A lot of people write to me to ask my advice on home businesses and marketing. It started of with an e-mail here, a phone call there, but soon the questions started flooding in. Now I can barely keep up on my e-mail, and it's come to my attention that some people consider me a guru of sorts. Boy, was I surprised to hear that!
Now, I'm not saying that I don't have a lot to offer. I think I've picked up a few good ideas along the way, and I feel pretty good about sharing them. I'm really grateful for the business my status has brought me, it's just that I never thought of myself as the end-all authority on home businesses. I'm just a guy like you. I've put in a lot of time and hard work to get where I am, and I guess my ideas were good enough that I now have a following, and my business is booming. Doesn't it make sense then, that you could do the same?
So how did I do it? Well, first of all, I did my homework. After first ruling out the obviously ridiculous scams, I tried all the new home business ideas out there I could, and I interviewed people who had tried the ones I hadn't. I read business papers and watched business reports and basically kept my ears to the ground. I watched how much money and traffic came to the varying programs, and which submission ideas got the most response. After a short time I had narrowed my marketing schemes down to what I could tell really worked.
Next, I created a visible presence on the web in business chat rooms and on message boards. There are several sites that I go to regularly to answer questions and post ideas. No selling here, just a friendly and constructive exchange of information. People really appreciate it when you're willing to just share information without giving a hard-sell. Pretty soon I had people e-mailing me on a regular basis.
Finally, I started submitting articles to business papers, magazines and ezines about anything I could think of that related to my businesses ideas. It took me a few times, but I got a formula down, and I started getting published, and published a lot. A business article should never a blatant advertisement, but an informative, well-written piece that will spark an interest in what you do or sell. I found plenty of publications related to my business just by searching the web, and started zinging them articles on a weekly basis. At the end of each article I always include my business bio with my phone number, e-mail address and URL. That way people interested in what I have to say will have no problem getting in touch with me.
After a few months of implementing these tactics, I had more business than I knew what to do with, and I'm still doing great. Now don't think I'm resting on my laurels. I'm sticking to the program that helped me make it. I'm always looking at new ideas and reevaluating old, as well as talking to people and getting their opinions. I still visit chat rooms and boards and submit articles almost as much as I did at the beginning. I just figure that since these things are what really got me going, I may as well share them. I hope you can use them. Remember, there's money to be made out there if you just know how to do it.
About the Author
Alvin Apple helps everyday people start businesses they will enjoy. Then he teaches them how to succeed. Read all his helpful strategies, including his latest article, "Capital Solutions: Productive Alternatives to Spending " at http://AlvinApple.com. Reach Alvin at 801-328-9006 or alvin@drnunley.com.
Written by: Alvin Apple
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