Home Business Startup Costs

    onestepforward

    Home Business Entrepreneurs are a vital and growing part of the business economy in North America. According to Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2012 United States Report in 2012, over 69% of new entrepreneurs started from home. 55% of the new businesses remained at home even if they hired employees. Also, the average financing was $15,000 with 82% of the entrepreneurs receiving financing from personal funds, family or friend. If you are thinking about starting a home business, it is possible to start from home with less money than you think!

    If you haven’t heard the term “bootstrapping”, it is a new mindset for you to save money by doing some of your startup activities yourself and financing your business plan.

    1. The first step would be to create a budget of potential income and expenses possible in the first year. Most important would be to define all the expenses as income may not come in the first year.

    2. Looking at the expenses, see how you can save by reducing expenses by, for example:

    a) doing your own bookkeeping

    b) using your existing furniture for your office rather than buying new or go out to garage sales to find used items.

    c)asking your computer saavy family member to help you setup your internet in exchange for…

    For most service businesses that are home-based, the initial year is the most expensive but saving money by creating an office in your home and using existing furniture and computer equipment helps to reduce costs.

    Now on to needing money, a bootstrapping entrepreneur will use:

    a) their own personal savings

    b)credit cards debt

    c)ask family or friends for startup money or if you are lucky, use your family members skills within your business in exchange for whatever you decide on.

    The advantage to using your own personal finances is you are not indebted to any other person or company like a bank.

    Without knowing what your startup expenses will be, you won’t know what money you need to raise before you even start your business. So, even though the thought of doing a business plan may be something you consider unnecessary, even if you are going to be bootstrapping, a business plan is worth doing to see what you need for the first year.

    Government Resources for Writing a Business Plan

    The U.S. Small Business Administration has a free resource on creating a business

    The Canadian government resources at Canada Business Network

    Australian government at Business Plan Template

    Great Britain at Write a Business Plan

    Go and write up your business plan even if you aren’t going to a bank for financing because it is the guide and plan to use in your first year to keep costs under control!

    by Jane Gardner from Jane-Gardner.com To empower and implement your business dreams!

    Categories: Start a Home Business Tags: Tags: ,

    Two Keys to Happy Website Visitors

    As a website owner you want to make sure your visitors are happy. Happy visitors stay on your website longer. They come back for repeat visits. And of course they buy from your website. When it comes to a website’s structure, there are two elements that can make or break your user experience.
    #1 Quick load times

    There’s nothing that squashes a visitor’s happiness faster than not being able to load a website page. If the page doesn’t come up quickly, your visitor is gone. We’ve grown accustomed to instant gratification online. If your web page takes longer than a few seconds to load, you may miss out on valuable prospects and visitors. They won’t be happy while they’re waiting for your pages to load.

    So what can you do to ensure quick load times?

    * Reduce and minimize your graphics. Make sure a graphic takes up no more than 10k on any given page.

    * Don’t use flash. Many website designers still turn to flash to add interest. Don’t do it. It takes too long to load. If you do use it, make sure you give your visitors the opportunity to click through and skip the show.

    * Use plug-ins sparingly. There are a number of really useful plug-ins. However, they’re bulky and can slow down your load time. They can also distract from your web page’s purpose and make it look cluttered. If you’re going to use a plug-in, make sure it supports your goals for that page. And make sure it enhances the visitor experience.
    #2 Easy navigation

    The other thing that makes visitors happy is a website that’s easy to navigate. Straightforward and intuitive website navigation can be difficult to accomplish. The following tips can help you get the job done.

    * Eliminate clutter – Many times a web page has so much going on that the visitor isn’t sure what the page’s purpose is. Are they supposed to look at ads? Fill out a form? Read an article? Make sure your web pages have a purpose. Then make sure that page is designed to support that purpose. Everything from the formatting to the add-ons can add or detract from your page’s purpose.

    * Intuitive buttons – The buttons on your page are there to guide your reader deeper into your website. Therefore they must make sense to the visitor. One of the best ways to ensure your buttons are easy to understand is to make them keywords. Keywords are likely what drew your visitor to your website. They’re what the person is using to search for and find information. Create categories and subcategories with your keywords. That way your user is able to easily find the information they’re looking for.

    When your visitors are able to navigate your website with ease, they’ll stay longer. If they’re able to find the information they’re looking for without struggle and frustration, they’ll return again and again.

    When you combine a straightforward layout with quick loading times, you’re well on your way to giving visitors a very pleasant experience. Happy visitors turn into happy customers. Take a look at your website today. Does it make visitors happy?

    Categories: website Tags: Tags: ,

    Three Ideas and Strategies to Give Your Visitors a Reason to Return

     

    A website generates two main types of visitors. There are the visitors that stop by and leave. They never return again. Then there are the visitors that stop by. They bookmark your site. They sign up for your opt-in list. They subscribe to your blog. These are the visitors you want. When you can motivate more new visitors to come back, you’re on your way to converting them to customers.

    The majority of people do not make a purchase the first time they visit a website. A website has to earn their trust. It has to establish credibility, liking and authority. These are all buying triggers, and for most websites they’re earned over time. They key is to give them a reason to come back. Here are three ideas and strategies to give your visitors a reason to return.

    #1 Valuable content is definitely required. If you provide a consistent flow of great content, visitors will come back for more. However, there’s more you can do to ensure their loyalty.

    #2 Provide a free membership. Take a look at your website. Why do people visit your site? What benefit can you offer on a regular basis? Now instead of offering that information to random visitors, consider creating a membership site. Membership implies exclusivity. It also implies extra value.

    When people sign up for your membership program they will receive “extra” content, products or services. For example, you might create a “Report of the Month” club. The information is free for members who have signed up. Each month you deliver a quality report. You can use the report to promote affiliate products and/or your own products/services too.

    #3 Include user generated content. Enable visitors to provide their own content for your website. Blogging is one way to accomplish this. You can include a “blog for us” form on your site. You can also turn the “Commenting” feature on and allow visitors to respond to your content. However, if you don’t have a blog site, then consider adding a plug-in or feature that enables them to add content.

    For example, you might include a “Best Tips” category. You can then enable visitors to post or submit their best tips. You publish their information and you now have an interactive audience.

    Finally, take a look at your usability features. What can you add to your site or blog to make it friendlier? For example, are other commenters notified when a comment is published to a post they also commented on? Can they forward your content to a friend? Can they print it?

    The easier you make it to interact on your site, the better. Provide great content. Enable visitors to receive more via memberships and let them share information. The more repeat traffic you have, the faster you’ll build a loyal customer base.

    Categories: website Tags: Tags: ,

    Seven Keyword Development Questions to Ask and Answer

     
    Keywords are an important aspect of website success. Choose them wisely. Research them carefully. Position them strategically. When you’ve taken the steps to plan and implement a keyword development strategy, you’re on your way to a website that sells. Here are seven questions to ask yourself as you’re creating and implementing your plan.

    Question #1 What keywords and keyword phrases does your target audience use to find information?

    Your audience and prospects are looking for your information. Your job is to determine what keywords they’re using to look for you. Once you’ve uncovered the low supply high demand keywords, you can position them strategically in your content and on your website.

    Question #2 What keywords and keyword phrases does your competition target?

    Finding low supply, high demand keywords is just the beginning. You also want to know what keywords your competition is using to target prospects. You can then use this information to further develop your keyword strategy.

    Question #3 What strategies will you use to research keywords and keyword phrases?

    Here are just a few options to consider:

    * Test and track activity on your website
    * Use keyword research tools
    * Research what your competition is using
    * Ask your audience, customers and/or website visitors
    * Follow your intuition
    * Look at trends
    * Pay attention to popular terms on social networking sites

    Question #4 What keyword research tools will you use to research and develop your keywords and keyword phrases?

    Here are a few to consider:

    * Wordtracker
    * Google AdWords
    * Google Suggest
    * Yahoo/Overture
    * Keyword Discovery

    Question #5 What keyword tools will you use to analyze and research your competitors’ keywords?

    Here are a few tools to consider:

    * Adgooroo
    * Keywordspy
    * Spyfu
    * Wordtracker
    * Google Alerts

    Question #6 How will you track keyword trends and popular search terms?

    Here are some useful trend research tools to consider:

    * Google Trends
    * Google Alerts
    * Twitter popular topics

    Question #7 Where do you/will you use your keywords?

    Here are some places to consider positioning your keywords on each web page:

    * Above your logo
    * In your URL
    * In your subheadings
    * In your headlines
    * Within your content
    * In anchor text
    * In your image/alt tags

    Once you have your keyword research completed, it’s important to create a plan and a system to keep it organized. It’s also important to review your plan on a regular basis and update it. Keywords change and customers evolve. Keyword development isn’t a “set it and forget it” tactic. You’ll want to continue researching and planning on a regular basis.

    Make sure your keyword research and development system is well organized and easy to plan from. Make it an important part of your traffic generation strategy. And create a plan to research and develop on a consistent basis. For example, on a quarterly basis, review your existing keywords. Research your analytics. Look for new and trending keywords. Create a plan to take advantage of that audience.

    Keywords and keyword phrases are part of website success. They boost search engines, enhance navigation, attract eyeballs and motivate conversions. Keyword research and development is important to your success. Make sure to take every advantage.

    Categories: website Tags: Tags: ,

    Seven Key Elements for a Successful Landing Page

     
    Your landing page is important. Quite often it’s the page that most visitors come to first. It’s the page you may generate links to. It may also be the page that the search engines pay the most attention to. Therefore, it makes sense to make sure your landing page is as well designed as it can be.

    There are seven key elements for a successful landing page. They each are important independently, but they work together to provide a unique and effective experience. Before you take a look at these key elements, however, it’s important to answer a question first.

    What is the goal of your landing page?

    Your landing page needs to have a goal – an objective. What do you want visitors to do? What action do you want them to take? There are many possibilities. You may want them to:

    * Dig deeper and explore your website
    * Click through to a sales page
    * Opt-in

    Once you know what you want visitors to do, then you can make sure your landing page supports that goal. Now you’ll use the seven key elements. They include:

    #1 Images – The images you choose on your landing page are important. You want them to support the overall goal. Images, in the form of graphics and photos, can quickly overwhelm a landing page and become a distraction. If you choose to use images, and they really can enhance a landing page, make sure they support your goal. Make sure they adequately represent your brand, too. A common image to use might be your photo. This helps connect the reader to you. It helps brand your business and build a relationship.

    #2 Headline – Your headline is often the very first thing a visitor will see. If it doesn’t grab their attention, then it’s not doing its job. However, in addition to grabbing their attention, it also must support your page’s purpose. Take time to craft a headline. This is also an important element to test and track. Create two landing pages with two different headlines. Determine which headline is better at helping you accomplish your goal for the page.

    #3 Emotions – Emotions are what people use to make buying decisions. They’re incredibly important if you’re trying to motivate any action. You can tap into your visitors’ emotions with images and words.

    #4 Navigation – Make sure that your visitor not only knows what they’re supposed to do on your landing page, but also that they can quickly figure out how to do it. If you want people to dig deeper into your website, then make sure your buttons and call to action support that. If they cannot figure out how to get to a page that interests them, they’re going to leave.

    #5 Proof – You might notice that many of the elements of a successful landing page are also sales copy elements. This is because you are trying to motivate an action. Your landing page has a purpose. Proof can be demonstrated by:

    * Awards
    * Testimonials
    * Endorsements
    * Organization membership
    * Facts and statistics

    The proof you use depends on your goal. For example, if you want to motivate an opt-in, then you might use facts and statistics along with a banner ad highlighting an award your site has won. This gives you credibility.

    #6 Call to action – A call to action is required for every successful landing page. It’s the only way your readers know what they’re supposed to do next. Test it and track it for success.

    #7 Opt-in form – Finally, if your goal is to motivate an opt-in, then you must have an opt-in form on your landing page. In fact, everything on that page needs to support that goal.

    Your landing page is perhaps the most important page on your website. Make sure the elements on your page support your goals and your success. Test and track various elements until you get the best results.

    Categories: website Tags: Tags: ,

    Optimize Your Website – Test Early, Test Often, Test Variety

     
    Testing is one of the most overlooked business tasks. Without testing, you cannot know what tactics and actions are most profitable. Testing tells you which headline works best. It tells you which ad delivers targeted traffic. Testing tells you what your prospect’s priorities are. It tells you where to place you most important information on your website. In fact, testing can tell you just about anything you want to know.

    The great news is that there are some truly amazing tools and services. They enable you to test many things before you implement them. You can also test your competitors’ sites using these same tools. This means you can learn what they do well and where you can improve.

    What to Test

    There are more things to test than you have time for. However, when you create a system to test and track any new feature or idea you can be sure you’re making the most of your efforts. Make sure to:

    * Test your headline
    * Test your call to action
    * Test your opt-in form copy
    * Test your opt-in form location
    * Test your anchor text
    * Test your ad placement
    * Test your ad copy
    * Test your benefits, promise and proof
    * Test your opt-in offer
    * Test your bonus products
    * Test your pricing
    * Test button elements like shape, font, and formatting
    * Test how people use your site (and why)
    * Test new designs

    How to Test

    Once you’ve made the commitment to test, the simplest way to test is called a split test. This can be used for many of the elements of a sales page, opt-in offer or advertisement. The strategy simply requires you to create two versions of the page. Only the element you’re testing will be different. For example, if you’re testing a headline then you’ll create two identical pages. Each page will have a different headline. The headline with the most conversions or actions, wins.

    If you’re testing for design elements or visitor use, then you can use more advanced technology to help. For example, 4Q by iPerception can help you figure out why people are using your site.

    A new design can be tested with a service like Feedback Army or FiveSecondTest. You can also test your competitor’s sites with these tools. And you can test load times with a program like Keynote.com.

    For real insight into your visitor behavior, consider a tool like UserTesting.com. You’re provided with a recording of people visiting your site.

    When it comes to testing, you cannot test too much. Of course, don’t break the bank testing. However, do keep testing in mind whenever you implement a new feature or design element. Split testing is cost effective. Many times it’s completely free. Other testing can cost you money in the beginning. It can also save you money in the long run. Before you take any major action with your business website, consider what and how you can test it for success.

    Categories: website Tags: Tags: ,

    Four SEO Tools and How to Use Them to Build Your Business

     
    Search engines matter. They send traffic to your website. Use them well and they send very targeted traffic to your website. Targeted traffic turns into customers and repeat visitors. This means it’s not only where you’re placed on the search engine rankings, but the keywords you use as well. You want to make sure you’re attracting targeted traffic to your site.

    The world of search engine optimization and keyword development can feel overwhelming. It seems there’s a lot of information to learn, know and use. However, when you drill down, it’s actually quite simple. You want to optimize your website for a few primary keywords. These keywords ideally will have an acceptable amount of demand and supply. They’ll also be keywords that your audience is likely to use to find your information.

    Then you optimize your pages for those keywords. You also choose some secondary keywords to support the primary ones. These may be keywords with less demand and less supply. However, they’re still keywords your audience is using to find your information.

    How do you use these keywords? Content, content, content. Content gives the search engine spiders something to index. It also provides material that others may link to. This is an important part of SEO.

    To help you manage and master your SEO efforts, there are literally thousands of various tools and gadgets. Some of these tools help you check the keyword density on your web page. They make sure your keywords are represented enough to help but not so much that your content reads poorly. There are also link checkers, keyword research tools, and so on. Here are four SEO tools you might find useful.

    #1 Keyword suggestion tools – This is where it all begins. Keyword suggestion tools help you learn and research your primary and secondary keywords. The most common of these tools is the Google AdWords tool. It’s free and quite useful. There are also keyword tools that you can pay for. They offer a bit more information than the Google tool.

    #2 Ranking checkers – Ranking checkers help you determine where you rank for various keywords and search engines. It’s a great tool for setting goals and tracking your progress. For example, you might set a goal to move up two pages in the rankings using article marketing. You can use a ranking checker to test and track your success. (You can also check to see how your competition is doing.)

    #3 Link checking tools – Link checking tools help you determine the effectiveness of your back links. You can learn who is linking to you and how popular their links are. Again, you can also check to see who is linking to your competition. There are some basic, free tools that provide basic information. Or you can hire a service to analyze your back links for you.

    #4 Keyword density tools – These tools can analyze a page or your URL for keyword density. There are a number of keyword density tools. Again some are free and some are paid tools. If you’re going to pay for this service, make sure it analyzes keyword phrases and not just one or two word keywords.

    New SEO tools are being developed every day. Take advantage of these resources to strategically position your business. The easier it is for your prospects to find you, the faster you’ll achieve your business goals.

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    Five Questions to Ask about Your Competition

     
    Understanding your competition is important. When you understand them, you can position your business to stand apart. You can create an effective SEO and keyword development strategy. You can maximize your competition. And finally, you can position your products and services to sell.

    When you created your business plan, you likely did a competitive analysis. If you didn’t, then now’s the time. Once you have a solid competitive analysis, the work’s not done. The world changes and so too does your competition. It’s important to stay abreast of their change. While it’s not a good idea to stress about your competition, it is important to review them semi-annually or quarterly.

    So…how well do you know your competition? Here are five questions to get you thinking about your competition. Answer these questions, take action, and achieve better profits and a website that sells.

    Question #1 – Do you know who your competition is? Do you have a competitive analysis? It’s difficult to differentiate your business if you don’t know who your competition is. Your USP, Unique Selling Proposition, is often created with your competition in mind. You need to know what you do better or differently so you can offer value and benefit to your audience.

    Question #2 – How often do you presently analyze and evaluate your competition? Again, it’s not wise to obsess about your competition. However, it is wise to create an analysis strategy. Semi-annually, annually or quarterly are common periods to review your competition and update your analysis.

    Question #3 – What are your competitions’ primary keywords? What are their Alexa stats? How do you compare? It’s important to know not only where your competition stands, but also where you stand in comparison. Create a chart or system to track this information.

    Question #4 – Do you follow your competition on social networking sites? Do you receive alerts when they publish new content? Do you subscribe to their blog or newsletter? Simple strategies can help you stay abreast of your competition. You can collect the information and review it when appropriate. Or you can review it as you learn about it. Often, your competition’s actions and content can be helpful to you. Their actions might inspire a new content idea, product or service.

    Question #5 – Does your competitive analysis and strategy include:

    * Keyword analysis
    * Linking analysis
    * Products/services analysis
    * Content analysis
    * Advertising analysis
    * SEO page ranking

    Rest assured your competition is watching you. You might return the favor. Take advantage of automated technology to track their activities. Create a plan to assess your competition and reassess your strategies and tactics. There’s a lot to learn from the people that challenge you. Your competition may be the motivating force you need to take your business and website to the next level.

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    Effective Strategies to Guarantee Targeted Website Traffic

    Website traffic is a sure way to boost your income. The more targeted your website traffic, the better your potential for profit. The good news is there are many ways to drive targeted traffic to your website. Here are just a few to help you get the ball rolling.

    * Article marketing – Article marketing is a tremendously successful way to drive targeted traffic to your website. When you write and publish quality content, you attract readers. These readers will click through and visit your website for more information. And when you write and publish quality content, other website owners will republish your content. This exposes you to more targeted traffic.

    * Blog and guest blog – Blogging and guest blogging is another great way to drive targeted traffic to your website. Again, when you publish quality content, people tend to click through to your website to find more great information. Include a website link in your blog posts. Include an author’s resource box in your guest blog posts.

    * Comment on blogs – Registering and commenting on blogs is also a great way to generate traffic to your website. Make sure you’re doing two things. Provide a link to your website when you register. Provide a thoughtful comment. Intelligent conversation will generate interest for you and your website.

    * Social networking – Social networking can send tons of traffic to your website. However, in order to ensure it is targeted traffic, make sure you’re publishing relevant information and links to your site.

    * Post answers – Websites like MerchantCircle and Yahoo!Answers provide you with an opportunity to provide valuable information. Answer questions related to your niche and link to your website.

    * Podcast – Publish podcasts on sites like iTunes and create a following. Make sure to include a link to your website or your URL in your podcast name and information.

    * Reviews – Visit review sites and publish reviews for products or services in your niche. Share your expertise and experience with others.

    *  Hub pages – Create mini sites that provide a wealth of information. Use these informative sites/pages to drive traffic to your primary site.

    * Local search and Google Places – If you have local customers, be sure to take advantage of local search directories and sites like Google Places.

    * Social bookmarking – Don’t forget to pay attention to social bookmarking sites like Digg and StumbleUpon. Use these sites to drive traffic to one or two key web pages.

    * PPC ads – Finally, while the other traffic tactics discussed are free, you can also pay for targeted traffic. PPC ads are great for driving targeted traffic to specific web pages. Use this tactic to drive traffic to a squeeze page, opt-in offer, or sales page.

    The more targeted your traffic, the easier it’ll be to convert visitors into customers. Use these targeted traffic tactics to build your business today.

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    Make It Easy for Your Visitors to Complete Your Website Goals

     
    What are your website goals? Do you have any? Presumably you want to make money, but how? Does each page on your site have a goal? If so, does the goal of the page also support your ultimate website goal?

    Your website goals might include:

    * To sell a product
    * To sell a service
    * To motivate an opt-in
    * To inspire a visitor to click on an affiliate advertisement
    * To provide information and receive ad exposure and PPC income

    Any single website page may also have these same goals. They may also be designed to help you achieve other independent goals. For example, one web page may be designed to promote your opt-in offer. In addition to your call to action, there are other things you can do.

    Taking a look at your website goals and independent page goals, consider these three points.

    #1 Who are your visitors? What content and tools will you need to help or convince them to accomplish your goals? For example, you want them to sign up for your opt-in form. What content and tools are you using to motivate that action? Are you providing them with a sample of the offer? Do you make it easy to opt-in or do they have to jump through hoops?

    #2 How does your visitor travel on your site? When someone visits your landing page, where do they go next? Is it where you want them to go? Does it support your goal? Use your website goals to help you create content and determine the path your visitor takes. Each piece of content on your site should influence an action that ultimately leads to your goal. Again, imagine you want to motivate an opt-in.

    Each piece of content, form and promotion on your site should lead to that goal. Take a look at your flow of information and the path your visitors take when they’re at your site. Does their path support your goal? When adding or removing something on your site conflicts with your goals, don’t do it.

    #3 Include a call to action with each website page. Articles, videos, forms – everything needs to have a goal that supports your end goal. They need to have a call to action that supports your goal and purpose. Don’t expect your users to know what they’re supposed to do next. Tell them.

    Finally, make sure to respect your user’s time. Dragging them through an endless process to achieve your goal isn’t going to win you any friends. If you want them to sign up for your opt-in list, make it as easy as possible. If you want them to buy a product, make it as easy.

    Analyze each web page, new and old, and determine if it supports your goals or detracts from them. Help your visitors. Make it easy for them to achieve your website goals.

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