For the Entrepreneur Archives - Page 4 of 6 - Affiliate Marketing with Missy Ward, Affiliate Summit Co-Founder & Co-CEO

4 Business Travel Tips for the Work at Home…

by Missy Ward

Although Statistic Brain reports that 61 percent of working mothers work from home, even the most home-based of us may have to travel on business occasionally — which means that many of us know the anxiety involved in leaving our families behind as we set off on that mission-critical trip.

I travel quite frequently to attend and speak at different industry conferences and to meet with clients. My family is used to it now, but it wasn't always easy. Here are four business travel tips for the work at home mom that can make the situation less stressful for everyone involved:

1. Get your childcare system in place. If your kids attend daycare, make sure your spouse understands the daily drop-off and pickup schedule. If you’re a single mom and you worry about the reliability of Aunt Tilly, a friend or the neighborhood babysitter to handle this task, consider hiring a professional home care provider. BrightStar Care, for example, offers a “KidCare” program that includes transportation to and from activities among its sitter, nanny and pediatric care services.

2. Separate work finances from home finances. I know from first-hand experience that there’s nothing more confusing and frustrating than trying to sift through a shoebox full of receipts at tax time. Allowing your business and home expenses to intermingle will inevitably play havoc with your home and business budgets. Fortunately, your trusty smartphone can help simplify matters tremendously. ExpenseDocs, for instance, enables you to input expenses on the fly into categorized documents. Additionally, if you've been putting off setting up a dedicated business checking account or taking out a credit card for your company, this trip might serve as the perfect reason to move forward with it.

3. Create a task schedule. Create a list of daily or weekly tasks, assign them to the appropriate people, and have them check off completed tasks one by one. If your kids are computer savvy, you can even create a Google calendar or other cloud-based schedule that allows you to actually see this process in action. (As convenient as Web-based scheduling might seem, however, don’t fall into the trap of serving as CEO of Mom, Inc. — stay focused on the reason for your trip!) If you have older children, this trip might prove an ideal opportunity to nudge them into the world of domestic responsibilities. Take some time before you leave to show them how to run a load of laundry without accidentally dyeing your white tablecloth pink, how to keep floors and carpets clean and how to give the dog his medicine. Most importantly, show them where the emergency phone numbers are and instruct them on how and when to dial 911.

4. Help your kids cope. Despite your best efforts to explain, your little ones may not understand why Mommy has to go away, and they may even worry about whether you’re coming back. Julie Weed, writing in the New York Times, notes several little touches working moms can employ to relieve these anxieties. Placing a big calendar on the wall or refrigerator door, with the dates of your departure and return clearly marked, lets your kids see exactly when you’ll be back and cross off the days until you return. The ExpenseDocs app mentioned above lets you add photos to a “travel journal” that you can then email to your family. As for communication, a video-ready smartphone or Skype-enabled laptop provides an extra degree of reassurance over an audio-only phone call, but just the sound of your voice will help your child (and you) cope with the separation.

Have a safe journey!

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Using Barter to Help Home Businesses Succeed

by Missy Ward

This post originally appeared on itsaWAHMthing.com, where I regularly contribute articles about affiliate marketing, productivity and technology tips for small businesses and work at home moms.

Bartering makes sense for Mompreneurs. What’s better than exchanging services instead of spending cash to buy necessary goods or services? Especially during seasons when your home business runs short on cash or your favorite customer gets laid off from her job; bartering can help home businesses succeed.

What is Bartering?

Bartering has been around since the beginning of time. Exchanging gold for salt or pottery for rice met a need in the community while providing the backbone of the economy. Today, bartering holds a smaller role but remains important nonetheless.

Bartering allows you to give a product or service in exchange for a product or service of equal value. Instead of paying cash for services received or products purchases, bartering serves as a financial resource. It helps you navigate an unstable economy and receive the goods and services you need. It also enables you to create greater visibility in the community and build your home business’s reputation.

Do you need a new website design or business cards? Perhaps you need monthly administrative services or a one-time plumbing repair. In exchange for these services, you provide a decorated cake, a vehicle tune-up or free babysitting.

How to Barter Successfully

Successful bartering requires practice, practice and more practice. For maximum success, start small by approaching long-time customers first. As you grow confident in your abilities, gradually expand your bartering partnerships to vendors.

Before entering into a bartering relationship, do your homework.

What will you trade? It could be your handmade necklaces or an hour of accounting services.
How much is it worth? Assign a fair rate to your product or service. Bartering is not charity. Give your product a fair monetary value.
What do you want to receive in exchange? Maybe you want a computer upgrade or need a new roof on your home office. Be sure you offer a financially even trade for the services you want.

With answers to these questions, you are ready to approach a customer or company with an invitation to barter.

Most barter agreements occur once, but other partnerships continue indefinitely. Resist verbal agreements. Instead, write down the details of the barter arrangement. Add the services or products that will be exchanged, the barter’s time frame and other applicable information. Both parties sign the agreement and receive a copy of the form. This step keeps both partners honest and prevents you losing time and money on the deal.

Because bartering is easy and increasingly popular, you might overextend yourself. While exchanging goods and services works for some items and for limited time frame, you eventually need cash. Set a limit to your barter partnerships so that you don't run into cash flow issues.

Finding Companies Who Accept Barter

After you start bartering with customers, branch out to vendors. Prepare your bartering pitch then approach the customer service rep with whom you normally do business. Maybe your gem supplier needs a catered meal or the local printing company needs exterior paint. With a thoughtful proposal and agreeable terms, many companies willingly barter.

For additional outlets, try Craigslist or Trashbank. With these options, you target local residents and receive free advertising for your home business.

Are you ready now to enter the world of bartering? This ancient financial concept can become an essential tool for making money and growing your customer base. Cash is king, but remember the value bartering holds in your successful Mompreneur home business.

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Using Craigslist to Market Your WAHM Business

by Missy Ward

This post originally appeared on itsaWAHMthing.com, where I regularly contribute articles about affiliate marketing, productivity and technology tips for small businesses and work at home moms.

As a WAHM, you likely already know that marketing your home based business can be challenging sometimes. You need to share the product or service you offer without spending a ton of money. Plus, you want marketing tools that are easy to use and target customers near your home.

Beyond business cards, a social media presence or an online shop, have you considered Craigslist? This site offers you an affordable, easy and convenient advertising tool for your home business.

Why Choose Craigslist for your WAHM Business?

Every day, nearly 10 million visitors check out the ads on Craigslist. Located in over 300 communities, Craigslist offers free advertising for your business. To get started, follow four easy steps.

1. Choose a Category

Because Craigslist doesn’t allow users to post in more than one category, decide where your product or service fits best. For example, if you bake cakes, consider posting in the “for sale” or under “services.”

The category you choose is as important as the geographical region. You might be tempted to reach a larger audience by posting an ad in a big city. Remember, though, that Craigslist is primarily for face-to-face meetings. Site administrators might flag and remove your ad if you post it in an area outside of your hometown.

2. Grab Attention with the Headline

With the category in mind and limited space to make a good first impression, you’ll need to be creative with your headline. Try to write a headline that would grab a reader’s attention. You will also want to be as detailed as possible. “Decorated Occasion Cakes by —” is better than “Decorated Cakes.”

3. Write a Clear Ad

After you capture attention with the headline, write a clear ad. In addition to information like who, what, where and when, include other details.

Accurate description
Price
Photos
Contact information including your web site, business email address or phone number

While you want to include as much detail as possible, remember to keep the ad short and simple. To-the-point ads share necessary information without overwhelming the reader. Use short sentences and paragraphs, proper grammar and spelling, and descriptive language.

Ads do expire so track the renewal date. You’ll also want to avoid posting duplicate ads. Within a 48-hour period, post an ad only once. Multiple listings that sound similar or include similar language and information could attract a flag for site misuse.

4. Utilize Forums

Ads give you free advertising, but did you know that the forums are the most trafficked area of Craigslist? Use this popular venue to build your brand and share your business.

Reply to comments
Start new and positive threads
Introduce yourself and your products or services

Forums also help you communicate with potential buyers. As you use good manners and post applicable replies, remember that anyone using the forum is a potential customer.

Are you ready to promote your work at home business on Craigslist? Take advantage of the free advertising with four easy steps. As you post ads, choose the correct category in a location near your hometown. Write engaging headlines and short accurate descriptions. Include contact information, and get ready to invite new customers to your work from home business!

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Top 50 Small Business Influencers on Twitter

by Missy Ward

Yesterday, Dun and Bradstreet Credibility Insights published their list of the Top 50 Most Influential Small Business People on Twitter.

I was thrilled to come in at #16 and be included with such incredible people, many of which I know personally.

While I still don't thoroughly understand the underlying methodology in determining online influence and have commented on these types of “top lists” before, it's always nice to be recognized for hard work.

Congratulations to all of the Small Business Influencers!

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