Leave Home!

Years ago someone told me the story of a successful business owner who, once a year, would pack his bags, leave the family home, and head off to spend a week alone with the business plan. I’ve emulated this ever since and every year I think it’s time well spent. Freshly back from this year’s break, here are my five tips on how you can reap rewards from taking a business break.    

1. Head to a place that stimulates the senses

This place doesn’t have to be far from home but it’s important you travel to it as the journey itself gives a sense of separation. As the car drives away/train pulls out/plane takes off, you positively feel yourself moving farther from the detail of the business and heading towards a space and place that will help you focus on ‘the bigger picture.’ Ideally, choose a place with dramatic scenery; open seas, rolling hills, tall skyscrapers; essentially you’re looking for a landscape that’s different to the one you’re used to as this will stimulate the imagination and create the perfect setting for planning.

2. Get settled

You’re in the setting and a new place, get yourself accustomed to it; take a walk, have a drink, allow your mind to wander and people watch! Feel yourself starting to relax? Good. You’re in the right frame of mind to start planning!  

3. Ask yourself two questions

How has the business performed over the past six months/year and where do you want to take the business in the next 6 to 12 months. Write down your thoughts .. on napkins … in a notebook .. on your phone ..whatever is closest to hand. Be ambitious in your goals and make the most of being in a place that’s encouraging you to plan for your dream business.

4. Don’t rush it

It’s likely you will come up with a new idea for the business in a ‘eureka’ moment of ‘Ah! Why didn’t I think of that before!’ – allow time for this moment to come. You’ve certainly created the right conditions for innovation as your brain is finely tuned on the business and not distracted by detail.

5. And now for action

Possibly the most important point of all. Take your notes, head home, and get started on turning plans into reality!  

Business breaks don’t have to be a full week, or far away. What’s important is to place yourself in conducive surroundings. I do this alone as did the man I emulate but you may choose to go with a business partner or friend so you can vocalise your thoughts. Go with what works for you and know that taking time out may seem like an extravagance, but it will pay dividends.

Emma Jones is founder of Enterprise Nation, a business expert, and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up’ and ‘Working 5 to 9’

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1. Start now!

If you’re an undergraduate and looking at the job market with dread, start taking small steps now to earning an income. Is your degree in languages? Become a private tutor via sites like First Tutors or sell your skills to business through the likes of Lingo 24 and Language123.com. Are you good at making things? Make a few more and upload to sites such as Folksy.com and MyEhive.com so you can sell to a wider audience. Kane Towning started on the path to self-employment whilst at Leeds University and as soon as he graduated, became full time director of AIM Clubbing; an events company set up with two fellow students and friends.

2. Seek out help

There is plenty of help on offer whilst you’re studying –- and still when you leave. Whilst studying, check to see if your College or Uni hosts an enterprise society; NACUE is a good source for this. Make the most of events, competitions and Awards hosted by National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship and Shell LiveWIRE and why not take on work experience with entrepreneurial upstarts so you can learn on the job via sites including Enternships and Gumtree.

3. Club together

Does starting a business seem a bit too daunting when you haven’t even left learning? Then pool your talent, join with friends and start that way. This is what the three amigos Oliver Sidwell, Ali Lindsay and Chris Wickson did when they came up with the idea for RateMyPlacement – Work Placements & Internships for Student whilst studying at Loughborough University. After graduating, they all secured jobs and worked collectively on the business at nights and weekends. That was three years ago and the company is now a startling success.

4. Go Global

To be sure of a wide market for your products and services, go global from the start. Technology enables you to do this with sites such as Odesk and Elance allowing you to be found by customers around the world if you’re selling time and knowledge and having your own website (with good search engine optimisation) increases your chances of picking up overseas trade.

In business, the world truly is your oyster and think of all the places you’ll get to travel to meet clients, and taste local culture!

5. Thanks be to folks

I hear from many students who are running a business and getting much-needed help from parents whether it be rent-free accommodation or having a bookkeeper/mentor/telephone receptionist on tap who won’t expect a salary in return! Arthur Guy started ‘a star solutions’ when he was 17, after working at an electronics store. He’s now completing a PhD at Sussex University so his Mum takes care of the day to day running of the business. Thanks, Mum!

Even if you don’t turn your business into a full time venture, the experience of being your own boss and showing you have the attitude and skills to make a living will look good on your CV and set you apart from those other 69 applicants.

Emma Jones founder of Enterprise Nation, a business expert, and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up’ and ‘Working 5 to 9’

Images:

• j.o.h.n. walker ~ cc
• thinkpublic ~ cc

Complementary skills

If your talent is being the front face of the company and you relish goingout to meet clients and do deals, find a partner who prefers the nuts andbolts of operations and who will make sure the business runs smoothlywhilst you’re on the road. Having different yet complementary skills helpsdefine the role you and your partner will play.

One note of caution … if you’re business is already established and you’reapproached by a fellow business owner who wants to partner, bear in mindthat by virtue of being a business owner means you like being in control. Besure you feel comfortable with having two people who like being in control,in control! What often works well is a business owner finding a partner whois an adviser or a former business owner as they put your interests firstand no longer have anything to prove in their own business.

Shared vision

You may be different in nature and talents, but where you do need to be asone is in the vision for the business. Have a shared vision for what youwould like to achieve, the way in which you’ll go about it and, how youwould ideally like to exit the business (sale/succession/buy-out etc)

Trust

This is a critical one. It takes a while to establish (and partnerships arenot something to be rushed in to .. again .. just like marriages!) but it’sso important to have trust in the person with whom you are partnering. Thisis why we see so many family teams (husbands/wives or brothers/sisters)coming together; they trust each other implicitly. Try to find that in yourown match.

The relationship grows

To allow the partnership to flourish, there are three points to bear in mind:

• Have clear roles – decide who is doing what in a way that makes the most ofyour particular skills
• Work in separate space – we often hear from husbands and wives who run onebusiness but work from separate spaces in the home. In my first business mypartner and I worked from separate offices, in separate homes!
• Communicate often – you may have your own role to play, and work in separatespace, but be sure to talk … and keep on talking. Tools such as Basecamp, Google Docs and Huddle have made project management and communication so much more effective.

Plan for break-up

It may be that your business partnership lasts a lifetime or maybeuntil you sell or receive investment. Either way, draw up an agreementat the very beginning of the partnership that sets out what happens in theevent of break-up; it’s like a pre-nup for business.

A successful business partnership will bring you happiness and financialreward. It’s someone with whom you share the business highs .. and theoccasional days when things don’t go according to plan. It can be one of themost important relationships you’ll have. Find that person with care andtreat them well.

Emma Jones is Founder of Enterprise Nation the home business website and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up – how to start a business from home.’ She has recently released her latest book ‘Working 5 to 9 – how to start a business in your spare time’.

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Niche is good

When planning and starting a business, try to focus on a niche audience. Doing so will reduce your marketing costs and deepen your knowledge of customers’ desires. Take the example of a cupcake maker.

Rather than starting a business to provide all forms of cupcakes to everyone across the UK, how about:

• Providing cupcakes to customers only in your local area
• Specialising in wedding cupcakes
• Becoming an expert in making only red cupcakes

With a clear idea of your customer profile, you will know where to find business and how best to promote your products/service. As you become more involved in the market you’ll gain a solid understanding of market needs which comes in handy when it’s time to innovate and expand the range.

Back to the example of our cupcake maker who, let’s say, chose the option of specialising in wedding cupcakes. This business owner now wants to increase turnover and is wondering how to go about it. The options are to start producing cupcakes for other occasions to or go deeper with existing customers and expand what’s on offer. I’d recommend the latter approach. This wedding focused cake baker could increase revenue in a number of ways:

New products

Produce a ‘make your own cupcake’ kit and market this as an activity for hen nights!

Offer cooking courses to brides who want to re-live the special day in culinary style. Produce a line in Anniversary cupcakes so the couple can mark the occasion with your products every year thereafter.

Partnerships

Partner with others who service the same customer base and agree referral deals or affiliate arrangements. Weddings also need photographers, caterers, magicians, entertainment etc

Become an expert

Become the nation’s leading expert on wedding cupcakes by writing a book, starting a blog or self-publishing a magazine. Being an expert generates revenue, adds credibility and attracts new customers.

This approach of expanding what’s on offer to existing customers will increase customer loyalty and you can have fun coming up with new ideas for products and services. Stick with your niche – it will serve you well!

Emma Jones is Founder of Enterprise Nation the home business website and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up – how to start a business from home’ and ‘Working 5 to 9 – how to start a business in your spare time’.

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Starting out

If you’d like to start a business and become your own boss but haven’t come up with an idea, start by asking yourself these three questions:

1. Is there a gap in the market?

Have you tried to buy something that just can’t be found? If so, others may be looking too. Carry out research to gauge the number of people prepared to buy and plug that gap in the market with your product or service.

2. What is my passion/hobby/skill?

As this can be turned into a way of making a living. Whatever your talent; whether it be photography, fashion, food, music, writing, you can earn an income from it. And if you’re making money from doing what you love, it never really feels like work!

3. Can I do what someone else is doing but do it better?

Take a business idea and improve on it by adding your personal touch or an innovation. Attract customers by focusing on your point of difference.

Niche is nice

I used to deliver a presentation that included the line ‘What’s the BIG idea?’ but this gives the wrong impression as it’s not about having a ‘big’ idea – what’s important is to have a ‘niche’ idea. So ask yourself …

4. Does my idea cater to a niche audience?

The more niche, the better. The Jellymongers Bompass & Parr is a company that focuses on doing incredible things with Jelly (!), Green Union helps couples who want to have an eco friendly wedding, and Labels4kids.com sticks to its knitting (well, sewing) by providing personalised name labels and stickers for children. The benefits of a niche idea is you clearly know what you’re offering, and to whom. This keeps marketing costs low and customer satisfaction high.

Keep on innovating

You’ve developed a niche and a loyal following of customers and it’s time to come up with ideas to help the business grow. There’s one final question to ask of yourself:

5. Am I monetising my product/service in as many ways as possible without diluting the brand and quality of delivery?

Asking this question will challenge you to think of new revenue streams. If you sell a skill or knowledge, are you generating revenue by delivering that knowledge online, at events, and in print/digital format. If you’re doing all these things you can be generating income from online advertising, paid-for content, product sales and event fees. The opportunities are endless.

And it all started with one small, niche idea!

If you have an idea and would like £100 to turn it into action, enter Enterprise Nation’s Ideas 101

Emma Jones is founder of Enterprise Nation, a business expert, and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up’ and ‘Working 5 to 9’.

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Grow, grow, grow!

Fellow business owners will understand when I say having a business often feels like having a child; you conceived the idea, you nurtured the business in its early stages, and it can feel tough to let it go and grow on its own! There are smart ways to scale your business and here are four of them.

Outsourcing

One of my longest-held mottos is ‘do what you do best and outsource the rest.’ Key functions to outsource include accounting, sales, admin and fulfilment. There is plenty of top talent available on the market and you can locate the skills you’re looking for by visiting business forums or dedicated sites such as Business Smiths www.businesssmiths.co.uk or Odesk www.odesk.com

Productising

If your business currently depends on you spending time on creating the finished product or service, consider putting what you do in a box and selling it at greater volume, but at a lower cost. Let me explain by using an example. I once met a lady running a business selling beautiful dresses for girls. Sales were good but the owner could sell only as many as she could make. She came up with a plan and started to produce ‘make your own dress packs’ in which material was included and DIY instructions for customers. Outcome? She could sell many more packs than dresses as they were much less time-consuming to put together. Think how you can take your knowledge or skills and package it up, to sell on.

Franchising

If you have a successful model of a business in one area, and want to expand nationwide, franchising could be your option. To succeed, you need a proven track record and model that other people will want to buy in to. Companies that have done a good job of growing by franchising include Girlie Gardening, Music Bugs and My Little Wrapper.

Going Global

Markets in the UK not big enough for you? Start selling overseas! This may happen without you even pushing for it as your home on the web naturally attracts a global audience. Use Google Analytics to track the origin of your customers and if there are certain countries that keep appearing, focus efforts on these territories. Sign up with a good international courier (check out Parcelforce Worldwide, Shipwire or Parcel2go.com), ensure you can receive international payment (Paypal is a great, cost effective option for this) and consider installing a customer feedback system on your site such as Get Satisfaction so questions can be answered from customers who are awake when you’re asleep!

Whichever route you choose, be sure to retain your niche, and you’ll be the proud boss of a successfully operating venture that can still be run from home whilst servicing a national/international marketplace!

Emma Jones is founder of Enterprise Nation, a business expert and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up’ and ‘Working 5 to 9’.

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Don’t give up the day job (just yet) start by ‘Working 5 to 9’

If you are in a job but not sure for how much longer, or wanting to turn a skill/hobby/passion into a way of making some extra cash, then you’re a perfect candidate for becoming a 5 to 9’er. This is the name I apply to the millions of entrepreneurial people who are employee/Mum/student by day and working on building a business, in their spare time. It’s a great way to become your own boss as you give yourself time to build confidence – and the all-important cashflow. Here’s how to get started:

1. Find an idea

In the book I offer 50 ideas for businesses you can start in your spare time and they range from book publisher to personal trainer, toymaker to rare breed pig farmer, and all else in between. Come up with an idea that is a) connected to your hobby/passion/skill or b) fills a gap in the market or c) is something you see someone else doing and think you can do better yourself.

2. Make a plan

With your idea in mind, make a plan. It only need cover 4 pages or so to include your idea, how you’re going to promote the business, ways of getting your product or service to market and the financials that show a profit at the end of the day. There’s a template in the book for a basic business plan that will help you draft this.

3. Promote thyself!

Promote the business and watch sales roll in. Issue a press release, host an event, enter an Award and have profiles on well populated platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Your marketing will set you up as an expert in your field, and in the book I show how you can do this without spending a single penny.

4. Make the most of technology

The book carries a good number of tips on this topic. Have the business work whilst you’re at work with a website that attracts an audience and makes it clear and easy to buy. Time is your most important asset when Working 5 to 9 so make the most of it by using web based email systems, time tracking software and Sky + to ensure you catch up with all your favourite shows!

5. Create space

Have space in the house that is reserved as your office/work area and adorn it with furnishings and items that increase productivity; a vision board, decent sound system, and a sturdy desk and chair.

6. Tell the boss

So long as you’re not doing anything that is in competition to your day job (and out of all the 60 profiled 5 to 9’ers in my book, not one of them was) then it is wise to tell your boss you’re earning outside office hours. In the book I outline how to go about this conversation and conclude that most employers see Working 5 to 9 as a good thing as you are gaining new skills, with the employer realising the benefits, without having to pay for the training.

7. Tell the taxman

We have a duty to inform the tax man of activities within three months of trading. Registration is straightforward and the book will guide you if you’re at the point of considering whether you should set up as a sole trader, partnership or limited company. It also shows how to keep the tax bill as low as possible by claiming business and homeworking expenses.

8. Do what you do best and outsource the rest

A strategy that applies throughout your business life, from starting up to growing into a full time venture. Stick to the activity you know best and get help from others in areas such as accounting, admin, sales, fulfilment, PR and marketing. Keep in touch with partners using free or low-cost tools such as Basecamp, Huddle, Glasscubes or Tinychat and the business will run smoothly, and profitably.

As well as 50 ideas for businesses you can start in your spare time, the book profiles 60 successful 5 to 9’ers. All of them speak about how exciting (and busy!) life has become since they started their part time venture; I hope you will read their stories and be inspired – and then take the tips and advice to become your own boss, in your own time.

Visit www.working5to9.co.uk to learn more about ‘Working 5 to 9 – how to start a successful business in your spare time’

Emma Jones is founder of Enterprise Nation, a business expert, and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up’ and ‘Working 5 to 9’.

Nice to virtually meet you

You may not be able to reach them by air but it is possible to speak with customers and partners through the airwaves. Here’s my top listing of applications that won’t cost you the earth.

Attend meetings

Say ‘hello’ and talk business with counterparts by utilising these online tools and services:

• Dimdim – allows you to attend live meetings, demonstrations and webinars.
• Ketchup – enables you to share and record meeting notes.
• Pow Wow Now – free conference calling at ‘Open Access’ level. Priced packages also available.
• Skype – free and easy to use conference calls for Skype users.
• Tinychat – group video conferencing, for free at
• GoToWebinar – host a meeting of many and present to potential customers by inviting them to join you for an interactive webinar.

Manage projects

Stay on top of projects and in touch with partners via one of these project management tools:

• Basecamp – allows you to create projects, invite people to view them, upload files and make comments. It’s effective online project management that can be accessed from anywhere.
• GoogleDocs – share documents via Google with GoogleDocs. You can edit on the move, choose who accesses documents and share changes in real-time.
• Glasscubes – this tool offers project management, collaboration and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) all in one package.
• Huddle – offers simple and secure online workspaces. Huddle is hosted so there’s no software to download and it’s free to get started.

When travel does come back on the agenda, there are other technologies to adopt to ensure the business travels with you; such as a webmail system that allows access to emails from anywhere, a remote desktop offering files and folders on the go, or web-based office systems like Google Apps or Open Office so the entire business is stored online and in easy reach. I’ll cover these in detail in a future piece. Until then, happy homeworking and connecting with the globe!

By Emma Jones is Founder of Enterprise Nation the home business website and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up – how to start a business from home’ Her next book ‘Working 5 to 9 – how to start a business in your spare time’ will be published in May 2010.

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Links that help this site…

About these links: We aim to help you find the advice, tools and services you need. If you’re interested in any of the services mentioned below then using the above links will help us make a little money. Our editorial is not influenced by our advertisers, we really do think these products are worth checking out.

Business services

Are you an IT contractor, graphic designer, business coach or expert translator? These sites are a good match for your talents:

• Peopleperhour.com – over 45,000 freelancers use this site to source work and new clients. As the freelancer, you respond to job opportunities, pitch for work and receive payment, all via the site. www.peopleperhour.com

• Business Smiths – companies needing anything from business plans to web design head to this site to find experts who can help. Could you be one of them? www.businesssmiths.co.uk

• Wooshii – a new kid on the block, this site has been created for creatives who produce video and rich media. Companies upload their projects and Wooshii registered creatives respond with their best offer. www.wooshii.com

• Lingo24.com – for linguists, Lingo24.com can become your business development tool as work is sourced on your behalf. Clients include multinational companies and government bodies and Lingo24.com services these clients with a workforce of thousands of freelance translators spread across the globe. Lingo24.com

Personal services

If health, beauty and wellbeing is more your thing, here’s where to head:

• Return to Glory – London’s largest home massage and mobile beauty company, the site is a displaying ground for beauticians and health experts who deliver treatments in the clients own home. www.returntoglory.co.uk

• Wahanda – welcome to the world of therapists, stylists, practitioners and trainers. They gather at wahanda.com as customers come looking, ready to order their services. www.wahanda.com

Handmade crafts

There’s a growing number of sites catering to the artisan and handmade community. Here’s just three of them:

• Etsy – the mother of all craft sites. Since the company launched in June 2005, more than 250,000 sellers from around the world have opened up Etsy shops. www.etsy.com

• MyEhive.com – launched in September 2008 to promote the products of handmade devotees. www.myehive.com

• Notonthehighstreet.com – this site offers personalised gifts and other delights you – as the name suggests! – won’t find on the high street. At the end of 2009 the company reported 1,500 craft designers using the site with sales of £6.4m. www.notonthehighstreet.com

There are many more sites like these; sites which make selling so much more straightforward for the freelancer/home business owner/5 to 9’er. Test them out and watch those sales roll in!

Emma Jones is Founder of Enterprise Nation the home business website and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up – how to start a business from home’ Her next book ‘Working 5 to 9 – how to start a business in your spare time’ will be published in May 2010.

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Technology, the great leveller

It used to be that if you wanted to publish a book, magazine, newspaper or show series, you could only do so if you had access to large (and expensive) capital equipment and a workforce of hundreds. Not any more. Web-based applications are freeing up the imagination and putting home business owners in control of how content is distributed. Here are some to get you started.

Books – always wanted to write the authoritative guide for your industry/sector? Want to show off your portfolio of photographs or handmade goods in a coffee table style book? Now you can with self-publishing sites Blurb www.blurb.com and Lulu www.lulu.com

Newspapers – move over, Rupert Murdoch, the home business owners are coming to media town! Become a newspaper publisher with Newspaper Club www.newspaperclub.co.uk – the service is currently in beta but you can sign up and see what this tool could do for your business.

Magazines – digital magazines are becoming increasingly sophisticated with embedded links to buy products alongside video clips and interactive forums. Take a look at Yudu and Zmags.

According to digital publishing service, nxtbook media, advertising in digital magazines is more trusted than online ad banners so for your sponsors and advertisers offering a presence in a digital magazine and on your site offers a good rate of return for them.

Audio – speak to your audience by producing a podcast and inviting in guests who can be interviewed using Skype.

Enterprise Nation have a good round-up of features on how to produce a podcast.

Video – publish content of you making your product/service or customers saying nice things about your product/service, by using a Flip camera that can be bought for around £90 and comes with only one button so is hyper-easy to use! .

Online – share content and your expertise in the form of an online slide show using Slideshare

This list does not even cover publishing content for people to consume whilst on the move ie mobile applications and publishing for devices such as the iPad and Kindle – that will be covered in a future piece!

In the meantime, make the most of earning revenue from charging individual subscriptions or secure a sponsor who would like to be associated with your content and the viral way through which you’ll distribute it. Before you know it you’ll be publishing online, in print, and in audio/video, to an audience of interested readers/watchers/listeners. What a business to run from the comfort of your own home!

Emma Jones is Founder of Enterprise Nation www.enterprisenation.com the home business website and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up – how to start a business from home’ Her next book ‘Working 5 to 9 – how to start a business in your spare time’ will be published in May 2010.

Making the case for a business pre-nup

Do you remember Paul McCartney going to court with estranged wife Heather Mills to battle it out for who got what? Commentators made the point that a pre-nup would have saved lots of time and money. Consider a partnership agreement as your pre-nup in business. At the outset of a relationship, all is good and you’re excited about potential but be safe; have a few things written and agreed so both parties are clear on expectations.

The following should not be taken as concrete legal advice, more of a guideline on how to draw up an agreement. An agreement only need be a single page and cover the basics:

Scope of agreement – what is your partnership working to achieve, for example “This agreement is made between Company A and Company B. The agreement is related to the generation of online advertising revenues/hosting of an event/development of a new product.”

Respective responsibilities – set out the expectations on who does what. For example, Company A will be responsible for promotion and business development and Company B will take on technical development and client care. Also include note of how you’ll keep each other briefed, maybe through the use of an online project management tool such as Basecamp.

Finances – what will be the split in revenue, and is this before or after costs? And who owns the intellectual property of the product/service/activity? Consider including a clause that states the agreement will be reviewed in six months so both parties can check on progress and have the right to cease the agreement if it hasn’t gone as planned.

Be fair – agreements where both parties feel they’re receiving their fair share are likely to be longer-lasting than those where one party feels embittered. Talk about this before writing and concluding the agreement.

Sign it! – after making effort to produce an agreement, be sure to sign it! And then store it so you can access if the need arises.

When writing the clauses in your agreement, think about all the things that could go wrong and safeguard against them. It’s a practical exercise and won’t harm your newly formed business relationship but will get it off on a firm footing. If you’re looking for a template agreement, check out www.clickdocs.co.uk or www.the-legal-shop.co.uk.

Wishing you a fruitful and rewarding partnership!

Emma Jones is Founder of Enterprise Nation and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up – how to start a business from home’. Her next book ‘Working 5 to 9 – how to start a business in your spare time’ will be published in May 2010.

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Ning may be just the thing

Create your own social or business network using Ning.com. The platform was launched in 2005 by stellar tech veterans. One of the founders is Marc Andreessen who also started Netscape. You’d like to think he knows a good thing online when he sees it!

Sign up to Ning and create a network in less than a minute. Choose from one of the 50 or so template designs or, if you’re feeling adventurous, design your own. Your network can be public or private (open or closed) and Ning allows you to moderate content before it goes live. Other features include allowing community members to chat, blog and upload their photos and videos. You can also use Ning to organise events.

It’s free to create a social network using Ning but they also offer premium services that are chargeable.

See www.ning.com

Get out of a jam with webjam

Webjam also offers a free start-your-own-social-network service. As with Ning, you can choose the basic and free product or upgrade to have more features and control. Whereas Ning is very much geared towards social networks, Webjam appears to be more focused on the business audience with an Etsy network being profiled as a star site on their home page. We’re also aware that Webjam is partnering up with online e-commerce people, Venda.com so business owners can make sales through Venda and create a sense of community with Webjam – it’s a joint venture that makes perfect sense.

See: www.webjam.com

These are two tools for you to review and consider for community building. Once in place, you’ll want the community to follow!

A few tips on how to start and grow your community:

• Start the conversation – get the virtual ball rolling by starting discussion threads. Maybe drop in something controversial that will encourage people to post a return comment.
• Make introductions – keep the conversation going in the same way you would at an offline event or party. Introduce guests who you think will benefit from chatting together.
• Set guidelines – otherwise referred to as ‘netiquette’ you might want to set out a few words of structure from the start eg no fighting or swearing in the forums!
• Reward Ambassadors – find a way to recognise the people who are active posters and participants in and of the network. Maybe this is through recognition on the site or sending a gift voucher to say thanks.
• Celebrate milestones – host a virtual party when you achieve a network goal or make a fuss when a member conveys good news. It all helps create a network where there is a sense of purpose, but also a sense of fun!

Emma Jones is Founder of Enterprise Nation and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up – how to start a business from home’

1. Base the business on what you enjoy

When your hobby/passion/skill becomes your full time job, it never really feels like work. Leo Babauta has an excellent introduction to making a living doing the things you love and our ‘Making a Living Without a Job’ podcasts should give you a few ideas on how to live a ‘joyfully jobless’ life.

2. Write a plan

Prepare a basic business plan to set out your vision, market, and how you propose to reach out and sell to that market. Include financials and review the plan every six months or so.

3. Find dedicated space

Create space in the house that is your workspace. When in that space family and friends know you’re in business mode and you can walk away at the end of the working day. Invest in a good desk and chair as you’ll be spending quite a bit of time at and in them!

4. Create a professional front door

When customers come calling, be sure they’re met with a professional welcome. This applies to the way you answer calls, to your website, company stationery and even the places in which you choose to meet with clients.

5. Make the most of social media

Tools such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have been warmly embraced by the home business community. They are free to use and act as business development channel and a virtual water cooler for the moments when you miss the banter of an out-of-home office. Read our Marketing Yourself features to find out how to boost your social marketing mojo.

6. Become an expert

Set yourself up as an expert in your field by blogging/tweeting about the subject, writing a report, publishing a book or hosting an event. Being an expert gives credibility and with that, comes customers. You can also contribute to Freelance Advisor.

7. Never stop learning

Part of becoming an expert is continually picking up intelligence from those around you. Keep an eye on what others in your industry are doing, read about successful entrepreneurs and tune in to trendspotters so you can prepare for new market opportunities.

8. Get out of the house!

Attend networking events, work from the local café, sign up to a personal development course. It’s good to get out of the home office but be sure you can still be contacted and respond via your mobile/laptop/webmail etc. This is your road warrior kit!

8. Do what you do best and outsource the rest

To grow the business, focus on the core product of the company and subcontract non core tasks to other experts and professionals. Tasks like admin, accounting, PR and fulfilment.

10. Follow the golden triangle

To keep the business in balance, spend roughly a third of your time on three things; customer care, business development and admin. That way you’ll have a smooth running business with happy customers and new income streams on the way!

Emma Jones is Founder of Enterprise Nation the home business website and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up – how to start a business from home’. Her next book ‘Working 5 to 9 – how to start a business in your spare time’ will be published in May 2010.

1. Make offers

2. Make some noise

3. Make the most of social media

4. Make friends with your customers so they keep coming back

5. Make yourself known to Freelance Advisor

This feature appears as part of Episode 3 of Enterprise Nation TV

Emma Jones is Founder of Enterprise Nation and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up – how to start a business from home’

A healthy prognosis

But not only does this sector offer economic opportunity, it also offers happiness. That’s according to business owner Nathalie Page who runs a make-up school from her home and says: “Beauty therapists are rated as the happiest workers in the UK scoring a massive 9/10 according to a city & guilds happiness index” Wow. Being in the beauty business brings health, wealth and happiness! Nathalie goes on “The beauty industry is a great business to be in – suitable for those wishing to retrain either after redundancy or children.”

So let’s look at the options and ideas you can start.

Your options

1. Go freelance – become a make-up artist, reflexology professional or fitness instructor and offer lessons/receive clients in your own home or travel to clients homes/offices. If you set up in London, check out http://www.returntoglory.co.uk as a site that helps with promotion and business development.
2. Create products – unhappy about the products they were finding on the high street Yaa Adjei-Bohyen and Sarah Brown set out addressing this by creating their own products and business. Yaa sells organic, herbal and natural alternative skincare, beauty and hair products and is branching out by launching an own-label product that’s been made in Ghana by local artisans and based on a formula used in West Africa for centuries, made without chemicals or preservatives. Sarah Brown has a similar story; launching her business, Pai Skincare, to fill a gap in the market for a chemical-free skincare product. As she says “I started making my own chemical-free creams. Friends started sampling (and loving) them and it all led from there.”
3. Start a School! – Follow Nathalie Page’s example and start a make-up school from your home. Nathalie’s business is buzzing as people sign up to learn from this professionally qualified lady who specialises in high definition for film, TV and photographic shoots.

Emma Jones is Founder of Enterprise Nation, the home business website, and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up – how to start a business from home’

Image by by adria.richards

Without a sale we’re not in business and ongoing sales will spur the business to grow. Emma Jones offers five steps on how to make a sale and keep the cash flowing.

Step 1: Prepare

Before making a first approach to the potential client, carry out a search so you’re happy you have the right person, their correct name, and possibly a news item highlighting their demand eg a first note may be ‘Dear Andrew, having seen you quoted in a recent article in ABC press, I understand you are looking to move to new office premises. I am writing to introduce you to my interiors company ….’

Step 2: Present

This applies whether it be sending a first email (as above), distributing flyers or making a call to a prospect. Present the benefits of buying you and your product/service. How will it make the client’s life easier/who else has bought/what does it cost/who can they call if interested. These are all useful points to cover in a first approach.

Step 3: Persist

Saying that, unless your potential customer has an immediate need for what you offer on the day on which you make the approach, then it’s likely you’ll present yourself and then have to spend a bit of time following up. Submit the proposal, follow-up with a delicate prompt a week later and, if still no response, keep in regular contact with friendly emails and calls along the lines of ‘Hi, just like to keep you updated on what’s happening here .. would love to do business with you when you’re ready..’

Step 4: Perform

Perform to a high level so reality meets expectation. Along the way, check the new client is happy with the service they’re receiving.

Step 5: Promote

A growing roster of quality clients will give others the confidence to trade with you. Promote new sales and client wins; through a press release, via testimonials on the site, or social media such as Twitter.

Taking these steps can be eased by using software such as Salesforce.com which keeps track of sales leads and the business development pipeline. Or, do what I do, which is to use an excel spreadsheet and a handwritten list that’s regularly updated and always carried with me!

Emma Jones is Founder of Enterprise Nation and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up’

Enterprise Nation is racing to follow every home business on Twitter by Home Enterprise Day on Friday 20th November at www.twitter.com/e_nation

Freelance Training:

Selling YOU – 1 day Training Workshops

When walking down the street the other day, I overheard someone say ‘I’m just killing time’ to a friend. It’s an expression I haven’t heard in a while and that’s because many of us are trying to expand hours in the day, rather than loose them. Here are some tips on how you can make the most of your day.

A whole extra day

“fielding unnecessary phone calls and emails, or wasting time by surfing the Internet and gossiping.”

As home business owners, we don’t have the water cooler chat so we can get more done but here are some tips to get you and time in full flow:

• Tidy your desk as you finish for the day/night so you have a fresh start in the morning.
• Write a ‘to do’ list the night before (and try to include time slots eg 7-9am: site content, 9-11am: new client proposal etc – this doesn’t always go to plan but it does put some structure in the day) – having a ‘Things to do’ book helps with this task and it’s a great feeling to tick off the items you’ve achieved.
• Do the things that require most concentration first thing in the morning. That way, you’re less likely to be interrupted by calls and emails.
• Speaking of which, emails and calls can be a great distraction! When you need clear concentration, switch out of the inbox and, once the project’s done, download and reply to the mail that’s come in. You can also ‘switch off’ the phone by leaving the answer machine on or diverting it to a call-handling service, if you have one.
• Outsource tasks that take up lots of your time but earn little return. This frees up your time to spend on activities that deliver income and happy clients.
• Make the most of project management tools such as Basecamp. Why does this save you time? Because you can keep clients updated on what’s happening on their projects which means less travel to and from meetings.

He’s right. We can manipulate time. Just please don’t kill it!

Emma Jones is Founder of Enterprise Nation and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up’

In best-selling book ‘The Long Tail’ author Chris Anderson says the future of business does not lie in blockbuster hits but in niche products. Home businesses up and down the land are testimony to this. Emma Jones looks at why niche is good and showcases a few shining examples.

An authoritative source

“We are now a nation of niches. There are still blockbuster movies, hit TV shows and top-selling CDs but fewer events that capture the communal popular culture spirit. The action is elsewhere, with the country watching cable shows or reading blogs that play to a specific audience.”

Niche is good

It keeps marketing costs low. In a niche business you know where your customers are and you know what they like to see and hear. No scattergun marketing; instead a personal and well-tailored approach.

It increases income. You are a specialist/expert in your field and people will pay a margin for this.

It strengthens customer loyalty. When you’re the only kid on the block providing a niche and specific service, you tend to keep customers as they have nowhere else to go. But no room for complacency – it’s still important to provide a good service!

Shining examples

Designer-petwear.co.uk – using her own furry friends as models, Debbie Nelson started a business selling designer petwear. She’s gone on to develop her own line of parker coat for small dogs and is now planning a fashion show.

Green Union – this is no ordinary wedding planner as Rosie Ames organizes ‘green weddings’ for couples who want to tie the knot in an eco-friendly fashion.

The Cheese Shed – came about after founders Ian Wellens and James Mann asked themselves: “What if there was a website where people from far-flung parts of the country could buy fabulous westcountry cheese?” – they went on to create it, bringing joy to Westcountry cheese lovers everywhere.

If you’re starting a business, develop a specific product or idea that serves a specific audience and, if you’re growing your business, how about streamlining activity to focus on a niche end of the market.

Emma Jones: founder of the home business website Enterprise Nation and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up’

Image by mushon

Freelance Advisor and Home Business diva Emma Jones explains why now is a perfect time to spruce up your business development and pursue opportunities that will mean new work from existing customers and new work from new customers.

Here’s three things you can do to keep the contracts coming in.

More work for existing customers

Refer a Friend – develop a promotion that invites customers to refer their friends and family to you. Can you offer a discount or incentive to make this happen?

New work for new customers

New markets – have you ever thought about selling to the public sector? It’s a sector that’s still spending and the criteria to apply for projects are not as onerous as you might think. I’ve written a useful feature on this topic that refers to sites where you can search for contracts and tenders –  www.supply2.gov.uk and www.competefor.com.

New products – partner with other companies to offer a new range or bundle of products and services. If you are a web designer, how about partnering up with a print designer so you can offer an online and offline service. You reap the benefits of doubling up on business development effort and the client wins as they receive a full and complete service.

New work for all customers

Emma Jones: founder of the home business website Enterprise Nation and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up’

Image by Aidan Jones

Three simple ways to use technology to set yourself free

New technology means it’s possible to work wherever you want. You’ve already decided you want to work for yourself and away from the traditional office, but now – with a few simple tips and tricks – you can enjoy unprecedented flexibility, and work almost anywhere, from your local coffee shop to the public park. Freelance Advisor and Home Working author and expert Emma Jones explains how.

Working on the move with your computer

If WiFi hotspots are few and far between, you can now get on the Internet practically anywhere, with a USB dongle. It looks like a flash thumbdrive and allows your laptop to connect to broadband speed-Internet from a mobile phone provider.

Wi-Fi hotspots are usually free of charge in places like public libraries and independent coffee shops, where owners encourage you to use their hotspots to boost sales. If you’re looking for out of home working locations in your area, check out myHotspots.

With your mobile or smart phone

Most mobile phones allow you to check email on the move, but it’s best to check with your service provider before giving it a go. Unless included in your contract, checking email or surfing the web on your mobile phone can be quite expensive.

If you use web mail, from Google for example, or Yahoo!, it’s easy to check your email as there are mobile ready versions of their websites, which you can view on your mobile phone’s web browser.

Yahoo! Mobile -Google Mobile

Mobile broadband is great if you’re often on the move or use your laptop in a variety of locations, but it can be pricey. Look around for unlimited packages and those that provide the hardware for free.

A forwarding number

Taking these steps will free you up to work from anywhere and, with the sun starting to shine, why not head into the garden to take on the inbox!

Emma Jones is Founder of Enterprise Nation and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up’

Image by The Life of Bryan