Thanks to the power of the internet, the dream of working from home either on a part-time or full-time basis is more accessible than ever. However, while home-based options are certainly lucrative, they are not necessarily guarantees for success. Home-based businesses do carry some risk of failure, which is why some people may be hesitant to start such a task. However, with the right knowledge, anyone can make a home-based business thrive.Understand the ProductThe majority of modern home-based businesses relate to sales or marketing of some kind. Whether it is a multilevel marketing opportunity or another type of network marketing situation, these home-based businesses rely on buying into a system and then turning that system around to others. Each opportunity will be somewhat different, with its own perks and nuances. Before deciding to join up with any such home-based opportunity, it is essential to understand what product is being offered. This may seem obvious, but since so many of these opportunities involve virtual products, entrepreneurs must put extra effort into completely comprehending what their business entails.Self-EmpowermentPeople who earn money from home have to be prepared to motivate and educate themselves. This is why understanding the product is so critical to a successful home-based business. First of all, it is important to know that the opportunity is actually legitimate. Unfortunately, along with the numerous quality home-based business opportunities, there are also a smattering of scams. In order to avoid these scams, some research is in order. Reading up on the company’s policies and checking out testimonials regarding the company from third party reviewers should dispel any concerns regarding legitimacy.In addition to making sure the home-based business is a viable option, the better one understands how the business model works, the better prepared one can be to meet the challenges. It is important to know how much work is required, the hours most people put into it, and what kind of profit can be realistically expected. In this way, understanding the product being offered and the system by which it is offered is an important step of self-empowerment while pursuing a home-based business.Reaching ClientsUnderstanding the product is also critical to being an effective salesperson. After all, it is difficult to sell a product that one does not totally understand and believe in. The better grasp one has on the product, the easier it is to effectively set up a marketing program. This allows individuals to focus on the best characteristics and know how to appeal efficiently to prospective buyers. Additionally, a high level understanding is important during follow up conversations with clients. While many people can make an effective opening pitch, the real sales work comes through ongoing discussions with clients. Sellers must know their product inside and out in order to answer all questions that clients may have. Strong, consistent responses to questions can be an essential difference between making a sale and losing a customer.Growing SuccessThoroughly understanding the process and product of a home-based business will take some time and effort. However, the investment will reap real dividends for serious entrepreneurs. The more one knows, the more one can sell, and in this way, anyone can take a home-based business opportunity and grow it into a successful and satisfying business venture.
Auction Listings Are Vital to the Success of Fundraising Auctions
Fundraising Auction Tip: You should always provide potential bidders with a printed Auction Listing of both your Live and Silent Auction items at any Fundraising Auction. A printed Auction Listing is vital for several reasons:
An Auction Listing informs bidders of the order of sale, and what is coming up next. If you keep your bidders guessing, they will simply not bid.
If bidders are not 100% certain of what they are bidding on, they will not bid. A printed Auction Listing should answer any and all questions about what is being sold in order to encourage bidders to bid as much as possible.
Bidders often need time to plan their bidding strategies, especially on multiple and/or larger value items. A printed Auction Listing helps them to do that.
Couples often need time to consult with each other about what they are willing to spend on something. A printed Auction Listing helps them to do that.
Potential bidders need to know the specifics, the benefits, and the restrictions on any item they are going to bid on, especially on travel and/or other higher value items. A printed Auction Listing should answer all of their questions, in writing.
After bidders see that they have lost an item to another bidder, a printed Auction Listing makes it easier for them to re-strategize on what else they can bid on.
Printed Auction Listings generally come in 3 forms:
Printed in the Event Program or Auction Catalog.
Printed on loose sheets of paper and hand-inserted into the Event Program or Auction Catalog.
Printed on loose sheets of paper and hand-delivered to all attendees, or left on each dinner table in the room.
Auction Listings cost practically nothing to produce and they can make the difference between the success and failure of a Live and Silent Auction. You should never conduct a Fundraising Auction without one.
A Case Study
Let me share a real-life experience with you. Once I was hired to conduct a Fundraising Auction for a nationally renowned organization. The event was held in a major hotel, in one of the country’s largest cities, with several hundred “black tie” participants attending. It was an extremely professional event, with the music, singing, lighting, speeches, and awards all perfectly timed and choreographed. Everything was done to perfection… exception the Fundraising Auction.
Although I had signed an agreement to serve as their Auctioneer nearly one year in advance of the event, no one bothered to contact me for any advice or help. Approximately one week prior to the Auction date, I contacted the group to see if they had replaced me with another Auctioneer. But they said that I was still their man.
Upon arriving at the event I asked for a copy of the Auction Listing. I was told that there were none. I’m not sure whether they felt that the Auction Listing wasn’t necessary, or whether someone forgot to have them printed. This was never made clear. When I asked what I was to use at the podium, I was told to copy the list of Live Auction items from a committee member’s computer. It took me about 30 minutes to copy three pages of hand-written notes in order to prepare for my role as their Auctioneer.
I knew that they had created a PowerPoint program showing the various Live Auction items. When I asked whether the PowerPoint slide order corresponded to the order of sale I had copied from the committee member’s computer, I was met with a blank stare. The committee member left to check the slide order, and returned to let me know that the slide order did not correspond my notes, and he provided me with the correct slide order… hand-written on a paper napkin. This forced me to re-arrange my three pages of hand-written notes before taking the podium.
There was a Live Auction Table with descriptions of the Live Auction items that were to be sold, but the table was not clearly marked, and it received significantly less attention than the Silent Auction Tables, which were clearly identified. Since the Live Auction Table was located adjacent to the “Raffle Table”, it appeared that most people thought it was part of the raffle and therefore paid very little attention to it.
According to the event program (which did not include an Auction Listing), I knew approximately when I was to begin the Live Auction. At the designated time the Master of Ceremonies announced the start of the Live Auction to the several hundred people in attendance, and introduced me as Auctioneer. As I approached the podium I realized that photographs of award winners were still being taken… directly in front of the podium where I was to stand… which required me to stand aside for several minutes until the photographers were done. Can we say “awkward moment”?
As the photographers cleared, I approached the podium and began my Live Auction introduction. Approximately one minute into my introduction, the “Raffle Committee” approached the podium and stopped my Live Auction Introduction in order to pull the 8 or 9 Raffle Winners. These drawings lasted about 5 minutes. Upon it’s conclusion I was allowed to resume the start of the Live Auction.
When standing at the podium two intense and extremely bright spotlights were pointed directly at the podium. The lights were so bright that I literally could not see the center 1/3 of the room. I could see the tables on the right, and on the left, but was totally blinded when looking straight ahead. It took perhaps five minutes before the spotlights were turned off.
While at the podium and describing Lot #1, I had to ask someone to start the Lot #1 PowerPoint Slide… because apparently no one was assigned that job.
So with only the Auctioneer’s verbal description, and a PowerPoint slide, it appeared that few people in the room had any idea about what we were selling… or when we were selling it… until it was announced by the Auctioneer. As a result, bidding was extremely light and the final results fell several thousands of dollars short of where they should have been
The learning experience is this:
The Live Auction is where you place your better items, and where the real money should be made at any Fundraising Auction. Let bidders know as far in advance as possible what you will be selling, and the order of sale, so they can get excited about the Auction, and plan their bidding strategy accordingly.
Auction Listings are absolutely vital to the success of both Live & Silent Auctions. In my opinion, revenues at this Auction fell thousands of dollars short of where they should have been, because no Auction Listing was provided to the guests.
If bidders are not perfectly clear on what is being sold, including both the item’s specifics, benefits, and restrictions, they will not bid.
When you have a committee of volunteers, especially volunteers having full time jobs and/or very busy schedules, the services of a professional Fundraising Auctioneer can help to keep the committee on track.
And once you retain the services of a professional Fundraising Auctioneer… use the services that you are paying for.
Legitimate Home Based Business – How to Find the Right Business to Profit
Are you looking for a legitimate home based business to make money online? If you are taking the time to check out if Internet Business models are valid, I want to applaud you. Many times when people are looking to make money from home, they get so caught up in the hype to make money that they miss the very important factor of choosing the right model to profit.
If you are serious about making money online, the very first business choice will be which Internet Business you choose to partner with. Finding a legitimate home based business opportunity will give you not only the avenue to creating a solid income, but will also provide you with the option to create a lasting and long term income. This is your first critical step to insuring you are profitable with your online opportunity.
With so many websites, and work from home advertisements it can be difficult to distinguish which Internet opportunities are valid. If you are serious about finding a legitimate home based business, then there are some important question that you must ask. . It is important to make sure the Business structure is designed in accordance to legit guidelines, and regulations.
How To Find A Legitimate Home Based Business
1.) Products Or Services – The business model should have multiple products and services. It is suggested that the products should never offer outrageous product claims. There are products that claim to cure diseases for an example. Be wary of these product or service claims they usually are not in business long, and you as a owner can get in trouble for partnering with a company that makes these falsified claims. Every product has a target audience, it is suggested to go with multiple products to give you a larger target audience that would be interested in the benefits offered. The more product ranges the more difficult it would be to falsify the product claims.
2.) Retail Value – Never purchase just a money making opportunity A legitimate home based business is not just about swapping money. There has to be a real product and service available. In addition you have to be able to resell your products to your customer base. The company you are looking into should provide you with a retail center to sell all of your products and services as well if you want to resell the opportunity. The Internet is a mass resource, and has opened the door to be able to provide people an avenue to bring in an extraordinary income. But don’t fall for the company that sells just the dream, you need real products to make a solid income..
3.) Monthly Fees – A monthly fee is expected with any Internet opportunity. They can range from 40.00 – 100.00 per month. What you should be aware of is what happens if you miss a monthly payment? Do you lose your products and services? Many times an Internet opportunity will not allow you to use the products you purchased if you stop the monthly fee. When you joined your business you paid for complete rights to the products or services, regardless if you miss a monthly fee you should never lose your product range. A legitimate home based business will never take away your products or your services from you. If you purchased rights to those products they should be yours to keep and utilize.
4.) Get rich quick Schemes – Stay away from people who suggest that you will get rich within an unrealistic time frame. Be realistic about your game plan. The first month you should want to recover any business expenses, and start profiting within your second month. Stay away from those that claim you will make an outrageous amount in your first month.
5.) Telephone Number – If the company telephone number is 900 number stay away from them. Never will a legitimate home based business opportunity have a 900 number on their website. Its also suggested their is a live voice behind the number. Starting an Internet Business, without talking to someone is highly discouraged.
6.) Free Business Information – You should never have to pay for information about the business. If you are looking at partnering with an Internet Business do not pay for more information. You should be offered the company information for free.
7.) Mentor and Trainer – Their are times when you will find a legitimate home based business, but the mentor or your trainer is the one who is not legitimate. Make sure that you spend your time not only researching the opportunity but also researching the mentor or trainer that you will be partnering with.
8.) Investing In Your Internet Business – Starting an Internet Business is different then a work from home job. An Internet opportunity is different then opening a coffee shop for an example, where it eliminates a high over head, however this is a real business structure. There is always a capital expense that should be expected. Compared to large capital expenses with a structural opportunity, Internet offers people a lower start up cost. While you should never pay for a job to work from home, starting a business is different then a job. Make sure you are clear as to what you may be putting capital towards, know if you it is claimed to be a job or a business that you can build over the Internet.
Many dream of making money online from home. Finding the right home based business will give you a real and valid way to make a solid income from home. Make sure that during your business research you ask the seven questions above. In order to qualify a legitimate home based business, they should have all eight components that have been outlined. Do not settle for an opportunity that is missing even one of the seven steps above. You owe it to yourself and your business to make sure you have the most profitable business structure to profit.