Quick Guide To Launching A Work From Home Business from The National Small Business Marketing Association
How To Launch A Work From Home Business In A Post Covid 19 World:
Do you want to truly work from home? The best thing about the advent of broadband internet is the ability to start a business without ever leaving your house. In fact, for every idea listed below you can work from anywhere if you have a computer and internet. You don’t even need that much money to get started - just time and persistence.
We spend ALOT of time here at the National Small Business Marketing Association thinking about this topic and providing our association members the resources necessary to be successful.
Here are eight great ways to make money with an online business. there are MANY MORE. But this is a start.
1. Course Creation
You don’t have to be a certified teacher to teach other people what you know. You can simply develop a "how to" step-by-step course using a platform like Teachable.com to deliver the course for example. You can find ready-made PLR courses, that you can claim as your own, and resell under your business brand. Many successful marketers and online businesses are using this strategy.
(the NSBMA has MANY resources for quality white label and PLR content resources that you can trust)
2. Affiliate Marketing
An affiliate sells other people’s products (either physical, digital, or both) and receives a commission payment. You can do this via a niche blog or website and a targeted email list. If you build up a big enough list, multiple six figures are possible as you become the go-to source for your niche.
3. Private Label Rights Content Creator
Other people who work online as bloggers often don’t have enough time to create all their own content. That’s where you come in.
If you can write, or even hire someone to write for you, you can create high-quality PLR content. PLR such as articles, blog posts, eBooks, to sell to others to use.
4. Virtual Assistance
Every business needs an assistant or secretary. If you’re good at customer service, organizing, using certain software programs, and other administrative tasks, then you can do them from home online for your clients. You’ll use the technology available to perform the tasks your clients need.
5. Life, Health, or Business Coach
The coaching business is lucrative. Many coaches make multiple six figures due to the ability to group coach, using technology like JigsawBox.com to deliver coaching on a one-to-many basis. If you’re knowledgeable and like working directly with others, coaching might be a great career for you.
6. Graphic Designer
If you know your way around graphic design software, then you’re in luck, because you can run a very good business from the comfort of your home office.
7. Ghostwriter
Many smart people have good ideas but not enough time to implement them all. If you’re good at writing, this is a great opportunity to use your craft to help others tell their stories and get paid. You can find clients via Hire Writers, as well as by networking in author groups, blogging groups, and other writing groups on Facebook.
8. Online Business Manager
All businesses need to be managed. If you’re good with project management and understand what is involved with business management, then ac5ting as an online business manager might be for you.
It’s not much different from managing any type of business. Keep in mind that you’ll just have to figure out the technology needed to help your clients.
There are literally hundreds of ways to make money online.
These are just a few ideas.
You can also start a retail store online using Amazon’s Fulfillment Service, or you can start a niche YouTube channel and earn ad revenue.
Whatever you decide to do to make money online, it just takes investment and perseverance to make it happen - just like any other type of business.
There are many of benefits of working from home. Some of these may sound exciting at first, but can cost you dearly if you are not self-disciplined enough for the task.
Being self-disciplined and self-motivated can bring big rewards.
Rewards like not having to wait for the lunch break when hungry, or not having to commute to work.
But the backlash can be detrimental if you don't succeed.
Get dressed for work even if you're not going into the office
You don't have to dress too formally since you'll be at home. But getting out of your pajamas and into some casual or business casual clothes can help get you out of bed and into work mode. It also helps in case you have to hop on an impromptu video conference with your colleagues.
Do you have a desk or home office set up in your home?
If you don't, then you may want to invest in a standing desk or a regular desk and an office chair with armrests. You can also use any table surface and chair in your home, so long as it makes you feel comfortable, awake and engaged. Just make sure you're not lying in bed or your couch all day. It won't help you stay productive at work and it may even hurt your back or posture.
Are you set up with a Virtual Private Network (VPN)?
Think about getting VPN access before you start working from home. Having a VPN set up in your work laptop can help ensure you're securely accessing and sending company files. You'll also want to make sure your computer has the right apps and software for you to complete your job at home. This includes access to video-conferencing tools and workplace messaging apps to communicate with other staff members and standard software you would use at your work place like MS Office etc.
Reduce at-home distractions that don't require your immediate attention!
Working from home may give you the flexibility to run a quick errand or be available to receive deliveries and home repairs. But it's best to try to reduce optional distractions that don't require your immediate attention, like television, pets and household chores. You can do those when your work is done.
Make a schedule for yourself and try to stick to it!
Working from home can give you flexible hours. This means you may not have to fit the nine-to-five time frame. But you still have to plan your day with time-slots for meetings and getting work done. So remember to hold yourself accountable by making a schedule and sticking to it. Determine the start and end of your workday, and stay true it.
How to Avoid Work From Home Scams!
There are many ways to spot these scams. I’m going to be giving you tips on how to spot work at home scams.
Tip one
Most of the scams ask for a self addressed envelope and a $1. This right here is nice scam. I’ll tell you why. They end up sending some stuff envelopes type letter claiming to pay you $500 a week for stuffing the envelopes. You won’t get paid $500 to stuff envelopes.
Tip two
They tell you that it’s really easy work to make X amount of dollars a week. This right here is wrong. Its hard work to own your own business, or working from home. Think about how easy it would be if you worked at a 9 to 5 job. Would that job be really easy to make money from? No, you will have to work for it. It’s the same way with online jobs and businesses. Now this is all depending on what your business is. Internet Marketing is hard to start but easy to make money from once you get the ball rolling. Keep that in mind if you want to own an Internet Market business.
Tip three
If they don’t want to give the information about company, that’s a red flag right there. I wouldn’t even mess with them if they say, it’s a new business, and we don’t have a name or anything like that. Avoid them. A real work at home job will give you all the information and more. After you get the information, go and do some research on the company. Check the Better Business Bureau to see if they had any complaints.
Tip four
Avoid the “we will pay you in advance for your services” scam. Here’s how this scam works. The scammer will send you the advance pay in a check. The check will clear you bank in about five business days, after about seven business days, the scammer will contact you and claim they over paid you.
Now they tell you to return a portion of the check back to them.
After that work, your bank will send you a notice about the check you deposited bounced.
And guess what? YEP! You’re out of money because you have to pay the bank the bounce check fee and you paid that scammer a portion of that so-called pay check back.
This is a real scam. This scam happens all the time.
Tip five
You put you resume up on a find a job type web page.
Then about a week later you get an email from a company that claims they are expanding. They tell you that they need some work at home workers to help with this expanding company. This is a scam.
They don’t need you’re help, but they do need you’re Money or even worst, they need you information. This is really bad, they will use that information and well, they will run you name into the ground and rob you of your identity.
THINGS TO REMEMBER:
A Work at Home Business Home businesses usually have some start up costs and require time before they begin to produce much income.
However they can give much bigger returns in the long run once you take the risk.
For beginners, affiliate marketing is what many recommend doing first. If you already have a website, you can apply to become an affiliate of a well-known company that you already respect. Simply visit the websites of your favorite companies and see if they have a link for people interested in becoming one of their affiliates.
If you are approved and become an affiliate, you receive a small commission for each click or sale that comes from your site. This is a relatively low-risk kind of affiliate program.
On the other hand, if you want to start a business as part of affiliate program that uses more of a multi-level marketing approach, you will need to read a lot of reviews of different programs before you choose the program.
Before you join one, make sure you understand exactly what the program involves.
You need to know what it will all cost to get started, from supplies and equipment to training materials you purchase from the program. You also must find out who will pay you and whether it will be based on commission or some other arrangement.
And of course you must be clear on what you will be doing. You need to to get a detailed picture of the duties and activities you will be performing to earn your money. The best programs will answer your questions in a straightforward manner.
Scams or shadier programs advertise themselves as more than they are or turn out to be different than you are first led to believe. Once you have verified that a program is legitimate, you can invest in your start up materials. Then you can begin the steps entailed in starting your business. Having your own business and working from home requires you to be able to work independently and stay motivated.
If you are organized and able to plan well, starting a business may suit you and reward your leadership abilities.
Some people take a third option when considering a work at home job or work at home business. They choose both. The job gives them a steady income while they build up their new home-based business. Once you know your options and capabilities, it all comes down to deciding what work at home option will work best for you.
If you need assistance, the NSBMA can help! Right now, you can join as an association member 100% for FREE...we have our own resources that you can access for FAR LESS than what the open market would charge you which will save you a lot of money.