There are many home based business options available ranging from taking in laundry right up to trading in stocks and shares. The online business that you choose should focus around three key elements – Time, commitment and resources.Time – How much time do you have to commit to this business? Will you fit this in around your full time job or other commitments? Or will you be taking the plunge and invest all your time into it? Clearly the amount of time that you have to spend on your business will influence your choice.If you are looking at part time opportunities you might want to consider using the internet to start up a business. This way you would only need internet access and a computer to start off. For example you could become an affiliate marketer and earn commission for your sales. You should always do your due diligence and research so you make the right choices for you.If you are planning to go into business full time then there are likely to be more options available to you. If you have decided to start a home based business you are probably looking for something that will fit into your lifestyle. This way you can work when the kids are at school but you can have breakfast with them and read them a story at night. Start by looking at the various options available online.Commitment – Commitment will come if you are really passionate about the journey you are about to embark upon. Do you love the business you are thinking about and does it play to your strengths. This will help you stay committed when you hit obstacles along the way. If you have any doubts about the venture then it probably is not right for you.Resources – Your budget have will impact the choice of business that you can invest in. If you are thinking about an online business then you can take advantage of low cost marketing such as social media and article marketing. Many of the marketing methods online can be utilized for free. Whilst most home based businesses do not require much initial capital, it is wise to reinvest any initial profits that you make into marketing.There are many considerations when you are starting a home based business online, but if you have time, commitment
Five Tips for Selling at Live Auctions
Ah, the old-fashioned country auction! The idea of a country auction conjures up certain images for people. The image of a fast-talking auctioneer offering up an antique table or chair is a popular example.
People who are buying household goods or collectibles are looking to get their items at the lowest price possible. However, the people who are selling their items at auction are hoping for the highest price!
Unless a person is in the business of buying and selling antiques or other items, not a lot of thought goes into how goods are prepared for sale via the auction process. However, if you are one of the growing number of people using auction venues to sell your collectibles or other inventory, there are a few things to learn first about how to sell at auction before you bring a truckload of stuff over to the next event.
Tip 1: Make sure the things you want to sell are a good “fit” for the auction house you’ll be using.
Never bring a load to an auction house without actually having been to one of the previous auctions. It’s important to get a feel for the type of goods that the house sells. For example, at one very rural country auction it was common for the owners to sell live chickens, pots and pans, car parts, and farm equipment.
After close investigation, this would not be the right venue for selling your daughter’s “Hello Kitty” collection. On the other hand, the spare John Deere parts that you bought at last week’s yard sale might be just the right thing for the buying crowd at this auction.
Tip 2: Be sure you clearly understand the terms and policies of the auction house.
Visit with the auctioneer ahead of time. Call to find out what the best days and times are to visit. One of the worst possible times to drop in for an informational visit with an auctioneer is the day of the auction. Call ahead and ask. While you’re at it, find out what are the best days and times to drop your stuff off.
Once you have a little time with the auctioneer, you’ll be able to find out what type of commission he or she takes from consigners (which is you), and what type of paperwork might be needed. Some auction houses send out Form 1099 tax forms at the end of the year. An auctioneer may need to see your identification and have you fill out a W-9. Be prepared.
Find out what happens to your items if they don’t sell. For example, some auctioneers may have a minimum starting bid. If, for some reason, one of your items does not sell, it may be grouped with another one of your pieces. Know the auctioneer’s strategy beforehand so that you aren’t surprised on pay day.
Tip 3: Make sure the auctioneer knows what you’re selling.
It might be perfectly obvious to you that the signed print you are consigning is a rare and valuable piece of art. However, the auctioneer may not know this particular artist. Make a note of anything particularly special about your items, and leave the note with the piece. Be sure to tell the auctioneer about it as well. He or she might determine that this is something to highlight on the company website or in the newspaper listing.
Tip 4: Present your items neatly.
No one likes to have to dig through a box full of grimy and greasy car parts to see what treasures might be in there. Separate the parts and lay them out on a flat, or use more than one box to de-clutter the lot.
There is no need to buy fancy display boxes. It’s easy enough to go to the local convenience store or supermarket and ask if you can have the emptied boxes or flats that they are discarding.
While it’s good to present clean items, take care not to ruin the value of anything by over cleaning. For example, if you find some old cast iron cookware, clean the obvious dirt and grime, but don’t scrub it to its original finish. For many people, this ruins the value of the item. So, clean and tidy and organized is the key here.
Tip 5: Don’t complain to the auctioneer if your stuff doesn’t sell for as much as you’d like.
The phrase to remember here is, “You win some; you lose some.” That’s just the way it is. There are some days where an auction house is loaded with people who all seem to want what you’re selling. There will be other days where the crowd is sparse, and the bidding is simply not competitive.
Remember that it’s in the auctioneer’s best interest to sell your things for the highest possible hammer price. But sometimes, it’s just not going to be a stellar sale. The auctioneer is only human, and is also disappointed if a sale doesn’t go as well as planned.
If you notice that every time you bring a bunch of goods to sell that you’re not realizing as much as you think you honestly should, try another auction venue and compare apples to apples. That is, bring the same types of items to the new auctioneer and compare the results.
Unless the auctioneer is particularly disagreeable or inconsiderate to you or buyers, there is no reason to confront him or her about a sale. If you find you just don’t care for an auctioneer’s style or methods, find another one. Believe me, there are plenty of them out there!
The primary thing to remember as you learn how to sell at auction is that the business is unpredictable at best. You will have good days, some not-so-good days, some great days. The more you sell, the more experience you will gain, and the more enjoyable the business will be.
Your Home Based Business and Your Job/Career
When people decide to start a home based business, it can be a very overwhelming experience. It is new to them and there are so many different ways, products and systems on how to make money online with their home based business.Let’s first talk about “where do you start and “what to look for in a home based business system”.When I first started, I was completely overwhelmed with all the different ways to make money online. There is a lot of crap out there and sifting through all this crap to find a good, proven system is half the battle to starting a successful home based business.The only advice I can give you, is to find a “home based business system” that has a beginning and end. It should be “step by step” and it should give you the “big picture.” It should be a system that is similar to when you went to school/college. First, you take economics 101; once you pass that you move on to economics 102 and so on. – this is the only way to make money online with your home base business. Making money online is a “learning process” and you must find a system that you can follow and learn from.Making money online is a “process” and not a “get rich quick” gimmick or “product. Making money online with your home based business will take you time to learn and develop. There is no such thing as “get rich quick”, so stay away from anything making these claims. Stay away from “this guy made $102,340 in 3 months” or “use this push button software and make $15,000 per month.” These kinds of “sales pitches” are false and misleading and I can pretty much guarantee that you will not duplicate what they claim, so stay away from them and save your money.So, where does you current job fit into the picture of making money online with your home based business?Your current job/career is a “critical piece of the puzzle” of having success online with your home based business. Never quit your job/career to pursue making money online unless you are financially sound and have significant savings. What do I mean about financially sound? Well, this is a personal decision, but what I can say is that probably 99% of us do not have the adequate savings to go it alone with no job. Be very careful with this decision as your current job/career is paying your bills, mortgage, living expenses etc. and you need to make sure this is covered each and every month to free your mind of unnecessary stress and future financial problems.Work at your current job/career and while working at your current job, work part-time (5-15 hours per week is all that is needed and probably the most common) on your home based business and learn the “online skills” needed to be successful with your home based business. It is an exciting process and it can change your life as you know it, if you put in the time, develop patience, be dedicated and blow through any obstacle that comes your way.These are some basic questions that you must address before you start any home based business or making money online opportunity. If you address these issues and develop a plan around these issues, you will be on your way to creating the life you want.The economy is in the tank, the political environment in all countries is in complete chaos and there is a world wide recession impacting each and every one of us. Normal everyday people are getting killed in the pocket book and there is no job security anymore.There is a solution….