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Monthly Newsletter : May 2009
A Note From The Editor
Last weekend was Mother's Day and I thought it appropriate to focus this month's newsletter on Women!
There is a growing community of women from all walks of life starting their own online business to supplement their income in these difficult times. Creative women who have the creativity and skills
to offer their products and services to their target audience.
What they do not necessarily have is the experience or resources available to them to
show them how to get started. To advise them on the tools they need to
have for their online business to operate, flourish and grow.
The articles in this newsletter will hopefully provide some useful information and advice that might
help you or someone you know who are thinking of starting their online business and looking for
some advice. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone you think might find it useful.
To your success,
Linda Belan & Team
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How To Get Started On Your Online Business Venture?
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If you have decided to take the plunge and start off your own online business,
there are several things you need to take care of. You have to find out
all about your craft or art and how viable it would be as a money
spinning venture--something like flower arrangement may be lucrative
all round the year, while some trades see more business during a
particular season. You
must ensure that you have enough financial resources and do your
homework sufficiently well to make a success out of your business.
You could ask friends who have some prior experience of starting an online business. Another idea doing the rounds is enrolling for one of the many entrepreneurial coaching membership sites. You could sign up for mentoring and look for resourcesthat
would give you a jump start into your online business. Some websites
charge you a nominal fee while others are free. Most websites even have
forums where you could post your queries and seek solutions to your
commerce related issues. Building contacts and networking
is another feature that some of these websites provide. If you think
you could do better with some communication skills, you could even sign up for online workshops.
While there's no teacher like experience, it would definitely help to avoid the most common mistakes that novices are very likely to make.
A list of do's and don'ts are given to you. You could sign up to form a
group with other members who are also new into online business. It's
more fun and easier to learn the nuances of online business as a group;
you could learn from others' and also help them out. These websites
advise you on everything ranging from how to dress for your first
customer meeting to how to talk about pricing in the most subtle and
yet effective manner. You may need some help to ensure that there're no legal hassles when you start your business. If you have entered into a partnership, it becomes all the more important that you aren't being conned during the process.
What
some of these websites also offer are regular face-to-face meetings of
their members. This is not just a great way to exchange information but
interacting with the attendees would also help improve your contacts.
You also get to find out about the latest happenings in your field that
would help you be one-step ahead of your competition. There would be
guest lectures during which you are given tips by fellow businesswomen
and this could go a long way in making it easier for you to cut your
first deal; many successful women entrepreneurs are more than willing to give free guidance.
Exercise caution when you are zeroing in on the website. As a rule of thumb you must sign up with a place that has been recommended by a friend or a relative.
You could even check with the local trade guilds; some of these online
centers are authorized and hence you can be sure that you wouldn't be
conned. Unscrupulous elements could loot you off your money and hence
it becomes vital that you check the credentials of the website before
you sign up. With so much help available, starting an online business
was never this easy.
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Ideas To Start Your Online Business
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Some
women who are inclined towards starting an online business don't
actually get down to doing it because they are unsure of what exactly
they want to do. And even if they know what they would like to get
into, they don't know how to go about it. It's important that a woman
entrepreneur find something that would not only help her make some
extra bucks, but also keep her interested for a long time. While you
have to be determined to make your business work, you must be aware of
the online options that would just not be convenient. You
have to remember that the reason you're starting an online business is
not just for the money but also that you get to spend enough time with
your family.
Only
when you have the passion for something like candle making or crotchet
can you see a business opportunity in it. It's important that in
addition to the artistic flair, you also have the temperament to sell
your craft to people. You must not get into an online business simply because your neighbors are giving it a shot.If
you think that the trade may not give you sufficient spare time, then
it may not be worth it. Find out if you would like to help the society
in any way and still make a business out of it. In case you would like
to employ the underprivileged, not only would it be a source of income
for them, you would also gain a lot of satisfaction in the process. At
the end of the day, you must do what you have always wanted to do but
couldn't due to various reasons.
You could also choose something that you would like to learn and then turn it into a business opportunity.
Learning yoga or how to salsa or tai-chi would not only prove to be
therapeutic for you but you could soon be conducting classes for other
students. You must realize that getting into something like this would
require you to master the art and only after considerable experience
could you turn it into something lucrative. Often, you may not be aware
of a hidden skill or talent in you--you may have an eye for interior
designing or fruit carving and not really know about it. Ask your friends and family to point out such talents.
If you would like to learn something, align the new craft with your
interests. It also helps to polish your skills and make the most of it.
Language experts are in great demand these days. Translators and
interpreters can work from the convenience of their homes, as long as
they are available online.
There are online forums for women entrepreneurs. If you aren't certain about the feasibility of your business idea, you can always post a query. The experts who are probably businesswomen themselves would look at your proposition and let you know if you should go ahead with your plan. Ask for suggestions and advice. But as an entrepreneur, you must be absolutely certain and confident of your strategy, even if others fail to recognize it. Be single-minded in pursuing your business dream and you'll soon make it.
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Linda Recommends
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GoDaddy - Domain Registration, Web/Email Hosting Service
If you are starting a business and need to purchase a domain name, put up a website with a reliable hosting service as well as a reliable email service, then GoDaddy meets all those needs and at a great price! Their
Customer Service and Technical Support teams are always courteous and
helpful when you call and know their product well when you need to
troubleshoot problems. Learn more at about what they have to offer
at www.GoDaddy.com
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Linda Belan - Your Outsource Solutions, LLC
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