A Business-Saving Book!
Written: Oct 18 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Incredible business ideas!
Cons: Absolutely none.
The Bottom Line: This book has been so incredibly helpful in starting my own home-based business. I owe all of my ethics, work patterns, and standards to "Home Based Businesses for Dummies"...
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| julie42's Full Review: Paul Edwards, Peter Economy, Sarah Edwards - Home-... |
Being a Canadian, I don't want to buy informational books that don't apply here. For instance, buying a book on "Great Income Tax Shortcuts" that only pertains to income tax in the States, wouldn't help me. I ordered this book as one of my free 6-books-for-a-dollar choices in a membership group. I wouldn't have bought it off a shelf at the time, because it didn't say whether it is International or simply American-referenced. Although while going through the book, it doesn't make any mention of being global or not, I have found that it appears to follow the Canadian business law as well. And so I read on.
I own my own home-based business, which is Avon. I started selling Avon for many reasons, one of them being is a legitimate tax-deduction, and I certainly need those. (I had a unionized government job at the time.) I assumed the book would be about law, ideas what kind of home based businesses to start, and buying franchises.
I was certainly surprised.
This book is packed with motivational tips, funny stories, comics, and how to get customers, as well as the general legal do's and don'ts. I really enjoyed the "Ten" sections, and found them incredibly useful. (Ten Myths, Ten ways to Succeed, Ten things to avoid, etc.) In the "Ten Ways to get yourself to Do what you Don't Want to Do" Section, one example is the priority list. You're supposed to write a to-do list, and then organize them into what you WANT to do. The one you don't mind doing at the top, the least favorable at the bottom. Then, look at the ones that you DON'T want to do, and think about what happens if you don't. Can your business survive if you don't do it? Is it something like billing? Think about the consequences. If it's calling about past-due accounts, you can either do it, and get the money, or you can not do it, and not get the money. They also give tips on how to get other people to do it for you, such as hiring a temporary assistant for half a day a week, or so. Put him/her in charge of the business day to day stuff that you just don't want to do.
The entire book is divided into 21 chapters. Since I feel the topics may interest you enough to buy the book, here they are.
1. Why a Home-Based Business in the 21st Century?
2. Mirror, Mirror on the Wall (What's the best business of them all?)
3. Marketing 101: How to get customers.
4. The Price is Right: How much should you charge?
5. What are you going to live on until ...?
6. What should you know about managing your Finances?
7. What about the fringe benefits, especially health insurance?
8. Tax benefit or burden? What you need to know.
9. Legal Do's and Don'ts.
10. There's no place like home: Setting up shop.
11. Establishing an SBA (Serious Business Attitude)
12. Taking Advantage of Outside Resources
13. Coexisting Peacefully with Kids, Relatives, Neighbors, and Pets.
14. Grow your Business Now - Ask Me How!
15. Ten ways to succeed in your Home-Based Business.
16. Ten Things to Avoid in your Home-Based Business.
17. Ten Myths about Home-Based Business.
18. Ten ways to get yourself to do what you don't want to!
19. Ten things to do if times get tough.
20. Ten Favorite, useful web sites!
21. Ten Favorite Low-Tech and High-Tech tools.
I have learned a LOT from this book. I would definitely pay the $29.99 (CND) listed price, if I lost this one. The most important lessons that I have found, I didn't realize before. Such as when you're working on your home-based business at HOME, you should treat your work-area like a real office. Set business hours, and stick to them. Another idea was not to sell yourself too cheap. Although you should be competitive, you should also charge what you're worth. (For example, if you make business cards, don't sell them ten for a penny. You won't make much money, and customers might think they aren't getting a good quality because they aren't competitive rates - much too cheap!)
I definitely recommend buying this book! It covers every section on starting a business, as well as running it if it's already started. It's a great source of motivation, ideas, and associated costs!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
julie42
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Member: Julie White
Location: Vancouver, Washington
Reviews written: 92
Trusted by: 94 members
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