WAHM articles

2/7/11

How to Run a Home Biz When You Work Full Time Outside the Home

Do you have a dream of being debt free or being your own boss and working from home? Do you think it’s impossible because you work full time outside the home? I’m here to tell you it is possible and it can be done working part time. This article will show you how to do it, be successful, and reach your goals and dreams. As an example, let’s talk about how to run a business until you get to a point where you are replacing your income and you can quit your job and work your business full time.

When you first start out, you will be able to work your business by yourself. As you grow, that may not be the case. You may need some help until you reach a level where you can quit your job.

It doesn’t matter what type of business you start, it can be run in the evenings and on the weekends. Depending on how dedicated you are, you may choose to work in the morning before you go to work, during your lunch hour, after dinner and then during the weekend. It’s your business and you can run it the way you want.

The first thing you need to do is set your hours. You need to write them down so you can see them and remember them. You may choose to publish them on your website as well. That is up to you entirely because; it’s not required that you do that. If you choose to work from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday and 2 pm to 6 pm on Sunday, then that’s what you need to work. You want to tell you customers and clients that as well. Spending time with the family and for yourself is important, so you shouldn’t let your business overtake that.

If it’s at all possible, I recommend you purchase a laptop with wireless internet. This will allow you to spend your lunch hour working your business and you won’t have to travel to and from work wasting valuable work time. Depending on your work environment, you may be able to sit at your desk, sit in the break room, or you may be able to work in the lobby of your building. You need to make sure you keep an eye on the clock and you don’t want distractions.

Once you get to a point where you cannot handle business while you work, it’s time to consider hiring a Virtual Assistant. A Virtual Assistant can help you grow your business and the amount she will charge is minimal compared to what you may be losing. Your VA can help you with things like setting appointments, writing and submitting articles, writing and posting blog posts, social networking, and advertising. Of course all of this depends on the type of business you run, but you get the point. This will free up time for you to do the things that actually make you money.

At some point you are going to reach an income level where you will either be making just enough or more than enough money to quite your day job. At this point you will need to decide if you are ready to go at this alone or if you want to keep your VA. I recommend you keep your VA and continue to grow your business with the added time you will have. When you do this, you will be able to grow your business even further and make even more money.

One thing you need to understand is this can take some time. I have seen people do this in as little as six months and I’ve seen it take up to two or three years. It depends on how badly you want this and how hard you want to work at this to make it a reality. Nonetheless, it can be done if you are dedicated to making your dream become reality.
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How to Take Your Offline Business Online

With technology the way it is anymore, people are doing online searches for just about anything and everything. People will do a search to find information on schools in their area, churches, and any type of business that they want to find.

With that said, it’s important that every business have a website or at least a blog that people will be able to find and read. The more they find about you and your business, the better off you will be and the more likely they are to shop with you.

I recommend creating at least a one page website. You will want to include a little about your business, what you offer, how they can find you, your phone number, and your store hours. Including a map would be great.

This one page site will be the first impression people may have of you, so you want it to look its best. Make it look professional yet fun. You will also want it to match what you do in your business. For example, if you own a furniture store, you should include pictures of the furniture you offer. If it’s at all possible, take pictures of the furniture in your store. This will show people that you really do have a store front and it will be inviting for them.

While a one page site is good, it would be better if you included a second page that had customer testimonies. People always want to read good things from other people before they make a purchase from a business they have never used before. Offering these testimonies will increase your sales and traffic to your store.

Offering products online is a great way to get sales even though people don’t come to your store. Online sales can be a little tricky if you receive a purchase from someone that is not in your area, but it’s a great thing because they will likely buy more and they may even stop in your store when they come to your area.

Another way you can get your business in front of the online world is to create a blog. A blog is an online or web log. You make posts that contain any kind of information you want. This is a great way to show your online readers what you have going on in your store and what specials you are running. If you get a new product, you can take a picture of it and include that in a post. You can also include customer testimonies from your in store visitors. Another idea for a post is to take pictures of customers in your store. Make sure you get their permission before using their picture.

It doesn’t matter what type of business you run, you should have a website or blog created for you. Even a small locally owned business should consider this to increase business. Businesses such as plumbers, mechanics, jewelry shops, or used clothing stores should have a website online. Increasing the traffic to your store and your sales is what you are in business for and a website can help you do this and so much more.

Corrie Petersen runs a successful Virtual Assistant and she's the owner of WAHM-Articles.com.