January 15, 2007 by Proven Home Business.

By Nic Haffner

It has been said that the most rewarding career one can embark upon is one which serves the people. For the thousands of people who graduate each year with a degree in social work related fields they dedicate their lives to helping those who are less fortunate or need assistance in times of needs. When it comes to choosing a college to earn a degree in this field there are certain schools that stand out and truly deserve to be called the best.

Whether your pursue your degree in a local community college, University or through online education there are certain criteria you are undoubtedly looking for to make sure the school you choose is the best for your field. Some of the things that you should look for when making a decision include: What type of programs do they offer in the social sciences? Are they recognized by any national or world-wide institutes or organizations that deal with public service? How have they earned accreditation in this field? No doubt as you begin your search these questions and many others are going to be part of a comprehensive list you develop to help you in choosing the appropriate educational institution.

As you explore your options don’t forget to also check with local and state agencies that provide services to the public in your field to ask them if they can recommend higher education choices. Many times these organizations are thrilled to help someone who wants to pursue this type of work and can not only recommend schools but also help mentor you as you pursue your degree. Often these types of mentoring relationships can lead to full-time employment after graduation.

Nic Haffner is a writer and internet publisher who likes to publish College Education Info Resources and related stuff. Check out his news and in depth information website the-best-colleges.com.

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January 14, 2007 by Proven Home Business.

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January 10, 2007 by Proven Home Business.

By Aldene Fredenburg

The dramatic shift in employment patterns in the past decade, and particularly in the past five years, has dealt a blow to the American workforce. The development of the Internet, particularly high-speed Internet, World Trade Organization treaties, and the explosion of container shipping are only three of the many factors which have resulted in millions of jobs, including highly paid, skilled jobs, being exported to countries from Mexico to India and China. As American workers have seen their jobs disappear to outsourcing, many have responded by going back to college, either for individual professional development courses or for degrees in a new field.

Even as computer-related positions disappear to foreign programmers and graphic designers, many U.S. workers are finding they can fight back. Programmers, website developers, and graphic artists have discovered that, with up-to-date knowledge of software and hardware and a little business sense, they can contract their skills to a number of companies more than willing to hire a local worker in exchange for the chance to forgo business expenses involved in keeping a worker on the payroll: income and social security taxes, unemployment compensation, holiday and vacation pay, health insurance benefits. This silver lining in the outsourcing cloud has kept computer and business classes filled at community colleges and vocational schools, many of whom are seeing a sharp spike in enrollment among older students in their continuing education programs.

Other workers are changing careers entirely, opting for fields that can’t be outsourced. Jobs that require a warm body and a pair of hands onsite, like broadcast communications, nursing, and medical technician positions, make sense to an increasing number of students; and both health-related industries and communications are growing while other industry sectors are shrinking in their need for local employees.

Even workers whose jobs are safe for the moment are exploring continuing education in increasing numbers. Employees who have survived one or more company downsizings, for instance, often find themselves taking on more responsibilities, and need to update their professional skills in order to survive. Others recognize that today’s work environment demands much more flexibility, and decide to be proactive in developing skills that may protect their jobs in the future.

Perhaps the only certainty in an uncertain world is that things will continue to change. That includes the demands of the workplace, and employees will have to be able to adapt quickly and skillfully to these changes. It’s a good bet that continuing professional education is going to be an ongoing part of American workers’ defense in protecting their livelihoods.

Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire. She has written numerous articles for local and regional newspapers and for a number of Internet websites, including Tips and Topics. She expresses her opinions periodically on her blog, http://beyondagendas.blogspot.com She may be reached at amfredenburg@yahoo.com

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January 7, 2007 by Proven Home Business.

By Steven Pollack

Retailing is very diverse and sometimes the edges start to blur with other type of business. The word retail comes from the Old French retaille “to

cut off”. So a wholesaler or manufacturer sells bulk lots while the retailer is willing to sell off smaller or individual pieces. Of course this definition only takes us so far because many wholesalers also sell retail and many retailers also sell wholesale in larger lots.

Further, the common usage of retail is based more on whether the business deals directly with the public. Retail banking, retail service stations, and local coffee shops are all retailers although they do not necessarily sell any goods in the sense of a clothing store.

A local physical location is not even necessary for the definition of retail anymore now that e-tailing and Ebay selling can be retail businesses unto themselves. The best definition of retail might be any business whose product or service is made for, and targeted to, the consuming public.

WHAT DO YOU BRING TO THE TABLE?

So you have a skill or cash, (but hopefully both) and you want to enter retail. This is where it all branches out. Do you know what you want to do or don’t you? If you do it is probably because you have the skill from working for others. You know exactly the kind of business you want to run. Probably just like your bosses business but better. Your first decision is whether to start a new operation or try to buy into an ongoing concern.

If you don’t know what kind of retail you want to enter, however, it is probably because you have money but are leaving a different industry. You will probably benefit the most from either looking into franchising or else looking for a successful model that you want to emulate or improve.

When you think about it, there are not really that many types of retail operations. Bulk food, prepared food, furniture, clothing, jewelry, automotive, electronics, financial, personal care services, and specialty stores that carry anything from knick knacks for the home to a store that only sells products from a certain country, there just are not that many types of retail establishments to consider. Consider what you do during the day, you get out of bed, get dressed, put on your watch, eat, and drive to work. Retail tracks what people do so you will be well served to pick something that fulfills a need.

Of course within each one of these broad categories there are many niches available. Take clothing for example. There are work clothes, casual, children’s, formal, and sportswear. And there are even sub-specialties within the niche such as upscale children’s clothing, everyday basic wear, or infant clothing. [

MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION IS CRITICAL

Finally, there is a very severe over-supply of retail outlets now. Strip malls keep getting built, regional malls are expanding, and e-tail sellers are popping up everywhere. It is a very hard time to become a retailer and succeed. Business failure by small retailers is very common.

One trend in local shopping districts is the loss of goods sellers and the emergence of service businesses to take their place. I always get a laugh when local governments create moratoriums on new banks because they want to have more diversity (read this as tax revenue) in the downtown shopping district. The fact is that people don’t really need that many different stores selling things. People do, however, need a place to put their checking accounts. If people did not need more banks then the market would fix any oversupply through mergers or closings.

So in addition to the over supply of retail stores, it is fair to say that the wrong types of businesses are being chosen by startup entrepreneurs. While it may easier to look at what you want to open, it is also necessary to research what the market actually needs.

The decision facing the startup entrepreneur is therefore two-fold. First, you must decide on the type of retail business you will create. Second, you need to decide if your skills and resources are better suited for a startup or if you are better served by purchasing an existing business or entering into a franchise.

Author Steven Pollack has over 20 years experience starting up and operating retail businesses. His retail consulting firm can be found on the internet at http://www.RetailGems.com

© Copyright 2006 Steven Pollack

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January 2, 2007 by Proven Home Business.

Most people are aware of the typical online promotional techniques home business owners have marketed through such as banners, link exchanges, different search engines, newsletters, forums, and the like. However, a good home based business must also consider offline promotion strategies as well and how to use them in order to generate more business.

Remember, that simply because your business is online does not mean you are restricted to simply advertising online. Promoting offline gives you opportunities to reach the people who may never find your ad or web site online. The most important tip for offline promotion strategies of course is your web site URL. You want your URL to be easily remembered, so it is important to pick something memorable when creating your URL. Then, when you have decided on the perfect, catchy URL, it is even more important to make sure that it is distributed in the offline world.

There are many ways to do this. One, your URL should be on all stationary, invoices, and any communication you send should be branded with your URL. This is important because the more people see your URL the more likely they will be to remember it.Some advertisers have used billboards that have a large URL and nothing else on it, this creates curiosity in passersby’s who often times will go and check it out just to ease their inquisitiveness. Another strategy is to place a large magnet on the side of your company vehicle because it can easily list the web page address, any other information, and can easily be changed if necessary.

Make sure you have your URL displayed on your web pages. The reason for this is to target individuals who print out articles or other information to read later. You want these people to know the address of what they are reading so they can return. There is also a chance that other people will see what was printed and they will be able to see your URL.

There is always television and radio advertising when it fits in your budget. Off-peak hours advertising is not nearly as expensive as prime time advertising. You can check with your local cable channels and local radio stations for pricing information. They will also be able to help you find your target audience. For instance, if your web page hosts real estate listings in North Carolina, you will want to advertise on local North Carolina channels and radio stations. Advertising this way significantly reduces the price and gets the word out to many targeted individuals.

Also, contact your local newspaper and let the business editor know you have a new business and Web site and what you offer. Frequently, local newspapers are interested in featuring local business people and their accomplishments. This form of free advertising can really help get your business noticed.

Put on your creative hat and work on those offline promotion strategies, be creative and constantly thinking of new ways you can get the word out. Creativity will usually draw interested visitors. Promoting your business offline is every bit as important as your online promotions. Make sure your web site is up to date and ready for all of the new visitors you will get from your offline promotions.

Jay

http://myprovenhomebusiness.com

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January 1, 2007 by Proven Home Business.

With all of the information and commercials out there for ways to make money from home, the phrases “home business” and “work at home job” have become virtually interchangeable. This can be misleading, though, since these are actually two distinct things that are unique in themselves.

A home business is like any other business. The person running it is responsible for customers and the running of the business. A home business can be based around a unique product that the owner has created themself, or they could be selling products from other companies. Often home business owners will buy products wholesale directly from a manufacturer. These manufacturers sometimes offer drop- shipping, wherein the home business owner is simply an intermediary and doesn’t have to worry about stocking inventory or sending out the products themselves. They simply sell the products, then give the order info to their supplier. The supplier then ships out the product directly to the customer.

The fundamental difference between a home business owner and someone working from home is that the home business owner is not assigned work. They are responsible for their own actions and handle such things as what to do, when, and how. They also handle their own pay and are fully responsible for managing their own business.

On the other hand, people who work an at-home job are just like any other employee. They are given assignments, and they are told what they need to do and when. They have to abide by their company’s rules and have to work within a schedule and set limitations. They cannot hire their own employees, and are responsible to a supervisor. They can complete their work from the comfort of their home and then usually submit it to their company through the internet. Many times people working from home are independent contractors. This means that the company they are working for retains them for a certain amount of time, but does not guarantee continuous work, or a continual income.

The confusion about the differences between a home business and work at home jobs is common. However, it can lead to home business owners getting into situations where they find themselves overwhelmed by the amount of work they need to do. It can also be frustrating for people working stay- at-home jobs because they may be expecting more freedom. That is why the difference between these two types of employment is important to grasp.

Jay

www.myprovenhomebusiness.com

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December 27, 2006 by Proven Home Business.

Inside my blog I post usefull information to anyone who is involved with or is

considering a home based business. Anyone is welcome to read and post.

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