| I love the excitement of starting up a new | | | | availability.4. Who does your business sell |
| home based business. I enjoy trying out new | | | | to? - This will help you define your market |
| ideas and approaches with the new venture. I | | | | (if any) Try to describe the personality of |
| dream the big dreams and hope to obtain some | | | | the market and why they would want to buy |
| of them (if not all of them). I am sure you | | | | your product. It may provide a starting point |
| have those same feelings as well. | | | | for your business's marketing strategy.5. How |
| Organization is imperative when starting any | | | | do you want prospects and customers to |
| business. Some say that a well funded | | | | contact you in regards to the product your |
| business has the best chance to sustain | | | | business is selling? - You may decide that |
| losses until it's profitable. However, if you | | | | you don't want prospects to call your home |
| are on a shoe string budget like me, money | | | | number and you may need a separate phone line |
| management is the key.The place you need to | | | | or a toll free number. This is part of |
| start with your home business is with the pen | | | | defining your daily operations and costs.6. |
| and paper or word processing software and a | | | | Does your business need a web site? - If the |
| PC. One thing I learned about starting | | | | answer is "Yes", then you will want to think |
| businesses is there are so many variables | | | | about what type of site you want and how you |
| involved it is not possible to "keep it | | | | are going to build it.7. How is the business |
| simple" if you try to run the entire business | | | | to receive money? - A very important |
| without some type of plan. Not knowing or not | | | | question! Do you have a business checking |
| being able to prioritize your needs with your | | | | account to receive checks? Does your business |
| business can result in bad money management | | | | accept Credit Cards? Pay Pal?8. How does your |
| and eventually failure.Writing down what your | | | | business make money? - You should know how |
| business is about helps put your business | | | | you can make a profit on the product you |
| into perspective and helps you define your | | | | sell. You should know all of your costs to |
| immediate needs and hold off on spending on | | | | run the business. This way you know how much |
| items you don't need right away. Most | | | | product you need to sell each month.9. How |
| recommend you write a business plan. You can | | | | much money are you going to spend on |
| buy software to write a plan and go through a | | | | marketing? - Marketing your business should |
| set of questions to write one. You could | | | | be the priority and you should realize that |
| always research how to write a business plan | | | | you will need a budget to market your |
| online.Whether you use software or not to | | | | product. You cannot sell your product if your |
| write a business plan you could always ask | | | | market does not know about it. Also, you may |
| yourself the basic questions. Getting to the | | | | want to start out with a very small amount |
| basics means a lot to me. It provides a | | | | and try different methods until you learn how |
| foundation to your ever evolving business | | | | to market your product correctly.Asking |
| plan.If you are starting your own home | | | | yourself these basic questions may help you |
| business, try asking yourself these | | | | shed light on areas of your business that you |
| questions. They may help you in the same | | | | may have not taken into account. After all, |
| manner as they help me:1. What is your | | | | it can be overwhelming running a home based |
| business name?2. Is your business registered | | | | business. Asking basic but tough questions |
| as a "Doing Business As" (DBA) or | | | | about your business can help you identify the |
| Corporation? - This is very important for tax | | | | immediate and long term focus of your |
| purposes and banking.2. Explain what you | | | | business and most of all sustain your |
| business does in one short paragraph. - | | | | business until it reaches |
| Describing your business in a few sentences | | | | profitability.Topher John is a webmaster for |
| helps define the main focus of your | | | | and He specializes in building internet |
| business.3. What products does your business | | | | small businesses. His interests are the |
| sell? - List any product your business is | | | | healthcare industry, specifically how it |
| selling and any variations of its | | | | relates to the family and physical fitness. |