| Statistics for home based businesses seem to vary | | | | world) who writes marketing material for a company in |
| depending on who is presenting them. The U.S. Bureau | | | | Alaska (at the top of the world). So, maybe you start |
| of Labor Statistics reported there were more than 18.3 | | | | off local and expand internationally. |
| million home based businesses in the United States. | | | | 2. Holiday Home Directory |
| However, a national research company estimated the | | | | Publish a directory of holiday homes throughout your |
| number of home office households in the USA to be | | | | country (or world) that visitors can rent. Contact |
| up to 36.6 million. The figures obviously vary due to the | | | | homeowners through newspaper advertisements or |
| difference in meaning of "home business" and "home | | | | using the internet. |
| office." This is because a home office is not | | | | Depending on how much you charge, and the quality |
| necessarily a business, hence the confusion. | | | | of service you want to provide, you could have each |
| While on the subject of statistics, the Home-Based | | | | home inspected. You could do this either yourself (for |
| Business Institute estimated that 70% of home-based | | | | local properties), or have a colleague in another town |
| businesses will survive more than three years, | | | | do some inspections. This may not be essential, or |
| compared to 29% of other business ventures. I also | | | | economical, but it could be a way to ensure the |
| recall Entrepreneur magazine estimating annual sales | | | | facilities and level of comfort is as stated in the |
| of $427 billion from home-based businesses. | | | | brochure or web site. |
| Regardless of the accuracy of the figures, the | | | | Another option is to just operate a website as a listing |
| important thing is, there are a lot of people making | | | | service where customers upload photos of their home |
| money working from home. This is not surprising as it | | | | to rent. Each home owner would pay for space in |
| is so much easier to operate a business from home, | | | | your directory. Bookings could be made directly with |
| or from a vehicle, than it once was. Improvements in | | | | the homeowners. |
| technology are largely responsible for this change, as a | | | | 3. Prepare Tax Forms |
| business location is not necessarily as critical as it was | | | | Filling in our tax forms can be one of the most time |
| previously. | | | | consuming activities that many of us face. Why not |
| It is also possible to operate a home based business | | | | invest in some training and start a business from home |
| selling products or services worldwide over the | | | | preparing other people's tax forms. By promoting your |
| internet. There are also several companies that | | | | business to the people in your community with good |
| process credit card payments internationally using | | | | advertising, you may soon be on your way to a |
| secure encrypted technologies. Doing business | | | | steady income. |
| internationally is easier than ever. | | | | 4. Illustrator |
| Here are 5 ideas for starting a business from home. | | | | If you are a skilled artist, start a business from home |
| They could be developed to service a local, national, or | | | | illustrating children's books. Contact publishers and |
| even an international market. Just because you live in a | | | | writers associations to get in contact with authors and |
| little country town in the middle of the United States, | | | | book publishers. Have a portfolio of previous artwork |
| does not mean you cannot sell products or services to | | | | available for potential clients to look through. This idea |
| someone across the world in Australia, South Africa or | | | | could be run as an internet business too. |
| the UK. There are thousands of home businesses in | | | | 5. Telephone Directory Information Stickers |
| those countries selling to people in the USA. | | | | Have you ever noticed those big stickers that can be |
| 1. Publicity Releases | | | | placed on the front, back or inside of telephone |
| Start a business writing press releases for local | | | | directories? Start a business designing these |
| businesses and organizations in your area. Offer to | | | | advertorial stickers. Promote the idea to local |
| write promotional material for them to be inserted in | | | | businesses as a way of getting their business |
| local newspapers, radio or magazines. The publicity | | | | advertised in a lot of homes. Sell advertising space to |
| release could advertise a new product or service, or | | | | businesses, adding emergency and important |
| be written as an article that will inform and educate the | | | | telephone numbers to the layout. |
| public on a certain issue. | | | | These are just a few possible ideas to start your |
| I know of a lady in New Zealand (at the bottom of the | | | | thought process. There are many more to consider. |