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