There are many people who have considered the possibilities that come along with beginning a home based business. Being able to work on your own time and manage yourself is an excellent thing. However, moving from this hope to a functional online business is another story.
Always maintain a separate phone line for your business from your home phone line. Your message recording must be professional, and you want to ensure that no one else in your family takes your work calls.
Always know how much you are spending to make the products you sell, so that you do not end up losing money. Wholesale prices are usually double the cost of production. Retail mark-up is twice that of the wholesale price. Make your price-point something both you and your customers can live with.
Always begin your online business when you are employed. Chances are that your new business will not bring in a profit for quite a while, and it is best to have regular income from your current job during that time. There are advantages to this, including having a steady income while you wait for your business to turn a profit.
Select a name for your business that is personally meaningful. Business domains are relatively inexpensive, and you don’t want to miss out on getting the website name that you really want. Many domains cost less than $10 per year, and it’s important to get your domain before someone else does. Initially, use a one page site which gives your business information.
You should create a mailing list of your customers. Don’t spam your email list. Use mailing lists to let your customers know about new specials and products. It can also be used to send handy tips to your customers. Your website should have a signup section for new users that are interested in joining the mailing list.
As you can see, it will require a little bit of work and dedication to make the jump. If you can manage to pull through and stick to the plan, you will be able to accurately represent your dream in the company’s image and create something that is long-lasting and profitable over the years.
There are tremendous opportunities for small businesses and social entrepreneurs to support their communities through community foundations, donor advised funds and other means of giving back. Find the neighborhoods in
Kalamazoo, Michigan where you can make the most impact on education in the community.