Want to Work From Home? Tips for Getting Started as an Entrepreneur

Want to Work From Home? Tips for Getting Started as an Entrepreneur

Do you wish you could find a job that will let you work from home and make your own schedule? Have you ever considered becoming an entrepreneur and owning your own business?

Many people start a business because they think they have a great idea, or a product or service that will make money. Some people start because think that they can do something better than the businesses already out there. Other people are introduced to a business by a friend, and join because the timing is right or they love the product line.

When you decide to jump into entrepreneurship, here are some thoughts to consider:

Who would be your customers?
Where could you find these customers?
How much money do you need to start this business?
What makes your business special?
Are you passionate about what you will be doing?
What other resources do you need?
What’s your financial goal?
Are you willing to invest a lot of time and energy into this business?

If you’re still interested in pursuing a business, here is a handy site from the Small Business Administration. It contains step-by-step instructions and advice to starting your own business. http://www.sba.gov/content/follow-these-steps-starting-business

You might also consider a direct selling business. Legitimate direct selling businesses offer low start-up costs, a proven product line, training, and support. Many of these companies are members of the Direct Selling Association, and agree to comply with the DSA Code of Ethics. You can learn more about direct selling, and how to find an opportunity that’s right for you, here: http://www.directselling411.com/

And if you do decide to take the leap and start your own business, we congratulate you! Great countries are built upon entrepreneurs like you.

The DSEF is here to help. If you have any questions we’re here to provide the answers and support for you to succeed! So, what’s your first question? We’d love to hear how your business is going!

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Ethical Selling

Ethical Selling

When we think of selling, we often think of the shady used car salesman. The whole idea of selling anything is often uncomfortable for people. It requires a mind shift to move into your comfort zone when selling. Imagine that selling is more like helping a friend. And it can be. In fact, that’s the foundation of ethical selling.

Here are some ways to make the selling process more comfortable, natural and lower stress.

Start in your own backyard, your community. Talk to people you know, your friends, neighbors, and the people in your town. Gradually build and network outward with people with whom you have something in common.
Build friendships (clients) based on common interests. Share things that are happening in your town, church, local organization, in charities, in local sports, cultural events, schools and local businesses.
Listen, have conversations, and develop friendships within your community. Find out who has problems that your products/services can help. When you genuinely care about people (clients), you’ll find that providing your products/services doesn’t feel so much like selling, but more like helping.
Develop the skills to figure out who needs your help. For this, you will need to learn networking skills, develop a positive attitude that attracts people, develop good listening and communication skills, and act comfortable in your own skin even when you don’t feel entirely comfortable inside.
Remember, make friends with everyone. Even the people who don’t require your help can be your ears and eyes for others who may need your help.
Share testimonials. During the transaction process, focus on how the product/service has helped you and/or share testimonials on how it has helped other people. Make it less about the selling process and more about how it will help them.
Continue to nurture your friendships. It will bring personal fulfillment, grow your network and create more loyal customers.

This way may take a little more work and time. But, it will make selling feel less like selling, while you focus on matching people with products and services they actually need, while also building fulfilling relationships. Ultimately, your financial success will also include the satisfaction of really caring about other people.

To learn more about ethics in sales, and the DSA Code of Ethics in direct selling, check out this series of videos.

What are some effective, ethical sales techniques that you use? We would love to hear your tips and comments.

Free e-book “Business Owner’s Road Map to Success.” It has over 50 pages of techniques for everything a small business owner needs to master, from business planning and ethical selling to a success mindset. It’s all there and it’s free for you. To get it, just “Like” our Facebook Page here: http://on.fb.me/KsIN6P Pass it on!

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More Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses

More Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses

When you’re in business for yourself, marketing is incredibly important. You need to get the word out about your business, and there are specific strategies you can use to market yourself effectively.

Before you begin, have a plan, target audience and goal in mind. For instance, a discount or promotion to reward your loyal clients, or provide free delivery for clients who are new moms is a plan, aimed at a targeted audience and has specific goals. Include in your plan a way to measure your return on investment. This way you’ll know if it worked and how well it worked.

Here are some tips to help you market your business:

Become a contributing expert for a blog or local news media.
Start a Facebook page for your town and be a positive voice for what’s happening in your area.
Start a YouTube channel and provide tours of your town.
Partner with other businesses in your area to increase word of mouth.
Offer workshops, teleseminars or webinars
Display signage on your cars, t-shirts and temporary signs on lawns (with permission).
Organize a charity collection or fund raiser.
Hand out tip cards to solve problems that relate to your business.
Sponsor free car washes.
Sponsor free sidewalk address number painting.
Sponsor a street performer/artist to promote your business.
Promote causes and charities in your area.
Sponsor free workshops to help people in your community, like a math or personal defense workshop.
Make yourself and your business memorable. Be known as the lollipop giver.
Showcase testimonials in your marketing.
Hold special promotions like client of the month.

The best marketing is providing your customers with consistent excellence and memorable service that they’ll tell their friends about.

How do you market your business? Please share in the comments!

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8 Steps to Create a More Efficient Business

8 Steps to Create a More Efficient Business

For many of us, maintaining our business is what we focus on every day. We rely on what’s been working and old routines. However, by implementing small changes, you can make your business more efficient and more profitable.

Here are some tips to help make your business more efficient:

Create or review and if necessary revise your business plan to help you focus on your business goals.
Make a chart highlighting your goals and include a calendar that shows daily steps toward obtaining your goals.
Implement schedules and budgets. Create schedules to clarify time management, and carefully track budgets to reduce expenses.
Formalize your processes. To start, walk through processes that your business uses frequently. Then, formalize best practices and methods in that process. This will make things run more smoothly and reduce confusion.
Use practical technology to make communication better, to help yourself stay better organized, and to save money on paper and wasted time.
Provide a forum for feedback from team members and customers. People who do the work every day or use your products/services can help stream line your business processes and generate positive buzz.
Do a formal business assessment. Evaluate your duties, schedules, budgets, processes, technologies and feedback from employees and customers. Ask yourself if these processes can be done more quickly, reduce waste, do double duty, generate more customer satisfaction, and save money. Your assessment could be done quarterly, bi-annually or annually.
Think through new processes. Prepare a plan to roll out new systems/ideas, assess their implementation, and deal with adjustments and complaints.

Businesses that improve will succeed, and efficiency is key! In assessment, we try to reduce errors and build upon successes.

How do you make sure your business is running efficiently? How do you review/adjust? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments below.

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22 Ways to Earn Extra Money

22 Ways to Earn Extra Money

There are many reasons to take on extra side jobs. Sometimes we need to make extra money because we want to save up for something, or simply have extra spending money. Sometimes it’s just for the pure enjoyment of working on a job we love. And for some, it’s to test the waters and see if we have the entrepreneur “chops.” For many it’s most likely a combination of reasons.

Whatever your reasons, here are some ideas to make extra income:

Pet sitting/walker
Pet grooming
Lawn mowing/ Lawn maintenance
House or Business cleaning
Selling homemade goods on a site like Etsy
Kids party organizer
Childcare
Senior care
Personal baker
Personal cook
Personal spa treatments
Substitute teacher
Tutor
Specialized skill services – like teaching a foreign language, sewing, teaching music, etc.
Local delivery service
Personal car washer/detailer
Sell baked goods
Personal chauffeur
Garage sales
Handy fix-it person
Painter
Direct sales opportunities (this can be part time or full time, depending on how much money you want to make)

You might even want to partner with your older kids. It’s a great life lesson, and a great way to teach finances, goal setting and math in a practical application.

Do you have other ideas to generate extra income? Do you use life experiences to teach your children about finances and math concepts? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments

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Feeling Stuck? Tips to Get Yourself Moving

Feeling Stuck? Tips to Get Yourself Moving

Call to action!

There are times when you just don’t want to do something, or you feel it’s too overwhelming to even begin. Here’s a process that can call you to action!

Write down your goal and post it somewhere you will see it. Include how it will make you feel when you achieve your goal.
Create a simple and easy work mantra – for example “One more step to get ahead!” Saying your mantra as you work will help cancel any negative thoughts as you work through your task.
Ask yourself, what would get you moving? It might be turning on some loud music, posting motivating quotes around your work area, turning on all the lights to make your work area brightly lit, using motivation tapes, setting a loud timer, and/or asking a friend to be your accountability partner.
Break it down to smaller tasks, and if it’s an extremely large goal, break it down by time. For example:
• 5 minutes to finish the first step
• 10 minutes to finish the second step
• 15 minutes to finish the third step
Consider how you break down the time. Make sure it’s appropriate to complete the task.
Give yourself small rewards in between completing several steps toward your ultimate goal.
Change location. If you can’t work at home, then go to the library or to the park.
Be positive, use positive words and never beat yourself up.
Keep going. If you get off schedule, just dust yourself off and start where you left off.

Life is like a river. Your action is like a boat and paddle. Use it to get to where you want to go, or you may end up going nowhere.

How do you get yourself motivated? How do you get through difficult tasks? Would love to read your tips and advice in the comments.

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How Can Partnerships Grow Your Business?

How Can Partnerships Grow Your Business?

Have you ever considered forming partnerships to grow your business? They can be powerful!

How does entering a partnership help grow your business? Imagine, your local health food store partnering with your local gym, a make-up artist with a wedding dress store, a caterer with a cookware store and an interior decorator with a real estate agency. Imagine the possibilities for your business! And if you’re a new business, what an effective way to promote and build your new business.

Entering partnerships to grow your business

The benefits of partnering with another business:

Increase your customer base quickly.
Increase word of mouth and exposure in less time.
Share business expenses.
Provide greater value to your customers.
Increase expertise and knowledge.

Here’s your checklist before entering into partnership:

Find someone local to partner with.
Be completely objective in picking the right partner. (Don’t just pick your friends…be sure it’s a good match for your business.)
Find a partner with complementary products or services and not a competitor – for example a shoe store with a clothing store, a vitamin distributor with a health club, or a chocolatier with a wine shop.
Know what you want from the partnership, and set goals that you want as outcomes.
Write everything down. Clearly state expectations and responsibilities, and consider drawing up a contract.
Anticipate and discuss all the challenges and problems before partnering.
Start with a single project before doing more together or becoming long term partners.

So if your business is slowing down or needs an injection of new mojo, a partnership might be in your horizon. Follow these tips and make your new partnership a success!

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The Power of a Plan and 30 Days

The Power of a Plan and 30 Days

There are shelves and shelves of books written to help people succeed. Countless speakers from every persuasion that will show you the “secret to success” and coaches will make sure you get there! Many of them are legitimate. But even with all the help, you will have to do the work yourself to make it happen.

So are you ready to get started? Here are some basic steps, without the bells and whistles, to reaching your goal, along with a plan to help you reach a goal in 30 days.

Step 1 – What do you want or don’t want? Answering this question establishes your goal, either to achieve something or to avoid something. Write it down!

Step 2 – Identify and write down the joy you will feel when you achieve what you want, and identify the pain of not achieving it. This is your why and purpose. Make your why statement part of your business mission.

Step 3 – Take a break and watch this video clip about the possibilities in 30 days!

Matt Cutts: Try something new for 30 days – http://ow.ly/6nRw1

Step 4 – Start today. Break down your goal into 30 days. Write down at least one step necessary to achieving your goal every day. If your plan requires more than 30 days to accomplish it, then start with the first 30 days, and then keep going until you achieve your goal. Give yourself from 5am until midnight (or whatever your schedule is) to accomplish your task(s) every day. This is your plan.

Step 5 – Include time to savor your journey and think about your experiences.

This simple process will create change and help you build momentum! You can do it! Remind yourself why every day.

How do you create the discipline necessary to achieve your goals? What would you add to this list? We’d love to read your thoughts in the comments below!

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Tips for Maintaining Work Life Balance

Small business owners typically work a lot. It seems there is never enough time or hands to get everything done, and as the owner of your empire, it’s up to you to make sure things get accomplished.

Yet part of the reason a lot of people go into business for themselves is so they can have more time to focus on the things that are important to them…things like family, travel, and other lifestyle choices that make life meaningful.

Can you have both? Can you enjoy a fulfilling business while also focusing on what’s important? Sure you can! But it takes both planning and mindset to successfully achieve your business goals while enjoying the life balance you strive for.

Here are some tips for making it happen.

Write your goals down. Make sure that all the tasks you’re working on are helping you reach those goals. If not, re-evaluate the task. Is it worth the time, or would you be better served doing something else?
Make sure your goals are realistic. You probably won’t earn a million dollars in a month. Take a look at what others with similar businesses have earned, and set similar goals. It will help you stay on track, without getting discouraged.
Your planner is your best friend. Put in the things you want to do for your family, as well as your work priorities. This way you won’t waste time trying to figure out what to do next. Everything is scheduled, and you’ll get things done while also giving yourself time to focus on all the priorities in your life.
Have work hours. Your family life will run a lot more smoothly if there is a routine built in. So have regular office hours when everyone understands you’ll be working, as well as times when you’re “off the clock” and are free to give your full attention to other things.
Realize that there will be times you’ll need to change your plans. Yes, your schedule is the ideal, but of course emergencies happen. So do your best to stick to your schedule, but also have enough flexibility to change direction when necessary. (And build some cushion into your schedule so that you can redirect when necessary.)
Forgive yourself. If you miss a concert or a ball game, there will be others. You’ll waste a lot of time and energy beating yourself up over something you can’t control. Better just to get what you need to done, and then give 100% of yourself the next time you can be there. Your child won’t be scarred forever if you miss something, and neither will you.
Involve your family. Make sure your kids understand that your work is important, and how the money you’re earning affects what they want to do. Also invite them to participate in your business where they can. They can file, help you load the car, and plan the schedule. By involving them, they get a better idea of all you have to do, and you’ll also teach important life lessons about working hard and achieving your goals.
Plan time away. Sure, work is important. But so is family, and it’s important to give yourself some distance as well, so you can come back refreshed. So plan times when you DON’T work. Even if it’s just a staycation. Just make sure there are blocks of time when you focus on priorities besides work. It will do wonders for you.

By planning ahead, you will be much better able to balance work with the rest of your life, and enjoy every part of your life more.

What tips would you give for helping people achieve work and life balance? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments!

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Tips for Improving Your Communication Skills

Tips for Improving Your Communication Skills

“How’s the weather?”

“Hey, how are you doing?”

Is this how you start a conversation? But then it suddenly ends and it feels a bit uncomfortable. In a split second, your conversation start and ends without any genuine communication. Having great communication skills helps you network, expand your influence and create lasting relationships.

Here are some tips to help you improve your communication, so that each interaction becomes a meaningful exchange that may lead to a future business relationship.

Be relaxed and in a positive mindset. Someone who is relaxed and positive will draw people in.
Smile and say hello. A great smile and hello is warm and inviting.
How are you doing? Reflect a simple and caring greeting.
Be an active listener. This will help you feed the conversation and keep your mind from wandering.
Keep eye contact. This will help you focus on the person and maintain active listening.
Speak naturally, simply and be yourself. People connect better with someone who comes across very comfortable and easy to understand.
Ask another question (How, When, Where, What, Why).
Continue active listening.
If you find a topic that you’re both interested in continue the theme.
End the conversation. Consider making plans to get together soon, or give them your business card with a quick note on the back (like it was nice catching up), and/or offer to connect on a social media network.
Practicing your communication skills is the best way to get better. Think of a conversation like dancing with a partner. The more you do it the more fluid you become.
Put yourself in more social situations to practice your communication skills.
You can also record yourself and start with a basic communication script to improve quickly.

Why are great communication skills so important? For businesses having great communication skills helps build relationships. For the average person it’s about feeling accepted, bonding with others and creating joyful experiences. Successful businesses use communication to weave both concepts in order to maximize growth and loyalty.

What tips would you give to a business owner looking to improve his/her communication skills?