There are certain crucial factors that set apart some home based business ideas from others. When you are searching for the right opportunity all the information can all become a blur and it can be difficult to define what makes one opportunity stand out from the next.Here are 6 key factors that will help to put you in a significantly stronger position to take advantage of leverage and make money much faster.1). How Much Does it Cost?Obviously spending less sounds great but you probably know that the more expensive opportunities usually offer the bigger financial rewards… or do they? Keep your eyes peeled because this is not always the case. Home based business ideas with low entry costs can still offer very lucrative rewards and these are by far your best value investment.2). How much Can I Realistically Make?Some opportunities require you to pass up commissions which can mean less income. Other Companies are more geared to rewarding their representatives as they know that enthusiasm in their sales team will ultimately bring them the financial gain also. Look for the Companies that are paying their reps generously.3). How Quickly Can I Expect To Make Money?This will also depend on the structure of the Compensation Plan so look carefully at this. Sometimes what look like the best home based business ideas really only suit the top marketers, and the average marketers and newbies get left behind wondering what happened (or what didn’t happen!)Simple opportunities can get your home business off the ground and start paying you early in the game.4). What are the Risks?Whatever you spend, you’ll want to weigh up the likelihood of your success. Meaning, what you stand to lose verses what you will gain.Is it costing you a lot of money upfront before you have established if the business will work for you?5). How Many People Will I Need to Recruit to Make Money?Some of the best home based business ideas are with network marketing companies and require you to build a team, which means recruiting. So, how well you do in the business will depend on how many people you sponsor.Look at how many people you will need to sponsor before you start making the money you desire. Is this realistic for you to achieve now?6). How Complex is the Home Business System?I always feel that simple is best, as long as there is a good income opportunity. If you are trying to get new members to join and you are dealing with one of the more complex home based business ideas, it is more likely you’ll lose people’s interest before you can even go over all the information with them. If there are lots of products and intricate payment plans it can be harder on you to get others involved.When searching for the right opportunity use these as some of your criteria to help you separate the most simple and powerful earning opportunities, from some of the more complex ones. Look for compensation plans that are generous upfront, and once you start earning good money, your confidence will grow, and you can expand your marketing skills. Choosing the best home based business ideas will get you earning a full time income the most quickly. And don’t forget the most important skill you will need — Internet marketing.
5 Tools For Your Home Based Business Ideas
All the top home based businesses use the technology of the internet. We live in the digital age of emails, downloads, streaming data and mobile technology. If your home based business ideas do not include having an online presence, then you’re missing out on a worldwide market who can buy from you at any time of the day or night.Any legitimate home based business will need some investment to get it started and an online home business is no different. The good news is that the start up costs for a home based online business are considerably less than a traditional offline venture.Five Tools For Your Home Based Business.1. Domain Name.A domain name is the name of your website. It’s where your customers can find you online with an easy to use word, or sets of words. Your first option should always be to opt for a.com name when looking for domain name ideas for your home business as it is the universally accepted business domain extension.2. Website Hosting.Once you have your domain name, you’ll need somewhere to “rent” space for your website so that it can be live on the internet. Some domain registrars usually also provide hosting but do check the rates first. Once you have your domain and hosting sorted, you are well on your way to making your home based business ideas into a reality.3. Website.The WordPress website system is the most widely used website building platform on the internet. It has the functionality to help your home business earn online revenue as well providing a complete content management system. WordPress websites are reportedly used by such organisations as the New York Times, Ford, NASA, Pepsi and eBay. If it is good enough for them, then it will surely be good enough for your work from home based business ideas.4. Autoresponder.One of the best online business tools you can have is an autoresponder. Your autoresponder is the ‘salesman’ who works for you 24/7 – every day of the year. Autoresponder services are used to provide your leads with follow up information about your products and services via email. Remember that statistically, a prospect needs to see or hear your marketing message at least seven times before they take any action and buy from you.5. Continuous Education.It can be a frustrating process getting your home based business ideas from concept to reality. When you get stuck on a problem, you can lose focus and direction and that’s when they are most likely to give up. For example, getting a domain name and website hosting organised can seem a little complicated if you’ve never done it before. With ongoing business education, you can learn as you earn and draw on the experience of others for a fast-track to success.
If Technology Isn’t the Goal of Education, Then What Is?
I love being an Instructional Technologist, largely because it provides me with such a wide-open field to play in. Education is as broad an industry as it has ever been. And technology is certainly a part of it.
After answering the “what is that?” question, I am usually asked about technology in general, and then its place within education, specifically. People are intrigued by the seeming steady drive toward online or e-learning environments and platforms.
Technology, the Goal of Education?
I am often asked about our school’s new Learning Management System, or why we are interested in moving toward Project-Based Learning. They want to know the how and why of our one-to-one tablet program and when we will be offering hybrid and online courses.
But often people confuse the goal of education with the tools of education.
The goal of education is not:
- Web 2.0 Technologies
- Project-Based Learning
- Blended or Flipped Learning Models
- Online or Hybrid Learning Models
- Smartboards or other Interactive Classroom Technologies and applications
- Mobile computing
Technology and its associated pedagogies simply represent the new tools of education.
But do not make the mistake of thinking these new tools are merely replacements for older outdated tools; like the blackboard and chalk, overhead projectors, and the VHS player. If that were the case, then let’s keep the old tools, they’re cheaper and we already know how to use them.
It is the Learners Who Inherit the Future
No, these new tools are far more than new paint on an old barn; these tools provide the means to transform education. They make it easier than ever for educators to raise the bar on what our students can accomplish. Education should no longer be about memorization, note taking, and multiple choice tests.
The tools have changed largely because our world has changed. The industrial age is over (even if education is just beginning to figure that out). The information age is expanding at an incredible rate. And technology is what allows many of us to keep up. Technology brings knowledge to our finger tips and in often less than a few milliseconds.
One of my favorite quotes is by Eric Hoffer, author of “The Ordeal of Change“, who said, “in a time of rapid change, it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned find themselves in a world that no longer exists.”
Students are Being Asked to Dance to Music Yet Unheard
Our world is changing – as is the world of education. The role of education has always been and should continue to be one of preparation. But the challenge is much greater than it has ever been.
We are in the business of preparing students for jobs that have not yet even been created. We are asking students to dance to music yet unheard. What brings the task within focus and makes the job seem reasonable is technology.
But technology does not equal education. Technology, along with the many new pedagogies associated with it, is the means to the end.
The goal of education, in this age, is to prepare students for a workforce that is already demanding such skills as
- innovation,
- creativity,
- critical analysis,
- collaboration,
- global awareness,
- presentation and communication skills
- and the ability to manage time.
We refer to these as “21st Century Skills.” Teaching these skills, in and along with mastery of content, is the goal of the 21st Century Teacher. Technology simply provides us the tools to do it better.