| Work from home opportunities can be categorized into | | | | capture page, a "contact me" page and information |
| three groups: | | | | about yourself and your services (and testimonials if |
| Work from home "JOBS" | | | | you can get some). |
| Work from home BUSINESS | | | | 7. Advertise in local classifieds - and in Craig's List |
| Work from home BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES | | | | (your town - I'd direct responses to your site as |
| Work from home "JOBS" | | | | opposed to your telephone number). |
| Anything advertised as a "Work from home Job" is | | | | 8. Get on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace and learn |
| synonymous with the word "CAUTION". There are | | | | to market your services on social networks (search |
| indeed "jobs" which you can do from home. They are | | | | the net for FREE information on how to do it). |
| mostly of the telecommute type for local employers. | | | | 9. Advertise in Google "Local Business" (don't bother |
| Best source - ask your own employer - ask a friend if | | | | with phone book - nobody looks there anymore). Hold |
| their employer has any telecommuting type jobs - | | | | off further paid advertising until you're making some |
| check the local papers, or even a local employment | | | | money. |
| agency (be very careful about paying any fee in | | | | 10. Make a list of all local businesses (or friends or |
| advance). "Work from home jobs" advertised on the | | | | relatives) that might need your service. |
| internet are often outright scams designed to get a | | | | 11. Get some business cards to go with your sales |
| small registration or certification fee or some kind of | | | | letter and get out and talk to people. |
| purchase from you without any real promise of a "job" | | | | Marketing and selling a Product is a little more complex. |
| in return. Here are a few offers to be especially | | | | You are going to have to plan not only how to market |
| careful of: | | | | and sell, but how to deliver the product and receive |
| *Envelope Stuffing | | | | payment. And, depending how and where you sell the |
| *Assembly or Craft Work | | | | product, collecting and paying state & local sales tax. |
| *Claim Processing | | | | The 11 point list above is a pretty good start, but you |
| *Medical Billing | | | | will need to add shopping cart to your website and |
| *Taking Surveys or Rebate Processing | | | | provisions for payment (I'd suggest PayPal). Many |
| Here are some questions to ask if you are considering | | | | people market and sell on eBay. It's pretty easy - get |
| a work at home job: | | | | an eBay account and go to it. And, depending on the |
| 1. Exactly what will you have to do? | | | | product, don't overlook consignment at local stores and |
| 2. How will you be paid - hourly, piece work or by | | | | businesses. |
| commission? | | | | Work from home BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Work |
| 3. Who will pay you, and when will you get your first | | | | from home Business Opportunities generally come |
| paycheck? | | | | from two sources; Affiliate Marketing and Multi-Level |
| 4. Do you have to purchase equipment, goods or | | | | Marketing (also known as Network Marketing). Later in |
| products to resell | | | | this series I will devote an entire article to each of |
| 5. Is there an up-front cost to you like registration or | | | | these subjects, but I will highlight some important points |
| training fee? (Very bad sign) | | | | here. |
| Finally, when it comes to work from home jobs, my | | | | Affiliate Marketing - is thought to be one of the easiest |
| rule would be "Never pay money to get a job". Like | | | | ways for a beginner to get into Internet Marketing. You |
| most rules, there are times to make an exception, but | | | | select someone else's product to sell (check the |
| only with extreme caution. | | | | ClickBank Market Place and you will see hundreds of |
| Work from Home BUSINESS Prospects are a little | | | | offers), market it through Internet Marketing, Social |
| brighter here. Many people make a decent income | | | | Networks, or even off-line methods. You direct the |
| pursuing a business from home. | | | | prospects to your website capture page - or direct to |
| How? Selling a service you (or others under you) | | | | the vendors site, where they take over the sales |
| provide, or a product of your own you can sell. You | | | | process. If a sale is made you get a commission. The |
| can sell your service or product on-line (Internet | | | | trick is to select a product that is in demand by a lot of |
| Marketing, Ebay, Craig's List, etc.) or off-line (Classifieds, | | | | people, and is something you are knowledgeable about |
| Direct mail, Consignment, Networking, etc.). | | | | (passionate about would be better). This can be done |
| Don't know what Service you could offer? What are | | | | by keyword search, but more on that in later articles. |
| your skills? Here is a short list of skills that lend | | | | Multi-Level Marketing - is where you select a company |
| themselves to working from home: | | | | (who participates in MLM) and apply to be an |
| *Consultant | | | | Independent Business Owner (that's the usual term), |
| *Coach/Trainer (nutrition, life skills, financial, personal | | | | licensed to sell their products. Most of these |
| development, etc.) | | | | companies will provide a website where you can |
| *Copywriter | | | | provide information about, and sell the product. Some |
| *Proof - reader | | | | provide some training and a marketing system. |
| *Virtual Assistant | | | | It is called Multi-level Marketing because you can recruit |
| I could go on, but you get the point. Out-sourcing tasks | | | | other people to sell for the company and you will |
| to someone who has skills they need, or who can do it | | | | receive a commission on their sales as well as your |
| better and quicker, is a way of life for many small | | | | own. |
| businesses or busy people. How do you market your | | | | This fact (and some very complex compensation |
| services? | | | | plans) has given Multi-Level Marketing in general a bad |
| 1. Decide exactly what service you will provide and | | | | name which is - in many cases - well deserved. |
| what you will charge (tip - type in that service into | | | | "Scam" and "Pyramid Scheme" are names that come |
| Google search and see what others are offering). | | | | to many people's mind when Multi-Level Marketing is |
| 2. Make up your "elevator speech" (a quick pitch you | | | | mentioned and this scares off many people from what |
| can deliver in 30 seconds when someone asks "what | | | | can be a legitimate (and profitable) opportunity. |
| do you do") | | | | The category (legitimate business or Pyramid Scheme |
| 3. Flesh out that "elevator speech" into a sales letter | | | | or Scam) the company falls into can generally be |
| that sells the benefits of your service (not you or your | | | | determined by two things; the cost value of the |
| service - benefits for your customer). Hire a | | | | product being sold, and more importantly the legal |
| copywriter to help in needed. | | | | definition of a pyramid scheme which has to do with |
| 4. Create a workspace in your home and make sure | | | | compensation received for recruiting efforts vs. for |
| you have everything needed to deliver first class | | | | sale of Product. If you receive the vast majority of |
| service at hand and ready. | | | | your compensation in the form of recruiting bonuses, |
| 5. Before you spend any more money or energy, | | | | you're probably involved in a pyramid scheme. |
| contact your local SCORE chapter and seek the | | | | As with Affiliate Marketing, I will devote an entire article |
| (FREE) advice of an experienced Small Business | | | | to Multi-level Marketing later in this series on Home |
| Consultant who can help guide you to success. | | | | Businesses. |
| 6. Get an internet platform (website or blog) with a | | | | |