People fail to realize that credit card companies are just as interested in their customers being up to date with their payments, which usually involves ensuring that their customers can manage their payments. Therefore, when negotiating with credit card companies it is important to present the situation in such a way that results in a favorable outcome for the lender as well as the cardholder.

Lowering Interest Rates on Your Credit Cards
Negotiating a lower interest on your credit cards will provide a significant benefit to you in the long run, especially if you cannot pay off your purchases in full every month. A lower interest rate will lead to overall lower costs, even if it will not necessarily reduce your monthly payments, which will save you a substantial amount of money.

Negotiating with a credit card company is just like any other type of negotiation meaning that you need to be in a position of power. This might seem impossible but as long as you have a good payment history and all your accounts are current, then you have a pretty good chance of getting what you want.

If you have a good credit score, you can always apply for other credit cards that offer better rates, and you need to make sure that your current card issuer is aware of the fact that you have better alternatives. Remember, as a customer who has a good reputation, you are in a position of power because you have proven to be a good income generator with little to no risk for the lender. This means they will want to make sure not to lose you.

The best way to prove you have other options is simply to collect any offers you receive in the mail offering a better interest rate than the one you currently have. Of course, this alone won’t be enough and you need to be persistent. No matter what, do not accept a negative answer even if that means transferring your balance to another card.

You should expect the first answer to be a no because lenders do not make money by giving in the second someone asks for something. However, if you play your cards right and are persistent, you shouldn’t have a problem with lowering your interest rate.

In a negotiation, you should never simply ask for exactly what you want because that leaves no room for a counteroffer. Therefore, if you are looking for a 2% reduction on your interest rate, consider asking for 4%. By giving the lender the flexibility of negotiating they are more likely to approve your request, especially if it appears you are accepting their terms.

One important aspect of negotiation is not to make empty threats so if you are playing the angle that you will opt for another card, you will have to follow through. The good news is that as soon as you apply for a balance transfer and close existing credit cards, before the process is final, your current lender will usually offer you a better deal just to keep you as a customer.

Negotiating Debt Settlements on Credit Cards
You have the option of negotiating a debt settlement on any unsecured loans you might have, which includes credit cards. While this will not clear you of debt and you will need to have a lump sum available to settle the debt, it still means that you could potentially come to an agreement with the lender to pay as little as a third of the debt. This is because credit card companies prefer to lose part of what you owe rather than losing everything completely.

However, it should be noted that this strategy will not work in every case or with every credit card company. It depends greatly on how much you owe, your payment history and the company’s policies.

As soon as you believe there is a chance you won’t be able to make payments, you need to call the lender. You shouldn’t wait until your debt is transferred to a collection agency because this will increase the amount you owe as any additional expenses the credit card company incurs with your debt will be added to the total bill.

When you make the call you need to have a plan figured out. You can’t simply call as say you want to negotiate a debt settlement without a clear proposal. You need to work out how much you can afford to pay as a lump sum and how much you can afford in monthly payments. On the call, explain your financial situation objectively without playing the sympathy angle as this tactic tends to backfire. Simple explain why it is impossible for you to make payments and present them with the alternative you have come up with.

Additionally, make sure that any agreement between you and the credit card company is drawn up in writing. A telephone conversation will not be sufficient since the lender can always claim that the person who made the arrangement was not authorized to do so. This is less of a risk you have the signatures of the people authorized to make these decisions.

Negotiating better terms for your credit cards may seem a daunting prospect at first, especially since most people think that these conditions are set in stone. However, with a little perseverance, a little due diligence on your rights and a good alternative proposal, you might be surprised at the results.

Author Bio: Mirsad Hasic is the editor of Think-CreditCards.com, a consumer oriented site where you will get help with finding the best credit card deals for your specific needs, learn how to consolidate your cards, get tips on efficient credit card debt elimination strategies and more.

Business Opportunity

Building your business would mean obtaining the correct business opportunity leads. Selling that idea makes you money, not just having the greatest business idea. Business opportunity leads key for the success of all kinds businesses. Although it is hard to find suitable leads for the business, building your business would mean that you have to obtain the correct business opportunity leads. Remember that a lead that is not interested in your business is not going to make you any money. So how to you actually find the perfect way to making money with business opportunity leads?

Business opportunity leads can be obtained from a lead generation company. This form of lead is believed to be a hassle-free and cheap way to come up with valuable business contacts. These lead generating companies will help you filter the leads that will fit most appropriately into your business model. They do also sell new leads that are generated within 48 hours.

A number of techniques are used by companies to generate business opportunity leads. If done correctly, each of these techniques will create the right leads for your business. Taking into consideration how companies create leads is important when they offer you a business opportunity. Better companies will create possible contacts through a multitude of ways. A computer program will be used to give you business opportunity leads that are suitable for your business. Some commonly used methods are telemarketing, direct mail, requests for quotes, referrals, requests for proposals, advertising and seminars.

Before you decide to employ a company to come up with business opportunity leads, you should consider if you have the ability to generate your own leads. There are many ways for you to get your own leads without paying for it. Creating your own leads would also mean a higher quality pool. Personally generated leads are usually more receptive than leads purchased from lead vendors, because they are more likely to remember having visited your web site unlike a lead you spend money on. Let’s look at some methods by which you can create your business opportunity leads.

Having people request information off your site is one of the easiest ways to get your business opportunity leads. It is immaterial if it is through a link to get further details on your business or pop-up ads on your website. They may help you gain priceless leads. More impressive would be to gear your sales approach to meet their needs by finding out details regarding the potential business contacts. You can also come up with your own advertising campaigns and direct mail to generate more business opportunity leads.

What is the most important factor about the leads that need to be taken into account regardless of the method you choose to generate business opportunity leads? The answer is simple really. The key word is Quality. Quality is something that must not be compromised. Use tried and tested techniques while creating your business opportunity leads and you will be making money in no time!

Dan Cassi is an authority on online businesses providing valuable advice at http://www.moneyflowforlife.com. Where he shares online business opportunities with thousands of people worldwide. Click Here to gain FREE access to Internet marketing secrets when you sign up for the “Residual Wealth Factor” 7 day E-Course

Google Local: If you don’t already have one Create an account on Google Local. Enter your company name, address, phone number and website. Verify the information with a postacard or telephone call. In a few weeks you will help you get a map listing for your company name or industry and town.

Google Coupons: Coupons are a great way to bring new customers into your business or remind old customers that you’re still around. Google has a free coupon tool that puts your coupon on relevant local searches.

Google Base: Google base is part of Google’s one box service. Google uses it to try giving the most appropriate answer from different data sources. If you are selling products you can upload feeds automatically into Google Base and often get preferential placement. You can also upload your business, or special event.

Yahoo Local: Yahoo local is a directory organized by category and geographic location. You can get a basic listing in Yahoo Local for free. People searching for your business or industry can find your listing

Get Reviews: An integral part of the Yahoo Local listings are reviews. Ask your good customers to write reviews for you on Yahoo local. Businesses with higher ratings will get preferential listings.

YellowPages.com: Yellow Pages have a strong brand name and recognition, and are still used by many people today. They offer a few levels of listings the most basic is free.

Press Releases: Doing something newsworthy? If you are you can always submit a press release for free at PRLeap.com. Be sure to check out their tips like 25 Action Words for Writing a Newsworthy Headline and Why Localizing a Press Release to a ZIP Code and City Matters.

Free Blog Promotion Tools: Does your company have a website or are you thinking of adding one? Websites like Technorati and mybloglog can help you gain exposure, visitors, readers, and subscribers to your blog.

Free Directory Advertising: It doesn’t get any easier than trying free advertising. Go to BOTW.org and sign up for a free 60 day advertising listing.

Create a Lens at Squidoo: Squidoo has a nice easy to use interface that allows you to give information to your visitors. You can talk about your business specifically or the services or products you provide.

LinkedIn: Join LinkedIn and get connected with people you know and make connections with people you don’t through introductions. Look at the new Questions and Answers section and try and be genuinely helpful. Follow the axiom of ‘Givers Gain’ and you may generate a few leads for yourself from your goodwill.

Email Signatures: Be sure to add your URL to all of your outgoing email. Try adding your mission statement, or a catchy phrase to help people understand what you do. Change it a several times a year so people notice it again.

Syndicate Your Content and Ideas: Take advantage of article distribution Services like EZineArticles, ISnare, and IdeaMarketers to spread your message and approach. Use them to bring leads to your site by offering things like free ebooks or PDF’s that they can download after entering their contact information.

For more tips on how to promote your local business be sure to check out my complete series on local search tips, tricks and secrets or visit my local search page on Squidoo.

On the flip side, if you ARE ready to become a SERIOUS Internet Marketer and a Home Business Entrepreneur, then please read on. Over the next few minutes, I am going to expose to you the TRUTH behind Internet Marketing and Working from Home. I am going to tell you what it takes to become a successful Internet Marketer and I am also going to tell you what most Internet Marketing Guru’s fail to explain to you.

Internet Marketing can be simply explained as using various websites, search engines, and Internet Marketing tools to “market” (or sell) products, services, and information to people over the Internet. Almost everyone you and I know uses the Internet in some form or another; whether it is to check their email, log on to their favorite social networking site, or to buy and sell something on an auction website. People from all walks of life and of all ages use the Internet on a daily basis and in today’s troubling times, millions of people are now using the Internet for a NEW purpose; to make money!

The Home Business industry is a multi-million dollar a year industry! Thousands of people are starting their own business from home each and every day and the number keep growing month after month. Now why do you think this is? Well there are a few reasons for it. Home Businesses are:

Convenient – you almost never have to leave your home or office!

Profitable – many people make a good living working from home (most of the time over 6 figures)!

Guaranteed – working from home gives you a secure income and occupation that will never change regardless of how the current economy is moving.

With a home business, you never have to worry about:

Working 40 hours a week at a dead end job that pays you less than what you can live off of!

Spending hours in traffic every morning and evening!

Waking up at the same time every day doing the same boring routine day after day after day!

Wouldn’t it be nice to have the freedom to do whatever you want WHENEVER you want? Wouldn’t it be nice to have the car or home of your dreams without having to worry about whether or not you can afford it? And, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to provide for your family without having to run yourself into the ground to do it? Well, ALL these things are possible when you start you own Home Business.

So how do Internet Marketing and owning a Home Business tie into each other? Quite simply, to be a successful Home Business owner, you MUST know how to be an Internet Marketer. This is the TRUTH that other Internet Marketing Gurus fail to mention! You have absolutely no chance whatsoever of running a successful Home Business, if you cannot market it over the Internet; plain and simple!

The simple fact that you have stumbled upon this article means that you are either a) interested in becoming an Internet Marketer, b) interested in starting a Home Business, or c) you were just looking for something to read. Chances are, options A and B are correct. And if so, that means that you have most likely been searching for an opportunity for quite some time now. You may have even tried an opportunity or two before. Now let me ask you something; did it fail? It probably did, right? WHY???

Simply because, 99.9% of the opportunities found on the Internet today are SCAMS. I’m sorry to say this but they are. Some Internet Guru uses his masterful mind and dreams up some unbelievable opportunity and decides to market it. It is so good and gets you so excited that you would be crazy not to become part of it! So you get suckered in like everyone else. And like everyone else, you successfully get scammed. Here’s how it works:

These Internet Gurus have one sole purpose in mind and that is to make money. Not because they want you to succeed as they have, not because they have a fool-proof system, and not because they find enjoyment in helping other! All they care about is selling you their e-book for some astronomical amount of money! Once they do that, their job is done. They could care less whether or not you know how to market their opportunity. They could care less whether or not you take the time to read their “million page” e-book. The only thing they care about is taking your money! Congratulations…you have just successfully been scammed. That is the TRUE meaning behind the phrase “get rich quick.” You don’t get rich quick, THEY DO!

Sounds familiar doesn’t it? Of course it does. This sort of thing happens every day to millions of unsuspecting people trying to make a living for themselves. To be honest, it’s quite the lucrative business practice. If I knew how to be a cold hearted, money hungry, ignorant scam artist the I’D dream up some masterful plan to scam innocent people. But frankly, that’s just now me. I’d rather work hard, smart, and honest.

So please, don’t get sucked in by another scam artist. Stop wasting your time and money on e-books that are so lengthy and confusing that you have to keep reading them over and over again just to get the picture. Stop getting left out in the cold and start a REAL Home Business!

A real Home Business requires several things:

An Internet Marketing strategy that allows even the most inexperienced person to start marketing over the Internet in a simple, easy to follow manner.

An investment of time and money to get your marketing campaign up and running.

An investment in products and services that will ultimately generate revenue for your business.

A system that can be duplicated so that other people interested in starting THEIR own business, can follow in the same footsteps as you.

Think of a Home Business as a fast food franchise opening up a new store. What does that franchise need in order to accomplish this? They need money. They need to pay to have the new store build or they need to pay rental fees or remodeling fees. They need to pay for equipment and supplies, and they need to pay employees to run the new store.

This same principal holds true with a Home Business. In order for it to be successful, it will require you to invest your time and money. Your investment will pay for products and services needed to successfully run your business. It will also pay for advertising and marketing so other people can purchase those products and services from you.

A real Home Business also requires duplication. Lets go back to the fast food store for a second. So they’ve opened the new store . It looks exactly like every other one of its kind. They provide the same options and benefits as ever other store EXCEPT for one thing. This particular store is only open on the weekends. Now how successful do you think this store is going to be? They are only open 2 days a week unlike the other stores which are open 7. Do you think they are going to be as productive and profitable? Probably not! Here’s why.

Even though the new that there was already a system in place that was GUARANTEED to work, that was PR OVEN to be profitable, they decided for some reason to try something else. They thought by doing something different and their way, it would be more productive. Does that make any sense?

Duplication is by far the most powerful tool that make a Home Business successful. All you have to do is follow the step by step system that other successful Home Business owners are already doing. Their system works, they make money with it, they know what they are doing, all you have to do is copy it. That’s it! It can’t get any easier than that!

So what now? How do I get started?

The answer is simple…I have a system in place that makes me a successful Home Business owner and all you have to do is “duplicate” what I am doing. Starting you own Home Business is easy and can be very profitable if you have a system that works. Well now you do; MINE! That being said, let me introduce you to the “Rags 2 Riches System.”

This system was developed by Chad Rissanen, a very successful Home Business owner who discovered a way to make an incredible income from home. His system can be accessed 100% FREE of charge by clicking the link at the bottom of this article. Once you fill out the form on his website, you will get instant access to his incredible system for FREE. He walks you through the system step by step, with audio commentary, how to set up and start you OWN Home Business simply by copying what he is doing. There is a small investment involved to get everything up and running but I can tell you its far less than what those Internet Gurus are charging for their services.

successful-home-business-plan

Spend just 30 minutes to plan your successful home business
My first home business story is not so good. When i started my first home business i didnt have any solid plan or strategy. I just grabed an idea and tried to apply that. From my experience i found that business plan is the thing which make sure a business is going to be successful. You dont need to spend weeks or days to make a successful business plan, just spend 30 minutes on that the way i showed you below. A business plan will help you to estimate the cost, expense, profit and over all your total business strategy. When you know the cost of your business or product it will help you to decide how much you are going to charge. You can analyze your comepetors which is very improtant. You cant ignore your copetetors of your business because your have to run over their head. So you much need to give a deep analysis of your competetors and what they are doing and how. A simple business plan can save your business your money because most of the business fails because of a good business plan. For those of you who have been in business for awhile, don’t think a business plan can’t help you. Your business plan should be taken out on a regular basis, reread and updated.

Spend 30 minutes to plan your successful home business
1. What is your business exactly? Explain in one or two sentences. (If you can’t describe your business in a couple of sentences, rethink your business and focus your idea).

2. Is your particular business needed? List the reasons that make you thinks so.

3. Where do you see your business in one year? In three years? In five years? (Be specific.)

4. How will you fund your business? Savings, credit cards, loans?

5. What equipment/office supplies/licenses will you need to get your business started? Total Cost?

6. What organizations and trade publications will you need? Total Cost?

7. Who is your target customer? Describe them.

8. What other businesses will you be competing with?

9. What makes your business different from your competitor’s business? (Include price, quality, unique services, etc.)

10. Where will you set up your home office? Is it going to cost me money to make a nice workable office? Cost?

11. Will you use daycare everyday or once a week? Cost?

12. How much money do you need to make each month to help my family survive?

Once again, this is just a partial list, but there are enough questions here to give you a good idea of what you’ll be facing with a new business and the costs involved.

A business plan is essential to your successful home business. As one great quote says, Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.

Here аrе tһе 5 best internet marketing strategies tο mаkе serious money online:

Aррrοасһ #1: Research hot niche keywords tο attract more traffic, maximize tһе benefit οf уουr PPC campaigns, аחԁ find חеw hot niche markets wіtһ high demand. Fοr more information logon tο www.auto-hits-machine.com .Tһіѕ іѕ tһе first vital strategies уου mυѕt ԁο fοr уουr οwח home based internet marketing business. Learning hot niche keyword research
wіtһ low competitors іѕ tһе KEY successful factor fοr:
- Setting up уουr high quality website wіtһ high relevancy & targeted traffics
- Improving уουr search engine ranking/optimization
- Building уουr unique & high quality content/articles wіtһ keyword-rich
- Establishing уουr pay-per-click campaign

Aррrοасһ #2: Sell tο visitors wһеח tһеу′re οח уουr web site wіtһ a fаחtаѕtіс sale epistle AND wіtһ tһеу leave.

Second οf tһе best internet marketing strategies уου mυѕt concern іѕ tο provide a fаחtаѕtіс sale epistle οח уουr website. Tһіѕ аррrοасһ іѕ аbουt writing a fаחtаѕtіс sale epistle wіtһ high conversion rate & builds уουr online mailing lists. I highly encourage уου tο focus οח һοw tο convert traffics іחtο sales through уουr οwח salesletter οח уουr website аחԁ collect уουr visitor’s personal information fοr further sales іח tһе future. I saw many home based internet marketing business people tһаt tһеу focus οח һοw tο drive traffics tο tһеіr website rаtһеr tһаח οח һοw tο convert traffics іחtο sales. Yου′ll ɡеt nothing іf уου саח’t convert уουr visitors іחtο уουr customers. Tһе more conversion rate уου һаνе, tһе more sales уου ɡеt! Even іf уουr visitors won’t bυу οr mаkе аחу bυуѕ frοm уουr website, уου mυѕt keep tһеіr personal information іח order tο υѕе fοr further sales іח tһе future. Tһіѕ іѕ one οf tһе һυɡе mаkе money business opportunities!

Aррrοасһ #3: Automate уουr home based internet marketing business tο leave уου free tο grow іt іח tһе future… аחԁ come up wіtһ חеw money-mаkіחɡ tһουɡһtѕ

Without tһіѕ automation internet marketing аррrοасһ, חοt οחƖу wουƖԁ уου ɡеt fewer sales, уου simply wouldn’t һаνе tһе time tο research tһουɡһtѕ fοr חеw home based internet marketing businesses, Ɩеt alone ѕtаrt tһеm up аחԁ manage tһеm. Bу building home based internet marketing business tһаt іѕ fully automated. Yου саח withdraw frοm уουr day-tο-day operation facility аחԁ уου wіƖƖ һаνе time tο look fοr more untapped niche markets. Mу experiences ѕһοw tһаt tһіѕ аррrοасһ іѕ tһе best οf tһе best internet marketing strategies tο grow уουr home based internet marketing business.

Tһе example οf һοw tο automate уουr home based internet marketing business іѕ tο automate уουr email promotion internet marketing аррrοасһ. Yου need аח auto responder tο take a responsibility οf tһіѕ stuff!

Aррrοасһ #4: Utilize full υѕе οf tһе expertise οf others tο maximize уουr mаkе money business opportunities аחԁ revenues

Don’t reinvent tһе wheel аƖƖ tһе time! Yου mυѕt utilize full υѕе οf tһе expertise οf others tο maximize tһе opportunities tο mаkе serious money online frοm home based internet marketing business. Mу highest recommendation іѕ tο learn frοm οtһеr successful internet entrepreneurs іח tһе membership site аחԁ try tο come up wіtһ a lot οf qυеѕtіοחѕ уου һаνе іח уουr mind. I аm sure tһаt those entrepreneurs аrе kееח аחԁ ready tο һеƖр уου tο уουr success іח home based internet marketing business. Tο know more logon tο www.tube-traffic.com .Fаחtаѕtіс tips οח internet marketing & secrets οf һοw people саח mаkе money over $5,000,000 іח one year. Yου’ll find out real-life case studies – wһісһ уου һаνе never seen somewhere еƖѕе – οf people wһο mаkе һυɡе money online. AƖѕο, уου’ll find a fаחtаѕtіс tips & top secrets οf tһеіr hugely success.

Aррrοасһ #5: Don’t give up & never ѕtοр learning!

Tһе last best internet marketing strategies fοr уουr home based internet marketing аррrοасһ іѕ уου! Yου һаνе tο learn аƖƖ tһе time. I wουƖԁ Ɩіkе urge tһаt уου don’t give up until уου realize уουr goals. AƖѕο, learning аƖƖ tһе time іח tһе internet marketing world іѕ a mυѕt.

Final tһουɡһtѕ, tһе best internet marketing strategies fοr уουr highly successful іח home based internet marketing business аrе: research, sell, automation, utilization аחԁ self-improvement. I strongly believe tһаt those best internet marketing strategies wіƖƖ һеƖр уου сеrtаіחƖу tο уουr goals. AƖѕο, уου wіƖƖ absolutely mаkе serious money online іח уουr home based internet marketing business wіtһ taking those best internet marketing strategies іחtο уουr action seriously.

Source: www.attaining-уουr-desires.com, www.inside-tһе-minds-οf-winner.com

Starting home based business nowadays is very simple idea but it is one of the best method of make money. The truth is some people starts great and earn much more on their home business than their regular job. These factor allure people to start home based business and there are many benefit to start home based business. People consider these facts to start business from home.

The following advantages of starting a home based business:

1. Stay at home: The first and most important advantage for the person is the chance to stay at home. The person will be able to spend more time with the family and this increases the bonding in the family and the happiness in the person.

2. Increased income potential: The income potential is very high in home based business. The sky is the limit as far as this business model is concerned. There is a lot of initial hard work that is very necessary for the individual to be able to start and run the business, but after the initial hard work, the person will be able to earn much more as returns for the effort and time put in.

3. Availability of many options to diversify: There are various methods of diversifying in a business started from home that is based on the internet. The availability of various opportunities also makes it very easy for the person to diversify to reduce the risk of failure.

4. Limited investment: The internet based home business needs very little monetary investment. This has made it more attractive to the people planning to start a business. Though the person has to invest a certain amount of money, the amount of money invested is very minimal compared to what would have been invested in an offline business.

All these benefits answer the question if a person should start a home based business and home based internet business. If the person has the confidence to start a home based business and will put in the time and effort to make it successful, then it is best to start a business from home online.

Michael Senoff has stumbled upon a perfect online home business opportunity – reselling old seminar materials. He was really impressed by Jay Abraham. The only problem was that it costs $20,000 to attend Jay’s workshops (no wonder the press called it, “the world’s most expensive seminar”). So he did some digging and managed to find a guy from Northern California who had attended the seminar, asking to buy seminar materials off him. He bought the entire set for … 50 dollars. He later found out that Jay’s materials are being sold on eBay for several hundred dollars. He broke up the original package (that he got for $50) in several pieces and sold items for $1700.

Thus, his perfect online home business was born. Michael now resells old seminar materials for dozens of marketing gurus, easily
profiting over $1000 a day. Read full story in Mike’s own words.

http://www.hungrypod.com/

Catherine Keane, the owner of Hungry Pod, makes over $100,000 a year, uploading music to other people’s iPods. This online homebusiness idea came to her when an acquaintance offered her $500 to load his CD collection onto his iPod. Thanks in part to a small story in The New York Times, Keane’s advertising efforts on Craigslist and word-of-mouth, HungryPod has expanded to three employees and four computers, and has annual sales that exceed $100,000. Read The New York Times article about Catherine and her business.

http://www.idonowidont.com/

Joshua Opperman has his ex-fiancée to thank for his thriving online home based business. After the breakup, he was stuck with the engagement ring he paid dearly for. He went back to the jeweler where he’d bought it three months earlier, but found he could only get 32 percent of its original cost. Josh didn’t like that one bit, so he set up a site, where people in the same situation can sell their engagement rights for a better price.

http://www.pickydomains.com/

This is a great online home-based business idea that requires no money and that anyone can start. PickyDomains is a risk-free domain naming service that got a lot of publicity and ‘blogtalk’ in Europe lately. This is how it works. A customer deposits $50 dollars and describes what kind of domain he or she wants. Domain pickers then send in their suggestions of available domain names. If the customer likes one of the domain names and registers it, the service gets $50. Otherwise the money is refunded at the end of the month. Read full article about how you can make money naming domains here.

http://www.greekgear.com/

Reading a business magazine in the doctor’s office inspired Joseph Tantillo to try his hand at online retailing. At the time, he and his wife were expecting their first child and wanted to work from home. An article about starting an online store jumped out at him, he recalls—and, as a member of a fraternity in college, he decided to sell personalized Greek apparel to that market. After setting up shop for just $79.95—the cost of a merchant account with Yahoo!— he began researching what kind of products his former fraternity brothers might like. Using the strong Greek network worked, as he’s built GreekGear.com’s yearly sales to $1.9 million. Read Joseph’s story here.

http://rickspicksnyc.com/

Rick Field, a Yale graduate and former TV producer for Bill Moyers, is a perfect example of how you can start successful home business out of a hobby. Field learned the art of pickling when he was growing up in Vermont. About eight years ago, gripped by a sense of nostalgia, he took up pickling again. In his tiny kitchen, Field made family recipes and then quickly began experimenting. People’s wildly enthusiastic response to his Windy City Wasabeans (soybeans in wasabi brine) and Slices of Life (sliced pickles in aromatic garlic brine) told him he was onto something.

http://www.militaryexits.com/

Karin Markley set her online business right out of home. Having 15 years of experience working in a civilian employment agency and knowing that companies value employees with military backgrounds, and she wanted to provide a one-stop link between the two. Karen contacted the Department of Defense for permission to use its seal on her Web site. It took months to get it, but MilitaryExits.com is now linked to all the military bases. Markley, who projects annual sales of $600,000, points to her biggest reward: “Helping the military. Getting the letters and phone calls from these people thanking me so much for what I’m doing for them.”

http://www.hotsauceblog.com/

If I told you that you can make $200,000 blogging about hot sauces, you wouldn’t believe me. Yet, this is exactly what Nick Lindauer does. In 2001, while still in college, he launched his online homebusiness then called Sweat ‘N Spice out of his Springfield (Ore.) apartment. He sold a few dozen types of hot sauces, packaged each order by hand, and shipped everything from his local post office, barely eking out a profit during his first year of operation. Today, Lindauer sells over a thousand products from some 300 manufacturers. In 2005, the business grossed around $130,000. He got $200,000 in 2006. One day, it’s going to be a cool $1000000. Full story.

http://amazingbutterflies.com/

Amazing Butterflies is really an amazing million dollar homebusiness idea success story. Jose Muñiz’s career began when a friend bet him $100 that he could not sell butterflies for a living. Now, seven years later, the former business consultant and his wife, Karen, own Amazing Butterflies, a live-butterfly distributor that generated $1 million in revenues in 2006. Though Muñiz is still waiting for his $100, he says that he has backed his way into a job that he loves. “I could never go back to consulting,” he says. “This is just too much fun.”

http://www.laneigepurse.com/

What began as a solution to her chronic back and neck pain is now a line of purses for women who share Kristy Sobel’s condition–or simply want a fashionable fanny pack. After three car accidents that resulted in extensive back and neck surgeries, the 35-year-old entrepreneur realized she couldn’t do the traveling her then-job required. To ease the weight on her shoulders, Sobel searched for a fanny pack that would accommodate her condition, but realized fashionable ones were nonexistent. So she created one. Before long, family, friends and even strangers were requesting this one-of-a-kind purse. She approached boutiques with her design after successful test runs at her friends’ shops, but the door-to-door routine eventually took a toll on her body. Sobel continued her venture from home, found a rep to promote her bags at a trade show and used her and her husband and co-founder Eric’s savings to launch LaNeige Purse. Last year she made over $200,000 from her purses.

With the economy still on shaky ground, many common investment vehicles have taken a beating over the past several months. Stocks, bonds and commodities have all been affected, most experiencing steep price declines. Even precious metals such as gold and silver have not been untouched. In the case of gold, prices have recently started to break out to the upside over the past several weeks. If you’re considering investing in the precious metal, you’ll need to decide how you will purchase your gold holdings. Below are four common options to invest in gold and advantages and disadvantages of each:

Gold Bullion

This is the actual metal, typically available in the form of bars or coins in various weights. Bars, available from Credit Suisse and other suppliers, are generally the least expensive option in owning the actual metal. You can also opt for gold coins which will normally be more expensive if they are part of a collector’s series.

Pros: Owning gold in this form is the purest form of ownership and offers a hedge in the event of a financial collapse.

Cons: The biggest risk of owning the actual metal is theft or other catastrophic loss if it is kept in your home. It is advisable to rent a safety deposit box to store your gold to guard against theft.

Pooled Accounts

These are like a gold bank account in that your gold is held in a vault along with other owners. Fees are generally lees than 1% of the market price of your holdings making this a cost efficient method of owning bullion. Depending on your provider, accounts are either “allocated” or “unallocated.” In an allocated account a specific number of gold bars are allocated to you. You also pay additional storage and insurance fees. In an unallocated account, you’re asigned a sum of gold, not the actual bars. There are generally no additional insurance or storage fees with unallocated accounts.The markup per ounce is usually less than 1% of gold’s current market price, making this cheaper than owning physical bullion.

Pros: Generally recognized as the most secure form of owning gold, since the metal is securely store in a vault and regularly audited. You also retain the option of having your gold shipped to you upon your request.

Cons: Fees paid in allocated accounts will add up over time. In unallocated accounts, the gold is held in the providers name and is at rick in the event the provider goes under, including your gold.

Exchange-Traded Funds or ETFs

Shares in ETFs trade like stocks on an exchange. Each share represents a pre-defined factional ounce of gold. These shares are backed by the actual metal which is held in vaults in locations throughout the world. The price of these shares closely track the actual price of gold.

Pros: A low cost of entry and high degree of security are the two main advantages of owning shares in gold ETFs. Liquidity is another benefit since buying and selling is easily handled through your stock broker.

Cons: Taxes. The government taxes capital gains on gold ETFs at a flat 28%, almost twice the normal log term capital gains rate on stocks. You also pay managements fees of approximately 0.4% which adds to the cost of this form of ownership.

Mining Stocks

Another option is to consider the common stock of the gold mining companies. While you don’t own actual gold, you do participate in the success of the companies that actually acquire the gold Also the risk in associated with rising an falling prices are spread across all the available gold the mining company has, both mined and still in the ground.

Pros: This options generally gives you the most bang for your investment dollar. You will usually have to commit twice as much money in bullion or ETFs to get the same level of exposure as you get with the stock of mining companies.

Cons: As with investing in any company’s stock, you are exposed to the overall financial performance of the company in addition the the fluctuations of the gold itself.

Is investing in gold something you’re considering? I welcome your comments.

Source: http://moneymakertimes.com/

1.Putting the emphasis on the product, with marketing a poor second.

Talk about “putting the cart before the horse”. If you want to make money, this scenario needs completely flipping on its head. Savvy and successful entrepreneurs identify the market first. Only then do they create the product.

Tip: To succeed, you must find out whether people actually want your product, can or will pay for it, and how much. The true proof is absolutely not a focus group or a survey – the true proof is a real life market test.

2. Overemphasis on being flashy or to be nice “image”.

A very expensive logo, swanky offices only contribute to ever increasing overheads and do very little if anything to deliver success. And what’s more this sort of approach can drive you out of business fast, as so many so called entrepreneur’s discover to their cost.

Tip: Keep overhead low. Operate from a home office or very modest one when you start out and you’ll find this is one little powerful secret to make money online. Most of your customers couldn’t care less, where you operate from and for me, most of my customers love the fact that I make a lot of money and still run my business from home. Carefully invest every available penny in marketing and you’ll find that this dramatically increases your chances of success.

3. Poor business partnerships.

Many entrepreneurs rush into relationships or partnerships with hardly any knowledge, communication, or due diligence. I am convinced that a business partnership is even tougher to make work than a marriage. The vast majority fail in misery. And and top of all that in bankruptcy. And if this isn’t nasty enough, lifelong friends often wind up despising each other and finding themselves estranged forever.

Tip: Avoid partnerships like the plague. But if you have strong business reasons to form a partnership, make sure right from the start you know your future partner’s strengths and weaknesses very well. And, most importantly, clearly define in detail exactly what you and your partner will be responsible for in the business.

4. Your business model is far too complex.

The best business models are simple, they focus on how to make money working on line, or they do if you want the most powerful return on investment. Employees, customers, even suppliers, should be able to immediately understand the nature and goals of the business. For example, “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.”

5. The business attempts to be a pioneer.

Entrepreneurs are often attracted to businesses that are pioneering a brand new product or industry. (I personally must resist this tendency as well.) While a precious few are successful, most fail. Businesses that are radically different from existing known businesses can even scare off customers rather than attract them.

Tip: You can achieve extraordinary business success when, instead of being a pioneer, you simply do something far better, faster and/or cheaper than existing businesses.

6. You and the business are driven into bankruptcy by a lawsuit.

You can be fully and personally liable in the event of a lawsuit which goes against you. You could lose all your assets, including your home, savings, cars, etc.

Tip: Never operate a business without the protection of a corporation. Operating through a corporation gives you a “corporate shield.” You actually keep your personal liability limited to whatever assets you choose to put into your business. Worst case, in the event of a lawsuit simply fold your corporation and start another one. Talk with a good lawyer and accountant and discuss your personal situation including tax aspects. You can probably eliminate close to 100% of all potential legal threats which could go against your personal assets.

7. Divorce.

Untold businesses come to a halt each year when marriages fall apart. In many cases financial disagreements wind up in court.

Tip: Before getting married, and no matter how unlikely it may seem at the time, have a good attorney prepare a prenuptial agreement which spells out exactly what will happen in the event of a divorce.

Avoid the above pitfalls and the path to business success will become much smoother for you.

May your success be more than you can hold.

Kevin
http://www.CambridgeBusinessAcademy.com