Archive for December, 2009

HOW TO OPERATE A SUCCESSFUL HOME-BASED TYPING SERVICE

="text-align: justify;">Every day, in every part of the country, there are stories about how both men and women are successfully marketing a typing service.

Most of these people have no great ability. Many of them may have just wanted to do something with their hands, or their leisure time, while others had enough imagination to recognize they were developing a business that would become a paying proposition.

You are probably asking if you can use your own talents, large or small, to build up an impressive bank account but still remain at home and care for your family? The answer, or course, is a resounding “YES!”

People that have succeeded in building a typing service at home know that it is a unique and stimulating experience. And for those who manage to survive and prosper the first precarious year have done so because they made sound plans based on finding out what people need, and then supplied it at a price they would pay.

THERE ARE GREAT ADVANTAGES TO STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS

How much money you make in a business of your own can go beyond your greatest expectations. Business histories have proven that it is perfectly possible to launch a tiny business in a kitchen, basement, or back yard, and eventually count sales by the millions.

But there are other rewards that appeal to some people even more. The advantages of building a business for yourself at home can outweigh what the most glamorous outside job has to offer.

The first great advantage is that you can operate your typing service enterprise on a shoestring from the smallest room in your home. Or if you are more ambitious and have come up with something the world seems to want and need, you can then expand your product or services on a huge scale. Since your initial overhead will be a minor factor, you will have plenty of time to decide whether you want to pursue your line of work on a part-time or full-time basis.

PERSONAL ASSETS YOU SHOULD DEVELOP

Personal factors that make one person a total success while another is a complete failure, is often easy to analyze. You will require most of the qualities listed below in practically any home-based business:

• Interest in people and the ability to speak and get along with them.
• The ability to express yourself plainly, pleasantly, and with sincere belief in your service.
• Willingness to work long hours, especially in the first year.
• Enough knowledge of arithmetic to figure costs, selling prices, interest, rates, and taxes.
• Dependability, even if there is a family crisis.
• An understanding of what customers’ wants and needs are.
• An ability to analyze present and future trends in your business.

IMAGINATION AND COMMON SENSE CAN FILL YOUR BANK ACCOUNT WITH CASH!

If you want to really attract customers from all walks of business life, you must have imagination, and you must have common sense. Neither is as abundant as you might imagine.

Imagination means writing inexpensive classified ads that return tens of thousands of dollars in return. It means carving out a niche in the marketplace, and creating a business identity that is exclusively yours. It means looking ahead with total confidence, and seeing yourself as the owner of a multi-million dollar business.

Common sense is something altogether different. It means realizing that nobody, except in their dreams, gets rich overnight. It also means that if you have tested something out West and it sold like wildfire, chances are it will move just as well in the East, South, and North.

Common sense will also tell you that once you decide to take the plunge, you will probably lie awake on some nights and wonder if you have bought too many office supplies, or if you will make enough profit to justify the new typewriters and computer system that seemed so necessary just a few days before. Common sense will also tell you that there are bound to be some mistakes, and that customers can sometimes be fickle, unpredictable, and demanding. In fact, there may be days when you wish you were doing something else.

OPERATE BY BUSINESS RULES THAT INSURE SUCCESS & SURVIVAL

Most people who start their own home-based business don’t fail because they didn’t come up with great business ideas. They fail because they just don’t know how to execute and market the product of service they have to offer.

There’s really no excuse for this to happen. To begin with, you should check to make certain your idea is sound. You shouldn’t launch a business or service without paying special attention to at least one, or more likely several of the following laws that have evolved through business experience:

IMPORTANT BUSINESS RULES TO REMEMBER:

• Make or do something different or better than the market now offers.
• Find a way to distribute the produce or provide the service faster and at less cost.
• Produce something timely to meet a want or need.
• Give People something they want that is either too difficult or too expensive to get elsewhere.
• Package it more attractively, more reliably, or both.
• Sell and provide only quality items or services and avoid poor workmanship at all costs.
• Always give good service even if it demands hard work and long hours.
• Always do small-scale testing so you can make your mistakes in miniature.
• Use intelligence and tact when dealing with customers or supply sources.
• Study your field until you have a basic understanding of it; then try to find new and better ways of doing it.

LACK OF MONEY IS A POOR EXCUSE FOR FAILURE!

The question you should ask yourself as you prepare to start your business is not “How much money can I raise?” but, “Can I survive discouragement, or do I only want to be independent as long as there is something to lean on when the going gets tough?”

If you are honest with yourself, you will know ahead of time just how far you may go with your business plans. The true test may come as you look at a bank statement and the deposits are down.

If you come through your personal tests you will gain meaningful strength from it. Without some discouraging hours to make you stubbornly surge forward, competition can overwhelm you. Your persistence will actually eliminate competition. Also, when you have stared failure in the face and driven it away, you can feel confident you will be able to conquer it over and over again.

Lack of money is a poor argument for failure to try to succeed. There are always individuals or local lending institutions who will risk a small amount on a person who has a reputation for being industrious, provided you have a saleable idea. After all, many big businesses were founded on little more than courage and fortitude.

But realistically, it may take more than courage, credit, and perseverance to keep a new business afloat. The first thing you will no doubt learn about financing, is that the less you need capital and backing, the less trouble you will have in getting it, and at a lower interest rate.

Many people in business think it’s a good idea to be short on capital; after all, then there is no alternative except to make the most of what you have and to minimize your mistakes. They also say that then you can afford to test a number of your ideas with little risk; that it helps keep your mind flexible and forces you to watch and see if an offer will continue with its appeal after the novelty wears off. The point here is that people’s needs and desires change with the times, and you can’t continue to manufacture horse buggies for transportation when people have turned to cars.

STAY FRIENDLY WITH BANKERS

Your banker can be your best friend, whether you take in hundreds or thousands of dollars each week. By arranging an appointment with him to explain your plans he can give you helpful advice on how to raise capital yourself, or even provide you with a loan if you are a good credit risk. You should, of course, have intentions of opening a business checking account with the bank (separate from any personal account you may have). When the money starts flowing in continue to keep your banker advised of your progress. Give your banker regular profit & loss statement so you can build up business credibility. Then chances are money will be readily available when you need money for expansion. Banks lend money on character assets as readily as on those that can be turned into cash.

SELECTING A NAME FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Deciding on a business name is one of the first decisions you will have to make. Without a name you won’t be able to have letterheads, envelopes, business cards, invoices, brochures, ads, or anything else printed up. You also won’t be able to open a business checking account.

Try to choose a name that is easy to remember and describes what your business is. Using your name, or “Something-Associates,” or “So & So Associates,” won’t give people even the slightest idea of what you do. The name you choose should serve to promote your business.

REGISTERING YOUR BUSINESS NAME

You may be required to register your business name with your local county clerk as– “Doing Business As” (d/b/a), if the name you select is different from your legal name. The filing form is simple and requires a modest filing fee. Your d/b/a registration will usually be recognized for ten years. After you register, your business name will appear in your area newspaper and will also serve as an introduction of your new business.

PRICING YOUR SERVICE

The best way to determine what your prices should be is to check with the competition in your immediate area. If there is no other typing service, contact a secretarial agency in a metro area nearest you. And remember, what you want to find out is what an agency charges, not what a secretary earns.

The most recent national averages indicate that typing services range anywhere from $30.00 to $50.00 per hour, depending on what part of the country you live in. Determine what the market will support in your area, and set your prices accordingly. And remenber, there’s never a good reason to drastically underprice your services. After all, if the quality is there you should get paid for it.

SETTING UP TYPING GUIDELINES

Once the word is out, you can begin to receive typing assignments from hospitals, lawyers, students, authors, and businesses of every conceivable kind. You will receive requests to type resumes, grant proposals, wedding programs, mailing lists, corporate reports, sales letters, cover letters, announcements, flyers, manuscripts, newsletters, ads, and much more.

There are literally thousands of typing job possibilities that require the services of a professional agency. Increasingly, companies are finding that it’s far more cost effective to utilize typing services to move the tons of paperwork that must be processed. Executives are also discovering they can operate more efficiently and cost effectively by reducing or even eliminating secretaries and turning to typing services.

You don’t have to be a speed-typist to get started in your own business. What is important is that you are accurate and dependable. That means no mistakes and following instructions. It means following formats, and meeting deadlines. Providing a dependable service will be your best insurance for repeat business.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT ~ PACE YOURSELF

Before you accept every job that comes your way, you should have the knowledge and ability to do the job in a professional, competent manner. Only take jobs you feel comfortable with. If you feel comfortable doing resumes, then specialize in resumes until you feel ready to do reports and sales letters. Set a certain amount of time aside for improving your speed and accuracy. Never stop adding new typing services as you feel competent to perform them. Check with your local librarian who will help you locate some of the many books available in your business field.

If you want to gain secretarial/typing experience consider working part-time for a professional secretarial service, even while you are building up your own business. A part-time job may be all you need to become familiar with current methods, techniques, formats, and pricing structures. If you want to get some on-the-job training experience, refer to your telephone directory under “Secretarial,” or “Typing Services.”

Join my NewsLetter to receive valuable information that will provide you with creative, novel and inventive ideas for jobs AND / OR BUSINESSES that you can START FOR LITTLE OR NO MONEY that you may never even have thought about that will kick start your very own business from home!

Alternatively, all you have do now is to put your first name and email address in the box below and that will trigger the free ideas to be sent to you automatically every week. You need do nothing more.

Every idea you receive will be explained in sufficient detail that should be enough for you to consider if it’s suitable for your own circumstances. You may be able to combine two or more ideas that might complement each other.

You can Join My FREE NewsLetter Here!

You have nothing to lose, have you?

But it could start you on the road to financial security.

Let me ask you a question.

Do You Have a Marketing Plan?

Marketing is the real back bone of your business. Don’t you think that it is important enough to need a plan, completely separate from your basic business plan? After all with out a plan how will you know where you are going. Let’s go over the basic information that your marketing plan should include.

First you need a marketing strategy and a budget. It is a good idea to get the basics of your marketing plan written down, so that you can see exactly what you are  aiming for. Start the process by making lists.

List of all the advertising you plan to do. Include websites, newspapers, radio, flyers, the yellow pages etc.

For each form of advertising you should assign an estimated cost. Determine how many customers you expect to reach. This will allow you to work out your cost of per customer, which is how much of you budget you need to spend on advertising to bring in one customer.

Next make a list all of the pricing policies you plan to have, as well as any special offers that you think will be good. Don’t worry you can make price changes and new offers later, The idea here is to have some  basic long term plans.

Another good idea is to have a list of other businesses in your area that could be considered to be competitors.  You need to know who you are up against and a good plan to differentiate yourself from them.

This is just a basic outline for starting your business plan. Remember, when in doubt seek out help. Do a quick search for sample marketing plans online or visit your local library for more information.

 Thank you for reading this post…

As always, I’d love to hear from you, you can add a comment below!

Join my NewsLetter to receive valuable information that will provide you with creative, novel and inventive ideas for jobs AND / OR BUSINESSES that you can START FOR LITTLE OR NO MONEY that you may never even have thought about that will kick start your very own business from home!

Alternatively, all you have do now is to put your first name and email address in the box below and that will trigger the free ideas to be sent to you automatically every week. You need do nothing more.

Every idea you receive will be explained in sufficient detail that should be enough for you to consider if it’s suitable for your own circumstances. You may be able to combine two or more ideas that might complement each other.

You can Join My FREE NewsLetter Here!

You have nothing to lose, have you?

But it could start you on the road to financial security.

Well.., do you get everything in writing?

When you’re dealing with customers, sometimes things can go wrong. It might be your fault, it might be their fault or it might be one big mix up, but if you didn’t get everything in writing it will be one big mess. Contracts are one of the most important parts of doing business, even if you think they are a big pain, the pain will be worse without them.

Every business needs contracts. They can be as simple as a sales receipt, a short hand written note or as complicated as lengthy legal document. What ever you do don’t ever make a deal without one.

Without a contract, you leave yourself and your business vulnerable. Someone could claim that the terms they agreed with you were different to what you say they were, or that they never agreed to or signed for anything at all. Essentially, contracts give you the ability to prove that the transaction or agreement was made.

A contract gives you a sound legal base for your business, and some guarantee that you’re going to get paid for your work without you having to ask the customer for payment in advance. In the event of a dispute, the contract lays down what the agreement was so that you can point to it and say what was agreed. If you ever end up having to go to court the contract is what the judge’s decision will be based on.

According to the law there is a big distinction between a verbal contract and a written one. A verbal contract is binding in theory, but it can be very hard to prove. A written contract is solid proof that what you are saying true. A written contract is almost impossible to dispute.

It is all to easy to think things like, contracts are expensive, I can’t afford to waste my money, my customers are great, I won’t have a problems with them, I do just fine with out them, I don’t need the hassle, why bother.

Remember that old phrase “It only takes one bad apple, to ruin the whole bunch”. Well it will only take one unhappy customer to take down your business.

When you are tempted to forgo the contract keep in mind that written contracts don’t need to be complicated or formal. A simple letter stating the terms of your agreement, preferably signed by all parties involved is enough to qualify as a written contract. Another simple option is purchase pre-made forms from your local office supply store or software that will help you design your own forms.

If you are dealing in high cash amounts it could be worth the time and trouble of having a lawyer write a formal contract, or at least of doing it yourself and getting a lawyer to look it over. Formal contracts will give you more protection.

Taking the time to draw up a contract is one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself and your business.

As always, I’d love to hear from you, you can add a comment below!

I found a great article for you about achieving goals.
ItR 17;s by Ilya Alexi the editor of Mind Power News

Your Next Goal in Five Minutes a Day

Would you like to learn an absolutely free method for reaching your next goal in only five minutes a day?

You don’t need to buy anything, you don’t need to own anything, you don’t need to go anywhere and you don’t need to have any previous experience to make this method work for you.

You already have everything you need. Just one brain, that’s all you need. Let me show you one way to program your mind so that your goals come to you effortlessly.

Here is a simple technique which always works for me.

STEP ONE: THE MAGIC OF THINKING SMALL
First, pick a goal that is *just* beyond your comfort level. Many motivational teachers will urge you to shoot for the stars, think incredibly big, and go for goals which are ten times as large as anything you’ve ever accomplished. This may work well for people who are already confident in their power to manifest, but for the beginner, or for the person who has not had much success using mind power, the idea of thinking outrageously big is a disaster.

For example, if you haven’t had a date in three years you don’t want to visualize yourself scoring with bunnies at the Playboy mansion. In theory all goals are definitely achievable, but in your reality you probably don’t really believe it’s possible, so it won’t happen. Instead, pick a goal which is reasonable and can be accomplished within a few months. In this example, you might want to have just one date in the next three months. Not nearly as thrilling of a goal, but a fantastic step towards a better life.

Or you probably want more money in your life. Instead of visualizing yourself suddenly earning $250,000 a year, start with a goal of increasing your wage or your sales by 10 per cent. Again, not exactly thrilling, but the point is you start small and build upon your success, instead of going for the home run and missing every time.

You see, after you reach that first goal you will have some confidence, and you can use that confidence to step up to the next goal, slowly but surely building a better life in the process.

STEP TWO: CREATE A DECLARATION OF INTENT
Once a day, every morning, write down the goal you’ve picked. Whatever it is you want to experience, just write it down once. A good format to use is a short sentence which begins with “I am now attracting…”, “I am now creating…”, “I will now…” or “I now intend…

For example:

“I AM NOW ATTRACTING A LOVING RELATIONSHIP INTO MY LIFE.”
“I WILL NOW SELL 10 PER CENT MORE PRODUCTS EACH MONTH.”
“I AM NOW CREATING HIGHER SELF-ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE.”
“I NOW INTEND TO EAT THOUGHTFULLY AND BEGIN LOSING WEIGHT.”

Of course, create your own wording for your own goal. The vitally important thing is that when you say it your emotional state agrees with the statement For example, the reason an affirmation such as “I am now exercising every day” doesn’t work is because if you are not exercising every day you immediately feel it when you say it. If you say “I am now with my ideal partner” you will immediately feel the lie even before you finish saying it.

However, a statement which begins “I am now attracting…” or “I now intend…” is true (at least while you are saying it) and holds no contradiction in your emotions. Of course, this is different for everyone, so find a wording that works for you.

STEP THREE: CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS
After writing down your goal, mentally place yourself in the future, to a day where your goal has been accomplished, and *feel* the happiness and excitement you would be feeling, knowing that you have accomplished your goal.

Just pretend it is, for example, three months from today, and on that day you have reached your goal. Let’s say that this future day is the day you start the new job you have been working towards, or on that day you weigh yourself and you are 10 pounds lighter, or on that day you leave for the vacation you’ve been dreaming about.

Whatever it is, just move forward in your mind to that day, and *PRETEND* that your goal has been reached, and *FEEL* the emotions which you would feel if you had actually reached your goal.

Feel the happiness, feel the success, feel the proud accomplishment of knowing that you can use your own inner power to change your life. Imagine what next goal you’ll now go for since you’ve reached this first one. Plan a celebration for yourself, and imagine how great you will feel when you celebrate your accomplishment.

Just generate that positive emotion for a minute or two, and just bask in it for a few moments.

STEP FOUR: ASK FOR HELP FROM YOUR FUTURE SELF
Now, while you are enjoying that feeling, looking back to today from that future moment, ask yourself what single action you can take, today, to bring your goal to you faster.

The future you which has accomplished your goal knows what steps need to be taken. From this vantage point, you can ask yourself what is the next most practical action you can take.

When you get the answer, write it down, and take that action at some point during the day. Taking action, no matter how small, is the fastest and surest way of convincing your subconscious mind that you are serious, and will do wonders for the quick manifestation of your goals.

STEP FIVE: CHOOSE THE SAME THING EVERY DAY
Do this daily, until you are done. Work on only one goal at a time, and don’t change goals unless you decide you no longer want the one you started working on. If you no longer want the goal, choose a new one and start again. But if you do want your original, don’t stop until you have it.

WARNING: LACK OF PERSISTENCE IS THE NUMBER ONE REASON WHY PEOPLE DO NOT REACH THEIR GOALS.

If you give up before you reach your goal, you obviously don’t want it very much, do you? Pick a goal that you cannot live without, and start again…

This technique only takes about 5 or 10 minutes with your morning coffee and works flawlessly. *If* you do it.

About the author: Ilya Alexi is the editor of “Mind Power News,” a weekly e-zine dedicated to news headlines, scientific research, and the most powerful resources available to help you unleash the power of your mind. Learn more HERE!

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Join my NewsLetter to receive valuable information that will give you creative, novel and inventive ideas for jobs AND / OR BUSINESSES that you can START FOR LITTLE OR NO MONEY that you may never even have thought about that will kick start your very own business from home!

Alternatively, all you have do now is to put your first name and email address in the box below and that will trigger the free ideas to be sent to you automatically every week. You need do nothing more.

Every idea you receive will be explained in sufficient detail that should be enough for you to consider if it’s suitable for your own circumstances. You may be able to combine two or more ideas that might complement each other.

You can Join My FREE NewsLetter Here!

You have nothing to lose, have you?

But it could start you on the road to financial security.

Today I’m going to talk about….

Disaster Plans.

Do you have one?

I don’t mean to be a downer but, any time you start a business, you are taking the risk that the business might fail. What you may not have considered when you started out was along with your business plan you need a disaster plan. Having a business disaster plan in place will help you shield yourself from risk and help you make sure that you can keep your business going even on the brink of disaster.

You need to have a plan for what you’re going to do if your business looks like it is going to go under.

Are you going to borrow money, raise prices, cut back or fire people? Are you willing to sell your possessions or mortgage your house? What will you do? This is where your business disaster plan comes into play.

Just like a business plan your business disaster plan will layout a list of options that you can refer to if your business runs into trouble. In your disaster plan include a list of the things that you will or will not do before you close your doors on your business.

A good disaster plan will depend a lot on how much risk you’re willing to take on yourself. If you are sensible and conservative then you will go as far as you can to avoid selling or borrowing against any of your own assets to keep your business open.

If you don’t lean to the conservative side and are willing to take more of a risk, then you may consider getting a loan against your car or maybe even your house. Just be prepared to lose it all if you can’t recover from whatever business disaster you may encounter.

A good disaster plan also includes a recovery plan. Once you have decided what you will do to handle a business disaster you need to decide how you will recover. When writing your disaster plan consider adding these things to your list. What will you do if you keep your doors open? How will you rebuild?  What will you do if you decide to go out of business?  Start another business? Go back into the job market? What will you do next?

How you handle a business disaster is completely up to you. That is where having a good disaster plan comes into play. You have to decide are you going to cut your losses and walk away or dig in your heals and risk it all to make your business a huge success.

I hope that is helpful to you!

Remember all the reasons why you decided to quit your job and work from home? Like the annoying people who you had to share an office with, the daily trek to and from work or missing out on special occasions. These and so many other reasons are why so many of us start a home based business. And even though you wanted to work at home all day, you might find that you start to miss all or some of the things that made you want to work at home.

Now you really are all alone. You get up for another day of work. Your children are off to school, your spouse is on the way to work. Even most of your neighbors are off doing their thing. Your house feels empty, and your neighborhood is deserted.

It’s all too easy to stay in your pyjamas and sit on the couch in this situation. You may begin to feel like your work can wait or that it is pointless. If you get stuck or you need help you have no one to turn to because it’s just you,  on your own with your own business.

You may not feel like it’s affecting you, but the lack of human interaction could be causing more trouble than you think. Ask yourself these questions honestly. Have you been more irritable recently, less energetic, or have you felt upset or sad without much reason? If you have, then you could be suffering from the work at home blues.

What can you do to get over it and get motivated again?
I would bet since you are running your business from home that you have a computer with Internet access. Am I right? One thing you can do is get online. Do a quick search in your industry to find few forums, especially ones dedicated to people who run home businesses. You might be pleasantly surprised to find that you are not alone at all.

Finding friends on forums or message boards can be good substitute for the lost interaction you are experiencing. More than that, it can offer you a good outlet for your frustrations and problems. Many of the people you will be talking to are going through or have gone through the same thing themselves, and will be more than happy to offer support and advice.
Just keep in mind that interaction is good but don’t let it interrupt your work. Set limits, give yourself a certain amount of time each day to talk and don’t go over it.

Consider turning your loneliness into an advantage. Get to know your customers. By getting to know them on a more personal level it can be rewarding to you and your business. The customers that will be the most loyal to you are the ones that know you and trust you.

Join the local Chamber of Congress, or the Chamber of Commerce or another similar group or foundation in you area. If you look, you might be surprised at how many things are out there that you can join. Don’t be shy. Become a member and you could find some new friends, as well as some good business contacts.

There are so many thing you can do to overcome the work at home blues, so get out of your pyjamas and get busy.

Here is Another Home Business Quick Tip.

People like help. Offer your knowledge or consulting as a bonus.
This will add value to your product and increase your credibility and sales.

Communicate with your customers. They’ll begin to trust you and get to know you on a more personal level. People will purchase products
quicker from somebody they already know and trust.

Business definition for the week:

De facto: ‘in fact’. Used when something has happened that makes the ‘real’ situation take precedence from the legal one.

De jure: ‘in law’. The opposite of de facto.

Ex gratia, ‘out of grace’. When something will be done for free.

Prima facie, ‘at first sight’. Something that seems true but is wrong.

Look for another home business quick tip in my other posts!

As always, I’d love to hear you…

Join my NewsLetter to receive valuable information that will give you creative, novel and inventive ideas for jobs AND / OR BUSINESSES that you can START FOR LITTLE OR NO MONEY that you may never even have thought about that will kick start your very own business from home!

Alternatively, all you have do now is to put your first name and email address in the box below and that will trigger the free ideas to be sent to you automatically every week. You need do nothing more.

Every idea you receive will be explained in sufficient detail that should be enough for you to consider if it’s suitable for your own circumstances. You may be able to combine two or more ideas that might complement each other.

You can Join My FREE NewsLetter Here!

You have nothing to lose, have you?

But it could start you on the road to financial security.

Today let’s talk about…..

The Secrets of Pricing.

Today let’s talk about the secrets of pricing your products for the best results.

Pricing your products or services appropriately is a challenging part of any home business. You know what you have and what you can do, but do you know how much you should be charging, without putting yourself out of business? Consider these few ideas when you are picking your price points.

First find out what the competition is charging. If they are selling a similar product or service do some snooping, make some calls, find out what they offer and how much it costs. Now compare their prices with your own. How do they measure up?

Keep in mind that just because someone else is selling for less doesn’t mean you should lower your prices. It is not always a good thing to be the cheapest out there. You might be surprised to know that you can take away a competitor’s business by increasing your value and charging a higher price. One of the biggest secrets of pricing is that people assume a higher price means better quality and more value.

Here is a simple formula you can follow to help when choosing your price points. First determine your costs per item or service. Include any materials that you use like packaging, advertising, and legal fees ECT. Once you are done, you should have a rough estimate of how much each product you offer costs.

Next figure in a charge for your time and labor. Do this by adding the hours it takes you to complete the task, and then decide what your hourly wage will be. It’s up to you how much you will pay yourself. When in doubt start with minimum wage then gradually increase your wage to raise the price of the product. If you have a problem with this just think about what you might pay an employee to do the same job for you.

Now that you have added the cost and time, you need to add in a profit margin. This should typically be about 30 to 50 percent of the price you’ve come up with so far. You are all done. You should have the perfect price point to charge for your product or service. If you are unsure do some testing. Try selling at a slightly higher or lower price to see which price point will sell better. Keep in mind that most often it is easier to lower prices than to increase them depending on what business you are in.

I really hope you’re having a terrific week! 

Let me ask you a question….

Have you Hugged Your Customer Today?

I’m not just being mushy! I don’t mean literally. What I am saying is customer appreciation is the best way to create customer loyalty. Good customer service is the surest path to success in any business.

Lets face it without customers your business is dead. Repeat customers are the life blood of any business. It’s a proven fact that happy customers make repeat purchases and not only that they tell all their friends. Which means more customers.

Tell me…

When you’re happy or excited about a product or service what is the first thing you do? You tell every one you know. Right? If you have a great experience with the staff at a store or restaurant what do you do? You go back again!

What if you have a bad experience? Do you go back? NO! and that’s not the end, you make sure you tell everyone you know you had a hard time and never, NEVER to use that company.

Have you ever walked into a store and been snubbed, totally ignored at the check out? What do you do? You walk out without making a purchase.

Now, how many times have you walked into a store with no intention of making a purchase. You were greeted by a friendly face and a warm courteous atmosphere, then you end up walking out with a bag full of goodies. It’s happened to all of us.
Good customer service will never go out of style.
It’s so simple but it is where most businesses fail.

Show your customers that you appreciate them. It’s the little things that matter. Like a friendly voice and prompt courteous service. Going that extra mile to make them feel special. You can create a huge following of loyal customers just by being nice.

But don’t stop there. The possibilities are endless. Have you ever been to a nice hotel where they leave a chocolate on your pillow? Now that chocolate only cost them a few pennies but it made your experience nicer. It made you remember their hotel above others.

How about customer reward programs. Sales will soar when you tell your customers that they will get one free after they purchase three. A free gift with every purchase. Every one likes presents.

Customer appreciation days, sales and specials. Hold an event throw a party just for customers that you have done business with before. Make them feel special, like they matter, that they are important to you. Then watch your business reap the rewards.

Well, here’s my chance to offer you something in exchange for your details.. it’s a fair exchange, even if I say so myself.. Actually, it’s a VERY fair exchange because you’ll be vey delighted with the end result, believe me!

Join my NewsLetter to receive valuable information that will give you creative, novel and inventive ideas for jobs AND / OR BUSINESSES that you can START FOR LITTLE OR NO MONEY that you may never even have thought about that will kick start your very own business from home!

Alternatively, all you have do now is to put your first name and email address in the box below and that will trigger the free ideas to be sent to you automatically every week. You need do nothing more.

Every idea you receive will be explained in sufficient detail that should be enough for you to consider if it’s suitable for your own circumstances. You may be able to combine two or more ideas that might complement each other.

You can Join My FREE NewsLetter Here!

You have nothing to lose, have you?

But it could start you on the road to financial security.

Hope you’re having a great week!

WANT TO GROW YOUR SALES THE PROVEN WAY?
Growing your business can be easy when you follow this step-by-step, proven-effective system. For more information, visit: This Site Now!

I appreciate you!

Wow!  We’ve been moving a mile a minute.

Another Home Business Quick Tip.

Teach a class. Take an hour and set up a small class to educate your customer. This will give you an expert status, increase your credibility and your sales.
Business definition for the week:

Quid pro quo, ’something for something’. When a fee will be charged for a service (or services will be exchanged).

Hope you have enjoyed your home business quick tips!

Well, I hope that’s helpful to you, see you later!

Join my NewsLetter to receive valuable information that will give you creative, novel and inventive ideas for jobs AND / OR BUSINESSES that you can START FOR LITTLE OR NO MONEY that you may never even have thought about that will kick start your very own business from home!

Alternatively, all you have do now is to put your first name and email address in the box below and that will trigger the free ideas to be sent to you automatically every week. You need do nothing more.

Every idea you receive will be explained in sufficient detail that should be enough for you to consider if it’s suitable for your own circumstances. You may be able to combine two or more ideas that might complement each other.

You can Join My FREE NewsLetter Here!

You have nothing to lose, have you?

But it could start you on the road to financial security.

I really hope everything is going great for you today!

Today we are going to talk about……

A cheaper alternative to high budget marketing it’s called guerrilla marketing.

When you started your home business you may have prepared yourself for a large amount of your profits to go on advertising. Only to discover that you got very little or no response for your money and efforts.

Now comes the time for guerrilla marketing, it can be done with almost no budget. This is the time when you change your way of thinking and realize that you are going to have to try just about anything to get publicity.

You have to make yourself known. It’s time to pick up the phone and call local businesses and let them know who you are and what you have to offer. You may be surprised at just how effective this can be, since businesses tend to appreciate the effort that you made to contact them and offer your services. It saves them time.

Start mailing. It shouldn’t be to hard to get your hands on a mailing list that covers your target market. Check with the post office, they can help you with your bulk mail campaigns. If the postage isn’t in your budget then start passing out your mailers yourself.

Print out some flyers. Don’t miss out on this one. It is cheap and easy. Handing out the flyers yourself will also give you an opportunity to meet your prospects and make a good impression. Just be sure to choose your location carefully and make sure you have a good offer.

Start giving. Handing out free gifts is always a good one. Hand out balloons, pens, magnets, little calendars with your business name on them. What ever you can think of. Try to make it something that relates nicely to your business and that they will use often, so that they will remember you. People love free stuff!

Remember you’re in business to make money. With guerrilla marketing it’s all about having the guts to try anything.