Work Home World

Start a Review Site Business

2009-07-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

With blogs, writing, and so many sites that offer money for reviews, this can give you some great ideas to start one up yourself. Of course, you don't have to go big like Reviewstream. You can just focus on your niche and being that it's something you love and know about, it won't seem like a bore or a chore. It'll be a journey into learning more about what you love and sharing your opinion with the world.

Think of it as the ultimate survey / opinion site but with style and class to match your own. Let's say you love cars or fashion, or even gardening. Well you get the point. Why not comment on the latest topics, products, ways to do certain things and more. Build your site around this and get known as an expert in your field. In time, you'll gain an audience and not only get paid from adsense but from also approaching those looking for clients by offering them a review. A paid one of course.

Hey taste testers get paid for trying food so why not get paid for trying a free product and writing an honest review.

I read a story a few months ago about a woman who got so much attention from her blog that companies were knocking at her door asking her to review their products on her site. Wow.. if that's not a sign that this is a great market to get in, I don't what is. And she was reviewing baby products. So just think how huge the market is out there for your prized passions.

So get your creative juices rolling, start thinking of an incredible site and making a plan on how to make it come alive.

God Bless

Create an Online Directory

2009-06-22T15:09:00.000-07:00

There are many many directories you'll find on the net. Why not create one yourself? Of course anything great is going to be a bit demanding but you can begin to learn part time while you are working and eventually drift into promoting and working at your craft full time.

Just think about what you like to do and the great resources on the net that exist for that particular passion. Then look into creating a master directory for it. It can pertain to business, guitar lessons, where are they now celebrities, you name it. You can even make it interactive or editable so those visiting can add their comments and updates.

Now something like this is going to involve lots of work, coding, and time. The more money you have, the more you can invest to have someone else do the dirty work of designing the site and other people promoting it. The less money you have, the more you'll have to search for resources that can help you, and study coding yourself to get things accomplished.

Study directories already in existence. Ask questions from coders about how to go about creating something of this magnitude and decide if this is something you really want to venture into.

You can make money from advertisements or even create a subscription membership; where you'll give the member free options and paid options as a member. Those that see in the benefit in using such a service will subscribe.

God Bless

InStore Demonstration Business

2009-06-18T10:55:00.000-07:00

So if you've ever gone shopping and noticed someone set up with a table and samples then you've witnessed first hand the work of an in-store demonstrator. There are hundreds if not thousands of these types of companies and you can choose to start one or gain some experience and expertise in partnering with one as a independent contractor.

For the job aspect, it's run like a normal job except you are working independently. There's also a huge physical aspect to it as it deals with setting up and setting down, standing up all day, and interacting socially with those that are shopping. There may be strict hours that you would have to adhere to during the day while the store is open. And the company may even set up some sort of quota in giving samples to make sure that you are working hard to promote the product being advertised.

Sites like Narms and the Volition forum are great places for researching and applying to demo companies hiring in your area.

Creating your own demo company is also an option for you. You can start off locally and advertise your services to grocery stores and large supermarkets. You can even begin by offering free demo work before you start pitching your services to food distributors and manufacturers. This way you not only have the skills to run your business, but you've experienced both sides of working and managing with the references to prove it.

Research the business. Talk to companies that are already successful doing this type of work. Connect with business that operate on a local level and ask questions about pricing, employees, and advertising. You may be surprised what you might learn that you can implement in your own business.

Good Luck and Happy Demoing!

Give Your Kids a Chance to Make Money by Reading

2009-06-16T12:50:00.002-07:00

While this is not a work home venture, it does give your kids the opportunity to be rewarded for something that's fun and good for them. It even gives you the chance to have some quiet time and hours to ponder away at your great work home plan. Here are some programs that are offering great summer reading activities.

Barnes and Nobles

1. Kids read any eight (8) books of their own choosing.

2. Kids use the Summer Reading Journal to tell us their favorite part of each book. A parent/guardian signs the journal when it's complete. You can also get a Spanish-language Reading Journal.

3. Children bring their completed Reading Journal to a Barnes & Noble store between May 26th & September 7th, 2009.

4. We'll give them a coupon for a FREE book! They choose from a list of exceptional paperback titles.*

The AAPC is sponsoring a Reading Program specifically for kids with Autism. Upon completing the reading log, kids will earn a certificate of completion and a $25 AAPC gift certificate!

TDBankNorth is sponsoring a reading program as well. It is only in select states so be sure to find out if you apply.

The Scholastic Summer Challenge sponsors a reading program as well.

We're looking for kids who love to talk, think – and read! – books. The Summer Challenge is an amazing race to find the best page-turning team in the land, plus an arena for hot reads, a chance to set a world record, and a way for you to help Scholastic support kids in need! Pretty amazing, right?

You can also find out what your public library is doing for a reading summer program. You may be surprised to find out that they give out prizes and things for children completing books.

God Bless

Event Business

2009-06-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

This idea is great for people who loves organizing events, loves people and most importantly loves getting out. If all three of these describe you then keep reading, this might be something you'd enjoy.

Find out what places hosts events and different happenings in your area. Talk with management and find out when they are the slowest. Propose a fun event to get people out and suggest that you would handle all the promotion for that night. It can be any type of them that is current ie holidays, sports, ladies, arts, crafts, business networking, franchisers, etc. This will benefit the business because they will be getting free promotion and repeat customers as well as monies made off of food and beverages during the event.

So you're probably thinking what would you receive from all this hard work. Well the admission to get into the event is your profit. The more people attend, the bigger the success and the bigger the profit. Just imagine if about 200 people show up to an event with an admission of $5. That's $1000 from one event. Not to mention that this is something you can do part-time.

Let's just say you want to host some sort of entertainment for the night; lecture, seminar, a speaker and so forth. This will not be hard to find because you are providing the audience and a great spot for this person to receive exposure and something they can add to their portfolio.

You can even organize a talent show with part of the proceeds going to the winner. Or you can let businesses know of your event and ask if they can sponsor some sort of prize to the winner. You can offer some sort of promotion to the business such as free promotion when you are introducing yourself to the crowd and so forth.

Once you start talking to businesses about the type of event you want to promote, you can begin contacting local newspapers, weeklies, and even radio stations to try to promote your event. The more promotion, the bigger the event.

So get out there, start talking, begin promoting, and enjoy the ride.

God Bless

Start a Romance Consultant Business

2009-06-09T08:46:00.000-07:00

If you're pretty good with giving advice and you've had your fair share of relationships, then starting a romance consultant business may be a good career for you. Now psychics are always high in demand for people wanting to find out their future. But what a lot of them want is sound advice from someone they can trust without judgment.

And just like you don't have to obtain a degree to be a psychic, the same goes for being a romance consultant. There is a company that hires for this kind of information already. It's called MarsVenus. But there are also ways that you can begin your own advice consultant business. Sites like Keen and Bitwine help by giving you a platform to starting your career.

Since romance encompasses so many topics, you can even choose a sector such as Dating, Divorce, Marriage, Pleasing Your Mate, Healing from Broken Wounds, and more.

Getting your first clients may not be easy as pie but people always want someone to talk to so don't give up if experience the dry spell in the beginning.

Try to place local ads. You can even advertise a free 5 minute consultation or something to allow them to get an understanding of how you can be of assistance to them. You can even do this consultation via web conference, email web cam chat (gmail, yahoo and others are now doing this), or im messaging. There are many options.

For this type of business, you must be a people person, very friendly, patient and nonjudgmental. No matter what others tell you, they are disclosing their privacy to you and even if it's the most immoral thing you've ever heard, at the end of the call, your client should still feel respected, honored, and with more wisdom and confidence than they started.

Most of the time, people have in mind the decision they should take but they get bombarded with the suggestions of friends and family that it's best for them to get an outside objective view of their life. And that's what you provide.

For every type of consultant in the world, business, finance, health, law, tech and more you'd think that there would be more that deal with our emotional well being. I mean think of it this way; not everyone will become a doctor or lawyer but everyone at some point in time will enter a romantic relationship. So the scope of your business will never be limited to a certain sector.

God Bless

Start an Association Management Service

2009-06-06T15:45:00.000-07:00

If you've dipped or dabbled into any sort of management or even if you're interested in this particular field then you might want to consider starting an association management business. Many types of organizations from nonprofits to trade groups and more contract companies for management services. When an organizations more volunteers than they can manage but are not yet financially secure enough to rent out office space and hire employees, they then turn to the assistance of association managers to help them administer tasks and daily activities.

The day of an association manager can be a busy one. The specific functions can depend on the client represented but can include writing, publishing, maintaining membership, handle phone calls and incoming mail, keeping records, sending out information, paying and collecting bills, taking reservations, making arrangements and appointments, arranging events and meetings, booking speakers, and planning national conventions.

A great way to start is by volunteering for an association to gain first hand knowledge in learning how things are done and coordinated. You can also convince the association to allow you to volunteer from home after you know enough about them and how they run their organization.

You can also choose to learn by experience. What better way to market yourself to an association but by someone who has created one. Your local library will have lots of info on beginning an association. This link also seems like a great source of information for those looking for it.

There are certain tasks that you must be good at before determining if this type of business is suitable for you:

-You must be great at organization and detail.
-You must have the ability to manage an office at any level.
-You must be a great oral and written communicator.
-You should have or be willing to learn marketing skills to bring upon new members.

This business will be very rewarding as well as giving you the opportunity to meet all sorts of people.

Here are a couple great websites that can help:

American Society of Association Exeuctives
International Association of Association Management Companies

God Bless

Start a Forum Moderation Business

2009-06-02T08:47:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted to become a forum moderator but never knew just where to go to apply? Well why stop at just the job, why not make a business out of it. Just like companies need websites, the ones that have websites always upgrade to make the user's experience better than before. They appreciate feedback and ideas and having a forum is a great way to do that. Especially if the business is in the IT category or they just have a great product. Having a forum is a great way to keep the telephones from beings so busy with user questions.

So if a business decides to implement a forum, they will most definitely need a moderator. And that's where you come in. The worst thing you can do is wait for this type of job opening to land on your doorstep. Because by the time their forum exists, they've already hired moderators essentially knocking everyone else out the market.

So here's a great way to start. If you are always on the web, this will be a treat cause just pick a huge community that you visit a lot. Let's say it's a something like ivillage or parents connect or mtv/bet. Who knows. Whatever site you visit a lot if they have a forum, contact the administrators and let them know that you want to moderate on a volunteer basis. The bigger the site, the better the references you can provide as experience. You can also moderate a few sites at a time.

Once you have some volunteer experience under your belt, start creating your site. Offer sites quality moderation and pride yourself on knowing the industry (whichever one you chose). There are thousands of forums on about every topic imaginable. So if your forte is crafts, then make sure you know something about it. Or if you decide to hire a team, make sure your team is versatile in different areas; tech, health, finance, etc. That you can offer your services to business in a variety of fields. You can limit in the beginning but as your business grows, keep this in mind.

Your business be run like a team of writers coming together. You can offer businesses a chance to get their forum going by posting lots of messages to build message count and also by offering advertising on other forums letting people know about the new message board the company has started. You can include this price in a starter package and a regular hourly wage for the moderators.

It's a good idea to research companies doing this that offer message posting services. There are a number of companies already that hire forum posters and while you are moderating and learning the ropes, you can also gain some cash doing this part-time. The pay is not much and expect your posts or thread starters to be really in depth.

Think of really good names for your site and begin to research the time and cost it will take to create a good site as this will be the first impression the company has when you solicit them either by mail, email, or face-to-face.

Good Luck and Happy Posting!!!!

God Bless

Start a Fundraising Business

2009-04-20T11:30:00.000-07:00

Starting a fundraising business can be quite profitable and very rewarding for someone who enjoys working in the nonprofit sector. When you are just starting out, the best way to learn besides researching of course is to actually work in the field. You can begin your career by volunteering for a non-profit. You'll gain experience working on fundraising projects and an use these skills build your portfolio for your own business.

There are different aspects of fundraising including grant writing, event fundraising, and helping an organization get started (there are many steps in this process where a non-profit would need help). You can even volunteer to oversee fundraising events and create or plan the project.

Volunteer Match is one of many website tools that help to match people's skill up with great non-profits. You can start there or just take a glance at the non-profits in the yellow pages and call around. This is not a business that you would be able to start right away but with months/years of experience under your belt and tons of research and information, you'll be able to market yourself to local and national non-profits and this time, it won't be as a volunteer.

Here are more great resources to help:

Association of Fundraising Professionals
Entreprenuer
Fundraising IP

Starting a Cleaning Business

2009-04-19T16:08:00.001-07:00

This a business that can benefit everybody. Although I love Molly Maids and would never take anything away from the hard work put into home cleaning, the area of expertise I'd like to address is office cleaning or what some call janitorial services. So please understand that cleaning can mean a range of things though. There is carpet cleaning, pet cleaning (if you don't mind that sort of thing), car cleaning, window cleaning, furniture cleaning and more. But in my opinion, it may be a bit more convenient dealing with office especially when you can do it at a time, when everyone has left for the day. Depending on the office and the clutter it would not take too long and you can do schedule to do a few offices in your area.

If you are working alone, you can market yourself in person and ask them who does their cleaning and why you should be contracted. Make a reputation for yourself around town and once you have a few clients going, you got a great hour paycheck and a nice side business.

You want to get educated in the business and research the equipment you are going to need for cleaning. You will need to invest in these items in the beginning but once you brand your business with a cool name, logo, website etc, you can use the money you pay to claim it on your taxes as a business expense.

You may want to network with those in your area advertising cleaning services already. Maybe you can both go into business together or you can partner up with someone who does services in another area of cleaning like lawn care or window cleaning and the both of you can share referrals.

For rates, it's best for you to determine what other cleaning services are offering in your area. You can call the local cleaning companies from the phone book, pretend to be a client and get their current rates. This will help you determine a price you'd like to set for a new business starting out.

While you can start with a minimal investment, you still must research the legal formalities and comply with them before starting your business; that means making sure documents are in place for licensing and insurance.

Here are some additional resources to help get you going:

Start Cleaning Biz
Cleaning Equipment Trade Commission
Big Mop

God Bless

Cake Decoration Business

2009-04-18T19:52:00.000-07:00

This idea is based on the premise that we all love cake. And to add even more to that, we also love custom cakes. If you've got an interest in whipping up a great cakes, then this could be the business for you. We're not talking about high profile, picky clients. This does not have to be your focus unless of course this is what you are shooting for.

But cakes are needed for all sorts of celebrations and events. Office parties, birthdays, anniversaries, banquets, gatherings, and more. Have you even stopped in your local supermarket to witness their dreadful cake designs. Sure if you really need a cake, you'll have to suffice but you can be the one to change all that.

So here's what you should do if you are beginning with no knowledge of creating cakes:

Get books from your local library and search the net for good tutorials on making online cakes. Here are a few:

Joy of Baking
Recipes 4 Cakes
What's Cooking America
Gourmet Cakes 4 U

And you'll see there are thousands more once you begin your search. The best thing to do would be to learn from people already in the business. Local small businesses in your area or state that offer cake decorating services and ask questions about getting started. Visit baking forums and post questions there as well. Don't be afraid to learn new things or even accept some constructive criticism.

You can start you marketing by making cakes for friends or co-workers. You can even offer to make the cake for a specific function for a discounted price in the beginning to gain more clients an great referrals, then go from there.

God Bless

Professional Blogger

2009-04-17T09:30:00.000-07:00

So this idea is going to take some time build upon. Actually, it can be done while you are doing something else until you get a great amount of readership. Then you can market your services. See there are many companies that hire bloggers to write on all sorts of topics. And since blogging has become a new wave of the future, it only make sense for companies to maintain a blog. And for them to hire people to do.

So for this you have to have the basic stuff, computer, internet etc. You also have to have a good command of English and a good track record. Now by track record I don't mean a huge portfolio of clients. I'm just talking about owning a blog yourself. Just about every blogging job I've applied for, asked for blog links and samples first. So if you don't already blog, you may not be successful promoting yourself as one for a company just to get a job. Think of it as an online diary or just conversing with a friend. You can be yourself and blog about whatever you like.

Once you've been blogging for a few months successfully, market yourself to companies and business owners. Proudly distinguish yourself and your blog. The key to blogging is consistency and longevity. If you continue writing and don't abandon your blog, you'll get loyal viewers over time. There are also many blog directories to submit your blog to. Try advertising in your signature in forums related to your niche and other social network platforms.

Mashable has a great list of 40 free blog hosts to get you going.

God Bless

Become a Food Critic

2009-04-16T18:31:00.000-07:00

Are you interested and knowledgeable in food? If you are then you might want to consider a career as a food critic. There are plenty of steps and things to consider to become successful but in time, you can use your taste buds to earn some cash. Here are some "must haves."

1. You must be a good writer. If you need help with writing, learn through books, free online sites and web courses. There are so many out there. But this is mandatory to
have because no one will read your review if you can not write well.

2. Develop reporting skills. How you ask? Well it is customary to obtain a degree in
journalism, but since you are looking to be a food critic, I don't think this is
necessary step in the process. This site lists 100 free open courseware that is related to
Journalism. It will give you a great start. News University also has great reporter courses for you to learn. If you do some research, you can find lots more out there as well.

3. You must have a passion for food. Be prepared to learn the food and restaurant business in detail. Educate yourself on how businesses operate. Become an expert at your craft. Become familiar with the art of cooking, wine, travel food, and more. Build your culinary vocabulary. You can even become an expert on certain kinds of foods.

4. You must know how to write reviews properly. Reading reviews can be boring and you have to know how to write about say something like pork chops that would appeal to even those who don't like pork chops or have never eaten them.

5. You must realize that this business is about eating. That means that it doesn't matter what you are in the mood for. It doesn't matter if you're not hungry or if you're sick, or if it's too cold outside to work. It doesn't even matter if you're in the mood for pasta. If sushi is on the menu, you have to choose it cause that would be worth writing about.

Finally, know that once you have obtained these skills you can begin building your portfolio of article reviews and apply to different newspapers and magazines to pitch your work.

Good Luck and happy eating!

Start a Pet Sitting Business

2009-04-15T14:41:00.000-07:00

If you have a love for animals, you may want to consider staring a pet sitting business. It may not be an easy job, but if you love pets, it will definitely be rewarding. Before starting out, you want to decide if you only cater to a specific type of animal such as dogs or cats. You also want to make sure you advertise the kind of services you provide, such as out of town occasional services or daily activities like walks and such. Will you want to offer a grooming service for your client's pets? Will you provide feedings, medications etc? What about the amount of time for walks? Or if a client needs you to sit on short notice? All of these instance will arise at some point and may offset the amount you intend to charge to the customer. This information will be especially important when drawing up the contract for your client. This is a great business for repeat clients as well.

It'll be important to do lots of homework on area procedures. You want to keep in mind the amount of competition in your local area as well as current rates for services. You're also going to have to make sure you invest in pet sitter's insurance. Costs can range between $150-$300 depending on where you live.

You also want to think a cute simple name for your business and create a URL that your customers can remember. Which sounds better and is more memorable: Mariapetsittingzone.com or AtlantaPets.com? Now of course you are going to have to get creative to think of something short, memorable, and available, but it can be done.

When you are ready to start your business, make sure you have a few quality references. You can get these by volunteering to sit for a friend or colleague in return for a recommendation.

For advertising, begin networking with area sitters in your area. They may have tons of work to pass on to you and can refer their clients to you if they are too busy. Here are some good resources with more information:

National Association of Professional Pet Sitters
Frugal Mom Pet Sitting
Professional United Pet Sitters
Entrepreneur
Pet Sitters Forum

God Bless

Doula Birthing Business

2009-04-14T14:12:00.000-07:00

Moms and dads who attend the birthing of their child understand how difficult that time can be. It's an even rockier road when the person there to support you, has no idea how. Tis the reason doulas exist. Doulas are experienced trained professionals who coach moms before, during, and immediately after birth. They also provide emotional support during postpartum periods.

DONA is a great doula association and through their site you can get certified, get advice, workshops and a host of other services. Here are some other sites for certification:

CAPPA
ALACE
Birth Works
Int'l Childbirth Education Association
Childbirth International
Bradley Method

When deciding on rates, take into consideration what other doulas charge in your area. If you are inexperienced, you may want to slightly decrease your rate of pay. It's best to network with mommy groups and parents to start getting your name out there for free advertising. Some big advertising tools will be word of mouth and a good website. If you're good, friendly, comforting you will get referrals. And this is a great way to build a client portfolio. Here are some other helpful sites and resources:

All Doulas
Doula Network
Doula
Child Birth
Doula Resource Sites

God Bless

Mail Order Products

2009-04-13T09:37:00.000-07:00

The has been increasingly popular in shopping online. As people become busier, they have less time for on-site shopping which can be a benefit to you if you'd like begin a mail order business. So you see those commercials that rave of pop or kids music cds and profess that you can't buy it in a store. You can do the same thing.

What about a new invention. Something never thought of like the Shamwow. You'll be saying "wow" every time. Quite catchy isn't it? Well you can invent something too and create it mail order.

What about products that people can't buy in a store like if you make crafts or certain herbs. Most people don't have a local health food store and even some things in the store are not 100% natural. You know of something that works for you and is not really something you can buy. Why not market it?

What about information? Give out a free report online and market a great newsletter with tips on things people want to know. It can be anything from job tips, to learning how to fix your own car, to writer resources and more. It will take some time to develop a great readership if you do not put in money for marketing or advertising, but you can still get a steady stream of readers. Hey magazines do it all the time, and if you're centered around a certain base and offer informative content then you can do the same.

Research competitors and rates for your service. Remember that you'll need a marketing plan, finance plan relating to your course of action. It may take months or years to invest financially in your endeavor. If this is the case, offer some regular tips on a blog and acquire a base there to start. Then when you're ready announce the opening of your mail order service. If people have been following you for months, they will be excited and will desire to order your product.

Do your research, take your time, and don't give up; even when it seems like you won't make it. The worst then you can do is allow yourself to kill your own dream. As long as you have life and will, you have to power to succeed.

God Bless,

Welcome Baby Service

2009-04-11T08:27:00.000-07:00

After a mother gives birth, she needs a lot help. And there are a lot of companies that cater to new moms by giving the coupons and samples for products that they need. Why not create a local mommy gift basket service in your area that features coupons from small businesses, samples, and other products that mommy needs. Most companies will provide these free as a way of advertising to the family. You can contact as many businesses as you can and organize the information yourself. Then sell these baskets for a certain price and deliver the basket to the family at the hospital or at their requested location.

You will have to make sure that the offers and coupons are valid. And you must partner with companies to be up-to-date with their specials and continue receiving materials from them. It would be a great idea to compile information yourself; such as local referral childcare agencies and great locations for families in case the they decide to move. It will take some time to get this together but once you do, you'll have a neat business that you put your own flare and creativity to.

God Bless

Virtual Assistant Resources

2009-04-10T12:35:00.000-07:00

Finding information on becoming a virtual assistant can be difficult and overwhelming. But it doesn't have to be. Here are tons of resources to help you find quality information to get your biz started. Good Luck...

Associations / Groups / Forums
International Association of Virtual Office Assistants
Canadian Virtual Office Connection
Australian Virtual Network
VA Networking
Alliance for Virtual Business
IVAA
AssistU
VA Training Program
Virtual Assistant Forums
Yahoo VAIG
WECAI
Real Estate VA Network
Search4VAs
SEVAG

VA Training
Virtual AssistanceU
Virtual Assist Training
Military Spouse VA Training
Free eCourse
Free Training for Military Spouses
Get VA Certified
VA Trainer
Ultimate VA Guide
HP Classes
Assistant Match

Tips / Articles / Tutorials
Virtual Assistant Advice
Virtual Assistance Article
Free eBooks
Getting Started as a VA

VA Directory
Elite Office Support

Finding VA Jobs
Virtual Assistants
Team Double Click
Buzzoodle
DocuType
Executive Assistance
DavisVa

Resources
VA Resources
Free Resources
VA Free Resources

God Bless,

Become a Copywriter

2009-04-09T16:20:00.000-07:00

If you're a fairly decent writer and possess experience in sales, then becoming a copywriter may just be in your blood. Companies hire copywriters to work freelance and on-site with the responsibilities of creating slogans, ads, exciting sales letters, targeted campaigns, phrases for signs and much more.

Being a good copywriter comes with experience and being successful comes with building a professional portfolio of yourself to market to your clients. The business is tough starting out because of the the competition. But there are ways to make yourself known locally while adding some notches on your belt. When getting started, choose a field and go from there. Let's just say you have a healthcare background, then it would be great to write for hospitals, clinics, small practices, and medical nonprofit agencies.

Search for internships at ad agencies. Call to make contact with them and make them aware of your goals in the industry. Inquire about work opportunities of any kind to gain experience. Also contact creative directors, local group owners, and more. Understand it is not mandatory to obtain an undergraduate degree, hiring managers prefer it.

If your goals do not include a degree, locate individual courses on the subject online and off. There may even been workshops or seminars that can get your started in the right direction. Become involved in these and add this to your portfolio.

It's important to let managers see that you've invested in your career and that you take it seriously. Join associations and learn tips from experienced copywriters on getting started.

Volunteer for a nonprofit or get involved in your local arts, human rights, or pets groups. Write anything you can to help and gain experience; press releases, sales letters, newsletters, online profiles. Keep copies and use this to build your experience as well.

Network with freelance and small graphics firms. Many of them receive writing projects that can be passed on to you. Also be sure to read every book you get your hands on that deals with copywriting and plug yourself into forum gold mines. Here are some resources for ya'.

Copywriting Site
Warrior Forum
Bly
Free Copywriting eBook
Free Copywriting Course

God Bless

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

Turn Photos Into Gifts

2009-04-08T09:53:00.001-07:00

Do you like photos? Well you don't have to be a photographer to earn extra money from pics. Why not use photos as a gift to earn extra cash. Let me explain. Nowadays there are free image editors that can do amazing things. And if you have Photoshop, then you can use that program to really rank in. Have you ever thought of turning a photo into a coloring book or even a comic book? You can. Why not offer to make a cool looking avatar out of someone's photo. Or even offer personalized photo avatars that you can create just by learning a few tutorials.

This is a business where you can market everybody; not just the business owners. How cool would it be to have a child coloring a photo of their mom or their sibling. That would make on the fridge even more special and it would be a great gift.

Think of yourself as a storyteller, why not create a cool comic book with a family adventure for a child to read and treasure for a lifetime. Once you market your services, you'll get plenty of contact from people interested in this.

Here's a cool tutorial about how to turn photos into comic book art the Photoshop way..
Photo JoJo

God Bless

ChildCare Referral Service

2009-04-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

This would be one important business because people new in the area are always needing referrals for babysitters, daycares and home childcare centers. There may be current referral centers in your local area but this business is centered on community involvement and reputation. Here's how you'll get started.

Since it is a business, you'll have to choose a neat name and get your biz registered locally. Once you brand yourself with a company name, logo, and so forth, you'll see that clients will be more comfortable knowing that they are doing business with an established business rather than just a stranger.

Now you need to take time to develop your website. You'll have to invest in quality web design. The website will focus on local childcare centers in the neighborhood and detail lots of information; such as the amount of teachers on staff, the number of children they accept, how long they have been in business, awards and accomplishments, their office hours, rates (if they accept government assistance) and so forth. Introduce yourself to the daycare and let them know that you want to do an interview for free advertisement on your website. Make sure that they sign an agreement giving you permission to use the information provided in a public setting on your website. Offer to take photos so that those needing care will get a glimpse of the environment their child will be in.

You also want your website set up as a membership status for those needing care. Allow them to register to the site to be active. Set up a rating system for each daycare and allow those who have had experiences, make comments and use a star rating system on the facility.

There are a couple ways to make money from this website once it becomes active. You can of course put up Google ads on the side of the site. But you can also market ad spots to local business daycare owners. There are many daycares that advertise in the paper when they have openings and they even run specials. Once you market your website, you can offer them a feature spot on the home page or a certain section of the website depending on how you have the daycares broken down ie. by location (uptown, downtown, near MLK and so forth), alphabetically, popularity, type (sitter, home care, facility), or a range of all four.

Marketing for your website can be relatively easy especially since you'll be giving free advertising. You can just ask to put some brochures at the front desk. I'm sure they'll be happy to do this. There is also a ton of free online advertising ideas you can use. Once people know about they service, they'll be using it often and referring to those around them.

God Bless

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

Work Home Idea: Appointment Setter

2009-04-07T13:48:00.000-07:00

Many people know the role of an appointment setter but think that it may involve sales. Though appointment setting is exactly what it states; just setting appointments. And many companies hire appointment setters to work from home making anywhere between $7-$16 per hour and may even include bonuses if the rep manages to make a sale.

However, if you have experience talking to clients, have been an active participant in customer service and do not mind cold calling businesses, then there is no reason why you can't market your own appointment generating services locally. There are many professionals that would benefit from your services. Anyone that deals with door-to-door sales, real estate agents, doctors, lawyers, and especially independents. We're talking party planners, consultants, interior designers, pest control, and more. Every company has clients and if their business is done face-to-face, then you can provide an appointment service for them.

It will be important for you to sign a non-disclosure agreement with your clients to ensure their privacy of their clients and company business. Also make sure that your rates are explained and are appropriate to services rendered.

You want to make sure that market your services well. You don't want to bother professionals at the wrong time. You can always use mail or email, and then follow up with a phone call. If you leave a professional message and they are in need of your services, they will contact you. But you don't want to be pushy.

You can gain more experience by landing a work home job with a company that hires work home appointment setters. There are many that do and lots of postings on the net for them daily.

Here are some companies that hire below:

Blue Zebra
HomeBased USA
Extended Presence
Intelemark
CAP

God Bless

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

Become a Voice Over

2009-04-06T09:27:00.000-07:00

Ever heard those movie trailers and it pretty much sounds like the same guy doing all of them? Ever been complimented on the sound of your voice? Why not study and look into a career in becoming a voice over. Now, contrary to what you read, the path to becoming a successful voice over is indeed tough, discouraging and has caused many to quit altogether. The competition is high and the market has become saturated. But that doesn't mean that you can't make yourself shine and be the next voice on one of those AirWick commercials with Octopus mom.

So what do you have to do? First you need to study. I can't stress that enough. You will be lost if you don't know the market and are not sure of it. Invest in as much material as you can and bury yourself with knowledge on the subject.

You are also going to have to invest in some equipment (an industry standard microphone) and a good website where employers can learn about you and hear samples of your work. You can go to Edge Studio for thousands of free practice scripts.

You want to learn from the people who are doing well. Everyone had to start from somewhere so research these folks and don't be afraid to contact them and ask questions. Locate voice over forums and groups. They should all have a newbie section. Study the valuable tips that have been displayed on these online boards. You can even join associations and local groups dedicated to voice overs.

When pondering the avenue you want to take your voice over career, be aware that you can always go the business route. There are many companies that produce videos on job related topics and use voice overs as well. You could be one of them. In this case you would market yourself to agencies and direct companies alike. Voice123 and Voices are great places to find jobs and network with other voice overs.

Here are some WikiHow Tips that are really good to know.

If you research voice over information in Google, you'll come up with many articles. While article reading is good, there are articles such as this one that are created by people who are not actually in the business. I recommend reading a book or a community forum from people who are committed to a voice over career and possess real time experience in the field.

God Bless

Recycle For Profit

2009-04-03T20:33:00.000-07:00

Many of us don't care for Mother Earth like we should. But it doesn't have to stop you from earning a little cash. Besides of course selling your items to get some cash, you can also recycle it or better yet, ask those in your neighborhood to help you recycle while a portion of the proceeds goes to your cause; basically your wallet.

There are many sites that offer recycling services and will reward you with cash but I'm going to only focus on a couple because of personal experience. These two companies takes your an old cell phone or an empty ink cartridge and will recycle it and give you cash based on the condition and value of the phone.

Free Recycling
PhoneRasier

God Bless

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

Garage Sale Organizer

2009-04-03T20:13:00.000-07:00

There are tons of garage sales happening every weekend in your area; and it takes a lot of work to set it up. Some are successful. Some aren't. There are people who plan weeks in advance and some how are still left with a huge amount of merchandise after it's over. So why not relieve some of their stress. Act on their behalf as their garage sale expert and offer to run their event. For your services, you'll get paid a flat fee or commission on items sold.

Help categorize the merchandise, labeling items, negotiating with customers and marketing the sale before launch date. This is one of those jobs that will require additional help. But if you hire the right kind of professional assistants, you can have a great weekend earner. Give your group a fun name and market your services around town as such.

You'll need a good vehicle for supplies, signs, and other promotional materials. The best way to get the word out about a garage sale is just getting the word out. Many people leave little signs near highway the location is closest to. You can do this as well. But cafes, gyms, local shops, childcare centers, health food stores, and local online forums are great ways of promoting the sale.

Let your clients know that you'll be saving them time and money as well as making the customers feel welcomed and letting them know feature items they may be interested in getting before anyone else gets it.

Top degrees and years of experience are not needed for this field; just lots of great communication and wonderful customer service.

God Bless

Business Idea: Notary Service

2009-04-03T15:57:00.000-07:00

So you've probably had to use one; but have you ever thought about making money by becoming one. Well let me share some of the requirements with you and how profitable it can be before you erase the idea from your mind.

A notary is a person certified by the state to administer sworn oaths as a witness for important documents. The requirements for becoming certified differ from state-to-state by may include some or more of the following:

Age requirements (usually 18 yrs)
State residency requirements
Classes or state run training (some training may be available online)
Passing a state exam
Becoming bonded or insured

The best place to find out more information and getting started with your notary business is by visiting the Notary Association.

There are a lot of companies that can benefit from having a notary public on staff. And there are lots of different types of companies to choose from. From car dealerships, to insurance companies, finance and mortgage companies, real estate, construction and so much more.

You can even market yourself independently. Advertise your business in the yellow pages and as a added bonus, you can even go mobile. Mobile notaries are a great convenience for people needing notarized documents fast. It's also a great word of mouth marketing tool because not only will you get repeat business but you'll also get referrals too.

God Bless

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

Business Idea: Concierge Service

2009-04-02T13:35:00.000-07:00

If you've ever wondered what a concierge service was, then I'm here to help you out. See concierge is just a fancy french term that means service. Think of it as a personal do whatever I need done business. Cause it does not involve any particular type of service, just whatever your client needs done.

This business can take on many forms and the start of it may be challenging and demanding but the rewards are many. See you can market yourself as a personal assistant, and all out errand girl/boy, or just a office helper. Whatever your fancy, it's all to keep your clients happy and have them spreading the word about your services.

Your start up costs will be minimal but it may be helpful to hire office help especially if you'll be the one out in the field most of the time. This way, this person can keep up with invoices, brochures, scheduling appointments and other office needs. This is where a virtual assistant can really come in handy. Or you can flip it, you can be the one in the office seat and just hire field help.

You can decide to charge weekly or monthly rates. For advertising, you can put local ads in weekly papers or just confront busy people. It's great to set up a professional website with photos of everyone involved. You want to not only build trust but let people have a sense of familiarity with you as well. If they have visited your website, read your company history and know your face, then when they call and schedule an appointment they'll feel more comfortable working around a familiar face.

Resources:

FabJob
Entrepreneur
Author's Den
National Concierge Association

God Bless

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

Business Idea: Book Rentals

2009-04-02T11:39:00.000-07:00

There have been many days that I've searched for a book I wanted in my local library only to leave very disappointed. Of course it was not there, leaving me with the only choice there was; purchasing it. Somewhat like movie rentals, a book rental service would solve all of that.

Now if you're just looking to make some side money, you can market this to some coworkers, mommy groups, sports groups, business meetings and so on. Charge a cheap rate per day like .50 or even 2-3 bucks a week. Give a two week period for the book and as long as the book remains in good condition, you get the book back, money from the rental, and keep the cycle going with the next person. Even list the books on a free website with your info, agreement, and rates.

Though if you looking at this on a more local scale for your area then you're going to need start up funds, lots of books, office space if you don't plan on holding the books in your garage or home self and info on registering yourself as a business in your local county.

God Bless

Independent Job Idea: Delivering Phone Books

2009-04-02T11:26:00.001-07:00

You can earn extra money delivering phone books. Find out which telephone directory that is delivered in your area and call them up. You want to have in mind a particular route in mind before hand. Not too long ago I seen a posting for Yellowbook and I'm sure they are in most areas. Here's the number: 1-800-373-3280

Call them up and find out what other opportunities are available besides delivering phonebooks like paper routes and local weeklies. They can bring in some extra cash as well.

God Bless,

Business Idea: Office Plate Lunches

2009-04-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

I used to work in a call center and in my dept there was always a little place that sent out menus of what they were cooking all week; and in the morning we'd order and it would be at the office building by lunch time with our names on them. They were about 5 bucks each. I'm sure that don't seem like much today; but back then $25 bucks spent just on lunch food was quite an investment. And I'm sure more people have thought about this earning idea as I've seen more of them in my hometown now more than ever. So the question I have for you is: why not start one too?

You can do this part-time too, especially if you only want a 1-2 client offices. If you know someone who works in an office, get them to pass around flyers with your biz name and your weekly menu. Let the workers know to make their order by a certain time and have someone pick them up or arrange for delivery.

With this idea, besides food and basic preparation, you'll need basic plate lunch supplies. You can get the whole family to help out.

God Bless

Work Home Business Idea: Online Newsletter

2009-04-01T20:26:00.000-07:00

Know something that many people are interested about? Of course you do. We all have that special thing that we like and we know more than the average person. It could be gardening, relationships, health, affiliate marketing, cars, or anything you want. Offer a free newsletter and build a trusted list of subscribers. Once you have them you can approach advertisers for advertising. Base the rates on the amount of traffic you have and go from there. The more subscribers you have on your list, the more advertisers will pay.

You can get a free site you use to promote your newsletter and begin promoting it in groups, forums, bookmarking sites and more. Constant Contact gives you a 60 day trial for newsletter service and they are a really good company. You can distribute your newsletter either monthly or bi monthly.

God Bless

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

Work Home Job Idea: Demonstrator

2009-04-01T19:35:00.000-07:00

So you're walking down the aisle of your grocery store and you see someone with a table in the center of the frozen aisle trying to get you a sample of a featured food. Well these people do what's called demo work or in-store demonstrations. Demo work comes in many forms and from many outlets. Food demos are most popular but there are also demos of products to. Everything from vacuum cleaners to new laundry detergent. Of course the great thing is the samples, but these are teasers to get the customer to buy the product. You're not responsible for selling them anything. Just giving out free goods and answering questions.

These jobs usually pay per hour and can be quite interesting because you're never in the same location and you're constantly working on new campaigns. While there are many merchandising companies that hire for demo work, once you get some experience under your belt, you can always go independent and market yourself to companies directly.

You can secure yourself repeat clients that way and always have a gig if you move. Just think, if you are doing demo work for a new kind of breyer's ice cream, and you've marketed yourself directly to them, they can pretty much use you anywhere.

Nice idea...lots of possibilities...

God Bless

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

Personal Shopping Business

2009-04-01T11:41:00.001-07:00

You do it all the time. But have you ever thought of doing it for someone else; for a fee? Well you can. Many people hate shopping and don't have the time. for it. Why not offer this service in your local area and cater to busy professionals, extra busy moms, or even seniors. The great thing about a business like this is that once you build a client base, your set. No constant marketing or advertising to get yourself out there. Just rely on your repeat customers and know that they'll refer your services to their friends.

Targeting

You can even target a community home, or a place where lots of moms hang out...hello daycares and places of fun for the kids. Leave flyers and business cards. Another great way to target clients is just to talk to them directly. Meet them in stores and get to know them. It can become especially helpful during long check out waits when people become impatient. This is when targeting is the right thing.

Teaser

Know where to get the cheapest products or when things on go on sale. Use this to your advantage and a teaser for people who really just buy what they need when they need it but can appreciate a cheaper price.

Time

It's best to note when you are available and when you can schedule clients. Sure there will be clients that have urgent sporadic requests but it's best to set your clients up on a scheduled time. You want to allot for time going to store, time in store, and time of delivery; especially if you are working as a one man team.

Rates

Your rates depend on your clients, their needs, and basically what the job involves. You can set your rates by a certain amount per hour or give someone a fixed rate if they are a repeat customer and use your services monthly.

Finally know that you will get clients but you have to build a level of trust with your community first. If you've volunteered for anything before, say that. Use that leverage to help you build content for your site and display what stores have sales when and how you can be the one to help them save by meeting their shopping needs.

God Bless

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

Dial A Story

2009-03-31T19:11:00.000-07:00

This creative little idea doesn't have much support or books about it but I'd thought it would be worth mentioning for those out there needing something fresh. So kids loves stories I thought it would be great if there was a service that provided children with story reading via telephone. Stories can be told live, on tape or a mixture of both. Fees can be monthly, weekly, or even by story.

You can advertise your services successfully through circulars, newspaper ads, kids weekly papers, toy stores, bulletins, neighborhoods, and more.

It may take a while for planning. And I would research any other possible companies that offer this type of service and do some background on how they got started. You can contact them with questions or even inquire about expanding their services to your area with you heading it up. Many possibilities are available to those with the passion, faith, and determination to see it out.

God Bless

Becoming a Videographer

2009-03-31T14:33:00.000-07:00

The steps needed to become a videographer are going to vary based on the type of videography services that you plan on delivering. If you plan on offering very basic video services like filming weddings and special events, then chances are you can get by with little formal training. However, if you plan on offering extensive editing and professional video production services, then it is in your best interest to take formal courses in videography, editing and business management.

The first step in becoming a videographer is to determine what type of videographer you plan on becoming. There are a lot of video specialties that you can focus your business on. There are wedding videographers, independent film producers, studio film producers, documentary videographers and legal videographers, just to name a few.

The next step in becoming a videographer is to uncover what education and training you will need to run your video business. People interested in offering wedding filming services will most likely only need basic instructions on how to use a video camera, how to use editing software and how to compose and mix soundtracks for video productions. On the other hand, if you plan on offering more complex video production services then you may want to complete a more comprehensive itinerary of courses. An example of the type of curriculum you may want to cover in your video education include: film producing, film editing, film aesthetics, screenwriting, music composition and editing, after effects, audio mixing, DVD compression, web compression and courses in the use of common filmmaking software programs like DVD Studio Pro and Final Cut Pro.

The third step in becoming a videographer is to acquire the equipment that you will need for your business. To get all of the equipment that you need you will need to have some money set aside to invest. Some of the equipment that you will need include: a computer with multi-media components, digital storage devices and hardware, camera equipment, editing equipment, sound equipment and lighting equipment.

Once you have your video production studio set up, your next step will be to design and implement an advertising campaign. This campaign needs to focus on getting the word out about your services. The marketing devices that you will want to design include: brochures, business cards, price lists and flyers. Finally you may want to put together a demo reel to show potential customers what you can do.

A legal videographer is a video production specialist who is skilled at producing video evidence for legal cases. The services offered by this type of video specialist is in high demand and it pays a very generous salary. Being a professional digital videographer takes more than just knowledge of how to use a digital camcorder. It takes expertise in a variety of business, creative and technical subjects. There are a lot of videography equipment that videographers need including: cameras, tripods, editing software, video monitors, cases, lenses and mixing devices.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Freeland

Adding to this incredible article, if you are just starting out and you have no experience at all, you can try volunteering at your local tv station to gain some experience and networking contacts. Also, find out if your local cable company has an access channel that you can possibly do some work for.

Resources

Improve My Video

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

Business Idea: Desktop Publishing

2009-03-31T07:54:00.000-07:00

So what is desktop publishing anyway? Well desktop publishing combines computer software and the publication of documents either on a large or local scale. This means that using graphic skills to create page layouts, displays, promotional items, signs, and package designs can be created.

Electronic pages and virtual paper pages are two types of pages in desktop publishing. The electronic pages will be graphics that are committed to computer memory and space and will not be used for printed paper materials. The virtual pages will require parameters that coincide with physical paper sizes because it will eventually be printed. There are software programs that allow for custom design sizes used in large printing for billboards, displays and what have you.

If you've taken an interest to this field, you must assess your passion, your finances and your skills. Here's what I mean:

Passion

So how bad are do you want to does? Do you have what it takes to invest the amount of time that is need to succeed? Have you thought about a business plan? Rates and other responsibilities? Crafting a contract? Marketing your business? If not, then now is the time. It'll help you figure out if going all the way is best for you.

Finances

You are going to need to invest in the right hardware and software, learn how to use it, and manage to keep all this within budget. It may be best to put some money aside from your main source of income for a while until you've got a good set up.

Skills

You will also need to assess your current design skills. While you don't need award winning skills and experience, it is important to know the basics and be willing to go from there. There are many design tutorials online free and it may be worthwhile to research courses and register for some.

If you start planning your dream today, you'll have a solid foundation tomorrow.

Here's more information to get you going:

About Start Desktop Publishing Business
All Graphic Design
BrightHub

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

Business Idea: Animal Jewelry

2009-03-31T07:33:00.000-07:00

Selling Animal Jewelry is fun, profitable and exciting. The demand for this kind of jewelry is growing consistently day-by-day. When pursued in the right way, it will earn you handsome revenues. However, like any other line of business, it requires intelligence, focus, the will to do proper research, and educated decisions. The initial investments in time and attention may seem steep, but once you have learned the ropes you shall find that it is one of the most worthwhile things you can do if you're considering running a business from home.

Understand what your business is about:

Simply put, selling Animal Jewelry deals in jewelry items shaped like animals. Why are these products in demand? It is because every animal has a unique personality and attitude, and many people like to express their own personalities through animal shapes.

Think of a common animal like a dog. What does it make you think of? Dogs are faithful and friendly. Now if a person wants to advertise the fact that he or she is a friendly and faithful person, he or she could do this by wearing a piece of animal jewelry shaped like a dog. Likewise, cat jewelry can express grace and sleekness, wolf or tiger jewelry can speak of power and aggression, and so on. In the Animal Jewelry Business, you need to be attuned to the customer's needs, and learn a good bit of animal symbolism.

Target Market:

When starting your Animal Jewelry Business, you first need to identify your target section of the market. What animal motifs you want to stock shall depend upon that. For example, if you're thinking of setting up a shop for children or young females, cat jewelry is a good idea. Children generally like cats, and young women admire a cat's smooth and sexy appeal. On the other hand, if you're expecting more male customers, you shall want to concentrate more upon animal motifs that exude confidence and masculine power – lions and tigers, bulls and rhinos.

If you're setting up an internet-based Animal Jewelry Business, however, you had better keep a little of everything. To be able to say 'yes' in answer to animal motif enquiries, it's important to have an understanding of the different reasons people buy and wear animal jewelry. Some may simply want to wear their star sign – so you'll need to store fish motifs for Pisces, sheep motifs for Aries, Lion motifs for Leo and so on. Others may want to make a statement about animal conservation, so also stock famously endangered animals like the panda or the African cheetah. Some motifs are attractive simply for their bright looks – so don't forget about parrots and the macao.

Essential Equipment and Success Tips:

At the very beginning, you need to decide what kind of Animal Jewelry Business you shall be doing. What are your product sources? If you're artistically inclined and have the necessary skills, you may of course fashion your products yourself. This is the cheapest option in terms of monetary cost, but not in terms of time or labor. You shall need sculpting tools and animal-shaped casts, and a heating apparatus.

Others wanting to set up an Animal Jewelry Business will prefer to buy the finished goods at wholesale rates from a larger shop, and sell retail. This is by far the easiest way to gain entrance in the business, and is ideal for small start-ups. An even more profitable approach is to establish direct contact with the manufacturer, and import the goods if necessary. This method, though yielding greater profits, may not be suitable for first-timers and start-ups, because it involves legal hassles and overseas duties. Another excellent strategy for a newcomer is to become an affiliate with an existing Animal Jewelry Business. This is the lowest-cost approach, and sets you up in terms of both experience and finance, for starting your own full-fledged enterprise later.

Estimated Start-Up Costs and Financing Sources:

The Animal Jewelry Business can be quite low-cost if you plan it right. Usually you can launch one with your own money, since you don't need advanced equipment at the very beginning. Even if you're fashioning your product yourself, the cost of the associated hardware is minimal. But if you still can't manage it out of your savings, money lending institutions like banks shouldn't be reluctant to lend to you, because it's a good investment for them – they should know that the Animal Jewelry Business is more likely to succeed than not.

Income Potential:

As the demand for animal jewelry grows worldwide, your Animal Jewelry will provide you with huge income potential. Provided you keep your prices reasonable and your jewelry attractive, there's virtually no end to the profits you can make.

Advertising, Marketing Methods and Tips:

Selling your product need not be difficult if you're willing to do a little research. Festivals, fairs, craft shows and other community events are a great place to begin testing the market for your Animal Jewelry Business. Gather info on which event attracts what kind of crowd, and base your selection on that. First-timers will do well to go for small, low-cost booths (usually under $100) until they gather more confidence and experience.

You may also try out your products at home parties, and test the waters in terms of quality and acceptance. Other cheap options include putting them up for auction or sale on Ebay or Yahoo. Opening your own Animal Jewelry Business website will involve costs like domain name rentals and hosting fees, not to speak of search engine optimization costs and Video tutorials and stunning templates show you designing fees. So it may be best to try out a few low-investment methods before going into it in a big way.

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

Randy has dozens of home based business articles such as Medical Billing Business. You can also sign up for Randy's free newsletter and 8 different FREE e-courses: Profitable Home Business Newsletter.

Article Source: EzineArtiles

Here is an About resource for getting started making jewelry.
You can also google jewelry making and get a huge list of resources.

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

Social Media Job: Community Manager

2009-03-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

Social media jobs have become extremely popular nowadays. Community Managers obviously manage an online community but they also do a host of other tasks. They help to develop strategies for online growth. They facilitate and monitor online discussions. They may be required to provide reports of community status and develop key relationships with clients and customers alike.

This may seem like a fun job because it involves socially interacting with people. And for the most part, it can be. But while it is considered sociable, it's also work. So because of that, most community manager positions require a minimum of a BA degree, with established online presence, documented communication skills, and a well versed persona in a great social network such as Facebook, Myspace or a top blog.

Social Media Headhunter and Jobs in the Social Media are great resources for searching for these types of jobs.

So good luck and happy socializing...lol..

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

Independent Contractors: Who Are They?

2009-03-30T12:53:00.000-07:00

Some people feel it’s safe to assume they’re an employee of a particular company that hires them to do a job. Though if you are hired as an independent contractor, you’re not. Being an employee and an independent contractor of a company are totally separate and here is why:

If a company hires you as an independent contractor, you are hired to perform a range of duties and that is it. No different than if you cut your neighbor’s lawn every Saturday morning. You would not put on the job application that your neighbor is your current employer. Why? Because your neighbor is not a business. You can chose not to mow their lawn and if your neighbor fires you and pays the kid down the road a few extra bucks to take your place, you can’t collect unemployment insurance. Your neighbor is also not responsible for withholding income tax. This is your responsibility.

When you are hired as an independent contractor, you are virtually your own boss. You dictate the manner in which you do the job. Though despite how long it took you to do a job, the fee agreed upon may not exactly balance the amount of time spent if wages were given per hour at let's say a more known business establishment.

You also control the time in which you can get things done. You can work around your own schedule to make sure things are prepared and completed. Being an independent contractor doesn’t make things better or more profitable, but it does give you flexibility and more freedom.

Though some, eager to gain work, may be naive when it comes to their own rights and the company's obligation to ensure those rights are carried out. For instance,a company may decide to write a contract that dictates the manner, time, and other details of the way you are to perform your duties. Whether or not this is ignorance on the company's part, signing it keeps you under their control, especially if you are unaware of your rights. Still feeling confused on how to tell the difference; this article should give you more insight. Good luck and make sure you are the one who retains control of your work.

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

Work Home Business Idea: T-Shirt Designer

2009-03-30T09:27:00.000-07:00

You wear one all the time right? Well have you ever thought about creating one? If you consider yourself artsy and love the thought of designing shirts then you can have a booming market on your hands. We're talking sports, urban, pets, even personalized shirts. You can go ebay, flea markets, exhibits, street corners, local boutiques or whatever. You can even design online.

Online studios will allow you to design and save your work helping use more time to carry out the business side of things while lowering the cost of supplies.

First you want to identify your market and target your audience by creating marketing materials. Meet with business owners and all those interested in your designs. There are many groups, clubs, leagues, associations, that can benefit from your work. Even if it's a once a year function; meeting with the owner or sponsor and getting them to look at your work, price, and professionalism can help you land a gig and big time dough. Here are some resources and articles to learn more:

Where To Sell

Threadless
Design By Humans
Big Cartel
Tee Tonic
Oddica
Enclothe

Blank Clothing and Templates

Arsenal
Blank T-Shirt Templates

Tutorials
Photoshop Tutorial
DIY Vintage Shirts
How to Print Graphic Designs on Shirts
Go MediaZine

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

50+ Ways a Writer Can Make Money

2009-03-29T20:23:00.001-07:00

Think Jane Austin. Think Ernest Hemingway. Think...Not! Okay, I know what you're thinking. But I thought the same way too about writing. Hey, let's face it. It's one challenging cookie to crack. Anyone who's ever ventured in this field, understood its demands and dedication. But don't let it scare you. There are many tools to help you reach your writing goals and now more than ever is a great time to get started.

You can even earn while you learn. No, I'm not referring to the $3 per 500 word article offers you see swirling round the net. I'm talking real money, real clients, real pay, real..well you get the idea.

So you're probably wondering, what can I write about. Writing does not just consist of books, magazines, and movie scripts. As a matter of fact, once you get some creative juices flowing, you'll discover that writing encompasses just about everything. Kind of makes you think what the life would be like without the written word. Well, here are over 50 ideas to get you started. Happy writing.

1. Blogging

2. Newspaper Writing

3. Magazine Writing

4. Professional Letter Writing

5. Grant Writing

6. Book Writing

7. Greeting Card Writer

8. Text Book Writer

9. Course Writer

10. Film Script Writing

11. Ghost Writing

12. Resume Writer

13. Play Writer

14. Technical Writer

15. Comedy Writer

16. Trade Journals

17. Write Commercials

18. Brochures

19. Radio Advertisements

20. Freelance Articles

21. Newsletters

22. Catalogs

23. Websites (Home, About Page, Product Page etc..)

24. Community Entertainment Directory

25. Jingle Writer

26. Press Release Writer

27. Proposal Writer

28. Restaurant Menus

29. E-Book Writer

30. Product Review Writer

31. Write Pamphlets

32. Travel Writer

33. Advice Column Writer

34. Writing Competitions

35. Annual Report Writer

36. Training Video Writer

37. Company History Writer

38. Write and Sell Slogans

39. Make Money Rewriting

40. Legal Writing

41. Write Press Releases

42. Write Autobiographies

43. Write How-To's

44. Lecture Summaries

45. Eulogies

46. Student Papers

47. Memoirs

48. Real Estate Ads

49. Speech Writer

50. Short Stories

51. Poetry Writing

52. Song Writing

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

Work Home Ideas: Education

2009-03-29T20:20:00.001-07:00

Everyone knows how to do something. Believe it or not, there are still people who don't know a thing about using the web. And even if that was the only thing you knew, it would still be something you could use to teach others and make extra income. So I'm sure you know a lot more than just how to search the web. So let's look at different ways you can use what you know and transform that into a way to pay the bills.

1. Tutoring

There are companies that are willing to pay you to work from home and tutor people. You can even do a Google search and you'll find companies on your own as well as on the RatRaceRebellion.com website. You can gain experience working with one of these companies or even volunteering at a youth program, local school, or non profit organization. Then market yourself as an expert in whatever field you tutor in. Make bulletin postings, classified ads, circulars and you can even add yourself to the Yellow Pages.

2. Teacher

Just like there are online schools, there are online teachers as well. KeyStone High School, for example, hires teachers to work from home and there are literally hundreds if not thousands of high schools, universities, and independent course programs that employ in the same manner.

3. Training

Earn extra money training company employees in skills not currently offered. You can market your clients through a direct mail campaign and follow up each mailing with a phone call. Offer in person meetings for a chance to display your talent and market your abilities. Another idea is to partner up with others offering similar training and you can spread the training time over a 5 day period; increasing the rate of pay and acquiring awesome career experience.

4. Test Coach

Many people are confronted with tests and have a hard time passing. From the GED, SAT, ACT, CLEP, the BAR and more. If you can train others to prepare for a test, why not make money doing so? Advertise your coaching abilities in school bulletins, school papers, and online ads where students hang out.

5. Mentor Modestly

When venturing into something new, we all wish for support we can talk to as well as learn all of the ins and outs with. Such people are not always easily accessible. This is where you come in. Say you've been successful in stocks. Why not offer to take someone under wing, teach them enough about the subject to send them packing; all the while collecting a modest fee for your efforts.

There are many more opportunities that you can conjure up to keep you busy and on your way to earning a living from home. Stop waiting. Stop dreaming. Start planning and finally start living.

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

How to Spot Work From Home Job Scams

2009-03-29T19:27:00.000-07:00

If you've seen one scam, you've probably seen them all. Right? Well not necessarily. As the schemes get more clever, the concept is all the same; money. If you are seeking a job, not a business, you should never pay a fee. Legit employers are not going to require money for work. That is what they pay you for. On a different note, should you decide to pay for work home job leads, know that it is not necessary. You can always get these free. Though it does require a little leg work and your best choice for deciding the method depends on your circumstances. If you are someone who has a limited amount of time, it may be best to look into purchasing leads for a low cost as some online job applications are lengthy (do not always expect to send off a cover and resume). That being said, if you are home during the day and have more time on your hands, searching is the best way. Though despite what method you choose for information, there are some common scams that you need to be aware of, if you are not already.

Make Thousands Filling Out Surveys (same goes for Mystery Shopping)

This type of scam may not be so obvious because there are actually legitimate survey companies that pay for you to complete surveys (the ones that are legit only pay pocket change). If you don't mind submitting personal information for a few bucks, go for it. Hot Shot companies pay these survey companies to ask you questions on a range of topics to better target their products. For example, if I owned a company that helped mothers lose weight, I would want to target moms. And I would be interested in knowing everything about them. When they watched TV? How many out of the amount surveyed stayed home, worked etc.. This is one way commercials are targeted. However, if you encounter websites that offer you money or free merchandise for filling out forms, you may be required to sign up with a few of their sponsors, not without a fee or trial service (these are not legit). If you are into surveys check out Annika's Site and Volition. These sites are your best sources for information on this topic and more.

300 - 500 Per Month Data Entry

This is a scam. Once you contact the person who posted this job, they will email you a generic email asking money for training materials. There really is no training materials. The data entry part comes into play because you have to post jobs, doing exactly what the person before you did to earn money. There are legit data entry companies but they will not charge you a fee.

Pyramid Schemes / Lottery Winnings

A pyramid scheme is when money changes hands, but there is no product being sold. This is sort of like those emails or job postings you see that is really really long and has something to the effect of inputting your name on the list of 5 and sending each one of them $5.00 by paypal. This is illegal and is most definitely a scam.

If you receive a Congratulations email for something you did not sign up for, it may be a scam. Some of these scammers use real charities and tell you that your email address was randomly chosen. There is no way to track email addresses so this is false. Do not get sucked in to this lie and do not offer any additional information.

Nigerian Scams (Overseas)

You get an email from someone overseas (some owner of a company) explaining that your urgent assistance is requested for transferring money to the U.S. Ask yourself, why would they hire you to do this? They are going to pay you thousands of dollars to get you to wire them money. No Way! They then request your account information and you think it's legit when you see the money in your account. You withdraw the money, keep your portion, and wire them the rest. In a few days, you find out that you have a negative balance in your account and this guy isn't anywhere to be found. That's right. They have just received thousands of dollars, on your expense and there is nothing you can do about it. If you decide to work for a company that has a telecommute program, do not freely offer your account information. Get them to mail your check. The company may be legit, but since you are working from home, this way ensures your ultimate safety.

Other Indicators

1. First and most important, do they charge a fee? Don't fall for the training materials bid. You should never be forced to pay for any kind of materials to get hired. Do not accept any type of checks or payment of any kind for software or hardware. Scammers will do this to lure you in and make you think they are legit. In the end, you are left owing your bank the money while they pocket yours. Do not give in to the background or credit checks request. Most companies will pay for this themselves or deduct this from your first paycheck. There should never be a reason to charge an employee a fee.

2. Does the job posting specify the name of the company? Some companies may not want to conceal this information within a job posting. Though keep this in mind, once you submit your resume, aren't you offering your information? If a job posting does not specify the name of the company, be cautious.

3. How does the website look? Is it sloppy? Are there numerous advertising on the sidebars? This doesn't always indicate a scam, though you should still be cautious. What kind of details are on the website? Do they fully disclose their history and their address detail in the contact? Or is it just an email address? If there is a number, is it toll free? If you decide to try calling the number, does it immediately go to voicemail, keep ringing, or present prompts for live contact?

4. Does the website include testimonials? Why would a company want to do this, if they are not trying to sell you something? Hint. Hint.

5. Check the website on Whois. This checks their domain. if they are a legit company, you will know it by seeing when they started the website. It's very interesting to see a post for a company that claims to have been in business since 1985, though just bought a domain name last month. Hummm.

6. Does the job posting clearly define the description for the job? You are probably wondering if anyone would apply to a job posting without any knowledge of the job. To your surprise, it's done everyday.

7. What are other employees saying about the company? Can't find other employees, try asking on a thread in the Work at Home Mom, telecommuting message board. Or type in the name of the company and forums (you can also use message board) into the search option for google. Like this; inurl:"forums" Cingular.

8. What type of application process and requirements are they asking for? Is it a "no experience required job" or "no resume needed" type of posting. Uhh Ohh! Beware. Not in every situation does this spell trouble, but you may need to do your homework.

9. Do they make any outrageous payment claims, such as making thousands a month. Or even $17 - $30 an hour for something like telemarketing. This may indicate it being more of a business, than a job.

10. Does an employer contact you first without you even applying? Most of the time, scammers will use trickery claiming they received your resume through careerbuilder or monster and try to pitch you a job this way. This is almost never legit and is considered spam. You should label it this way in your email to protect yourself and get them offline, for good.

11. Does the job posting profess media recognition such as "As Seen on Oprah" or something to that effect. This does not mean that it was not seen on Oprah. I mean who in their right mind wouldn't accept those bragging rights. However, still check the company out. This could be a sign for something fishy.

12. Does the job posting state words to convince you of their legitimacy such as "real" work from home, or "legit" home job? A real company does not need to convince you and most certainly would not have the time to try.

13. Is the job posted numerous amount of times? This right off may not signify a scam. However, consider that once a work home job has been posted the amount of replies from just that one posting. Why would a company want thousands of resume entries? Are they really going to sort through them all? Or is the contact information the ticket they need for product promotion? Think about it. How easy is it for a company to fabricate job information in exchange for your personal information. They can most easily sell your information for spam (allowing them more money for advertising these fake jobs) or use it to market whatever product they are selling.

In closing make sure to take action once you become suspicious of a work from home company. Check the BBB, the Rip off Report, and Scam Busters. Now that your scam free, the only thing a scammer can do once they cross your path, is move on to the next person.

Can You Really Earn Money Taking Surveys?

2009-03-28T21:34:00.000-07:00

I'm here to uncover the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to surveys. I'm someone who has experienced all three sides and can advise honestly. The first thing you have to understand about surveys is that there are two types. Didn't know that did you? Well there are "real surveys" and what I'd like to call "offers" and you can make money with both. But the kind of money that is advertised can be misleading and flat out over exaggerated. Here are some explanations of them both:

Offers

The surveys that you see people shoving down your throat with an affiliate link are not real surveys in my opinion. They're offers. I'm stating this because of the process to take the survey, what the survey entails, and the amount of money involved. Let's say you sign up for a site like Cashcrate or MonsterPaysCash. You will be paid for every offer you complete. There are free offers. An offer would be like you signing up to receive more information from an online school. You would be transferred to their sign up form where you will be required to put in contact information that has to line up with the information you signed up with for the survey company; and of course be expected to receive calls, emails, and letters regarding enrolling. You will essentially be spammed. The way this can really benefit you is if you were planning to sign up on your own. Then it would be like, you're getting paid to do something, you were going to do in the first place.

Ever been to those websites that promise free merchandise like a free ipod or laptop just by taking their so-called survey? Right! You understand that they are not surveys. They take your information and get you to go through pages of worthless information with nothing but offers on them. You constantly have to click "no" to each each offer that pops up on the page. After about 5 minutes of clicking no to each offer they jam in your face, you finally get to the end and they hit you with the bombshell. "You must click "yes" to at least one offer." That's right you soon realize that the free laptop isn't free at all. You've wasted your time and may have to spend money on an offer that you wouldn't have chosen otherwise.

Well that's exactly how these offer surveys work as well. They may pay you .50 cents - $2 dollars to sign up with an offer that's free because it gives that sites traffic and great advertising. And may also pay you $25-$40 to sign up for trial offers such as Netflix or Video Professor. Here's the trick, you really don't want Netflix or Video Professor, so you must remember to cancel with them before they charge you (possibly being charged for shipping) just to collect the fee Cashcrate pays for the sign-up.

It may sound easy and if you have the time and organization to cancel all the offers before they charge you, can even seem fun. But if you neglect to read the offer's fine details which sometimes state that they can charge you a certain amount at the time of signing up, or that sometimes the survey company holds payout money for a while even after you sign up with the offer, then it doesn't sound as sweet. Besides that, who knows what these companies do with your information.

Once you sign up, you can refer others and if you have a good amount of people under you making offers and actively referring as well, you can probably get to the point where you don't have to do much. That's why people post screenshots of their paychecks and create blogs just centered around sites that has paid them.

Real Surveys

When new products in technology, food, laundry and other categories surface, what kind of process do you think actually occurs before the cashier passes it through the scanner at the check out line? Sure there are many phases, but one of the most important phase start with you. That's right, you reading this article. Products are tailored by the way we think, act, and live our lives. And the main method companies use to find out this information is by partnering up with market research companies and getting the help of average Americans willing to participate in surveys. The compensation varies from survey-to-survey and from company-to-company. But for most, if you are qualified for the survey, you are compensated.

To be qualified for a survey, you have to meet the requirements of the survey. For example, If a healthcare company is doing research on Type 2 Diabetes and need participants for online studies, then only those with that illness will qualify to take the survey.

Websites that attempt to charge you a fee to take a survey or for a list of survey companies are not legit. Legit market research companies are free to join and will only contact you when a survey is available. The best resource for learning about legit paid surveys is Connies It's Free forum. There are many research companies listed will give you a great start for making some extra bucks.

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

Work Home Business Idea: Virtual Assisting

2009-03-28T15:46:00.000-07:00

Virtual assisting has become a rapidly growing trend among many who choose to work from home. While many are attracted to the flexibility working from home can offer, most are still in the dark regarding the responsibilities of a virtual assistant and what it may or may not entail. A huge misconception is that a virtual assistant is only a typist or someone who just administers data entry for their clients. Though typing is one fraction of the responsibility relating to virtual assisting, there are many more tasks associated.

What is a Virtual Assistant?
A virtual assistant is someone who works from their home doing administrative tasks for companies and independent clients. These tasks can include a range of skills such as planning events, setting up meetings and setting appointments, making and answering client sales calls, writing and mailing letters or memos, organizing client schedules, creating or managing databases, transcribing, creating spreadsheets, desktop publishing, doing research, making travel arrangements, paying bills, and many more. The more experience and skill you have in a certain arena, the better.

Is This a Job?
There are companies that hire virtual assistants and they are placed with the company. Normally however, virtual assistants are independent contractors and set up their services as a business owner providing a service to the client. Virtual assistants market themselves by setting up a professional website, obtain clients through freelance websites and internet marketing, and even establish more credibility by getting certified.

Do I have to get certified?
Certification is not necessary to becoming successful at virtual assisting. It would certainly help your chances of gaining clients early in the field; especially if you lack experience. However, if you would like to specialize in a certain field of virtual assisting such as for law or medical, then getting certified would definitely be a plus. The important thing is to plug into groups, associations, and professionals already successful at virtual assisting. There you can learn tips, get the best advice on getting started, and the support you need to follow through when times get rough.

How much should I charge?
There is not a standard rate across the board when starting out. It's best to research what the average rate is in the industry, assess your skills and experience and go from there. You want to remember though that you are acting as a business. You pay your own insurance, taxes, and other miscellaneous costs associated with owning a business. You buy your own printer paper, ink, pens, office supplies as well as pay for phone bills, internet bills, and more. You want to be fair but you should also be smart. You provide a legitimate service that serves a need to your clients in a professional accurate manner and you deserve the rate you expect. So adjust your rates wisely.

Starting out on any path to success has its pitfalls. Start out by learning the mistakes early and how you can avoid them. Seek out a mentor to help you with your goals and assist you with learning the ropes. Who knows, 10 years from now someone may reach out for your advice out to begin their virtual assisting career. And that's when you know you've made it.

Here are some great resources to get you started:

Search4VAs
The Virtual Assistant Resource
VA Blueprint
Virtual Assistant Forums
VA Networking
Virtual Assistant Advice
Virtual Assistant U
VSSCyber Office
VA Yahoo Group

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

70 Work Home Business Ideas: Crafts and Creations

2009-03-28T12:32:00.000-07:00

Ever looked at something around the house and thought "I could make that." Would you love to make things and just need ideas for ways to earn profits? Great! These ideas are exactly what you've been searching for; packed with 70 craft ideas. They way you choose to go about any of these ideas is entirely up to you. It will take research and work on your part to follow through with it but the reward can make it all worth while. Remember that you can showcase your creations online, at exhibits, fairs, and even in craft and antique shops willing to buy your merchandise from you to sell. The opportunities are as large as your imagination.

1. Candle Making

2. Scrapbooking

3. Design an Sew Children's Clothing

4. Gift Basket Business

5. Soap Making

6. Quilter

7. Jewelery Making

8. Custom Painted Mugs

9. Wind Chimes

10. Wood Working

11. Pottery

12. Ribbon Crafts

13. Rubber Stamps

14. Porcelain

15. Clay Art

16. Gift Bags

17. Crochet and Knitting

18. Collages

19. Beading

20. Cross Stitching and Embroidery

21. Create and Sell Craft Kits

22. Compiling Photo Albums

23. Making Custom Lamp Shades

24. Dried Floral Bouquets

25. Decorate Shopping Centers for a Festive Holiday

26. Make Custom Sew On Patches

27. Make Unique Christmas Ornaments

28. Make Candy Bouquets

29. Custom Picture Frames

30. Customizing Clocks

31. Stuffing Animals

32. Making Rugs

33. Card Making

34. Personalized Pillows

35. Doll Making

36. Glass Art

37. Making Miniature Furniture of Dollhouses

38. Creating Games

39. Making Decorative Air Fresheners

40. Weaving

41. Ceramics

42. Decorative Painting

43. Decoupage

44. Calligraphy

45. Bridal Crafts

46. Lace Making

47. Metal Crafts

48. Mosaics

49. Making Shadow Boxes

50. Decorating Eggs

51. Repairing Needlework Jobs for Others

52. Carving Jack-o-lanterns

53. Making Custom Key Chains

54. Creating Costumes

55. Monogramming

56. Making Jigsaw puzzles

57. Nautical Crafts

58. Leather Crafts

59. Gourd Art

60. Mosaics

61. Plastic Canvas

62. Repairing Old Books

63. Bronze Anything

64. Bath Salts

65. Custom Stationary

66. Pet Accessory Grooming Bows

67. Henna Tattoos

68. Home Decorating

69. Furniture

70. Unique Flower Pots

Here are some great crafting Communities:

Craftster
CraftCommunty
Get Crafty
Craftz

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

Your Work Home Options Are Endless

2009-03-27T20:13:00.000-07:00

There are many enticing "claim to fame" schemes on the net. Nowadays with so many scams, the hunt for finding work home freedom is a task many resort to throwing in the towel. But did you know that the possibilities are endless when it comes to working from home? Keep reading and I'll prove it.

Now keep in mind, it will not be easy and please do not be deceived into believing that you'll be rich in a matter of months by doing nothing. It takes hard work and dedication to build a substantial amount of income working from home. Come up with a plan and understand that you may have to continue working in Corporate America for some time before you’ll be able to transition to a work home career.

Let's begin by your niche. What can you do well? Can you type really fast? Can you design web pages? Do you understand HTML? Do you know Photoshop? Do you like to chat and interact on social networking boards? Are you into advertising or sales? Are you a writer or an expert in a certain field? Do you have a degree? Do you like to read, watch movies, or play games?

Even if you are not experienced in your particular field of interest or have yet to hold any certifications, once you discover your passion, you can always read it, study it, and become an expert. Then use that expert knowledge to your advantage to create a nest of work home income.

Start by doing some real research on your interests. Get as much information as you can and document it for memory.

Then plug into message boards, groups, forums, and other online social networking sites. You won't believe the amount of information you can find everywhere you search. I'm sure there is a forum for just about any topic you can think of. It's a good idea for you to register with the ones that are pretty heavy in traffic. Then you can search the boards, ask questions, and get connected with individuals just like you.

Next, begin hunting for others successful in your field. If possible, contact them. Interview them and ask for the best avenues to get started. Remember, nothing stays the same and what has worked for one person does not mean it will work for you. Your goal is to get as much information on the subject and decide what is best for you to try or lay to the side.

So now that you have the basics of how to get started, let's talk about some ideas:

Writing:

Writing has become an extremely popular way to earn some extra income. If you never thought about writing before or the thought of writing leaves a bad taste in your mouth, then think of it in a different way. Think of as a journal, or writing your thoughts down on paper. It can be as basic as you want or as challenging as writing a short story. It is entirely up to you. Either way, you can get paid for both. You can write for card greeting companies. You can blog on virtually anything that interests you and in time gain readership and even earn profits. You can write e-books or how-to articles. You can write reviews, do article rewrites and even write business letters for profit. Did you know you can get paid for posting on forums? That's right. Webmasters will pay from .10-.25 cents or more for people to help bring traffic and post messages on forums. So the realm of writing is an amazing journey. Decide where you fit and conquer your wildest dreams.

Sell Your Stuff

If you have not heard about Ebay, then you've been in a cave far too long. But the claims of Ebay are not overrated. Someone auctioned off a cornflake in the shape of Illinois for over $1300. You can Google it to get the facts. Talk about finding ideas that make money. With that being said, you can auction off anything. Amazon and many other auction sites have emerged from the Ebay craze. This has been done for years. It is true what they say: One man’s garbage is another man’s paradise. That being said, you can shop for merchandise at garage sales, library sales, thrift stores and even stores that are going out of business. There are companies that center their business around garage sales. A lot of times there are tons of items left over from a sale and for the sake of time, people just want to get rid of their stuff. So companies will offer to load it up and take it away free of charge, in an attempt to make profits of it. You can do the same. You can even offer to sell people’s merchandise for them. There are stores all over emerging just to do this sort of thing.

Internet Marketing

Are you good at marketing a product or web advertising? Well there are literally thousands of affiliate programs out there where a company will allow you to share in the revenue of a sale by referrals. If this is something you are good at, this can prove to be very lucrative. It is important to choose a product you believe in as well as something relevant. It’s good to aim your product in something that fits your interests. For example, if you love music, you can promote sites that allow you to legally download music.

Crafts

Are you into crafts? Have you ever walked around the house and thought, I can make that? Well if you’d rather own things created by you and love the thought of making profits from this, then making crafts is your baby. There are many ways you can let you light shine through crafts. There are baskets, sewing, knitting, crocheting, quilts, and so on. You can market your own business and earn profits from customers in your area. It would be great to partner with craft stores and other companies of interest. They may allow you to advertise and even teach classes to those wanting to learn.

Pictures

These days, you don't have to become a photographer to make money selling pictures online. There are many sites that will pay for your pictures and you can sell the same photo to hundreds of websites. And you don’t have to be a model to get photographed. Say your friend likes to take photos and you look cute in a business suit. That can be a great way to earn money for your hobby and gain some fame at the same time.

Amazon Turk

Amazon Turk allows you complete simple tasks for people needing work online. This can involve answering questions, researching, writing, typing, etc. The pay doesn’t amount to much. But of course the more tasks you complete, the more your revenue adds up.

Investor

If you already possess a substantial amount of money or know where you can get it, you might want to learn to invest it. This is like playing the lottery but better because your chances of making a return or far greater than scratching a ticket. There are many opportunities and different ways you can invest. You can get involved in stocks, day trade, and even flip websites. Flipping websites allows you to buy a website, y tweak it, use some strategies for increasing traffic and sell it for an even higher profit. Search around and do some extensive surgery on this topic. The reward is worth the wait to know what you are doing.

Design

Can you design images, t-shirts, ads, draw cartoons or even build websites? You can make a living doing this, once you research and have the keys to know where to begin and effectively target your audience.

Freelance

Freelancing is great because it allows you to decide the areas of work you want to do and market your skills to those seeking workers. One of the best sites you can get resources and information from is AllFreelanceWork.com.

Mystery Shopping

Mystery Shopping is like a job but with lots of flexibility. This is the way this works. Once you register with a company, they alert you when an assignment is open in your area. Let’s say you are to shop a convenience store. You will have instructions on the amount to buy and sometimes the items to buy. It will be cheap ranging from 5-10 dollars and you are reimbursed. Once you pay for your item, you fill out paperwork detailing time, manner of employees and cleanliness. This paperwork is either done online or faxed back to the office. Payment for a shop such as this can be from $8-$12 dollars. You don’t make much money but if you have lots of assignments in your area, you can create a pretty nice sum of cash month-to-month. Mystery Shopping can include restaurants, hotels, malls, clothing stores, apartments, and more. Volition.com is the best resource for shoppers and hiring companies.

Paid Reviews

There are lots of ways to get paid by reviews. UserTesting.com hires for reviewing websites. SoftwareJudge.com hires for writing software reviews and there are many more that do the same. Just write about what you like. That way it won’t be boring. Like books, games, movies? Well whatever your passion, you if you search, you can find a way to write about it and get paid.

Virtual Assisting

Virtual Assisting involves every facet of administration without going in the office. It encompasses phone work, clerical duties, and online work at the same time. You can offer anything from building lists to submitting to directories. You can even get certified and add a boost to your skills and expertise. You can start creating a market for yourself in your local area. Call businesses and introduce yourself. Think about the type of person you can assist and target them. For example, you obviously wouldn’t target a supermarket but what about a real estate agent or someone who provides car repair and so on. Your skills would be of use to their business.

Tech Savvy

If you are good at tech stuff then you can do a host of things. You can host forums, chat servers, answer questions (there are sites that pay for your technical input like support geeks and such...), offer hosted email, install applications for others, provide application testing, load testing, create a domain registrar, etc..

Sell Your Videos

You tube isn't the only way you can get your voice heard. Many people use youtube as a way to grow their business. Know something the average person doesn’t? Package it up and record it. Offer a free sample demonstration then promote the site to sell your services.

Know Techniques

You can start a subscription site or newsletter where you can sell secrets or knowledge about anything to people that are interested such as gardening, quilting, fashion, internet secrets and more.

Business

You can always partner up with a business and sell something that you are passionate about. This can prove to be profitable or a waste of time and money depending on the training, the time you put into it, and the manner in which you market the products. Understand that in most cases there is a fee associated with joining a business and there may be additional fees associated with marketing materials, business cards, fax, scanner, as well as online advertising resources. Start by choosing something that you can see yourself doing as a career. Research different businesses in your chosen field and discuss the opportunity with those already a part of the business or at least can contribute experiences regarding their service. Do your homework and make your decisions accordingly.

Job

There are companies that hire for positions that pay per hour, by commission, and by completed assignments. These jobs are everywhere. They are posted on job boards, forums, and the like. Remember to never pay for a job, understand the job you’re applying, and make sure you are qualified before sending your information. Your resume should be top notch and always treat applying for a work home job just as you would an outside job.

There are websites that can help by providing a list of legit employers that hire home workers for a fee but if you have the time, you can search on your own and find great eggs out there. It does take time but a mist the scams lie treasures that can truly lead to work home freedom.

I wish you well on your work home journey and hope that I have brought some encouragement to your search. You can do anything you put your mind to. Remember the worst thing you can do is give up. Keep trying and success will come.

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.

Work Home Job Idea: Transcription

2009-03-27T19:39:00.000-07:00

So who are transcriptionists? Transcriptionists are independent contractors who create typed reports of recorded information. The documents are formatted to the company's specifications. To give you an example of how this works, let's say that company A has a professor as a client. The professor wants his recorded lectures transcribed verbatim. This is where the transcriptionist comes in. Company A hires you to transcribe the professor's lectures. Sounds easy enough right? Well not necessarily. Let's go over more of what's required, types of transcription, and how to find companies to apply to.

It takes a lot more than a good ear to become a transcriptionist. But being a great listener is an important skill. Transcriptionists also possess excellent english and grammar skills, be fast typists, and work good under pressure. Being able to meet deadlines and ensure accuracy are also important.

There are three types of transcription: general, legal, and medical.

General transcription can involve transcribing seminars, speeches, sermons, lectures, meetings, conference, calls, focus groups and more.

Legal transcription is a more specialized transcription position focusing on court documents, depositions, hearing, investigations, and interrogations. Knowing legal terminology will be a requirement prior to applying.

Medical transcription concentrates on doctor notes, emergency reports, operative reports, X-rays, psychiatric evaluations, clinicals, pathology reports, lab reports and more. This type of transcription requires certification. AHDI has a great list of approved medical transcription schools listed on their site. You can also try learning on your own with Online Free Medical Transcription Course.You can also start transcribing with companies in your local area to gain some experience.

For all types of transcription, you'll need some basic equipment; computer with good speakers, a printer and some quality headphones. Obviously, you will need access to the internet for downloading and uploading files. You will also need a foot petal to control audio playback and a software program to playback audio files (Express Scribe is a great free program for this type of work). A word processing program will also be needed. If you do not have a Microsoft Office edition, you can download Open Office for free.

If you are looking to get into transcription, the best way would be to practice transcribing some audio files and look into applying to companies that hire with no experience. Speak-Write is one of them and there are many more. Don't let the challenge scare you. This field is very demanding but worth the time it takes to achieve successful.

For hundreds of real work home jobs please visit my Work Home Career Kit.