I continue to get seriously frustrated as I see people promote products or services that promise that their system will do the work for you, or insinuating that passive income means that you will make money while sipping pina coladas. While there might come a day when your business will earn revenue while you sit poolside, it will only be if you treat your business as a business, and that means working on it on a regular basis.Of course, the luxury of working at home means that you can haul your laptop out to the pool to get work done and it is this freedom that entices millions of people to try to find that elusive work at home opportunity that will rake in the bucks on 10 hours a week. In reality it’s more like 50 hours a week especially in the early stages. Starting an internet business is just like starting a brick and mortar business. In fact, in some ways it is harder, because you will have to overcome consumers inherent distrust of internet businesses (of which you can thank the people who post pictures of themselves sipping pina coladas by their pool next to stacks of cash but I digress).
If I haven’t scared you away yet, then you just might make it. While being an internet entrepreneur is challenging, a lot of hard work, and takes a long time to build to fruition, it IS worth it. I get to walk my kids to school and work next to my fireplace in the winter & next to open french doors in the summer. I never sit in rush hour traffic, and I spend less than $40 a month on gas (for my SUV!). I can take time off whenever I want, and because I have worked thousands of hours to build a strong business with multiple streams of income, I know that I will earn money even when I am away. And just so you know, it’s taken me over 2 years to get here, and there’s still a long way to go before I am a millionaire.
As I said last time, the key to getting up and running in a work at home business is to leverage your current skills into your business model. Don’t expect to know everything; you will be learning new things every single day. But do maximize what you already know so that you can hit the ground running.
All of these ideas (with the exception of buying a franchise) can be started with simply a computer and some minor software purchases. A few require training or certifications beyond the scope of the particular business model. And all of them will benefit from these web site marketing tips.
Coaching
What is it? :: Helping clients work through healthy life and business obstacles or challenges
Most important experience needed :: Listening, questioning, compassion, marketing
Authority Resources :: International Coach Federation, CoachU, Coachville
Recommended Book :: Coaching Millions: Help More People, Make More Money, Live Your Ultimate Lifestyleby Milana Leshinsky
by Milana LeshinskyPodcasting
What is it? :: Creating an online radio show supported by advertising
Most important experience needed :: Public speaking/presentation skills, light audio editing, sales
Recommended learning resource: School of Podcasting
Recommended Book: Podcasting for Dummies or Podcasting Bible
Membership Sites
What is it? :: Creating an e-learning environment open only to paid members
Most important experience needed :: Instructional design, presentation skills, lead generation and the ability to create a series of ebooks, audio programs and/or video tutorials
Recommended learning resource :: Teaching Sells
Recommended Book :: Start A Paid Membership Site
E-Product Development
What is it? :: Authoring and/or recording ebooks, audio books or video programs
Most important experience needed :: Ecommerce, lead generation, direct marketing
Recommended learning resource :: ePublishing Daily
Recommended Book :: From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur: Make Money with books, E-Books and Information Products
E-zine/Email Marketing
What is it? :: Selling a subscription to a Ezine (emailed magazine), or selling products via email
Most important experience needed :: Direct marketing, sales copywriting, list building, light html
Recommended learning resource :: Vertical Response Marketing Blog
Recommended Book :: E-Mail Marketing For Dummies
Niche Forums
What is it? :: Building a community website supported by either subscriptions or advertisers
Most important experience needed :: Community building, networking and forum setup, administration & moderation
Recommended learning resource :: Webmaster Talk (used to be Earner’s Forum)
Recommended Book :: Managing Online Forums: Everything You Need to Know to Create and Run Successful Community Discussion Boards
Find a Franchise
What is it? :: The right or license granted by a company to an individual or group to market its products or services in a specific territory
Most important experience needed :: Various, depending on the franchise
Recommended learning resources :: FranchiseGator, Entreprenur.com’s Franchise Zone
Recommended Book :: The Franchise Handbook: A Complete Guide to All Aspects of Buying, Selling or Investing in a Franchise by by Atlantic Publishing Co
Special Note :: Franchises usually require a considerable investment, please research your decisions carefully
Tutoring
What is it? :: Tutoring students via the web
Most important experience needed :: Academic knowledge, teaching ability, marketing
Authority Resource :: National Tutoring Association
Recommended Book :: How to Start a Home-Based Tutoring Business (Home-Based Business Series) by Beth Lewis
Special Tip :: Tutor.com hires freelance tutors to work out of their home
Bookkeeping/Accounting
What is it? :: Helping small businesses manage their financial record keeping
Most important experience needed :: Accounting/CPA skills, attention to detail, customer service
Authority Resource :: American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers
Recommended Book :: Start & Run a Bookkeeping Business
Workshops & Teleseminars
What is it? :: Conducting workshops via conference calls or web-based conference rooms
Most important experience needed :: Public speaking/presentation skills, instructional design, lead generation
Recommended learning resource :: Avocado Consulting
Recommended Book :: Training Workshop Essentials: Designing, Developing, and Delivering Learning Events that Get Results