| Home Business Tip #1: Don't Forget to be Professional. | | | | cheaper than the competition, but you are not running a |
| Just because you are working in your fluffy slippers on | | | | charity. You still need to make a profit. If it helps, create |
| your couch, don't forget to still be professional when | | | | a project formula that eases pressure: $X per page or |
| talking to clients. This is especially true with emailing | | | | hour. Be clear when quoting prices to clients. What is |
| new clients. Is your email address appropriate? Few | | | | included in this price? When is payment due? What |
| people will want to hire a development consultant with | | | | are the accepted methods of payment? Consider |
| an unprofessional email address. Start a new email | | | | creating a contract. |
| account specifically for business, and treat each | | | | Home Business Tip #4: Make Yourself Easy to Find |
| interchange as important. Avoid slang, misspellings, and | | | | If you needed your services, where would you look? |
| incomplete sentences. | | | | The phone book? Online? Some listings in the phone |
| Home Business Tip #2: Time Management Is Vital | | | | book are free and starting your own website is a |
| A relaxed work day can easily turn into a work-free | | | | great way to marketing yourself. Be creative with |
| day. Realistically decide how long certain projects will | | | | marketing as sometimes you need to experiment to |
| take or how much time you want to spend working | | | | see what will work best for you, your industry, and |
| each day, then make a schedule and stick to it. Limit | | | | your local area. |
| distractions from children, pets, or television. Limit the | | | | Home Business Tip #5: Don't Forget Uncle Sam |
| amount of time you are willing to devote to checking | | | | If you are generating income by working online, you will |
| email and social networking sites. Good work habits in | | | | probably have to pay taxes. Be sure to keep ALL |
| the traditional office can be handy in a home office, | | | | receipts as you may be able to write off some |
| too. | | | | business expenses. Look at the IRS website for |
| Home Business Tip #3: Properly Value Your Time | | | | guides to tax laws for small businesses. Your local |
| Setting fair prices can be a challenge for some people. | | | | Small Business Association may also be able to help |
| Check to see what others are charging both locally | | | | you with any questions you have. |
| and nationally. It might work in your favor to be a little | | | | |