Marshtimes Business Blog: April 2017

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

3 Key Questions That Will Help You Decide If Your Business Can Be Franchised

If you have a successful business that’s susceptible to a regional or national system of marketing and you don’t want to share control or risk the personality conflicts that come with bringing in investors who would become your equals in making business decisions, then franchising may be your best course of action. To help you determine whether your business could be franchised, review the three qualifiers and considerations described below.

5 Legitimate Businesses You Can Start for Under $20

BloggingIt's what everyone who's ever surfed the Web dreams of—just launch a simple website and watch the cash roll in! Well, that just doesn't happen overnight, but the fact of the matter is that it's really not very difficult or expensive to start a blog. To do it right, start by picking a subject matter you know a lot about. Then get a domain name and create a website. Choose an easy-to-learn platform like Wordpress to build your website on and start creating original content that'll eventually help your audience solve meaningful problems within your niche. Now find some appropriate affiliate programs—that's where your revenues are going to come from. Next, learn everything you can about search engine marketing, build relationships with other bloggers and website owners within your niche and promote your site heavily.
ConsultantGetting into consulting is relatively simple if you've built up an expertise throughout your career. All you have to do is know how to do something better than most people do, and be able to either teach people how to do it or be willing to do it for them on a contract basis. Networking is the key to success in this budget business idea, so start by making a list of everyone you know that could use your services and giving them all a call.
Housesitter & PetsitterParticularly since 9/11, people feel an increased need for security, and housesitting gives them some reassurance while they're out of town—making it a great budget business idea. Moreover, this opportunity requires no particular skills, just trustworthiness and reliability. Be sure to have personal references available, and you'll also need reliable transportation. If you're an animal lover, pet-sitting is an easy add-on.
Professional OrganizerSo many people these days are simply overwhelmed by their "stuff". While there is an ever-growing trend of people wanting to simplify their lives, most of us haven't done it yet. It's not that people really have no clue how to get organized, it just keeps moving to the bottom of the stack, both figuratively and literally. There's a prime opportunity for people to come in at a reasonable rate and get houses organized
Avon Independent Sales RepresentativeCosmetics is a virtually recession-proof business because it's an inexpensive way for people to feel good about themselves. Avon is the largest consumer direct sales company in the world, with annual sales of nearly $6 billion. In business for well over 100 years, they have both a highly reputable product line and one of the few highly reputable multi-level marketing structures (in fact, they invented it). They also offer fashion and wellness products in addition to their beauty products. And while they bill themselves as "The Company for Women", a fairly substantial number of men have actually been very successful as Avon reps. The secret to making a living at it rather than just a little extra spending money? Build your downline—just like with any other network marketing or direct selling business.