| "A Work At Home ~ Getting Started ~ Check List by Vickie Carlson http://www.WAHM-Zine.com This may look like a lot of work, but it can be done in steps, a little at a time. Check off each task as you complete it. Good luck in your home business! ____Is working at home for you? Can you afford to spend time at home? Can you be organized at home? Can you work with the kids there or will you need to find daycare? Once you decide working at home is the thing for you, then there are a few things you need to do before you start making money. ____Design and office space at home. Get everything together for your office or workspace that you might need. If you're preparing crafts, you will need a worktable. To keep up an inventory and records, sales and receipts, it might be nice to have an office area. ____Do you need extra storage? Perhaps shelves or a closet. Are you going to keep inventory or promotional items on hand? This might depend on if you are going to craft shows. You will need room for materials that people send to you. ____What are you going to sell or do? You have two choices that are best. Either sell a product or your service. Usually having a wide variety offers a chance for maximum sucess. Make sure whatever you sell...whether it's service or product...that you love what you do, believe in it and that you would buy yourself. This takes us to our next step~ ____Choosing a product or service to sell. Is it useful or enjoyable? Is it something that you use or would use? Can you tell your cumstomers it works? Will it make the customers business or home life easier? Know your product and endorse it. Endorsing a good product leads to satisfied customers. Satisfied customers equals repeat customers and will also offer word of mouth attracting more customers. ____Create a simple marketing plan. How do you plan to sell your product or service? In today's world of competition, it takes an effort to sell. It is advisable to use more than one marketing plan. This may include internet sales, mail order and participating in craft shows and/or home shows.. There are opportunities to sell your items in rented craft booths at high traffic malls, or on a consignment basis at gift shops. If you have capital, you may try opening your own storefront business. Whatever you choose, your plan needs to suit the needs and fit in with your family and your lifestyle...that makes for a more peaceful business! ____Choose a name for your business You may need to go to your county clerk or official and regiser a name or DBA (doing business as) for your business. Usually registering a name costs no more than $10 - $25 depending upon your state. Next apply for a tax resale permit. This way you can purchase wholesale, as well as purchase supplies at available locations without paying sales tax. The customer pays the sales tax which in turn, you will pay the state at the end of your quarter statement or annual statement. Be sure to know your state tax laws. ____Put your business plan in writing Basically a business plan helps you set your goals. What do you want from this business? Is it just part-time for a little extra cash? Or will this business intended to keep a roof over your head and food on the table. Your home business is what you make it. You make the final decision on how far you'll go. This is your personal decision and is NOT a factor of how successful you'll be. Figure out your legal structure. Is this going to be a sole proprietorship (work by yourself) or are you going to be in business with your spouse or friend? Settle these issues in your business plan. Down the road, you may want to get your legal structure filed with your local officials. Contact a lawyer if you feel that you can afford a legal consultation. ____Keep accurate records Here is a simple bookkeeping method. You must: ~Keep accurate records and receipts for all money taken in (income, sale of product, service or affiliate income) ~Keep accurate records and receipts for all expenses ~Keep a mileage log for your car ~Keep accurate records for family employees ~Keep records for the part of your home you use for business (computer, phone, space) ~Keep records for as long as they are important for any tax law. This is usually the later of : 1) 3 years from the return due date or the date filed, 2) 2 years from the date the tax was paid. Check your local laws. ____What do you need to do now? Check your list. You have your office/work space set up. You decided what you'd be doing and you've decided what martketing plans you want to use. You have your business plan in place so you have your goals set. You have your resale license ordered, you went to your county and got your (DBA- doing business as) registered. Now you're ready to start working with your marketing plan. No matter what you do, you'll need business cards, brochures about your product/service, flyers, door hangers and any other promotional products that can be given out at the right opportunity. Good Luck with your business! Don't let all the information you need overwhelm you. Most states are patient and are willing to help. You can start looking into craft fairs, fundraisers, home parties, or display your product/service on the internet. http://www.WAHM-Zine.com |
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| THE ARTISAN ARTICLE Expressions In The Arts ~a creative forum~ Contributing Author:: Vickie Carlson is a full-time work at home mother, owner of Candle-Hounds.com and editor of WAHM Zine Weekly, an on-line ezine and discussion forum. |
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