New Home Business Ideas

The Problem with Starting a Free Home Business

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:26:00 +0000

Now I'm all about saving money, cutting costs and not over-paying for stuff - but at the same time, I believe we get what we pay for.

Yes, you can start a business for free, in fact there are many. However, it's going to cost you more time and more work in exchange for the "free" part. Are you up to it?

Starting any business is hard work. There's no way around that. Ask any business owner. That's why you always hear about "Start a business doing what you love", because that's the only way you'll ever make it through the "hard work" part.

Avoid the "Cookie Cutter"

Besides doing what you love, you've got to be different. Joining a cookie cutter business opportunity is just not going to cut it. Sure, it is free to start, but then what? You're competing for a little piece of market share against thousands of other people doing the exact same thing.

In order to compete, the little guy essentially has to eliminate his competition... meaning create his own little "sub-industry" or niche that differs enough from the big guys that they don't directly compete.

Getting Out of the Box and into Your Own Niche

Lots of clever entrepreneurs are now thinking outside-the-cookie-cutter-box and have started going online to share their unique ideas. You've probably seen many blogs and consulting businesses online run by individuals who market themselves more than the product or service they are selling. This is what I am talking about.

Where this really stands out to me is in the coaching/consulting industry. I see so many coaches popping up online, that I don't know how they all find clients. But you know what they've done? They've created their own niches that basically no one else can compete with.

Instead of marketing their services - they focus on marketing themselves. There may be thousands of coaches, but there is only one Bob Jones.

But I digress...

Starting a coaching or consulting business is not free, but sharing your ideas through a blog is. However, the drawback to a blog is that is takes time to attract readers to your blog. They've never heard of you.

Squidoo and HubPages

That's where sites like Squidoo and Hubpages come in handy. You can essentially set up your own unique individual pages on their high-traffic websites and share your knowledge and ideas with the world. On these sites, page-builders talk about all sorts of fun stuff, like cooking recipes, pets, home decor, traveling and every sort of interest you can think of.

These interesting and unique topics drive visitors to the site because as we all know - people go to the web to find out about stuff.

Creating pages on Squidoo or HubPages is free to do, of course, or I wouldn't be telling you about it. However, the catch is that it will cost you extra time and work. Don't expect to make money the first few weeks or months, but there are plenty of people that create Squidoo Lenses and HubPages for a living. And they never paid a cent.

It's worth looking into, if you're up for the work.

5 Ways to Get People to Come Back to Your Website

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:19:00 +0000

A prospect or customer can be expensive to acquire - so why not keep them once you've got their attention? Here are five simple ways.

1. Ask your website visitors to bookmark your site. Sounds simple and obvious - but are you doing it? Sometimes all it takes is asking. People are busy and usually have a million things on their mind when they are surfing the net. It's easy to get distracted (as most of us know), so don't assume everyone has your best interests in mind.

Social bookmarking widgets are easy to add to your site, and several are free, including AddThis.com and ShareThis.com.

2. Share useful advice. If visitors can learn from you - either through little-known industry tips, how-to instructional advice, product reviews or interviews with field experts - this gives them a great reason to return to your site. When you are writing, keep the reader's time and attention span in mind. Make your content easy to read, get to the point quickly and make sure it's informative and interesting.

Need ideas? Look at newspaper articles you read or popular blogs online, intriguing infomercials you see on tv or hear on the radio.

3. Provide useful tools for your visitors. These can be in a variety of different formats. You can offer free reports, audio downloads, on-site calculators, maps, charts, etc.. The more interactive and personalized to your visitors you can make them, the better.

Google has gadgets you can add, Facebook does too. FreeSticky.com provides lots of sticky content you can use and WidgetBox.com shows you how to build your own widgets.

4. Add a forum or discussion group to your website where visitors can join as members. This gives people an easy free way to get their questions answered, meet people who share common interests and feel like they are part of a group. As we've seen with sites like Facebook and Twitter, once people join a social group that they like, they want to come back for more.

5. Offer a free newsletter that includes news, tips, special deals and updates on your site. What if people forget to come back to your site? You already know they're busy. A newsletter is a great way to remind them to come back without having to go find them again.

Advertise your free newsletter on your website and give them an awesome reason to subscribe. Email newsletters and be easy, fast and cheap, and you can send out letters as frequently or infrequently as you like. There's no rule here. We use YourMailingListProvider.com, and you can set up an account with them for free.

Keeping your old customers is much easier and cheaper than trying to find new ones all the time. Long-time customers can also be a great source of referrals, too, so don't underestimate the power of getting people to come back to your site...

How a Simple Change Can Make a Dramatic Difference

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:12:00 +0000

I was just reading an article in Sunset Magazine that covered a variety of interesting and different sandwiches offered by local restaurants - and the recipes behind them.

They talked about turning "classic into fancy" or using unusual cuts of meat, etc.. By classic, I'm talking the egg salad sandwich, tuna melt and BLT. Stuff you've probably not thought much about because it's been around for years.

However, what I thought was so interesting was that many dishes were so unique - but the recipes revealed that only one ingredient was different. It got me thinking about unique business ideas.

In order to come up with a new product or service that is perceived by consumers as being unique and totally different - you may only need to change one ingredient. The whole concept of product development suddenly seems so much easier and less intimidating.

If you're struggling to come up with a really cool product or service idea, why not start with something that already exists? It can be a popular product or not-so-popular product. The goal is to make one simple or small change to create the perception of an entirely new item that either offers new benefits, is used in a different way, can be enjoyed by a whole new group of consumers, etc..

But what if you already have a business with existing products or services? Then what? Think about it this way: how could you step it up a notch or make a simple change or upgrade that results in a dramatic perceived difference?

Some ideas that you might think at first to be a little too crazy may be just what the market wants - something new, different and exciting. You never know until you try - and if nothing else, you can get your business some valuable free press.

Cheap Advertising for Mobile Businesses

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Fri, 11 May 2012 21:48:00 +0000

Mobile businesses that operate locally often customize their cars, trucks and vans to advertise their products and services. This can be a great way to let people know about what you do - while you're driving or at your job site.

But what if you use your personal vehicle for business, and it doesn't have your company name on it? Or your truck or van is not in plain sight when you're on the job? Or you simply want another way to market your business without spending a lot of money?

Then yard signs may be for you. They're so simple, they're often overlooked. However, when they are placed in a yard, at a job site or event location - they easily stand out because they're generally not competing with a lot of other ads.
They're portable, can be seen by lots of people at once and can be used over and over again. That's pretty economical when compared to other forms of offline advertising.

There are a few potential downside to advertising with yard signs. You can't place them everywhere - in many cases you will need to ask permission from the property owner. They aren't large enough to be seen from far distances, so drive-by or foot traffic needs to be in close proximity. Keep this in mind when you are designing your signs - aim for maximum readability and use attention-getting colors.

You've probably seen lots of yard signs used by contractors, landscapers and real estate agents. But other businesses can use them too - and they are not limited to just front yard lawns. Here are a few examples:

Personal trainers who conduct classes outdoors in parks
Event planners hosting activities in high-traffic public facilities
Businesses that organize and throw children's parties
Artisans or farmers who sell their goods at farmer's markets
Caterers or restaurants that service local events
Cleaning and maintenance companies that travel from site to site

SignsontheCheap.com sells 100 yard signs for $99 and wire stake sign holders for less than $1 apiece. They also have a sister site that sells custom vinyl banners starting at $12.

Free Business Logo Templates

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:19:00 +0000

You've probably heard of VistaPrint - the online printing company that gives away free business cards. They've been around for years, and I love them. Really.

Something I just found out, though, is that they have free business logo templates too. You can use them to create your logo, and then proceed to order your new logo design printed on business cards, envelopes, stationary, baseball caps, t-shirts, magnetic signs for your car and lots more.

As if designing your own business cards wasn't easy and cheap enough, now they've made company branding a one-stop-shop. This is ideal for new businesses who are on a budget, because you can do everything yourself and get a significant discount on your order. You also don't have to buy 100 t-shirts or caps to get the cheap price. The minimum order is 1.

Image and branding can be a very powerful selling strategy, especially for new businesses that have not yet developed a reputation or network of clients who can vouch for them. New businesses many times are relying on their first impression to win clients and make money. This is an easy, inexpensive way to do it.

Another note - included free with your order are logo images that you can use on your website and anything else you want to use them for. VistaPrint also keeps your image in their database, should you decide you need more business cards, sticky pads, etc... Just go back to the website, and they'll have your logo design ready and waiting for you.

Just scroll down their website until you see "Free Logo Design" under the free products section on the left-hand side of the page.

What Does a Tour Guide Do?

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Sun, 06 May 2012 08:07:00 +0000

"For Better or for Work"...

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Sat, 05 May 2012 00:01:00 +0000

I recently read the book, "For Better for for Work" by Meg Cadoux Hirschberg. If you follow my blog or frequent the HomeBusinessCenter.com website, you know that I am a big supporter of taking shortcuts. Many times this comes down to learning what you want to know from somebody who has already done it.

For example, if you want to start a hair salon, find out the secrets to success from a successful salon owner. If you want to launch an online store, find out how to avoid the common mistakes from an experienced internet entrepreneur. If you want to write your own business plan, follow templates designed by professional business plan writers.

However, an area I rarely touch on is life outside of business. You have one, don't you?

I admit, I'm just as guilty as the next guy at letting my business take over my life. But that's not why I became an entrepreneur. Sometimes I have to "step away from the business" and think about why I got into business for myself in the first place. It definitely wasn't to work more.

This book was a great reminder for me to "step back". The reason that most of us start our own businesses (besides doing work we love and can be proud of) is to have the freedom to do more fun stuff with friends and family. That said, it can be easy to lose friendships and hurt family relationships if we are always focused on work.

And interestingly, when relationships fail, this can significantly impact one's business.

"For Better or for Work" not only shares valuable lessons from other entrepreneurs that we can apply to our own lives, but each chapter includes specific action steps to take to avoid potential problems created from this wonderful entrepreneurial lifestyle.

The second-to-last chapter of the book lists 20 simple rules - for both the entrepreneur and the spouse - to follow in order the make those entrepreneurial ventures AND family life a success.

Besides being an insightful read, it's a great resource to come back to if you feel you need a refresher. Not to mention a comfort to know that we're not alone - we entrepreneurs have a lot more in common than we may think. You can get more information on Meg's website, and it is also available on Amazon.com with a 5-star rating, no less.

Cooking Up Cosmetics in the Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:25:00 +0000

Thinking about starting your own cosmetics business or makeup line? See how Lisa Price, founder of Carol's Daughter Beauty Products, got her start.

What started as a hobby making her own fragrances in her kitchen and selling at her local church flea market - turned into a worldwide online business with multiple retail stores... What's stopping you?

4 Steps to Your Market Analysis

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Wed, 02 May 2012 12:44:00 +0000

Once you've himmed and hawed over your business idea for a while, you've thought about all the things that could go wrong and come up with every excuse possible not to get started....

It's time to get your act together and come up with a business plan.

Some companies put together a business plan that could pass as a phone book, while other fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants entrepreneurs never make a plan at all. We won't go into who succeeds or fails here, but whether you decide to put together a business plan or not, there's one piece of the plan that you should definitely do.

It's called the Market Analysis, and it essentially will tell you if there is a market and a niche that will enable your business idea to be profitable. There's no point in launching your start-up if you don't have any wings, right?

Here are the steps to take when conducting a Market Analysis:

1. Take a look at the industry for your business idea. You can obtain data from industry publications, the government, libraries, online data resources and trade associations for this.

The information you want is:

- Industry size, current growth rate and what is driving this growth
- Who are the big players in your industry and what makes them successful?

2. Find out more about your potential customers or target market. Again, use the resources listed in #1 above. You want to know specifics so that you could ideally form a picture in your mind of your ultimate customer.

Specifics include: age, education, occupation, income level, geographic location plus interests and activities that they participate in on a regular basis. Having a good understanding of your target market will also help you reach them more effectively when you advertise, so this is time well spent.

3. Figure out your competition. Once you understand what you're up against, you'll know where you stand and how to plan an effective strategy for entering the marketplace.

Competitors of course include businesses that directly compete with you offering similar products or services. However, you don't want to forget about businesses that are in a different industry but you both compete for the same customer's dollar (ie. a parent could take their child to the movies or the zoo).

So what do you need to find out?

- Size of competitors and their market share
- Are competitors constantly innovating or not so much?
- Are your competitors advertising a lot?
- What do consumers think about these businesses - what is their perception?
- Is it easy to enter into this particular market and are lots more competitors expected in the future?

4. After you have conducted your research, you should have a much better understanding of the industry and your market. This will enable you to see opportunities where your business could excel.

For example, once you know what your market wants and you see the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors, it becomes easier to find the perfect segment in your marketplace that is not getting filled. You can design your business and marketing campaign around this "missing segment" and attract more customers with fewer companies competing against you.

Find out more by downloading a free business plan template.

Shortcuts to Starting a Non-Profit

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:38:00 +0000

Recently, one of our readers requested more information on starting a non-profit. A big part of properly setting up a non-profit organization is the paperwork.

Although the task is not terribly difficult, the paperwork can seem intimidating. Here are some resources and short-cuts:

If you want to form a non-profit corporation, LegalZoom has information on formation, obtaining discounts on business services, how to receive tax-deductible donations and more. Information and help forming a non-profit.

You will also need to obtain a tax id number. The ID is free, but again, more paperwork. WikiHow has a list of 13 steps for starting a 501c3 non-profit that explains the basics. It's a good overview of the process.

There is also a web page on our site dedicated to starting a non-profit - although we try to confuse people by calling it social entrepreneurship. Watch out!

A Day in the Life of Tim Ferris

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:51:00 +0000

LLC Report Filing Deadline Approaching

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:43:00 +0000

Is your business an LLC formed in Delaware?

If so, you probably know that your annual report deadline is coming up June 1. However, this can be easy to forget (I know I would, if I didn't have my trusty registered agent Bill reminding me every year).

Even if your LLC is not formed in Delaware, most states have ongoing reporting, filing or other requirements for LLCs. You can find out more information about annual reports, franchise taxes and requirements for your state in this article.

As I mentioned above, my registered agent Bill reminds me when and where to file my report and how much I need to pay in franchise tax. It's convenient, because I avoid potential late fees and penalties - but it's not an option, really.

A business that incorporates or registers to do business in a different state is required to have a registered agent.

How to Profit from a Kindle

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:47:00 +0000

The Kindle is a hot-selling product.

People like reading, and more and more are switching over to digital books because they are cheaper to buy, they can receive them instantly - and of course they can read them on their Kindles.

Authors want to publish their books in digital format so that they can sell more books (obviously!).

This is where you can profit from the Kindle. You can help authors publish their books in digital format - as a Digital Publishing Specialist.

More and more people are accessing written content on mobile devices - this opportunity is showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, the beginning stage is the best time to get in on a growing opportunity.

So, how do you get started?

Starting April 30th, you can get the exact steps to set-up a physical book in a digital format through Amazon Kindle (and other popular online publishing platforms) through the Digital Publishing Specialist Program and see how you can start making money before everyone gets in on this craze.

6 Ways to Get Free Advertising

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:17:00 +0000

Actually, these are not really 6 ways to get advertising for free - they are 6 ways to get customers for free (even better!).

Anyway, a few days ago, one of our subscribers asked about free and low-cost advertising strategies that I recommend. Being the nice person that I am ;), I answered him. I also thought I'd post the list here:

1. Free Email Marketing for Very Small Businesses:
http://www.thenewbusinessidea.com/2012/04/free-email-marketing-for-very-small.html

2. How to Advertise Free on Pinterest:
http://www.thenewbusinessidea.com/2012/03/how-to-advertise-free-on-pinterest.html

3. How to Increase Sales with Free Video Email:
http://www.hotenvelope.com/Video-Email.html

4. Networking: Customer-Finding Made Fun:
http://www.thenewbusinessidea.com/2012/02/networking-customer-finding-made-fun.html

5. How to Create a Website for Free:
http://www.thenewbusinessidea.com/2012/03/how-do-i-create-website-for-home-based.html

6. Starting a Business with No Money (with tips on marketing):
http://www.freehomebusinesses.com/Starting-a-Business-with-No-Money.html

Home Business Ideas: Getting Yourself to Actually Get Work Done

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:18:00 +0000

What is one of the hardest things for a home-based entrepreneur?

Staying motivated and avoiding distractions. Well, I guess that's officially two things, but they essentially point to one task: getting the work done.

There's no denying it, working from home can be awesome. You can wear whatever you want, goof off without anyone knowing it, work from bed or the pool, sleep in late....

But wait. What about the work? Ahh yes, the work. It's the end of the day, and it still hasn't gotten done.

So how do you resolve this problem that is actually the whole reason you wanted to work from home in the first place?

Two things:

1. Create a space where you love to work.
2. Eliminate distractions from that space.

And actually, the whole reason that I started writing this post is because I read an article on Motivating Yourself by Setting up the Perfect Home Office. I agree with this completely.

A Space You Love to Work

You've got to make your home office so wonderful that it's the first place you want to go in the morning. You want comfortable furniture, pictures that inspire you and items that make you happy.

The space also needs give you easy access to everything you need to to get your work done (office equipment, research books, phone numbers, business supplies, etc..) so that you can't use the excuse that you couldn't get the work done because you didn't have what you needed.

And Just Saying No to Distractions....

At the same time, you don't want to make your office so wonderful that you bring the TV, a container of ice cream, the hot tub and your bed pillow in there too. That may be a little distracting. And although distractions can be fun, the goal here is to get the work done before the end of the day.

Now, don't torture yourself. We all know that ice cream and the hot tub are very important. In fact, they can be great motivators to getting our work done... when we use them as rewards for reaching out work goals.

My secret? A $10 timer.

Bloggers: Need More Traffic to Your Blog?

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:24:00 +0000

Blogging can be a great way to make money from home - writing about stuff you love to talk about. You don't even have to sell anything - just get lots of traffic to your blog, and the advertisers will do all the hard work and pay you to be listed on your site.

But first you need traffic.

And that's not always easy to get, especially when you're just getting started. Good thing I ran across a service last week called Blog Engage. They help bloggers get the traffic they need.

As a blogger, all you need to do is subscribe to their service. This involves giving them your blog site address and basic information about your target market. It took us less than 5 minutes, so this is really easy.

Then they start working for you - publishing your blog content on various sites on the web. When you publish new content on your blog, it will automatically be published on their network of site to target markets that match your content.

In addition to getting lots of exposure for your blog, you also get the benefit of several backlinks to your blog from quality PR4, PR3 and PR2 sites. Google likes this, which means you can increase your rankings in the search engines.

Monthly plans start as low as $5/month, with no long-term contract. This is great news, because you can try it out for yourself to see the results you get - and the risk is only $5 and 5 minutes (trade it for your morning Starbucks).

Here's where we started: Get More Traffic to Your Blog

How to Make the Most of Your Website

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:17:00 +0000

A website can be a great tool for advertising your business. In fact, you can set up a professional website yourself and have it working for you 24-7 for less than $100 a year.

$100 may be cheap for an entire year of advertising, but $100 is still $100. As long as you are going to take the time, effort and expense to create a site - why not make the most of it?

What do I mean?

For that $100 spent, it's better to have 10,000 people visit your website than 100. Right?

OK. So here's how you do it.

1. Increase Your Website's Exposure.
This means listing your website address on your business cards, invoices, vehicle signs, brochures, stationary, company uniforms and any other places that people may see your business. This also means including your website address with your yellow page listing and when you add your company to local search directories online.

When people want information about your business, they are more likely to visit your website rather than call you on the phone or walk into your shop - they're too busy. Make it easy for them to get the scoop on your company by letting them know where to find you online.

2. Keep Your Website Fresh!
Update your website content regularly. The idea here is to give your customers or prospects a reason to return to your website. Let them know about your latest work projects and successes, company news, events you are putting on or participating in, charities you are involved with, special promotions you are having or coupons they can download from your website.

Instead of waiting for customers to return to your site, get them to give you their email contact information so you can send the information to them. This can be really easy - offer a free monthly newsletter or members list where they can receive special members-only coupons or advanced notice of sales, etc...

They'll need to give you their email address in order for you to send them the information - and ta-da! You've started building your customer list. Now that wasn't that hard, was it?

Still haven't built your website yet? Check out the web hosting companies here. They have professional templates you can use, built-in blogs that let you easily post news about your company and website forms you can use as your simple email list-builder.

Go Audio and Get Smarter

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

A new hot book is released to the market.

Have you ever said to yourself, "I'd really like to read that book, but when will I ever find the time?"

That's me today. I actually said that to myself. Quietly, of course. But then I thought, "Maybe it's about time I start listening to audio books while I'm doing other stuff." And actually, I kid you not, the book I'm referring to called The Fire Starter Sessions by Danielle LaPorte is already available as an audio book the day after its release. I don't have to wait!

There are so many times I've made the excuse, "I'd really like to read that book, but when will I ever find the time?" that I've got a library backlog of reading to do.

And these aren't just "fun" books, these babies can give me a full-on education, help grow my business, advance my career, give me new business ideas and ultimately help me help other people and make more money along the way.

So, for me, the wait is over. It's like the cookie is sitting right there, and I'm telling myself I can't have it.

Well. I'm hungry.

Social Media - Made Faster

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:53:00 +0000

If you're a wise business owner, you are advertising your business in all sorts of different ways - even when it comes to social media. Social media is just something you can't ignore, but it can take several hours out of your day trying to manage it.

Getting social media marketing under control is essential for small businesses with limited resources. They simply don't have the time to waste when they so many other important things to do. At the same time, small start-ups generally don't have the finances to hire a social media professional to tackle the work - and get it done right.

That's where social media management program comes in.

Yes, these days it seems like there is a software program that will manage any task you want. However, with social media management - you can combine 10 or 20 daily activities into one, so this becomes a big time saver. It also lets you continue to get the word out about your products and services to the people who want to buy from you.

See article: Social Media Marketing - Made Fast!

Start a Business - or - Get an MBA?

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 22:03:00 +0000

Created by: MBAOnline.com

Home Business Permits - What Do You Need?

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:18:00 +0000

If you are operating a business out of your home, it is likely that you'll need a business license. But what permits might you need? Let's see...

Seller's Permit or Resale Permit
Generally needed by businesses that sell products. This permit allows business owners to avoid paying sales tax on merchandise when purchased from wholesalers. The permit is obtained through the local taxing authority.

Home Occupation Permit
Some cities require businesses that operate from home to obtain a home occupation permit before they can operate from the specified location.

Food Service Permit
If you run a catering business or prepare food in your home (or other location for that matter) you may need to apply for a food service permit. Your cooking space typically will need to pass an inspection by the Department of Health.

Sign Permit
Will you be using signs to advertise your business? There are often certain restrictions on the size, location, lighting and type of sign you use. Many residential neighborhoods do not allow any signage. Check with your city.

Film Permit
May be required if you are filming or shooting photography in public buildings, property or transportation or state parks.

Building Permit
Will you make alterations to your home that require a building permit? (ie. mechanical, plumbing, electrical)

There are of course a variety of other fun permits that may be required, but most do not pertain to home-based operations. Since rules vary by area, check with your city/county/state when you apply for your business license, and they should be able to tell you the regulations that apply to your particular business in your particular location. Fun stuff.

How to Work from Home, Make Money and Not Talk to Anyone

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:40:00 +0000

"Working from Home" can mean different things to different people. That's a good thing.

A home-based business doesn't have to be exclusively at home. It can simply be based from home, and the business owner can go out to meet clients, complete projects, etc.. Alternatively, clients can meet the business owner at the business owner's home.

And a home business can involve virtually any type of activity that you like to do and that can make you money.

But -

What if you're the type of person who wants to work from home without having to go out to meet clients or have clients meet you in your home? What if you don't like talking on the phone all day with prospects and just want to be left alone in peace while you work?

Then what are your options?

Don't worry - you have plenty!

The internet of course provides lots of opportunities for home-based workers. However, you are not limited to work that requires you to be on the computer all day.

In fact, the internet is a very helpful resource for home-based entrepreneurs who create products and services and then need to sell them. The internet makes it possible for business owners to connect with clients without having to make sales calls, hold client meetings or even talk with people on the phone.

Now don't get me wrong - talking with people is a good thing. In fact, the more you network and communicate with others, the more it will help your business. However, if you REALLY like working independently, here are a few ideas:

- Become an App Developer and sell your apps through the Apple store. You actually don't have to do the developing yourself. As long as you have the idea, you can outsource the work remotely without ever having to leave your house. Don't make it too complicated on yourself - look at some of the most successful apps, and you'll notice that many are stupidly simple ideas.

- Make Money Blogging Yes, you can make money blogging. There are plenty of people way ahead of you on this one. The good news is that there is room for you too.

As long as you have an interesting topic to write about or skill to share, there are plenty of people who want to learn this information for free - and plenty of advertisers who will pay you to advertise on your blog. Startup can be slow, so the key is to blog consistently to grow your followers.

- Write a Cookbook Even though there are thousands of free recipes available online, there is still lots of money being made in the world of cookbooks. Apparently people can't get enough of them. There is cheap software you can use to produce them, you can self-publish them and sell them at various sites online. Again, no need to leave the house until you run out of food.

Well, what if you like to write, but you don't want to write a cookbook. Fine. Be that way. There are plenty of other books you can write, and lots of people reading, last time I checked. Check out the free book-writing tools at FastPencil and How to write a book in 30 days.

- Make and Sell Crafts No, I'm not kidding. Today's home-based craft-makers have gone pro, and you probably don't even know it because they're at home. Take a look at the craft-selling site Etsy.com. It is one of the highest-trafficked sites on the internet, and there are plenty of other online outlets where artisans can sell their merchandise.

FYI, crafts go way beyond the cute stuff. Greeting cards, high-end jewelry, candle making, soap making, recycled items, welding, furniture building all fit into the crafts category. And probably lots of other things.

- Become a Graphic Designer Sure, you can do all the design work from home - but what about finding customers? No worries! With freelancing job sites, you can list your skills and services, and clients can find you. You can also use a site called 99 Designs to help you get those clients you want - without leaving the house or picking up the phone. Phones! Who needs em?

Can you freelance doing other stuff? Sure. You can probably get away with doing website design, computer programming or administrative support without having to talk to anyone.

- Open an Online Store Wow! You've heard of this one already? But seriously, online stores can be super easy and cheap to start. You don't even have to build a website or buy any inventory for your store.

Partner with an existing (and reputable) company, and they can take all the orders and ship all the products for you. You also share the profits. The key to succeeding at this is to get good at marketing online. Similar to blogging, you want to put in consistent effort everyday, and over time, you'll see results.

- Should I Even Mention eBay?

The Walking Business is Not About Exercise...

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 12:19:00 +0000

Who says a walking tour business needs to be about exercise? Boston’s Yummy Walks is all about eating - food tasting that is. It combines the traditional sightseeing tour with food - something that adds to the experience and, of course, helps Yummy Tours stand out from the crowd.

Interestingly, by doing something different and distinguishing itself from its competitors, the company is able to attract a whole new target market - foodies. (Who care’s about the sightseeing! I’m hungry!)

And, because they are essentially combining two tours into one (food and sightseeing), they automatically increase the value of the tour to customers. This gives them the ability to charge more for their service or attract a larger group of tourists.

If you enjoy being outdoors and around people, a walking tour business may be right up your alley. Get creative with the services you offer and the places you go. People pay to be entertained, so the more interesting and fun you make your tours, the more customers you’ll attract.

If you live in an area that attracts lot of out-of-town tourists, you can offer the same tour or visit the same destinations over and over and still get lots of new customers. On the other hand, if your focus is local clientele, you can vary your walks and activities and build a loyal following of repeat customers that can bring your consistent revenue.

Resources for Starting a Taxicab Business

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 12:40:00 +0000

I recently received a request for information on how to start a taxicab business. I did some research, have listed some of the resources that I came up with.

Licensing

Different cities and counties have different licensing requirements. However, drivers will usually need to have a taxicab license or "for hire vehicle" license for their city/county, a business license and a drivers license.

In addition, many places require drivers to complete training, pass a physical exam and be at least 21 years old.

Equipment

As far as equipment goes, taxicab drivers need toplights for their vehicles and taxi meters. Meters are regulated by the federal government, and therefore must pass an inspection and be sealed prior to use.

The National Taxicab Supply Company has toplights, meters and signage specifically for taxi drivers.

Accepting Payments

Accepting credit cards means giving customers more ways to give you money. One option is using a wireless terminal that prints receipts. Sometimes you can get the equipment for free by subscribing to a service plan with a merchant account provider like GotMerchant.com.

More Resources:

- BizQuest has an extensive list of taxi and limousine businesses for sale.

- Free Taxicab Advertising: This article explains how a cab driver made videos and posted them on YouTube to advertise his business for free.

- Free Sample Taxicab Business Plan

How to Track Your Tax Deductions - the Easy Way

noreply@blogger.com (News Update) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:56:00 +0000

I have mentioned the company Mint.com before in regards to using their free budgeting service for your business (and personal use for that matter). However, I recently noticed that they also provide deduction-maximizing service great for small business owners.

It's tracking your tax deductions - year round.

This way, you don't have to get caught at the end of the year trying to identify all of your tax deductions. They are all conveniently categorized (ie. office supplies, entertainment, auto expenses, donations, advertising, insurance, etc..).

I know from personal experience that tracking business expenses throughout the year (rather than waiting until the last minute) can add up to bigger tax savings.

It also makes preparing tax returns easier and faster. It's one of those things that once you do it - you'll never go back to your old ways....