There are many factors to consider when running a business in your home. Do you have the personality and business skills to run a business? Does it make sense to operate the business out of your home? How will this business affect the family environment? Is there sufficient demand for your product or service? What price should be charged for your product or service?
These and other important questions can be answered by writing a sound business plan. A business plan is a basic description of the goals and objectives of your business and how you plan to achieve them. Developing a business plan will help you answer important questions about your business and help you device constructive strategy to running it successfully.
Characteristics You Need to Operate Home Based Business
There are invaluable characteristics that you might want to develop if you don't already have them. This will help you focus on your business goals for a very long time. These characteristics are the backbone of every successful home based entrepreneur.
1. Having a desire to be your own boss. You want to be the master or be in control of your financial situation.
2. Have significant specialize business ability base on education and experience.
3. Have an inherent sense for what is right for a business and the courage to pursue it.
4. Your life is characterised by willingness and capacity to persevere.
5. You posses a high level of energy and perseverance over a long period of time to make the business successful.
What you Need To Operate Your Home Based Business
A. Business Address. You need to choose your own business address where customers can check you out if they want to. Getting a business address shouldn't be a cause for headaches. You can choose your home address--if you are comfortable with receiving customers at home--or the address of a place you can meet-up with customers.
B. Business Structure. If you want, you can hire a virtual assistant to do a part-time work for you. A virtual assistant might be important if you don't have certain skills or characteristics that you might need to operate. A virtual assistant will fill the space for you. It solely depends on how you want to structure your business. If you decide to do everything yourself, then make sure you have the necessary tools that will make you independent.
C. Internet Banking. It is very important for you to have a bank account with internet banking activated with it. This is where your customers will pay into when they buy something from you or when you offer them your services.
D. Networking. Attend important social events and connect with others in your niche. Make friends with other like-minded individuals who have the strong will to get things done. They will help motivate you and you can also learn from them. This also helps you to get your business out there to prospective customers
E. Business Line. To improve the quality of home work time, consider installation of a separate telephone line for the business and attach an answering machine to take messages when you do not wish to be distracted, or when you are away from home.
F. Marketing Plan. The marketing plan is the core of your business rationale. To develop a consistent sales growth, a home-based businessperson must become knowledgeable about the market. To demonstrate your understanding, this section of the home-based business plan should seek to concisely answer several basic questions. What Market do you target? How Large is the Market?
G. Competition. No small business operates in a vacuum. Get to know and respect the competition. Identify direct competitors (both in terms of geography and product lines) and those who are similar or marginally comparative. Begin by listing names, addresses, and products or services. Remember, your business can become more profitable by adopting the good competitive practices and by avoiding their errors.