Four Requirements for Online Business
By dgabbard on Sep 19, 2011 with Comments 5
In this post, I want to talk with you about what it takes to make money from home: decent equipment, proper planning, the support of family and friends, and even the right type of personality. To be successful as a location independent professional (LIP,) each of these four items is vital.
1. Equipment
The growth of the internet has created opportunities for home based workers in large numbers where none existed previously. Companies of all sizes have work requirements and projects that lend themselves well to outsourcing. (BPO= business process outsourcing.) Graphic designers, web design professionals, writers of all types, and even customer service and sales professionals can work from remote locations without any significant differences in the services provided.
Having the proper equipment to do the job right is essential. For customer service or other people who will work over the phone, this means a good telephone service and high quality headset so that other household noise is muted. For writers, it means proper software for completion, editing, and proofing work. Graphic design folks and web design people will need different programs to enhance their work. The point is to spend the necessary money to obtain the needed equipment to do the job efficiently and professionally.
Be sure to set up your office comfortably and efficiently. My desk and computer look out over the walnut tree and flower beds in our yard. From my desk chair, I can see the beauty of nature (and the squirrels stealing my walnuts) and it is conducive to productivity, in my case. If your ideal setup is different, make it work for you.
2. Mindset
You have an idea, and you are going to make millions, right? That is not exactly what I mean by the proper mindset. You need to think things through and plot out your business plan on paper. Who will be your customers? What services will you provide? How are you going to do it? When will you do it, and how long will it take? Why are you doing this? What will be your monetary reward? These are all important questions to ponder before you bid on your first project or offer your services to anyone.
Know your strengths and any limitations that you might have, so that you can utilize other professionals when necessary. Use your network of associates for advice, leads, and even to subcontract work if it makes sense to do so.
3. Support
You may think that you are an island when working from home, but that could not be further from the truth. In fact, it is often difficult for others to see you as a home-based professional. Rather, they often take for granted that you are at home, so they can call you at all hours, stop by, and even ask you to handle things during your working time.
It is important to set boundaries and let those close to you know that when you are working, you are off limits, just as if you were in an office. Having a completely separate office, with a door that closes, can work wonders toward this end. Sometimes, it is necessary to work in the middle of the bustle of family life. If that is the case, it is all the more important that family and friends respect your work time and support you in your endeavors.
4. Personality
Being location independent is a great thing, but it often means a lack of interaction with others that some find hard to handle. If you are the type of person that craves interpersonal communication, it may not be the easiest adjustment. However, as home workers grow by huge numbers, so do both online and offline networking groups designed around them. Get involved in these and you will find the interaction you crave and probably some collaborators as well.
Another pitfall that people sometimes find in working from home is procrastination. Putting off projects will definitely affect your paycheck, so find ways to avoid procrastination. Setting a timer and working nonstop till it rings is recommended, as is making a “doable” list of things to accomplish each day.
Enjoy the benefits that this lifestyle affords you. If you feel like riding your bicycle for an hour at ten AM, schedule it into your day. Maybe you want to spend a few hours at the beach on Tuesday—you can work a few hours later on Monday or Wednesday to compensate.
Having a set amount of work hours is a good way to avoid a lack of focus and a tendency to work all the time. It makes you prioritize better and focus on getting the job done in the allotted time, leaving overall, more guilt-free leisure time.
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Filed Under: Business • Online Business Techniques
Your article made some very interesting points. The mindset will dictate a lot of things to make an online business a success. Business plan is a key element to guide you through the chaos. Well, for the next Google or Facebook out there, a business plan will be needed because many investors will not think of funding your business venture without it. The use of it will allow them see if your idea is viable and can be sustain over time.
Under your support section,article truly lead readers direction regarding setting boundaries. If you work at home, many would think it a lot of leisure time, but you have to set a time to take breaks and when you need people to see you, because you must still remain productive and boundaries will help. Overall, this is great information
@Devon— Thanks for taking the time to read my article. I’m glad that you believe it is valuable information. A lot of people think those of us who work from home are really loafing all day, it seems! (THAT could not be further from the truth– as I mentioned, it is hard sometimes to STOP working.)
Hi friend you discus all to be successful as a location independent professional (LIP,) each of these four items is vital.
Thanks for reading my post, and taking the time to comment. It is always great to know somebody out there is listening:)
@realestatelistings— Just checked out your website. Are those pics all in the LA area? If so, I missed the best of it on our trip there:( Do not recall anything quite so pretty in what we saw, and left pretty disillusioned…