Turn Your Skills In To Cash!

How To Be An Entrepreneur - The Key to Your Successful Work at Home Business   by Karen Whaley

Okay, let's get down to basics…how to be an entrepreneur. Notice I said how to BE, not become, an entrepreneur. That is a very important nuance, one that could mean the difference between success and failure for your work at home venture.

From day one of your online business enterprise you must present yourself to the world as an entrepreneur. As you start to build profiles at social networking sites like squidoo, facebook, twitter…etc, enter your occupation or business title as entrepreneur. I know it may feel strange or even fake at first. You just started your work at home business and you don't feel qualified yet to label yourself as an entrepreneur. The fact is, you have made the brilliant decision to start an online business and work at home, that makes you an entrepreneur. Claim that status.

The key here is to feel and act so that you may become.

Yes, the key to becoming anything is to feel and act as if you already have it. This is the fastest way to build the confidence and mindset of an entrepreneur. You will suddenly realize after a few weeks that you actually are an entrepreneur and your work at home business will start to flourish.

Start reading and learning everything you can about entrepreneurship and marketing. Network with other entrepreneurs. Learn about your business from every angle. The faster you gain knowledge the faster you will gain confidence.

Now I am NOT advocating lying. Do not lie - that will be the death of you on the internet in a matter of minutes. Label yourself an entrepreneur and then tell your story.

Confidence and mindset are extremely important to the success of your work at home business. Immediately take on the mindset of an entrepreneur and you will fill that role in no time at all.

About the Author

I am a Work at Home Mom and Entrepreneur. I am passionate about sharing my knowledge in order to help others get out from under the struggle of a traditional job and find freedom in being an entrepreneur.

I would like to welcome you to a community of professionals with passion and integrity. There is no other business and marketing system like this for beginners and seasoned entrepreneurs alike.

The Business Of Drop Shipping

Drop shipping is a technique of delivery of items. In this method, the retailer receives the payment from the customer and the manufacturer directly ships the product to the client. The retailer serves the purpose of a middleman. He receives the order from the customer and sends the details to the manufacturer or wholesaler, who in turn, sends the order to the customer. The profit of the retailer lies in the difference in amount between the retail and the wholesale cost.

The retailers may display some items in their store. This allows the customer to have a look at the product similar to the one they want to buy. The retailer may also show a catalogue of the product or a website where you can get the details of the product.

Drop shipping is ideal for a retailer who deals in small quantity. On receiving a large order, the seller may make arrangement to ship the goods to the client directly. It is also useful for shipping large items to the customer.

Drop ship eBay is an auction site where the sellers make a list of the new items and send the product to the person who has made the highest bid from the manufacturer. The seller is also allowed to list the items that are not presently available with him if he abides the policy of eBay.

Drop shipping is very useful for small retailers and sellers who only use catalogues and for online stores. The customer of these stores does not expect the product right at the time of purchasing of goods. So a bit of delay in the delivery is not considered as a drawback. The customer may place an order by inspecting the similar item displayed in the shop or by looking at the picture in the catalogue. The retailers also need less space for storing the items in a safe and secured place. They can dedicate most of the place for displaying the items rather than stuffing it with bulk items. Drop shipping retailers also need not maintain an inventory. There is also no need to hire large number of employees for security, inventory, and handling of goods. Drop shipping wholesalers prefer this method of delivering goods as the bulk orders can be shipped directly to the customers by cheaper methods of shipping. The retailer functions as a salesman and the drop shipper do not have to pay for the fuel and handling charges. The items also remain safe and secured as the wholesalers have better storage space than the retailers. Moreover, there is no scope for duplication of the product as it is shipped directly from the warehouse of the drop shipper, thus decreasing the cost. The flow of cash is also positive in this method as the cash remains for a certain period with the retailer.

Drop shipping has certain drawbacks as the customer has to pay both the shipping charges and the cost of the product, which may prove to be quite expensive while ordering large items. Yet it is a preferred method of delivering goods as it is easier and helpful for small and online stores who have problem of space. The manufacturers can also display their products properly.

About the author:
<a href="http://www.thepowersellersunion.com/"> Dropshipping</a> is very popular business today. You can read more about drop shipping wholesalers at <ahref="http://www.thepowersellersunion.com/">www.thepowersellersunion.com</a>

The Successful Traits Of Entrepreneurs

We are currently living in times where more people are choosing to leave the traditional rat race of going to a job and starting their own business. More people across the world are beginning to realize the significance, freedom, and great awards that could be achieved by being an entrepreneur and that job security is virtually non-existent.

Therefore, it is just as imperative when deciding to start a business to determine what traits are needed in order to be successful in business. If some of these traits are already imbedded in you great, if not consider giving them some thought as to how you can build up that trait.

1.      Believe and Trust in Yourself- One of the main keys that successful entrepreneurs possess is that they are full of confidence, persistence, and consistent in their endeavors. They are determined that nothing is going to stop them from believing in their dream and also having the trust that they already possess everything that they need to succeed.

2.      Find Your Passion- A secret to being really profitable and successful very quickly in business is to be a part of a business and/or providing a service/product that you would endorse whether you were getting paid to do so or not. It’s like the old saying goes: “Do something you enjoy and you never have to work another day in your life.”

3.      Expand and Build on Your Negative Traits and Mistakes- Successful entrepreneurs are not afraid to be aware of their weaknesses and to convert those weaknesses to be stronger because it could be the key that can take their business to the next level. Successful entrepreneurs are also not afraid to admit and learn from their mistakes.

4.      Network with Fellow Successful Entrepreneurs- Successful businesspeople like to associate with other successful businesspeople. Like tends to attract like in the business world. Plus, successful businesspeople are looking to learn and share with fellow peers, which are important to increase credibility, grow professionally and personally, and possibly gain mentorship relationships.

 5.     Block Out Negativity- Business traditionally has the reputation of being “unstable”, thus for that reason and many reasons more, naysayers would tend to quickly derail someone’s business ambitions. However, when successful entrepreneurs are confronted with a variety of negativity from people, media, and everything in between, they keep moving forward toward their goals because they know what they want and they are not going to let anything stop them.

6.      Follow Your Plan- Most successful entrepreneurs possess some type of business plan that is designed on how they are going to achieve their goals as well as their mission behind achieving those goals and various intentions and ideas on what can make the business successful. They also have a marketing plan that is detailed, clear and concise on the best and unique strategies to reach their audience and to receive their business.

7.      Visualize Success- Successful entrepreneurs know that thoughts lead to feelings, feelings lead to actions, and actions lead to results. Therefore, they know that in order to be a success, they have to first see it mentally, feel it with great passion and urgency along with their actions would lead to the results that they want. Successful businesspeople know that what they focus on they will get.

8.      Never Give Up- Quit. What’s quit? I never heard that word before. This is the mindset of great and successful entrepreneurs. Even when successful entrepreneurs hit a road block they don’t let it stop them from achieving their dream. Granted, even successful entrepreneurs at one point or another feel disappointed or discouraged at times but, quitting is never an option.

By having faith, trust, perseverance, self-discipline, and passion as a foundation, any person can be a successful entrepreneur if they put their mind to it. As long as anyone can conceive and believe their dreams, it can be achieved.



About the author:
Traliece Bradford is a online entrepreneur who assist others achieve financial freedom thourgh owning a home based business. She also enjoys encouraging people to strive for greatness. To learn more about Traliece's business opportunity visit http://beabundancemlm.com.

How To Network

Johnny and Susie Hawker attend almost every networking event in their area. And the first thing they do is try to sell you their product or service. Johnny and Susie may feel like this is what they are supposed to do at these events. But this can be "career suicide." How can you get the most out of these events? • Show interest in what others do. You never know. You may find someone that offers a service or product that you need. By showing interest in what others do, you will find they will be more interested in you. • Don't be shy about developing personal friendships. Most people will buy from someone they know and trust. Use these events as an opportunity to expand your circle of friends. • Do take plenty of business cards and information about your company. However don't carry in a huge breifcase or box full of items. Use common sense. You don't want to run out before you meet that perfect prospect but you don't want to seem like you are just there to sell. • Don't be a "networking" crasher. Are you a member of the organization or were you invited by a member? Do you attend many "networking"events as a "guest" with no intention of ever joining but with the intent of getting as many business cards as possible? Don't waste the organization's time (or the attendees' time) by not taking the event seriously. • Be patient. It can take up to six months to get a legitimate lead. If you go into an event thinking you will meet several prospects you can convert into sales quickly, you will likely be disappointed. Finally, remember that there are opportunities to network everywhere. You may meet your best customer at your child's ballgame. You may strike up a conversation at the grocery store with someone who is looking for what you have to offer. Just remember not to be a Johnny or Susie Hawker or you will lose the prospect.

About the Author

Michael D. Hayes is a native of Arizona, and is a graduate of Northern Arizona University and Thunderbird, The American Graduate School of International Management. Read his blogs at www.momentumstaffing.wordpress.com or www.phoenix.jobing.com

The Self Employed Mentality

Becoming self employed can be a little scary, and rightly so. As an employee, you have a "chain of command" that allows for quick responses and solutions to questions and problems that arise in a multi-employee business environment. When you start out as a self employed newbie, you can feel alone in your new venture with no real support from anyone. No one to answer questions or give advice. How do I get more clients? Where can I find suppliers? And, it is up to you, and you alone to keep the business afloat. A lot of people may not be willing to trade the security of their jobs for self employment, and there is nothing wrong with that, but there are limits to how far you can go as an employee. For those do make the leap, it is important to prepare yourself psychologically by immersing yourself in the culture. Surround yourself with like minded people in your area, subscribe to, and read, entrepreneurial publications, join your local Better Business Bureau as well as local and online entrepreneurial groups like http://www.ideacafe.com, http://www.econnect.entrepreneur.com among others. Doing this will help you form a support system to help you cope with self employment. This is not to discourage you from self employment, but to prepare you for it. Self employment can be very rewarding, both emotionally and financially, But you must learn how to play the game. Keep learning and be open to opportunities and you will succeed.

How To Start A Successful House Cleaning Business.

Don't let a lack of funds stand in your way of starting a business of your own. There are many businesses that can be started on a shoestring budget so you can get up and running relatively quickly and start making money. Service based businesses are often some of the best start-ups because you're making life easier for your clients either by performing a service that saves them time or makes life easier for them. A cleaning business is a sure fire way to make income quickly.

A home based residential cleaning business is one of the very best businesses in 2009 that you can start for very little cost. Here's how to do it.

You may have never considered this type of home business before but it is definitely one to consider in these hard economic times because start-ups costs are low and effective marketing strategies don't require a lot of capital. When you don't have much money, getting started a residential house cleaning service may be just what you need. Of course it helps if you are something of a neat freak.

In today's economy this service type of business can be you and your families answer to an uncertain future. So many people are in the terrible position of no income at all after being laid off from a company they have worked many years for.

What gives this industry a strong appeal to a wide range of people? Flexibility.

There are many niches in the cleaning industry so you can big one that you'd most enjoy or the one you have the most experience with. By doing a little legwork and research may also help you determine which type of service is needed in your area or where there's the least amount of competition bettering your chances for success.

You can have a variety of goals in this industry.

Office cleaning, or window cleaning or branching out to a professional organizer are just a few examples. You can build a company that suits your own particular style and talents. If you like doing the work on your own, then you could stay a small company of one or two people. Or if your talents run more to the administrative side, you could build and manage several teams to do the work. This can be very profitable. Residential cleaning offers predictable scheduled hours that can be part-time or as many hours as you can manage. It's up to you.

So how do you go about getting started?

1. Do some research to determine what type of cleaning service is needed in your area the most. 2. Work for a cleaning service for a few months to gain some experience and see if this is something you really want to. Earn while you learn. 3. Get incorporated for tax and liability purposes. 4. Apply for any licenses or registrations needed in your state or municipality to conduct business. 5. Do you need to be bonded or have a specific type of insurance? 6. Open a business bank account. 7. Start marketing to acquire clients.

You can get started for less money than you think.

Starting your own business often requires a lot of money; however a service related business like house cleaning can be started for very little money. You can use the money you earned while working for the other cleaning company to start your own. With a bucket of cleaning supplies and some cleaning rags you can start an instant business.

How much will you charge clients?

Your fee to clean a house will be based on a few factors. For example: the size of the house, the layout, number of bathrooms, is there a lot of stairs, any specific needs?

Every situation is different. Some individuals want their home cleaned once a week, some who want it done every other week and some just need it done once a month. You should also take into account if there are pets and children, more to clean, and the degree of clutter. Whether there are lots of hardwood floors or rugs, or other materials with specific needs.

Offer a free estimate walk through of the home. All the information can be gathered in order to give the best quote possible. It's easy to create a checklist of services so you can determine a quote while doing a walk through with the client. Leave them a copy of your credentials (licenses', bonding information etc) too along with the quote. If you have a brochure or list of references make sure to leave them as well.

In the beginning you'll be doing the selling. Don't worry. Make it fun.

Scared of selling? Practice with friends and family. Go over what your services are and practice answering question that a typical client may ask. Take your time with clients, be empathetic, listen to their needs, ask questions about why they need help and which aspects of your service will be most beneficial to them. Be nice, friendly, courteous and respectful. Treat them the way you'd want to be treated. Never forget to ask for their business.

Getting paid.

Most cleaning businesses just ask for cash or a check on the day of the service to be left on a table. Most people will give you a key, but some like to leave it on their property. Some people are home the day of service and some are not.

How much do you charge?

Find out the rates in your area. What is the average? Any were from $10 to $25 an hour usually. Call around to get an idea of what other services are charging. Cleaning jobs should be priced by the job and not by the hour! Look at it from your clients' point of view. If the customer knows that they have to pay $100 to get the house cleaned, it doesn't matter to them if it takes 3 or 5 hours. But if you tell the client that the same job would be priced by the hour, they just might question why it took you an hour to do a bathroom etc.

The initial cleaning.

When you are cleaning one house it will not always be priced the same. The first time you clean, the initial cleaning will be different than the subsequent cleaning jobs. You should charge accordingly, anywhere from 25 to 50% more. If you charge $100 for a 3 bedroom house, add $30.00 depending on experience, you will adjust your price on the initial cleaning.

Get the best prices on cleaning supplies.

Any club type store such as Wal-Mart, Sam's Club or Costco are good places to buy in bulk for less. Most of your clients will expect you to bring your own supplies and have your own tools. I recommend that you invest in a small portable vacuum as some clients vacuums will not be what you need to do a good job. If they have central vacuum it's usually best to use that.

So what supplies would you need?

• an industrial grade bathroom cleanser - Scrub free - tubs with a plastic milk container, an all purpose cleanser - Mr. Clean - floors - toilets • a window/mirror cleanser - Windex (antibacterial) and Vim multi surfaces • a soft scrub cleanser - Vim cream cleanser • furniture polish - Pledge - used mostly for the dust mop • wood floor cleanser - Murphy's oil soap once a month on all wood surfaces • 2 buckets - for moping and to hold all your products • a bag of cleaning cloths - linen is best - wash nightly • a Swiffer Sweeper with dry and wet strips - good for new hardwood floors • extension pole duster and a duster (feather) several sponges.

Some customers have certain products that they like used in their homes. You should ask at the estimate and note it on the schedule. Also any preferences, write on the check list that you leave with them for the initial first clean. With each visit add comments as to what was done that week for the customer's knowledge but also for remembering what was done.

How Do You Advertise?

Flyers work very well. You can produce an attractive flyer on your home computer and print them out. This method works well for seeking frustrated customers who are not actively seeking cleaning services. They see the flyer and think it's a great idea. A simple website works very well. You can link it to the flyers and your business card too. I make my own, or you can have them produced cheaply online. Having a nice tri-fold brochure as a leave behind is a great idea also. You can place ads on Kijiji (www.kijiji.com), Angie's List (www.angieslist.com) and Craig's List (www.craigslist.org) for your area also.

Your website.

Make it personal, with your picture and a little about yourself. A 4-5 page website is all you need. Include information about your services, pricing, geographic areas you cover, credentials, references and contact information. Make sure to list all your services with the average price breakdown.

A list of clients and references should be given after giving an initial estimate, so when they see comments from emails from my clients on your website; they can link the name to the comment and call them as a reference, if they choose to.

Buying a domain name, hosting and having a website created should not cost an arm and a leg.

Hire a mentor to guide you through the process of starting your business.

A qualified, experienced mentor will be invaluable in assisting you through each aspect of starting and growing your cleaning business. They will also supply you with the motivation you need to keep persevering if you run into any roadblocks along the way. Spending a few hundred dollars for the services of one on one mentoring and business coaching may potentially save you thousands by keeping you from making mistakes or wasting valuable time that should be spent focusing on starting and growing your business. It will also give you an ally and advocate who has your best interests in mind. Ethos Mentor (www.EthosMentor.com) helps start-up entrepreneurs, such as you, achieve their dreams and create personally fulfilling businesses. Ethos Mentor offers a lifetime membership and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Serial entrepreneurs are welcome too!

In conclusion.

Starting your own cleaning business right now in this time of economic crisis is a great way to earn a solid income. It really is a great money making business. Your repeat customers will pay you continuously on a regular basis. The growth potential can be tremendous too. As your business grows you can hire employees, build cleaning teams, and create a brand and one day sell franchises. You just can't beat that!

About the Author

Ellisa Brenneman is a born entrepreneur and the owner of Ethos Mentor. Ethos Mentor provides entrepreneurs with affordable one on one mentoring, business coaching and capital raising services so they can launch and grow their businesses. Visit www.ethosmentor.com for additional information or email info@ethosmentor.com to schedule a free consultation with a Mentor.

Learn Tax Preparation.....For FREE.

There are only two certainties in life....Death & Taxes. Why not make money with the latter? This website will teach you everything you need to know about starting a new career or you very own tax preparation office in this money making industry in the comfort of your own home. With preparation costing upwards of $250 or more, it's clear that the industry will do nothing but grow. In 2002 H & R Block's sales were at $2.2 Billion, serving 19 Million Customers in the US, Canada and Australia. No matter how bad the economy, most people will still need preparation services. www.thetaxcollege.com will show you how for free. The website is pretty basic with all the necessary information to get you started. All you need to do is register at the site and the course will be delivered to you by email, which is broken up into 30 segments over 30 days.

Once you complete the course you can purchase the optional tax preparation software. It's not cheap but with a lot of people paying just to learn the business, you get it here for free. As with anything you should practice before going pro to get the hang of it. At this writing, there are no licensing requirements in most states so you can prepare anyone's return, assuming you know what you are doing. The IRS is however trying to introduce legislation to regulate tax preparers but that might take a while so learn and earn.

Skills In To Cash Forum Available!

We have started a forum at www.skillsintocash.proboards.com to help everyone with questions or answers on earning more money. Join us in helping each other be successful.Ask questions, provide answers, brainstorm ideas. Thanks

HR

Use Resources You Already Have To Make Money.

Henry Thompson got the bad news last summer: His boss told him that his hours were being cut to make up for the down economy. Being in his mid 40's, Henry felt that going out into the job market might not be the best choice and because of the slow economy, he might have a harder time finding a new full time job.

As he sat at the kitchen table gazing out through the window into his driveway, he noticed his prized pair of RV's. He said to himself: "I wonder if I could rent those things". In a stroke of genius he went online to a popular bulletin board at www.craigslist.org and noticed that a couple of people were doing just that. He emailed those RV owner disguised as a potential renter and asked their rental rates. After bouncing the idea with his wife, Henry figured he'd give it a shot.

After doing a little more research online, he figured out his competitive rental rate,  got insurance, downloaded a basic rental agreement and modified it to fit his needs. and began advertising on free classifieds site among other venues. Summer seems to be the most popular time to rent an RV. Henry  makes the income he lost as a result of less hours worked and then some. He is thinking of buying another RV. And as far as losing hours at work.....Henry admits it's been a blessing.

Hector Rodriguez 

How Much Should I Charge For My Service.

It would be considered by most 'natural' that a professional should aim to price their services at a 'fair' price; perhaps a little like Goldilocks not too high, not too low. The truth is that who you ask for advice in this area could determine the answer to the question.

Do I need to discount my fees to get clients?

Ask an entrepreneur who has been in business and who may have sold one or two businesses and they will says: 'never sell yourself too cheaply.' Ask another, moderately successful practitioners and they'll say 'Don't charge too high, people won't pay it.' At a recent conference of coaches I met a coach who specialized in coaching chief executives. He said he would not get any customers if he charged under $1,000 an hour.They would not accept that I had the high level credentials if I charged less than a rate commensurate with the potential value of the service. It is perfectly 'natural' to expect the potential client to question your 'value proposition'.

But do note:

* Discounting inevitably gives the pricing power to the buyer. That may be valid if you feel you have no power in the negotiating but this should not be a presumption upfront.

* Discounting inevitably leads to a downward spiral in fee income. Once established that you are prepared to discount, it is difficult to claw back to the base level and even more difficult to position one as a 'premier' professional.

The 'natural' expectation here is that good professionals should be appropriately compensated.

It is the biggest trap is for aspiring consultants and freelancers and the response is unanimous: don't under-price your services. Too many set off to win business and price themselves with urgency as the driver; inevitably creating the impression that they are simply not up to the job. My experience based on more than 10 years of consulting and freelancing is to build 'posture' not the physical body type - and to adopt an attitude of 'can do'. It's more important to project an image that that you can add value to the client. Your price is not negotiable because you have the confidence that will deliver the value expected from the engagement.

Easier said than done of course. Most professionals will be limited by their track record and the prevailing 'market price' that competitors may have adopted.

Following the competition can have its pitfalls

The first pitfall is that you cannot assume the competitor's price is a reasonable price. It may simply be a loss-leader. In other words the competing firm may need to win the project in order to win future projects. This may be mandated in the price. Competitors with deep pockets may be able to withstand such deals and may in fact also be negotiating from alliance deals or affiliate deals that compensate them for a low bid.

Cost analysis

In making something, it is relatively easy to cost a product. In the world of consultants, coaches and freelancers, such benchmarks are almost always of a 'virtual' variety. Indeed when most work these days is delivered across the Internet, or by phone, transaction costs are effectively removed. Delivery costs aside, there still remains the need to account for overheads, communications costs and the non-costed component of a service (usually referred to as 'non billable hours'). This underlines the need to have what is referred to as a sound value proposition.

The value proposition

Ask Zig Ziegler or any salesperson worth their salt and they will tell you the way to sell yourself or your services is to sell the benefits to the prospect. There is no shortcut here. In fact it's the methods which will secure the maximum fee.

Moreover, price is only one part of the customer satisfaction outcome. Correct pricing is as much about perception and customer satisfaction as it is about costly analysis. It's important to know your customer satisfaction levels - dissatisfied customers won't pay any price.

How to price your services

There are a number of methods for determining the price of your services. Let's be clear: you want to build relationships and optimal profits. Here are some different points to consider and some pricing approaches with merits and pitfalls.

* Many coaches, freelancers and consultants do not correctly factor in all the running costs of running a consultancy. Factor in overheads, depreciation of furniture and computer and telecommunications equipment as well as accounting and administration costs.

* Home-based coaches, freelancers and consultants mistakenly price them less as 'home-based' operators thus disenfranchising potential clients who want to deal with full service firms. Establish a professional office (shared is fine).

* Too many consultants and freelancers become 'small' in their thinking and translate this into charging what they believe the job is worth and hence undercharge. Establish your value proposition ( for example: 'In 12 months we will have implemented a new prospecting system that will generate 100 more leads than you have now').

* Use the 'money back guarantee' approach. 'If you are dissatisfied with the service, after three months we will refund the fees.'

Anton Pearce is known online as 'The Profit Mentor'. If you're a coach, therapist or personal growth professional, Anton can help you grow your business online, turn your expertise into profitable new income streams and help more people - without working longer hours. All using marketing & social media strategies that protect and enhance your reputation. Visit http://antonpearce.com for more free resources.