Monday, August 24, 2009

Start your Work At Home Career

Mom, Here’s How You Can Start a Work at Home Career

Thanks to the rising costs of daycare and transportation and the desire to have a parent home with the children, today many moms choose to work from home. This arrangement is sometimes called “telecommuting”, and it allows parents the opportunity to set up a workspace in their homes to earn a living instead of having to leave the home daily.

They might also choose to start their own businesses, instead of working for another company. Working from home is rising popularity and the Internet is offering many different types of careers and business opportunities to moms. And for proof that the work at home dream is possible, be sure to check out the success tips from moms just like you in the Full Time WAHM eBook.

So how can you start a work at home career? This is a frequently asked question that can lead to a lot of confusion about on where to start. Here are just some of the work from home careers currently available to moms:

· Party Consultant (beauty, health, jewelry, home decor, adult, etc.) We all know about companies like Avon and Tupperware, but there are so many more opportunities for moms and they are still a popular way to earn an income. From home and garden products, to jewelry and makeup and even adult novelties, home party plans are great ways for moms to work from home. Earnings vary by company and commission schedule.

· Virtual Office Service. Are you a people person who likes to do customer service and to provide other office services? Then a client service job might be perfect for you. Many large firms are hiring Mom’s to work from home answering customer calls and providing other office support virtually. These jobs can pay between $8-12+ an hour. You can also start you own business providing customer service directly to clients and increase the amount you charge per hour.

· Selling on Auction Sites or Craft Boards. Many Moms sell their unwanted items on auction sites like eBay.com or sell their crafts on boards like Etsy.com for a source of income. If you are a creative person who enjoys making beautiful things or you want to earn a little extra money for the clothes your kids outgrow, why not sell them!

· Starting on Online Business. The Internet offers the chance for you to create just about any type of business they desire. Whether it’s creating an information-packed website that helps others (and earns money through advertising and selling products for commissions), creating your own products or selling products at wholesale, the choice is yours.

There are any number of opportunities just waiting to be tried by enterprising Moms looking for fulfillment and extra money.

Recommended Additional Resource:

Working from home doesn’t come without it’s challenges. Learn from 21 moms just like you have been there, done that. Full Time WAHM provides practical mom-to-mom advice on who to balance work & home and how to turn into a work at home success.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

How Is A Blog Good For My Business?

It isn't long after you start your business before you hear people begin to tell you, it's a good idea to get a blog started. Unfortunately, some times people don't tell you why or are only able to give you a sketchy idea why. How is blogging why. How is blogging helpful to your business, particularly if the business is offline or when you are a service provider, like a belly dancer who belly dancer who performs at private functions for example.

Here are some ways having a blog could help generate more interest, leads or bookings.

It Exhibits Your Expertise

It is alright to put up videos and pictures on web pages to show others what yo to show others what you can do for them, but I'll bet you have more and newer videos and snap shots. Also, some orders are unique. These are all good reasons to show off and what better way than to use blog because it is so easy to update. A belly dancer can display videos where a client has requested something unique which forced her to think outside the box and come up with some creative choreography.

It Can Demonstrate How You Will Solve Client Problems

You know the old saying, people buy solutions, not productons, not products or services. You can explain this on a regular web page but on a blog, it all becomes more believable, more tangible.

It Shows You Are Actively Using Your Skills

If you are currently working with clients, any post you make about your job is a good testimonial. It shows that there are people who already trust you to do what you claim you will do. Better still if your customer can contribute to your blog or allow you to quote them.

You Can Get To Know Your Prospects And They Get To Know You

This is true particularly when you offer a service because people usually want to work with others whom they can get along with. Because a blog is interactive, through the comments people can begin to experience you and get a feel of how the company handles their customers.

It Can Help Increase Website Traffic

When you write good, content that is relevant and also promote it, people will take notice. When they do, they are more likely to share it on their own blog and their social networks and even decide to email it to their newsletter subscribers. All good ways to get fresh traffic.

It Can Reduce The Need To Answer Questions Over And Over

There are questions in every business that people tend to ask again and again. Whenever you answer these questions on your blog, you help your prospects out by giving them the information they are seeking, you plant the seed of trust, you add fresh content to your website, stuff that search engines and people alike love. And finally, you reduce your work because now you don't have to type your answer again and again.

Blogging can be a quite rewarding. The down side is, keeping it going with fresh new content can be tough. Private label articles are OK but you still have to re-write them. The people at Blog Energizer have an alternative idea. Blogging prompts. Sometimes what you need is a jump start. Instead of staring at a blank computer screen, prompts help you write 100% original content. Blog Energizer provides you with 30 blogging prompts every month, one for every day of the month. They will also help you promote your posts, contests or any viral report you may have. Worth taking a look at.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Are you networking with other moms?

If you have been searching online for work at home opportunities, you have probably come across several websites, message boards and forums. These message boards and forums will allow you to meet and network with other WAHMs (work at home moms) across the world.

Networking online with other moms on message boards is very easy! Find a forum that you like, register an account and post an introduction message right away. Let the other moms know where you are from and what you want to accomplish with working at home. The women you meet there will provide you with advice on how to start a business, information on a wide variety of subjects, employment opportunities, and they will be more than happy to lend an ear when you need to complain about a bad day.

Start reading other people’s posts – you will notice that there is a section where the poster can list their business website. Visit the different websites – eventually you will find a few work at home moms that have businesses similar to the type you would like to start. Send them a message and let them know you admire their business and ask for advice on how you can get started in the same type of field.

Keep reading and replying to posts regularly; you will find that people have questions about things you are an ‘expert’ in. By building relationships and establishing credibility, people will come to you when they have a need for the product or service you provide.

Seek out the services of other home based moms when you need help with something. If you have done business with a certain mom, recommend her services to others when they need them! Your work at home friend will appreciate your help and will recommend your services to other people.

Eventually, someone new to the WAHM community will seek you out and ask for your advice on how to get started. Take them under your wing and show them a few helpful pointers. You may not be able to pay back all of the mothers who have helped you with your business, but you can definitely pay it forward by helping others!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

If you spend a ton of time online you likely run across websites, articles, recipes, and more that you want to come back to again at some point. A great way to be able to do so is to bookmark the site. These days there are a variety of ways that you can "bookmark" your favorite places on the web, and all the great sites, articles and other things that you want to "store" for a later time.

Social Bookmarking is also good for online businesses.

Social bookmarking, it's just one of the various social media sites that has helped so many small business owners with their marketing efforts. Social bookmarking like other forms of social media is a great way to market your small business for free. So, if you're a small business owner YOU should definitely be utilizing social bookmarking.

Although it can take some time to truly benefit from social bookmarking, which allows you to save your favorite links for anything and everything you find online and then share those links with others. Your aim as a small business owner would be to share links from your own site, services and promotions to be quickly and easily found by others. You would also aim to have others bookmark your endeavors, your promotional blog posts and anything that points back to your site.

Your aim is to begin to create a following, so that over time they repeatedly look to your social bookmarks to find what they need in your area of expertise.

Why not try out social bookmarking for yourself? Try out Digg and Delicious to get started.

To learn more about social bookmarking : Unlocking the Secrets To Social Bookmarking

Monday, August 17, 2009

Back to School Means Ugh Whats for Dinner?

Is school really just around the corner? You know what that means - early morning scrambles, after-school tizzies and ragged nerves at dinnertime. Run, Run and meals get pushed out of your mind.

But it can still be possible to have pleasant family mealtimes even after school has begun. Check out these back-to-school dinner tips for busy Moms:

1. Have a meal plan.

The most important key to having relaxed family dinners even on school nights is having a meal plan. This will simplify both food shopping and meal preparation, and help you save money to boot.

If you need help, check out Dine Without Whine's meal and grocery planning service.

2. Try freezer meals.

Cut down on cooking time by cooking large batches and then freezing them for future use.

3. Simplify your schedule.

With school comes extracurricular activities that could have you running - or driving around - like a headless chicken. Keep things to a minimum. Overloading children with too many after-school activities is not good for them. They need downtime too.

4. Get the kids involved in cooking.

Get some help by mobilizing your own troops - your husband and children - as your kitchen helpers. Cooking is an important life skill and now it's bonding time as well.

5. Have an emergency plan.

No matter how well you plan in advance, something always comes up. Plan for that as well. Always have emergency supplies in the pantry so you can throw together a home-cooked meal at a moment's notice.

It could be a frozen dinner you prepared during the weekend. Mine is pasta, a can of tomato sauce and whatever vegetables are in the refrigerator.

6. Post your family schedule.

Keep a large calendar on the wall where you can see every family member's schedule at a glance. It will also help you plan activities around your family dinner times.

7. Set a routine.

Decide on an earlier dinner time, bedtime and wake up time and start following them a few days before school officially begins. This way, everybody's adjusted when the real thing comes.

8. Stay flexible.

Sometimes you just can't afford disruptions to your meal times. An occasional missed family dinner is no big deal - when you know you'll have more throughout the week.

9. Consider school schedules.

Take note of school events and other activities in your family calendar - so you can plan your family dinners with them in mind.

10. Cook once, eat twice.

Every so often, cook a double batch of meals that can easily be transformed into another entree or side dish. For example, roast 2 chickens. Have one for tonight's dinner. Chop up the other for chicken salad for later in the week.

11. Organize your kitchen.

If you haven't done so yet, now's the time to take stock of your kitchen. Make sure the items you use most often are accessible from your food prep area. Replace the tools that are broken, and get those gadgets that will help you get dinner ready faster.

12. Have a special meal.

Make Friday night Teen's night - which means they plan and prepare the meal. That is, if you have teens or any child old enough to prepare meals. They'll learn how to cook, you get the night off (from cooking), and everybody has fun. The only condition is: everybody has to eat what's prepared.

13. Make it educational.

This idea is for preschool-age kids. Make or buy a special placemat with letter or numbers. Laminate it with Con-Tact paper so it becomes a wipe-off board. Use it only for dinnertimes.

14. More mealtime learning opportunities.

Plan some meals to coincide with specific topics your child is studying in school. For example, on the night after a field trip to a pioneer town, have a pioneer-style meal.

15. Celebrate school successes at dinner.

Celebrate school successes with a special family meal. Prepare the child's favorite meal and prepare a nice dessert. It's more important to have a meal that's relaxed and delicious, than one that tool hours to prepare.

16. Nurture school relationships.

Get to know your children's closest school friends by inviting them to dinner once in a while.

Follow these tips to make family mealtimes simpler, easier and more fun. For meal planning and grocery shopping help, go to Dine Without Whine.

Your monthly subscription includes a weekly meal plan with recipes for main dishes, side dishes, 2 desserts and 2 brunches.

You'll also get a weekly grocery shopping list of everything you need to create the recipes. The list is categorized according to grocery sections, so your shopping will be easier and faster.

For a limited time, you can try Dine Without Whine for a penny. Click here to find out how.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Time Management

The computer is a useful tool when it comes to increasing productivity and implementing various time management techniques. There are many ways that you can implement the use of a computer in daily activities. However, it is essential that you ensure that your computer is up to performance standard and you know the right tools to make the best use of your time. By doing this, you can easily increase productivity by using your computer for time management.

The first way that you can implement the use of your computer for time management projects is to ensure that the internal components match those that are required for you to engage in the activities that are required. Key components that you should research on the computer that you are working with includes the memory capacity, the speed of the processor, the amount of space that your hard drive has, as well as important accessories, such as a printer and/or fax machine. You want to make certain that your computer is able to handle the processes that you require of it. If the computer does not have the performance level to complete the tasks that you need to complete, it can affect your overall productivity.

The second way that you can increase productivity by using your computer for time management is to ensure that all the software that you require is installed on the system. For example, if you require a program to type up various letters or assignments on, and need a spreadsheet program to track changes of various things you may select to purchase Microsoft Office. If you do not have the right tools to perform your job, your overall productivity will be greatly affected. You will want to avoid installing games and similar programs on your computer as they may affect the productivity of the time management method that you are trying to implement.

This leads us to the topic of distractions and the impact that they have on time management. There are many distractions that may occur when working on a computer. These distractions include internet games, children, checking email consistently, surfing various websites, instant messenger programs, and many other things that are similar in nature. If you find that you are having trouble getting distracted by these types of things while on a computer, simply close them out, well except for the kids :). You can designate times each day in which you can chat on messenger programs, check your email, play games, and surf the internet. This is a really good idea, especially if you are trying to work from home. If you are attempting to increase your productivity, just do not schedule these things while you are working on various projects. Allow time in your schedule for your family and your work. Doing too much in either area will result in failure.

The last step in increasing productivity by using your computer for time management is to make sure that you organize your files in an appropriate manner on your computer. You may separate certain projects into various folders on your network. If you do not want others to view these files, simply encode them with a password. Remember to backup copies of all of your files. This way, if a technical issue arises, you still have those files tucked away safely. This becomes important if you are crunched for time or in a rush, being able to find things quickly is a life saver.

The first tool that I would recommend to help save time on the computer would be Robo Form. RoboForm is the EASIEST and MOST SECURE way to manage your passwords, securely log into websites, fill long online forms, search the web, and more. I have been using this tool for over 2 years now and really reap the benefits. No more having to fill in forms, no more trying to remember what that darn password it. There is a free version download by clicking here. You can upgrade at a later point if you have too many passwords, the free version has a limit. Check it out enjoy and save time.

 

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