Forums are often full of great content, which the search engine spiders really love and the way this works for creating one-way links is simple. People write messages, usually called posts, which appear online. For example, they might post a question (”How do I get my ads to stand out marketing online?”) or an opinion (”I just love the new affiliate program, CashQuick”) and other people can then reply to these posts and as time goes by one single question can turn into pages of comments. A post with replies are called “threads”. 

The most obvious way you may think, to increase traffic to your website is to post often to a message board promoting your site. Absolutely NOT NOT!  Don’t do this – Ever. Moderators of the forum, as well as the other more seasoned members treat this kind of unsolicited advertising as spam and get very angry with people who post them. So don’t! All you are likely to get is humiilation and reproach, not to mention a bad name ‘in the business’. You may even get complaints to your ISP, or affiliate program manager, asking to shut down your site if you are really prolific at spamming.

Forums always like to have more new members. If there’s a subject you’re interested in or knowledgeable about, then join some popular message boards and take active part in the discussions. Be a part of their network and then their perspective will be a favorable one to your cause. Don’t exploit, just be a real person.

Most forums allow their members to have a signature, with a link to their own website, or maybe even affiliate sites. This is where this strategy kicks in and  how you get your one-way inbound links.

Message board seeding, as this technique is known as, will help you in a couple of ways, since people on the boards will come to know and trust you. Some will look at your site out of interest and next time they need a service similar to yours they may contact you.

 …And more importantly, every time you post on a forum you will be creating a link to your website. This will improve your page rank and help push you further up the search engine ladder, as having a lot of one-way inbound links are one of the most important aspects of Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

When you link to your site, make sure the anchor text (link text) you use contains your main keywords. If you own a Horse Ranch in Texas, your anchor text should be Horse Ranch Texas not XYZ Shopping.

Remember, though don’t spam. Posting 100 messages to 1 message board won’t have the same effect on your rankings as if you posted 10 messages on 10 different message boards.

Make sure you choose message boards that match the kind of business you are in. Keep it targeted! If you are an Internet Marketing Affiliate, you should post on message boards about Internet Marketing or Affiliate Programs – not on message boards about pet care or recipes.

Another, even more valuable, but more work intensive strategy for creating one-way links, is to write and publish online articles and blogs, using your anchor text and URL in your signature.

Patricia Brucoli
Internet Marketing Strategies
http://www.the3rdpartynetwork.com

 

When selecting an affiliate marketing program to join, there are several factors that can help you decide on that perfect program. First off, start out looking for programs that are of interest to you and are associated or based around your website. Visitors come to your website looking for whatever product you are promoting, so give them an affiliate program that promotes your website.

After you know what kind of online affiliate marketing program you are looking for, look into what kind of income they offer. Remember, there are thousands of affiliate programs out there, so don’t settle. You should join a program that offers nothing less than a 40% residual income. However, don’t just look for the programs that offer the most income because there is much more to it than that.

Becoming knowledgeable on the product and the affiliate marketing program is crucial, but the best way to do this is through the company providing you with tools. There is only so much you can research on your own, but it is vital that the program you join gives you tools and resources to help you. You want to join a program that is willing to go out of their way to help you, because after all aren’t you helping them too?

Along the same lines of providing you with tools, the online affiliate marketing program should have some kind of system to allow you to see your stats. Not only should you be able to view them, but it is crucial that you can see them 24 hours a day. There is a common phrase that says the internet never sleeps, and your stats and affiliate program should not be sleeping either.

The last thing you should look into prior to selecting an affiliate marketing program is the complaints or downsides to the program. There is not a single company or program in the world that doesn’t have its negatives, so try and find what problems you may encounter by joining their program. You can do this by posting in forums or chat rooms asking questions, or posting in your own blog and website.

The more you research and know prior to joining an online affiliate marketing program, the more success you will have. There are thousands of affiliate marketing programs on the internet making it difficult to choose the best. However, with knowledge of the above topics you should have no problem finding an online affiliate marketing program to fit your needs.

 

 

Patricia Brucoli
Online Affiliate Programs
http://www.the3rdpartynetwork.com/

Internet marketers often believe that the more work they take on, the more money they will make. One would think that you make a greater amount of money by promoting 10 affiliate programs versus two or three. However, by doing this you are not providing enough attention to promote your online affiliate programs because you won’t have enough time.

What many internet marketers do not understand is that in order to get the most out of your online affiliate programs, there is a great amount of effort required to have success. You must have motivation and full devotion towards the program in order to promote it properly. There is much more to it than simply placing a link on your website and waiting for sales.

It is crucial that you know everything about the product you are promoting in your affiliate program. This will help you answer any questions that may arise from customers and allow you to feel much more comfortable with the product. In order to gain the appropriate amount of knowledge, it takes a lot of research time. This is the biggest factor that makes it difficult to have multiple online affiliate programs.

Another problem with promoting multiple affiliate programs is that many times people select programs that don’t correlate with each other. Every program that you join should be consistent with each other and your website. This gives your visitors options, but within a boundary. For instance, you probably don’t want to join an affiliate program for entertainment if you have a gardening website.

If you do want to join multiple online affiliate programs, it is vital that you divvy up the time spent on each program equally. It is time consuming to handle the needs for multiple programs, but you have to be motivated to put in the effort for ALL of the programs.

There will be many times where you will find an online affiliate program that is enticing, but make sure you have the time and effort to promote it along with your other programs. The affiliate program is only as good as the person promoting it, so if you want to see success you have to be willing to put in the effort required. Be careful joining multiple online affiliate programs, because this is often the case of a bust for all of your affiliate programs.

Patricia Brucoli
Internet Marketing Affiliate Programs
http://www.the3rdpartynetwork.com/

1. Mindset: Get in touch with your grey matter. Program your
mind with positive, committed thoughts. If you believe it,
you can achieve it. It sounds a bit like a sales seminar,
but the bottom line is, if you don’t believe you can make a
living online, you won’t. You have to be committed. Commit
to yourself that you will develop an income online – no
matter what it takes. Think of your business as a bacon and
eggs breakfast. The chicken was involved, the pig was
committed!

2. Viewpoint: This is your business. Once you’ve
accomplished your first hurdle and committed yourself to
making this work, you have to look at your business from
the proper viewpoint. No rose coloured glasses here. This
is your business. You are the CEO of your own marketing
company. You can choose to offer your services to one or
several companies. Bottom line, you are responsible for
every action in your company. Every decision you make
affects your income.

3. Learning Curve: Expect it. Becoming an affiliate is
like going to college or university. You start at the
beginning, learn the basics and build on what you learn.
Take it step-by-step and you’ll build a much stronger
business. Think of it like becoming a doctor. One doesn’t
decide to become a doctor with the expectation of opening
a successful practice one week from now. It takes time to
learn the products or services you’re marketing and it
takes time to learn to run your business.

4. Budget: Time and money. Set a general budget for both.
As a business owner, you’ll use plenty of time developing
and promoting your affiliate business. Budget as much time
as you can each day and make sure you use your time wisely.
Set up a budget for your monetary expenses too. You can run
a business online with a shoestring budget; just don’t
expect a mammoth income in the beginning. The more you can
invest in your business, the better. This doesn’t mean
that simply throwing money at your business will make it
grow. Every dollar that goes out your door, needs to come
back in and bring another dollar with it.

5. Goals: s/he shoots – s/he scores! Your goals will get
you through the tough times. There’ll be lots of days when
you feel like quitting. If you make your goals tangible,
you’ll make it through the tough days. Money isn’t a
motivator, but what money can buy, is. Set your goals for a
family vacation, a new car, boat, or home. It’s much easier
to get excited about a shiny red corvette in your driveway
than $100,000 sitting in your bank account. Money is only
numbers on a piece of paper or a computer screen, but it
can bring you a luxurious lifestyle, and that’s where the
fun is.

6. Nuts and Bolts: Once you’ve got your house in order,
with the proper mindset, you’re looking at your business
from a realistic viewpoint, you’ve got an open mind and
you’re ready to learn, you’ve set aside some time and money
and you’ve got pictures of your dream house, car and
vacation plastered on your wall, you’re ready to go hunting.
The next step is to find a business that interests you and
offers an affiliate program with a reasonable commission.
For information products, one of the most popular and
profitable products online, you can and should expect a
commission of 40% – 50% or more.

Pick a product that interests you. Buy it and use it. Your
business is based on your recommendations of a product or
service. If you haven’t used it, how can you recommend it?
Running around in circles after the newest, hottest selling
product of the day, only leaves you dizzy and broke. If
you like astronomy, becoming an affiliate of a star chart
company may be a good fit. Selling women’s pantyhose may
not.

7. Look before you leap: Finding a company to represent, as
an affiliate is one thing, finding a company that respects
its affiliates is another. Do a bit of research before you
jump on the bandwagon. Send an email to the company as if
you’re a potential customer. 24 – 48 hours is a good
response time. This shows that someone is actually running
the company. It also gives you an idea of their commitment.
Generally, the faster the response, the more committed the
company is to doing business. The quality of the response
is also important. Did the response answer your question?
Was it written in a friendly, professional manor? Did they
answer your question directly or simply send you to a FAQ
sheet?

8. Flip the switch: If everything checks out up to this
point, then your next step is to take action. Fill out the
affiliate application form and get your affiliate URL. Now
the ball is in your court. It’s time to get down to brass
tacks. If you freeze now, you make no money and flush your
goals down the toilet. If you take action, you make it one
step closer to your goals.

9. If you build it – they will come: OK not really, but you
do have to build it. If you want to maximize your income
and be taken seriously, you need to own a website. Just
like a brick and mortar business, you need a professional
location to offer your products. Yes, you get an affiliate
URL when you sign up as an affiliate, but promoting an
affiliate link looks amateur and will help you LOSE 98% of
your sales. We’ll cover this in point 10.

10. Follow-up = Sales: Only 2% of your prospects will sign
up or buy what you’re offering, on their first visit. 98%
of your sales will be made from your follow up. There’s a
very simple method for following up and making sales
automatically.

i. Check your favourite search engine to locate a free
ebook, software program or report that relates to your
offer. If you’re promoting a website that sells peanut
butter, a free peanut butter recipe book would be a good
match. Your give-away must always relate to the product
you’re promoting to maximize the results of this system.

ii. Build a page on your website to give away your free
peanut butter recipe book. Design the page as if you were
designing a sales page. Make people’s mouths water until
they want the recipes so bad they’d gladly pay for them,
but then give it to them free. All they have to do is fill
in their name and email address in the simple form and
you’ll send their recipe book to them instantly via email.

iii. As soon as your peanut butter prospect fills out the
form on your site and clicks the send button, they are
taken to your affiliate URL where they can buy peanut
butter. At the same time, the peanut butter recipe book is
sent to their email address.

iv. Now your peanut butter prospect receives an email from
you each week with new tips and useful peanut butter
information. This information positions you as a peanut
butter expert and gives you the opportunity to promote your
peanut butter affiliate website once a week, to hot
prospects. This is where you’ll make 98% of your sales.

Although this may seem like an overwhelming amount of work
for the beginner, it’s all very simple. The whole process
is run from an autoresponder, a simple piece of email
software that automatically sends your prewritten email
messages on a predetermined schedule.

Your success as an affiliate is determined by you. 95% of
the people that read this simple guide will do nothing with
it. 5% of the people that read this guide will put all the
pieces in place and start making a living as an affiliate.
All you have to decide is which side of the coin you want
to be on.

======================================================
This mini report has been brought to you by The Email Wealth Toolkit.
If you’re not making at least $5,000 a month online, this
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Life is a learning process. Everything that happens to us happens for a purpose, even when it is very hard to see sometimes. Just believe that and file it away. Don’t worry about it, just move on. Someday, chances are, you will have an “ah-ha” moment and realize why you had to jump through the hoops you did to be at the place you have
come to.

It may sound trite to you, but it is an absolute fact: We become stronger from overcoming our obstacles and by-passing our limitations. First we have to know what they are and then we can kiss them good bye. Whatever they are I can pretty well assure you they either started as or resulted in unbelief.

There are many true stories of heroic figures who have had to sink very low in order to become the person that they became. If you live in a little box of pre-conceived notions and inherited values and opinions, well, you need to get out more. By seeing the real world sometimes in all it’s pain and agony, you may just realize how blessed you really are and how small your problems are. Therefore you can succeed.

You will find in reading about successful people, that they really believe in themselves. They have an open, positive attitude about others and all possibiities.

They didn’t just wake up successful, and I am not saying that all you need to do is think you will be a success to be one. You have to let the positive attitude propel you into taking action to achieve your goals. One step at a time. 

I have been reading a little about reprogramming my ‘I’m a failure’ button. It is a conscious decision that you make when you think you can’t succeed. You remember all the times you have failed or when things didn’t go as you wanted. So all you need to do is change your mind.

Every time I hear the ‘you can’t do this’ voice, I just speak right back to it and visualize something that I did that turned out okay. It can be anything that made you feel gratified. I mean I am talking grass roots here.

Did you smile at someone and they smiled back? Cool, you succeeded in brightening someone’s life for a second. Now you have found something you did well at, so do it whenever you have an opportunity. If this really pleases you to do this, then maybe you would make a great coach or mentor, or even a volunteer.

* Stop thinking and feeling as if you’re a failure, because you’re not. Because you failed a test,  that doesn’t mean you are a failure as a person. You have to believe in yourself before others will believe you.

* Every mistake is only a lesson. It is not fatal usually, depending. Just pick yourself up, don’t give it any energy, and move forward.

* Don’t give up – this is a process – you can’t expect to counter a lifetime of negative self talk in 2 days. Just keep it up. Refuse to think bad things about yourself.

* Self improvement results from appreciating the good things about yourself, which then becomes self confidence. When you can exude this confidence to others, this is when you will have people who want to join you, want to learn from you, and who want to be like you.

* Set meaningful and achievable goals. Don’t start out wishing for ‘a million dollars’ or something too far out. You will just get discouraged. Create a target goal and focus on it. Even taking it in stages.

Be specific. What does success mean to you? Visualize it. Think about the steps and stages it may take to get there. Give yourself a time limit = I will earn $xxxx a month by next year.

* Be thankful for everything you have and realize how lucky you have been. When I am at a pity party I always like to remember this to get out of it: “The girl cried because she had no shoes, until she saw the one that had no feet’. Thank God, I am so blessed to have feet.

* Just as you must refuse to listen to your own negative self talk, also refuse to acknowledge anyone else who tries to jam up your dreams. If they want to be limited by their thinking, that is their burden. If it is someone you care about, briefly tell them how destructive unbelief is, and explain that you would appreciate their affirmation. “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything”. 

Realize that not everyone will share your quest for success. Realize that when you become one, maybe that will wake these negative nellies up. Pray for them that one day they will say, Wow, my friend made it, so maybe I can too.

* We should always remember that there’s no such thing as ‘over night success’. If someone tells you there is, run. It is a process and it takes time. Just as every flower started with a seed. Always remember to be realistic and logical about what you are trying to achieve. What are your skills? What are the things you like to do?

How much effort are you willing to put forth to get what you want? Not much? Well, then my friend, don’t expect much. Just be reasonable – you can improve your skills if you are lacking, and can learn new things if you open your mind. Realize that if you are committed to your goal, you can achieve it with determination and hard work.

About the Author:
—————————————————————-

Patricia Brucoli is an internet marketer
and mentor who can help you define
your goals and become a successful
home business entrepreneur (call me)
http://www.the3rdpartynetwork.com/
—————————————————————-

I did not wake up one day and say, I think I would like to be a mentor. However, just in the course of things, I find that I am actually becoming one. I love it, too! I can’t think of any other aspect of starting a home business that I like any better than helping others along the way, in much the same way I have been helped.

It happened through networking with other internet marketers and the beauty of it was I didn’t really have to know all that much to start with. As I learned, I had that much more to share. I think just that I had the nerve to offer my advice a few times in a forum, people began to send me private messages, asking me for more advice!

The great thing about this is there will always be someone who knows less than you do, even if you have only a small head start on them.  These are the ones that need your guidance.

In my opinion, a mentor can have a huge influence on you. A true mentor – is not just a ‘coach’ who will give technical or specific information. A mentor is someone who does have technical knowledge and information, but more than that, they have some insite into human nature and can empathize with others.

This has been so spiritually enriching for me, that I can’t imagine charging money for doing it, as somehow this may detract from the atmosphere created when we reach out to each other for help. Then again, I can remember a time when it was getting to be a full-time job without pay, just answering emails from people asking for my input. Giving is great, but I do have a business to run as well!

However, in that the core strategy of internet marketing is building relationship and trust with your prospects, mentoring may be the perfect way to recruit. Although like networking – to ’know and be known without an agenda’ – we can’t exploit people and pretend to have their best interests at heart, if we just see them as a prospective customer.

You see, in addition to being a coach and cheer leader, a mentor needs to really be a friend. With your friends you share everything that you have to give. If you are to be an effective mentor, you need to feel this way about those who turn to you for advice.

I would like to quote something here that has really been an inspiration to me and hope that any would-be mentors may also be strengthened by it. I don’t remember where I found it, but no matter how many times I read it, it is profound.

The Parable of the Spoons

A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, “Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like. “The Lord led the holy man to two doors. He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew which smelled delicious and made the holy man’s mouth water.The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths. The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. The Lord said, “You have seen Hell.”They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man’s mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The holy man said, “I don’t understand.”

  

 

 

This is because most involve the obscure promise of the ‘multi level matrix’. Truly, almost any sales organization is an MLM (multi level marketing).  You should be rewarded for attracting others who will promote the program, as well as for what direct sales you make. Many successful internet marketers wouldn’t be a success without having the skill to sell both the opportunity and the product.

In my opinion, you should receive something tangible for your ‘membership fees’.  This is a real gray area.  In order for a program not to be called a ‘pyramid’ scheme, it has to have product and/or service, in addition to the ”opportunity”.  

So, many of these business opportunities offer the most insubstantial ‘token’ in order to stay within the law in this regard. That is why, when I was introduced to Success University, I was really impressed. This is one of the few opportunities that I can actually say, if I never make a dime, I am being offered  something truly valuable for my participation.

Happily, I will never have to say that, because their incredible compensation plan, and the fact that it is something still relatively new, will provide the perfect combination: Provide Something of Value, and  Earn While You Learn to be a Success. You can even have a trial membership for only a $2 donation to Feed the Children, with no obligation whatsoever.

Success University offers an impressive array of personal development and marketing training that will be of benefit to any entrepreneur. This is truly an investment in my business, as well as being a business in and of itself. The trainers are all professionals, and the short courses are all available online, where I live, at any hour.

Being a success does not come naturally, believe it or not. You have to believe in yourself and take consistent action to reach your goals. This does not always come easily.  We have to learn how to walk the walk and talk the talk. Some of us start from a place of a total lack of self-esteem for whatever reason. Accomplishing your goals will truly make you feel better about yourself, in addition to improving your financial situation – a real esteem booster.

After all, if we don’t believe in ourselves and what we are doing, how are we going to compel anyone else to believe in us and to follow in our footsteps? Success University will pay you to introduce people to it’s curriculum, and you can truly feel that you have not just sold someone something, but you have actually exposed them to a great opportunity to make a 180 degree improvement  in their well-being. If you would like to check this out, please go to

Earn While You Learn

For only a $2 donation to Feed the Children, you can try this for 2 weeks without obligation.  It’s a Win Win situation.

 

Did you ever remember hearing ‘you are what you eat’? That is true. What is also true, is that you are what you think you are. You achieve what you think you can, if you really believe it.

When reading so many motivation strategies and success stories, particularly on the Internet, one thing is common.  Believe you are what you want to become and you will! You don’t even need to click your heels, but you do need to take action to reach your goals. It’s just that you probably won’t if you don’t believe in yourself.

Motivation theories tell you to eat, sleep and breathe the belief that you are a success, and you will become one.  They tell you to spend every waking moment projecting success, imagining success, and visualizing success. Think like a winner and you will be one.

This is very relevant when beginning any new endeavor. The truth be known, you really don’t know if you will be able to absorb everything you need to learn, or even if you are on the right path.

Do you know that luck will be on your side? In particular with those situations where there are so many unknowns, we have to walk at least in faith and to believe in ourselves.

Particularly with something like marketing, you put out a great deal of effort and expense and you can never be certain if there will be a return on your investment. Long periods of time may go by before you see results. 

If you allow yourself to become discouraged, this will create doubt in your mind.  This will in time create an obstacle that will limit the amount of energy you are willing to expend.  This is where you are in danger of giving up on your dream, which is giving up on yourself. So just don’t go there.

However, if you are busy chanting the little red engine’s song, “I think I can, I think I can”, it will not be long before you can start the ‘I know I can, I know I can’ routine! This is one of the most important aspects of building a home business.

You must, from somewhere within yourself, find the strength to not allow any obstacle to stand in your way.  Particularly if you don’t have ’seed money’ to start your business, you will need to muster all of the strength and courage you possibly can.

Simply take the same energy you may in the past have expended to feel discouraged and to conduct a pity party, and use it to feel determined!

If you feel yourself slipping back into old habits, or echoing the cynical comments of disparagers, argue! Convince yourself that it takes time to learn the most powerful strategies, and more time to build up momentum after you start using them.

Of course you are too smart to  believe in the ‘get rich quick’ schemes, right? Then why don’t you then understand that it will take consistent action over a reasonable period of time before you will see results?

Determination and strength of character, the knowledge that you ARE a success are at the top of the list of powerful strategies you need to use to build a home business.

The only way you can fail is if you give up.  You CAN do it, you WILL make it, and you ARE a winner! Believe that long enough and take consistent action toward your goal, and it will not just be in your mind that you are a success. See YOU at the top!

Are there drawbacks to working at home? NOT LIKELY!  Can you handle working alone? YES! I get along much better with my co-workers.

Okay, no problem, guess I will have to come up with something, as I am unaccustomed to so much bliss in the workplace!  I love it so much that I can’t stop until I am literally blurry-eyed EVERY NIGHT! I log in first thing 8-9:am and go home to the living room about 11:00pm and even later sometimes.

Of course, I do take frequent breaks throughout the day, but they are getting shorter and shorter. I do know when I have reached the maximum amount of information that I can process – and I force myself to watch a movie or lay down, or go shopping, but I rush back as soon as possible! I was never this enthused when I was ‘punching a time clock’.

Wait, I thought all these home business schemes are called ‘autopilot’ – well, yes, they really are – but just like the sports cars of all our dreams, autopilot is ’someday’ – a goal to shoot for. In the beginning there is so much to read, so many things to set-up, that will be awhile before you can lounge around all the time – but yes – it is true with an online home business you can and do ‘make money while you sleep’!

To clarify, especially with ‘affiliate programs’, everything really is done by the entity that you represent – they do the customer service, the order fulfillment, the technical support, the billing and payment process, the inventory – all of it. If you have your own business entity websites then you will have lots more to do.

Well, what do I do then, other than run ads, check email and track stats and try to figure out the latest traffic strategy? Somehow, with all the drudgery taken care of, I have come to a place where I can think and become creative! I hate to admit it, but working for yourself there is a lot more impetus to excel in what you are doing, than when working for some ungrateful, grumpy mega-corporation.

My websites give me more pleasure than even a new outfit used to! This – from a natural woman, ‘born to shop’! I get so much gratification everytime I add a banner, or do some other little modification! I have limited technical skills, so it makes it even more gratifying when I figure out how to do something. Lately, even just looking at my websites gives me pleasure!

Having said all that, I hit the wall last week – I got on the freeway to go to a relative’s house in the hills for the holidays, and when someone 1/2 mile ahead of me put on their brakes, I slammed on mine, going 65 miles an hour – as if I would have rear-ended them if I hadn’t. I almost caused the poor guy in back of me to hit me, speaking of rear-enders.

I didn’t realize what had happened until he came around me to shake his fist and other parts of his hand at me: My eyes are fried! I wear reading glasses that magnify everything – with so many 12 hour, 7 day weeks glued to my home office PC monitor, it has really distorted my depth perception.

It was also difficult reading those huge highway signs! This has never been a problem before, and I actually at one time not too long ago had better than 20/20 vision far away. I made a vow when I got where I was going, that other than driving home in a few days, I was not going to drive again on the freeway unless I could get some correction in my vision, be it driving glasses or even lazer surgery!

On the other hand, convinced I was going blind, I sat for a couple days in a house where there is no internet connection. Thankfully, by the end of my stay, my eyes had finally rested enough to adjust from virtual to reality. But the lesson is still there, and the horror that I could have caused an accident.

Bottom line, don’t love your home business so much that you harm your eyes. Get up every hour or so and stretch; and don’t forget one of the oldest lessons in ‘ergonomics’ – look at something far away for at least a few minutes, while you are up, so that your eyes don’t get fried at 16 inches or so between you and your PC. Remember that your monitor should not be positioned where you have to look up or look down at it – you should be looking straight ahead.

OK, so working at home is not perfect, unless you can stop loving it too much to stop! Happy, healthy, home business computing!

Feel free to publish my article, as long as you acknowledge me as the author and include my links. Thanks!

I first realized that organization is the key to accomplishing any goal, when I was trying to write my resume’ objective for the final day job I would need to keep myself afloat, while building my home business.

In looking for that ’skill I have that is most important to my success’, it all boiled down to my oganizational skills. That’s how I survived and excelled in the multi-tasking environment so prevalent in today’s corporate workplace. This is how I kept my sanity and at the same time completed multiple tasks that were all in various stages.

Later, when I began developing my home business, I quickly became overwhelmed with ‘information overload’. There are so many things to learn about the many resources for marketing a home business on the internet, and so many different technical processes to maintain my websites. Then there are all the different ‘guru’s’, the different marketing strategies different aspects (reciprocal linking, search engine optimization, HTML code, etc.), and learning each related computer application.

In the middle of what must be somehing like madness, I realized my need for structure – something that would allow me to focus again. There was just too much to do, even being at my PC 12 or more hours a day was not enough. So, I just started wasting time – playing online games, watching TV, just spacing out, hoping that when the room stopped spinning, there there would be calm.

This is called procrastination, and it should never be the answer – it is suicide to any goal, and murder on the self-esteem. However, in the state I was in, I did need to step back and get my bearing. Stop the world, I want to get off – just for a second!

Although in starting my home business, what I was learning to be was an entrepreneur, and my own boss, I realized that although I had for many years been ‘a self-starter, working alone with little or no supervision’ in the corporate world, there was still some structure there that I depended on. I had somewhere to start, in other words.
Databases that had been created and used, procedures, forms, processes that had been implemented – somewhere to start.

This is something I needed to have at home, in order to get back on track. In another life time, I would have thrown up my hands and just thrown in the towel! Ahhh, this is too much, I need a life! This is more trouble than it’s worth! I can’t handle it! — All kinds of self-defeating expressions. However, this time, I really, really wanted to make my home business work. I realized that I would have to deal with this whole body of information IN CHUNKS. 

Look at the small pictures here, not the big one! It’s just too overwhelming! It is feasible that you will be able to finish one chunk every day or so, and feel gratified that you are making progress; whereas who knows how long it will be before you have been able to work your way through the piles of paper (if you indeed ever do!).

So, I asked myself, ‘how can I get the structure happening here in my home office’? I answered myself, ‘how did you handle the hectic chaos in the corporate world?’ The answer is to first organize the information. In this day of high tech everything, you may laugh, but almost everything, at least to begin with, is very low tech, very old- fashioned. Here are some essential tools and techniques that will help to calm your mind, and slow you down long enough to get a grip and get back on track.

First of all, carve yourself out a space for your home office. If you are not fortunate enough to have a room for your office, whatever space you have, make it ONLY for your home office. Perhaps just a table, your PC equipment, files, a good light, a good chair, etc.

Second of all, keep in mind the old adage, ‘everything has a place, and everything in it’s place’. Is a big pile a ‘place’? No, that’s not a place. Why? Because it’s a disorganized mess! However, I will concede, if it is a place where only all your things ‘to be referred to in the future’ go, at least it’s a start. So your pile can be a place that you know where to look when you need to find something. However, just project a month from now – it’s getting bigger and bigger, isn’t it? Will you need an archeaologist in another year?

Mind you, you do not need to become a slave of organization. Once you get organized, you can just re-org quarterly or even semi-annually. (go ahead start a NEW pile)

Essentials:

Calendars & To-Do Lists: I jot down things that come to my attention that are pending now or in the near future, with all the details. If I have a ton, I am careful not to give myself too many things to do in one day, and spread them out in reasonable ‘chunks’ of time. When they are completed, they are crossed out or checked off. (note here: if you put everything in the world on your to do list it will disorganize your thoughts and make you feel like you are not getting anything done – have a short-term and long-term to do list).

Folders: These can have either specific titles, by vendors, (marketing.com, searchengines.com) or real broad categories, by subject (marketing, search engines, leads, etc.). The folder concept is also relevant for your PC – Under the /mydocuments “folder”, I have folders for vendors, for subjects, my ebooks, leads, vendors, banners, etc. I also organize my email account in the same way.

Racks and Milk Crate boxes: This is where the folders live. I use both extensively. I have a rack on my PC workstation for immediate priorities. Then I have the milk crates in two or more categories – Some with all the folders (in alphabetical order) that I currently use. Over in the corner I have towers of these boxes with information I want to keep, but don’t use regularly. (Later, when you are ‘rich’, you can buy fancy oak filing cabinets and bookshelves).

Paper Clips, Stapler, Rubber Bands: These are good for organizing within the folders, as well as for related papers that have not reached the level of deserving a folder – such as some programs you are researching, but have not yet determined to purchase or join. Clips can also be used inside the folders, e.g., for a marketing program, I clip together the flash pages and introductory information about the program, (cynically, so I can prove what they promised), with the confirmation page from the sign up form and payment receipts; then I clip together the welcome letters with the user Ids and log on information. From there, I just stuff all related papers going forward.

When a program goes out of favor, but you still want to keep the information, it loses the luxury of having its own folder – it gets demoted to a rubber band, and goes in the outer limit storage boxes. You can then reuse the folder. I hope that this helps keep you organized and and that you work your ay through the mass of paper to find true success! 

 

 

 

Where do you start?  You would think you would be most successful finding a niche that is something you are interested in. There is a theory that you will do best at something you like.

However, there is another theory and it is from people who have actually turned a part-time home business into a successful mega-corporation, and they say you should research the market – find out what it is that people are looking for (the market) and then get the product that they want! Most people go about it backwards, and therein lies the error of their ways.

If you are really lucky, you will be able to do both – that is if you like what most people like! This would work maybe for something to do with sports or health that the average person is interested in or concerned with.

You need to determine the level of involvement that you want in your home business – do you want to do it as a hobby to make some extra money? Do you want to devote a specific amount of time (part-time) while you continue to work at a full-time job? Or do you want to quit your job and work from home?

A great way to get your feet wet in home business,  especially if you are not sure what you want to do yet, and/or don’t have ANY start-up capital to speak of, is affiliate marketing.  This is an ingenius way to start a home business, and is great for the company as well as the affiliate, as it serves a need for both sides with little commitment or investment on either part.

There are both companies that you pay a membership to belong, and a great many that are absolutely free to join. The company runs the main website and does customer service, technical support, has the inventory, runs the payment gateway, processes the order and ships it.

The affiliate is given an ‘affiliate link’ which is a URL which identifies their member number.  The company may link this URL to the main website, or have what are called ’splash pages’, which are one page ’sites’ that have a sales letter.  They also may supply banners, email letters, text ads, etc. that the affiliate may use to promote the company.

The affiliate is not an employee of the company, and as such is not paid a salary or wage.  At their own expense, they will market and advertise their affiliate URL through a variety of methods, ranging from online to offline- e.g., classified ads, newsletters, ezines, email campaigns, brochures, flyers, etc.

When the affiliate is successful in compelling a prospective customer to click the affiliate link, and to purchase the service or product from the company/website using that link, then the company pays the affiliate a commission.  Some commissions are as high as 75%!

One could even use this method to make money that would be then invested into the home business of your dreams, for instance selling those cute widgets you love to create.

 

Did you know there is a difference? Well, there is. “Work-at-Home” denotes something that you can just sit down and do, maybe for a small fee or other charge. Examples of this would be when you do paid surveys, mystery shopping, etc. With some of those you buy a database that has companies that will pay with either cash or prizes, for your opinion. These are fun to do – even without the money, I would like someone to care about my opinion – and who knows maybe some companies make improvements based on the answers!

“Home Business” on the other hand, usually means you are actually starting your own business working from home. If this is an “online home business”, it can include having a domain name, a website, marketing programs, link programs, advertising programs, etc. There is more than a small investment of time and money.

This doesn’t mean, however, if you don’t have a lot of money, or even a lot of time, that you can’t start a home business. The beauty of working for yourself, is you can do as little or as much as you want to! You can go at your own rate of speed! Unless you do have a lot of money, however, I wouldn’t advise quitting your day job right off the bat (as great as that sounds!).

The first rule of thumb with either “work at home” or “home business” is to completely obliterate in your mind any hype of getting rich overnight, driving expensive cars, and sitting around all day by your new pool. On the other hand, there is no reason to mistrust every single opportunity because so many are deceptive and misleading in this regard.

There is no reason with either option that you can’t make money, either part-time or full-time. However, with “Home Business”, just like any business, there are going to be expenses. This is a fact of life. If you are serious and determined about wanting your own business, however, you will find a way, one way or another to do whatever you have to do. At least in the USA, your business expenses are tax deductible if you itemize your taxes. Simple as that. If you stick to it, you will do it!

Something in between “Home Business” and “Work-at-Home” is something called “Affiliate Marketing”. This is truly an ingenius and advantageous situation for both the affiliate and the affiliate program. Join one or start one. Or many! There are few start-up costs other than marketing expenses for “affiliates”.

This is the perfect way to get started in an internet business. The program gives you an affiliate ID and free advertisements – such as a ’splash page’, and all you do is refer people to the splash page. The program does everything else – customer service, membership services, drop-shipping, payments, etc. If someone joins the program or buys a product from your link, you get a commission!

Affiliates are good for the program because they do the marketing at their expense and are not an ‘employee’, and as such they are not paid unless they sell something or refer someone. Can you see where they are getting a lot of free advertising? For the ‘affiliate’, he or she may be someone who has the desire, but not yet the expertise – maybe has no idea WHAT to do to earn money online, but just knows they WANT to! It’s a great thing that they can get in on the action without having a program or product of their own to sell!

In every case, there are plenty of free and inexpensive resources to use for markeitng and advertising while you ‘get your feet wet’. These are classified ad sites, safelists, traffic programs, search engine submission, reciprocal linking, etc. The idea is to get going with whatever you’ve got. Save your pennies, and when you get affiliate commissions, referral fees, sales commissions, reinvest it in more effective advertising. Maybe even do work-at-home jobs to generate cash for investment in your home business!

Long story short, YOU CAN DO IT IF YOU WANT TO! Instead of commuting and fighting traffic on the freeway – drive traffic on the internet from the comfort of home and make money. Start it up in your spare time and see how it goes…

You can use this article as long as you acknowledge I am the author and put my site links with the article.

 

It’s never too early to start putting your home business tax receipts and records together. Why wait and then be in a state of chaos! Why wait until April 14th? I don’t know about you, but when I am expecting a refund, I do my taxes the minute I get my last W2, 1099 or receipt in hand – usually by February 1!

It really helps to keep these records in one place all year. January 1, I clear out the previous year, from my ‘taxes’ folder, put them in a big envelope, and start tracking again for the new year! The folder contains, for instance,  credit card statements, bank records, paypal activity reports, office supply receipts, prescription receipts, utility bills, and all other documentation to support my deductions.

The other thing you want to think about ahead of time, is how much you will pay a tax preparer if you plop a big box of papers down on his or her desk, to sort it all out. Extra. It’s bad enough what they charge for the various forms you will need to go along with your regular tax return. So if you are organized, you will save money, as well as feel better!

Also in January, I create a simple spreadsheet, that details who i paid, for what (by category), the amount I paid, and the date. (Categories may include advertising, membership dues, office supplies, computer services, technical support, utilities, instruction, etc.)

Each column has a simple formula to keep the total spent for each category and a grand total. In that these formulas automatically recalculate whenever you make a new entry, I can  keep track of how much was being spent going along.

When you itemize deductions for a home business, you also can deduct a percentage of rent for your office space – as long as this space is only used for your business. It can be square feet in a common area, but some advise if it is a room with a door that this is best. You can also take a percentage of your phone, electric, and computer services and maintenenace. Computer maintenenace includes software applications, such as spyware, virus protection, etc. Computer services include web hosting, domain name registration fees, tech support, internet access, etc.

You can also deduct prescriptions and money spent for medical care or insurance. You can deduct fees for your car, such as registration and license fees. You do not need to use your car in your business to the extent that  a traveling salesperson would, but even if you use the car to purchase office supplies, etc., this is legitimate.  Of course, bridge tolls and gasoline used in the course of your business are also deductions.  Another car related deduction is if you have your logo or advertising for your business on your car, there is a greater advantage. This is because even going to the grocery store, you are advertising. This is legitimate.

If you take any courses or pay for marketing or other business related seminars, in print or other media, these are deductible as well.

There is always the other side, too, where you keep a home business spreadsheet with your income – commissions, fees, etc., with the same broad categories, who, what, when, how much was paid.

If you not only look forward to your refund, but depend on it for survival, I suggest you set up a direct deposit. It greatly speeds up the process, as well as ensures your money will not get temporarily or permanently ‘lost in the mail’.

The IRS has a great website where you can download forms, schedules and instructions, so you know to dot your I’s and cross your T’s (and to be sure you are getting adequate and fair service from your preparer). http://www.irs.com/  .  Having said that, I strongly caution you to have documentation for every deduction you take and to discuss any ‘gray areas’ with a professional tax advisor that you don’t understand. They may not ask to see your ‘proof’, but the IRS might.

The laws change, but as of last year’s tax laws (2005), the word was that the IRS will allow you to deduct losses – that is if your expenses outpace your income as they usually will in a start-up, for 3 years. If after 3 years you are still not in profit, I believe they will call your business a ‘hobby’, and as such you would not be entitled to deduct your business expenses.

It is a great feeling to know your government supports your efforts to start a business by allowing you to recover a percentage of your business expenses. Don’t abuse the privledge, not just because you have ethics, and you don’t want to pay a fine or penalty, but because once a small business or home business has anything irregular or questionable come to their attention, I have heard they will audit you for many years to come.

In the context of people doing business, the true meaning of the word networking, is to know and be known without an agenda. There are some lines you don’t want to cross or you will not achieve the result you may have anticipated.

The idea is that you build a relationship. You allow yourself to share your thoughts and feelings, although you want to keep those on the positive side. You make an effort to know the other person and what their interests are.

Your attitude should never be one that illicit’s a feeling that you are being patronizing. You should be genuine in your casual interest. Don’t rush or push it. Nothing more obnoxious than someone who has no boundaries or is presumptuous. Always be polite and respectful. Be open, but don’t let it all hang out. This might be your new best friend, but right now you are a stranger.

Some of the rules of networking are pretty rigid, though. Such as even to offer your business card too soon can be seen as a blunder. I will never forget back in the day when the networking concept was coming into play, when someone said, ‘let’s do lunch’. I was so naive I actually called the person to make a date for lunch. They were like ‘who?’

I have heard for a long time that networking is THE best way to find a good job or opportunity. It seems that only undesirable jobs or one’s that can’t be filled hit the classified ads. With the advent of online employment ‘boards’, the classifieds are even more so the dregs. So, I suppose that means that if you know someone who knows you, and then an opportunity arises, they will naturally consider you and want to help you. This is very different than meeting someone for the first time when you want something from them.

Networking in the internet marketing field is not too far off from this.  No one likes in your face advertising or running from the Avon lady in the family because you will be made to feel obligated to buy something you don’t particularly want.  You don’t have much ability to meet the good folks that comprise your ‘list’, considered by some to be the heart and soul of any business. None the less, there are other ways to establish relationship.

One concept in the context of establishing a relationship of trust, is that of giving away information. Possibly for quite some time giving away free information and maybe only extremely subtly including any reference to what it is you are actually selling. The idea is that subliminally, since you have been generous by sharing freely with them, something that they value, they will grow to trust you. Should they ever decide to make a purchase, they may feel that they owe it to you to give you the sale. Pretty logical, if you ask me.

Feeling overwhelmed in trying to determine whether it is feasible or not that you could start an internet business from home?  It’s no wonder because there are many pieces in the puzzle and before you ‘go shopping’, you need to consider how all of the elements will (or will not) work in tandem.

Starting a business is certainly no time for impulse buying. Fortunately, but temptingly, so many products and services are exciting. Certainly the internet has very effective, state-of-the-art advertising and much hype. One needs to be aware ‘you can’t always judge a book by it’s cover’. In other words, sometimes when a company uses a slick audio visual ‘flash’ presentation, it is often not reflective of either the quality or the integrity of the program. It may be only their marketing department is savvy.

The same thing can be said for the statement ‘you get what you pay for’. Do you? Be sure not to fall for the one about because it costs more, it is superior. Sometimes that is the case, but there are no absolutes on the internet or anywhere else. It’s still buyer beware. If you do choose the most expensive option, be sure that it actually has added value.

You want to make sure to do a comparative analysis of each tool or service you require. Compare price, options, refund policy, and guarantees. You want to look at the big picture and think about how the various tools will work together to perform a process. There are many considerations in this respect, including company policies, terms of service, etc.

First, you will need a website.  It really doesn’t have to be fancy with all the bells and whistles. It is more important that your site be optimized, than the latest, fancy design. The price of a custom design can really be prohibitive. Thankfully, there are things like site builders for the technically and financially challenged, and they can do some or all of the steps necessary to launch your site inexpensively. You will need a domain name registrar. You  will need a hosting company, and here again your want quality and reliability.

Some essential tools to consider are a reputable autoresponder that is compliant with CAN SPAMM regulations. You want ease of use, fair price, documentation, and support. You want to find out what their policies are with regard to importing leads. What special arrangements need to be considered, in regard to this essential element.

Yes, to buy leads or not to buy leads. What is the latest word on the safety and reliability of email marketing currently? No matter to what degree you prefer to pursue this strategy, you will need some decent sales copy to send out.  The quality here is critical as it is literally the prospect’s first impression of your company.  There are inexpensive and expensive copy writers.

You will need a blogger account, article, directory, and link submission programs. You will need competent advice on technical and marketing strategies. You will need to have sources for advertising such as for classified, solo, and text ads, as well as promotional facilities such as banners and bonuses to offer your prospects. You may wish to advertise offline as well as online.

Wow.  Unfamiliar with some of this terminology and unclear on the concepts? It’s no wonder. Most people are, and immediately after that emotion, there is a feeling of being overwhelmed with information to process and anxiety over making the right decision and the money that will need to be risked, etc.

To the rescue: The ‘Business in a Box’ that has everything anyone would need to start a business. The creator of this program has taken all of the above into consideration, and combined this with his recollection of experiences with these issues in building his own business. He has even made all the mistakes for you, so that you don’t have to go there.

The program I am referring to is called PlugInProfitSite . It includes a FREE website, free training, sales copy, tools, bonuses, and even a live support forum for members. It even includes 5 income streams in the form of nearly effortless affiliate programs that create potentially instant income sources to get your business going. Whether these programs are a means to an end to help generate operating capital for another business down the road, or whether you just want to have this as your main source of income, this program should be seriously considered as a way to get your foot in the door.

You want to be very careful to only represent reputable, proven and stable companies. Plug-in-Profit Site has done the due diligence for you and is both a member in good standing of ICop and eTrust.  Know who it is you are partnering with and/or representing. Hang out for a while and check them out. Do some research on this before you spend a dime. Hang on to it like it was your last one, until you are relatively certain that you can trust them. Then go for it!

The most critical element is one you can’t buy – determination. This means a commitment to excellence, it means consistent action, it means never allowing ANY obstacle to stop you from achieving your goals. Don’t give up after 30 days if you aren’t a millionaire yet. Have REALISTIC goals and expectations. I know you can do it given the right information and tools.

One of the best things about working from home is the freedom.  It is great not to be under deadlines and pressure, all the more so if you have spent all of your adult life working for someone else. Of course you are still accountable to your partners and customers, but it’s just not in the same spirit as it was when you had a ‘boss’. 

The downside is it may be hard to stay focused at times. While there are some tasks you will need to perform, especially initially to get your business started, once it is up and running, you will find you have time on your hands. To some, that is the whole idea of having a home business!

Many mentors and coaches emphasize the necessity to ‘psyche’ yourself constantly about becoming a success in your own mind. To practice what will feel like to achieve your goals. This same method can be instrumental in keeping you motivated.

If you have goals, then you have set timeliness and possibly monetary or other milestones you want to achieve.  These can act as looming deadlines, if you find yourself getting lazy or feeling unmotivated. As well, the act of becoming successful, would necessitate taking the actions to reach your goals.

Scheduling your day is also helpful. You are free to take a couple hours for lunch, or even more for an outing from time to time.  If you really enjoy or need to have a loosely structured life, you could just commit to working for a certain amount of hours for specific tasks, which will help you reach your target. No one to say that can’t be in the evening or even the middle of the night!

I have always considered myself organized, in part because I had ‘to do’ lists and I really heralded this as the reason I was able to ‘multi-task’ and work under pressure without missing a beat.  The problem with this is if you have one list with everything you know you have to do, it is messy and disorganized once you start checking things off.  Not to mention what you don’t do that you were supposed to.

If you have more on there than you can do in one day, you start to feel you are falling behind. This is discouraging and stressful, because you are just not cutting it! You start to worry.  I never could understand before, why they always associate anxiety with depression. To me, one state is nervous and the other is a dull and sludgy feeling.  Now I understand why they go hand-in-hand. Think about it. It makes sense.

When I took a mini- course from a popular online mentor, I learned why a To-Do list can create the opposite effect than the one we would desire. I learned to have several lists. One list where I put all my thoughts down each day, including the things I need to do; One list that breaks out the things on the first list into manageable chunks by degrees – this week, this month, this year; Another list of things that need to be delegated, or which require interaction of some kind with someone else, and this list includes a ‘projected completion or deadline’ column; Also, there is a “wish list” of things that include long-range plans.
 
Finally, I have my To-Do-Today List. It is very important that I only include the things that I (think) I know I can accomplish today. Of course, I can’t fire myself if I don’t get a few things done, so these unfinished things would be crossed out and put on one of the other lists. The last list is kind of an archive – It isn’t today, it isn’t tomorrow, it doesn’t fit anywhere else, and will possibly never get done. I just put it in the archive for future reference and forget about it for a while.

What I have also learned is to take consistent action – no matter how small, toward my target goal. A closing to many of my diatribes to people who get discouraged when starting up a new business, is ‘transform the energy you are using to feel discouraged, into determination’. Then I say ‘keep pushing forward’.  I think this is good advice, and when you say it to yourself, it really does feel a lot like motivation.  

Earning income from home is much easier to do now with the internet so easy to access for everyone.  Any hobby that anyone is really seriously into can be turned into a business that will have you earning income from home online with a very small investment. 

Some ideas I can think of are as simple as recipes, macrame’, patchwork quilts, jewelry, dried flower arrangements, hand-made candles, crocheted  or knitted items, and stained glass. Virtually anything you enjoy doing for a hobby that would make a nice gift, would be an excellent thing to  be earning income from home online in your free time with. Couldn’t you use some extra money? 

You can get a domain name for under $10 a year.  It is a good idea to choose a name that reflects what your website does. (e.g., stained-glass-by-mary.com)  Next you need some sort of ad to display.  To sell a single product or  just a few, such as something(s) that you make as a hobby, you don’t really need a website.  All you need is what is called a ’splash page’, which is a one page advertisement.  You would probably do best with adding a picture of your craft and some brightly colored, large text.

There are a number of easy programs that you can use to create your splash page with just following directions from a menu. A simple title, a description of your item(s), the price and the payment options. You could ask them to mail you a check or money order, but this can be time-consuming, and risky (you want to wait for the check to clear before mailing anything).

You can set up a free PayPal account and follow the directions  for adding a payment button for secure payments online to your splash page.  PayPal will do all the steps in the payment process and send you advice so you will know who has paid you and can fulfill the order. This way you don’t have to get involved with taking credit cards, etc., where you would have to pay the credit card companies a monthly fee in order to have the right to accept payments with them.

The easiest but more expensive way to be earning income from home online with your hobbies, is to sell it from online auctions, such as eBay, Amazon, StormPay or a number of others. They do charge you for each auction and some may charge extra for pictures, etc. Maybe you could test the waters this way and see how your hobby crafts sell before you make a commitment with buying a domain name,etc. Usually the online auction will have payment processors built in, as well as to handle credit cards directly. All you have to do is make and then mail it and collect the money!

Who knows where your talent can lead you when it is something you enjoy doing and do well. If you also are a good business person and handle this responsibly, your hobby could even do well enough so that in no time you could be earning enough income from home online that  you can quit your day job! Now wouldn’t that be nice!  This could be your long-range plan, but I have found you should have a short-term goal first and then a mid-range target. Take it a step at a time and test the waters.

No better hobby than making money!