Many have set sail into the wild blue yonder in search of Paradise. This Paradise is defined as the “I am my own boss” world of home based business ownership. The landscape is dotted with the left-over carcasses of men and women who have tried and failed in this endeavor.Studies and statistics show that nearly 97% of all home based business fail. These 3 simple must haves will help you to avoid the traps and navigate your ship through the often stormy waters of home based business ownership.1) A Game Plan! This is probably something that falls into the “no brainer” category, but far too often we see and hear of people who are starting their home business but haven’t got a clue as to where or how to start. Not only do we need to know where we want to go but it would be wise for us to examine the details of how to get there. We should also carefully consider the costs associated with our new venture as well.2) The second thing every successful home based business owner must have is a DMO or Daily Method of Operation. Without this vital daily action plan we, will find ourselves wasting time and effort doing things that are non productive. Even small home business owners would do well to examine what some large production and or manufacturing companies do on a daily basis. Many have processes in place that help to drive results and eliminate unnecessary wasted effort. Remember, you’re in business to make money and not waste time and energy.3) The third thing that every home business owner must have is a good computer and at least a general working knowledge of how to use it. The days of paper applications and processes are long gone. Many files and old paper processes have been replaced with computers and various computer programs. No longer is the standard letter typed on a typewriter and mailed. Much of our communication is handled through email. The person who does not have a computer and have it in use is far behind the competition. This may seem basic to many, but there are still some people with an entrepreneurial spirit burning within that are not using the tools that can help them to be successful. A good computer in today’s business environment is as much a necessary tool as a good set of wrenches to a mechanic. Not only does the good mechanic have a functional set of wrenches but even the mechanic is using the computer to find valuable information for his trade on the internet.a) In addition to a good computer it would be good advice to get an internet connection and have the world at your fingertips through the world wide web.While there are an infinite number of things that the successful home based business owner should have, just paying attention to some of the basics will give you a foundation with which to build upon.
A Simple Product Creation and Product Launching Formula
If you tried to think of people involved in product creation, who would come to mind? You may think of Edison, Franklin, or maybe Henry Ford. Would you ever think of yourself as someone who can create a quality product? Product creation is actually relatively easy and product launching is not that tough either! If you follow a few easy to understand steps, you could be starting the product creation and product launching process sooner than you think.
The first step in creating your information product is to know and understand your market. This can be very time-consuming, especially if you are unsure of what to do or where to look to know your market. Studying your niche market and understanding the buzz words and buying patterns can ease the process dramatically. Personally, I would recommend networking with someone who has had success in the niche market you are considering and learn from their results. If they are into product creation and not very business savvy expect some hesitation. If they only sell products and have nothing to do with product launching or product creation you may your first affiliate (sales person)! Something else you can use to find hot trends is with the Google Trends tool.
The second step is the product creation process. Take your niche market and brainstorm ideas and topics relating to it. There are a lot of product launching contests going on recently relating to a newly created internet marketing tool. There are so many aspects to the mentioned niche that literally, and unfortunately, anything can be considered an Internet Marketing tool. The reason that anyone can basically create an Internet Marketing tool is because of something called Private Label Rights products.
What I use private label rights products for, and highly recommend them in this specific manner, is to cure writer’s block especially when it is lingering. Many people base their entire product creation and product launching on a private label rights product. This is where you can start to shine and build a strong brand for yourself. If you set goals for yourself, short-term goals to be exact, you can see your product creation come into being much faster and there is a good chance with less revision needed. If you keep hitting time restraint road blocks; however there is nothing wrong with a slow and steady approach, you can consider outsourcing portions of your project. Outsourcing can be an extremely huge benefit or just as great of a disaster.
You can find someone to outsource work to at a freelance site such as Guru.com or eLance.com. When reviewing proposals it is almost mandatory you perform a background check on them as you are in essence hiring them. Doing a background check on freelancers is as easy as asking for samples of their work and reviewing feedback on the freelance site from previous customers. Depending on the size and requirements of your project this can add up to a decent sized investment, so caution is very important. One tip I always recommend to people looking to hire an individual is to ask them what they can provide you that no one else can. This simple question gives them a chance to “toot their own horn” and acknowledge where they feel most competent as far as their skill set.
The final portion of the product creation and product launching formula is the launch. This can literally make or break the effort, time, and maybe (if you invested) money you put in to your project. There are numerous aspects to product launching and although their relevance is debated in terms to their effect, experts agree all must be followed. The person in your field who you asked for product advice from can help you substantially if you have kept in touch. If not, the first thing you need to do is to create a visually appealing website with flawless design work.
I also mentioned outsourcing before, this is one aspect of product launching I have little strength in and I always outsource this portion. The website does not have to be large however the content (ad copy in Internet Marketing) must be stellar and as perfect as possible. This is where advertising knowledge or experience is beneficial. When the site is set up you now put a lead capture form on your website.
I put two lead capture pages on all products I create on the internet and is one of the best methods of getting a solid start when you are in the product launching stage. When you gain information from a prospect or someone looking to get paid for referring sales you are able to provide them updates or specials. Many people abuse their prospect or affiliate lists by in turn emailing them with a new product daily and I find the recommendations to be totally unrelated to their original need, problem, or interest.
Another stage in the product launching stage is creating a free report or demo version of your product to entice the product to sign up to your email list. Using proper follow up with this can help generate numerous sales for you. One thing you need to ensure is that your free product completely relates to your main product that you are looking to sell.
You are now ready to advertise your product launching to customers as well as the opportunity to sell for affiliates. This is the single aspect that many product creations and launches fail on. It is actually not entirely difficult. One thing you can do is write articles (and a good amount of them) on topics relating to your product. I am a huge advocate of giving a solution in forums. When you join a forum you are normally offered the opportunity to create a signature. In your signature, you should enter the link to your opt-in or lead capture page. When you respond to posts, you are advertising your opportunity.
It is not impossible to create a product and it does not have to take a long time. You need to setup a plan and stick to it. If you get stuck, look at similar and successful products to your own and try and see how they did it. When you sit down and brainstorm you will be surprised with what you can imagine.
Home Based Business Marketing Tips – How to Market Your Home Based Business For Free
If you have a home based business you probably already know that one of the biggest challenges is paying to expose your business every single month. So many people are forced to give up on their business because they just don’t have the money to invest. There are plenty of really great free ways to market your business. So if you don’t have hundreds of dollars to spend every month on marketing give these three tips a try. I know you can have success with them.Home Based Business Marketing Tip #1 – Talk To Your Friends And FamilyTalking to your close friends and family about your new (or old) business is about as free as it gets. A lot of people are hesitant to talk to the people closest to them. There are a large number of people who make $100,000 a year, or more, who work from home that are successful, at least in part, by signing up a close friend or family member. Starting a conversation, or showing a DVD costs you nothing and that’s why it’s number one on this list. It’s also something you can do today!Home Based Business Marketing Tip #2 – Article MarketingOnline article marketing is one of the oldest and most effective ways to market your home business for free. Simply write an article like this one that contains useful information for other home based business owners or potential prospects. Then all you have to do is publish your articles on free online article directories. This is a great way to get more people to look at your website or blog and of course, it’s 100% free.Home Based Business Marketing Tip #3 – Video MarketingRight now we live in a world where video is king. Why would we bother reading a book or a magazine article when we can have the information spoon fed to us with online video? Websites like YouTube and Revver are free to use and you don’t need a ton of fancy equipment. A regular camcorder or even a good quality cell phone is all you need to start posting video online.I can show you many more free and effective ways to market your home based business. Marketing your home based business doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg, and when you market your business for free it’s a lot easier to turn a profit every month.