Working At Home And Time Management

Working At Home And Time Management

by: Terry Stewart

Time management and organisation is so important in life and when it comes to working at home it is doubly important. As a matter of fact Time management, oganistaion, schedules are all prominent in any successful organisation.

Time is the one thing that we do not have enough of it is the one thing in life that is constant. Time will wait for no one so we have to utilise it the best way we can.

It makes no sense to try and cram everthing in to a short space of time because it will become counter productive. can you imagine a plumber trying to make a deadline of finishing 3 days work in one day. His work would become sloppy he would make mistakes then he would have to go over the job again.

So really the answer to the question of not having enough time is organisation, writing schedules and keeping a diary. This is vital for a home based entrepeneur!

Organisation means keeping all your documents, invoices, accounts and everthing you use in your business in their proper place. This will save time because you will know where everything is It will also lead to a less stressful home/working environment.

Keeping a diary, filofax or some kind of personal organiser is a vital business tool for obvious reasons.

Another system that is invaluble is writing rotas or schedules. Now it is no point writing a great schedule and not sticking to it is there? When one writes a schedule they must take into account all the aspects of their work and there family life. remember when working at home a happy work environment will lead to more productivity which equals more profits.

When writinga schedule It is important to encompass everything that could mean taking the children to school, shopping feeding the dog. as well as all your business commitments. Always make time for the famil,y especially when working at home. Make sure you have an arrangement with your spouse about your working hours, and that the children realise as well. Of course If you have younger children you have to give a bit more of your time or get child minders.

Having an office or a part of the house where you can work undisturbed would be fantastic. because you can then have all your tools i.e computer, telephone, files and stationary in one place. Hence saving an emense amount of time.

Planning is another useful skill to have in the quest to save time and be more productive you should take a couple of hours in the beginning of the week to plan for the coming 2 weeks. Again take everything into account then write your schedule.

Having planned your schedule for 2 weeks give yourself some leeway like an extra half an hour in between chores. As you never no what can pop up.

So in summary to help in having a smooth profitable home business you must be organised. Plan your weeks ahead then write your schedule remembering to be flexible. Let your family know what your schedule is and you will find that time is not a problem at all.

Copywright © Terry Stewart

About The Author

Terry Stewart Is a successful home based business person who has been a chef for many years. He has transfered some skills to his present business eg. organisation and I for detail. This article is the copyright of Terry Stewart.

Tery Stewart publishes a daily newsletter packed with the best resoures and ideas for the net entrepenuer. To subscribe mailto:[email protected]

http://www.telnelbiz.com

This article was posted on September 05, 2004

by Terry Stewart

Beyond Web usability: Web credibility

Beyond Web usability: Web credibility

by: Trenton Moss

Web usability: Itกs old news
If youกve been developing websites on Mars for the past few years then youกll be forgiven for not knowing about web usability. Youกll still be creating splash intro pages, having pages with massive download times and using more images than you can shake a stick at. Well, back in Earth these days have long gone and today web usability rules the web development world. For those of you who have been on Mars please read some of the things that Jakob Nielson has to say at http://www.useit.com/alertbox and try to catch up.
As for the rest of us Earthbased developers, well weกve learnt a whole bunch about usability and we’re all using it as best we can in our websites. Right, guys? After all, web usability does have huge benefits (see http://www.webcredible.co.uk/benefits/webusability.shtml).
Now that usable websites have become so commonplace, especially among the major web players, itกs time to start looking to the future. Suddenly, a usable website isn’t going to be enough to separate us from our competitors (apart from those using the developers whoกve been based on Mars). There is a solution. Itกs two words long. Enter our new best friend…
Web credibility.
What is web credibility & why is it important?
According to BJ Fogg, the worldกs leading researcher on web credibility, web credibility is about making your website in such a way that it comes across as trustworthy and knowledgeable. Don’t just take my word for it read his book if you like (http://www.persuasivetech.info).
Fogg will tell you, as can I, and numerous other organisations, that a credible website can reap huge benefits on to your website and your business. So, hereกs a few statistics to prove this point:

Just 52.8% of web users believe online information to be credible (source: UCLA)
Four in five users say that being able to trust the information on a site is very important to them in deciding to visit a website (source: Princeton Survey Research Associates)

So, web credibilityกs pretty important then. But how do you implement it on to your website? Fear not, all the answers lie within the realms of this article. Now, before I go further, I must stress that most of this stuff falls under the category of กitกs obvious once you know itก. You know, like if someone sets you a puzzle and you can’t do it but when they tell you the answer itกs really obvious. Web credibility is all common sense you just don’t tend to think about this stuff. So without further ado, here are five guidelines for making a credible website.
1. You must prove thereกs a real organisation behind your website
Anyone can put up a website promising to deliver the กbest service at the lowest pricesก. Web users must be able to believe thereกs a real organisation behind your website. A few things you can do are:

Make it very easy to contact you
Link to external websites that reference your organisation
Provide staff bios
Show photos of the office, staff, products etc.

This basically says that you should have a really good contact us and about us section. Don’t bury your contact us link in some obscure place in the website or on the page. Make out like you really want your site visitors to get in contact with you. In fact, I won’t talk anymore about your contact us page because Miles Burkeกs has already written an excellent article about it, The Lost Art of Conversation Encouraging Contact Online (http://www.sitepoint.com/article/encouragingcontactonline).
As for the about us section, don’t underestimate its importance. Don’t be afraid to show who you are (stand tall and be proud!), what you stand for, what your goals are, and a bit about your history (of the organisation, not you). People will read this stuff it certainly won’t be the first thing theyกll read on your website but it could be the last thing they read before deciding whether or not to do business with you.
Can you think of other ways you can prove your organisationกs real? Have a look at a website you visit quite often what is it about this website that you trust?
2. Your website needs to provide กsensitiveก information
A website is akin to a oneway conversation between you and your site visitors where you have 100% control over the dialogue. If site users perceive you to be lacking in credibility then youกll be unable to defend yourself. As such, you must ensure that you answer any questions your site visitors may have, for example:

What is the purpose of your organisation?
How much does your product cost?
What happens if Iกm not happy with your service
What will you do with my email address once I give it to you?

There are about 35 million websites on the Internet by 2014 thereกll be an estimated 150 million, not including personal websites. With so many people online and so many websites competing with yours, if you can’t persuade Internet users to be loyal to your website then someone else will.
3. All statements should be backed up by thirdparty evidence
กWe helped our clients achieve an average of 70% growth last year.ก Really? Well prove it! Every single point you make on your website must, without fail, be backed up with hard evidence preferably from a thirdparty website. How else can a reader know for sure that you’re telling the truth?
Client testimonials, for example, are great they’re even better if the testimonial links to the clientกs website. You can improve them even more if the name of the person making the testimonial is linked to their bio on their website. You could notch up even more credibility points if the testimonial itself is on the clientกs website and you link to it!
If youกve won any awards or belong to any industry bodies, then proudly display these emblems too. Even better, have them link to the external website. Better still, would be a direct link to the section of the website showing your membership details or a list of the award winners.
4. There has to be proof that the organisation is growing and has clients
An organisation that can prove it has clients and is experiencing growth instantly achieves credibility. By showing youกve offered your services plenty of times before, and expect to do so in the future, your organisation comes across as being firmly established within your industry. You can prove this by providing:

A client list
Testimonials
Case studies of your work
A latest news section
A jobs page
Free newsletter

5. Your website needs to have an air of professionalism and confidence
Your website is your organisationกs online representation itกs essential that it matches up in quality to the rest of your marketing materials. Even if you don’t think your websiteกs important to the success of your organization, (potential) clients will make judgments about your organisation based on your website.
So, what is the number one most important aspect of Web credibility? The about us section? No. Quality of outbound links? Nosiree. Studies have consistently proven that the most important criteria of web credibility is… the way the website looks. Thatกs it.
Itกs been suggested that this is due to the short amount of time we spend on websites so we tend to rely on initial judgements. Make sure that you create a great first impression by having a crisp, professional layout with sharp graphics. Other good things to do are:

Provide some free information to prove your expertise
Ensure there are no dead links
Send out an automated confirmation email when someone contacts you

There are many more! Just visit any website you perceive to be professional and confident and see what they do.

About The Author

This article was written by Trenton Moss. Heกs crazy about web usability and accessibility so crazy that he went and started his own web usability and accessibility consultancy (Webcredible http://www.webcredible.co.uk) to help make the Internet a better place for everyone.

This article was posted on July 27, 2004

by Trenton Moss

The Seven Traits Needed To Become A Leader In Netw

The Seven Traits Needed To Become A Leader In Network Marketing

by: Terry Stewart

Do you ever wonder what character traits are needed to become a successful leader in network marketing. Network marketing is a very hard business to do it is not a get rich vehicle. This industry needs a certain type of person to be successful.

To build a down line which can earn you a residual income you need to become a leader who leads by example so your organisation duplicates you. You Need seven traits:

Drive

Persistence

Teachability

Thick Skin

Positive Attitude

Compassion

Vision

As the leader of your organisation you need to have drive. Drive for yourself so that your group can see and feel your drive and they will follow in your Footsteps. Imagine that you have two children a large mortgage to pay and not a lot of income coming in. Circumstance like that will give you the drive to Succeed through the bad times.

You also need to have persistence a good leader knows that you need to keep going . All to often people stop just as they are about to get some where they stop one yard in front of the finishing line. A true successful marketer will keep on until they achieve their goals.

You must be teachable only then can you rise up and become a leader. How Can you lead if you do not know what it takes to be a leader. You can not you run before you can walk, so if you don’t know what it takes to lead how can advise your organisation.

As I said previously network marketing is a hard business. So you need to Develop a thick skin to see you through to achieve your goals. There will be people out there who will criticise and knock you every turn you make. No one has ever attained success without first enduring a withering hail of criticism from friend and foe alike.

Another important trait to have is a positive attitude, When you are seen with a positive attitude it spreads through your organisation. You cannot have encourage Others If your thinking is pessimistic and downbeat. Positive thinking is essential for a leader.

It is very easy for leaders to fall into the trap of thinking people in their downline as Just tools or instruments to do with as they will. They would motivate the group far better by Showing some compassion. Compassion is the another trait needed for leaders in networking marketing. People tend to react better when shown a little encouragement as opposed to being relentlessly driven.

To get all your organisation pointing in the same direction at once you need to have a vision which can be shared by the whole group. The key to having a vision is to get your whole group believing in it and pulling in the same direction.

So you see the seven traits when all used in conjunction can help you become a successful Leader and in turn your organisation will duplicate you. The benefit of this is obvious to See you will get other leaders in your group, your group will become self sufficient and you will have residual income for ever.

Build your own internet business with no experience neccessary

http://www.pluginprofitsite.com/main4857

http://www.extraemoney.com

Copyright © 2004 Terry Stewart

About The Author

Terry Stewart. After a life time of being a chef in various up market restaurants and hotels I have know branched out into the Home based business world and I am finding it rewarding and interesting

http://telnelbiz.com

http://extraemoney.com

[email protected]

This article was posted on October 06, 2004

by Terry Stewart

Linking out is good

Linking out is good

by: Trenton Moss

Many websites I come across don’t have a single link to another website. Ask the webmaster why not, and the answer you get is simple enough: กIf I link to other websites people might leave my site.ก At this point I break the news that site visitors will leave your site. And thereกs nothing you can do about this.

Site visitors won’t leave your site because you provide links to external sites. Theyกll leave for one of two reasons:

Theyกve found what they were looking for and no longer have a reason to stay on your website

They can’t find the information they’re looking for and leave to seek it elsewhere

กOK, so site visitors are going to leave my site. But why should I hunt around for websites to link to?ก I can think of four reasons why linking out is good for you and will ultimately increase traffic to your website:

Proof thereกs a real organisation behind the website

One of the best ways to prove your organisation really exists is to link to other websites that reference you. Any website willing to mention your organisation is in effect providing a reference for you. Just 52.8% of web users believe online information to have credibility (source: http://ccp.ucla.edu/pdf/UCLAInternetReportYearThree.pdf) and four in five users say that being able to trust the information on a site is very important to them in deciding to visit a website (source: http://www.consumerwebwatch.org/news/1_TOC.htm).

Links about your organisation can include:

Press articles

Affiliation listings

Professional association membership details

Awards your organisation has won

Articles published by a member of your organisation

Directory listings (such as Yahoo! or the Open directory)

Anyone can put up a website making whatever kind of claims they want to. Have a look at the fantastic Christian womenกs wrestling website at http://www.jesus21.com/poppydixon/sports/cww.html. Itกs got quite a lot of information about them and lots of photos. And itกs 100% fake.

Backs up your arguments

Ensure that all statements about your organisation are backed up by third party websites. For example, if you sell toys itกs very easy to make a statement such as, กWe’re the number one online toy seller in the country!ก Anyone can make this statement, so prove that it is true by linking to an external website showing a list of the top online toy sellers last year.

Most of the time your site visitors probably won’t follow these links, but that doesn’t matter the important thing is that youกve shown evidence to back up the claims you’re making.

Benefit to your site visitors

The Internet is designed for users to flow through it from one website to the next don’t make your website the last one in the flow. If you know of websites that you find really useful, and you think your site visitors might too, be sure to link to them. By offering a range of useful links you may even come across as an industry expert and someone who really knows their stuff.

When providing links make sure you do so at appropriate times. Don’t relegate external links to a links page site visitors aren’t so likely to visit this page as a links page doesn’t immediately address their needs. Instead, provide links as and when they’re appropriate to the content of each page.

For example, if you run an accountancy firm you may wish to link to a website that has an uptodate reference guide about new tax laws in the field of accounting. You don’t have the time to provide that kind of regularly updated information on your website but your site visitors would find it really useful. Help out your site visitors and theyกll hold your organisation in a positive light.

Search engine benefits

One of the ways search engines try to work out what your website is about is by analysing its inbound and outbound links. The more confidence a search engine has of what your websiteกs about, all other things being equal, the higher search engine ranking youกll achieve. By providing outbound links to related sites you actually help the search engines analyse your site and therefore help your search ranking.

Jon Ricerca did a minianalysis to see if outbound links affect search engine rankings and his results were pretty conclusive: web pages with more outbound links generally achieved higher search rankings (see http://www.webcredible.co.uk/userfriendlyresources/searchengineoptimisation/numberlinks.shtml). Be warned though, an inbound link is worth far more than an outbound link so do not link to your competitorกs websites!

Conclusion

Don’t be afraid to link out. Your site visitors will appreciate you introducing them to useful websites, you can increase your credibility and you can achieve a higher search engine ranking. So check your favourites folder and if you think your site visitors would benefit from any of the websites there be sure to include them in an appropriate place on your site.

About The Author

This article was written by Trenton Moss. Heกs crazy about web usability and accessibility so crazy that he went and started his own web usability and accessibility consultancy (Webcredible http://www.webcredible.co.uk) to help make the Internet a better place for everyone.

This article was posted on August 11, 2004

by Trenton Moss