Are you in the right job for you? Do you enjoy going to work? What about on the Friday, are you still as keen? Or do you tend to check your watch every minute after lunch time hanging for the day to finish.Maybe a day to day job is not right for you.I understand that with pressures of family and other commitments, that is isn’t that easy just to pack up and leave a job. I wouldn’t recommend quitting your job and starting a home based business anyway, because depending on the business, it could take some time for you to actually make an income from it. Regular income is a big plus, but why settle for something that you are not 100% happy with? What is stopping you from looking at what else is out there?So with a home based business, what are the benefits?1. The best thing about a home based business is that it can be flexible. You can do it in your own time. (In your pyjamas if you really want).2. With the internet at hand, you can potentially do everything from home! From price comparisons, to ordering, to delivering items, to calling, e-mailing, even to Skype (a free telephone service available all over the world).3. One huge advantage is, that you could even work on it when you’re not home. Work overseas, or even when you are on holidays.4. Most home based businesses create a passive income, so the income you can make is unlimited. No more ‘waiting for that big promotion’. You create your own success. If you are focused on achieving your goal in the business, you can make it happen.5. Once your business is up and running, and making you the money you require, you can then chose to quit your day job, and concentrate solely on your home based business. If you are a stay at home parent, or don’t have a job yourself, but can cover costs with some other source of income for a while, you can also build quite a substantial business if you put your mind to it.So, if you are willing to step out of your comfort zone; the regular pay cheque that comes with a day to day job, and are open to the idea that you can be so much more than you are now, then maybe you should take the step to start your own home based business.

Over the past few years a large number of people have started with their own business ventures and most of these ventures fall under the ‘home based business’ category. Home based businesses have gained in popularity and given the current job scenario more and more people are looking to start with their work-from-home stint.You have a large number of options to choose form if you want to start working from home. The internet provides people with fantastic opportunities and those who make the most of these opportunities end up making loads of money in a short span of time. In order to be successful, you need to know what to look for and where to look. Depending upon your field of expertise there are a number of job opportunities that you can convert into a business in the latter stages.Various books and ebooks over the internet provide you with good information about the various options you have. These ebooks provide you with information on the various websites and forums where you can bid and find projects to suit your field of expertise. These books also offer tips on how to bid for a particular project and how to meet deadlines successfully.You can find a large number of tips related to home based business over the internet. These tips are written by people who have successfully managed to form a full-fledged home based business and have successfully run the business for a long time now. These tips prove to be very effective if you have to start from the scratch and have no idea about how things work in the world of internet.Once you read a book, you would realize the importance of those full-of-fun websites like twitter and
Facebook. You would come to know how these websites form an important part of the online marketing strategy of businesses across the world. You should also try to get your hands on information about web2 and how things work in the present era of online marketing.Initially you may find it tough to establish your name over the internet in a particular field. However a few months down the line, you would well be on your path to establishing a successful home based business. Once you get a few regular clients, you can look to expand your business and take it to a higher level.

“Keep your eye on the target and your marketing plan simple and focused”

Keep it Simple with a Marketing Triangle

Let’s face it, you are the busiest you have ever been. You are trying to keep up with all your learning, staying active in the community, marketing and implementing (or keeping up with) technology, and of course making money! There is a lot of “noise” out there and it is easy to get distracted and thrown off course from your main goal of building your business and adding clients.

It is time to simplify things and when it comes to your marketing, it doesn’t have to be difficult. You have heard me say before that marketing is simply telling people what you are doing in your business. It’s that simple. But the problems happen when we get stretched too thin and get off course from our strategic approach or message. We get involved in too many different “shiny sparkly objects” or marketing programs, and become exhausted. We wind up doing nothing!

Here is a simple principle I learned that will help you get your marketing in line, it is called the marketing triangle and it is an easy to remember strategy for building your marketing plan – Market – Message – Media.

MARKET: you need to choose a target market. Wean out the wrong people to get to the right people.

• Is it large enough?

• Is it easy to reach?

• Do they have money to spend?

• Do you have a natural affinity with it?

• Do they need your product or service

• Do you know their pain and how to solve it?

MESSAGE: you need to speak to your market in THEIR language, in a way that they will respond. Talk like they do, get on their level so to speak. RELATE to them. You would need to market differently to a group of senior citizens as opposed to a group of seniors graduating from high school, wouldn’t you?

• Be bold in your message

• Be clear in your information

• Be consistent

• Tell your compelling story with passion

• Be authentic, let your message reflect who YOU are

MEDIA: Don’t limit yourself to online only – there are thousands of possibilities here!

• Diversify your marketing

• The Internet is a media all it’s own

• Consider speaking and hosting workshops

• Direct mail

• What is the best way to reach my target, my list, my prospect?

• How does my target customer preferred to be contacted?

• Create online or print white paper on your industry/market

• Create online or print newsletter to your SOI

• PUSH your content to the social networks in a systemized program

• Consider a blog to share your message and educational posts

BE CREATIVE – DO YOUR RESEARCH

What would catch your attention? How would you pay attention?

MARKET – MESSAGE – MEDIA

To be successful in your business you need to have your target market, your message and your media all line up:

• Pick a plan and stick to it

• Choose a marketing method that is tried and proven that will leverage your content on the web

• Work your plan

• Get rid of fear you might miss out on something and stay focused on the plan you choose – STOP BUYING marketing programs and WORK the method you have!

• Use my TIME-IMAGINATION-BUDGET practice to guide you in building your plan

Times may change but marketing 101 does not change. “Master the marketing basics and your business will grow”. Just like any world-class musician or athlete – they practice, practice, practice AND PRACTICE to bring perfection to their craft. Mastering your marketing through repetition of a proven, strategic plan, will bring you success.