Every day, thousands of people are starting a home business. Why not? You can spend more time with your family, set your own schedule, skip sitting in traffic every day, and you won’t have to work for a boss you don’t like!

However, many people fail in the home business industry. It’s an unfortunate, but simple fact. If you are thinking about getting started with your own home business, or already have one and are struggling, then listen up because you may be making some of these mistakes…and not even realizing it!

7 Common Mistakes Made by Home Business Owners

1. Sleeping In

I know, you think I’m crazy. I get it. You don’t have to wake up to an alarm clock any more, rush through breakfast (if you even have time for any at all,) sit in traffic and then hope you get to work on time.

That’s great. It’s one of the most wonderful perks about having a home business. Just remember, it’s still a business. If you want to sleep in, by all means do so, just don’t forget to get up and get some work done.

It’s amazing how many people will wake up at 5AM to go to a job they hate, but struggle to get up and work just as hard on their own business!

2. No DMO, To-Do List or Goals Set

What are you going to do every day? Remember, no one is standing over you telling you what you have to get done and when your next deadline is. This can be difficult for most, if not all entrepreneurs, at least in the beginning.

Don’t let this discourage you. Figure out what your business plan and goals are first of all, so that you can put some action steps into place and know what you are working towards.

Next, set up a DMO (Daily Method of Operation), something you will do each day to complete your tasks. It is also important to set up to-do lists. I know that it sounds tedious, but it can be rewarding as you get through your day and check things off this list. Also, it will help keep you focused and on track!

3. Training & Information Overload

This can be a big one and will paralyze you if you don’t watch out for it. Having a home business is extremely rewarding and can be a lot of fun, but there is a lot to learn.

Don’t try to learn everything all at once! Work with your mentor and take it one day at a time. When you are working on learning a marketing technique, master it, then move on to the next one. You will find much more success that way.

Multi-tasking has a time and a place, but it can be detrimental if you try to multi-task with your training and education. If you were in college, you wouldn’t take four years of classes in one semester, so don’t do that here.

Be patient and continue to learn and build every day. Stay focused on one topic before you move on to the next and don’t let it overwhelm you. Remember that we’ve all been overwhelmed at one point or another, just remember to take a deep breath and keep moving forward!

4. Setting Boundaries with Friends & Family

We all love our friends and family, and being able to spend more time with them is a driving motivation for most of us in this industry. However, it’s important that they understand you are not laying on the couch watching soap operas. You are building a business.

Setting boundaries is key. Make sure they understand that even though you are home, you are working. This doesn’t mean that you can’t spend any time with them of course, just not ALL of your time.

Explain to them that you are building a business. In the beginning, it’s going to take some sacrifices to have the ultimate time freedom and leverage you desire for your future. The sacrifices you are making now will pay off later, but only if you stay focused!

5. Scheduling Personal vs. Business Time

We’ve already discussed that it’s important to set boundaries with family and friends, and make sure that you are focused and working hard on your business. It’s also important that you decide what time is going to be business time and what time is going to be personal time.

This is going to be different for everyone depending on a lot of things. Maybe you have young children so you do most of your work when they are at school and when they go to bed at night.

Maybe you have a significant other that works nights so you do most of your work in the evening so that you can spend time together during the day.

It doesn’t really matter when you work. The important part is that you do work and that you have time dedicated to business and time dedicated to personal. Especially in the beginning, it is so important to stick to a more structured schedule because it will help you stay more focused.

It’s okay to schedule in some breaks and personal time during your day. In fact, I encourage it. It will make your work time more productive. Also, if you are in the middle of a training webinar, don’t stop to take a phone call from your best friend and chat for 45 minutes. Call them later when you have some downtime, they will understand!

6. Not Willing To Work Overtime

Now, I know your probably thinking something like “Overtime? In my own business? What’s THAT all about?” but stick with me. If your boss offered you time and a half or double time to work the weekend or told you that you had to work on the weekend or your job would be in jeopardy, what would you do?

Odds are, you wouldn’t do what Peter did in Office Space. You would go to work because you need the job, you need the money. Well, the same is true with your home business. Again, especially in the beginning, there will be times when you may have to work late at night or on the weekend when your friends are at the beach.

That’s okay. Once you’ve built a successful business and you can quit your day job, you will be the one lying on the beach on a Monday afternoon and your old boss will be sitting in a hot office. Not that I want them to be stuck in an office either, but you get the picture.

7. Not Willing To Invest In Yourself

So many home business owners are afraid to spend any money on anything. They want to wait until their business is going well before they spend any money. Guess what? Your business is going to grow in direct proportion to how much you grow.

You are your business for all intents and purposes. It is essential that you realize how important it is to invest in yourself so that you can learn and grow. I’m not suggesting that you buy every single marketing course and personal development CD that you come across, but be prepared and willing to invest some money.

In the beginning, your budget will likely be smaller, but as you and your business grow, you will see the huge return on your investments and you will want to continue to grow even more. No one ever knows everything and we all have so much opportunity to learn.

Stay open to learning and take advantage of the wonderful information that you will be able to have access to. The return on your investment, both personally and professionally, will be huge!

The bottom line is this: be willing to do for yourself and your business what you are willing to do for your job (which you probably hate). We’ve all made the above mistakes at one time or another, but once you recognize them, it’s much easier to begin to correct them.

As a home business owner, the rewards are huge, but you must be willing to work hard and stay focused to be successful. Don’t ever quit because that is the only way you will fail in this business. If you want it bad enough, you will be successful but you must believe in what you are doing.

To Your Success…

Have any ideas on how to keep a home business organized and running smooth? We’d love for you to share your thoughts below!

You’ve joined an amazing company. You’re living your dream of running your own business from home. You believe in the power of the internet to explode your business.

There’s just one catch. You need leads.

How Are You Going To Find Leads For Your Home Based Business?

Well, it’s important to understand who your potential prospects are and what they’re looking for.

• They are looking for leadership.
• They are looking for information.
• They are looking for a solution to their problem.

Oh, and by the way, someone who automatically starts pitching a business opportunity at them is the last thing they are looking for.

Now you know what your prospects are looking for, so what do you do next and where do you find them?

You become a student of attraction marketing, learn and implement the marketing techniques and they will find you.

Attraction marketing isn’t about chasing prospects, it’s about learning how to market in a way that in essence, has your prospects chasing you.

What Are Some Effective Marketing Techniques?

• Article Marketing
• Video Marketing
• Forum Marketing
• Blogging
• Social Media Marketing
• Pay Per Click Marketing

This is certainly not meant to be an exhaustive list of effective marketing techniques – just a few of our favorites and a great place to start.

It’s important to learn how to implement these techniques the right way so that you will be spending your time effectively and get a return on your investment.

One important piece of advice we can offer is don’t try to learn them all at once. That’s probably the worst thing you could do. Learn one, do it well, then move on to the next one and repeat.

Trying to learn too much at once is a recipe for disaster, and will surely leave you feeling overwhelmed and lost. Master one technique at a time, and then add a new skill – master that and add another, and so on.

With the exception of Pay Per Click, all of the techniques above are essentially free, except for some minor potential costs, so be prepared to spend time on those techniques. What you don’t spend in money on marketing, you will spend in time.

If you decide to focus on article marketing for example, don’t just write a couple of articles and say “Okay. I did article marketing.” Be prepared to write lots (and lots) of articles and to learn how to submit your articles to multiple places.

There are a few basics to article marketing that you will need to learn.

• Keyword Research
• Where To Host Your Articles
• Article Distribution
• Getting Ranked In Search Engines
• Converting Readers To Leads

Now, to someone who’s never looked into article marketing, or may have thought it was a simple process of writing an article and posting it online somewhere, this list may look a bit daunting – but that’s not our intention, and you really don’t need to feel that way!

The reason we point out these basics is to illustrate the point that there is a process to any marketing strategy – almost a procedure that you will customize to your own needs and style.

Whenever you invest time or money (or both) into a marketing effort, you want to be sure that your marketing will not only be found by the right audience, but also be effective. Understanding the fundamentals of your preferred strategy is the key to effective marketing.

Ultimately, learning (and implementing) the fundamentals of your chosen marketing strategy is one of your most important responsibilities.

Once you know what to look for, and where to look for it, you’ll suddenly find more home based business leads than you ever though possible.

The secret is in the fundamentals!

Every year, more and more people are realizing the opportunities available on the internet. So many people want to learn how to start an online marketing business.

Chad and I have gone through the trials and tribulations of starting our own internet marketing business, so we’d like to share our 5 step process on how to start your own!

How To Start An Online Marketing Business

1. Find A Good Mentor

Ask any successful person online or offline who their mentor is and they will tell you. I say this because they all HAVE a mentor. Don’t go this one alone. The internet is an amazing place and can provide an immense amount of opportunity, but it can be overwhelming if you try to tackle it all on your own!

This is an exciting time. You are starting your own online marketing business. You are doing it so that you can have both financial and time freedom. Well, then don’t waste your time and money reinventing the wheel.

There are so many people who have found success online and have already made many mistakes and learned some great skills. Let them be your teachers. You are embarking on a new journey and it is important to have someone to guide you.

Look for someone who you connect with and who is willing to invest their time to help you be successful. Many people are afraid that the internet is full of “scam artists.” While there are unfortunately some dishonest people out there, there are also so many wonderful leaders and entrepreneurs. Let your gut be your guide and do your due diligence. You will find the right person to work with eventually!

2. Be Willing To Unlearn

Yes, I did say unlearn. I know it sounds funny, so let me explain.

The internet can create a very lucrative opportunity, if you are willing to put the time into your business. This may be difficult for many people to believe. We have been very conditioned to believe certain things. We all have a set of beliefs and set of limitations in our minds.

The opportunities you will have may challenge some of those beliefs. Many people immediately assume something is a scam if they have the opportunity to make a certain amount of money. Generally speaking, any amount of money that exceeds the limitations a person has been raised to accept sets off their “scam alarm.”

This one can be very difficult for many and will actually stop most people before they even get started. If you don’t believe something is possible, it isn’t. Period. So you will have set yourself up for failure before you even get started.

You don’t need perfect SAT scores or a college degree to be successful in this business. The internet has created a level playing field and this goes against everything most of us have been taught.

“Go to school. Get good grades. Go to college. Get a good job.” That does not apply here and for many, it goes against their belief system, so this is where they struggle. However, if you are willing to unlearn those old beliefs and be open-minded, you will see that many doors will open for you.

Unlearning some of the beliefs you’ve been conditioned to accept is a crucial part of learning how to start a online marketing business.

3. Invest In Yourself & Your Online Education

This is a whole new world, so you can’t expect to just put up a website and make millions overnight. You would not decide to become an electrician and then just go get a job without any education or training, so why would you do that online?

There is a lot of great information online, and this is another place where your mentor can help you. They can help you by providing you with guidance and directing you to great books, training videos and educational resouces.

I will warn you though, this is nothing like being in school. This is fun. It’s exciting and the knowledge you gain can be directly applied to your new online marketing business. You will see direct applications of your skills and knowledge. It won’t be about just getting a degree so you can get a good job.

This is an area that many people fail in. They don’t want to spend any money because they “want to see if their business works first.” What? I do not understand and will not ever understand that logic, or excuse me, lack their of.

Would you try to start a law practice, but only pay for your law degree if your business works out first? Of course not. So why would anyone expect this “wait to see if the business works” logic to make any sense online? I can pretty much guarantee that anyone who has that mindset may as well go back to working for someone else because that mindset alone is enough to make you fail!

I don’t mean to come across harsh on this one, but it is so incredibly important that you understand you must invest in yourself and your online education. This certainly doesn’t mean throwing money at any course you come across. As always, do your due diligence and look to your mentor for guidance.

I personally find this particular mindset amusing, because my husband and I have spent money on our training and online education over the past couple of years, but it hardly even compares to just one year of my college education. Just something to think about.

4. Decide On What Type Of Business You’re Interested In

I’m certainly not going to sit here and name every possibility for what type of online marketing business you could have, but it’s something you should think about. You may decide that you just want to market affiliate products, or maybe you just want to run your own niche blog. Or maybe you want to get involved in network marketing.

There are many choices out there for you. These decisions are going to be based on your goals, your comfort level, your passions, your resources (both time and money) and other things as well. Once you decide on what type of business you would like to have, you are well on your way.

5. Apply The Skills You Learn

Remember, you are going to be investing in your education and learning some great new skills. These skills won’t do you any good though, if you don’t implement them into your business. You need to have daily action steps, as well as short and long term goals to keep you on track.

Depending on which marketing strategies you implement, you may have quick results, or it may take you some time to see results. The most important thing is that you are consistent with your efforts. Remember,it is more often that our smaller, consistent efforts have a greater impact rather than our larger, yet inconsistent efforts.

Which do you think is better for you and will yield more results? Working out 30 minutes, 5 days a week or working out for 8 hours one day a month? This is how you have to think about your business.

Now you know how to start an online marketing business with this 5 step process. Don’t hesitate, go get started. It will be the best decision you ever make!

Starting and running a successful online business is something that almost anyone can do. It doesn’t require a college degree. It doesn’t require perfect SAT scores or straight A’s in high school.

So, why don’t more people have success with an online business?

The reason is because it does require things that you can’t attach a grade to or assign a degree to. Running a successful home business requires you to untrain your mind, get out of an employee mindset and be extremely focused.

The following seven things are, in my opinion, absolutely essential to not only starting an online home business, but are also essential if you want it to be successful!

7 Keys To A Successful Online Home Business:

Great Business Model

If you try to build a big, beautiful house on a weak foundation, it may seem great and look perfect at first, but watch out. Over time, it could crumble and eventually fall to the ground.

The same is true with a home business.

A home business isn’t about getting rich quick and “free” business opportunities. (Remember, you get what you pay for!) It’s about finding a solid business model, one that has been proven to work and that you can build your business with over time.

Leadership & Training

For many, having an online home business is a completely new experience, so don’t go it alone. Whenever we want to be successful at something in life, we should find someone who is having success and do what they are doing.

The same is true here.

There are many successful home business owners out there, so finding great leadership is extremely important. It can takes months or even years off of your learning curve.

Make sure your mentor can offer you not only leadership, but extensive training as well. There are going to be many new skills you will need to acquire, and there is no short cut here. You will need to be focused, but it is important that you have the right training available to you.

Leverage

Leverage is key. One of the greatest rewards to running an online home business is being able to leverage your time. It’s great to be able to do something only once, and then reap the benefits over and over again, for years to come.

Another important aspect of leverage is the training we mentioned above. You are going to want to anticipate how new prospects you bring into your business are going to be trained. It will be your job to guide and help them, but are you going to be responsible for all of the training yourself? Or is there a system built into your business model that will take care of that for you?

As a home business owner, you want to enjoy the freedom that this industry allows. It is important to make sure you are not going to get caught in the cycle of having to do all of the training yourself, because that is certainly not a good way to leverage your time!

Discipline

This one is so important. Most of us come into this business with an employee mindset. We go to work, do our “job” and then we get paid. We work for a certain number of hours and are compensated for our time.

Be ready for all of this to change.

When you are running an online home business, no one cares how much time you work. Sorry, but it’s true. What is important is that you work smart, rather than hard. The most crucial thing is committing yourself, every day, to actually getting the work you need done!

No one is going to be standing over you telling you to get your job done. There is no time clock, and there is no “paycheck.” You must have the discipline to do the work yourself if you want to be successful. This can be harder than most think, but if you are disciplined, the rewards are huge.

Focus

So, you are disciplined enough to sit down and work, but are you focused? This one can be a struggle for all home business owners, novices and veterans alike. You go online to do some research and you stumble across a YouTube video which leads to another video and another…you get the point!

Having a well-written “To-Do” list can be the difference between a profitable home business and a “hobby.” Some people write their lists the night before, some prefer to do it in the morning. Some write them on a white board, some use a text document on the computer and others just write them on a piece of paper.

It doesn’t matter where and when you do it, but it does matter that you do do it. If you don’t know what you need to accomplish during a particular day, then how are you going to accomplish it, and how will you know when you do? Working “on the fly” may feel like it works for a while, but in the end maintaining a focused effort will make all the difference in the world.

Mindset

This one must not be overlooked. Having the right mindset is integral to having a successful online home business. You have to believe in what you are doing.

Period.

If you are just “trying out” your business to see if it “works,” let me tell you: it won’t work. It’s that simple.

Our businesses grow in direct correlation to our own personal growth. Personal development is key to entrepreneurs. In fact, I’ve never met a successful home business owner who hasn’t spent a considerable amount of time on personal development and working on their mindset.

Again, there is a shift from being an employee to being a home business owner. A shift from having $50,000 being a yearly goal to having it become a monthly goal. We are programmed to believe we have certain limitations in life. We are programmed to believe we need to go to school and get a job in order to be successful – that there is only one path to success.

This is not true, and we need to reprogram our way of thinking.

I can tell you from experience that personal development has been integral to the success of our business and I truly don’t think anyone can have long term success without the right mindset.

Passion

Are you excited about what you are doing? Or are you ashamed of it? Does your business feel like a J.O.B.? Are you inspired to help others be successful in starting and running their own home business? If your home business feels like “work” or a chore, than you probably won’t be inclined to spend much time on it. If you can’t put the time in to build your business, it probably won’t be successful.

This is why it’s so important that you are passionate about your business. It is also important that you are passionate about why you want to be successful and that you have clear reasons as to why you started a home business in the first place.

Please don’t say it’s about the money or the fancy cars because at the end of the day, those don’t make for good reasons. You see, money is just a vehicle to allow you to have/do what you want in life.

So, what is it that you want?

• Do you want to be able to spend more time with your family?
• Do you want to be able to sit down every night to dinner with your kids?
• Do you want to be able to travel the world?
• Do you want to be able to dedicate time to your favorite charity?
• Do you want to start your own charity?
• Or do you just want to be able to get up without an alarm clock and work in your pajamas…?

Whatever the reason, it has to be something you are extremely passionate about because if you aren’t, you may lose the drive to succeed. It may just become easier to go to your J.O.B. and collect your paycheck.

So find your passion and nurture it! That is what will propel you to succeed and that will be what keeps you going when things might seem tough!

Well, now that you know the 7 keys to starting and running a successful online home business, what are you waiting for? This industry is filled with some amazing people, but there’s always room for one more!

This is a question so many people are looking for the answer to. We all want to know what the best home business is so we can live the lifestyle we desire and still enjoy our work from home.

Well, herein lies the problem. What I might enjoy may not be something you are particularly passionate about. If that’s the case, the business I’m involved in may not interest you at all and vice versa.

I mean c’mon, not everyone likes the same ice cream flavor which is why there are so many flavors, right? It doesn’t necessarily mean that some are good and some are bad (well, except maybe pistachio ).

And what about sports? Is there a best sport for kids to play? Not necessarily, but if your child is playing soccer and they absolutely hate it, they probably won’t excel at it.

On the other hand, if they love baseball and really enjoy playing and practicing, they are probably going to do really well.

It’s the same with finding the best home business. It can’t be a one size fits all approach because we are all different and enjoy and excel at different things.

Would it make sense to align yourself with a company that sells alternative energy products and promotes green living if you drive around in a hummer and can’t be bothered to recycle?

Probably not.

That’s the message here. Find a mentor and a business that aligns with your passions and your interests and build around that. If you are excited about your work, it will be much easier for you to find the type of success you are looking for.

That all being said, there are some things to look for when looking for the best home business.

What Makes The Best Home Business For You?

First, let’s answer a few questions.

What are your goals?

Are you looking to make a few hundred dollars a month to supplement your current income? Do you want to make a full-time living with your business? Do you want to make a fortune so you can live a life of luxury and leave a legacy for your kids? Remember, everyone wants something different so it is important to be clear about what you want.

What are you passionate about?

What do you get excited about? What is it that interests you most? If you didn’t have to worry about money, what would you pursue or spend your time doing or learning more about?

To be honest, for us it’s not about trying to sign up everyone we can into our business to try to make a quick buck. You see, we understand the passion and drive that is necessary to succeed so we look to work with people who have that, and who we can help reach their goals.

Does the business allow you complete freedom and mobility and is this important to you?

In other words, if you wanted to move or travel, would you be able to do so without missing a beat in your business?

This one is really important to Chad and I because we are planning a move to a warmer climate in the near future and we also love to travel.

It’s really nice to not be tied down to one place and to know we have the ability to go where we want when we want. After all, who wants to have a home business only to be captive in their home office?

What type of leverage is built in to the potential home business?

Once you learn how to leverage your time and money, that is when true freedom really happens. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to do something only once yet reap the benefits 24-7 for years to come? Wouldn’t it be nice to learn how your money can work for you?

Once you learn these skills, it is unbelievable the doors that open up!

Chad and I wrote a post called 11 Things To Consider When Choosing a Network Marketing Business. Those 11 things are:

1. Find A Product Line That You Are Passionate About
2. Look For A Valuable And Unique Product Line
3. Compensation Plan
4. Built In Training Platform
5. Access To Online And Offline Marketing Strategies
6. Having A Marketing System/Sales Funnel
7. The Ease Of Order Processing
8. The Strength Of The Leadership
9. Integrity
10. Finding A Good Mentor
11. Company History And Track Record

We go into much more detail in the article to help you make your decision so we invite you to take a minute to check it out.

In the meantime, trust your gut, follow your passion and keep your eyes open and head clear when making your decision.

We can tell you that having a home business can be a lot of work at times, but it can be the most rewarding experience (we don’t have children…yet ) and it can allow you to live whatever lifestyle you desire.

Good luck with your decision and congratulations on deciding to become an entrepreneur!

One of the biggest challenges faced by business owners is managing your most valuable asset (your time) effectively.

Let’s face it. The internet (and the world, for that matter) provides a constant series of distractions, tangents and diversions to take us off track. Combating the effects of those distractions is no easy task!

So how do business owners like us stay on track, in focus, and at our most productive?

Simple. Hold yourself accountable for your time. Organize it, structure it and stick to that structure. Basically, do like Santa Claus does: Make a list, check it twice.

Life Without A List

Think about the last time you sat down in front of your computer without a clear plan of what you were going to do. Not just what you were going to do first, but what you were going to do that day. First, second, third, fourth, and so on, until you plan on saying to yourself “Job well done. Time to relax.”

By the way… you should be saying things like that to yourself on a regular basis. If you aren’t, it means you are either selling yourself short and being way to hard on yourself, or you need to adjust your focus so you can start saying it. Either option is bad, and I honestly don’t think one is worse than the other – but I do believe that we are all victims of both from time to time.

Anyway, back on focus (what did I tell you about distractions? I just distracted myself right there, in the middle of a blog post!). We were talking about what happens when you don’t have your tasks mapped out in front of you.

If you have nothing specific set out for yourself, you’re bound to start wandering aimlessly about the web for who-knows-how-long. Check your email, read some tweets, respond to some comments on your Facebook page/YouTube channel/blog/forums… maybe even go through some or all of those twice.

Then, while you’re on YouTube, a funny video of a walrus playing checkers with a french speaking kitten wearing a sombrero sucks 47 seconds out of your life.

After that, you see something even more entertaining in that insidious “Related Videos” box. I really don’t like that box. It is the KING of distraction. Seriously. Related Videos = Work of the devil.

You’re only laughing because you know it’s true – and despite your most sincere promises to yourself to be more productive, it happens over and over again.

So what can you do?

The Power of a To-Do List

I remember an email I read once, from one of my greatest mentors in this industry. In this email, he announced that he would be sharing the single greatest tool he used in his business, every day, without fail.

The email went on to explain that this one tool – to which he attributes the majority of his success – was free for anyone to use.

As you can imagine, this seemed like a great deal! I couldn’t wait to find out what it was, so I read on feverishly. The answer that awaited was so simple – and yet powerful – that I couldn’t agree with him more. This WAS the most valuable tool for a business owner.

You ready? Notepad.

Yup. That free piece of software (or something similar) that comes on pretty much every computer. A simple program that allows you to enter, save and edit text – and that’s all it does.

The reason this is so powerful is because it makes it easy to do what so many of us fall short on: make a list for the tasks that we will complete each day.

Now, whether or not you choose to use notepad is up to you – but this example is so powerful because it is so simple. Before you end today, you should plan tomorrow.

Make a list of all the things that need to get done tomorrow and stick to it. Don’t forget though, the last thing on tomorrow’s list should be to make another list for the next day…

Don’t Just Make A List. Make A BIG List

Sometimes, size does matter. I’m not saying your list should be 50 items long – in fact I strongly advise against packing too much in.

Trying to take on too much at once will lead only to frustration, stress and doubt. Push yourself, but be reasonable. This philosophy applies to writing to-do lists, eating Thanksgiving dinner, and many other important parts of your life.

What I mean by a “BIG” list, is one that you can’t miss. If a notepad file on your desktop and on the taskbar of your computer is enough to remind you to stay on track, great! If you need something more aggressive, do it.

Whatever you do, make sure that list is visible. Tape it to the side of your monitor, hang it from the ceiling above your desk, or pin it to your shirtsleeve.

Personally, I write my list on a whiteboard by my desk. Every time I get up to stretch, or walk into the room on my way to the computer, it’s there. Watching me. Reminding me. Guiding me.

It’s kinda like the Force.

Turn Your List Into A Schedule

For me, this is the part that makes all the difference.

When I write my list, I go back through it and evaluate each task. Next to each item I’ll write down approximately how long it should take me.

Once that’s done, I can add all of the items up (the final number is usually pretty surprising!), so I know how long everything should take, how much work REALLY needs to be done.

From there I can evaluate the expectations I’ve laid out for myself. Too much? Should something be saved for tomorrow? Do I have time to take some of tomorrow’s items on today?

I can also figure in when I plan to start, so I know when I’m going to finish. I can figure in breaks when necessary – because they are necessary.

If you don’t schedule your downtime, you are much more likely to just take it whenever you start getting a little tired or worn out. This isn’t a break. It’s a distraction.

If you have a break planned in advance, you’ll know it’s coming, and look forward to it. When your mind starts to wander, you can use that break as a proverbial carrot to put yourself back on track.

The last part of the scheduling side of this is checking up on yourself. Throughout the day, make a point of evaluating how long each item actually takes.

Try to keep a log, either mentally or on paper, of how accurate your time estimates are turning out to be. The reason you want to do this is two fold:

1. It’s a great way to discover what types of jobs are taking longer than the should, and address the issue
2. You can start to evaluate how fair you are being with your estimates – allowing you to create a more accurate (and therefore more effective) list in the future

All of this talk about writing a list and holding yourself accountable may seem like common sense, but trust me: It’s the things we take for granted and say “yea, yea, I know…” that we are most likely to blow off.

You’re running your own business now. You are your own boss. There’s no one standing over you, making sure you’re doing what needs to be done.

That was probably the whole point of embarking on this journey in the first place, right?

The bottom line is, now that that “boss” is gone, and they aren’t there to “make” you get your work done, someone needs to step in and take their place.

And since this is YOUR business, guess who that “someone” is going to have to be?

We’d love to hear your tips on how you stay on track in your business, so feel free to leave comments below

Working from home can be an incredible blessing, but choosing the right company isn’t always easy.

There are a lot of things to consider, which is why we’ve prepared this list of eleven important things to think about when deciding on a network marketing business.

1. Find A Product Line That You Are Passionate About

Don’t market something you wouldn’t purchase yourself. A good salesperson can sell just about anything – but if you want to be a salesperson, you should be applying for a job at a car dealership, not starting your own business.

What do you care about? What excites you, or brings a tear to your eye? Once your business is as successful as you know it can be, and you don’t need to worry about a job, or bills, or anyone’s expectations but your own, what will you do every day?

What will you focus on when you have complete freedom?

That’s your passion. The products you market should fit that passion. If you don’t truly care about and believe in the products you are selling, your customers will sense it.

Once you have a product you truly believe in, your business really becomes more about sharing your passion than about selling a product – and that is what people trust and respond to.

Without it, you usually just come across as another marketer, pitching something to anyone who will listen.

2. Valuable and Unique Product Line

Another important thing to consider is the value and individuality of your prospective company’s product line. When looking into different opportunities, be sure to evaluate the products they offer, both in terms of their value, and how unique they appear to be.

If you can easily name or find half a dozen companies that appear to offer a similar product, then those products are effectively going to be competing against one another. If your future prospects learn about your product and feel like they’ve heard the same story from other companies in the past, they are much more likely to move on. You may want to consider looking for a product that is as unique as possible.

In addition to being unique, the product you intend to market should also provide real, identifiable value. If the only benefit to purchasing your product is that it carries a business opportunity with it, you may want to look for alternatives.

If the only reason people buy your product is to join your biz opp, then there is nothing really setting you apart from the other countless business opportunities that are available to them. Your product should be something that can stand alone, even without a business attached to it.

A product that can provide value, in and of itself, is much more likely to attract customers than one that feels like it’s only real purpose is to make your business seem legitimate.

3. Compensation Plan

When looking for a good company, you are obviously looking for a good compensation plan. That doesn’t mean the plan that appears to pay the most!

Make sure the compensation plan makes sense… you shouldn’t need a PhD to understand exactly how you are being paid!

You should also evaluate how effective this compensation plan will be in terms of the goals you’ve set for yourself. Based on the commission structure, how many sales will you need to make to meet those goals? How realistic is that number?

Don’t be afraid to look at companies that offer higher-priced items that carry larger commissions. There is a belief that it is easier to sell 100 fifty dollar products than it is to sell a single $5000 product – this is not necessarily true, if you market to the right audience.

Consider your comp plan, the price points and commission levels carefully before you join a company!

4. Built In Training Platform

Building a new business involves learning a lot of new information – more so than many new business owners realize. An important aspect of choosing a new network marketing company is finding one that will help you gain the knowledge you need.

Ultimately, this is your business, which means gaining the necessary skills is your responsibility. As you build your business, it will be up to you to perform your own due diligence on new marketing techniques and training materials, but it can be extremely helpful to align yourself with a company that helps you get the ball rolling.

This applies both to you, and to your developing team.

When selecting a network marketing business, it is important that a system is in place to streamline the process of mentoring new team members. You should be there to answer your team’s questions, and help them find the information they need, but you don’t want that to become your only focus! After all, you still have your own business to focus on!

When selecting a company, make sure there are tools in place to make it easy for your team to duplicate your success.

5. Access To Online AND Offline Marketing Strategies

The internet is a powerful tool, and leveraging it can be an incredible useful weapon in building your business. That doesn’t mean that online marketing is for everyone, or that it is the only way to succeed.

It is entirely possible that you, or some of your future team members, prefer to take an offline approach. Not everyone is comfortable on Twitter and Facebook. Not everyone wants to master Google Adwords and SEO!

Now, in today’s world, trying to build a business without at least SOME online presence is a guaranteed way to leave a lot of money on the table, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be everyone’s primary focus.

It’s important that your company provide avenues for marketing both online and offline – allowing you, and your team, to market in the way that they are most comfortable with, or even with both.

6. Marketing System/Sales Funnel

So you’re building a business. Meeting people, driving traffic to your website… then what?

Make sure there is a system in place to help you organize and deal with your prospects, leads and customers. Once someone comes to your website or meeting – how do you stay in touch with them? Is there a process in place for you to easily gather their contact information?

Once you have that information, what do you do with it? How do you organize it? What do you say or send to these people? What do you do if they aren’t interested in your product? How do you recoup some of the marketing expenses for all of the leads that don’t become customers?

These are important questions to ask before joining a company, and not all companies have all the answers. If this is the case, figuring out how you intend to handle these obstacles is an important step, and will save you a lot if time, energy, money and aggravation.

7. Ease Of Order Processing

One of the most important aspects of running a business is taking care of your customers and processing their orders. When choosing the perfect network marketing company, make sure you consider what you will be responsible for when a customer orders a product.

Do you process their payment? If so, how? Is it your responsibility to place their order? To ship the product? To handle any returns or refunds?

What kind of shipping fees, or transaction fees will you be responsible for? How much of this process is automated or handled by your company?

These may be some of the most important questions to ask when starting a new business!

8. How Strong Is The Leadership?

You are your business – to be successful, you must be the strong leader your business needs! This principle holds true for any company you consider joining.

Strong leadership is absolutely essential, and should be considered strongly when considering any new network marketing opportunity.

Who are this company’s leaders? What’s their story? Where did they come from? What got them into this business, and what did they do before?

How involved are these leaders? Are they someone you’ll hear on weekly training calls and talk to at events? Or are they just a face on a newsletter?

The leadership of your company will say a lot about it’s future – these leaders should be dedicated, passionate and involved.

9. Integrity

One definition of integrity is “Adherence to moral principals; honesty.” This is something you should look for in a company.

If the company you are evaluating isn’t completely transparent, if they aren’t open and honest about their products, their business plan and mission, or if they are unclear about their goals over the coming years, you may want to look a little closer.

Do the leaders we just discussed a moment ago act with the highest level of integrity at all times? Are there any conflicts of interest in the business model?

The integrity and ethics of any company should be a major factor in whether or not you feel comfortable aligning yourself with them.

10. Find A Good Mentor

A company is only as good as it’s people. When starting a network marketing business, you want to make sure you are aligning yourself with a good mentor – someone who is there to help and guide you.

Ensure you are joining your company under someone who is capable of guiding you and answering your questions as you learn and grow your business.

Ultimately, your success – in any company – is in your own hands. It’s up to you to learn the principles and strategies of effective marketing. It’s up to you to consistently implement those strategies. It’s up to you to put in the time and energy required to succeed.

Your mentor is there the help you along the way, or to guide you when the training materials at your disposal need clarification, to offer feedback on your marketing materials.

What you want to know is how dedicated your potential sponsor is, how passionate they are, both about the business you are joining, and about helping you learn.

You mentor should be professional, meaning they take their business, and yours, seriously! They aren’t just there to collect their commission when you join, but to help you learn and grow as a business owner.

11. Company History and Track Record

New companies get started all the time – meaning you’ll see a lot of pre-launches and chances to “get in at the ground floor!”

To many marketers, this is the best way to start a business: be there at the beginning, so you can “be at the top” as the company grows.

Other marketers believe it wiser to choose a company with an established track record. A company that has already demonstrated that it has a valuable product, successful business model and effective comp plan may be a better fit for you.

We certainly aren’t here to tell you which of these philosophies is right or wrong, but this is definitely a topic that is worth a little thought – consider carefully which option best suits your needs and risk tolerance.

Tying It All Together

Ultimately, the decision lies with you. The list we’ve provided here certainly doesn’t outline everything that goes into selecting a network marketing business, but it does share what we see as some of the most important ones, based on our experience in this industry.

It’s up to you to perform the research and due diligence into your own company before you get started, just as it is up to you to decide how important each of the items on this list is to you.

Deciding what company you want to be a part of is an important task – the last thing you want to do is get caught up in the cycle of joining company after company, always finding something that doesn’t feel right, or fit with your values. Jumping from one business to another is counterproductive and inefficient, which is why choosing the best company, and the best team, the first time around is so crucial!

We hope this list helps make your decision easier. We welcome any comments and feedback to add to this list below (as always, please keep it constructive ).