Issues in Planning

Nobody can deny that planning is important for a business to succeed because it enables companies to have a sense of direction on what they want to accomplish and how to accomplish it. However, there are also issues in formalized planning that had been raised because of the changing global environment that had challenged the importance of planning itself. Some of these issues should be faced because they mirror the real environment today. Here are some of the issues:

1. Planning can create rigidity- this means that when a plan was made, it is usually made with a specific timeframe and the steps that needs to be completed within this timeframe. However, these kinds of plans were made on the assumption that the environment would not change during that period except for the forecasts that were made at the time of planning. With this kind of planning, managers will have a hard time adapting to unique situations with new ideas and methods because the timeframe and the rules had already been set.
2. Planning isn't suited for a dynamic environment- the environment today is constantly changing, and as such, plans are usually discarded because it is no longer relevant to the situation that companies find themselves in.
3. Plans cannot replace creativity and intuition- most successful organizations are founded on creativity and intuition. But as companies grow bigger, they tend to become more formalized. And this development makes it hard for companies to continually innovate and come up with new ideas so they tend to lag behind from the competition.
4. Plans tend to focus a manager's attention on today rather than tomorrow- plans are usually created with a set of tasks that a manager should do on an everyday basis. This hinders him from looking ahead and seeing what may happen in the future. It also limits the manager from grabbing opportunities because he is busy following the guidelines of the plan
5. Formal planning enforces on success which may lead to failure- it is hard to change plans that had been proven to be successful in the past. But these successful plans may be the cause of the downfall of the company if managers aren't responsive enough to changes.

With all these issues comes the question, “Is planning still relevant?” Yes, it is because businesses would have a hard time surviving without a specific plan in place. The entire organization would become disorganized without proper planning. Actually, everyone agrees that having a plan is crucial for an organization's success; the problem only arises when the plans begin to become too rigid to accommodate changes in the business environment. So the key to successful planning is to create plans that are flexible enough to adapt to possible changes tomorrow.

Is Direct Marketing Worth The Hoopla?

You maybe looking at marketing a product or good and trying to decide on what kind of marketing you should proceed with. You have seen direct marketing and maybe wondering if it is worth the all its cracked up to be. Let us take a look at direct marketing to help you decide.

What is direct marketing? Direct marketing simply put is marketing that delivers a promotional message directly to potential customers on an individual basis. There are many benefits to direct marketing a few of which are; providing targeted information to a demographically targeted audience, easily measure the amount of marketing you pay for and who it reaches.

By targeting a specific group of people your marketing dollar is spent wisely. You are not wasting money on marketing to people who have no desire in your products. A well thought out and planned direct mail marketing campaign can bring in many buyers. You can test market without spending a lot of money and you have more control over how much you market spending as little or as much as you need to. Direct marketing allows you to develop a distinct personality for your business. It can be used to help enhance the image of your business, to give your clients and customers much needed information about your company, and to help persuade them to order from you.

There are also disadvantages to direct marketing and they are not always something you think about when considering marketing your product or goods. One of the main down falls to direct market mailings is that people often consider it to be junk mail; junk mail is often thrown away never read meaning that your money was wasted in your efforts to gain business. Your direct mail is competing with dozens of other companies who are using the same kinds of marketing as you are. There can be a relatively high cost per contact in direct marketing if you are unsure or do not have marketing plan.

Every business can increase their profit and make more sales by marketing. The key is to find a way to market as relatively inexpensively as possible. Your success will depend on the method of marketing you use and in the way you present your information about your company. With direct marketing you will want to define your target group. This is the group of people you want to target mail to. This can help you to directly target groups that will be interested in items you want to sell.

Direct marketing can either be good for your company or bad for your company. It will greatly depend on you. Your marketing strategy and what kind of research you put into it before you go about your marketing.

Investing Your Money Wisely

If you are involved in business then chances are you are so caught up with the day to day operations that you sometimes forget that there are alternative ways for you to earn from your money. But in fact, there are cases where you will actually earn more from your investments than from your actual business. This is because you will have to deal with overhead expenses, salary, and capitalization in an actual business. On the other hand, all these factors are not present in investments. In other word, you are making your money work for you when you invest rather than the other way around.

So how exactly can you go about this endeavor? The fact is, investment requires in-depth exposure to the market so you would know where you invest your money in. There are many investment options you can choose from. Even your regular saving account and time deposit in the bank can be regarded as an investment because you are able to earn a specific amount of interest rates from this endeavor.

Aside from these though, there are other investment options that will let you yield higher rates for your money. Some of these opportunities include investing in the stock market, in mutual funds, and even in foreign exchange. But from the description of these options, it is quite obvious that it is necessary for you to watch the movements of the market consistently so you will be able to know when to buy and when to sell.

However, you should note that just in operating your own business, investing in these endeavors presents risks also. Different investment options have varying amounts of risks so you need to study how much risk you are actually willing to take. For example, if you decide to buy a particular stock from a known company at a high price, it is possible that this stock will not cost the same the following day because of management problems or other issues that can suddenly arise. Even investing in mutual funds carries some risks because the interest rates you are expecting may not be as high as you are anticipating.

Overall though, investment is a good way to earn while enjoying the convenience of being in control of your time and your money. Investments also somehow provide you with a sense of security because you know that your money is managed by competent financial managers. In addition, you should note that diversification is important in today's world. Diversification simply means that you need to put money in different investment options so your risks are balanced in different industries. In this regard, investments certainly gives you that flexibility because you are free to choose the investment medium that suits your needs best.

Introduction to the Business of Manufacturing

The manufacturing business is probably the most challenging business a person can get into especially if he manufactures several products at the same time. Unlike the retail business or service business, for example, a manufacturing business has a lot of potential problem areas that should be resolved even at the start of the operation. Some of the issues a manufacturing has to deal with include the sourcing of the raw materials, training of the workers, and even controlling the inventory level. They also need to deal with financial concerns because a lot of investments are tied up on their inventory. In addition, manufacturing businesses usually have to wait a long period of time before their inventory is liquidated.

A manufacturing company also has to find different retailers and wholesalers who will carry their products so that they will have a wide distribution network. As you can see, going into a manufacturing business is not that easy so you might be wondering why you should get involved in this kind of business at all. Well, the answer to this is quite simple, getting into a manufacturing business can be rewarding. This is because once you have established an effective manufacturing process, have the right people, and have the necessary distribution network, profitability is almost guaranteed. You should also note that you will be able to derive these profits consistently for as long as your product remains in demand even for a specific period of time.

Even before you start a manufacturing business though, you first need to believe in your business and the product you will introduce. This is because your business profitability relies mostly on the products you manufacture. You should note that unlike a retail business where location and advertising is important, in a manufacturing business, your customers will not really care where the factory is located. All they care about is the end-product they will buy and whether it meets high quality standards.

Other important factors to consider when you want to enter manufacturing are your technical expertise or the technical expertise of your employees about the manufacturing process. A manufacturing company also needs to have a highly effective quality assurance team that will make sure that all products that are released in the market meet the set standards of acceptability. The price of the product you manufacture is likewise important because this is a critical component in deciding whether the product is saleable or not.

Now that you know the pros and cons of investing in a manufacturing business, it is now your decision whether you want to get involved in this kind of business or not. But remember that like any other kinds of business, a manufacturing business also requires continual innovation to be one step ahead of the competition.

Internet Marketing At Its Best

With the continued growth of the computer age, there is a whole new way of marketing a business. Especially for businesses who perform most of their transactions online. When reaching for online customers, internet marketing becomes the main target for your marketing efforts as it will attract the customers in your demographic online users.

There are two distinct styles for online marketing, one is business marketing, the other is website marketing. With web site marketing the goal is to have people searching for particular services or products find your web site while conducting an online search through the major search engines. There are many facets involved in web site marketing and once a business is able to get them all clicking together, there is a good chance they will experience a major influx of new visitors to their web site.

One the other side are businesses that heavily promote their availability aimed at the internet users more so than the search engines. Buying internet advertisements, sending out emails and other promotional marketing materials that are designed to bring visitors to their online web sites, are just a few of the online marketing strategies being used today.

One of the things to remember with online marketing is to consider your home page as a billboard along the side of the road. If there is little traffic along the road, there will be few people who will see your billboard so your efforts should be focused on getting people on the right road. Looking at it from another perspective, there may be over a thousand people selling a certain brand of personal care items and they all have a web site, many provided free when they signed up and they all look alike and have the same enhancements.

If a person searches for the brand by name, there is no telling whose web site is going to pop up in the search results. If you own one of these thousands of sites, specific marketing will need to be done to guide that potential traffic to the site you own. To do this you can use pay-per-click advertising that you pay for based on the number of visitors who click through to your site.

Affiliate marketing is also a popular method of bringing visitors to your site. As a business, you agree to pay a certain percentage or dollar amount of a sale to another site, an affiliate, who drives the traffic to you. Essentially, you are gaining free advertising and only pay for it if your site makes a sale. While some link exchange programs have been successful in the past, having thousands of unrelated links to your site may turn search engines against you and lose your information from their engines and as a result from their results pages.

Important Reasons to Train your Personnel

It has been said that people is the key driver to the success of the business because they are the most important asset. This is the reason why the management tries to retain as much key people as possible to ensure the continual success of the business. However, before your personnel can truly become beneficial to the company, they need to be trained. There are many reasons to train your personnel but the foremost reason is that you train them because you want them to contribute a lot to the company.

The first reason why trainings are conducted is to integrate the personnel into the organization. They need to know the purpose of the company and their role in it so that they can effectively perform and deliver the necessary results. The personnel needs to be integrated properly into the function of the company fully trained so that he can perform at his best.

Another reason why you should train your personnel at the start of their work and then continually provide them with training is to beat the competition. You should not rely on the innate skills of your employees or even their previous knowledge of the business because you also need to deal with the competition that constantly looks for ways to steal a share of your market. In line with this, you need to equip your people with the skills and knowledge they need to help your organization remain at the top of its game.

Training can also improve the productivity of your employees; in fact, there are many studies that show productivity increases when people know more efficient ways to conduct their daily activities. The training will also introduce new methods to your employees so they will know about different methods wherein each task can be conducted.

Still another reason to provide training to your employees is the change in the business environment. This is because the rapid technological advancements today require that businesses adapt to these changes by learning new skills and by learning how to operate new programs. The training will keep your employees updated so they will be able to respond to the needs of the market. In addition, training will enhance the innate skills of your employees and this will enable them to reach their potential. And because of this, you can expect to see excellence in the workplace.

You should never look at training as an unnecessary expense because it will pay off dividends to your business once your people become more educated and skilled. As you can see, training of your employees is definitely one of the things you need to look into if you want to ensure the continual success of your business.

How To Survive In An Online Business

If your company does not offer its services/products online, then you're definitely living in the Stone Age. Businesses today realize that in order to stay competitive, they have to communicate with today's audience who do business primarily online.

Running an online business means that you have a global audience. And having a global audience means that your store is up and running twenty four hours every day and seven days of the week. While your customers from New York might be sleeping, those from Tokyo would surely be awake. Therefore an online business is one that never sleeps. It is one that is always on call by customers. As such, an online business must be manned at all times, keeping a close watch on potential business.

In managing an online business, communication is important. Using email and instant messaging as a form of communication between you and your staff will surely be beneficial. There are also different technologies such as the VoIP that enables you to talk with your business partners and your staff from all over the world quite easily. But since you and your associates live in different time zones it is important to set up a specific time of the day when you can communicate with them about the updates and different issues that your business face today and what they need to do about it. You should make sure that they follow your instruction and schedule strictly.

Meetings are also a must for online businesses. Meetings are where you'll know the issues hounding your employees and problems that the business is facing. To be able to save on time and effort, online businesses today can meet in an online conference room. This will eradicate the need for physical space and manual preparations.

Another way to survive online is to build up your brand! Yes, brand is important even though you're on the Internet. Building your brand means providing good products, fast services, and pleasant experiences to your customers. Yes, you'll definitely want your customers to have pleasant experiences. Remember, word spreads fast on the Internet. If you have one customer who had a not-so-good time in dealing with your online business and spreads the rumor, then chances are your name will be ruined.

Don't forget that your website is the face of your online business. Surviving in the online world means that your online business must be able to keep up with the latest technology. And in designing your storefront always keep navigation in mind. A potential customer would not want to visit twenty different web pages just to buy a certain product.

Surviving your online business is tough. Everyday, there are thousands of companies going online and millions of individuals setting up an online business. Ultimately, the key is to success in this endeavor is to love what you do. After all, not everyone gets to touch lives in a global scale.

How To Interview Employees

One of the most difficult things for an employer is to interview for new employees and with many legal requirements there are a lot of things to remember not to do as well as trying to remember everything you have to do. Several questions may be taboo when it comes to the Americans with Disabilities Act and Equal Employment Opportunities laws, keeping the questions focused on the requirements of the job will keep you safe from liability if the person does not get the job.

Prior to interviewing for any position, devise a list of questions pertaining to the job duties and the personnel's experience and education level that will help determine their suitability to perform the job. Consistency in job interviews will not only keep you within the law, it will allow you to accurately compare candidates based on the same information. Use the same list of questions for all applicants and immediately after the interview write down their answers and keep them on file.

It may also be a good idea to make comments on your interview sheet about why the person may or may not be a good fit for the position. If the applicant has provided a resume along with an application if there are any discrepancies that are explained during the interview, have the applicant make the necessary notations on the paperwork they provided.

You will expect the applicant to dress and act professionally during the interview and they should be afforded the same respect. Do not keep them waiting. If the interview is scheduled for 10, then be ready to meet with them at 10. Many good prospects can be lost by making them hang around for an hour or so before meeting the interviewer.

Remember, they are going to be nervous and making them feel comfortable at the beginning of the meeting is important. Try not to place obstacles between you and the applicant such as a table or half of a wall. Try to sit on the same side of the table as it will show the applicant you are taking an interest in them, just as they are taking an interest in working for you.

Be honest about the job and the duties that will be expected. Do not make the position seem more than it really is, but it's OK to explain how promotions work and what is expected of a person to be considered for advancement. If you have any time constraints that may hold a person back from promotion be up front with the information. Most applicants will consider a position as long as they have complete information. Finding out you were not completely honest about what was expected of them after they are hired may make them a short-term worker.

Learning to Use Internet Business Directories

As an online business owner, one of your preoccupations is increasing your site traffic. If you have been in business for even a short period of time, you know that the key to getting more hits is by optimizing for the search engines. Most people use the search engines to find the sites they are looking for, so it is in your best interests to achieve as high a page ranking as you can.

Search engine optimization is vital to your business, but you should not overlook another method for increasing your site traffic: getting listed in an internet business directory. Internet business directories work in the same way that yellow pages work for traditional pages. To wit, they are listings of the various businesses operating on the web. To make the listings more tenable to use, the sites are grouped according to different categories. Sites can be listed by topics or regions, for example. Different business directories use different criteria to categorize its sites.

The reason you want to get listed in an internet business directory is simple: people use directories to find sites. While getting listed in an internet business directory is not as important as getting optimized for the search engines, it can nevertheless contribute to an increase in your site traffic. People use directories to find a wide variety of sites pertaining to topics they are interested in. Obviously, not being listed is a disadvantage.

To have your site listed in an internet business directory, you must first identify the directories that you feel will be most conducive to your business success. Next, you will have to submit your site for possible inclusion. If your site is legitimate, you should have no problem getting accepted. After being reviewed, your site will be indexed in the most appropriate category.

Here some excellent examples of internet business directories:

AME Info (www.ameinfo.com) - A business directory listing almost 200, 000 Middle Eastern companies.
AT&T Directories (www.att.com/directory/index.html) - This site can help you find a persons and/ or business by name or phone number.
Big Book (www.bigbook.com) - A listing of businesses within the United States. You can search for a business using its name, location, or category.
BizEurope.com Resources (www.bizeurope.com/bsr/manu/resource.htm) - A listing of European companies involved in importing and exporting.
British Companies (www.britishcompanies.co.uk) - A listing of British consumer product companies.
British Services (www.britishservices.co.uk) – A listing of British service providers.
Business.com (www.business.com) - This site also doubles as a search engine. You can find products, services, companies and jobs here.
Corporate Affiliations (www.corporateaffiliations.com) - lists companies that have merged, changed names, or gone out of business.
Europages: European Business Directory (www.europages.com) - Europages lists the addresses of half a million companies from thirty European countries. The site can be viewed in six languages.

This listing is not meant to be a comprehensive one, but it should be sufficient to get you started. Remember that internet business directories can help you increase your market reach, so you should never overlook them!

Kids and Computers: Ideas for Kids to Make Money

One would seldom think of looking in the Los Angeles Times for ways that kids can make money. Since the mid 1990s the Times has tended to focus on ways that children can become better readers. It even has a special Reading by 9 page. In May of 2006, however, the Times did provide details about one of the newest ideas for kids to make money.

That article was about local boys who made a habit of chasing exotic cars. They used their cell phones to catch video of those exotic cars. When those boys got their first videos, then they discovered one of the newest ideas for kids to make money. They found that they could make money be selling their videos to various websites, sites where the viewers wanted to look at exotic cars.
More recently, after many months of selling those videos, these same boys have begun pursuing another of the ideas for kids to make money. They have started to design their own website. At this point it looks as though that new website will be called car-parazzi.com. The boys are going to post all of their video on that website. Then they can get some money from the ads they place on that website.
Of course these boys realize that ads on a website represent just one of many ideas for kids to make money online. They are well aware of the fact that great video might encourage other website marketers to put a link on the kids’ website. The kids would of course get money for such a link.

So these young boys could, continue to make money simply by filming all of the local Porches, Lamborghinis and Ferraris. Right now these boys know exactly where to go to find exotic cars. They know that they do not have to go far. There are many exotic cars on the streets of West Las Angeles.

These boys would probably have little trouble marketing their new website. These boys became famous overnight. CNN used one of their videos when reporting about the mystery surrounding a wrecked Ferrari. The boys had gotten pictures of the car and owner before the car accident.

CNN provided the boys with an even greater ability to make money online. Selling video to CNN is not one of the standard ideas for kids to make money. Yet now that this one group of boys has used CNN as a buyer, maybe other kids will try to do the same thing. Maybe another group of kids could create a website with a special type of video. They would, however, encounter a challenge. They would find it hard to create a name as clever as car-parazzi.com.

How To Impress Potential Business Investors

In order to win over any potential investors for funding your business you have to impress them with your business acumen and not try to dazzle them with exaggerated information. In most instances for every goal you present their response is going to be asking how you are going to achieve that step. This will continue through every step of the process until they are satisfied that your business proposal is sound and that you can meet the goals established.

Most investors are savvy in the ways of business and can quickly see right through hyperbole and hopes. They may agree with you potential on the surface but they are gong to need reassurances that if they put their money into your business plan their investment won't be dashed along with your hopes. They will be looking for contingencies if the road map you present in the form of a business plan runs into a dead end street.

Establishing bullet points and datelines for each goal to be met will be a good starting point on your business plan, but will nothing to impress investors. They not only want to see what the goals are that have been established, they want to see how you plan to meet each goal. Any steps along the way will also have to be explained as well as contingency plans in the event that one of the steps is not made.

In addition to your business plan there are two other things investors want to see including your attitude and the product or service. Even with the best business plan if the product has a very limited customer potential base, and lacks the possibility for repeat business most investors will not look upon your plan favorably. A few investors may be in it for a short term profit spree others will be in a project for a long run hoping to realize as much profit as possible. It will up to you and your products potential to impress them with the long-range goals and profit potential to even get their attention.

Your attitude will also be a key to unlocking investment funds. If you walk into a meeting with potential investors with a negative attitude, chances are their response will match your attitude. Showing enthusiasm for the product or service will indicate to the investors that you believe in your product and are willing to stake your future on the future of the company you are trying to create.

Be prepared to discuss your person experience and expertise with the type of business you want to start as well as your personal stake in the process. You will have to document everything you tell them and by being prepared to answer any question they may ask about you, the product and company without having to promise to get back to them with an answer, will go a long way towards impressing your investors.

How The Government Can Help You Start Your Business

When starting your business you can use all the help you can get, and the federal government can be a great source for assistance. You may wonder in what ways can they help you get started. Here are three areas the government offers help in getting your new business off the ground.

You need money to start your business and the government can help you get the cash you need in two ways. First option offered would be a loan. The government has hundreds of millions of dollars in government funding set up for small business and entrepreneurs. There are loans created specifically for low-income businesses, handicapped individuals, military veterans and more. The second option for funds would be one of the fifteen hundred grants that are available through fifty-two government agencies. The grants are separated and grouped by state and business category. Such categories include but are not limited to agriculture, general business and real estate. You can also find grant money for research and development of your business. Many of these grants start at five thousand dollars and can end in the six figures. Best of all these do not have to be paid back. It's like receiving free money.

So you know that money can be found, but what about other assistance. The government has this covered also. They offer assistance for small business expansion, development and renovation. There are fifteen hundred government sources to provide the needed assistance for small businesses. A place to start looking for this information would be the SBA, or small business administration office. You can find this in your phone book, online or the help desk at your local library. Through the government you can receive counseling, training to improve skills to help manage and operate your business. There are some forms and guidelines that are to be completed. For some examples of these forms and more detailed information you can read source books on finding government as well as private foundations. These books can be found at your local library also.

Money and assistance are no longer a concern. Lastly the government offers advisory services to you. These services will assist you in improving your management skills and labor management relations. This is very important knowledge when beginning business.
There is so much the federal government can do to help you get your business up and running. It's just a matter of taking the time to find your local sources and get the process started. Be sure to take advantage of these offers. It's not everyday someone will hand you free money that will go to making yourself more money. So don't wait any longer, get the process started and you'll be well on your way to a flourishing, successful business.

How To Choose Proper Business Attire

Choosing proper business attire may seem simple, but as times and fashion change it can create some tough choices. When most of our grand mothers were in the business field clothing was modest. Longer skirts and suit jackets that covered up the feminine physique. A look that was bland and often uncomfortable. For most of our mother's business attire began to take a change. Skirts could be worn on or slightly above the knee. The option to wear slacks and blouses was becoming more popular. For the modern day woman we are faced with numerous choices for a business wardrobe. So how do we choose?

Often business will create a business dress code to assist attire conflict. This can sometimes make your choices narrower. Some companies allow stereotypical business dress such as, slacks, blouses, skirts and suit jackets. These always allow an employee to look well groomed, and professional. Other companies will allow any clothing item such jeans, t-shirts, Capri pants to denim dresses. This allows a more casual laid back appearance. If you are given this freedom of choice ask yourself some basic questions to assist you in choosing proper business attire.

What does my attire say about me? Do I look professional? Do I show that I have put an effort into my appearance? Your appearance says a lot about you as a person. It is one of the first things that another person will notice about you. You don't have to be a designer tag diva, or a modest maven. You simply need to take the time to choose clothing that reflects you in a positive light.

Another question would be, am I comfortable? Does your attire allow you to fulfill your daily job duties without interference? By the end of the day are your shoes causing you foot pain for a fashion statement? Can you bend down to pick up those fallen files, or would you reveal too much of your physique? Comfort can be very important in any job. If you are too focused on your discomfort from a clothing item, this can take away from your concentration on a job task. You choose fashion or focus.

Casual or Formal dress is another consideration. You can still look professional in a job environment if you choose casual business attire. Dark denim jeans, belted with a button up blouse can be very appealing. Still providing a clean and tidy appearance. If you wanted to be more formal Chino or Khaki pants with a blouse may suit your mood. The choice between these may be as simple as matching your dress to your job environment. If you are a banker, administrative assistant or have a job that a more formal appearance is suitable the choice becomes simple. Working in a call center, day care, or other similar environment may lead to a more casual dress choice.

By taking the time to ask yourself these questions you are prepared to make the proper choice for business attire. Appearance attitude, Comfort, Casual/Formal the choice is yours.

When to Quit a Business

It is undeniable that a lot of business stops their operations because the income from the business is no longer enough to sustain the expenses it incurs. In some cases though, you can also several businesses cease operations even when it generates enough income simply because the business owner had decided to get involved in another business. And in some even rarer cases, the business stops operations because there was an offer from the competitor to buy out the shares so that they will become the market leader. If you do encounter this situation, it is important conduct a cost-benefit evaluation about whether it the offer is financially viable.

There are still many other reasons why a business ceases to operate but in a franchise business, the reason for quitting is usually quite common. Some of the reasons that franchise owners cite is the high cost of the royalty fee they have to pay together with the cost of doing the actual business. In addition, there are the overhead expenses, the rental fees, the salary, and the miscellaneous expenses a franchise has to deal with. And while other businesses encounter the same problems, a franchise usually incurs more expenses because they have to buy the products they sell from a specific source; this limits their ability to take advantage of cheaper alternatives.

Another reason why a franchise business may cease is that the product or service they might be selling is already of trend. For example, there are cases when a particular kind of food suddenly becomes popular because of the uniqueness of its shape but there is the possibility that the customers may lose interest once the company stops creating new offerings.

However, despite the challenges you have to face in a franchise business, it is important to remember that the essential characteristic of a businessman is perseverance. You should take note that in some industries, you will have to sustain losses in the first few years of operations before you can enjoy profits. So you need to take this into consideration also before you decide to close your business. But if despite your best efforts, your business still continue on its downward trend, then you obviously have no choice but to cut your losses and hope you can get back your capital upon liquidation.

But the failure of one business should not discourage you from seeking out other business opportunities because this will hinder you from success. You should just count these failures as the price for experience so that you will know what to do the next time you encounter these problems. Because definitely, going into business is a worthwhile endeavor that will enable you to realize your potential while deriving profit at the same time.

Five Things Women Should Know Before Starting A Business

It is becoming more and more popular to start your own business and women are going into business just as much as men. There is much to know about starting a business, and here there are five important things women should know before starting their business.

First you are going to want to speak with some business professionals. Here is a list of persons you will want to speak with to get your business on the right foot. A good accountant can show you how to set up proper book keeping as well as record keeping for taxes. A lawyer who specializes in small business can legalize your business name and counsel you on how to protect yourself from possible business related lawsuits. A casualty or licensed property agent can help you to evaluate your insurance needs. They can better narrow down specific areas that you may need additional insurance coverage. Lastly you will want to speak to a business coach who can help you find start up money, as well as help in areas of bookkeeping and possible future business expansion. There are some places you can find more helpful information. Your local chamber of commerce is a great location to start. Also local women's business clubs can steer you in the right direction. Be sure to check you library for county business directories.

Second be sure to know exactly what type of business insurance you need. It's best to first check your homeowner's policy to look for possible personal business coverage. If this is included you can have your policy extended for this coverage. If your policy does not allow this you may find better luck speaking to an independent insurance agent.

Third piece of knowledge is to know ahead of time if you will go into business on your own or with a partner. You will want to decide on either a sole proprietorship or a partnership. If you go solo you are the owner and take on full responsibility for the business. If you choose to take on a co-owner be sure to discuss this with your attorney to discuss any preventive maintenance when it comes to your financial set up.

Fourth, be sure to have a solid idea of the cost of your business. Create a thorough business plan. This will allow you to know if you will need financial assistance such as a bank loan or if you will want to look for other outside investors. You can also search for government grants that are specifically created for women in business.

Fifth and final choose if your business will be run in home or out of home. This choice also includes insurance coverage and grant information.

All of the above go hand in hand to create a solid base for your business. Be sure to speak to business personnel, and do some research. Knowledge is power when it comes to creating your own business. Arm yourself with all the business knowledge you can. Take some business courses or seminars. Once you have a good understanding of how your business is to be set up and run you will be well on your way to a successful business.

Finding the Right Wholesaler

When you want to sell products in retail, the first thing you need to do is to find a reliable and trustworthy wholesaler. This is because there are a lot of wholesalers who do not deliver on their promise once you want to do some transactions with them. In fact, wholesalers are getting a bad reputation because of the few companies that cheat on their customers. And added to this is the fact that the inventory you will buy from these wholesalers may not necessarily sell in the market. So before you enter into the retail business, here are some tips you may find helpful.

The first thing you need to do is to conduct market research on your target market. You need to know if the product you wish to sell will actually be saleable to them or not. This is because while a particular product may sell well in one area doesn't necessarily mean it will also sell well in another area. So even before you search for a wholesaler, you must know if the product you intend to introduce to your target market is actually viable because it would be a waste of time if you spend too much time searching for a reliable wholesaler only to find out that the product you want to sell isn't going to be saleable in the actual marketplace.

The next thing you should consider is the product choice. Once you had determined which industry you want to enter, it is now time to know which product you need to stock up on. You should note that it is more viable to enter a niche market that will buy your particular product than enter the mass market at once.

Meanwhile, the third step is finding the right wholesaler. There are many sources and directories you can look up to find suppliers. But the advertisements and the websites you visit may not necessarily contain reliable suppliers that will really deliver the kind of product you requested. So it is recommended that you put up safety measures in place even before you pay for these products. You can find these wholesalers from online directories and even sourcing agents but always remember never to pay in advance unless trust between the two of you had been established.

It is also important to have patience in order to find the right wholesaler with the best price. However, you should not expect these wholesalers to provide unrealistically low prices. If there are establishments that offer prices that are too low then you need to conduct thorough research first before doing business with these kinds of establishments. Then the last step you need to remember is to have faith in yourself because having confidence is important for success to be possible.

Entrepreneurship and the Business Environment

Everywhere you turn nowadays, you always hear about venturing into entrepreneurship. But what is entrepreneurship exactly? It is actually defined as the process wherein a group or an individual makes an effort to pursue opportunities to satisfy needs and wants through uniqueness and innovation. Some people have the misconception that entrepreneurs are gamblers in the sense that they take risks and invest in industries that have no record of success. However, the truth is, these entrepreneurs take calculated risks that have the potential to provide them with huge returns.

The key factors you need to remember about entrepreneurship are opportunities, innovation, and growth. An entrepreneur sees opportunities in environmental trends and changes that nobody has seen before and pursues this opportunity with whatever resources he has at hand. The second theme in entrepreneurship is innovation which involves transforming and revolutionizing existing products or services to cope up with the changing global environment. The third theme is growth; this involves the continual efforts of an entrepreneur to expand his business locally and internationally. An entrepreneur is on the constant look out on how to create new approaches to make his business grow and become a huge success.

These themes are the key factors which businesses are founded upon. The largest corporations you find today did not start out big, rather they started out as small enterprises by visionaries who want more than what is offered to them. You can see from the history of some of the most successful business today that the founders of these businesses have taken great leaps of faith and incredible amounts of risks in order to be what they are today. Wherever you turn, you see the results of entrepreneurship. But it is most obvious in internet commerce because this is a new industry. People that were unheard of before are becoming some of the riches names in the world and it is all because they have taken risks and have succeeded. So whether we realize it or not, it is the entrepreneurs who drive the global environment nowadays. They are the ones who are always seeking out opportunities and taking risks to improve our world and profit from it in return.

The business environment and even the technological advancements that are available today would not have been possible if these entrepreneurs did not come out of their comfort zone to invest in the development of these businesses. As you can see, having the entrepreneurial spirit is definitely necessary for businesses to reach greater heights and provide better and faster products and services to their clients. It is no wonder then that a lot of business enterprises are hiring young and dynamic individuals with a vision and who are not afraid to take calculated risks to ensure the survival of the business tomorrow.

Dinner Options For Those With Busy Business Schedules

Finding time for dinner when you are on a very busy schedule, especially if working in the field, can be very difficult at best. Many time when on the road, since you may not see the same people for months at a time, you will want to spend as much quality time with them as possible. This can make for extremely long days on the job and dinner may end up being an after thought.

Instead of grabbing a snack from the vending machine on your way to your motel room late at night, consider a few other options to enable you to have dinner while keeping to your busy schedule. Consider picking up the tab for co-workers or ones that you are visiting on your current trip and learn a little more about the person and how they conduct their business while you have dinner.

In any case, you are going to have to eat so the time should be scheduled on your daily planner. If you begin to run over on a visit into the field, try to remember that the people you are visiting have family in the local area and they may want to be home for dinner with them.

Choosing a nice, yet not overly expensive restaurant where you may find enough privacy to discuss business. It may even be possible to have dinner in a restaurant in the motel in which you are staying. Inviting others with whom you need to discuss business-related matters and turning it into a dinner meeting, which depending on the topic of discussion, may be tax deductible.

If you are not traveling in the field and taking calls from your spouse about getting together for dinner, you should make the time in your work-life balance schedule to make it happen. While staying on top of your business needs is important you can't let it consume you and ruin the relationship you have with your family.

If you know ahead of time you are going to have to work late, contact the family and have them meet you somewhere for dinner. It will not always have to be at a fancy restaurant, sometimes a fast-food meal will satisfy any children you may have, but taking the time out of your schedule to have dinner with the family will do wonders for your relationship.

In some instances it may be better to have the family join you for dinner at work. You can call land order in an evening meal or have, read that beg, your spouse to stop on their way to your office and pick something up to share with you when they get there. While eating a decent meal for dinner is important, it is always important to spend time with your family.

Determinants of Demand

The business environment is always volatile because it is affected by the supply and demand of the marketplace. There are many factors that can contribute to the demand in the market and this demand will likewise also affect the supply. It is important to look into each of these factors to be able to cope up with changes. One of the most important determinants of demand is the income of the customer. When the income of the customer falls then his ability to purchase goods and service is affected.

Another factor that influences the demand for a product is the prices of related goods. For example, if the price of an apple falls for one particular season then you can expect the customers to buy more apples during that time frame even if they are used to buying banana. In this regard, the banana industry suffers because the customers buy the apples because of the low price.

Still another determinant of demand is the shifting taste of the market. Sometimes, there are trends in the market that drives the demand of some products up while sometimes it would adversely affect the demand in the market. The taste of individuals themselves can reflect on the overall demand of the market. If some customers prefer chocolate more than coffee then you can expect the demand of chocolate to be a lot more significant compared to coffee.

Your expectations in the future are also likely to affect the demand for a particular good or service right now. For example, if you are expecting to earn a lot of money in the near future then you will most likely be more inclined to spend today. On the other hand, if you expect to encounter several financial difficulties in the near future then your demand for products and services then you are likely to save your money right now.

Even the number of buyers in the market has will have an overall effect on the demand because they will drive up the production of these goods. The prices of these goods will also be dependent on the demand which is created by the number of buyers.

As you can see, there are many determinants of demand and as a business owner; you should know each of these determinants individually and thoroughly. This is because you are in an industry that is highly dependent on the demands of the market. Every business in the world needs to follow the trends and where the demand in the market is going in order to survive. The enumerated determinants of demands are just some of the things that will affect the demand, there are still other factors that may affect the demand more than you though possible.

Budgeting Your Money When You Own A Business

One of the most difficult things to do when you start a new business is putting together a budget. Without any financial history on which to base income and expenses, it may seem like guesswork, but as part of any business plan a tentative budget can be established with some thought and anticipation for the future.

In most businesses there are two main categories, income and expense. Under your expense category there can be several sub-categories often falling into two main areas of controllable expenses and uncontrollable. While many business owner claim they can control every expense involved in their business, they are simply kidding themselves as some things such as utility cost, the amount of rent and other so-called fixed costs can, and do change, with the owner having no control.

Other expenses such as payroll, insurance and advertising can be subject to a budget, but they are considered controllable expenses. If the business begins to fall off, you can control some of these expenses by laying off employees and cutting back on advertising. However, living by a budget will help maintain profitability in many respects but can also turn against you in the long run.

Depending on the viability of your business it often is a better investment to bite the financial bullet on employee wages and still provide good customer service to the remaining customers until business picks back up. By trying to everything yourself not only will you burn out quickly, but is no one is taking care of the customers, it will not take long until there are no more customers to care for.

There are two ways to budget your business money and that is through set dollar amounts and percentage of income. Many businesses will budget their controllable expenses by the dollar and non-controllable by percentage of income. Obviously a good part of the owner's time is going to be based on bringing money into the business and how much they have to spend on controllable expenses will be in direct relation to income.

For example, a company earning $20,000 a month in income has budgeted six percent for payroll, providing $1,200 for payroll. If the income level rises to $50,000 the budgeted payroll percent does not change but the dollars available for payroll climbs to $3,000. With an obvious increase in business to create the additional income, the owner will probably need the extra help to take care of business.

There are many other expenses that fall into the payroll account such as worker's compensation charges, Social Security tax paid by the employer and paid vacation time or other perks determined by the employer. While a budget may be difficult to establish for a new business, it is a necessary evil for all business owners.

Three Things NEVER To Do In Business

There are some things you should never do in business if you want to succeed. If you are already a successful business you are well aware of this. If you are a new business entrepreneur than these three tips may be very helpful to you.

The first thing you NEVER want to do is to skimp on advertising. Without proper advertising your business will chance taking a big loss in services or product sales. An example of this is a small business that puts out children's audio CD's is introducing a new product. The business is new and practically unknown. They do have a website, and a small advertisement in the local newspaper. Only a small area is going to be aware of this company and it's CD. A better form of advertisement would have been advertising in several, larger newspapers. Having a billboard advertisement that can be seen in a heavily trafficked area. These may cost more, but you will reach a larger customer base. Without reaching customers, you fail.

Secondly, NEVER let your guard down with your business competition. If your business has a competitive market you want to definitely consider this. An example of this is a video store. You would want to be aware of what the other store offers. Is there a large selection? What are their prices per video per day? Do they offer any specials or discounts? You would want to keep up on both the smaller video stores as well as the larger video store chains in your area. You want to either match what is offered or offer a slightly lower fee. Customers love to save money, even a few dollars and cents.

Lastly, NEVER jump into a business without doing thorough research. You want to be sure you know all of the details about the business you are involved in. You want to know financial details as well as information about your competition. When you take the time to research a specific business you insure success for yourself. You wouldn't want any surprises popping up when it comes to your business. You want to be able to set yourself up so that your business operates as smoothly as possible.

If you make an effort to follow the above guidelines on what NEVER to do in business then you are on the right track. You create a solid base for business success. Be sure not to jump into any business decisions without research and well thought out planning. Care for your business like you would your children. Give it what it needs to grow and you will be pleased with the end result. Be sure you follow the do's and NEVER the don'ts and see your business soar.

Advertisement: Is It Effective?

A lot of people contribute a lot to the profitability of most businesses but the real question is, "How would you be able to gauge the efficacy of your advertisements?" Is it really just about the rise in the number of sales and inquiry from after the timeframe with wherein you have released the advertisements? Of perhaps the brand assessment is also a contributing factor?

In reality it is not only with those elements that you measure the quality of your advertisement, but rather it hinges on a lot of factors which includes the kind of media which you have employed, the budget or your assessment, the objective of your advertisement, the phase of accuracy and consistency that is necessitated, who is your target market and the budget you have allotted for the entire advertising period.

These elements would have to be sufficed first before you'd be able to precisely proclaim that your particular advertisement is effective. That is the reason why a lot of people assert that it is intricate to gauge an advertisement's efficacy. Aside from the need to consider many things, there are also other influential elements for that matter such as the kind of previous advertisement that had been released and its quantity.

It is also necessary for you to know the responsiveness of your consumers to the brand or the product you had advertised. Also, there are certain instances when you need to gauge the accessibility of cost effective assessment computation, the area where you have to place the advertisement, the choices of matters regarding the product like the price and sometimes even the capacity of your direct market to remember.

Several advertising experts have proposed several models which one could use to be able to gauge the efficacy of an advertisement. For example, some advertising experts states that the real measure of the efficacy of advertising is possible through the utility of cube diagram wherein you measure the headings which include the sales, profits, attention, persuasion and communication.

On the other hand, there are some people who only choose to settle for surveys which aim to test the brand or product recognition of the customers just after an advertising campaign. Actually, this particular method could be used with two options; the other one is to evaluate the product the other one of for a more extensive advertisement.

Overall though, advertisements can be very beneficial to the promotional efforts of any business because it enables the clients to become aware that such business does exists and that it can provide several particular products that they need. Advertisement has been proven to effectively set off the purchasing behavior of the clients and it is safe to assume that it will continue to do so for many more years to come.

The Option of Dropshipping: Is It Worth It?

One way to earn money online is through dropshipping. Similar to affiliate marketing, you will be selling books that are distributed by another company by creating a website, marketing the books, and taking orders. While this may seem like an easy way to earn an income, you should look at this method carefully because you may be able to earn even more money by not having to rely on distributors.

When you create your website and start selling books, customers will not know that they are being shipped by the distributer. For a monthly fee, you will be given access to books that are available. Advertise these books anyway you want through websites, banner ads, blogs, articles, and through other websites. When customers place an order, you will be responsible for collecting the money and processing the order. The order is sent to the book company who then ships the book to the customer. You will not have to worry about shipping the books, returns, or making sure the book arrives on time.

The monthly fee you will have to pay for access to the books varies from distributer to distributer. Many distributers have thousands of titles for you to choose from based on which groups you want to market to. This saves you a lot of time in developing a product and shipping it to people. All the profits are yours and you can expand your list of books at any time. Many people have earned a steady income through dropshipping.

But dropshipping has its drawbacks as well. You may not be able to sell bestselling books, or new books until a certain amount of time has passed. The monthly fee can be very high, so if you are not selling enough books to cover this expense, you will lose money. If the distributer goes out of business, you will have to find a new distributer or a new product. Book sales vary from year to year depending on the needs of customers, so you will have to choose very carefully which books to sell.

Before you decide to enter into the dropshipping business, you should research distributers to see which ones are legitimate as there are some that will take your money and then disappear. Make sure the distributer will send books via regular post and vie the internet as ebooks have become more popular over the years.

When you find a distributer that is legitimate, you should review their book list to see if there are books that will sell online. Out of print books, genre books, how to books, and inspirational books usually sell online faster than novels, poetry, and other types of fiction. Choose your books carefully and market them to the right groups on the Internet.

Home Business Tips to Make Your Venture A Success

So you've started a home business venture and are looking for home business tips to make your venture a success. There is no doubt that there is a vast opportunity for entrepreneurial people to make a very good living with a home business.

So what are some good home business tips to maximize your profit potential and increase your chances of success? The first of our home business tips is all about marketing. Your business cannot possibly succeed unless your target customer base knows about it. It is important to promote your business wherever you think you can garner interest in the products and services you have to offer. There are plenty of places you can do this at no cost to you. Post messages on Internet message forums dedicated to subjects related to your business. At the very least, you will get interested people to your site and they will remember it even if they don't buy immediately. This also creates the opportunity for word of mouth viral marketing to other potential clients as well.

Other home business tips for marketing include attending conferences or gatherings or joining membership groups related to your business. This allows you to network with other people involved in your business area, thereby maximizing your opportunity to make business contacts on the client and the partner side.

Further home business tips include making the most of every opportunity to claim expenses. Save every receipt, because everything from your home phone line and internet connection to your vehicle expenses to your gas to your business wardrobe can be claimed against any income you bring in from your home business.

There are many blogs and websites dedicated to proven home business tips that will help you. Before diving in to your new home business, it would benefit you to read through some of these tried and true methods for success and determine how you can apply the concepts to your own home business. Good luck!

The Deal on MLM Marketing

MLM marketing, known also as affiliate marketing, is a way for companies to increase their exposure on the Internet without having to do all the work themselves or hiring full time employees. By paying marketers a commission for each sale they make through ads, web sites, and other links they post on the Internet, companies are able to bring in more traffic and expand brand awareness. Many companies now use this form of marketing because the demand for it has grown. Full time affiliate marketing professionals make huge profits each year promoting a few products on the Internet.

If you are interested in starting an MLM marketing program for your company, it is relatively easy to do. First, your business needs to have a reputation for being legitimate because there are many scams out there that have made people more cautious. The second item you need is a product that can be marketed online easily. This includes a website that features a wide variety of products or services that people will find valuable. If you have a product that can only be marketed to certain groups, you may not find too many people who are interested in selling your products.

The third item you will need is computer software that tracks each of your marketers so they will receive the commissions they deserve. Each marketer will receive code that is individual to their account. This code will allow them to add your logo and URL on the web. You can choose to pay out commissions when you choose, but make sure you let your marketers know when you will be doing so.

Training MLM marketers will be up to you. Some companies provide short training sessions that teach people how to become more efficient in online marketing. While this is not necessary, if you want them to succeed, you may want to provide some helpful tips. You can also limit the amount of marketers so the web is not saturated with your logo. Saturation in the marketplace will reduce the number of commissions marketers will receive which will discourage them from continuing.

Advertise on your website that you have an MLM program and include a form to fill out. This form can be used to ask for the marketer's website if they have one, their experience, and where they plan on marketing your product. This will make it easier for you to choose the right people for the job. MLM marketing programs can be very successful as long as you are adequately prepared to start one. A successful marketing program will save you a lot of time when it comes to marketing your business so you can focus on other areas that require your attention.

Ten Tips On Decorating Your Home Office For Less

For those just beginning a home-based business, whether working from or in the home, one of the last things usually considered in the beginning is decorating their office. With all other expense of starting the business, decorating the office may seem like an unaffordable extravagance that wait until you become a millionaire from your business. However, your home office is where you will be spending an inordinate amount of time and how it feels when you are at work can make a difference in productivity.

Most will not be able to afford a professional decorator or organizer to come into their home office and put everything in its place, creating a friendly, inviting atmosphere. For the majority of home business owners, they will be doing the work themselves or with the help of their spouse or children. For the fortunate ones that a separate room in which to set up their office, the task is much easier. Others will have to carve out a space from the family living area to work privately and without interruption.

In the separate room, it can pay to start from scratch by emptying the room of all furniture and pictures. You may decide to paint the walls to create an atmosphere more conducive to work and your color choice will be on an individual basis. However, light colors or earth tones have been shown to provide a better environment to reduce stress and spark creativity.

You can then make a floor plan on a plain piece of paper to determine where each piece of furniture will go take the office more organized and within reach of your office chair. Creating a materials flow can help decide where the office equipment should go and then follow the plan when you put the furniture back in. Understand, there may be some pieces that will not fit, such as beds or dressers if taking over a former bedroom, but they do not belong in an office anyway. Be prepared to put them storage in the basement, garage or at a storage unit.

You may need a file cabinet and the top can be used to hold your phone, fax machine or copier and if you have one machine that does it all, that is the spot to hold everything, giving you more room for anything else. An open book case can serve as storage for office supplies as well as books concerning your trade. Be sure nothing else is allowed to go on the shelves to junk up your work space. Think about a traditional office when considering what to put in yours at home. Keep it professional.

A few pictures on the wall can improve the working environment and maybe a potted plant as well, just to add some ambience to an otherwise sterile work center.

Taking A Vacation Away From Work Can Be Great For Business

If you own your business or if you are self-employed you probably feel you shouldn't take a vacation. You likely think only bad things will happen if you take time away from your business. However there are many benefits that can make you comfortable while taking some time away from your business.

Growing and maintaining a business takes a lot of hard work. After awhile this hard work can take its toll on you physically. Taking a break from work can give your body time to recuperate and keep you healthy.

In addition to the physical toll, the busy and hectic activities of running a business each day can also take an emotional toll. Your peace of mind will suffer if you don't get away every once in awhile and as a result your well being will most certainly suffer. So it is important to take a break and relax your mind.

When you bury yourself in work you probably don't have a lot of time to spend with family and friends. When you take a break from work you will be able to catch up with those around you. There is nothing better for relaxation than spending quality time with family and friends.

If you don't have a budget you can still take a vacation from your business without traveling. You can take a vacation at your own home, provided you don't work out of your home. IF you do you can still vacation at home as long as you can stay out of your office. You can do many things within your budget to take a break from work such as doing a hobby or taking a day trip to the beach.

Many small business owners feel they don't deserve any time off. Often you feel you don't have enough time in the day to finish everything you need to get done. You will always feel this way and taking a little time off is better than working all the time. You'll feel better and be healthier as well.

Once you are ready to take a vacation from your business you should carefully plan it ahead of time to get the most from your vacation time. Place your vacation on the calendar and prepare for it carefully. You can project potential snags by doing this kind of advanced planning. In addition you won't lose any time when it comes to starting your time off. This extra time also allows you to prepare your business to operate while you are away.

If you panic at the idea of leaving your business for too long then start out small so you can experience the benefits. At first you can just start with coffee breaks then expand to weekends and longer. Or you can choose to take a few days off at the end of a business trip.

Starting an E-Commerce Business without a Bank Loan

The dot.com boom of the 1980s permitted legions of people to cash in on the mushrooming availability and popularity of the Internet, but when the bubble burst, there were those who did not cash in but instead ended up owing the bank a small fortune. Those who profited were also those who were able to find a way of starting an e-commerce business without a bank loan. Granted, some might have dipped into their credit cards or home equity which is only marginally better but by and large they only invested that which they knew they could afford to lose.

At this point in time potential web-entrepreneurs are a lot more hesitant to march to the bank and ask for a loan to find their e-commerce business. They have learned from the mistakes of others and perhaps they are already so strapped in their personal finances that they know adding another monthly payment will send them over the abyss. Those who are able to not take out the loans in order to invest them in a shiny new e-commerce opportunity will also be those who will live to try another day. The others who may or may not succeed will require years some even decades to financially recover from a failure.

It is important to understand that you do not need to start an e-commerce business with a bank loan. Instead, there are alternative ways of funding your entrepreneurship and those methods might in the long run be safer. For example, you will need a great computer and the latest software to make your presence known on the Net. While it is tempting to buy the latest and greatest machine, find out if you can simply upgrade that which you already have. Usually you will be able to do so for a fraction of the price that a new system costs. If a new computer system is indicated, wait until special sales events come up and take advantage of them. Refurbished units and used machines which are for sale on many of the major auction sites are also a good idea.

Similarly, do not worry about having an office to start out. You spare bedroom will work just fine until the money begins to roll in. It is important that you do not spend money on items which will do little to further your business. Thus, if you are making and selling e-books, an office is unnecessary. Advertising, packaging, and other incidentals can all be tackled at a shoe string budget until your business grows to such an extent that you can get a bit fancier.

While it is tempting to ask for money from the bank, remember that you will need to repay this money no matter what. Starting an e-commerce business without a bank loan makes more sense in the long run, since you will be able to finance the next phase of your business with the monies you earn from the current phase.