The Best Work At Home Opportunities On The Internet

The opportunity to work at home appeals to many people for
many different reasons. Whether it's the ability to stay
home with your children, the desire to escape the pressure
of someone always looking over your shoulder, or even the
yearning to stay in your pajamas until noon, work at home
opportunities can open up a whole new world of freedom and
adventure.

Many websites offer directories of work-at-home
opportunities, some are genuine but most are scams offering
little if any real income. Five opportunities to work at
home are not only authentic but also offer a change to make
a very decent living, if done correctly. The purpose of
this article is to discuss in greater detail these five
opportunities that are the best the Internet has to offer.

Ebay Selling

While Ebay is a great place to sell off the junk collecting
dust in your basement, it can also be a viable work-at-home
opportunity. All you need is a good source of items, a good
camera, and a touch of creativity when writing
descriptions. Items for resale can be purchased at yard
sales, antique shops and even on Ebay itself!

Another alternative is to create your own products if you
are good with your hands and creative. There is no limit to
the types of things you can sell on Ebay (as long as they
aren't illegal – read Ebay's Rules and Policies) and no
limit to the money you can make. Many people selling on
Ebay make enough money to sustain themselves without
needing another job, in fact some "Powersellers" make tens
of thousands of dollars a month!

Freelance Writing

If you enjoy writing, are creative, and possess a good
amount of self-discipline, freelance writing may be the
best work at home opportunity for you. Plenty of websites
are dedicated to connecting writers to companies that need
writing done. Freelance writing, copywriting, web content
writing, and blog writing are all great opportunities for a
writer to work at home and earn a reasonable income.

It is possible for writers to branch out and sell their
writing to print newspapers and magazines and greatly
increase the amount of money they make. The best way to get
started working at home as a writer is through the search
engines. You'll be amazed at the number of work at home
writing opportunities.

Web Designer / Graphic Designer

If you like pictures better than words, think about the
work at home opportunities as a web or graphic designer.
Offer your services to design websites, logo, marketing
materials, even newsletter templates are all worth big
bucks as a graphic designer on the Internet. Simply polish
up your creativity and set out on the search engines to
find your opportunities to work at home as a graphic
designer.

Directories and job sites are good sources for work but
eventually you may want to advertise yourself, both online
and off, so consider designing your own promotional
material and get you name out there.

Independent Sales Consultant

Years ago it was common for housewives to start selling
Avon or Tupperware to bring a little extra money into the
household. These work at home opportunities can turn into a
lucrative business in the right hands. If you enjoy
networking, search online, sign up to be an independent
sales consultant and begin earning money based on how hard
you work.

It is a good idea to sell a product that you enjoy using
yourself since it'll make your sales pitch more believable.
Many of the companies that work with independent sales
consultants offer marketing packages with demo items for
home parties and Internet solutions such as personal
websites and online email campaigns.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing started becoming popular around 2000.
Since then most online businesses have set up an affiliate
program to help get customers. One of the reasons for
affiliate marketing's popularity is that it's a win-win
situation, business owners get someone who will market
their product and essentially work on commission (you don't
get any money unless you sell a product) and you get a
percentage (as much as 50%) for simply informing people of
good products and linking them to the sites. You don't have
to make the products, stock the products or ship the
products. What more could you ask for in a work at home
opportunity?

----------------------------------------------------
For more information and the latest, proven, ideas for
starting an online business please visit:
http://www.OnlineMoneyMakers.com

Tips to Get Press Coverage

Press exposure can significantly impact a small businesses'
success. Press releases are not just for big businesses;
many small businesses find press releases to be an
inexpensive way to gain exposure and attention. It is not
uncommon for reporters from magazines, newspapers or blogs
to scan press releases as a means to locate content.

Here are some tips to enhance the exposure and quality of
your press releases:

1. Relevant

First and foremost, it is important to decide what
information should be included in your press release.
Information that is newsworthy and relevant will have the
best chances of gaining the attention of an editor. The
press release should be sent to related publications: a pet
magazine is not going to print a press release about the
latest compression utility, but it might print a release
about software that manages records of a pets shots.

2. Customize

Giving your press release a personalized touch, especially
for bloggers and online journalists, can be helpful in
gaining attention. Spending an extra few moments to
personalize a press release could be just what is needed to
make it stand out from hundreds of other press releases.
While it is impractical to customize all of the press
releases sent, it might make sense to personalize the
releases for key publications or media outlets.

3. Summarize

By creating a succinct summary of the announcement, editors
will not need to reword, or condense a lengthy release. The
first paragraph or two should clearly state the
announcement, so that an editor's space is limited, they
can simply use the summary in their publication.

4. Swag is Good

The press loves freebies, and by offering them, there is a
chance potential customers will keep your name in their
mind. Feel free to send branded goodies to the editors as a
special thank you for any exposure that you receive.

5. Thank You

If you are interviewed or receive an especially
complimentary review be sure to thank your press contact.
As strange as it might sound rarely are the editors thanked
for the coverage they provide. Extending a heartfelt thank
you, could mean an editor remembers your company when the
next press release is sent.

6. Honesty

The more truthful the release the more likely that it will
get ink. Avoid using superfluous adjectives that inflate
the use your product or service. Keep your press release
factual.

7. Keywords

Be sure to use keywords and keyword phrases in the press
release so that it will be easily located by reporters
looking for specific material.

8. Demand Attention

Carefully select the title for of your press release so
that it attracts attention. The title should contain key
points related to the announcement. A good title is
critical. If the title does not gain the interest of the
editor, it will not matter what the body of the release
says.

Keep in mind that it is unlikely you will see instant
results from the print media. Print media has a long cycle
and you might not see coverage for months.

In short, press releases are great way to gain attention.
The cost of sending a press release is minuscule when
compared to the potential exposure that may result. A
well-written press piece can garner significant press
coverage and exposure.

Building relationships with the media is a long process and
takes considerable time and patience. Editors have to deal
with deadline pressures and locating appropriate filler
content should the need arise, befriending the reporters
will go a long way toward press coverage.

----------------------------------------------------
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll
http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing,
publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon
manages marketing for RecordForAll
http://www.recordforall.com audio recording and editing
software.

Partner with Your Hostess for Higher Sales at Your Direct Selling Home Parties

OK, so you've booked a few parties...now what do you do? Do
you find yourself screening your phone calls? Are you
afraid to have contact with your Hostesses for fear they
may cancel or postpone their party? What can you do to
insure a good party so both you and your Hostess will
benefit? Booking parties is easy but in order to make it a
fun and profitable party for both you and the Hostess there
are basic techniques that will help guarantee success. In
this article you will learn what to do to increase your
party consistency, sales average and booking ratio.

First, arrive at the party with at least six Hostess
packets. I found the easiest way to put my Hostess packets
together was to make about twenty at a time. I got
everything I needed out, put a label with my name, address
and phone number on everything that was going to go into
the Hostess packet and sat down for a few minutes and got
everything ready. Every Hostess packet should include these
items.

At least one catalog or brochure if your company has a
supplement make sure to include one of those also.

Company Hostess Award Brochure or a list of everything the
Hostess can earn

Guest List with a self-addressed and stamped envelope (New
triplicate guest list can be ordered here) Order Guest List

Hostess Wish List or a bright paper for Hostess to write
down the items she would like to earn at her party.

Material about joining your company preferably marketing
material that will spark interest and curiosity.

Order forms (at least 4-6) or outside order sheet

Large Envelope to hold everything (if your company does not
provide. Bright colored envelopes can be purchased at most
office supply stores)

Now that you have your Hostess packets put together make
sure you pack your case with at least 6 for every party.
Once you begin to play the envelope game (from my It's a
Party Out There program) at your parties you will be
booking more parties than you ever thought possible. Also
have your "Open Date Card" (also from the program) ready so
the new people booking parties can select one of "your
available dates".

After you have played the envelope game and secured your
bookings hand the "Open Date Card" and a Hostess Packet to
the first person who booked and ask her to write her name
in the space next to the date she would like. Then hand the
card to the next person to have her select a date and so on
until all of the guests have selected a date for their
party. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE PERSON WHO IS BOOKING
SELECTS A DATE THAT NIGHT! Remember, it's not a booking
until you have a date. Don't waste your time trying to call
later, if she is hesitant and wants to check her schedule
say, "Let's pick a tentative date right now and you can
check your calendar when you get home. If you need to
change it you can call me first thing tomorrow so you will
still qualify for the bonus gift for selecting a date on my
open date card." I found that 9 out of 10 times the
original date we agreed on was the date the Hostess was
going to keep.

After each person has selected a date bring them aside and
go through the entire contents of the Hostess Packet with
them. Here is exactly what I would say. "Judy, I'm excited
you are going to be having a party. Let's go over
everything in your packet. First, this is your guest list
that you will need to fill out and return to me in three
days so that I can mail your invitations out for you. Your
Hostess will also be able to receive the credit for your
booking when I have received your list. There is room for
24 names on each list and I have given you two. Try to fill
out one complete list and use the other one if you need to.
Please press hard as you are making three copies and the
top copy will be the label that goes on the invitation. You
will have a place to write the phone numbers on this list
so you can have a call list to call and remind everyone to
come and bring a friend. Please keep your catalog with you
all the time and if someone cannot come you can share the
catalog and ask if they would like to order or book a
party. There are order forms in the packet for you to use
for these orders. Also, please take this Hostess Wish List
and list all the items you would like to earn at your party
and return the Wish List to me with your Guest List. I will
figure out what you will need to do to earn all the items
on your list. I have added some information about our
company so you can browse through it. Have you ever thought
of doing something like this? No, well, I think you'd be
great! Read through the information and I can call you
tomorrow at 3:00 or 5:00 and answer any questions. Which
time would be best to call? Great, I'll call you at 5:00.
Here's your packet and I look forward to helping you earn
all the products you would like. Don't forget to have your
guest list to me in 3 days. Thanks."

During this time you have went through all of the contents
of the packet while you were reviewing it with her. You
have her working on her guest list and wish list and you
have planted the seed about her joining you in the
business. Hostess Coaching is an art and you can master it
when you practice it over and over and over. When you
implement these techniques I guarantee that you will have
less cancellations and postponements and more enthusiastic
Hostesses which should result in higher sales and more
bookings. So "partner with your Hostess" to help her get
everything she wants and you will get everything you want!
As Zig Ziglar always says, "You can get everything in life
you want when you help enough other people get what they
want."

----------------------------------------------------
Want to know the fastest way to get more bokings and build
your Direct Selling business? Head over to
http://www.karenphelps.com for Direct Selling strategies.

Great Leadership is an inside Job

Yesterday my riding session with my bay mare ended with her
dripping sweat, her sides heaving… me with a beet red face
struggling to maintain any semblance of control
whatsoever…then me giving her a bath to cool her down and
walk her and myself up and down our driveway to calm us
both.

Today ended with me relaxed, at ease and totally happy with
our accomplishments….her licking her lips and enjoying
being petted and praised.

What changed?

I began our session today before I ever went into the round
pen… By thinking about and analyzing:

what went wrong in our ride yesterday

how her personality played into our interaction

figuring out what Tasha, my big bay horse needed to be
comfortable and progressive

how my thoughts had to change for us to be successful

how my actions had to change for us to be successful

what my breathing pattern had to do with our success

what I needed to do with the energy my body was giving off

You'll notice that none of these things have to do with
changing her but instead all have to do with changing me
and how I present myself and how I interact with her.

Which leads me to these 5 essential acts of Great
Leadership:

1.Begin with your inner most thoughts and attune your
thought patterns and energy to the situation at hand. For
example if you want a calm and collected interaction then
your thoughts need to be calm, slow and collected
maintaining a quiet peaceful rhythm.

2.Next be aware of your breathing pattern. Do you want more
energy in the interaction?... If so then you might be
breathing at a faster clip and with more energy…if not then
breathe slow and deep…allowing your body to feel each
breath and slow your senses down.

3.Your body is giving off energy…is it fast and action
oriented or quiet controlled and calm? Do you want a slow
measured response from the person you are interacting with?
Then control and measure your energy…they will sense and
respond to the energy you put out.

4.What is the personality of the person you are working
with? Are they quiet and calm and need a slight push? Or
are they full of energy and anticipate what they think you
want so that you need to slow them down? Be willing to
change your style to meet the needs of the individual and
the situation.

5.Be willing to slow down…analyze the situation…and back up
if you need to…so that you can move forward once again to
meet your goals.

Great leadership begins by Taking the Reins of your
emotions, thoughts, energy, breath, body and actions.

----------------------------------------------------
Jean Starling has an MBA in International Business and is
an author, speaker, trainer, business consultant and coach.
With over 20 years in corporate leadership, management,
consulting and training she is an expert at helping
individuals and businesses reach their goals. Author of
Taking the Reins, a book of stories that teach leadership
in a new more innovative way.

http://www.taking-the-reins.com . Contact
mailto:jean@Taking-the-reins.com .

Delighting Your User: Providing Responsive End User Support

Users tell us that it's important for us to be responsive.
How do you get your users to say you're responsive to their
needs?

This is about your willingness to respond to customer needs
by answering their phone or email requests quickly, and
your willingness to do what it takes to respond effectively
to a service request.`` Responsiveness is adopting a can-do
attitude, and a willingness to go the extra mile for the
customer. Recent research studies support the theory that
soft skills (such as listening, empathy, courtesy and
creating rapport) are more important than technical skills
in the career advancement of any employee. This is
especially true in the support industry, where most
managers have realized that they must hire people who have
a good attitude or approach to serving customers plus an
aptitude for technical knowledge, and that the rest can be
taught.

A positive attitude is the first step in building good soft
skills. You have control over your attitude. Just like you
can choose what clothes to wear in the morning, you can
also choose what attitude to assume every day. You can
choose to see the glass as half-full, or half-empty. Your
approach, or attitude, toward life is a self-fulfilling
prophecy. If your attitude is "Everyone has something to
offer me!", then you will interpret everything that happens
to you as an interesting journey. On the other hand, if you
approach your job and your life in a less than positive
way, every bump in the road will seem like a huge obstacle.

How do you answer your phone? Do you answer it promptly?
Can the caller understand you or do you rush through your
greeting? Are you pleasant and does your tone of voice
convey a positive start to the call? How do you answer
emails? Do you reply promptly? Do you convey in your
email responses that you really want to help your user? Do
you understand the meaning of all the words you use? For
those of you who provide support in a second language, make
sure you're using the user's language correctly. Ask
someone who speaks it natively to review your email
responses and give you feedback.

Look in the mirror. Often, the solution to our problems
lies within ourselves. Several weeks ago, I faced some of
the usual challenges of life on the road. Things usually go
very well for me and on those rare occasions when things
"hiccup", they're usually minor. This week, however, I
dealt with a major problem that had the potential to cause
a major disruption in my business. Now, as I look back on
what happened, I'm beginning to see the entire situation
with new clarity. I made several mistakes. The first
mistake was in making assumptions about what a vendor would
do. I could have spent more time at their website and
learned more about their policies and procedures. Instead,
I spent a brief time skimming over their services and made
assumptions about how to order a particular service and
whether it was the right service for me. The second mistake
I made was in not contacting this vendor earlier to discuss
how best to use their services (and whether they were even
the right vendor for this job). The third mistake I made
was in trying to deal with this vendor while I was hurrying
to catch a train. In other words, I was in a state of
stress which undoubtedly came through in my voice (even
though I don't think I was rude, demanding, or abusive). As
I dealt with this vendor in trying to resolve several
problems, I received brusk (almost rude) customer service.
I don't believe there is ever a reason to treat any
customer in a manner that is anything other than cheerful,
pleasant, respectful, and empathetic, but I wonder if there
were subtle messages that I was sending that caused me to
receive less than exemplary customer service.

As I look back at my experiences with other people, I also
need to look in the mirror. Am I doing everything I can to
have a positive effect on everyone I meet? Have I gone out
of my way to touch people in a positive way? When the world
doesn't go my way, do I take a moment to stop and regroup
or do I complain to everyone around me so they can feel
bad, too? I know I can't control other people, but I
certainly can control how I appear when they look in my
direction.

So, what are the lessons I learned and how do they relate
to you as a tech support pro?

Lesson one: Start early. When you have plenty of time,
you're more relaxed and things just seem to go better.
Arrive at your desk early. Give yourself 15 or 20 minutes
before your shift starts to gather your thoughts and
organize your workspace. Then later, when the day starts
to get frantic, you'll find you're more in control of
things.

Lesson two: Do enough research. As a tech support person,
do you subscribe to news feeds and blogs about the products
you support? Do you spend time each day reading articles
and books related to the products you support? Have you
set up a virtual lab using VMWare, VirtualPC, or Xen so you
can experiment and test your solutions before you offer
them to your users? Knowledge is power and the more
knowledge you have, the more you'll be empowered to delight
your users with relevant, accurate solutions.

Lesson three: Focus on the task at hand instead of
multi-tasking (Millennials really can multi-task, but
GenXers, Boomers, and Veterans really can't (We talk about
this in our help desk training seminars.)). This means,
when your user calls needing help, you focus exclusively on
them and nothing else. (And, for you Gen Y'ers, I know you
really can multi-task, but don't let your users know you're
doing it while you're talking to them!)

Lesson four: When the world is crashing around you, before
you do anything else, look in the mirror. Maybe you can't
control the rest of the world, but you are in complete
control over how you view the world and what's happening in
it. As a desktop support professional, take a moment to ask
yourself the following questions

1. Do I put myself in the user's shoes?
2. Do I take ownership of a problem and see it through to
completion?
3. Am I willing to help both users and co-workers?
4. Do I consciously assume a positive outlook with my users
and co-workers?
5. Am I respectful and courteous to the user?
6. Do I treat everyone with respect and courtesy?
7. Do I speak and conduct myself confidently with users?

If you answered yes to at least five, you are on the right
track to creating a positive position from which to serve
your users for the best results. If you answered yes to
fewer than five, your attitude might be keeping you from
doing your best to create the proper environment for
success in your job.

Your users' perception of your responsiveness starts with
their perception of you. Your attitude, your demeanor,
your tone-of-voice, the words you choose all play a part in
how you are perceived. You have it within your power to
create users who perceive you to be responsive to their
needs; to care about them as people first and co-workers
second.

Next week, we'll talk about competence; how to have it and
how to project it to your users, co-workers, and bosses.

----------------------------------------------------
Don R. Crawley is president/chief technologist at
soundtraining.net (http://www.soundtraining.net), the
Seattle firm specializing in business skills and technical
training for IT professionals. He works with IT pros to
enhance their work, lives, and careers. For Don's article,
"Ten Ways to Delight Your End-User", visit
http://www.soundtraining.net/onlinestore/items/item241.html