I want to start a home business . . . but WHERE do I start??
Good question. Here is our primer on How To Start a Home Business:
1. Think of an idea for a home business that suits your family (or yourself). I know, it’s harder than it sounds.
2. Research a domain name. I use www.GoDaddy.com (just don’t buy your domain yet!) to see if my idea for a domain is available. They give you ideas for alternatives if it isn’t available, and often have good deals on certain domains. You do not buy your domain yet-because… Many hosting plans will give you a free domain with your hosting package (like the 2 we recommend below).
- Always get a .com if at all possible. If you are doing this for non-profit, then .org can save you a little money.
- Make sure your domain says what you do. Try to have a keyword in your domain name.
3. Buy your hosting. Unless your business is a BAM (Business as Missions) or non-profit, never use a free website service. It looks cheap (maybe because it is…). We recommend: (both are under $10/month, less if you sign up for a longer term). There is NO reason that you need to pay more than that for hosting, just be sure your hosting choice has been around awhile. Many hosting companies don’t last long, and no one ever knows where those websites go….
These are two of the best hosting companies around:
More on choosing a webhost:
4. Put up your website. Using the free site builders Hostgator or Blue Host offers, put up a very simple, but professional looking two page site. This needs to be done asap because it takes time for your site to be indexed (picked up by Google and others) and you want it to get started. It can be aging while you do everything else for now.
5. Order your business cards, or print your own. If you print your own, use a laser printer so the ink doesn’t run. If you don’t have a laser printer or design skills, you can order 100 free business cards at Overnight Prints, for the cost of shipping. You want them to look professional, because your business card represents who you are.
6. Set up your bookkeeping system. You want to get started right, and right from the beginning. Using an online software is usually best. Intuit (Quick Books) offers an easy one that is reasonably priced.
7. Obtain necessary licenses. Call your County Clerk and find out if you need any licenses for the business you want to start.
8. Write up a price list or brochure of services so what you offer is clear to you and others. Create an invoice template on your computer or buy a pad of invoices.
9. Open a business checking account. You will want to keep all your funds separate. Don’t go into the bank for this until you have your business registration and tax numbers.
OK, NOW- I don’t know your business, so the steps really vary from here. However we highly recommend buying a guide on your business.
A good “how-to” guide will help you:
- Learn from others experience and avoid costly mistakes
- Learn shortcuts
- Save money
- Find resources that could take months or years to find yourself
- Discover tricks of the trade
- Best places to advertise and how
- Know exactly what legal forms, licenses, steps, etc that are necessary AND those that are
We recommend many Clickbank products because:
- We know from experience (our Entrepreneurship 101 is on Clickbank) that they are very thorough in checking out the products they accept-no junk.
- They edit and monitor the sales pages to be sure that they are accurate and no false claims are made.
- The material is usually more up-to-date than a published book that can take over a year to make it to Amazon’s racks.
- You will find good down-to-earth guides written by real entrepreneurs that want to share their experience with you-but they aren’t authors that the publisher houses will pick up or they don’t want to incur the expense of self-publishing.
- They offer a 60 day, no hassle money back guarantee if the book isn’t what you thought it would be. (do you know how many books I’ve bought from Amazon that were not worth the paper it was printed on-with no refund policy?)
- Reading through an ebook written by someone that has run a business like the one you hope to start will give you a good picture of what the entire process will be like. You may find that business isn’t for you. Better now than $500 – $1000 later.
The ebooks I have purchased from Clickbank have been full of resources and tips far beyond most books found online and worth many times their purchase price. Many ebooks also include other benefits such as audio clips, video tutorials, and useful software – not to mention countless links for more information. THAT is why we offer so many Clickbank products in good conscience*. (There are some good “regular” books that I’ll also be posting also).
Some ideas to get you started: