11 Free or Cheap ways to Start and Run your Online Business

By: Natalie Williams

1. Open eBay and PayPal account (free)

2. Start selling things around their house to get their feet wet, build up feedback points and get experience (free, plus it MAKES you money).

3. Go to library and get books on beginning HTML, Web design (for beginners) and Creating graphics for beginners (free)
Search on the Internet for a free HTML editor (web page creator) and free graphics editor.

4. Running out of stuff to sell? Go to your local thrift shops and buy up all BRAND NAME childrens clothing for like .50-1.00 each and sell them in batches. Buy up all video games, DVD’s and even VHS if the VHS’s are priced at LESS than $2.00. List them and charge $4.50 for shipping and handling.

5. Use Stamps.com to print the postage and you can hide the amount of postage on the label so no one complains). This covers any packing material and your time packing and going to post office. I am TIRED of shipping cost complaints. Do these people email amazon.com and complain they were charged $6.95 for something that cost them .50 to ship? Go to garage sales, buy up and resell. (Cost – Free to open account and FREE postage to begin with plus a free scale.)

6. Start making a website. I don’t care if it’s about hot dog farming. Whatever interests you, make it. (Free to create because you are doing it yourself.)

7. Join affiliate programs that match and compliment the theme of your website. Insert reviews and links to these websites of the affiliate programs you joined.

8. Buy a domain name and hosting account and upload your website.

Now that you have all this hosting space, you can also use it to keep your images on for your eBay listings too. Don’t nickel and dime yourself to death with their fees!!

9. Create a custom About Me page on your eBay account that introduces you and directs people to your website (You DO know some HTML now, right?) (Cost – FREE)

10. Search out newsletters that would be good to put an ad in. Cost, about $40 for a SOLO ad which means JUST your ad goes out to 15,000-30,000 people.

11. Write an eBook on some subject. Put affiliate links in it. Give it away on your website. Create more ebooks. Make a GREAT one and sell it.

About the Author: Natalie Williams is a full time work from home mom that centers her business around helping other people, especially moms, work from home successfully and without being scammed.

Contact: nwilliams@cidicon.com

Her main websites can be found at:

www.Scam101.com and www.GettingStartedOnline.com

Working Woman Tip: Positive Woman

Positive Woman. You need to associate with people who share your vision. People who will cheer you on and be there to help pick you up when you fall or fail. People who will be up beat and a positive influence. No one needs to be around people who are always finding faul, and pointing out all the reasons they can’t, or should not do something. Learn to be a positive voice in your own mind as well. How we feel about ourselves shines through whether we realize it or not

Customer Service 101

By: Lara Velez

I can’t be the only one who has noticed the decline in customer service these days. It is a very sad thing. I have stopped shopping at many stores because of how I was treated. I believe that customer service is one of, if not the most important ingredient to any successful business.

Here are some basic tips to help you earn your customer’s trust and repeated business.

- Never Argue with a Customer! No matter what, the customer is ALWAYS right. Do what it takes to make them come back. If you go the extra mile with a disgruntled customer, they will walk away happy and share their experience with others. And, everyone knows that word of mouth is the best form of advertising.

- Always be Professional. Even if your customer or client is being unreasonable, always put YOUR best foot forward. You don’t know what that person’s day was like, or what their past customer service experiences have been. Treat them like family. After all, they are your bread and butter.

- Never Miss a Scheduled Appointment. Being late is a HUGE no no. Leave early to get there on time, but don’t ever be late! You must always make sure that you give yourself enough time for every scenario.

- Be a Good Listener. Customers are people. And people want to be heard. Sit up straight, give a firm dry handshake, and always look them in the eye.

- Samples and Discounts. Whenever possible give your customers or clients freebies and discounts. They will appreciate it, and will likely want more!

- Show those Pearly Whites! Smile. It really does make a huge difference. Not only for your customer’s sake, but for you too! You will feel better knowing you stayed cool. A smile lifts you up. Your smile is a form of communication that your customers should never live without!

- Keep in Touch. Send your customers and clients a thank you note for their orders. Send post cards and fliers telling them of up-coming specials. Or, a special just for them! Taking this extra step in customer service will make your customer feel special. And, look to you in the future.

Copyright © Lara Velez

About the Author: Lara Velez is an entrepreneur and published writer. One of her desires is to help people do better in business. That is why she created HBRD, a home business website. There you will find many tips and articles to help you succeed.

Business Loans for Women Business Owners

By: David Gass

Women business loans are now one of the most popular forms of business loans in America. That’s because more and more women are entering the business world and becoming small and large scale entrepreneurs. There are now successful women business people in almost every area of business and most of them got their start in business by applying for and successfully getting women’s business loans.

Women are sometimes at a disadvantage in the business world because they have had to shoulder more of the burden in raising children and looking after house and home. This has meant that their business credit has not has a chance to mature as quickly as some of their male counterparts and has caused banks to sometimes turn down legitimate requests for women’s business loans.

One agency that is doing its best to help small banks and other lending institutions provide more womens business loans is the Small Business Administration. They have a series of services and programs including an Online Women’s Business Center that offers women entrepreneurs specific advice and guidance as to how to get more womens business loans. There are also many women’s business organizations in the United States who not only provide advice but also assign mentors and coaches to help women get the women’s business loans they need. Special programs also exist for women military veterans, women with disabilities, and immigrant and minority women.

One way to increase the chances of success in getting women’s business loans is for women who want to start their own business to apply for a credit card in the name of the business that they want to operate. This allows the women business owner to build their business credit resume at the same time as they build their business. It may be necessary to use personal credit to obtain a business credit card but once that business card is approved it starts building a woman’s business credit rating and record right away. This will certainly make it a little easier when one goes to the bank to apply for women’s business loans.

Women now contribute a lot to the growth and prosperity of the country and women owned and operated businesses now employ over 27 million people in the United States. Several trail blazers have opened up the doors for women entrepreneurs and nothing, not even a banks reluctance to provide women’s business loans will hold them back. It is still not easy for women to qualify or get approved for women’s business loans but the sheer number of women in business is making it hard to slow them down.

Women have a great capacity to own and run businesses at every level of the economy and step by step they are convincing banks of that fact. The increasing number of women’s business loans is proof positive to that effect.

About the Author: David Gass is President of Business Credit Services, Inc. His company publishes a weekly e-newsletter on Starting and Growing a Small Business at http://www.smallbusinessconsulting.com

We’ve Come A Long Way Baby – But Not Far Enough!

By: Kirstin Carey

Studies done by Catalyst, Inc., the National Association of Women Business Owners, and the Center for Women’s Business Research are all reporting that women are slowly eking up the corporate ladder. Unfortunately, the increase from one year to the next is barely noticeable and definitely nothing to get excited about.

The organizations above also state that companies with a higher representation of women in positions of leadership did better financially than those with a few or no women in leadership. So, if companies are doing better with women in positions of power, then what is preventing so many women from gracing the corner offices?

The top five reasons are:

1. The corporate structure is too rigid and doesn’t allow for a work life balance.

2. Women are getting lured into deceptive paths to the top.

3. “The Rules” for getting to the top aren’t clearly defined.

4. Women aren’t helping each other climb.

5 Companies aren’t utilizing the strengths of their women.

So, what are some things we can do to improve the situation?

Do Our Own Thing.

As others studies conducted by the earlier mentioned organizations, women are leaving Corporate America in droves and staring their own companies and firms. This approach allows women the opportunity to control their work schedule in line with their personal lives and to many times increase their income. It’s also starting a trend of companies that are not fixated on the standard 9 to 5 mentality. If you can’t join ‘em, beat ‘em!

Do the Homework.

Research how the corporate big shots got to where they are now and find out exactly which path they took to reach the top. Read their biographies and any books they may have written. Find out what significant positions they held and what skills were crucial to their advancement.

Special Note: Top positions require P & L (profit & loss) experience and most corporate paths taken by women do not involve working with P & L.

Seek Out Mentors.

Find other women (or men) who have succeeded in the path you are striving toward and learn from them. Too often women are not proactive in finding a mentor and are simply waiting for one to appear. Though fairytales teach us that our fairy godmother will appear when we need her, corporate mentors aren’t sitting around waiting for managers in need. You have to find them and ask for their help.

Of course, you should also BECOME a mentor. It’s amazing how much we learn when we teach it to someone else.

Support Female Friendly Companies.

Every year, Working Mother Magazine publishes a list of the Top 100 Companies for Working Mothers along with specific reasons each company made the list. If your company won’t make changes to support your work/life balance needs, consider finding a job at one of the companies on the Top 100 list.

If you aren’t in a position to switch jobs, then at least be sure to support these companies and their efforts by buying their products and using their services.

Understand the Specifics.

Find out exactly what you need to do to get to where you want to go. Work with your boss on setting goals and developing specific skills needed to advance. Keep a record of your successes and accomplishments and show how you have impacted the company’s bottom line. Also, keep in mind that studies of performance reviews show that women are usually judged on PERFORMANCE while men are usually graded on POTENTIAL. So, be sure to discuss your past performance as well as your future potential.

The issues of women and Corporate America won’t be solved over night. Women themselves are still trying to define their roles and figure out what and who they want to be, making the situation that much more difficult.

Until companies begin to embrace the importance of the female perspective and qualities, they will not understand the need for a change in the status quo. Therefore, women cannot wait for fairy godmothers to appear and must impact change themselves.

What can you do today to help impact a change?

About the Author: Kirstin Carey is a consultant, award winning speaker, and author of “PowHERful Communications for Women Who Want to be Heard.” As a woman business owner, Kirstin fully understands what is necessary for women to be successful entrepreneurs.

To find out how you too can love your business everyday and live the entrepreneurial life you want, visit http://www.powherful.com

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