Yes – it is possible to earn money from home

Are you a mom looking for a way to make money from home? There are actually many ways to work from home, and if you are just starting your search, get ready to dive in! There are opportunities to work locally off-line and globally online!

A very popular way to make money from home is by selling items on eBay. You can sell items you have around the house that you are no longer using, clothes your children have grown out of, or, if you are crafty, you can sell things you have made. But you don’t have to stop there. Many people may not be as computer literate as you or maybe they just don’t have time to list their own auctions. You can offer up your services as an “auction specialist”. For a small fee plus a percentage of each sale, you can take pictures of items other people want to sell on eBay, post the auctions and take care of shipping the item to the buyer.

If you come from an administrative background, you can find work online as a virtual assistant. The job duties can be varied, including answering emails, making phone calls, maintaining websites, and more. If you are very adept at designing websites, there is certainly a huge market for that as well as graphic design. A copywriter (also known as ghostwriter) can make money by writing articles, sales letters, advertising copy and more for Internet Marketers. Freelance writing for newspapers and magazines is also an option for those who enjoy writing.

If you are someone who prefers to work off-line, there are still lots of possibilities. For starters, you can start a home-based daycare. If you love to organize and clean, you can set up a home business as professional organizer and get paid to clean out other people’s closets, attics, garages, etc. Another option for those who love to organize, would be to organize events. These can be events for people, such as parties and weddings; or you can organize events for businesses such as meetings, luncheons, and even business expos.

Many people have turned to direct-sales, also known as “party-plan”, to work from home. It is no longer a choice between kitchenware or make-up companies – today you can choose to sell candles, clothes, craft supplies, toys, books, jewelry and more. Some of the companies allow you to sell these items online as well as in the traditional “party” setting.

The possibilities for working at home are endless. Keep researching different options, ask lots of questions, and you will find a way to make money from home!

WAHM Networking 101

If you have been searching online for work at home opportunities, you have probably come across several websites, message boards and forums. These message boards and forums will allow you to meet and network with WAHMs across the world.

Networking online with other moms on message boards is very easy! Find a forum that you like, register an account and post an introduction message right away. Let the other moms know where you are from and what you want to accomplish with working at home. The women you meet there will provide you with advice on how to start a business, information on a wide variety of subjects, employment opportunities, and they will be more than happy to lend an ear when you need to complain about a bad day.

Start reading other people’s posts – you will notice that there is a section where the poster can list their business website. Visit the different websites – eventually you will find a few work at home moms that have businesses similar to the type you would like to start. Send them a message and let them know you admire their business and ask for advice on how you can get started in the same type of field.

Keep reading and replying to posts regularly; you will find that people have questions about things you are an ‘expert’ in. By building relationships and establishing credibility, people will come to you when they have a need for the product or service you provide.

Seek out the services of other home based moms when you need help with something. If you have done business with a certain mom, recommend her services to others when they need them! Your work at home friend will appreciate your help and will recommend your services to other people.

Eventually, someone new to the WAHM community will seek you out and ask for your advice on how to get started. Take them under your wing and show them a few helpful pointers. You may not be able to pay back all of the mothers who have helped you with your business, but you can definitely pay it forward by helping others!

Teaming up with other WAHMs on Joint Ventures

You have probably heard the old saying: “two heads are better than one”. Have you ever thought of applying that to your business? Teaming up with another WAHM is a great way to expand your business while learning new skills.

You can form a “joint venture” with another WAHM and create a way for you to promote your services together. You will both share in the work and the profits. For instance, maybe you are an expert in affiliate marketing and you have a WAHM friend who loves to write. You two can team up on an e-book about affiliate marketing! Or perhaps you have a friend who is awesome at creating podcasts, have her interview you about affiliate marketing and the two of you can sell the mp3. The choices are limitless!

If you have an idea about something you would like to create but do not know anyone to team up with, start researching people that have the skills you need. Send them an email and let them know you like their work and might like to team up. You can also ask for recommendations from WAHMs you already know or put up a post on a message board about what you would like to accomplish.

Whatever method you choose to find potential co-workers, interview several people before you make any decisions; you want the project to be a success. Look at samples of the work each person has done in the past. You will also want to make sure your personalities do not clash, as you will be spending a lot of time working together.

When you find someone you are interested in working with, make sure you both understand how the work will be divided, when the deadlines will be for each step of the project, how you are going to sell your product and how the profits will be divided.

Keep looking for other joint venture opportunities as they are win-win situations – you can offer a new product or service to your current customers and the new product can also bring you a whole slew of new customers!

Stepping out of the WAHM comfort zone

As a WAHM, you probably have a circle of WAHM friends that you may have met locally or online. They share in your successes, offer advice when you get stuck and listen when you have a bad day. They understand your life as a work at home mom.

However, to grow as a person and a business professional, you may want to step outside of the WAHM comfort zone once in a while. You may be asking “Why on Earth would I want to do that?” Well, there are lots of reasons.

Even if you have been able to conduct all of your business online so far, why should you ignore the business in your own ‘backyard’? Check your local paper for the times and locations for meetings of business networking groups or call your local Chamber of Commerce and find out when they hold their meetings. Let’s say you go to the next meeting and there are 30 people there; statistics show that the average person knows 250 people…. Well, if each of those 30 people in your networking group knows 250 people, who knows how many of them may need your product or service?

By showing up regularly for meetings and events, you will get to know the other members. The conversation will eventually lead to the subject of what each of you does for a living. When they, or someone they know, are in need of your services, you will be the first person they think of to ask for help. Likewise, when you are in need of something, you will have an established list of contacts that will be more than willing to help you out!

Plus, these networking groups often have guest speakers and business seminars. Who knows? You may end up picking up some tax tips or learn some community news you wouldn’t have heard about if you were surfing an online WAHM forum.

In addition, these events give you a reason to get dressed up and get out of the house, and sometimes that is the only reason you need to go to them!

Setting Up Your Home Office

One of the biggest steps you can take to ensure your success as a Work at Home Mom is to set up a proper Home office. Sure, we often start out working from a laptop on the kitchen table, or on the home computer in a corner of the family room. The problem with this setup is that the constant interruptions make it hard to get a lot (and sometimes any) work done. It’s time for your very own home office.

If you have an extra room in the house, it is of course ideal to have an entire room dedicated as your home office, but if that’s not an option, don’t despair. Find a room in your house that currently serves a different purpose and set up your home office in it. A spare bedroom, your own bedroom, or even the laundry room are all viable options. Try to find a room with a door you can close and where you can expect to work quietly for at least a few hours per day. It will do wonders for your productivity.

Set up some sort of system for your filing and paperwork. This includes paper files including contracts with clients, marketing and learning materials (CDs, DVDs, and binders), as well as electronic files. A file cabinet or even several storage bins will work well for your paper files. A bookshelf works great for marketing materials. As for your electronic files, set up different sections and folders on your hard drive and in your email software for them. Get in the habit of filing and straightening up your desk and work area before you finish your workday. It will be much easier to get started in the morning if a clean desk welcomes you.

Speaking of desks… You will need some sort of desk and chair in your office. Since you will likely spend quite a few hours each day in front of your computer, be sure to choose a desk and chair that are both comfortable and ergonomic. The last thing you want is a sore back after a long day at “work”.

Other than that, keep your office friendly and welcoming. You want this to be a place you are comfortable and happy in – so feel free to decorate and make it your own. Put up pictures of the kids or those from your last vacation. Hang up a motivational poster. Whatever motivates you to work goes. At the same time, keep distractions to a minimum. That means no TV or radio in the room if it will make you less productive. Find a good balance and before you know it, you’ll have a home office set up that you love to work in.

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