Home-based business

Using Online Greeting Cards to Stay in Touch

It used to be, before the telephone, before cellphones, before the Internet, sending notes was the norm – we sent them out to invite people to events, thank them for gifts, send out our condolences and even just to say hello. Even when doing business, everyone from shopkeepers to oil barons sent out cards to begin relationship and seal deals. These days, with all the technology available to us, it’s almost accepted to send out a text message that says “Nice 2 meet U. C u soon.”

Sending out cards and notes may seem archaic, but they seem to be coming back in vogue, perhaps because people hardly get that personal touch anymore (think about it – compared to a decade ago, how many birthday or Christmas cards do you get a year?) Cards can also be used for business – and will definitely put on a lasting impression to your clients.

Have no idea how to begin? Here are some tips to get you started:

Have an updated contact list – having a list will make it easier for you to organize your campaign, but make sure your information is complete and updated. It would be pretty embarrassing if you were to send the wrong card to the wrong person or not have it reach your important client.

Select your message carefully – if you’re sending out holiday cards, read the message carefully to make sure you won’t offend anyone (assuming you’re sending out a lot of cards.) You wouldn’t want to risk sending out something which can make you look bad, when your intention was the opposite.

Use titles – You may be on first-name basis with your clients, but using their titles on the front of the cards shows respect and gives importance to their achievements, so make sure you include that “Dr.”, “Mr.,” “Esq.” etc. with their names.

Spell Check! – OMG, this is a biggie! Make sure you read each and every line and make sure every word is spelled correctly, lest you make some embarrassing faux pas.

Send them on time – get your holiday cards out early, especially for businesses. They may be leaving work early to take time off. For thank you cards, try to send them no more than a week after, or they may forget what you are thanking them for!

Remember, building relationships is the core of any business and key to its success. Taking the time out to do simple tasks can cement your reputation with the right people. Don’t always have the time to do everything yourself? Get a little help and still have that personal touch with Send Out Cards and it only takes a few minutes to choose, write and send your card. Click on the link today to find out more.

Click Here – Send Out Cards if you are looking for any of the above!

Turning Your Hobby Into Business: What You Need to Consider

Perhaps you’re stuck in a nine-to-five job you hate, or are a homemaker bored at home, but you’ve probably thought of turning a beloved hobby into a business which will make some money. Many people have done it before, and have done it successfully, though there are those that fail as well. If you’re thinking of going into business for yourself, here are some things you should think about before taking the plunge:

If it becomes work, will you still love it?

If you enjoy knitting sweaters for your loved ones, will you enjoy doing it for money? Sometimes when something becomes actual work, you may find yourself not wanting to do it anymore. But if you’re enthusiastic about something, then you may find yourself loving it even more, despite the long hours of hard work.

Is it worthy of being a business?

You may love your hobby, have a passion for it, but that doesn’t mean you can make money from it. You may be good at making animals from pipe cleaners, but that doesn’t mean you should go out and open up a pipe cleaner shop. You must be practical as well, and do the necessary legwork to find out if your idea is feasible.

Remember, it is a business!

Being an employee has its pros – you just show up at the office, do your work and you get a paycheck two weeks later. Being a business owner or being self-employed is different. You have to deal with day to day operations, payroll, taxes, clients, receivables and payables – things which are not fun and can be boring. Hopefully, you’ll be able to handle such challenges.

What will happen in the long run?

You’ll be investing a large amount of your time and resources into starting your own business – so you have to think of what will happen in 5, 10 or even 20 years. Although no one wants to think of failure, many new businesses shut down within the first year (restaurants, for example, experience a failure rate of about 59%.) Your goals and plans should include future strategies, as well as back-up plans.

Consider alternatives

Okay, so you tell yourself, if you spend another day at your desk, you might do something drastic, but you don’t have the resources or time to pursue your hobby. There can be other alternatives – perhaps all you need is to change career paths into an industry that’s closer to what you love. So you really love to cook, but can’t leave your accounting job to open up your restaurant. Perhaps you should work for a food company. Also, you may be able to teach what you love. You may never sell your landscape paintings, but perhaps you can apply for teaching positions or give art lessons – at least you’ll still spend your time doing what you love. And of course, you can teach through online teleseminar, webinars, blogging, video streaming – the sky’s the limit!

Whatever you decide to do, just remember: If you follow your heart and passion, and you are truly on the path that was designed for you - the money will follow. This is the simplest of all concepts, and really where everything should begin. If you’re passionate about baking, then you should consider doing it full-time. If you’re not sure what your passion is, make an list of all the things you love to do and what you’re good at. Then start to narrow it down until you get a couple that just excites you and you have a burning desire to do. Then do your research and see if there is a market for your business or services. If there is, the rest is up to you.

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