Why personal branding? If you don't brand yourself, you can rest assured that others are branding you. And letting others brand you can be risky business. Instead, we should have control, as much as we can, in determining our reputation, our image, and the intangibles, the ephemerals, and the perceptions and ideas that other people have about us.

Do you ever worry that every other parent working at home has as much chaos as you? Do you work to give a "polished" impression when people call about your business? Discover a new perspective.

90% of businesses fail in the first three years. There are some common mistakes people make that contribute to the failure of their businesses. This article addresses the top five reasons and how to avoid them.

While many of the one million people who will start businesses in the US this year will give up, go bankrupt and go back to the employee life, the statistics confirm that most of those people will find new satisfaction, a good living, and a path of pursuing their heart's desire.

Find out from top internet marketer, Joe Grushkin, if you have what it takes to be an Internet Entrepreneur!

Branding Yourself

By Phillip Brown

Branding yourself is a concept that represents everything about your business or company. It sets your business and products apart from the competition. Only the businesses who communicate the real value of their product in today's world of high expectations will accomplish everything they want. So, what makes you and your product different?

The main goal of branding yourself is to own a product category. By branding yourself, you are identifying and defining everything from packaging to public relations. Your brand should epitomize the personality of your company.

Since it will have a huge impact on your bottom line, it is very important that you create a solid brand for yourself and your company. When your targeted customer becomes loyal to your brand, price will become less of an issue for your company.

There are many different elements that go into making a successful brand. First, there is relevance. Do your target customers believe that they need your product in their life? Will it make a positive difference in their daily life? Will it make their life easier? Will it make them feel good about themselves?

Another element is differentiation. What makes the benefits of your products or services different from the competition? Next there is brand awareness. Do your potential customers even know that your company or products exist? Brand awareness will lead to a preference for your brand because it will be the first thing that comes to mind when they think of your product or service.

Lastly there is consistency. If you are inconsistent in your business communications and products, then your potential customers will be confused and it will have a negative impact on your brand identity. This makes it important to define who you and your business are to set yourself apart from the competition.

What happens once you know who you are and you have branded yourself? Once you have defined yourself and your company's products, then you need to focus on the above issues to help separate yourself from your competition. Your logo should help your potential customers define your product at a glance. Make sure that you create the best image to represent your company and its products. You should create a tag line. A tag line is a sentence or phrase that describes your products or services and helps your customers identify it anywhere.

Careful and controlled branding can result in an increase in sales, more customers, and an ability to increase the value, and thus, the pricing of your products or services.

About the Author:

Phillip Brown, Internet Marketer, Coach and Mentor

Toll Free Telephone: 1-800-990-2024

Official Website: www.watch-dog-reports.com

E-mail:pwfonline@yahoo.com

Article Source: www.articlerich.com

How To Succeed In A Home Business Even If You Have Kids

By Tony Rush

I see the ads online and in the work-at-home magazines and I have to laugh. Without fail, the picture shows a beautiful lady with perfect hair and makeup. She's sitting at her computer in a huge home office and her two-year old daughter is sitting on the floor happily playing with her toys.

Or perhaps it's a picture of a man who's lounged by the pool laughing and talking on his cordless phone while his children are floating around in the pool.

Let's pause for a reality check.

As I type this, I'm holding an 18-month old who has barged into my office and demanded his favorite past-time: to sit on my lap while listening to iTunes. (Right now, we're listening to "How Long" by The Eagles and he's desperately trying to climb onto the keyboard to get my iPhone.)

In fact, less than an hour ago, I had a phone call from a potential business partner who had to hold for a moment as I made sure that my oldest son had his phone charged and knew to be careful crossing the street to go to his friend's house.

Of course, I could close the door. I could ask my wife to watch him for a bit while I take care of some business.

And sometimes I do that. But, usually, I'm doing business or taking calls throughout the day while I'm enjoying being with my family.

Welcome to the 21st Century Home Office: Where family is the top priority and we don't feel the need to pretend that our home office is a picture from a magazine.

It wasn't always like that, though. I remember not too long ago, if the phone rang, I was shrieking at everyone to be quiet because I was "working". Or I spent huge swaths of time with the door to my office closed because I was "working".

What a drag. What's the point in working at home if you have to pretend you're in a corporate environment? Or where everyone is walking around on emotional eggshells because they're so stressed out.

I suspect that most home-business entrepreneurs are living the same way and doing it for the same reason: fear.

They're afraid that if someone hears a child in the background, it means they're not "professional". But the truth is that most of the people you talk to would love to be able to work from home and be with their loved ones every day. And this is especially true if you're in a business where showing people how to get out of the corporate environment is what you do.

The truth is that working at home and being connected with your family is cool today. Today's best "power lunch" is when you're making money while slicing a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich for your kids. And the best suits to wear when doing business is a swimsuit.

Just this week, I was on the phone with a potential business partner and my son, Pate, came in to get a hug and a kiss before going to bed. I asked my prospect to hang on, laid the phone on the desk and spent the next 45 seconds tickling my son, telling him how much I love him and that I'd see him in the morning.

When I picked up the phone, I said, "There was a time I would have apologized for that but that's actually the whole reason why I do what I do."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone and my prospect said, "That's the kind of life I want. How do I get started?"

And of course, when the situation requires, you can always close your door. Nothing wrong with that, either. It's all about choice.

So, the message is simple: don't be too quick to assume that working at home requires you to be "slick" or "professional".

I earn a multiple six-figure income from home and I've been able to do that while enjoying my family; not hiding them. Don't expect that I'll always answer the phone if you call my office.

And if I do, you might just hear the sounds of The Eagles or a Nintendo Wii in the background.

If you're looking for the glamorous "home office" picture for this article there isn't one. Tony hadn't showered yet.

About the Author:

For more information on Tony Rush, visit: www.tonyrush.com

Article Source: www.articlerich.com

The Five Rules of Business Success

By Mark Albertson

Nationally, eight out of ten small businesses fail in the first five years. When it comes to home-based businesses, the statistics are worse: approximately 98% of home based businesses fail. Many people cite this statistic as a reason not to start their own business. But the reality is that there are some very common reasons home based businesses fail. Knowing these reasons will allow you to prepare better and will highly increase your chances for success in your business.

Reason #1: Lack of knowledge. Many people have great ideas for businesses, or are "sold" a package or franchise, without having the basic knowledge they need to establish and properly run a business, and then they fail because they did not anticipate the market, or their competition, or because they just didn't spend the time to learn what they needed to know before they started their business. The best initial investment is to spend time learning before you start. There are hundreds of great websites and internet newsletters available to help you learn.

Reason #2: Lack of focus. A common misconception for "newbies" is that if you own your own business, you don't have to work as hard or as much. There are, indeed many businesses, that, when established, do give you a great deal of freedom to play more, but when you are starting the business, until it is profitable (and I don't care what business you name) you must focus your attention like a laser, or the business will never succeed.

Reason #3: Lack of time. Working a full-time job, taking care of family, and taking care of yourself leaves little time to start a business. Unfortunately, most businesses fail because the owner wasn't able to spend the time he or she needed to be doing. It is mandatory that you set aside enough time to make your business successful.

Reason #4: Insufficient investment of money in their business. You have to spend some money in order to make money. This can be true for many of the "business in a box" ready-made internet businesses that are available. Even though it may be very inexpensive to purchase a website, your major expense will be to get customers in your door. It doesn't mean you have to spend thousands of dollars, but it does mean you've got to spend what it takes.

Reason #5: Invest in the wrong things. Spending your money on the right things is just as important as spending the right amount. The best way is to find a mentor or a coach who is successful to help you weigh what is important to spend money on, and what you should not. Otherwise, you'll discover that you have spent a great deal of money on things that produce little or no profit.

Copyright (c) 2008 Mark Albertson

About the Author:

Having owned five successful businesses in his lifetime, noted author, coach, speaker and attorney, Mark Albertson, coaches people interested in building profitable businesses. For more information or to sign up for his informative newsletter, visit: www.u2b-rich.com

Article Source: www.articlerich.com

Starting a Successful Home Based Business: How to Make the First Steps Without Tripping

By Mark Albertson

We have all heard that most businesses fail in the first five years. But an in-depth study conducted in 1993 by the New Jersey Institute of Technology suggests those figures may be a myth. They found that no more than 18% of new companies fail during the first 8 years of business. 54% survive more than 8 years with their original owners or a change in ownership, and the 28% of the remaining businesses voluntarily terminate operations without losses to creditors.

While many of the one million people who will start businesses in the US this year will give up, go bankrupt and go back to the employee life, the statistics confirm that most of those people will find new satisfaction, a good living, and a path of pursuing their heart's desire.

In my previous article, I discussed the traits of successful entrepreneurs. Once you've done an honest assessment of these traits, an important exercise is to go through a market feasibility study for your business.

Having what you think is a good idea for a business may or may not be so good. There may be no market for your product or service, or the competition may be too tough to break through. You don't know until you do the research. Spend time looking at your competition. If you're planning on selling teapots on EBay, look at the other teapot sales people. If you're planning on putting together a website to sell affiliate products, look at others who do this. Ask yourself the tough questions: Who is making money at this? What are they doing to make money? What is the actual cost of setting up and marketing this business? What, realistically is my budget for marketing? Are there gaps in my knowledge that I need to fill before a start spending money on this business?

One of the most common mistakes of neophytes is not spending enough time getting the facts. This can be costly. What I have found, in most industries is that people who are already in the business are more than happy to give you information. Most people are not afraid that you'll use that information to put them out of business. On the contrary, most successful entrepreneurs share the philosophy that "a rising tide floats all boats." In other words, the more truly professionally behaving people there are in this industry, the better off, we all are. Get a mentor or a coach. Someone from the outside who can offer advice. Even if you have to pay for it, that's money well-spent.

Also, you may not know what you want to do, and you'll need to do research to find out.

Copyright (c) 2008 Mark Albertson

About the Author:

Mark Albertson is a nationally known business coach, author, speaker and business attorney. Mark is also a radio personality in the Seattle area, hosting KVI talk radio's "Minding Your Business" show. Mark coaches people interested in starting business as well as established entrepreneurs. Visit Mark's website at www.u2b-rich.com.

Article Source: www.articlerich.com

Are You an Internet Entrepreneur???

By Joe Grushkin

In the movie, A Few Good Men, Jack Nickolson's character screamed the infamous line... "You want the truth?... You can't handle the truth!" and I feel the same way while writing on this topic, because most people can't handle the truth.

The Truth being, "Anyone who can send an e-mail, has the ability to be an Internet Entrepreneur!" However, many people start out not believing that statement... because, they can't handle the truth!.

They may have had predetermined ideas of what an INTERNET ENTREPRENEUR is, does or has to do and they discount themselves without even looking into it, while others, automatically decide they are too old, too busy (or too something) to even think about learning something new. The worst part is, when people think "it's too good to be true"...just because it's not the norm.

The old dog new trick theory is set aside when people find out how easy it is to become an Internet Entrepreneur. There are many resources to assist you in building an online business and examples of how much money can be made right from the computer you are reading this on.

So... Joe, what does it take to be an Internet Entrepreneur you ask...? Fair question!

Have a Burning Desire... No matter what you decide to do in life, Desire is a core component of success. If you want to do anything, there has to be a "why" behind your plan, otherwise it will run out of steam with the first gust of "the winds of change"...

You "Gotta" have Goals... The great motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar, is famous for the phase... Your "Gotta" have goals! He would repeat it over and over in his seminars and audio series...to the point where you realize... "you gotta have goals!"

Specific, clear, definitive and in written goals stating exactly what it is that you want to accomplish, seems to be the common denominators of the process.

Once you have a clear vision of your goal(s), things happen (somewhat magically) to bring your goal to fruition. Call it the Law of Attraction, call it focus, energy and attention, call it what you want... there is no denying that a person with a burning desire and goals can accomplish anything!

Find a Mentor or a Coach... This is so important, A good mentor is going to assist you in developing your desires and goals. A Mentor or Coach is someone with experience in similar situations and who has some kind of knowledge you may lack or has been educated by the experiences, successes and/or mistakes of others. They have succeeded in business and life and are looking to assist others to success. A mentor is passionate about you, your business and your future, and has you in their thoughts even when you're not on their "clock".

In the online world, there are countless people, books, programs, documents and seminars (both on and off line) which all profess their ability to coach you to success. It is important for you to develop a keen eye for what is real and what is "sales speak" (...you know, commentary to get your dollars from your pocket to theirs). One way to do this, is to find a "Coach" with online experience. This way you have a sounding board to assist you in evaluating the multitude of offers you will see coming your way.

I know in my own coaching practice, my clients (in many different industries, of which I have never worked) have seen their businesses transform, their horizons expanded and their futures become brighter from the conversations and pursuant confidence that comes from our ongoing sessions.

Pay for your Education... Education is expensive, time consuming and cumbersome but invaluable, because once you have it, it's yours forever. Most people find working on the internet is much easier than they originally thought! There are millions of sites to advertise on, countless resources to answer your questions and programs to make your learning curve much faster.

Developing skills, education and experience as an Internet Entrepreneur doesn't come without making an investment of time, money and focus. Let's address those 3 areas now...

Time: If your business requires you to interact with people, demonstrate product or attend meetings, then you need to commit more time to it and you are limited to 9am to 5pm or acceptable business hours (i.e. 7-10 pm).

Thank goodness the internet is open 24/7 and can be accessed when I want to work... I find that an hour or two a day will get most projects done...depending on the scope of the project.

Money: Being an Internet Entrepreneur means you have your own business. As such, it takes capitol to run a business. Some people will take out loans, others will use credit cards and some will use savings. 74% of all small businesses are self funded by the owners with personal savings or credit lines (or credit cards).

Many people look to traditional businesses like franchising or "brick and mortar" retail formats to start a business. Today, even owners of traditional businesses are gravitating over to the internet... Doctors, Lawyers, Executives, Realtors and more are all moving to work online.... The main reasons are; lower cost of entry, no employees, lower overhead, ease of access, no inventory or shipping and fewer headaches in general.

Another alluring part of being an Internet Entrepreneur is the aspiration of residual income. This is money that continues to come in, without any additional effort on your part, this is how freedom is obtained.

When you are looking at any business model, make sure that the system is able to be done by anyone! Essentially this is how I found the income I enjoy and the freedom I was looking for.

Focus: It has been said by many, "you can't serve 2 masters", and in most traditional business, that is correct. A traditional business needs 100% of your focus and energy to succeed.

My philosophy has changed as a result of becoming an Internet Entrepreneur. Now, I "focus on life" and my business should be what pays for it...not visa versa. For over 25 years, my focus was on business. Recruiting, training, managing, building, convincing and stressing over the next conquest, life was what happened around the business and sometimes got it the way...

Now, my focus is on living it to it's fullest, enjoying family and friends and connecting with people on a real level (not with the intent of recruiting them into a business opportunity) but to brighten their day, learn something about them and myself at the same time... to completely enjoy my freedom and assist others in doing the same...

Understanding Risk vs. Reward... An entrepreneur is someone who takes risks"... Actually, a risk taker is someone who plays the lottery, visit a casino or eats food from a can without a label on it. An entrepreneur makes qualified decisions in business, has the ability to influence those decisions with their actions, can react to situations that arise and has the knowledge and experiences to have an expectation of a specific outcome.

As an Internet Entrepreneur, I feel I have total control of every aspect of my business, my life and my future. I will never have to answer to corporate down sizing, changes in management or economic adjustments. As long as I stay connected to my Desires, Goals, Coaches and Mentors and give my businesses the Time, Money and Focus they deserve, I will always be profitable and successful.

The Rewards far out weight the risks, for the Internet Entrepreneur. To know that for a minimal investment, low overhead and to have total control of what your do and how you do it, given the proper system that will automate the processes for you, anyone can be in Internet Entrepreneur!

If you feel this way about yourself (even if it's down deep inside you waiting to come out...) then, YOU ARE an Internet Entrepreneur! The way to start is to decide and accept that you are an Internet Entrepreneur, and go for it... As Napoleon Hill said in his book, Think and Grow Rich, "what a man can conceive, he will achieve". Once you believe it, the rest will simply fall into place.

I wish you the best of success, happiness and profits as you embark on your journey, whatever path you follow.

~ This article is an unabridged version of a free e-book~

Copyright (c) 2008 Onward & Upward Marketing, LLC

About the Author:

To find out more about Joe's online business venture visit www.thousanddollarprofits.com For more information and contact info visit www.JoeGrushkin.com Phone: 203.557.3670 (est)

Article Source: www.articlerich.com