Saturday, September 1, 2012

Podcasting for Your Home Business

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Give people more than just one way to get your content.  Especially for long blog posts, you might want to consider using a new format to spread your message.  Lets face it.  Web readers might only want smaller chunks of text to read online.  For more indepth information, it might be better to use audio.

People don't have a problem downloading an audio file. They can listen to it in the car.  They can listen to it while they are exercising or walking.  Audio can be more convenient and less of a strain on the user.

You probably have lots of written content that could fit this model.  So really think about taking those long blog posts and articles and turning them into something that can be consumed on an apple iphone, ipod or ipad.

Those audio podcasts might also be a way to increase the income for your business.  Think about grouping similar content together and turning it into an information product that you can sell.

Learn more about what you need to start podcasting here.


Sunday, July 22, 2012

Cheap Laptop Computer for Business

I want a cheap good quality laptop computer.  It has been a long time since I bought a computer.  The dell computers that I have purchased in the past really worked well for me.  Now the computers are starting to break down and they are getting a little loud.

The dell laptop that I own has a monitor that went out.  Plus the screen hinge where the monitor meets the base has broken.  The computer still works and I have setup an external monitor to actually see what is happening, but the time has come to upgrade to something new.

Dell really does make a good product.  There have been so many advances since the last time I bought a computer.  The computer battery life is much longer and now they make them so much lighter. Plus there is a whole new category of computer to consider.  The tablet computers, the apple ipad and the android tablets are starting to get my attention.  They keep getting more powerful and they are light and easy to use.  The touchscreen doesn't hurt too.

One thing that I am focused on is the price.  I don't want to overspend on a laptop.  Right now, I just need to get something that will work and be useful.  I am not going to wait as long to upgrade in the future.  The thing about computers is that when they work you really don't mess with them.  My computers are running windows xp and they have worked like a charm since they were removed from the box.

Sometimes I check the free classified ads to see how much people are selling computers for.  The prices are low, but then you think about the small additional cost to buy new.  Another factor is the right time to buy.  We are getting close to the back to school sales and there is the yearly tradition of the big black friday and cyber monday sales.

The cheap laptop decision will be made soon.


Monday, June 4, 2012

Online Work

Online work is attractive.  What are some of the reasons that people consider online work?  Regular jobs might be hard to come by.  Online work might be plentiful.  When you have something new, there are going to be requests for new services.


Take social media for example.  People are just starting to learn how to use social media apps like facebook and twitter.  There is online work for people that can provide social media services.  


Online work is also attractive because you might not need to drive to work everyday.  Online work can give you more freedom.  Getting an internet connection and a computer instantly puts you into the game no matter where you are. 


Online work is going to happen because people like to outsource work that they don't want to do.  Do you love to write?  Could you do it all day?  There are new blogs and websites that get started all the time and the blog owners might start to get tired of writing all the content by themselves.  They might turn to outsourcing. 


Outsourcing work is a trusted business strategy.  Big business does it all the time.  They might bring in consultants to handle a new account.  They might remove some employees and outsource the work to another location.  Many jobs that don't need to be done in-house might be an option for online work.


Online work takes the emphasis off of where the work gets done.  It all comes down to getting the results the client is looking for.  New technology is making it easier to do online work.  Smartphones and tablet computers are just two new inventions that give online workers more ways to stay connected.


Are you ready to venture into online work?  

How to Work Online

How to work online is something that you hear a lot about.  People are having a hard time trying to find traditional work.  Going through the process of getting a job is tough and it can take a long time.  The idea of getting started working online is something that many people would love to do.


The internet brings the globe together.  There are people all around the globe that are requesting services.  New websites are popping up all the time and you never know which ones will become a big hit.


One area that gets a lot of attention online is content.  Websites need new information posted online to stay relevant.  So the answer to how to work online can be answered rather quickly.  The key is to find something that you can do and get started.  


Working online means putting yourself out there and trying to land some clients.  There are all kinds of websites that work as a middle man in placing service providers with people requesting services.


Start taking a look at what you are good at and the skills that you have.  Next start taking a look at the demand for skills.  Software development is a popular skill.  You don't have to go get a job at a large corporation.  You could create software for popular programs like wordpress.  Wordpress plugins are really popular.  Sometimes it might take looking at things differently.


Even if you are not a software developer, you could create your own websites.  Blogs are easy enough to start and you could use your writing skills to create short term and long term income.  


Some people really enjoy writing and a blog could be the perfect outlet that answers the question how to work online.  Create a blog on your favorite subject and offer advertising space for earning income.  Google adsense is a popular income program that can help you make money with your sites.  


Creating your own blog can be simple as pie. You could realistically have a new blog up in just a few minutes.  All you need to do is come up with a blog name and start adding content.  


Choose the focus of your blog.  Are you a political junkie?  Do you think that Mitt Romney has the right answers for the economy?  Do you think President Obama will get the jobs picture turned around? These could be blog topics that you discuss.  


Getting online is not that hard to do.  Just take the first step and get started.  

Friday, June 1, 2012

Home Business Blogs

Why are blogs good for your home business?   A blog can be a great way to share information about what is going on in your company.  Blogs don't require a lot of technical knowledge to be effective.


Your blog can be updated from just about anywhere.  An internet connection and a computer are all that you need to keep your blog up to date.  


What can you blog about?  You can create content around interesting topics that your business is focused on.  Blogs can be tightly focused or they can be really general.  Your blog doesn't have to be strictly business.  A blog can have light information too.  


Take pictures, create audio podcasts and make short videos and share them on your blog.  You don't have to stick to just one form of content creation.  



Saturday, May 5, 2012

What home business owners can learn about marketing from top rapper mixtapes

Do you ever give something away to get business later?  The other day I downloaded a mixtape from one of the top rappers in the game.  The quality of the music was just as good or better than a lot of the music that I have paid for in the past.  


The rapper talked about giving the music away as a thank you to all the fans.  It was great marketing.  He was not giving away something that was crappy music.  This music was outstanding.  And it wasn't just one or two songs, but 21 songs.  


I guess that they create mixtapes to help build buzz about the upcoming albums.  Well, I think it really works.  They get the music into the hands of people that will become clients in the future.  The free music is so good, that they up the expectation of what the paid stuff must be.  


Home business owners can think like top rap stars and start giving away some good content for free.  It doesn't have to cost you a lot of money.  Think about making your own ebooks and free videos.  Getting that information into the hands of your audience might be the  first step in opening the door to new business opportunities.  


Creating an ebook is not that hard at all.  All you need to do is create your document and save it in pdf format.  You could use the free ebook to help you grow your mailing list.  Free videos could help get more people coming to your website or blog.


Rappers are really smart when it comes to marketing.  Releasing mixtapes keeps their names in front of their audience and at the top of people's minds.  Plus they get the added benefit of their audience telling their friends and others what they thought about the music potentially growing the client base going forward.  So think about adding freebies to your home business offerings.  


The mixtape was called No Ceilings from Lil Wayne.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Get a laptop for your home business

Your home business computer is essential to your business. A laptop computer is probably the best move that you can make.  With a laptop computer, you have the flexibility of moving around and not being tied down to your home office.


There use to be a time when you would get much more value by selecting a desktop computer instead of a laptop.  Now items such as hard drives and computing power are pretty much the same.  Now with usb devices you can extend the storage capacity of your computer with ease.


A light laptop computer can give you the option of working while you are on the go. You may have a home business, but your business could require you to travel sometimes.  A laptop keeps you in the game while you are away from the home office. 


Laptop computers are really the right choice for the home business owner.  Laptop prices are similar to desktop computer prices.  You may be able to save money by purchasing laptop computers during certain times during the year.  


Black Friday Laptop Sales usually feature inexpensive laptop computers.  You also may want to shop for laptops during July and August.  They might have good prices on laptop computers because of the approaching new school year.  Just because you are a home business owner doesn't mean that you should miss out on deals.