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

Top 10 Women Entrepreneurs’ Empowerment Tips

By: Ponn Sabra

1. Enlightenment – Have Faith.

In a Women’s Entrepreneur Success Survey I conducted, the #1 category chosen out of 44 to define “Success” was “Faith”. It can be assumed that accountability to God, or a higher purpose, helps you work with strong values, ethics and morals; based on charity, kindness, compassion, and the genuine passion to help others. Also, having faith may help you learn from your failures quicker, have less fear, and take more educated risks, because every experience (good or bad) is one step closer to goal attainment for all the right reasons.

2. Empowerment of Self – The Ability to Chose.

Empowerment is about learning there are choices, in which you have the right to be the healthiest and happiest person you can be today. One critical choice in the self-empowerment process is to enter into self-discovery process that leads to self-acceptance and results in self-love. You will reach your personal and business’ greatest potential, once you master this equation: Self-Love = Self-Discovery + Self-Acceptance.

3. Exercise Balance with Your Family.

Since your family gives you the most personal fulfillment, it is important to always prioritize your business accordingly. Choose to live life with your family, not because of, or for them by making excuses to yourself, such as “work comes first”. After almost facing death, I learned that I must always: Work Wisely + Play Plenty = Rest Reassured.

4. The Enterprise Must Include the Power of Power Networks.

As a conductor of your own enterprise, you can not see yourself as a one-woman-show. You must choose to utilize the power people in your life, by asking for help when you need it, and effectively delegating in order to capitalize on your strengths and that of your power network. When certain experts are not represented in your power network, you must actively seek advisers or mentors and develop a team of specialists, so the benefits are received by everyone involved in the power network – the true Power of Power Networks.

5. Experience Success through Principles That Work.

Rather than re-invent the success cycle; read, study and try different principles proven to have worked in the numerous business-improvement resources available to you. Choose to learn something(S) new every single day.

Give this one a try: The Empowerment Equation to Success:

Desire + Action = Success

Action = 5 A’s: Acquisition, Affirmative Attitude, Accountability, Asking, and Accomplish.

Visit EmpowerWomenNow.com often for updated professional empowerment tools as well.

6. Exclusive Business Brand.

Brand yourself as the exclusive business in your target market. The more you invest your time, money, efforts, and human resource in developing your Unique Selling Proposition, once your clients start rolling in…their loyalty will last for their lifetime and that of their offspring. The power of being the first and only means you have no competition. Therefore, your clients have no one else to turn to. Always chose to be a specialist at something…not a generalist in everything. Dare to be Your Best Self! [Beware: Once you start succeeding at what you do, you WILL have competition. At which time, it's critical to build alliances...not enemies.]

7. Establish Systems to Maximize Time.

You must establish as many systems as possible (i.e., priority planning, to do’s, office hours, meeting days, etc.) to be time-efficient. Streamline all your business protocols for maximum productivity that includes but not limited to your daily, weekly, monthly and annual duties and responsibilities.

8. Expand Your Marketing Reach.

Diversify your online and offline marketing portfolio. Always be open to try something new, different and creative, but never stop at a one-time opportunity. Repetitive efforts are rewarded the most. Areas include: website, blog, article submission, local and internet press release campaign, venture partnerships, link exchanges, charity sponsorships, public speaking, radio interviews, teleseminars, volunteerism, search engine optimization/marketing, building power networks, and hosting local events.

9. Experiment for a Positive Bottom Line.

For every new formula, system, or marketing campaign you try, you must always test and track your results. Stay accountable to your bottom-line by being patient enough to see results and persistent enough to gain the most from your efforts. Don’t give up too easily, and don’t let dead-weight pull you down. Always be cost-conscious.

10. Envisioning Goes beyond Goal Setting.

Envisioning your goals means being able to apply all your senses to the moment when your goal is achieved. Basically, you need to touch, taste, smell, feel, and hear your goal already accomplished, so that moment becomes so vivid in your mind, that you will become happy and empowered right now.Your positive focus will fill your workdays with fun, and you’ll always be proud of your efforts rather than disappointed with your unfinished tasks. Coming from a Type-A personality, this is easier said than done; but having just written this down, I’m now accountable to you. Now, I challenge you to stay empowered and keep our power network alive!

Please share your comments and feedback, by leaving a quick note at Empowering Women Right Now Blog. This Women’s Empowerment Cycle can’t roll without ya!

Ponn M. Sabra, The Women’s Empowerment Queen, is the best-selling author of “Empowering Women to Power Network“, and Founder of http://EmpowerWomenNow.com Hop over to to get empowered today!

The Brain Drain

By: JoAnn Hines

What ever happened to employee loyalty? You know the type: people who went to work for a company at a young age and then stayed there throughout their entire career. I am sorry to report that those days are long gone. The mantra has become to stay with a company for three years and then move on. In fact, today if you haven’t changed jobs several times throughout your profession it’s considered a detriment to your career.

One of the biggest problems in corporate America today is what I call the Brain Drain. It is a simple as it sounds – these employees are tapped out. Their brains have been drained. It is amazingly apparent when you look at the number is women who are leaving corporate America to start their own businesses. Why do these talented women leave feeling disenfranchised? The answer is complicated and a result of the employer not understanding the real issues at hand.

Women in the working world have all been taught to work hard, be good at your job and you will get ahead. (Yes, my mother told me this too). The problem is that teaching methodology is simply not true. Hard work will be just that: hard work. Without a game plan in mind, it’s difficult to move ahead even with good results.

Companies have yet to realize their directives for women in corporate America. On one hand, companies say they want women at the top. On the other hand, they stymie their potential and their ability to move up the corporate ladder. So, what can companies do to rectify this dilemma? They can brand themselves by addressing the progress of the female employee –from the top down.

We all have heard diversity policies and EEOC mandates, but how does this materialize in the real working world. It doesn’t. Executives at these companies need to walk the talk and not spout PC rhetoric. I’ve seen reams of paperwork purporting the facts, but when it comes to implementation that’s a different story.

Take a look at the senior management team. How many women are on it? Any? What are the plans to improve the odds? Doesn’t it strike you as strange that women make up more than 50% of the workforce yet only X % at senior levels? The diversity message simply isn’t being practiced.

When an executive discharges PC rhetoric they are really saying, “I can prove that we have a plan.” What they are not saying is how or when they intend to implement it. The truth is that they haven’t reached the heart of the real issues. The majority of women don’t want a handout or a token position. They want their hard work and commitment to count for something besides a paycheck. Yes, money is important but it’s not the spirit of the real issues that companies don’t understand.

Many personal issues are different for women than they are for men: maternity leave, flex time, telecommuting, and time off for elderly parent care or sick children. The company policy covers many of these issues. Exercising one of these perks is not supposed to be detrimental to one’s career. The reality of the message may be different. “Yes, you will have a job when you come back from maternity leave but don’t count on that promotion.”

Over the years, I have been told by senior executives that women don’t make it to the top because they need special treatment (listed above). The truth is that the brightest and most talented resources don’t need special treatment. What they need is an accurate understanding of these issues and why they are relevant in modern society. Women do have more of these responsibilities than their male counterparts do, and it’s up to them to figure out how to make it work.

That doesn’t mean “having it all.” It means companies understanding of the importance of these issues to the working woman. The fact remains that women reap the benefits of hard work and a job well done. Executives need to understand what makes the working woman tick. (It’s not about the money.)

We spend the majority of our day working and it’s important to enjoy what we do and feel fulfilled about our work commitment. Family needs and issues are just a part of the equation. Until companies realize that women will continue to leave in corporate America in droves for opportunities that allow them to enjoy what they do and feel fulfilled.

Discover the easy way to make yourself stand out from others. How to become an expert in your field; How to write a better resume; How to write a personal press release; How to accomplish things no one else is doing and to get people to think about you in ways they have not thought before and much more including critical checklists for those important business meetings.

This indispensable workbook will show you specific ways to accomplish your personal branding goals and launch your career into the stratosphere. We have done all the work for you with guidelines, cheat sheets and easy-to-use templates to customize for your own use.

So don’t put off building your brand any longer. Don’t wait till your associates get your promotion or raise or even a better job.

Order Packaging Yourself now at:
http://packaginguniversity.com/pkgustorefront.htm

If you find that the strategies and tactics in these materials don’t work for you or in your business, we don’t feel like we should keep your money. We want you to try them for 30 days with zero risk.

Q and A: Financial Independence Tips For Women From Coni Cecil

By: Kristin Johnson

As a woman Netpreneur, I sat down via e-mail with article-announce regular contributor, Internet marketer and women’s financial consultant Coni Cecil of www.cecilfreedom.com. She shared her Internet marketing and financial wisdom for women on the Net. The quote on her site from Eleanor Roosevelt is inspiring: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

Q: I really admire your emphasis on marketing and financial freedom, especially the quote from Eleanor Roosevelt. What circumstances in women’s lives help or hinder them to achieve their financial freedom?

A: Well Kristin, I think time and other commitments and obligations can be a hindrance to achieving financial freedom. As for help, women are very strong and the determination to succeed and provide for our families is incentive enough to achieve financial freedom. Certainly, the assistance of other people is a huge help, after you realize that you do not have to go it alone.

Q: How can women profit from resources you belong to, such as LeadLightning.com and MasterListBuilder.com, which your link www.cecilfreedom.com points to?

A: Lead Lightning is a fantastic tool to use for promoting your business.

It is very affordable for what you receive, and in fact, I truly believe it is under priced. Right now I’m only using 2 of the 25 auto responders [they give], but just knowing that I have access to 23 more for promotion of New Business, with no extra cost, allows me room for growth.

I will soon be using them for my articles, so you see, I most likely will be using all of them at some point in time.

As for MasterListBuilder, I believe in Joel Christopher, and one area I need help with is building my list. Joel knows what he is talking about, and I trust him.

Q: How did you design your Web site for Internet marketing success, and how do good design principles contribute to marketing success?

A: I didn’t design my website. Lise Galipeau did. She’s a friend of mine, and that is one of her strengths. It is not one of mine. In fact that’s another area where I rely on other people. We are all good at certain things, and Lise is very good at what she does.

In my opinion, for marketing success, you have to earn trust. I don’t like bells & whistles. Just give me plain simple language and honest, trustworthy, dependable programs and people.

Q: Women have more of an eye for design, for ease of us, for connection and information finding than your average male geek. Do you feel the time is ripe for women to make a success on the Web? What do statistics show about women Netpreneurs, many of whom started businesses out of hobbies or craft businesses?

A: The time is absolutely ripe for women to excel on the Web. After all, we are excelling at everything else, so why not this. (Smile)

Statistics show that women Netpreneurs are everywhere. Take a look around. Women are realizing that maybe they can make a living doing something they love and believe in. We aren’t getting any younger. Many of us prefer to spend our time on something rewarding. I think we also want to make a difference in this world, which of course brings us satisfaction.

Q: Who are the women’s success stories of the Web? Who do you admire?

A: Oh gosh, there are so many, and I admire more than I can possibly name here.

Lise Galipeau of www.womenscorner.com
Sam Knight of www.boomer4ever.com
Stephany Harper of www.sunnydays4ever.com
Kathy Collins of www.copingtoday.com
Jan Tallent-Dandridge of www.rimdigest.com

Q: Tell me about your involvement with Juvio.com. Would you classify yourself as a geek?

A: I am definitely not a geek. (At least in my opinion – grin) That is why I have Juvio. Most of that technical stuff is over my head, so Juvio not only helps me with problems, but they assist in the learning process too. I love this program. It makes me feel less alone here in the Internet World, and I can count on them to be there for me. Another under priced service that allows me to grow.

Q: How did you join MyPlace and would you recommend it to other Women Netpreneurs?

A: Thanks to Sam Knight, I found Lise Galipeau, and it just felt right. Like MyPlace. The honesty is there, and that is the most important thing to me. I’m a Leo, and we are very loyal. I would definitely recommend MyPlace to other Women Netpreneurs. They will not be disappointed.

Q: In terms of Internet marketing besides the two tools I mentioned, I know that you contribute articles to Article-Announce. What other avenues have worked for you? What avenues have not worked and why? How have you learned from these mistakes?

A: Article Announce is very helpful, and I read a lot of the articles that are sent my way. The learning experience is great.

Barry Baker has also helped me a lot. He is the Owner of usaezine.com and I write Coni’s Corner for him that is published every Monday in “Today’s Power Motivational”.

Patricia Whaley of www.enchantedwealth.com gave me my first chance, when she agreed to let me write a weekly column for her ezine. Her encouragement made all of the difference.

Lead Programs do not seem to work for me, but that is probably my fault, because I tend to be phone shy.

Writing is my passion, and that’s why I get help with so many other things. It’s not that I don’t want to learn to build a Web site, etc., it’s just that I prefer to spend my time writing. It just makes me happy.

I’ve learned that being a Netpreneur is about building relationships first, and then your Business.

Q: Thank you, Coni.

Visit Coni Cecil at: www.cecilfreedom.com and www.conicecil.com.

What are YOUR dreams?

About the Author: Kristin Johnson is an award-winning writer who maintains her own Web site, http://www.poemsforyou.com. She is is co-author of the “enthusiastically recommended” Midwest Book Review pick, Christmas Cookies Are For Giving: Stories, Recipes and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts (ISBN: 0-9723473-9-9). A downloadable media kit is available at our Web site, http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com, or e-mail the publisher (info@tyrpublishing.com) to receive a printed media kit and sample copy of the book. More articles available at

Working Woman Quick Tip: Musical Therapy

Musical Therapy – Destress on your way home from work with a CD to fit the mood. Find several types of music you enjoy for your different “moods,” and play the appropriate cd for the day you had on your way home. Play it loud and sing along…or play it soft and mellow out. You know what you need…Then, when you get home, you will have had the time you needed to get it all out! Trust me, your better half and/or family will LOVE you for it!

Copyright © Lara Velez

Fitness Tip: Make time for Exercise

Making time for Fitness - We all know that life gets busy. Unfortunately for many women, it is their health that suffers the most. Take part of your lunch break to work out. Even if it is only a 5 minute power walk. Any time is better than no time!