Do You Have Family Support For Your Home Based Business Idea? Starting a business is challenging and difficult. Even with money and inventive ideas, family backing and emotional support are primary ingredients to success. Home based in itself means that more than one person will be affected by changes in environment and living conditions. Many home based businesses falter because owners fail to take into account adjustments that naturally occur when working out of home. Before embarking on any “at home” business take time to explore idea with all involved. Make a list of advantages and disadvantages together. Especially when children are involved, be sure to include them in this important phase of planning. Discuss “do’s” and “don’ts” when parent is on “work time”. Clarify “quality time,” so that you diffuse resentment of changes in lifestyle patterns. Make sure everyone “buys in” to concept of a work at home business. Most importantly, develop marketing strategies and projections so that each family member has assignments and business related “jobs” that encourage a sense of shared business ownership. Remember succeeding in business is difficult enough without certainty of family support.

How Will You Know If You’re Ready? Home based businesses are more than a run-of-the- mill idea. One important consideration is selecting something not only of interest to you, but is also something you are capable of doing. It should be a business for which you have a high level of expertise as a result of professional and/or career interests and abilities or because of a hobby you’ve practiced over years. Never elect to start a business based totally on new untested ideas or based on a dependency on ideas of another. If you have not fully developed your idea, take time to investigate and explore it from various viewpoints. Take time to research your topic and write a vision for your business plan. It might also be worthwhile attend seminar or workshop training sessions on developing and writing a business plan. Keep family involved in these early stage development plans. Remember, two heads are better than one. You also encourage continued family ownership in business development.

How Much Money Will You Need? The amount of money needed for starting your home based business depends on product or services you are selling. Bridal consulting businesses, for example require low overhead costs. A computer and printer, telephone, file cabinet, paper, pens, etc. are some of basic start up materials needed. However, arts and crafts, floral arrangements, or gift baskets will demand purchase of items needed to prepare products for sale. With proper planning and business projections, you will be able to develop financial projections based on beginning inventories, expenses and estimated sales. Planning business income strategies and cutting costs for inventory investments can create a need for additional family discussions. What luxury items must be sacrificed or detoured during business start phase? What family vacations will be delayed or eliminated and for how long? Up front and open family conversations at beginning of business planning can help eliminate unnecessary disappointments later.

What is an Autoresponder?

Autoresponder - An automated system that sends out a prewritten email to a person who has requested information.

Autoresponders are essential for doing business online!

Here's why:

Instead of having to respond to each individual that requests information about your product or business, autoresponder automatically sends out information.

This frees you up to focus on other areas of marketing. Let's face it, if you begin to create a huge "opt-in email" list, you won't have time to respond to each individual person.

Opt-In Email - An opt-in email list is a list where users have voluntarily signed up to receive e-mail about topics of interest. In double opt-in email lists user must re-verify their request to be on a list.

This leads me to "Autoresponder Sequence"

Autoresponder Sequence - A series of autoresponder messages scheduled to be delivered automatically via e-mail at predetermined intervals to a person who has requested it.

***Note*** You will load your "Autoresponder Sequence" to an autoresponder. Now, post an "Opt-In email" sign up box that corresponds with that autoresponder, requesting first name and email address.

O'kay, pretend for a moment that you are trying to sell cookbooks. You have an Opt-In Email box at your website where people can sign up to receive free desert recipes.