success #4: Ask For Help

So often we think we’re alone, or that we’re weak if we ask for help. This is a time in our lives that we need help more than ever. We just can’t possibly do it all.

So ask your family, friends and neighbors to assist your efforts. Whether it’s for babysitting (even if you’re there at your desk working) or buying groceries, enlist the support of others so you can have a break or accomplish a task. You deserve it!

Key to Success #5: Exercise

It doesn’t matter if you do yoga, go to the gym, walk the neighborhood, hike the trails or use a climbing wall. Be active every day. Exercise keeps you young, stimulates those “feel good” hormones in your body, refreshes you mentally, and helps get rid of those pregnancy pounds too.

Don’t beat yourself up with an unrealistic exercise program. Just work it into your day. You can even space it out. Studies show that 10 minutes of exercise three times a day is just as beneficial as 30 minutes at one time. The important thing is to do it regularly, and preferably every day.

Key to Success #6: Be Grateful Every Day

This is so important. Do this in the morning while you brush your teeth, shower, or even while feeding baby. Run through in your mind everything you are grateful for.

You can begin thinking “I am so happy and grateful that…my family is healthy, we have this roof over our head, we are warm and safe, my parents live close by, we have food in the pantry, I have the ability to work from home, I have the skills I need to succeed, I have access to the internet to maintain a business” etc…

Don’t skip this step. It will put you in the right frame of mind to accomplish your goals every day.

Key to Success #7: Maximize Your Work Time

As a work at home mom your attention is constantly being pulled in many directions. It’s so important that the time you spend working is maximized.

What do I mean by maximizing your time? I mean be sure that your efforts have a clear and substantial reward. It makes no sense to take time away from your children if you’re not well compensated. In my business I make at least $1000 per transaction, so I always know my time is well spent.

You also want to utilize the concept of leverage in your business. There should be a system in place so that you do the work once, but keep benefiting from those initial efforts later on, without more time or input from you.

Using these keys to success will create a happier and healthier you and baby, as well as a more productive business. As a work at home mom you need to be so careful to maintain balance in your life. Using a WAHM resource such as this, as well as other books or articles, can help you eliminate stress and accomplish more each day. For more information visit http://www.FollowALeader.com/wahm Remember these keys to success to protect your sanity and live at your best, and your personal and business success will grow every day.

About The Author
Kara Jankowski is a WAHM who specializes in teaching others how to build a successful home business in their part time. If you would like to speak to Kara or learn more about her home business experience visit http://www.FollowALeader.com/wahm or call her directly at 603-664-3553.

ABCs for the Work at Home Mom – Part 2

Work-at-home moms face many different challenges. From learning to accept help when needed, to building confidence in ourselves, to remembering the reasons why we chose to work from home. Below is the second in the series of tips to help work-at-home moms in the simplest of ways – the ABC’s. The Part One.

N = No - Work at Home Moms need to be able to say "No" when the situation calls for it. Don't be afraid to stand up for your business or to choose NOT to work with a customer who is more trouble than it's worth.

O = Office - As Work at Home Moms, we usually put ourselves last on the list. However, when we're in business it's important to have some room (even a corner) that is set aside strictly for business.

P = Priorities - It's hard to keep your priorities straight when raising a family and building a business. Take some time each week/month to sit down and evaluate your priorities and cut out things in your schedule that don't fit in.

Q = Quiet Time - It may seem impossible to find a time to sit, relax and be quiet when you have so many demands on your time. However, it's more important than ever that you take a little time for yourself to rejuvenate and renew when you grow weary.

R = Respect - Like the golden rule says, it's important to treat others as we'd like to be treated. This is so true for work at home moms - we must show the utmost in professionalism and treat even the most difficult clients with respect.

S = Significant Other - As work at home moms it's easy to get wrapped up with our business, our kids, ourselves. Don't forget to take the time to appreciate your husbands!

T = Time - As work-home-moms time is the ultimate enemy. :) Learn to prioritize and delegate whenever possible. Take time out for your kids each day - you'll be glad you did!

U = Unique - Your business needs to be unique to stand out from the crowd. Even if your product isn't unique you can always find a unique way to approach marketing, customer service, etc. Get creative and stand out from the rest!

V = Vision - It's so important to have a clear vision of where you want your business to go. Sit down and make a list of where you'd like to be in 5 years, in 10 years, etc. Without goals you won't get anywhere.

W = Wisdom - It's important to seek wisdom when running your own business. You won't always know the answer, so you need to find others that you trust that you can turn to when these things arise.

X = eXcitement - Celebrate each success! Keep yourself motivated and excited about your business. Try to share your business with someone new each day. Just telling someone about what you do can bring back that "spark" of excitement about your career!

Y = Yes - Yes! You CAN do it! Each of us started with a dream, a vision and the faith that we could make it happen. It takes hard work, determination and a "Yes!" attitude, but it CAN be done!

Z = Zoo - Yes, life as a work at home mom really is a zoo, but it's worth it! Being at home to see your child's first step, hear their first word - it just doesn't get better than that.

Working from home can be difficult, but it is well worth the effort. By keeping things in perspective we can reduce the stress that we put on ourselves. Remember these ABC’s and you’ll go far in your work-at-home career.

About The Author
Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, http://CWAHM.com. Hart is also the co-author of the upcoming book, Home Based Blessings, due out in November 2006 for Christian moms who want to work at home. Hart and her husband, Allen of http://CWAHD.com (Christian Work at Home Dads) reside in Nebraska with their two children.

Investment on Returns

So there I stood, feeling incredibly stupid. Having waited in line for a few minutes to return a paperback copy of Harry Potter, which I realized I already owned once I brought it home, I stood face-to-face with the cashier. I looked over his shoulder and ready “Barnes and Nobles”, I looked down at the imprint on my plastic bag “Waldenbooks”. I paused , turned beet red and said “Oops, I am obviously in the wrong place”. I started to turn and leave when he gently stopped me with the words “If we carry that book we would be happy to refund it for you”. “Really???” I asked. “Sure no problem let me have a look”. He determined that he already had 24 copies in stock and was more than happy to take one more. He handed me a credit card looking store credit, had me sign a receipt and that was that.

But that was not the end of the story. I was so blown away and so grateful I decided to go buy a CD. Now the CD was about twice what my refund was so I handed the card and the money and I took my CD and left

But that was still not the end of the story. As soon as I got out of the store I called my brother and 5 of my friends to tell them about this amazing customer service. And now of course I am telling you, too.

So let’s look at this story and see what actally occurred. Barnes and Nobles made an “Investment on my Return”. What exactly was the “cost” of this investment? Perhaps there was a cost for training the employee that taught him to act in this kind and generous way. But other than that it cost them nothing. Okay maybe there was some cost for restocking. They will surely sell that other copy. But then we need to reverse this formula and see what the Return on Investment was.

Here is where the real power of this theory is seen. They not only were repaid their initial outlay of $7.99, they received an additional $7.99 that I most surely would not have spent otherwise. They received free word of mouth advertising (which is far more powerful and effective than traditional advertising) and they created a loyal, raving fan customer.

“Returns” are often emotionally charged events. Think about it. People return things that “don’t fit”, that they “don’t like” , that they “can’t afford” , “wasn’t what they expected”, that are of “inferior quality”, that” they don’t need” or “they don’t want”

For a lot of your customers returns are either embarrassing, filled with disappointment or frustration or at the very least a major inconvenience.

How you handle this touchy situation will impact on your customer’s decision to continue doing business with you.

There are many stories going around about how Nordstrom would take anything in a return (including a car engine). Of course you don’t have to go to that extreme to make your return policy fair, easy and effective.

What does it take to create a return atmosphere that will keep your customers coming back?

1. Create

Management needs to create a policy that is fair, easy and effective. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes and make a decision that benefits them.

2. Train

Once you have your policy make sure that your employees understand what the policy is and how to implement it.

3. Empower

This may be the most essential element of the process. Empower your employee to “do the right thing” to “err” in favor of the customer. Then publicly stand behind that employee even if his or her decision goes beyond your policy. Take them aside privately and discuss and modify.

4. Educate

Your customers need to know your policy inside out. This is especially true if your business has strict regulations. If they need to have a receipt to return the product then it is best to say to the customer as they are checking our “Remember if you need to return this we require the receipt. Would you like it in the bag or would you like to have it?” Granted this will not guarantee that the customers will remember but it does help. Also have the return policy displayed at the check out line and on the receipt.

5. Bend within Reason

Rules are important, but customers are more important. Even with a strict return policy you need to be customer focused. Do what you can to help that customer with their need. Remember the Investment of Return.

Truly looking out for your customers best interest is actually in your best interest. Take a long hard look at your policy. Is it serving you and your customers? If not change it NOW!

About The Author
Laurie Brown is an international speaker, trainer and consultant who works to help people improve their sales, service and presentation skills. She is the author of The Teleprompter Manual, for Executives, Politicians, Broadcasters and Speakers. Laurie can be contacted through http://www.thedifference.net, or 1-877.999.3433, or at lauriebrown@thedifference.net

Robin Hood And The Work At Home Scam

This little scam has been around for a while. It does not feature in the "Top Ten" work at home scams but it might find its way there in the near future because there has been a sudden surge of activity recently from people imitating this particular online scam.

The scam is quite simple and works as follows.

A self styled work at home scam "investigator" sets up a website with an anti-scam type of name: DontLetThemScamU.com or ScamNoMore.inf or something along those lines. Some even manage to work the word "authority" or "agency" into the site name to add credibility by implying they are part of a government department.

The website home page will have large headlines warning that the Internet is full of work at home scam programs and promises to reveal the truth about them. The page tells us how the author has been scammed repeatedly by work at home scam programs and has lost boatloads of money online. It goes on to describe how the scammers' prey turned into the hunter and is now able to unmask the frauds and unveil the legitimate work at home programs discovered during his crusade.

The details of the story vary a little and sometimes the "chief investigator" has a female sidekick helping with the undercover investigations. One current version of the investigator's story is that this serial scam victim set out on a one man mission to investigate Internet work at home programs and unmask the scammers for the benefit of humanity. After spending five years contacting every home business program owner he could find on the Internet, he is going to share (at no charge) the benefit of his vast experience with us - like a kind of virtual Robin Hood. Let's call our example investigator Robin from now on.

When you visit his website, Robin invites you to subscribe to his email series so that he can explain in detail what work at home scams are to be encountered on the Internet and how to avoid falling for them. Everyone wants to avoid scams, so it seems sensible to subscribe.

When the emails arrive, Robin explains at length how practically every money making online opportunity is a scam. He lumps together all sorts of different online businesses such as real estate investing, stock market investing, HYIP's, affiliate marketing, paid online surveys and data entry programs, declaring them all to be scams. For good measure, he also throws in all books and courses about building an Internet business and declares the authors of all of them to be frauds. In most instances the accusations remain vague and Robin never offers any evidence to substantiate his allegations.

Fortunately, so Robin tells us, he has managed to find treasure in the midst of all the trash and can recommend just three programs as being honest. These three programs get his seal of approval as being legitimate home business opportunities and offering a real chance to make honest money from a home based business. To help you further, Robin tells you to sign up to his selected programs quickly because they are filling up fast and you might miss the chance to join and start earning the money you've always dreamed of.

The truth is that the real scammer is our virtual Robin Hood, our hero is actually a bad guy in disguise. Robin has not really spent five years selflessly researching Internet work at home programs and losing money to scammers for the benefit of his fellow man. He just painted all those other programs black to make his whitewashed offerings look legitimate by comparison.

All sorts of things about Robin's claims raise questions such as: If he was getting scammed and losing money, what did he live on? Can it be true that out of all the thousands of work at home opportunities available, there are only three legitimate ones? Does this mean companies like Avon and Tupperware have turned into scams? Apart from the niggling questions, you should instinctively distrust anyone who attempts to make his choice of work at home program look better by making derogatory comments about all the other available programs. If a work at home program is legitimate, its members will promote it without needing to tarnish the reputation of its competitors.

About The Author
Visit Elaine Currie at her Work At Home Income Directory Website tor scam free information and advice: http://www.HuntingVenus.com

6-Figure Internet Work At Home Moms On The Rise

Can a work at home mom make a greater income than when she was working? The answer might surprise you.

One mom started her internet home business while she still held down a banking job. Then, when she started receiving regular $3,000 lump sums from her home business, it was time to head for the friendly confines of her home and family.

These payments started out slowly at first, then grew until she made $15,000 in one month, $21,000 in the next— and suddenly, she was faced with the prospect of not only having a thriving home based business, but complete financial freedom!

Her story is not unique. In exchange for around $3,995, you receive the rights to market a very powerful home business product, and the internet storefront necessary to sell it.

Once a storefront is set up for you, your only responsibility is generating traffic to it. The ways of doing this run the gamut from referring friends to your website, putting classified ads in the paper, or dropping off flyers, to running a small Google advertising campaign or taking advantage of powerful leads generating software you can manage from home.

And here’s the best part of this home business model. After your first qualifying lead, you get the first sale of everyone who comes in under you. That’s when your income starts to skyrocket.

Don’t confuse this business model with MLM or so-called pyramid schemes. You’re selling a legitimate home business product and a full blown marketing mechanism, including slick videos, audio testimonials—the works.

Think these businesses will take up too much of a mom’s time? Think again. A prospect who visits your home business site and fills in a brief form gets a call from a team leader, not the mom, who may be off quietly rocking her child to sleep.

Her time away from the home business goes unnoticed. She knows about each and every call back request and sale by receiving an email or phone confirmation or by visiting the “back office” of her website. With the rise of internet marketing, work at home moms never had it so good!

For more information, please visit:
http://www.GrowYourRiches.net

About The Author
Paul Johnson is a successful internet entrepreneur, who has authored and published numerous self-help ebooks on stocks, real estate and work at home business opportunities. For more information, please visit: http://www.GrowYourRiches.net/

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 businesses 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.

About The Author
Elias Georgi is an experienced and successful sponsor, mentor and coach for many thriving, tested and proven home businesses. Elias offers proven Internet opportunities and strategies. Visit his Website: http://www.eliasg.com , he also runs the http://www.exclusive-article.com article directory.

ABCs for the Work at Home Mom – Part 1

Work-at-home moms face many different challenges. From learning to accept help when needed, to building confidence in ourselves, to remembering the reasons why we chose to work from home. Below is the first in a series of tips to help work-at-home moms in the simplest of ways – the ABC’s.

A = Adjustments. A work at home mom must expect the unexpected. She must be prepared to adjust her schedule at any given moment for any number of reasons - a sick child, a backed up drain, or an upset client. A mom who learns to welcome these moments as a chance to show love to her family and concern for her clients will be ahead of the game in the end. Approach these "interruptions" with a great attitude and see what a difference it makes.

B = Better. Works at Home Moms have to be on top of their game. To run a business as well as manage a household takes determination and scheduling. You may not feel like you have a schedule, but take a look at your day/week and see how you are spending your time. Next, think about what you can do better, what you can delegate and what would be better off removed from your schedule to allow you to spend your time in a better manner.

C = Confidence. You wouldn't be a work at home mom without it. Take time to celebrate each success no matter how minute it may seem. Each success will help grow your confidence and turn you into a savvier businesswoman.

D = Dry - Don't let things dry up. Keep content fresh, offer new products and services whenever possible. This will keep you motivated and keep customer returning.

E = Effort - Don't kid yourself. It takes a TON of effort to make a home-based business successful. Don't give up with thing get rough. Keep plugging away - it will pay off

F = Feisty - Every work at home mom has to be at least a tad bit feisty. :) Stand up for your business when need be - don't be afraid to say no when necessary.

G = Generosity - When I fist began my business I sought advice from many successful work-at-home moms. One of the best pieces of advice I received was that what I gave to others would come back tenfold. I've found that to be very true. Helping others is as much a blessing to me as it is to others.

H = Help - There will come a time that you’ll need help. You must be willing to accept it, to allow others to do for you what you cannot. In turn, try to be a help to other when they are in need.

I = If - If you don’t do it, who will? Mothering is such an important role that gets overlooked so often these days. Always remember that being there for your children is the BEST gift you can ever give them.

J = “Just for you” - Take a little time to do something just for you each day. Even 5 minutes of doing something you enjoy can revive a tired mommy.

K = Keep - Keep your chin up. It will get better. Don’t let a lag in business growth get you down. Find some creative ways to get the ball rolling again.

L = Laugh - Take time to laugh with you kids each day. And don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself when need be.

M = Mommy - Remember, the reason you do all that you do is for those little ones who call you "Mommy."

Working from home can be difficult, but it is well worth the effort. By keeping things in perspective we can reduce the stress that we put on ourselves. Remember these ABC’s and you’ll go far in your work-at-home career.

About The Author
Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, http://CWAHM.com. Hart is also the co-author of the upcoming book, Home Based Blessings, due out in November 2006 for Christian moms who want to work at home. Hart and her husband, Allen of http://CWAHD.com (Christian Work at Home Dads) reside in Nebraska with their two children.

21st Century Work At Home Business--Start a Home Business

Work from home, work at home, start a home business and start an internet business, how many times do you see these phrases if you do any surfing on the net. Probably many times, right? How do you decide which ones are worthwhile? It is not easy.

Have you spent money on a work from home business and discovered that after you’ve paid your money you can’t find anyone to help you? You are left out in the cold, on your own. Not a good feeling, right?

So you have heard all the hype, fell for some of it, and now feel that everything you see on the net is a scam. But at the same time, there are those who start an internet business and succeed in a big way. Why can’t that be you?

The main reason that most people fail or not make what they expected is lack of training. You need generic training so you can market any program that you sign up for.

According to Dot Santoro, Predator Marketing System business owner, “Predator is the place where you can find exactly what you need for your work from home business. There are multiple trainings everyday, you feel like you are part of a group, where the success of everyone, including you, is important. I have never been in a program where you are taught to do things that only the big internet gurus do.”

Predator Marketing System claims to be the 21st Century business model for the work at home industry. Dot enthusiastically says, “Now is the time to start an internet business if you have ever wanted to work at home and Predator Marketing System is the vehicle you have been searching for.”

Predator will teach you how to drive traffic, how to get an abundance of free leads and how to market, not only Predator, but any other internet businesses you have. Their team of trained closers, all of which are successful marketers, will do the hard part and according to the Predator Marketing System site, you get paid $1,000 to $3,000.

“Learning to market without rejection has been the most important aspect of my success,” reveals Dot Santoro, “as long as I had to place hundreds of phone calls to get any sales, my work from home business was not going anywhere. Now, I spend my time doing the marketing, not on the phone trying to make sales.”

To learn more about Predator Marketing System and how it works, go to http://getpaidtomarket.com and request a callback, that way you can see how the system works.

About The Author
Dorothy Santoro's living comes from network marketing. She lives in the hills of Tennessee, where she raises a small herd of mini goats on a 25 acre hobby farm. So when she is not on the 'net, she's probably out in the barn. The latest addition to her portfolio of online businesses is Predator Marketing System which you can find at http://getpaidtomarket.com.

Work At Home Moms Should Consider Affiliate Programs

In my many years in the work at home industry, I have come across many work at home ideas, programs and opportunities both online and offline. However, it is affiliate programs that always get my vote for a number of reasons and I think that any mom looking to do some sort of work at home venture should seriously consider them.

As a simple explanation, affiliate marketing is a process whereby a person promotes the goods or services of a merchant by driving traffic of interested users to that merchant's website. The person that does these activities is called an ‘affiliate' and the company/website that receives these services is referred to as the ‘merchant'. Affiliates are either paid commission on a pay-per-click, pay-per-lead or pay-per-sale basis. The bulk of the affiliate's duties would be in marketing and advertising.

Affiliate programs have numerous advantages for anyone especially for moms wanting to do something from home in between taking care of the little darlings and keeping house. These are:

International Customers

As the internet is an international instrument, your potential customers will be from almost every country in the world. This is a huge market for you to tap into. Because more and more people are coming online everyday, your market is virtually unlimited.

All The Hard Work Has Been Done For You

The merchant has sourced, manufactured or made the product at his risk and expense. He has already tested the product and his sales pitch to sell his product. If he has been offering this product for quite some time now through the sales pitch on his website, you can be assured that the product is selling.

A Real Work At Home Opportunity

One of the greatest appeal of affiliate marketing is that it allows you to make money while based at home. It is such a flexible opportunity that even if you have a full-time job, you can still run this on the side. Most of the time, it takes an hour a day to administer, check, review, revise, etc - and all online.

No Stock To Carry, No Shipping, No Customer Headaches

Another cool thing about being an affiliate is that you don't have to worry about customer enquiries or customer complaints. You don't need to buy or keep stock, you don't have to ship anything to the customer - in fact you don't deal with the customer at all. The merchant does this. You just promote the website and it's products and get paid a commission on sale.

Easy To Start Up

You can literally become an affiliate in a few minutes. There are no lengthy applications to make or approval process to undergo. No other money-making opportunity can be started as quick as an affiliate program.

Unlimited Income Potential

The sky is the limit as far as your earnings go. You can make as much money as you want to. The only restrictions are your own effort.

Truly International Opportunity

Affiliate marketing is one of the very few opportunities that are not confined to a specific country. Anyone from anywhere in the world can participate in an affiliate program.

Affiliate Programs Are Free To Sign-Up

Almost all affiliate programs are free to sign up. You don't need to pay for starter-packs, advertising materials, sample products, membership fees, etc.

Huge Commissions

Commissions that are paid by merchants are huge and beat any other industry hands down. Commissions on offer can go up to as high as 75-80% of selling price.

Choose A Multitude Of Merchants To Work For

Affiliate marketing is flexible enough to allow you to represent many merchants at the same time. This increases your chances of success as you have an arsenal of products to promote. If you choose your products properly, you can be promoting a great deal of top selling items simultaneously.

Low Start Up Costs

Your only start up costs will be in advertising and promotion. This activity will represent the majority of your input in your business. There are a number of ways to minimize this cost but you'll have to do some research and test your methods.

However, as with any other opportunity, thoroughly research an affiliate program before actually participating in it. Here are some tips to help you:

1. Only choose top quality products that are in constant demand.

2. Only deal with reputable companies who have been in business for a reasonable period of time.

3. Monitor other affiliates to see what they are promoting. Check to see where they advertise and how long their adverts are up – if an affiliate is continuously doing paid advertising in a certain place, then you can be assured that he/she is making money.

4. Email the companies concerned and ask questions about the product. Monitor how long they take to respond and how effective their response is. This will give you an idea on how solid they are and what sort of confidence they have in their product.

Affiliate programs are a great opportunity but only if done correctly. It is imperative that you do a certain amount of research and testing before you commit yourself, especially if you are going to be investing money in advertising. Good luck!

Copyright (c) 2006 Anwar Ahmed Ally

About The Author
Anwar Ally has been in the work at home industry for over 18 years. He is the founder of: http://www.thehomeworker.org and blogs at: http://2work-at-home.blogspot.com.

Work at Home -- Why Do People Fail?

The world of the business opportunity is growing at an ever-increasing rate. Fuelled by the modern desire to want more from life, especially wealth and freedom, people are seeking ways to escape from their corporate environment, their job, and employed status. The rewards are huge if successful; once a winning formula is discovered, it can be used to shape a whole lifetime. All of a sudden, choice and freedom are available. Having such an independent lifestyle can (and usually does) erase much of the stress and depression that exists in the lives of many people nowadays.

Those seeking this Holy Grail can spend a lot of money – often thousands – on ideas, or they can spend an inordinate amount of time devising their own plans.

Yet, it is a strange fact that very few of us who buy, or are given, or invent a business opportunity succeed.

Why is this?

Very often, of course, it is the actual business opportunity or plan that is used. Some exist simply to line the pockets of the writers – not the readers. However, there are countless reliable, proven ways to build a very profitable business that can be run from home. Some people will run with an idea and become very successful and yet someone else, following the same plan, will not. Can the reasons for this be dependent solely on intelligence, experience, gender, race or genes? Surprisingly, no. What usually separates the winners from the losers is attitude and, in particular, the ability, or will, to act. The winners possess fearlessness or, at least, a resistance to the effects of the fear of failure.

The losers, very often manifest this fear into what is known as analysis paralysis: a tendency to keep trying to make a plan exactly right before executing (if we don’t try then we can’t fail). This is obviously a paradox; the very state of inaction produces the failure.

If any blame for ineffectiveness can be levelled at a plan in question, it is in the almost universal lack of emphasis on the importance to act. Action produces results, and from these results we can act again, thereby moving ever close to our destination.

So, if we want to progress with our chosen idea, then it helps to keep in mind that well-known advertising slogan: Just Do It!

Graham Chapman
http://www.neeshenterprises.com

About The Author
Graham Chapman runs Neesh Enterprises. A site offering support, guidance and advice for anyone who runs or want to start a small publishing enterprise.

I Want to be a Work at Home Mom

Looking for work from home? A home business?

Some SAHM (stay at home moms) are taking the steps to become a WAHM (work at home mom). Many moms are choosing to stay home with their children and are looking for a home business or work from home...a way to make money from home. The search for a home-based business can take a lot of time and research. The number of companies out there is incredible. Maybe you're thinking of joining one of the many direct sales or network marketing companies. Perhaps you're planning to set out on your own. Whichever you decide, I encourage you to take your time. Before you jump on in to a business venture, it is important to ask a lot of questions.

Here are a few questions to consider in choosing a business.

The opportunities for a home-based business are numerous. Depending on interests, creativity, and skill levels some choose to go for it on there own. Others, choose to represent a company on a wholesale or commission basis. If you are choosing the latter route, here are some things to look for in a company.

You
Have you prayed about where God would have you work?
or what He would have you be doing?
Is this a company that you believe in?
Do you enjoy the products yourself?
How do the products reflect "you" ? your values?
Is this a business you can have fun with?
Are you excited or passionate about this business?
What skills do you have to grow this type of business?
Would you be following someone elses dream or YOUR dream?
Listen to who you are. (any red flags? ~ if so, listen carefully!)

Others
How will this company effect others? (family, team members, the community)
Is this a helping business? HOW?

Products
Is this a product you love and are truly excited about?
Is there a need for the product?
Do the products promote well-being?
(How? ~ physically? emotionally? socially? cognitively? creatively?)
Are the products consumable?
Are the products quality items?

Other Considerations
How much does it cost to get started?
What are the requirements to stay active?
Does the company have sales quotas?
Does the company require an autoship? Are you okay with that?
Is inventory required? Can you afford it?
What is the turn around, shipping time?
How is the company expanding product lines?
What is the "appeal" of the company?
How long has the company been in business?
Is advertising online permitted?
Will you be working primarily from home or will you work out of the home?
(How does that fit with your preferences)
How much time will you work out of the home?
Will you be working online or offline? How much?

Support
How does the parent company support it's distributors?
What is the cost of business promotional materials?
Are free promotional items available?
Will this company offer you a free website and/or email?

About The Author
Sarah Eiden has been burning and earning with her home based candle business for years. She enjoys sharing over 90 fragrances of candles with her community and encouraging others as they develop their own candle business from home. http://www.candle-business-from-home.com.

The Internet - A Work at Home Revelation

Some of you may have chosen to work at home running a small business that isn't computer or Internet-related. That's great! You have been able to translate your skills into a market niche that is providing you a steady income. With the Internet, people are learning to make money - even while they sleep - and finding a healthy return on their investments.

The Internet has redefined what work at home really means. Not only can we conduct simple e-commerce, but we can also profit from an area that grows virtually everyday - simply surfing the Web. The Web grows by hundreds of thousands, if not millions of pages per day - so why not take advantage of a growing marketplace?

So, what are some of the main Internet work at home opportunities? We'll take a quick look at four of the primary areas people like yourself are making money with Internet work at home opportunities:

* E-books / White papers - Type in a subject on the search engine and you are probably going to find someone who has written an e-book or white paper on the topic. Buyers build their work from business by selling these e-books and white papers around the clock to people all over the world. It is as simple as having a good book written, marketing it on the Internet with a dedicated sales page, and making the sales. This can be a great passive work at home opportunity for someone who finds the right niche at the right time.

* Affiliate marketing - Websites that provide products and services to people are constantly on the lookout for people who want to help direct traffic to their products. Many successful work at home entrepreneurs have made a steady income by acting at the traffic funnel to these e-commerce sites. Each time a person clicks through your site and then purchases a product from the parent site - you collect a percentage of that sale!

* Surveys - If you have even a couple of extra hours each day, you can carve out a great work at home side income by doing surveys and participating in focus groups that work through the Internet. The pay structure varies from site to site, but many survey sites boast up to $75 for some of their surveys. If you can do 4 per month, you've added $300 to your income.

* Telecommuting - If you aren't entirely Internet savvy, another way to go in the work at home world is to telecommute. This is essentially doing data processing work from the comfort of your own computer. This can be a great way for parents looking after children to make extra money while caring for the kids. It could range from medical billing to accounting information for companies large and small - and because of the Internet, the information is easily transferable and you can often access company sites from your home computer.

Never has it been easier to work from home using your computer and the Internet. The opportunities are literally endless. Aside from direct marketing opportunities on the Internet, you can also use it as a constant billboard for a different product or service that you might be able to provide. Maybe you build birdhouse, or you are a certified family counselor that can serve clients from your home.

The Internet is an ongoing information source that we can take advantage of for our work at home business. Take the time to learn how it can help you, and instantly you will see the power it has to increase the profit from your work at home business.

About The Author
Bob Saville has had a great deal of success working from home over the past three years. His website http://www.internetmarketingatoz.com/ helps people find the information they need to start their own successful home business!

Working at Home? - Consider Your Family and Household

Working at home and being able to quit a 9-to-5 job is probably one of the greatest dreams for most American families. Slowly, but surely, many people are making that dream come true. But before you quit your day job, take a moment to review all of the benefits and costs, especially as it relates to your family and household.

The major benefit of working at home is being your own boss! Nothing is more rewarding then working at something that interests you and sharing it with your family! It may take some time, but the rewards are life changing. Read Marsha Sinetar's book, Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow to help develop your interests.

Being available for your children when they come home from school is a great home-business perk. Think about all the time that's missed with your kids when you're tied to the 9-to-5 routine. How wonderful to be able to share some time with them, especially in their formative years.

Another benefit - the household expenses of a home business are tax deductible. You can deduct part of your monthly bills. Consult with your accountant or tax preparer for all of the benefits. Be sure to keep accurate records and a daily journal. Take a look at Quicken Home and Business for tracking all of your home office and household expenses.

But working at home is not always the ideal situation. There are many issues that will affect your family and household. First and foremost are the financial issues. If you're currently employed, will you be able to handle the reduced income - initially, at least - when you don't have a steady paycheck? You may want to consider working your business part time while holding down a full time job.

Are you truly a self-starter? Don't kid yourself - it takes a very dedicated and disciplined person to work from home and still make time for family. There's always a joy to share and distractions to overcome, especially when it involves your family.

Can you set boundaries for the family? Working at home can be confusing to kids. Set some basic rules for them to follow. Let them know your work hours and tell them you expect not to be disturbed. (As the boss, though, you still reserve the right to surprise them on occassion by quitting early and doing something fun!)

Some basic rules that will help you and your family handle the new work at home environment:

* Prepare a work schedule at the beginning of every week. Post your schedule in a prominent location so family members can check it to see when you're available.

* Keep a business phone separate from your home phone. You'll be sure to always get your messages, and you'll create a more professional business image when you personally answer your business phone.

* Keep office supplies separate from home and school supplies. Give the kids their own "office supply center" elsewhere in the house.

Though these issues can and probably will arise, working from home is still the greatest dream for most American families. Learning to set, and more importantly, enforce boundaries for your family will make your business a bit less complicated and a lot more fun.

About The Author
Seth Townsend writes for Work at Home Parents in Marietta, GA. Visit http://www.wah-parents.com for inspirational articles and to learn more about working at home.

Salute to the Work at Home Mom

Being a work at home mother, I often find myself getting annoyed at friends and family who tell me how good I have it. Don’t get me wrong, I am VERY happy to have been blessed with the opportunities I have to stay at home with my child and still earn a living. I would not trade it for the world. However, sometimes I think those around me believe that I sit on the sofa consuming bonbons and paychecks just magically appear in my mailbox. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, working at home, I work at least twice as hard as I did outside the home and there are many drawbacks to it as well.

First off, working from your own home can be very isolating. Even if your former co-workers got under your skin at the office you really miss the camaraderie you had with them when you begin to work on your own. There are no lunch dates to go on or visits to the water cooler. Even just the simple interactions with other adults that are not in your family are missed. Sometimes it is nice to take off the “Mom” hat for a few hours per day and just interact with friends. Working outside the home forces this upon you. Working inside the home limits these relationships. Also, if we are working our own business or doing freelance work, we are no longer working on a team. Now completely on our own, we have nobody to “high five” when something goes right and nobody to share the blame with when something goes wrong. There are no team meetings in which to brainstorm. We shoulder all the responsibility for our successes and failures.

I think a lot of people have this vision of the work at home mom sitting poolside leisurely sipping lemonade and watching her children with her laptop on her lap. This is not the picture of my typical day. Instead, it is one of a mom in sweats, in a home office that doubles as a playroom, running from the kitchen to the computer fixing meals and quickly taking care of business. At the same time, I am handling the household bill paying, scrubbing the toilets, teaching ABC’s, and wiping runny noses. When I am sitting at the computer there are often toys flying past me and I am typing with one hand while tying a shoelace with the other. It’s anything but glamorous. In fact, it is thoroughly exhausting!

Another stumbling block that comes with working at home is just how consuming it is. There is no “punch out” time. We work around the clock whenever we find ourselves with a free moment. While giving baths and cooking meals we often have a brainstorm that we quickly jot down to work on later. I will often work late into the night, dream about my work, and then begin work as soon as I finish preparing breakfast the next morning. Later, I will find it is lunchtime and I have yet to complete any housework, play with my child, or even shower!

With all the multi-tasking involved in working from home, most work at home mothers find that they work much harder than they ever had before. Just think, when working outside the home, daycare cares for the children, there is nobody in the house to create a mess, and at 5:00pm it’s done! I personally put in at least 70 hours per week working from home. I provide the childcare, the housecleaning services, and homecook three meals! I also have to account for my own taxes, file all my own paperwork, make all the medical and other appointments (because after all I am the one home so I can do it), tend to the pets, and I even do windows!

If I had to do it all over again, would I still choose to work from home? Absolutely. It is my ideal position. I get to see my child grow up and raise her myself. I also get the sense of controlling my own destiny by working my own business. Best of all, I am here providing for my family in every way that I can. However, it is not easy. So next time you meet a work at home mother, take your hat off to her. She works much harder than you think. And I implore you never to imply that she does not have a real job. Even just being a mother is a real job. A housekeeper is a real job as is an accountant, teacher, and an appointment setter. Add this to whatever she is doing to earn a living and you have a human being who holds down several full time jobs, most of which are often taken for granted. So, salute her when you meet her, encourage her to take a break and put her feet up, and know that you are in the presence of a true executive!

About The Author
Christen Pyle is a personal coach and work at home mother. Her education is in Transpersonal Psychology and before having her daughter and retreating to her home office, she worked as a mental health counselor, employment coach, recruiter, and office manager. She now runs several home based businesses and the website The Untrodden Road, http://www.untroddenroad.com, that offers free listings of work at home opportunities and businesses for others who want to telecommute. She thrives on helping others to spend more time with their children, work despite a disability, or simply live by their own clock. She also offers personal and employment coaching both online through Kasamba.com and via e-mail.

You Really Can Have Success Working at Home

Do you want to start a home based business? Is it your dream to run your own show so that you never again have to listen to your boss? If this sounds like you, you are in a group of thousands of other people. It is safe to say that in some point in everyone’s life they dream of running their own business. The benefits and advantages of having a home based business are many. If you are lucky enough to ever have this chance you should really revel in it. Remember, not everybody can be so lucky.

But you are probably asking yourself if you can really have success with a home business. The answer to this question is simple, yes. If you know what you are doing and take your time, you can have success running a home business. Unfortunately, it is not always as easy as it may seem. You are going to run into problems from the very beginning, and there are going to be times when you think about giving up.

The first thing that you need to do when setting up a home business is to make a decision on what you want to concentrate on. In other words, what is your business going to do? This is a question that can sometimes be hard to answer. The majority of people want to do something that they like, but at the same time they do not know how to get started. You need to remember that in order for your home business to be a success you have to like what you are doing. If you don’t like your home business idea, why move forward in the process? You will simply end up in the same situation that you are in with your current job.

Also, a successful home business needs time to grow. You should never think that you are going to take off within a couple days of opening up shop. It is going to take you a bit of time to get your bearings and take off. For this reason, patience is very important to the success of your home business. With patience you will be able to wait out the rough times that are bound to show up time and time again. No home business starts making big time money in the first day. But if you take your time you will get to where you want to be.

Overall, you can have a lot of success with a home business. It may not be easy at first, but as time goes by you will become comfortable with what you are doing. Sooner or later you will be making profits on your own.

If you are just beginning check out this site; it guides you step by step.

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To Your Success!

Gail Hoyos

Live a Life You Love!!

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About The Author
Gail Hoyos
I enjoy helping people break away from the 9-5 and live a life they love.

Work From Home With A Positive Attitude

Once you're about to start a work from home business, you should bear in mind that your subconscious get fuel from thoughts of defeat or success. You can think about it as a chain reaction. Whatever you choose to think about, or dwell on will have a deep effect on your mind, which will influence everything you do.

It has no matter what your goals are set to be, your success level will only be as high as you allow it to be. Think about following : If you get frustrated, give up and call your task a failure, that frustration will become a heavy burden to carry towards your work from home business success.

On the other side of the coin, if you follow through with your task, work hard and get it done, the impact of that successful mission, will have a positive effect on the rest of your work. This allows you to approach other projects with more confidence, which will have a big positive impact at your work from home business.

Your confidence will increase from satisfying yourself with what you can achieve. The more positive you allow yourself to be, the more things you will be able to achieve.

We often see people getting annoyed over some small issue or problem. This emotion will influence their attitude and their ability to be successful. I'm not saying it's possible to always being even tempered. Of course there will be times when it's not possible to keep the lid on. But you want to learn to not get caught up emotionally in something that really isn't that important.

Sometimes you'll have to struggle with your temper, but most of the times it's not going to make any difference, so why bother? Just turn around and do your thing. You decide what your attitude will be like. And because of that you can control your effectiveness, productivity and the results, both in your work from home business and your personal life.

It all boils down to that you're able to choose how to think, and what to think about. Granted it will take some effort to learn how to always think positive, it'll be well worth it. Your effort will change your subconscious mind, and make you the person you want to be.

Take the command of your subconscious mind and the rest of your life. Don't let your subconscious mind control you. Always think positive. Do that and your work from home business dreams will come trough.

Visit http://www.small-biz-ideas.net/work-from-home.html to learn more how to start a successful work from home business!

About The Author
Ove Nordkvist is the Founder of the web site small-biz-ideas.net where you can get help with ideas, tools and resources to start a small business. You can download free Masters Courses for a variety of small business ideas at http://www.small-biz-ideas.net