Sales Plan – Creative Marketing for Your Small Business by Sandra Beck, Motherhood Incorporated
October 21, 2009
By Sandra Beck/ Motherhood Incorporated
When you have a small business chances are that your marketing budget is also small. That doesn’t mean that your marketing plan has to be small. We’ve already talked about internet marketing, blog marketing and social networking as great ways to get your message out to the masses and we’ve also talked about the advantages of branding to make all of your marketing count, now it’s time to think outside the box.
You know who your target market is and you=2 0know what your unique selling proposition is, how can you effectively let people know about your product? It really depends on what your product is. If you are a cup cake business specializing in really cool cupcakes for baby showers, you might want to team up with your local baby boutique and offer a coupon for ten percent off your cupcakes to expectant Mom’s who register at the boutique. For the cost of printing a few coupons you can effectively reach your local target market.
If your business is offering services to business owners you may want to check out the local chamber of commerce and all of their social functions. Some Chamber events will even let you do a “live commercial” just for attending. What a great way to notify local businesses about your services.
It’s crucial to consider where your target market ventures. Do they go to coffee houses or are they shopping for diapers? If you know where they go, you can formulate a way in which to court them. Contests, coupons and incentives are great ways to get your business’ name well known. People may lose the coupon but they tend to remember your name if you’ve branded yourself well.
The main thing is to seek out your target audience in a way that is conducive to their daily rituals. If your product is good and you’ve affectively addressed its unique selling proposition you should have no problem attracting your target market.
To learn more about Starting Your Own Business, check out www.sandrabeck.com and www.motherhoodincorporated.com. You too can work from home, have time with your family and make a great living with what you already know!
Social Networking – Social Networking and Your Small Business by Sandra Beck, Motherhood Incorporated
October 20, 2009
By Sandra Beck/ Motherhood Incorporated
When was the last time you were on FaceBook? If you aren’t on FaceBook yet and you have started your own business you need to stop reading this Blog right now and go register yourself on FaceBook. 
Did you know that is estimated that 25% of the world’s population is already on FaceBook? 25% – that includes children, people who don’t have computers, people who can’t read, and people who don’t even know what the internet is (Let’s face it we all know someone who just “doesn’t get the internet”) So if 25% of the world is on FaceBook it is safe to say=2 0there are plenty of potential customers for your business on FaceBook, enough that you simply can’t afford to miss this opportunity.
For those of you who are on FaceBook already you might be thinking, “I just opened a business; I don’t have time to be talking to high school friends on FaceBook!” It’s time for a little shift in your thinking. FaceBook is an opportunity to tell people about your business in a passive, non-intrusive way.
There are several different options; first there is the status bar. This is the bar that allows you to tell your friends what you are thinking, feeling or doing. Why not fill that with something positive about your business. “Jackie is…Thrilled about her new website for her miniature cupcake business.” Or “Rebecca just finished writing a 13 page business plan for h er client” It sounds ridiculous but people will ask questions, “Really, I didn’t know you knew how to write a business plan?” Now their question has gone out not only to your friends but also all of their friends. In all likelihood you have just told 300-500 people that you write business proposals or make cupcakes or whatever it is you do. For every person who comments on your status the number goes up.
Three weeks later if some one needs miniature cup cakes or help with a business proposal, do you think they would rather hire a friend or a friend of a friend – or try to find an unknown person? They would rather hire you. Even if you set yourself the goal of entering one positive comment about your business a week (which will take you less than 5 minutes) you will see positive results for your business.
Another great thing to do is import your Blog20into your facebook page – you’re taking the time to write the Blog, why not share it with your warm market, people who already know you are good at what you do?
Once you have mastered FaceBook and have a sizable number of friends, make a FaceBook page for your business, this is different than a regular FaceBook page. It allows you to have fans of your business instead of friends and gives you great ways to market your business on FaceBook!
Social Networking is a great way to utilize passive marketing. Search the web to see if there is a social network that is specifically geared toward your business. For instance Active Rain is a social network just for Realtors. Use your social networking; it’s fast, efficient and FREE!
To learn more about Starting Your Own Business, check out www.sandrabeck.com and www.motherhoodincorporated.com. You too can work from home, have time with your family and make a great living with what you already know!
Career Focus: Work at Home as a Grant Writer by Sandra Beck, Motherhood Incorporated
October 13, 2009
by Sandra Beck, Motherhood Incorporated
Are you a strong writer with a keen eye for detail? Do you enjoy research? Then grant writing may be the work-at-home career for you. Grant writing doesn’t require an expensive education, though strong writing and grammar skills are a must. Grant writers must also be comfortable with the financial aspects of business. If you’ve got the skills, why not try out this flexible, family friendly career?
The Technology
Equip your home office with a telephone line, fax, and computer with Internet access, and you will be ready to work. If you don’t want to invest in a fax machine and second phone line, consider using an online fax service. For a nominal fee, you can send and receive faxes via email.
Getting Started
It is easy to gain experience and familiarity with the grant writing process, if you are willing to work free of charge. There are many nonprofit organizations looking for grant writing volunteers. A quick search of the web will turn up plenty of opportunities. Idealist.org and VolunteerMatch.org both match willing volunteers with nonprofits organizations in need. Developing needed career skills is even more fulfilling when you are helping out a cause you care for.
Build a Portfolio
Keep track of the grants that you have written and record any awards gained by your hard work. Potential employers will want to know that your work produces results, and in grant writing that adds up to more than just writing samples. A proven record of success will keep the clients knocking on your door.
Choosing a Niche
Once you have built an impressive resume, you may find it beneficial to choose a niche or specialty. If you have background in medicine or education, then that may be the market for you. If you enjoy helping a worthy cause, specializing in the nonprofit sector may make for a gratifying career. Whichever area of expertise you choose, capitalize on your strengths and interests. Specializing will help you gain credibility with your clients. If you are willing to put in the time and effort, you too can enjoy the flexibility of working at home as a grant writer.
www.motherhoodincorporated.com
by Sandra Beck, Motherhood Incorporated
When my youngest climbed out of bed Tuesday morning, he was all giggles. Once I flipped on the light, I was surprised to see that his eyes were red and runny. I immediately started running over my plans for the day, which I knew were about to be changed. No childcare or playgroup, and I’d have to squeeze a trip to the doctor in somewhere.
Sick days and snow days strike us all. If you’re one of the lucky ones, they are few and far between. Still, the stress of a sudden change of plans can be lessened, or even disappear altogether, if we put a plan in place for the unexpected.
Plan Ahead
As work-at-home moms, we have to consider the possibility that we may be called on to care for our children in a pinch. Part of the flexibility of working from home means that our spouses may depend on us as an emergency back-up plan. It is best to come up with a family plan for these situations ahead of time. Does your spouse expect you to care for the kids every time an unexpected situation arises, or can you share the responsibility?
If you know it will be up to you to make alternate arrangements, try to plan for these situations when you are negotiating project deadlines with your boss or client. Adding a little “fluff” to your timing will allow you to breathe easier if you have to spend an afternoon in the doctor’s office, instead of at your desk.
Have a Backup for Your Backup
Your mom usually takes the kids when they are sick, but today she has plans. Turn to plan B. Investigate some alternate options before hand. Try forming a group of willing mothers in your neighborhood to share snow day responsibilities, or look for a flexible daycare program in your community.
When All Else Fails, Keep the Kids at Home
Prepare some activities for your children ahead of time. We keep a rainy day box with some books, art supplies, and small toys. The rainy day box becomes an exciting event when the kids only see it occasionally. Make sure they can safely enjoy the activities on their own, and you will get some work done while they play.
If you know there is severe weather on the way, check out a movie and some books for the kids from your local library. You may not be quite as productive as usual, but you can prevent yourself from falling too far behind.
www.motherhoodincorporated.com
Get a Grip on Your Green by Tracking Expenses by Sandra Beck, Motherhood Incorporated
September 28, 2009
by Sandra Beck, Motherhood Incorporated
A good expense tracking system should be part of every mom’s repertoire, but this is even more important for a work-at-home mom. Not only are you chief financial officer of your household, but you are also adding business expenses into the mix. Here’s a quick look at a few methods to help you get a grasp on your green:
Receipts
No matter what method you use to track your spending, receipts are a must to claim your business expenses as a tax deduction. You can use your receipts to track your spending at the same time. Keep all your receipts in one spot, and then set a date with yourself to review them at regular intervals. Categorize each receipt based on the transaction type, and then enter the totals into a spreadsheet or financial planning software on your computer.
Calendar or Notebook
Write your expenses down on your calendar each day, or in a small notebook. At the end of the month, tally everything up and categorize it as you see fit. Record the results in a separate notebook or on your computer. A computer will give you a leg up when you are ready to review your budget. You can easily produce graphs and charts to compare your target budget with your actual spending. Plus, there is less risk of losing your work when you back it up.
PDA
Most PDAs have an expense tracking program built-in. If yours doesn’t, check the web for free software downloads. Keep your PDA handy to easily record transactions throughout the day. Assign your expenses a category and your monthly budget review will be a snap. Don’t forget to backup often.
Check Register
If you use a check or debit card often, use your check register as an expense tracking tool. Let your bank do some of the work for you. You’re statements will make it easy to review your monthly spending. Canceled checks will leave a nice paper trail, if you ever need one. Be sure to record everything on the spot, especially debit card transactions. These are more likely to get lost in the mix. Balance your checkbook regularly, and you’ll be good to go.
Source:
(2009). What Tax Records to Keep. Retrieved March, 10, 2009, from the Internal Revenue Service Website: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=105111,00.html.
www.motherhoodincorporated.com
