Mon 29 Nov 2010

Work at Home…How to information…….. From Where?

Posted by Jim Gillum under Uncategorized
[39] Comments 

The work at home area is open to a lot of questions.

And I would love to tell you that I can answer those questions.

I can answer the easy ones and maybe some of the harder ones, as well. You simply need to ask.

OK….

Can you use my blog content on your site/blog? I answered this before. The answer is still yes. Just link back to my blog and give me credit. I will not be able to respond to individual requests, simply because many of the addresses listed with the comments are bad or fake.  And I get hundreds of comments weekly.

What kind of blog is this? It is a WordPress blog and is hosted on a paid hosting site. You may ask about free blogs. I will say this. Maybe as a quick sample site or to see if you can really blog.  But, with free hosting, you have no control over your own site. It can be deleted without notice.

With paid hosting, you can post anything that you want, as long as you follow the TOS of the hosting company.

If you are going to own a business……own the business. Do not let anyone else control it. Understanding that you may have to outsource some of the work, at least at first, keep your hands on as much as possible, to be certain that it is developed according to your plan (dream).

This is a good rule to follow regardless as to whether it is online or offline.

Do you code your blog and header? No, because I am not a tech person. I know how it works, but I don’t know how to do it. Now, my regular sites, those listed in the blog roll, are built by me. I have software that does the coding and I do the design, the graphics and the content.

On or offline, depending on your choice of business, you can learn the technical things. Again, depending on your product or service. If you were selling hand painted IPods, you would probably have someone else make them for you to paint.

Links in comments. Come on now, you get a back link with the comment. Other links cause the comment to be deleted. Every post on this blog gets indexed in Google as well as Yahoo and Bing.  This is a moderated blog and I read every comment and check each site.

(If any of you spammers are actually reading any of this, you are wasting your time and wasting the time that I could be using to do something more productive, to try to help the real readers.)

Where do you get your information? Much of it comes from my experience. 50 years in business and over ten years on the net. Plus, I read. I read a lot. Have for years and my retention is pretty good. I read ebooks, paper books, forums and blogs. Mostly related to marketing, business and webmastering.

Some final words.

In the past, I have written about learning about your business and I will undoubtedly write about it again. Knowledge is power. Right now you are sitting in front of your computer. You have access to all the information anyone could ever ask to find. Use it to your benefit. When you have a question, do the research. It will expand your ability to learn and to do research.

Draw from your past experiences in life and apply the lessons learned to your current project. Solid business principles apply to all businesses. Things like spend wisely and only for things that make a profit or improve your ability to make a profit.

There are probably many non business experiences that will help you to make your business more successful. I once had a job and specialized training, that although not business related, have helped me tremendously in business matters. (Can’t post about it.)

You should put some effort in to trying to “think business”. I always watch commercials on television. You can analyze the how and why. Might just stimulate some ideas for your own operation.

Thanks for visiting. I hope that it will help you a little.

Best to you,

Jim Gillum

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Mon 25 Oct 2010

Work at Home…….Ask the how or the why? Which is first?

Posted by Jim Gillum under Uncategorized
[37] Comments 

Well then…   

This is your first visit or….you came back for more…

Either reason is just fine with me……and thanks…

Let us take a look at the answer to the title question. How or why?

First consider this, when someone goes to school it is usually to learn. But more importantly, to learn what?

In the early years it would be things like reading, writing, grammar and mostly the basic fundamentals.

In the later years, the subjects get more complex. You get into the formulas and theory. Those are the why answers.

Several years ago….more than I care to think about…I used to teach. Junior college level courses.

My favorite was criminal law. The reason was very simple. It covered two areas that where different from other courses. One was that it focused on why and the other was research.

Many people will agree that education is to learn. I do not totally agree with that. My theory is that it is to teach you how to think. And to teach you how to research and find the information that you need. At the time you need it. Again, at the time you need it.

For example.

You learn how to make little green boxes. One size and one color. In one kind of wood. A customer wants to buy some in a different color. What do you do? Research. You get a color chart and show the colors to your customer. Simple but basic.

The whole point is this. In any business you do not have to know all there is to know about everything that has to do with that business. You have to know where to find the information, the answers to the questions.

There is no way possible that I could have taught my students every criminal law in Florida. But I could teach them the basics AND where to find the rest….when they needed them.

Your business should be the same. Put together a small collection of reference material for those situations that only come up occasionally. Then you can concentrate on the daily needs and not worry about the “what ifs” that might happen. Remember, you can always use the internet as an information source, it is a great library.

Now…the how and the why……

At this point, if you have probably decided on which business you a going to pursue, you should know most of the how. How you are going to produce your product or how to provide your service.

Time to think about the why. The can also be the key to your marketing.

Why are you doing this? To make money and to provide something people need or want.

A successful business will provide an answer to a problem or fulfill a desire. It will make something better for your customer either by fixing something or providing pleasure.

That will cover a pretty wide variety of subjects. In some cases it will provide for both areas. An example would be a weight loss program. Your customer wants to lose some pounds. They want to look and feel better. Plus, from the health angle, they can be healthier.

Some products only do one thing for them. At least only one obvious benefit.  A flea solution for their dog may only appear to give one solution. No fleas on the dog. When in fact, the aggravation of not fighting fleas in the house and having a dog that scratches all the time is more of a hidden benefit.

From the pleasure angle, your product may only be intended for that purpose. Your homemade cookies, taste great and they do not have any preservatives. Many people like that. Obvious benefit is great taste and the hidden benefit is the health perspective.

The Marketing Side….      

You are producing your product or service because it solves a problem….or gives pleasure.

That is exactly what you use in your marketing campaign. Remind your prospects of the problem that they have and how you can help solve that problem.

Do not forget the “hidden” benefits. All the good things that your product can do beyond the original problem solution.

And do not overlook the obvious areas that many people take for granted. Things like handmade, produced by the inventor, non-toxic coatings, more colors available, free shipping, multi item discounts or anything that will increase the perceived value of your offering. They will not know if you do not tell them.

I hope this helps you on your journey to a successful work at home business…..

Until next time,

The best to you,

Jim Gillum

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Sun 3 Oct 2010

Work at Home…….Help Each Other, Who Helps You…….

Posted by Jim Gillum under Uncategorized
[92] Comments 

Does your work at home business need help?  Where do you go to get that help?

Well, most folks do what you are doing right now……read the net for the information to fill in the blanks. I do the same thing. When I run into a road block, I do the search thing. It works just fine.

Of course, you have to screen your sources to be sure you are getting something helpful and not just a sales pitch. Now I am not suggesting that selling is a bad thing. We all, or a least many of us, are working on building a business.

The purpose of any business is to make some money. Again, not a bad thing. If you can help people and also make money, you have a winner. A winner for everyone involved.

So, I would say, read carefully. Be certain that when you find information that there are no strings attached. Check several sources to see which ones are accurate and make sense. Try to find complete information.

And above all, use some common sense. You can not get the secret of making five grand a week for $19.95….It just will not happen.

I read in the marketing forums about people who spend hundreds of dollars to “get the secrets” and end up with nothing to show for the money. Sometimes the information is inaccurate or even dead wrong. Just be careful.

How about using information from this blog?
      

If you read the comments in this blog, you will note that question coming up on a regular basis.

Yes, is the answer. Please feel free to link to my blog or use the articles or any excerpts. But please give me a link back and credit for the article.

I appreciate the fact that you want to use my content. Thank you.

I might also note that everything here is original. It comes right out of my old head. It is the product of years of experience and years of study.  I read everyday, learning never stops.

You might consider that as a motto for yourself. No matter how little time you have, try really hard, to learn something new everyday.

The more you learn, the more you will learn. Huh?

As you learn more about new areas of interest, your confidence level will increase and you will tend to absorb more information. As a result you will learn more. Give it a try.

Blog Commenting…..   

There are several reasons for commenting on a blog…..

One is to add to the discussion……..or to make a positive comment to the author about the information.

In some cases, not so positive……that is OK too.

Another is to get backlinks to your own site…that is fine.

BUT…this blog is moderated…….

That means before a comment is actually posted to the net, I read them and either approve them or delete them.

Most are approved…….the ones that link to inappropriate sites or contain bad or ridiculous statements are deleted. Links to porn sites and radical posts will not be tolerated in this blog.

If you do not agree with my information, I will not delete those posts. If you have a problem with the government, a movie actor or any other professional performer, there are forums and blogs where you can post those opinions. Not here.

I will not approve posts that contain advertizing links. Most blogs and forums do not allow that.

This blog is intended to help people build and improve their work at home business. I try to help because I like to do that and it makes me feel good.

Thank You…..
 

Thank you continuing to visit my blog and thank you for your cooperation…..

I will continue to do my best to provide information that I hope will be of some help to you….

Until next time,

Jim Gillum

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Mon 6 Sep 2010

Internet Marketing Business is a Business….

Posted by Jim Gillum under Uncategorized
[563] Comments 

Part three of three….
 

Next…

Once you have determined that your product is marketable and can generate sufficient profit, it is time to go to market.

But Wait…

Remember, this is work at home and not necessarily only on the internet. Your work from home product may sell well using other methods. For instance, wholesale sales to retail outlets. Or direct sales to customers from your home or craft shows.

Some examples…

You find a source for a product that people will buy. You can get it really cheap, which means you can sell it cheap and still make a decent profit.

Or….You grow plants from cuttings in your backyard. By the time they are large enough to sell, they cost you one dollar. You sell two hundred every week at the flea market for $5 each. Four dollars profit times 200 plants, eight hundred gross profit for two days is not bad.

The downside is that plants are seasonal, even in Florida, except south Florida. That is just one idea.

Back to the internet…

For marketing on the internet, you can use a website, blog or social sites. Each has their own advantages and some disadvantages. Websites have been around for many years and have been known to be highly effective.

Some of you can build your own site and some will have to pay to have one built. The site building is not the hardest part. Building a website that is effective is more complicated and leads to questions like this…

“I have a site and no one is visiting and I am not selling anything. What should I do?”

That question can be answered is several books. There is a lot more to a successful website than meets the eye.

Blogs are much easier to get up and running and can be very effective. There are some free blog services available. But if you are serious about trying to build a business, don’t waste your time with a free service.

And again, if you are serious about building a business and using the net, be prepared to invest a few dollars to make something happen. 

You can have a registered domain name, a web hosting account and a blog for less than $100 a year. This can provide a good foundation to build your business.

The third option would be the social networking sites.  I have read claims of people who say they make money with them. I have to question the stability of building a business on a structure that can delete your site without notice.

Website/blog promotion could fill several books. The free social networking sites can be used to send visitors to your site/blog.

Final words…

As a final word or some final words, treat your business as a business and work at it. You can work any number of hours that you choose but stay at it.

Internet marketing takes time. Any business takes time to build. They usually do not become successful overnight.

And…..be honest with yourself. If your product, that you made, is not selling, it could be a bad product. Maybe the site that you built is not good, just not effective. Fix it or dump it.

A real business person considers profit….not pride.

Emotional decisions are clouded…..make your decisions with your business mind…..

I hope this article is of some help to you. There will be more information soon to get you going toward your goals.

Until next time,

Jim Gillum

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Sun 29 Aug 2010

Marketing and Webmaster Forums……

Posted by Jim Gillum under Uncategorized
[104] Comments 

Forums can help you learn…..

I have posted before about the value of visiting forums. I will just again suggest, that as you have some time, you take a look around to see what is there. I think you will be happy with the information that you find. There are threads about site promotion and copywriting. Some about coding, that is over my head, I am not big on the tech stuff. Plus information about different types of internet income sources.

http://www.v7n.com/forums/  
http://www.honestworkfromhomesuccess.com/index.php?referrerid=16386 
http://www.warriorforum.com/
http://www.marketersspaceforum.com/forum/index.php?referrerid=388

Although, some of the links are referral links, I get no money from sending you there.

I do get a good feeling if you get some help on your trip to the destination the you have chosen.

Till next time,

Jim Gillum

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Sun 29 Aug 2010

Part Two Internet Marketing Business is a Business…..

Posted by Jim Gillum under Uncategorized
[60] Comments 

(Part two of three)
 Some serious consideration…..
 

 

A few things to think about that can separate you from the sink or swim problems.

Do people want what you have to offer them? This is where your “marketing research” is involved.

Many times, a fairly good idea fails to produce a profit, because nobody wants to buy it. Search the internet to see what is selling. There are a few effective techniques that we will talk about later.

In product areas where there is competition, there is money to be made. People are buying the product and several people are selling the product.

Maybe it is a similar product, a different size, color or whatever but….people are spending money.

Here is where you can get stung and stung badly.

You have a great idea for a product; no one else has offered it for sale on the internet. If it is a new product, that solves a problem for your prospective buyer, you may be in great shape. If it is something that has been around for awhile and no one is trying for sales …watch out. The market may have long ago been saturated.

There may be such a small profit margin, that no one will market it to just make a few cents. Or maybe the product is so common that it can be purchased in the local stores for a cheap price.

Do your market research on your product……

A different twist…

Even a product that has been around for awhile can be sold if it is presented from a different perspective.

You could develop a new use for the product. You could provide new colors or unusual sizes. You could re-name, repackage and market the product as “new and improved”. It would be even better if you could actually improve the product.

There are many options.

Above all, avoid the deadly product trap. Do not fall in love with product. Be realistic and think like a businessperson. “How much money do I want to lose?” Before I realize that nobody wants to buy “my” product.

My marketing test…

Here is an example of market research….

Many years ago, I had a small product line. All items were handmade at home. I took them to a craft show and sold them from my booth. I made money. Not a lot of money but I made a profit.

I saw that my “stuff” would sell.

(Important note…..This will not normally work at flea markets. Most people there are looking for bargains.)

I expanded the product line. I added more colors, more sizes and added some additional items. They were all handmade and original.

Within six months I was having thousand dollar days at craft shows. And that was back in the 70s. I did learn that there was a market for my products.

(What was the product? Sorry. I may want to do that again someday.)

Expose your product…

You need to get your product in front of strangers. Especially, if it is a new and unknown product. Your family and friends might not want to tell you your product is not any good. They are nice people and may even like you.

(To be concluded in part three, in a couple of days.)

Hope you are moving forward with your business…

Till next time,

Jim Gillum                                     

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Sat 28 Aug 2010

Internet Marketing Business is a Business….

Posted by Jim Gillum under Uncategorized
[98] Comments 

(Part one of three parts)
By spending time in IM related forums, I can see some of the information that new marketers are looking to find. Sometimes you have to read between the lines, but you can tell by the tone of the question and the sentence structure, that the poster is probably new to internet marketing.


For clarification, if I may, a reminder, whenever you sell anything, even as an affiliate, or offer a service, on the net, you are an internet marketer.
That being said let me say this…..
 

One of the areas that seem to give many people a problem is the “basics of business”.
 

You can’t run a business if you don’t know something about running a business….
 

The internet covers the entire world. Every place has different laws, rules or regulations concerning the operation of a business from your home. Of course, I would imagine that some places have none at all.
 

You really need to do some research about the laws in your area.  Also laws concerning any taxes. Tax laws vary from country to country and even different states in the U.S. may have different rules.
 

You do not want to get a successful business going and then be faced with fines or worse yet, have your operation closed down by some government agency.
 

Most local governments can provide booklets or brochures listing the rules for licensing or zoning. Don’t overlook using the internet as source for your research. Let your fingers do the walking on your keyboard.
 

Basic Records…
You will want to establish a records system to keep track of all your activities related to your business. Any expenses incurred including any licensing fees. These records will be necessary in computing any taxes and to establish whether or not your business is making a profit.


This can also be useful to keep track of your suppliers. You order some component. Then six months later you need more and can’t remember where you bought the original. Simply look through your receipts and bingo….you have the information and save yourself a lot of time and aggravation.


It is way safer to keep everything that you might need, than to need something you didn’t keep. You can always ditch whatever you don’t need at a later date. Once you have firmly put together your records system.


 Meat on the Bones……
Now it is time to put some “meat on the bones”.  Get ready to write…write…write…
It is time to write your business plan.  Probably the most important part of starting your business.
How will your business start?
How will you get the products?


All the operational questions. All the “how to things” and that means all the answers too.
Think about everything in a “one step at a time” progression.
And write down each step, every expense, and every outgoing dollar.
Many new business owners overlook some pretty common items. So, think carefully. It is easy to forget that a copy machine needs paper.
  With your home business, many of the items you will need are already under your roof. That helps. But, consider the extras. Things like an additional phone line and any special equipment you may need.
 

This is all heading toward the final conclusion……..will your home business make a profit for you.
 

Second Part of the plan….
Once you have finished this part of your business plan, “the what will it cost part”, you can move on to the income part. But income is not profit. Profit is what you take in minus what you put out.
 

Simply stated, you sell a $10 item and it costs you $8 to do that….you have a profit of $2.
 

OK…Product production or cost of product. How much does it cost to produce or to buy your product?
 

Include shipping, both incoming and outgoing. Any cost of storage. Any packaging you need to ship out your product.
 

These costs combined with your operating expenses will give you your total to get your product out the door. With that you can calculate your net profit.
 

(Part two is coming up next)
 

Till next time,
Jim Gillum
 

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Thu 19 Aug 2010

An apology From Jim…..

Posted by Jim Gillum under Uncategorized
[137] Comments 

I owe all my readers an apology…….I have been derelict in my posting to this blog….
 

My special lady has been in the hospital for the past seven weeks and I have let time slip away…..
 

Not good……..
 

But I am getting back on track and she is getting better……
 

There is a lesson……..
 

Family is more important than business……..I am not suggesting that each of you is not important to me….because you are….
 

In the immediate future, I will double my efforts to provide you with good solid information….
 

Thank you for your loyal viewing and your understanding…….
 

Until next time,
Jim Gillum
 

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Mon 21 Jun 2010

Work at Home Information Sources…….?

Posted by Jim Gillum under Uncategorized
[113] Comments 

There are tons of information sources on the internet. Some are good some are not so good.

Now I realize that many people are in business to make money. That is not a bad thing.
Some are in business to convince you (and not me any more) that for an amount of dollars ranging from $5 to into the thousands, you can get rich on the net.

I believe that you have to work at any business and spend some time learning that business. You can do that “your” pace. Also depends on your time (pressure) frame.
How quickly you will need a cash return and what you will do to get it.

One thing for sure that we can all agree on is…….the need for information.

A lot can be found using the Google search. Although sources have strings attached.

A really good source is to use the forums.

Here are some forums for you to look at related to marketing…..
All free to join…Warrior Forum would like money….but they do offer a free membership. Some of the warrior members are real heavy hitters……I recognize the names from over the years.

They all have a search function if you want to target certain areas of research…
They all also have some people who do not know jacksh**…It shouldn’t take you long to see who knows their stuff and who is blowing smoke.

They require a user name……I would use the same name for all to develop a good reputation….I use my real name……stronger for my marketing.

Links…..These are webmaster and marketing forums.

http://www.v7n.com/forums/  
http://www.honestworkfromhomesuccess.com/index.php?referrerid=16386 
http://www.warriorforum.com/
http://www.marketersspaceforum.com/forum/index.php?referrerid=388

There is also a fair amount of technical information in them. Some you will need and some not………

If you have already selected a niche for your business, you can find related forums by searching Google. (Forum+niche)…
Regardless of the niche, you will want to know the webmaster and marketing information that you can gather.

I would suggest that you chose forums with large active memberships. Those will give you more of what you need. Those stats are posted normally on the front page at the bottom.

I hope this gives you a little more help.
See you soon
Best to you,

Jim Gillum


 

Sun 6 Jun 2010

I have a new work at home product….

Posted by Jim Gillum under Uncategorized
[28] Comments 

One of the things I have been trying to do is pass along a few real work at home ideas.

Well, like a dummy, I started another project.  

Among the list of ideas that is passed along for starting a home business, is to do something you know and/or are passionate about.

You can pick a hobby, some skill you have learned over the years or a subject that you have always wanted to actually do and have been investigating.

As we continue on our journey together, I will get into more details about how you can make that work for you.

For several years, I have been interested in painting……..no not houses or rooms, although, I did have a business related to that years ago.

I am talking about art…yes art. Painting pictures on canvas. I use acrylic paints and I really enjoy it. The whole painting story is better left for another day. It is kind of longish.

It was one of my methods to relax….and it works well….

At any rate, I have started a new blog www.landscape-art.info , because I paint landscapes.

This is the first step to my hobby being turned into a business.

I am building a website to sell my paintings. Original hand painted landscape art.

It is under construction as we speak…..I am typing and hopefully you are reading.

I have run into a few technical problems and am having to learn even more new things…

Yes, I said learn more……..As you should be as well….One secret to doing well on the internet is to continue to learn……something new everyday.

The point….

Sometimes a business is right under your nose and you don’t realize it.

So, look around you…….you might surprise yourself…..

Until next time…

The best to you,

Jim Gillum

 

 

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