What is a Home Office?
At its most basic level a home office is just a space in the house which is called the "office". It could be in a closet, beside the furnace, in a garage or in a spare bedroom. In larger homes, it could be a separate room on the main floor next to the kitchen or family room. My home home office started this way but now occupies most of our basement. Most home offices are simply places where on goes to pay the household bills or surf the internet: not much real business happins.
Work from Home
This is a much more business oriented office that probably relates to one major employer. Enlightened companies allow some of their employees to work at home at least some of the time. This can free the employee from a commute and allow he or she to coordinate family events easier. Computers, the internet, the telephone and the fax machine make this all possible and with the advent of video conferencing, the need to be in an actual office to meet with someone is not really necessary. The way gas prices are going, this may be the way of the future for any corporations who want to attract top level specialists. In this scenerio, there is still an employee-employer relationship.
Self Employed Home Office
This is where the person is basically working for himself or herself but there is one major source of income. This would include insurance agents and real estate agents. These agents are not employees and they pay all or part of their own expenses. Being self employed, they can make business deductions for space in their house, car expenses and other office expenses like paper, telephones, internet service and a host of other expenses that you incur when you run a small business.
Home Office Business
This a small business where the person actually owns the business name, has a separate business bank account and writes cheques on the business bank account. The business could deal directly with customers or clients or deal direct with other businesses. This could be an independant real estate broker, insurance broker, hairdresser, plumber, electrician etc. Network marketers would fit in this catagory.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
The Bottom Line
Besides playing a major role in launching the "the health food industry", network marketing also played a major role when the telephone industry was deregulated in the USA in the 1980's. Companies like MCI took off like a rocket thanks to network marketing companies. Since then network market companies like ACN and Excel have continued to play a major role in the communications industry.
In the 1990's a network marketing company called NSF did an awful lot to change people's opinion of the water they were drinking from their own tap. This campaign was continued by Amway and Shaklee. Now it's hard to listen to the radio without hearing an ad for filtered water of some kind.
At about the same time Amsoil invented synthetic motor oil. Totally revolutionary back then but synthetic oil is now sold everywhere.
You will find numerous examples of network marketing companies creating new and revolutionary products. That's why people get excited and want to share the good news with the people they know--usually their friends and family---sometimes--often--they get too excited and turn them off rather than turn them on. Some people just don't know when to stop talking.
The Bottom line: While the products are extremely important, its the change that goes on inside the people that is truly remarkable: the key ingredient that makes this business exciting is that people get to dream again. Goals and dreams that have conveniently forgotten can be resurrected from the graves of quiet desperation. Now individuals have a way to get their dreams, a way to change their life for the better. This is by far the most important gift this business gives to people.
But just be sure you join the company that's best for you and one that is reputable and honest in their business dealings. You don't want your dreams stolen by some charlatan. Network marketing has its share of unscrupulous people just the same as any other business. It's not perfect but it's one of the few chances people really have to make a truly significant difference in their lives.
In the 1990's a network marketing company called NSF did an awful lot to change people's opinion of the water they were drinking from their own tap. This campaign was continued by Amway and Shaklee. Now it's hard to listen to the radio without hearing an ad for filtered water of some kind.
At about the same time Amsoil invented synthetic motor oil. Totally revolutionary back then but synthetic oil is now sold everywhere.
You will find numerous examples of network marketing companies creating new and revolutionary products. That's why people get excited and want to share the good news with the people they know--usually their friends and family---sometimes--often--they get too excited and turn them off rather than turn them on. Some people just don't know when to stop talking.
The Bottom line: While the products are extremely important, its the change that goes on inside the people that is truly remarkable: the key ingredient that makes this business exciting is that people get to dream again. Goals and dreams that have conveniently forgotten can be resurrected from the graves of quiet desperation. Now individuals have a way to get their dreams, a way to change their life for the better. This is by far the most important gift this business gives to people.
But just be sure you join the company that's best for you and one that is reputable and honest in their business dealings. You don't want your dreams stolen by some charlatan. Network marketing has its share of unscrupulous people just the same as any other business. It's not perfect but it's one of the few chances people really have to make a truly significant difference in their lives.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Do you Suggest a Seven or a Nine?
It was a georgeous Spring day. The air was filled with the sweet aroma of fresh cut grass and spring flowers were just beginning to bloom. As I was walking, I thought how nice it was to be quite alone out here. I wondered to my self how this same place would have been very crowded just yesterday. Of course, yesterday was Sunday and now they'll all at work or going to work. It was so much nicer walking down this fairway at 9 am on Monday morning rather than driving for an hour to get to work. As I got closer to my golf ball, I quickly changed my thinking. "What club should I use?" Pondering that for a while I couldn't help but remember that my friend Jack was in just about the same position last week when we both played this hole while he was on vacation. Jack probably just got to work so I thought I'd give him a ring. Jack couldn't quite believe I was calling him so he sounded a little confused. After asking his advice on what club I should use based on his previous experience, he actually sounded irritated with me. Anyway, after exchanging pleasantries and getting his advice, I chose a 9 iron. I had a really good shot and was thankful to Jack. I kind of wondered if Jack was happy at his job even though he said he really enjoyed his job when I approached him about having his own business. I guess maybe, he was just having a bad day. After all, it was Monday morning and he probably had more important things on his mind than playing golf.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Enjoy Your Home and Garden
It's the little things that matter in life but, I for one, don't notice them so much because I've been working so long at home that I just take them for granted. However, for the past few days I have been out and about tring my best to avoid getting stuck in Toronto traffic. It's just so amazing to try to figure out where all those folks are racing to anyhow. I just can't believe people do this everyday. I guess you can get used to anything but there must be a price.
How much energy do we waste just driving to and from work. Who designed this system where we have to move millions of tons of steel every day to make a living ? How many people could actually work at home if the powers that be, would actually just trust their employess to put in a good days work at home? I don't think that's going to happen very soon, unless of course, global warming forces such a change.
Today, I am working at home. It's far more peaceful. I can go for a walk in the park by the beach in Cobourg anytime I want. I'm sitting at my computer and can literally see the grass turn green and the daffodil leaves growing. It's a good day to have a home business.
How much energy do we waste just driving to and from work. Who designed this system where we have to move millions of tons of steel every day to make a living ? How many people could actually work at home if the powers that be, would actually just trust their employess to put in a good days work at home? I don't think that's going to happen very soon, unless of course, global warming forces such a change.
Today, I am working at home. It's far more peaceful. I can go for a walk in the park by the beach in Cobourg anytime I want. I'm sitting at my computer and can literally see the grass turn green and the daffodil leaves growing. It's a good day to have a home business.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Websites and Leads Part 3
Websites and Leads Attraction
Leads attraction is one of the major reasons why companies have websites. The hope is that their potential new customers will find them. With literally biilions of websites that's becoming increasingly harder unless you know the rules of how to play the game. The rules are elusive and subject to change. Unless you happen to be a fly on the wall at Google, understanding the rules can be frustrating. Maybe there are no real rules, maybe the rules change monthly. Anybody who claims to have this all figured is not exactly telling the whole truth.
There are some companies out there who advise small business owners to gather their own leads through developing their own websites. In theory, a well written website with lots of content and positioned well with the right keywords and meta phrases will be found by people interested in your product or service. Did I mention, there were now how many billion websites? How do you get people to find yours? Well you could talk to your friends and relatives and people in line at the mall. That sounds like you are right back at the beginning. Many in network marketing companies have a replicated company website. According to some sources, Google ignores such website as being redundant: Just cluttering up the internet with the same ol' content on hundreds or thousands of sites. Yuk.
I believe websites are extremely important for developing business. Even replicated websites fullfil the purpose of providing information to customers. It's just that you have to send all the customers there. They'll hardly ever find you by searching. Unless of course, you brand your name--more on that later.
Websites provide another very useful function and that is educating your clientel on the need for your product. Often people don't even know anything about a product so how can they need something they know nothing about. So how do you get people who don't know what they want to go to a website they never heard of to find out about a product they don't even know they need. Good questions. Tell that to the guy who tells you the "product sells itself". It kind of reminds of the lady walking by this absolutely gorgeous front yard who said to the gardener that "God sure makes a beautiful garden". To which the gardener replied "Yes HE does and you should have seen it when God had it all to himself".
Leads attraction is one of the major reasons why companies have websites. The hope is that their potential new customers will find them. With literally biilions of websites that's becoming increasingly harder unless you know the rules of how to play the game. The rules are elusive and subject to change. Unless you happen to be a fly on the wall at Google, understanding the rules can be frustrating. Maybe there are no real rules, maybe the rules change monthly. Anybody who claims to have this all figured is not exactly telling the whole truth.
There are some companies out there who advise small business owners to gather their own leads through developing their own websites. In theory, a well written website with lots of content and positioned well with the right keywords and meta phrases will be found by people interested in your product or service. Did I mention, there were now how many billion websites? How do you get people to find yours? Well you could talk to your friends and relatives and people in line at the mall. That sounds like you are right back at the beginning. Many in network marketing companies have a replicated company website. According to some sources, Google ignores such website as being redundant: Just cluttering up the internet with the same ol' content on hundreds or thousands of sites. Yuk.
I believe websites are extremely important for developing business. Even replicated websites fullfil the purpose of providing information to customers. It's just that you have to send all the customers there. They'll hardly ever find you by searching. Unless of course, you brand your name--more on that later.
Websites provide another very useful function and that is educating your clientel on the need for your product. Often people don't even know anything about a product so how can they need something they know nothing about. So how do you get people who don't know what they want to go to a website they never heard of to find out about a product they don't even know they need. Good questions. Tell that to the guy who tells you the "product sells itself". It kind of reminds of the lady walking by this absolutely gorgeous front yard who said to the gardener that "God sure makes a beautiful garden". To which the gardener replied "Yes HE does and you should have seen it when God had it all to himself".
Leads Attraction Part 2
Use the Product to Attract People
Most people aren't looking for a business so promote the product. Owning a business can sound like too much hard work to most people and they usually wouldn't have a clue where to start anyway. If people are looking to make more money, they simply think they need to find a better job. A few, possibly 5%, start to think outside the box: they become possibility thinkers, not probability thinkers. A summary of the four ways we make money http://www.homeoffice.ws/The_Four_Ways_We_Make_Money.html.
People buy products that solve problems for them not because thay like the features and benefits of a certain product. The key question you always have to answer is:What's in it for them?
One thing I 've noticed about my home business is that I rarely meet people who just happen to walk into my house. If I want new business, I must leave my nice cosy home and go out and meet people. (unless I'm marketing on the Internet) If you are selling a food product or even some kind of wellness product, you might want to consider setting up a stall at your local farmers market where people care about nutrition. If you're selling some electronic gadget or some other non food item or service, perhaps a reputable "flea" market would be better. Don't go blow your brains out with some trade shows and home shows were the rent can be very high. If you've done the smaller venues, and got a real good fix on your target market, the expensive trade shows maybe ok in the future, but not at first.
Get the right market for your product. About 15 years ago, I made and sold homemade sausages at 4 different farmers market close to where I live in Southern Ontario, Canada. I had been in one year round market for about 2 years and on a good day, I would sell $500 worth of product. Through relatives, I learned that a new short term farmers market was opening up in the Toronto area. I went and on the first day sold over a $1,000 worth of product from all new customers who had no idea how good these sausages really were. Other markets in smaller towns in the are only grossed about $150 to $200. So location is really important. Sam from Walmart was asked "what was the most important factor in the success of a Walmart store?". His answer was "location, location, location." So if it was important for Sam, it's important for you.
Signs, Banners and Such for Leads Attraction
If you've got a really nice expensive looking car already, you might want to put a promotion for your company or product on vinyl letters on the back window or someplace on the car where you can read it easily. I know some people have had success with this method. It depends on the car, the signage and the person driving the car. I have 3 trucks with both the Bread Roots name on them and signs for a home business opportunity on the back and after 1 year can say, I should have kept my money. Neither sign seems to attract any business. Keep in mind however, I am in a very small niche market with both the organic bread and the "wellness opportunity". Such signs might work much better for a mass market business.
Newspaper advertising for Leads Attraction
They say that in Cobourg Ontario, people only buy the local paper to read the obituary column. After spending money advertising a business opportunity over several weeks with no calls, I tend to agree with that assessment. I just can't quite believe everybody's making all the money they want and are totally satisfied with their current lifestyle. This may not be true of your town. Try It. Don't make long term committments. Just don't blow your brains out. In my old days in real estate, I just put in one ad per night, never a string of the same ad over several nights. If you do advertise this way, I understand the classified section is best and also the cheapest. I also know that Tim Sales the author of Brilliant Compensation and a highly successful network marketer was recruited by an ad.
Get Yourself Invited
Depending on your product or service and your product/market knowledge, you could get yourself invited to speak at the various clubs like the Rotary, Lions, Optimists, or Chamber of Commerce or your local BNI group. If it's a health product, you might try connecting with the local health oriented consumer groups, if your product addresses any of the issues they meet to discuss. If you do speak intelligently on the subject, you will attract people to you, rather than you chasing them. This method gets the numbers working for you: instead of presenting one on one you are presenting to 10, 20 100 people at a time. You will be the local expert. It's best if you take the approach of "speaking to give" rather than "speaking" to get at these functions. In my opinion, it shouldn't be a direct sales pitch. I always go for the "soft sell" rather than the "must sell or hard sell" approach.
Hand Out Cards, Talk to Anyone and Everyone
This works best for naturally outgoing friendly type people who are a perfect fit for the of the "meet and greet" approach. Some people are just spontaneous talkers. Enthusiastic words flow through them like the chirping of birds first thing in the morning. They talk to anyone and everyone about anything. If focused on one thing, they can be dynamite. My sponsor in the wellness business is just a bundle of energy who never stops talking all day long. Ask her how she builds the business and she'll tell you she just talks to people. If that's your personality, go for it. If you are a good actor you can play this part and after you're super successful, you can quit. You can be like the actor Cary Grant said of himself as a eulogy at his own funeral. "I acted the part of Cary Grant so long that I became Cary Grant." "If the mind can conceive it, the mind can achieve it." Napoleon Hill
Most people aren't looking for a business so promote the product. Owning a business can sound like too much hard work to most people and they usually wouldn't have a clue where to start anyway. If people are looking to make more money, they simply think they need to find a better job. A few, possibly 5%, start to think outside the box: they become possibility thinkers, not probability thinkers. A summary of the four ways we make money http://www.homeoffice.ws/The_Four_Ways_We_Make_Money.html.
People buy products that solve problems for them not because thay like the features and benefits of a certain product. The key question you always have to answer is:What's in it for them?
One thing I 've noticed about my home business is that I rarely meet people who just happen to walk into my house. If I want new business, I must leave my nice cosy home and go out and meet people. (unless I'm marketing on the Internet) If you are selling a food product or even some kind of wellness product, you might want to consider setting up a stall at your local farmers market where people care about nutrition. If you're selling some electronic gadget or some other non food item or service, perhaps a reputable "flea" market would be better. Don't go blow your brains out with some trade shows and home shows were the rent can be very high. If you've done the smaller venues, and got a real good fix on your target market, the expensive trade shows maybe ok in the future, but not at first.
Get the right market for your product. About 15 years ago, I made and sold homemade sausages at 4 different farmers market close to where I live in Southern Ontario, Canada. I had been in one year round market for about 2 years and on a good day, I would sell $500 worth of product. Through relatives, I learned that a new short term farmers market was opening up in the Toronto area. I went and on the first day sold over a $1,000 worth of product from all new customers who had no idea how good these sausages really were. Other markets in smaller towns in the are only grossed about $150 to $200. So location is really important. Sam from Walmart was asked "what was the most important factor in the success of a Walmart store?". His answer was "location, location, location." So if it was important for Sam, it's important for you.
Signs, Banners and Such for Leads Attraction
If you've got a really nice expensive looking car already, you might want to put a promotion for your company or product on vinyl letters on the back window or someplace on the car where you can read it easily. I know some people have had success with this method. It depends on the car, the signage and the person driving the car. I have 3 trucks with both the Bread Roots name on them and signs for a home business opportunity on the back and after 1 year can say, I should have kept my money. Neither sign seems to attract any business. Keep in mind however, I am in a very small niche market with both the organic bread and the "wellness opportunity". Such signs might work much better for a mass market business.
Newspaper advertising for Leads Attraction
They say that in Cobourg Ontario, people only buy the local paper to read the obituary column. After spending money advertising a business opportunity over several weeks with no calls, I tend to agree with that assessment. I just can't quite believe everybody's making all the money they want and are totally satisfied with their current lifestyle. This may not be true of your town. Try It. Don't make long term committments. Just don't blow your brains out. In my old days in real estate, I just put in one ad per night, never a string of the same ad over several nights. If you do advertise this way, I understand the classified section is best and also the cheapest. I also know that Tim Sales the author of Brilliant Compensation and a highly successful network marketer was recruited by an ad.
Get Yourself Invited
Depending on your product or service and your product/market knowledge, you could get yourself invited to speak at the various clubs like the Rotary, Lions, Optimists, or Chamber of Commerce or your local BNI group. If it's a health product, you might try connecting with the local health oriented consumer groups, if your product addresses any of the issues they meet to discuss. If you do speak intelligently on the subject, you will attract people to you, rather than you chasing them. This method gets the numbers working for you: instead of presenting one on one you are presenting to 10, 20 100 people at a time. You will be the local expert. It's best if you take the approach of "speaking to give" rather than "speaking" to get at these functions. In my opinion, it shouldn't be a direct sales pitch. I always go for the "soft sell" rather than the "must sell or hard sell" approach.
Hand Out Cards, Talk to Anyone and Everyone
This works best for naturally outgoing friendly type people who are a perfect fit for the of the "meet and greet" approach. Some people are just spontaneous talkers. Enthusiastic words flow through them like the chirping of birds first thing in the morning. They talk to anyone and everyone about anything. If focused on one thing, they can be dynamite. My sponsor in the wellness business is just a bundle of energy who never stops talking all day long. Ask her how she builds the business and she'll tell you she just talks to people. If that's your personality, go for it. If you are a good actor you can play this part and after you're super successful, you can quit. You can be like the actor Cary Grant said of himself as a eulogy at his own funeral. "I acted the part of Cary Grant so long that I became Cary Grant." "If the mind can conceive it, the mind can achieve it." Napoleon Hill
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Home Business Leads Part 1
Chances are, if you've been in your own home business for a while, the subject of acquiring new customers probably crosses your mind on a fairly regular basis. You are not alone. No matter how big a business you may be, you are either growing or dying. Growth is always the favoured direction. That's why Pepsi and Coke continue to spend mega bucks advertising even when just about everyone on this Planet recognizes their names and some even buy their products. So while everyone may think their particular product is the best in the World and "sells itself" or they may think they've got the greatest system or payplan for success, the bottom line is this. EVERY BUSINESS NEED CUSTOMERS. By the way, I've yet to see a product pick up the telephone, talk to a customer or transport itself to a store or a person's house. People move products, products don't move people.
Types of Leads
Problems and Issues: Warm Market Leads
If you are part of a typical network marketing company or direct sales organization, they always recommend you talk to your family and friends first. Often they will tell you stupid stuff like "everyone gets in" but the reality is some might but often they won't but say something like: "They might get in some time in the future, after they see how it's working out for you" This may sound reasonable to them but it really means "no way I'm doing that". You on the other hand, you are left to wonder about all your lack lustre friends and relatives who sounded so smart before you got in your own business. It also may dawn on you that you can't build a business when no one gets in. Oh. I am not suggesting that you can ignore them but don't expect very much especially at the beginning. After you develop an awesome story, they may come looking for you.
The group of people we are talking about are called your "warm" leads. I'm not sure that's a good description because they can also be the most opinionated, rude and downright hurtful about your new venture. I sell tons of bread in my traditional distribution business, Bread Roots and not a single loaf is sold to a friend or a relative and never has. In fact, my business is hardly never discussed among this group because there is no interest. So why should it be different for my other business interests or your other business interests? The truth is all business is built through strangers or new people.
It's this "everyone get in" sales pitch that gets brand new people really excited the first day they get in. That tied with the "product sells itself" and let the "cd" do all the talking sounds just great. You can excuse the new person for thinking "this is going to be easy". That's what they have been told. So when a brand new person eventually finds out that the marketing people have embellished reality a bit, they quit saying some like "well that didn't work for me. I guess it's just not meant to be"
The real truth is that in any business, the success is in the numbers. How many people you talk to, how many listen to a presentation, how many get in, how many get in and actually buy something and how many get in and actually do something. It's also calling on all the "no's" and "laters" you met the first time round. I believe the fundamental flaw in many network marketing companies is that they don't tell people the real numbers. People join and quit based on wrong information. Great. More to come.
Types of Leads
Problems and Issues: Warm Market Leads
If you are part of a typical network marketing company or direct sales organization, they always recommend you talk to your family and friends first. Often they will tell you stupid stuff like "everyone gets in" but the reality is some might but often they won't but say something like: "They might get in some time in the future, after they see how it's working out for you" This may sound reasonable to them but it really means "no way I'm doing that". You on the other hand, you are left to wonder about all your lack lustre friends and relatives who sounded so smart before you got in your own business. It also may dawn on you that you can't build a business when no one gets in. Oh. I am not suggesting that you can ignore them but don't expect very much especially at the beginning. After you develop an awesome story, they may come looking for you.
The group of people we are talking about are called your "warm" leads. I'm not sure that's a good description because they can also be the most opinionated, rude and downright hurtful about your new venture. I sell tons of bread in my traditional distribution business, Bread Roots and not a single loaf is sold to a friend or a relative and never has. In fact, my business is hardly never discussed among this group because there is no interest. So why should it be different for my other business interests or your other business interests? The truth is all business is built through strangers or new people.
It's this "everyone get in" sales pitch that gets brand new people really excited the first day they get in. That tied with the "product sells itself" and let the "cd" do all the talking sounds just great. You can excuse the new person for thinking "this is going to be easy". That's what they have been told. So when a brand new person eventually finds out that the marketing people have embellished reality a bit, they quit saying some like "well that didn't work for me. I guess it's just not meant to be"
The real truth is that in any business, the success is in the numbers. How many people you talk to, how many listen to a presentation, how many get in, how many get in and actually buy something and how many get in and actually do something. It's also calling on all the "no's" and "laters" you met the first time round. I believe the fundamental flaw in many network marketing companies is that they don't tell people the real numbers. People join and quit based on wrong information. Great. More to come.
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