Home Business Success

I volunteer at iVillage and meet women every day that are getting into home business opportunities with little or now business or marketing background.

They soon realize that there is a lot more than just joining an opportunity to finding success. And I see a lack of real training in marketing or growing a business from most companies.

I enjoy research and being a home business owner myself working with the limitation of a small budget. What prompted me to start consulting is the working knowledge I had and the research I had done over the last three year to help others.

I enjoy networking with others, I enjoy sharing ideas and resources. I found my degree in marketing has helped me be much more effective online with my own business. I found myself helping others and began to notice that there was a real need for this type of service. I have spent thousands of hours in research and get to use my creativity to help my clients.

I have learned over time that you need to find what really turns you on. Something that you can get out of bed each morning looking forward to doing. I have done things that just became too much work over time.

Now I look forward to getting started each and every day. And I think it is because I feel that I am helping others follow their dreams. I love seeing someone who I gave advice to come back and tell me that they just made director with their direct sales company or that they just landed some new client.

I feel my personal business really has been evolving into what it is today over the last two years. Even though I just launched in February this year. I have been doing research all along. Keeping things from getting too broad is a challenge. Focusing on the main concept of your business. For instance, my business is to help small business with finding creative marketing without spending a lot of money. So when I look to add services I always try to keep this in mind first.

I learned that online you still have to target and focus in on your market. It is just as important to develop and build relationships with others and form joint ventures that compliment your business. Join groups and communities that can help you learn as well.

And don’t be afraid to invest in things that can add value to your business. If you need to learn more about small business management take a class at your local community college or Small Business Development Center. Network with other business owners, join or form you own home busienss group to help and support one another.

I would say do your research, know your strengths and don’t spread yourself too thin. Form alliances and partnerships with other businesses that compliment and add value to your business for your clients. Look for affiliate programs that can help earn income for your business but they must also have real value to your consumers.

No person can be everything to everybody so define your niche and work at being the best you can be.

Nancy Johnson is the Owner of By Our ShoeStrings Marketing and PR Services for Home Business. She is a volunteer Community Leader on the Work from Home Channel at iVillage.com "The Women’s Network". She hosts a Direct Marketing Chat Saturday’s at 7pm EST at iVillage.

Nancy has been featured at such sites as HerPlanet.com and IdeaCafe.com for her dedication for helping home business owners. She offers a free marketing evaluation to all home business owners. You will find many free and low cost resources at her site to help your home business.