10 Time Saver Tips for Home Business Entrepreneurs

If you can recapture a wasted hour here and there and redirect it to a more productive use, you can make great increases in your daily productivity.

Here are ten of the techniques I share in our Time Management seminars, each one of which will help you to get at least one more hour out of your day of additional productive time.

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Home Business Zoning Restrictions Relaxed

While in many areas of the United States, local counties are strictly enforcing zoning regulations that restricts the operation of a business from home. But not in Fort Collins, Colorado. They are making the moves to encourage home businesses, and are planning to relax their zoning restrictions to achieve this.

TheColoradoan.com reports that

Larimer County officials looking into ways to encourage economic development in rural areas say changes to the county land code would open the door for more home- and farm-based businesses to be established and thrive.

The county plans to allow "food processing in homes and the manufacturing of wine, beer and other products on farms where the majority of the materials used in the items are grown." The county, however, will still decide whether to allow retail sales and plan out how to execute the changes.

Allowing home businesses to operate and thrive without fear of zoning reprisals is a welcome move, and can definitely help spur economic development in rural areas. But I think this development will be confined to rural areas, and chances are very slim that urban planners will adopt this move.

Importance of Diversifying Sources of Traffic

One of the most important things an online entrepreneur needs to do is to seek out various sources of traffic for their website. It is hard to rely on one major source of traffic alone. If 80 percent, or even 50 percent, of your traffic comes from a single source – e.g. search engine like Google, a link partner, pay-per-click campaign – you may want to consider looking for other sources of traffic. Just like traditional businesses that rely on a single customer, losing that main source of visitors will mean a significant setback for the business.

If your site gets a lot of organic traffic from Google, for example, due to great placement in various keywords, it is easy to be complacent. After all, this is free traffic - you just create your content, and wait for people to come. And they do. If you are using pay-per-click advertising and your site is placed at the top of your paid keywords, then you will get a lot of traffic (and hopefully sales). Or the Drudge Report or Washington Post for may have picked up your site resulting in an avalanche of visitors. Or you may have a link partner that is a rich source of visitors for your website.

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10 Steps Towards Better Online Merchandising

As the holidays draw to a close, I hope that small and home-based online retailers out there also enjoyed brisk sales. I was leafing through the October 2005 issue of Internet Retailer magazine and saw an article on how to improve conversion rates and increase sales online. Their tips are as follows:

1. Provide an online version of your print catalog/local flier
2. Guide users to what is important - don't overwhelm them with options
3. Refresh, renew, revise: keep your content fresh
4. Test alternatives and measure results
5. Ask customers what works and what doesn't
6. Do not ignore the benefits of multiple channel distribution
7. Encourage word of mouth
8. One size does not fit all: shopping carts need to be adaptive in cases when customer orders 1 or several items
9. Knowledge equals power and profits: allow customers to view their previous orders, personalize customer's visit
10. Bring the personalized offline experience to your online channel

Review these tips as you prepare for next year's holiday season.

Planning for Trade Show Success

Susan Friedman of TheTradeShowCoach.com shares with us two articles on how to improve the effectiveness of trade show participation. For certain types of businesses, trade shows are critical elements of their marketing mix. Participation in trade shows give them visibility, allows them to find buyers for their products, expose them to potential suppliers, and even jumpstart sales.

But trade shows are not cheap. Preparations can be time consuming. So you want to get the most from all your spending. Here are two articles that can give you a head start in terms of planning for the success of your trade show participation:

• Countdown to Trade Show Success : 12 Things to do 12 Months in Advance
• Preshow Planning Equals Success : 10 Essential Questions You Have To Ask

For more articles on trade show marketing, visit our Trade Show marketing channel

When Neighbors Complain About Your Home Business

Complaints from neighbors is often the kiss of death for home businesses. Journal and Online Courier reported that one home business owner operating a bakery in West Lafayette, Indiana lost her home business after the zoning board denied the reclassification request. The board deemed the bakery to be a commercial venture and cannot be operated in a residential area. With the decision, Sandra Hufford will not be allowed to operate her bakery near her home.

The reason? Neighbors complained of the increased traffic and delivery noise resulting from the bakery's operation. As the article said of those who complained:

"As we've said all along, we like (the bakery), too. We simply don't like it to be next door to us."

If you are thinking whether your business will be allowed to operate from your home, your first litmus test should be your neighbors. Ask yourself: will your neighbors complain of the noise or traffic? Will they be bothered by the comings and goings of the UPS or FedEx trucks? If your neigbors complain, chances are the zoning board will not allow you to operate your business.

Top 10 New Year's Resolutions You Can Make for Your Business

It's only a few days before we welcome the year 2006. This is the time when I sit down and take stock of what I accomplished in 2005, along with those "darn-it-I-should-have-done-that" sentiments.

I must admit that I always have lots of grand (and sometimes great) ideas, but oftentimes I am too lazy to implement any of them. Oh boy, I've got lots of excuses why I cannot do something - from the kids to too much work. Yet I suspect that if I actually log the time I spend aimlessly surfing the Web, reading all the celebrity gossip columns, and hanging out in forums like Webmaster World, I think I can do so much more. I am the best procrastinator, and I actually do my best job at the very last minute. But I know that if I want to accomplish more and see my plans in action instead of simply being on paper, then I know I've got to work harder!

I will definitely take a tip or two from one of the "classic" articles (it's one of our old articles that still rings true today) by Jan B. King entitled Top 10 New Year's Resolutions You Can Make for Your Business

Home Business and Zoning Laws

Many home business entrepreneurs operate their businesses under the radar. They either do not know about zoning laws and its impact on their businesses, think that they are not covered by zoning laws, or simply do not care about such laws. Well, that's fine -- until the county busts you out and give you the ultimatum to change your business venue.

In this A/P story, a West Fargo N.D. couple is now fighting the local authorities in court to allow them to continue running their business from their home. They have been selling glasses for 15 years now from their basement, but was only recently flagged for violating zoning laws.

Why now, you ask? My best bet is the neighbors complains. The story actually mentions that

City officials found the Hamms in violation of subdivision ordinances covering the amount of space required, and neighbors have complained about parking and traffic problems.

For years possibly, the neighbors simply grumbled and tried to go about their business. Until someone felt obligated to complain about traffic and parking concerns brought about by the couple's business.

Oftentimes, zoning officials and local authorities turn a blind eye when it comes to enforcing zoning laws -- but not when someone in the neighborhood actually complains. Hence, it is strongly recommended that you first check the zoning laws in your area to determine if your business is compliant. And be very nice to your neighbors! Otherwise, you can see your entire business hampered, if not closed, if zoning regulators get to you.

And not only with your zoning officials! If you live in an apartment, condominium buildings or townhouse community, check if the association has any rules about operating a business from home. In one townhouse community in Virginia, they do not allow cars with any form of business advertisement (even just the website address!) to be parked overnight. Residents who ignored the rule found their cars towed the next morning!

Read our article "Does Your Home Business Comply with Zoning Laws?"

Automate your Marketing: Develop a Corporate Marketing Kit

How many times do you pass up free opportunities to market your business?

You know what I'm talking about, someone contacts you and wants to spotlight your business but needs a bio. Or maybe you donated to a group and they will publish your ad, but you need to send it to them.

Do you always have a hand out when you go to a networking meeting? Does every place that your company is listed have complete and accurate information as well as an enticing description?

If not, it's most likely because it takes time or you're not sure what to say. Set yourself up for success and develop a corporate marketing kit for your business.

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5 Actions You Must Take to Assure a Successful Invention

When you have a new idea for a product or service, there are 5 crucial actions you must take to assure your success. Getting a patent is not one of them. Typically, 70 percent of patents filed are granted. But, only an estimated 2-3% actually makes money. Many inventors and entrepreneurs whose products failed didn't follow these 5 actions.

You need to think of yourself as more than just an idea person. Think of yourself as a product developer and marketer. To improve your chances for success, perform the following actions for your idea before filing a patent. I ve used the acronym IDEAS to guide you.

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What Makes You Eligible for Venture Capital?

A budding company or one facing major financial crisis can find solution to all its financial hurdles with Venture Capital. Unlike banks, Venture Capital firms are an important source of long-term growth capital.

Venture capital firms and individuals are interested in many of the same factors that influence bankers in their analysis of loan applications from smaller companies. Though banks look at the immediate future of a small company, they are most heavily influenced by its past. Venture capitalists look at the long-term future of the company. Banks are creditors while venture firms are owners. They hold stock in the company, adding their invested capital to its equity base. Therefore, they examine existing or planned products or services and the potential markets for them with extreme care. They invest only in firms they believe can rapidly increase sales and generate substantial profits. Venture capitalists look more closely at the features of the product and the size of the market than do commercial banks.

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The Home Business of Welcoming New Neighbors

A couple of days ago, we posted in our Small Business News section a press release from Liz Folger of Bizymoms.com about a potential home business for moms -- a welcome service for new neighbors.

From how I understand it, you sign up as an associate, and your task is to assemble a kit of coupons, freebies or marketing materials that you solicit from businesses in your area. You will then give this packet for free to your new neighbors. Your income will come from the fee that businesses will give you in order to be in the packet. This welcome service basically extends the US Postal Office's envelope of coupons and offers from businesses in the area that is sent to the new neighbor (if they made a change of address request).

Right off the bat, I think this business could give you a few hundred dollars a month, but maybe not enough to quit your day job. This type of business would potentially work in a large urban areas, but not in place where new residents move in once in a blue moon. It is a "go-out-of-your-house" home business that will work well for those who love social interaction and networking with business owners.

There are two aspects to this business: identifying new neighbors, and soliciting local businesses. You will need a system to determine whether new neighbors are moving in, maybe by keeping watch of all movers trucks that are coming in, keeping a close tab on all the For Rent signs that go up or get listed in the local papers, or by keeping in close contact with real estate agents to alert you when someone rents a property in the area.

At least initially, the main bulk of the work will be assembling the packet - and this means going from one business to another soliciting part of their advertising or marketing money. Of course, the more businesses that you win over, the greater your income. This aspect may be easy or hard, depending on how well you know business owners or store managers in your area. I would imagine that you will do a lot of "courting" to get the accounts of these businesses, even going door to door (and maybe seeing a lot of doors slammed in your face!). Networking is extremely important; otherwise the notice "No Solicitation" in many businesses and local stores may stop you in your tracks!

Liz's website is still very new, and hardly any associates have signed up (at least there were none in Virginia, and only herself in California). But if you love baking cookies to welcome your new neighbors, you may want to change those cookies into coupons/freebies -- and earn in the process!

Patents: The Dollar Side of Mothering an Invention

The January 2006 issue of Kiplinger's magazine contain some interesting data on patents derived from the International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Here are some of the data:

• $500 - the cost of filing a utility-patent application including filing, search and examination fees
• %700 - amount you pay when the patent is issued
• 30 - average number of months it takes for a patent to be granted after an application is filed
• 53% - percentage of investors who generated sales from inventins they marketed
• 57% - percentage of investors who sold their invention for a profit

Key to Success: Goal-Free Living?

An interesting new book is coming out in January 2006 by Stephen Shapiro entitled "Goal-Free Living: How to Have the Life You Want NOW! The book is a departure from age-old import placed on setting your goals. The book demonstrates how goal-setting can be counter-productive to personal and professional success.

Read the summary of the book Goal-Free Living

Entrepreneur Success Stories

We have launched a new blog called "Entrepreneur Success Stories" in our Women Home Business website. This new blog will focus on stories of small and home-based entrepreneurs who made it big, as well as tips from big business leaders on how to make a business work. The goal is to find some answers to the questions: "What makes a successful entrepreneur?" and "How do you turn a business into a success?" Not easy questions, but something that we'd all like to know.

Please visit our new Entrepreneur Success Stories blog.

Is Your Business Location Safe? America's Top 10 Safest Cities

Hurricane Katrina has demonstrated that a single natural disaster can put a business out of commission, if not wiping it out completely. Not only hurricanes, but snow storms, earthquakes and other catastrophic events can bring a business down to its knees. Risk and Insurance magazine, together with the catastrophe-modeling firm AIR Worldwide Corporation, released their 2005 list of Top 10 Safest Cities in the United States, and these are:

1. Sacramento, Calif.
2. Phoenix, Ariz.
3. Rochester, N.Y.
4. Columbus, Ohio
5. Buffalo, N.Y.
6. Cincinnati, Ohio
7. Grand Rapids, MICH.
8. San Diego, CALIF.
9. Pittsburgh, Pa.
10. Hartford, Conn.

But of course, the probability of natural disasters is not often a factor as to whether entrepreneurs living along the coast or snow-battered areas will relocate their businesses to safer places. After all, there is the question of whether there is a market for their business in a new area, relocation costs, among other things. Not to mention the age-old question: Is there really a safe place???