Have you been looking for a way to turn your passion into a great home based business? If the answer to these questions is yes you may be able be achieve both personal and professional satisfaction with an online shopping mall. Online shopping is a big business, and that business is only expected to grow. Why not use the online world as a great way to make money while enjoying what you love to do – shop?

Running an online shopping center is a great way for ordinary people to both enjoy and profit from the internet shopping phenomenon. As more and more people become comfortable with shopping online the market for these online stores is only expected to grow. That means tidy profits and excellent cash back opportunities for smart online entrepreneurs who are able to provide the right mix of products. And as your online business grows your profits can grow as well.

What Can an Online Shopping Mall Do for You?

There are many ways to earn a good living on the internet, but opening an online shopping mall is one of the best. Those who choose to start their own businesses with an online store or an entire online shopping mall can benefit in many ways – including the ability to earn money online and the chance to earn great cash back bonuses when visitors make a purchase.

Opening your own online ecommerce business is also a great way to spend more time with your family without sacrificing your earning power. Many working moms and dads dream of the chance to work at home, but the opportunities for working a traditional job from home can be quite limited. But when you open an online shopping mall offering cash back and rebates you can earn excellent money and still be with your loved ones seven days a week. Online shopping is here to stay, and those who have their foot in the door stand to profit handsomely.

Many online retailers have already made their fortune – now it’s your turn.

If you have always wanted to make a great income from the comfort of your own home now is the time to get your slice of the pie. If you have always wanted to start your own internet business, whether with MLM marketing, online shopping or another fast growing industry now is the time to get started. Starting your own business is a great way to enjoy the American dream and start earning some serious money.

They tread lightly on eggshells to avoid hurting, angering or annoying their audience. Sometimes provocation is necessary. It stirs thought and creates reaction but there are many ways you can express an opinion without provoking someone.

What if it is unpopular?

Are there repercussions?

Sure.

While it takes courage to express yourself, not everyone is going to see eye to eye. If you express yourself well, most people will respect your opinion. You’ve already identified your target audience (I hope you have! If not you should do this) and they will forgive you.

Test the Waters

On the web if someone doesn’t like what they hear, they will move on. That’s okay. You probably want them to.

If you are worried about expressing your opinion openly try to get some reactions before you go public. One way is to try expressing an anonymous opinion in a forum. This will give you an indicator of what the reaction will be.

How can you express your opinion effectively?

It’s all about communication, emotion and research.

1. Communication

There are several ways to express an opinion. To simplify, let’s look at 4 key methods.

Once you choose one of the above styles you can formulate responses and arguments to all objections.

2. Emotion

How you say something, positively impacts how people will receive it. Sometimes we are very passionate about a subject and may become heated or antagonistic. Really there is no need to be nasty and negative. Remember, the other side of the coin…someone may be just as passionate about the opposite side.

A tactful way to keep yourself out of the picture but let the audience hear an opinion is by expressing your thoughts indirectly.

For example, try “some people say/think/etc….” as a precursor to what you say.

You have eliminated your attachment to the object but have still said it. This gets you off the hook and while your opinion might still hurt somebody there is no need to be insensitive and stubborn.

3. Research

Facts are important, especially when a topic is controversial or belief based. They will not only add some credential to your discussion but will educate the audience. Sure, statistics can be manipulated, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t accurate and won’t support your argument.

Paint a picture. People love a well told story. It makes everything feel real.

A touch of reflection also resonates well.

Sprinkle your facts and figures into the story. If you connect, your opinion will have a big impact and you will have made it real, not personal.

In the end, it’s not about the opinion, it’s about the relationship you keep while you express it.

If you maintain respect and keep an open mind, your opinion can be a catalyst to change attitudes or limiting beliefs. It’s a way to improve existing environments, cultures and events.

Progress can’t be made if you walk on eggshells.

It needs to be voiced. So voice wisely and learn to express yourself well.

You can immediately improve your writing by developing 4 simple habits.

FORMAT – EDIT – TARGET – ENGAGE

Let’s have a closer look.

1. Are you formatting for a web audience?

A web page needs to look a little bit different than traditional print. It’s not a newspaper or college essay. Web users scan for small chunks of information.

If they don’t find it, they move on!

So to compel them to stay and read your website, you need to practice a few things – all the time. Here’s how you can help them scan for info:

• shorter sentences – short quick sentences work, be concise (clarity & brevity)
• shorter paragraphs – it’s hard to read lengthy paragraphs, especially when many are not well written. If you can’t guarantee your readers are going to stay with a killer first paragraph, better break it down in to smaller sections so they can scan.
• clear headings and sub headings – draw them to the area they need to review
• bullets and numbered lists – just like this one are filled with key points for the busy user
• highlight key areas & words – notice how I even highlighted this list
• remember, this is the web – provide links with relevant information (on and off your site) if needed. Do this sparingly, where it is appropriate. You need to give the user more information, don’t link just for the sake of information.

2. Are you taking time to edit and proof read?

This step is much easier than you think. When you are finished writing give it a quick read. Here’s what you want to look for:

• typographical errors – commonly known as typos (example – an but meant and)
• spelling mistakes – that’s what your spell checker is for but sometimes it doesn’t catch them all
• grammatical errors – if English is not your forte or first language, practice more or use a service. Immediate changes, use the same tense and shorten your sentences (which removes wordy clauses).
• punctuation – making sure you understand where commas, apostrophes, quotes and the like makes your article a better read

*Tip – when you are editing, think about how you can shorten each paragraph or sentence by elimination.

Walk away and proofread it again. Just before you edit it, scan it. Think to yourself, is this something I would want to read?

3. Are you targeting for keywords with the search engine?

This possibly deserves a series of posts. There are courses, lessons and even websites dedicated to the topic of search engine optimization or SEO but not many people look at it as a writing tool.

Sure, you want to get traffic from the search engines, directories, social sites, blogs and infinite types of sites but if you value your audience, it is important to do your research first. You need to know what they want. If you know the keywords you are writing about, when they show up you will make them happy.

If you can pinpoint their problem, you can write about a solution. Don’t waste their time. They will click away to look for another site that meets their current need.

So determine your topic, keywords and improve your headline. Ask yourself “Is this content relevant to the topic?” and if you can truly say “yes” then you have done your job.

4. Are you engaging your audience?

Engage them. How?

Did you see that? I’m talking with you as if you are with me – face to face. It’s even easier:

• basic structure – follow a logical structure with an intro, body and conclusion
• simple language – use language that all readers can understand (if you are writing a scientific or specialized piece it is different)
• minimize promotion – eliminate all flagrant self promotion (unless it is a promotion piece)
• shorten everything – ’nuff said
• talk to them – talk directly to your audience and in a singular voice
• be sincere – mean what you say because if you write for the sake of writing it may not work

*Tip – If you want to go the extra mile and gain your audiences’ attention, why not ask them for feedback?

Usually, I like writing shorter pieces but today the information deserved more time and words. So there you have it.

Are you still going to make mistakes?

Sure.

I make them all the time and I’m okay with that. But if you practice FORMAT – EDIT – TARGET – ENGAGE in all of your writing, the improvement will be immediate.

News flash! Blogging is writing and marketing is communication.

If you truly don’t like writing there are other mediums to use such as video, podcasts and content feeds but writing is a part of blogging. It’s unavoidable and it’s a valuable skill.

I don’t want to go out on a limb and say – don’t be a blogger if you don’t want to write but at least take some steps to make it a positive experience. We all have a little bit of a writer in us. Each of us has a story to tell.

Remove the Thorn

You have several options to increase productivity and remove writer’s block. Systems work. If you follow a formula to draft your articles it makes writing less daunting and more scientific. That approach also means your article will have some form of semblance that may otherwise have been missing.

write for your audience – if you start with a goal in mind and remember who you are writing for it becomes easier to write.

choose a topic – sometimes the only thing stopping you from writing is knowing what you should write about. Go to sites in your industry or find a trend on social media and see what’s hot. Pick something that you have recently taken an interest in.

create an outline – make a skeleton with the basic points. Fill in the blanks. You can create multiple articles or reports this way. Each time you get a thought fill in the points. This is a very productive way to write.

stop information overload – stop reading news and sites on a regular basis (this will help you create your own ideas). Many people suggest reading but I think it is the time to stop. Generating your own thoughts and ideas is what creates quality and change, not regurgitating other people’s thoughts. If you empty your mind it will fill up with new ideas and your writing will flow.

walk away – do something different. It’s time to take a break. Drink water. Get some exercise. Meditate. There are many choices, but if you are blocked, you need to stop what you are doing and come back to it later.

change your expectations – you don’t have to be perfect, but try to create quality. Be accurate. Don’t pressure yourself with unrealistic goals or time lines. Rome wasn’t built in a day and practice makes it perfect. With time your writing will improve.

write in the morning – you can power write when you are wide awake and fresh. Do it before you read any emails, social media or surf the web. If you concentrate your writing to just a 15 to 30 minute block you would be surprised how much information you can get down. Let it flow and write without editing.

stay positive – avoid negative thoughts, people and actions. I’m not going to add much more. It’s a no brainer that if you maintain a positive attitude you will get things done and have an easier time doing it.

create a routine – developing a routine is like any system. If you design a system that is efficient and has specific steps, as you learn to follow those steps, the end result is an article.

Writer’s block happens to us all. It’s nothing that a little bit of time, patience and practice won’t cure. Unless you moved in next to a rock band. Then I suggest moving. For many the right environment is the forumula to write. If you have that in place the above points should set you in the right write mood.

• Eco tourism
• Sustainable Homes
• Solar Power
• Green Roofs
• Green Weddings
• Energy Conservation

The fruits that are ripe for picking are abundant. Creating a green business mindset is one proponent to unlock the door. There is a new theory out there called the triple bottom line that promotes business through people, planet and profit. I’ve also seen this referred to as economy, ecology and equity.

Let’s break that down a bit more.

Focus on becoming more efficient with resources, reduce your impact on all aspects of the environment and add value with your sustainable choices and offerings. Everyone is taken care of – the customer (people), planet (everyone & everything) and YOU (profit – in more than one way).

A rigid mind is not conducive to business. Think passion instead of obsession. If you leave yourself open to engagement and ready to adapt to new ideas you position yourself in a way that allows growth. A green mindset is always looking for a better, more sustainable solution and is ready to expand awareness and knowledge, thus increasing opportunities.

Try to focus on some of these habits:

• Reconnect with the planet and people
• Think about how good it makes you and your clients feel to go eco
• Educate and inspire along the way
• Reflect on how it improves the quality of life
• Focus on local business
• Discover sustainable solutions and look to constantly improve them

Many consumers can’t relate to green marketing yet. You have to make it “normal” or at least make it appear normal. That’s easier than you think. Make it personal. Demonstrate the benefit, especially cost saving and comfort (luxury). Focus on the impetus and you will succeed.

If you go all eco crazy and package it with corn husks it becomes a hard sell.

Utilize eco friendly packaging but be subtle. Instead, try to offer rewards and prizes. That’s right. Bribe them. But in a manner that educates and demonstrates you care about the environment. Your mindset will rub off and the green will grow.

Not too different from a traditional mindset. Just factor in people, planet and profit and you’ll slowly get the hang of it. Then you will reap the rewards both intrinsically and financially. And that’s good for everyone.

What is the Sound of Value?

Cha-ching.

Value equates to good business and good business means dollars and sense. Everybody wins. When people hear value, they want a piece of it.

But it’s also the sound of a serenade. Children playing. Laughter. It’s all those good sounds you enjoy.

What is the Taste of Value?

In a nutshell. It tastes great.

1. Value makes life easier or better
2. Value makes money
3. Value reduces cost

If your product or service fills one of those needs and there is a demand for it (don’t skip this step) you will add value by doing one or all of those three things. 

Don’t make it hard, make it effective.

The business schools reward difficult complex behavior more than simple behavior, but simple behavior is more effective. ~ Warren Buffet

What is the Smell of Value?

When you walk by a bakery it smells wonderful.

Just imagine.

Take a deep breath. It’s like heaven, isn’t it? The better it smells, the better it’s going to taste. Make sure your product tastes great and it’s probably going to smell great too.

Be careful.

Quality means just the right temperature, just the right time and just the right ingredients or else it will burn. And nobody buys burnt products.

What is the Look of Value?

This is the meat of value. All the other senses lurk in the shadows.

If you get the look right, you will have a satisfied customer. Similar to taste, the look of value is what the customer wants to see for their business or in their personal life.

To keep with Warren Buffet’s advice I’ll keep it simple here. There are just 4 main ways people look for value:

1. increase money (profits, cash flow, revenue, ROI, market share, growth, retention)
2. reduce costs (product or service cost, risk,conflict, paperwork, complaints, etc.)
3. improve life (productivity, reputation, skills, interests & hobbies, morale, health, etc.)
4. create (better system, strategy, process, product, service, quality)

That’s how you will catch their eye and you will look marvelous.

What is the Feel of Value?

The feel of value is the sum of all the senses. You feel great. Everyone feels great.

Nuff said.

Becoming someone who actually makes money reviewing books takes time and business savvy.  Some people are content to write book reviews as a hobby and as a way to get free advanced copies of books.  To actually gain an income as a book reviewer, consider these following steps:

1)  Have a Product Worth Selling

Learn to write professional sounding book reviews.  This will separate you from the competition. There are online sources and tutorials that guide you through the process.  Consider guidelines for reviewing different genres of fiction and different types of books (i.e. history, science, memoir, biography, etc.)  There are a number of excellent books that detail how to write quality book reviews.

2)  Choose a Niche

A successful book reviewer doesn’t read everything under the sun.  Choose the type of book you wish to review.  Your niche should be something you are already knowledgeable about or a topic you enjoy.  There are children’s book reviewers, literary book reviewers, self-help book reviewers, etc.  Limit yourself to reviewing only a certain type of book.

3)  Start Reviewing

You will need to establish your presence as a serious book reviewer.  Here are some ways to build a portfolio and make yourself known to authors and publishers:

• Start a book-review blog.
• Contact publishers and offer to review their books.
• Conduct author interviews and publish them on your blog.
• Involve yourself in online book forums.
• Join sites that pay for book reviewers.  There are a number on the web: some pay as low as $2.00 a review, some more.

Don’t expect the money to start pouring in right away.  Any home-based job takes time to develop.

4)  Be Proactive

After you’ve established a portfolio and have written a number of quality book reviews, start seeking out authors and publishers.  Ultimately, half of the work behind any write-for-money business is finding a platform for your work.   Seek out magazines, online publications, and newspapers that accept queries from book reviewers.  You will need to learn how to write a successful query letter to submit to newspaper or magazine publishers.

While you wait to hear from publishers, consider the following ways to make some money from your writing:

• Self-publishing companies are always looking for someone to help promote e-books.   Research successful companies and offer your services as a reviewer.
• Does your local newspaper have a book-review section?  Even small-town papers can benefit from the services of a book reviewer.  Contact the editor.
• Offer yourself as a guest reviewer on popular book blogs.  You may not make any money, but the exposure provides a great way to attract attention to yourself.

5)  Remember

• Current law mandates that you reveal you were paid or given free material to review a book.  Make sure that if the publisher or author is paying for a review, you disclose the relationship.

Very few people make a full-time living writing book reviews.  However, if you keep at it and learn the business side of marketing your own writing, you can make decent money from doing something that you already love.

There are many different types of private equity financing available. New business owners will likely need “venture capital,” which is used to launch a company and develop it in the early stages. More established businesses will probably wish to secure “growth capital,” especially if they plan to make a major change in how they do business or meet a substantial new business goal. Mature, established companies may decide on a leveraged buyout.

The finance market has developed in recent years to offer entrepreneurs numerous new options in funding, and traditional methods of financing are still used by many.  Traditional financing has its disadvantages, however, and in recent years many small and new business men and women have turned away from the local bank and toward the private equity firm.

There are four great reasons to prefer private equity:

Responsive

1. Small businesses and new entrepreneurs will often face obstacles when attempting to secure financing from commercial banks.  Private equity sources are more amenable to new ideas and smaller ventures than are the big commercial banks.

Flexible

2. While traditional financiers such as banks require the regular, set repayments of their loans, private equity is more flexible, allowing start-ups to expand their businesses without having to worry as much about cash flow.

Improve

3. Because private equity firms diligently investigate risks prior to making investments, they may be able to identify potential problems with your business of which you were not aware.  By identifying and correcting any such problems, you will improve your business and come several steps closer to meeting your objectives.

Support

4. “In the business world,” Harold Green once observed, “everyone is paid in two coins: cash and experience.” Many private equity firms are active investors, which means you’ll be getting not only money to grow your business, but experienced guidance. The financier will furnish you with operational support so that you can realize and expand your objectives.  How do you know you’re getting reliable and talented support? Private equity firms pay their managers well. That means that those firms can attract quality managers who will better serve you in a mutually compatible business relationship.

As Robert Bosch said, you don’t “pay good wages” because you “have a lot of money”; rather, you obtain “a lot of money” when you “pay good wages.” Private equity firms not only attract the top managers; they have a reputation for recruiting the best talents at all levels.

As you can see, there are several advantages to private equity financing. These are but four of the pro’s to this method of securing capital to start or grow your business.

Do I have the self-discipline?

Having to turn up at the office may be tedious but it means you don’t have to constantly self-monitor.  Once you’re there you don’t have much choice other than to get on with the job. Working from home, especially if you are self-employed, requires considerable self-discipline. You will still have to get up, or switch on your computer, even when you don’t feel like it. Some of us need an office environment to keep us on track and fully motivated.

Am I easily distracted?

The home environment can offer distractions that you just don’t get to the same extent in the formal workplace. You may find that friends and family don’t respect your schedule and assume that because you’re at home you’re available. You will need to find the strength to ignore the doorbell and personal calls or say no very firmly.

For parents working at home, children can be the ultimate distraction, even if someone is supervising them. If you can’t shut them out of your conscious awareness and get on with the job then you may find home working a tough call.

Do I really have a suitable workplace?

It may be possible to run a business empire from your bedroom but it’s probably not going to be easy. Comfortable and productive working requires adequate facilities, from equipment to lighting. If you can’t provide that, you may find work frustrating and even potentially injurious to your health.

Can I tolerate isolation?

Working with others can be a pleasure or a pain (or sometimes both). Working alongside colleagues means you are likely to have people to sound ideas off, sympathy when things go wrong and active help if the workload gets unmanageable. With home working you are likely to be on your own. Decisions and managing hiccups will be your responsibility and yours alone. That can be burdensome.

If you enjoy the sociality of the office, you might miss it more than you think. Sure, you can still nip out for lunch but socialising won’t be something that just happens all around you. If your social network is built around work you might discover a gaping hole that takes effort and organization to fill.

How important to me is a change of scenery?

It may seem trivial but living and working in the same place can be claustrophobic, even if you love your work. Having a separate home office that functions as a separate environment helps, but without a clear spatial separation you can feel as if you’re living in the office 24/7.

Many people find that working from home isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It commonly involves a whole lot more than just cutting out the commuting. You may have done your sums and fine-tuned your business model but successfully making the switch to working from home requires something just as important – self-knowledge. Fail to factor in your personality and you could find yourself climbing your home office wall.

Ways to being productive

If you think you do have what it takes to work from home but need some tips on remaining productive then read our article on the 3 Steps to Being Productive in your home based business.

Set Your Work Hours

Set your work hours and stick with it. It’s easy to go off schedule if you don’t have a daily routine. Have a set time that you work in your home office. Write down the tasks that need to be done in your daily planner. Give yourself a good amount of time to complete each task and cross it off when it’s done. Seeing what needs to be done on paper will help you prioritize your work day better.

Schedule Breaks

Allow yourself a 15 minute break. Just because you work at home doesn’t mean you can’t take a lunch or short rest break. Never interrupt your home business with non-business related tasks. There are many people who work at home who get sidetracked to make dinner or do laundry. Allow yourself a 15 minute break in the day and afternoon. Use that time to stretch and grab a coffee or cup of tea to focus on the rest of your workload.

Keep it Clean

Make sure your office space is not cluttered. It’s hard to focus on daily work if your space is filled with toys and coffee cups. Don’t let another part of your house work itself into your office space. Your office space is your business. Give it a good cleanup at the end of the week and organize your paperwork. Have all of your necessary office essentials on hand. If your office space looks and feels professional, it will give you the motivation to work. At the end of the day, always tidy up things for the following work day, that way each new day starts off fresh and organized.