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Archive for Home Business Articles
How to Choose an Accountability Partner
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The importance of having an accountability partner is often overlooked since to most people, the concept of an accountability partner is foreign. The truth is that a lot of you already have accountability partners but it is a relationship you sort of fell into and so it has no formal definition. Yet, the role an accountability partner plays in our life is often a sensitive one that requires trust and should be a relationship that is entered into intentionally. Having an accountability partner means that you are surrounded by a person (or people) you can trust to be real with you.
What is an Accountability Partner?
First of all, it is important to know for sure what an accountability partner is. In a nutshell, an accountability partner is that person that helps you to keep on track. You share your dreams and goals with that person and as you go through life, he/she helps you stay true to yourself and can draw your attention when your focus is shifting from the goals you have set. This person also offers encouragement and is there to cheer you on when you achieve your milestones. Ideally, this should be reciprocal. Read More→
So You Want To Start a Business – Six Steps To Help You Succeed
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When starting a business the first step is easy. Before we do anything else we must simply decide to begin. Every decision following that one tends to be more difficult. However, we have a few tips to help get your started down the path to starting your dream business.
1. Choose the right business.
If you know you want to start a business, but aren’t sure what business is a good fit for you, don’t lose heart. Take stock of what types of things you love to do, skills that you bring to table and things you would do in life even when you aren’t paid (volunteer work, for example). Make a list using all of these things and then look for a theme running through them all. If you can find the theme, chances are you’re on the right path to finding a business that’s a good fit for you. Read More→
Ten Twitter Tips For Work-at-Home Moms
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Social Media is quickly growing into one of the most-used marketing tools for work-at-home moms. One of the largest social media websites, Twitter.com, can be an effective way to spread the word about your business and learn from other top representatives in your business niche. However, it can take a lot of time to determine the best ways to use Twitter effectively for business. Below are ten tips to help shorten that learning curve.
1. Choose a Meaningful User Name
If possible, grab your business name as well as your own name for use on Twitter. Having an easy-to-find and easy-to-remember username is essential.
2. Brand Your Twitter Page
Don’t leave your Twitter page boring and plain – spice it up. Make sure you add your logo, contact information and any other information that will be helpful for customers and visitors to your page. You can use a website such as TwitBacks.com to create a free or very low-cost background to bring life to your page.
3. Learn the Lingo
Twitter can be very useful, but it can also be very frustrating … especially if you have no idea what all those little symbols mean that fly across the screen. Take the time to research the meanings of the tags most often used on Twitter. One great place to do so is right on Twitter itself: http://help.twitter.com/portal Read More→
Three Tips To Get You Started Blogging for Business
Posted by: | Commentsby Jill Hart and Diana Ennen
Over the last several years blogging has become the foundation for social media campaigns of businesses big and small. Where Facebook and Twitter help keep companies in the limelight, spreading the word about special events, discounts and newsworthy items, blogs are the place where companies build their reputation and make sales.
As popular as blogging has become, I often hear from home-based business owners who are trying to figure out exactly what a blog consists of and how they can use one to benefit their business. Below are three tips that can help maximize the impact of your business blog.
1. It’s All In The Name
Be sure to choose a name for your blog that is both descriptive and easy to remember. Try to stick to either your business name or the name of your star product/service. If none of these are available consider using your name or business tagline. Also, consider possibly adding in your keywords … such as Publicity Virtual Assistant.
2. Use Keywords Effectively
When you write posts for your business blog be conscious of the words that you choose. Pepper your posts with keywords relating to your business, products, services and brand. These keywords will trigger Search Engine results and help you reach the top of the results for your keywords. Be careful not to overuse keywords, though, because readers will get frustrated and the Search Engines consider that against the rules.
Also, consider keyword phrases – often called long tail keyword phrases (why, I’m not sure!). Long tail keywords are simply a sting of words that make up a phrase that represent your keywords. Think, what would people type in Google to find me. Examples, “how to start a business.” Think … how can I define my blog more (or this particular post). I wrote this blog post on … (fill in the blank), now what keywords do I need to put in so others can find me?
Read More→
3 Ways to Get Motivated to Start Your Online Business
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Many women these days have big dreams of starting an online business to help them achieve financial stability and independence. Unfortunately, ninety nine percent of them will never even get started, and that’s a shame. Starting an online business is a proven way a woman can get ahead, and still manage the responsibilities at home. What stops all those women from getting started? Motivation. They simply can’t get past the “I’ll do it as soon as I can get to it” mentality. The truth is, if you don’t get motivated, you are never going to “get to it”. It has to become a personal priority. Here are 3 great ways to get motivated to start your own online business!
Let God Invade Your Business
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A few years ago I had one of those “lightning bolt” moments. E
ach year I sit down to write out goals and dreams for my business. This particular year, as I sat and thought through what I hoped to accomplish in the upcoming year, how I hoped to help people, it hit me. Where does God fit in to all of this? Does He fit comfortably in the “Spiritual” categories or is He a part of everything that CWAHM is and does?
Whoa. Talk about a challenging question.
As I wrestled with this I came to realization that God wants to invade our lives – and that means our businesses, too. In the gospels we see Jesus meeting people right where they were. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and taught the seeking. He met their physical needs as well as their spiritual needs.
He wanted to be a part of their everyday lives, not just the days they went to the temple (the Old Testament equivalent of church). He wasn’t afraid to hang out with the sick, the hurting, the “sinners.”
He wants to be a part of our everyday life, too. He wants to invade our families, our marriages, our businesses. He wants to show us that there is a different way of doing things. A better way. A way that points to the divine even in the midst of most basic business task.
He wants to be in:
* The decision to be kind to the difficult customer.
* The decision to give a sale price when we could charge full price to someone who isn’t aware of the sale.
* The decision to give a product away to someone we know is struggling or hurting.
It’s our choice. We can choose to do business with Jesus. Or we can choose to do things our own way…usually the way we’ve been taught by people who seem to know how to “do” business, how to make money. And yet, in the end … is really about making money?
“So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work…” Ecclesiastes 3:22, NCV
Where does God fit in your business?
About The Author
Jill Hart’s entrepreneurial career began in her teens when she spent a summer working with her father who ran his own business. When he put her in charge of a Coke machine and allowed her to keep the profits, she saw the benefits of being her own boss. She is the founder of the popular Christian work-at-home website, CWAHM.com. Jill has articles published in In Touch Magazine and P31 Woman magazine, as well as across the web on sites like DrLaura.com. She is the author of So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom and speaks to audiences around the country about faith, business and leadership topics.
So You Want To Create A Marketing Plan: Six Tips To Make It Happen
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A marketing plan outlines the basics for how you want to market your business. Your marketing plan helps you establish, direct and coordinate your marketing efforts. It’s your roadmap for success. Your marketing plan allows you to understand your customer base, better determine exactly how products or services will benefit those clients, and create a plan to market to those clients. Below are ten tips to get you started creating a marketing plan that will help you grow your business effectively:
1. Outline your marketing goals. Make sure to include any research or information that supports your marketing plan. For example, keep a notebook that has all applicable keywords, research for new sites to connect with, and business contacts.
2. Outline a specific time-frame for completion of your goals. If you layout a timeline for your goals, you will be much more likely to reach them.
3. Make a list of all of your marketing plans. Each time a new idea comes to you, add it to your list.
4. Plan out your budget. Know how much you have available so that you can be sure to spend it wisely. Be clear here on where you will spend your advertising dollars. Don’t just tell yourself, “I have some money for marketing.” Instead, be specific. “I have $100 for paid press releases.” or “I have $40 for a Google Adwords campaign.”
5. Think through how you will handle the clients/customers who respond to your marketing attempt Read More→
Top 5 Mistakes New Work at Home Moms Make
Posted by: | Commentsby Michelle Shaeffer, CWAHM Blogger
Are you making one of these mistakes in your new home based business venture? For a successful home based business watch out for these common problems.
Mindset: Hobby vs. Business
Are you running your business like a “business” or like a “hobby”? You’ve got to change your mindset to look at your business like a business. Get your business license and get setup right.
Take time to organize yourself and set clear goals. Setup an accounting system. Write a business plan (even a short one) and include your goals. Block out time daily to work both “on” and “in” your business.
If you make a commitment you’ve got to keep it. Be reliable and consistent.
Be professional. Have clear policies on your website including shipping, return, refunds, and any other issues that come up.
Focus: Craft/Service Only vs. The Big Picture
You may be excellent at the crafts you create, ideas you turn into products, or services you deliver. Running a business requires a bigger picture perspective though. You’ll need to study marketing and promotion to learn how to get those crafts, ideas, and services to the right people who want them.
Don’t plan time only to create your products or deliver your services. Block out time to plan, improve, and market your business, too. Read More→
10 Ways to Turn Browsers into Buyers
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the first steps in starting your own online business is making a website. This website is your place of business and
must be treated as such. Your potential customers will visit your site and decide within seconds if they will stay or go. Turning these quick browsers into buyers is one of the major obstacles in building your new business. Below are ten things you can do to help increase your website’s conversion rate:
Call to Action – Telling your visitors what to do can help turn their indecisiveness into action. Tell them what to do to begin the ordering process. Tell them why they should buy from you and that they should “Buy Now”. Tell them to Click Here to make the purchase. Give clear and concise instructions. Read More→
