In these times of economic turmoil, more and more people are looking for ways to take control of their own future. With thousands and thousands of people losing their jobs, we’re confronted with the harsh reality that “job security” is a nice idea, but really doesn’t exist. If we’re truly going to be financially sound and secure it will be because we created that security for ourselves. It will be because we took charge of our present and future circumstances, and created the lives that we know we deserve. More and more people are taking this challenge on every day – and winning. The home based business industry, and specifically the online home based business industry, is the fastest growing on the planet right now, and for good reason. There is no better way to leverage time and effort, tapping into the largest market place in the world and using automated systems to generate income. While there are many scams and sketchy get-rich-quick opportunities out there, it is very possible to find a home based business that works. You just have to know where to look, and what to do. This article will help you understand how to find a home based business that works, and set yourself free once and for all.Find a Home Based Business That Works – Create your visionIt’s been said that you can’t hit a target that you can’t see. If you’re going to find a home based business that works for you and your family, you need to know what your perfect business looks like. Do you want to be running home or hotel meetings? Do you want to be sharing quality products with your friends and family? Or are you looking for something that’s more automated, leveraging the power of the internet to work for you 24/7 while you do other things? Really get specific about the look and feel of your perfect scenario before you start trying to find a home based business that works for you.Find a Home Based Business That Works – Start DiggingThere are literally thousands of people and business opportunities out there, so the truth is that you can find your ideal opportunity. You can literally seek out a home based business that works for you, and find a product/company/mentor that you know you can stand behind, and more importantly, that will stand behind you. Use Google to learn more about a given business opportunity. Read articles (you’re clearly on the right track already). Get your hands on all the information you can by opting in to some web pages that will give you free access to more of their material (video presentations, etc.). Get your questions answered.Find a Home Based Business That Works – Do Some InterviewsSuccess in this industry often comes down to the people that you’re working with, who are showing you the pathway. So be sure that you get along with them. Find people you like, trust, and respect. Most importantly, be sure that they have a vested interest in your long term success. Is the compensation structure set up to have them benefit from your first 2 sales and then leave you on your own? Or are they genuinely interested in helping you find success along the way, because it will mean you’re both more successful?Setting yourself free is more possible now than ever before. Home based businesses offer some amazing benefits, both in terms of finances (unlimited income, automated income, residual income, tax benefits, etc.) and lifestyle (time freedom, work from home, work anywhere in the world, work with people you like, etc.). Find a home based business that works for you, and set yourself free today. There is not another moment to waste.

If you tried to think of people involved in product creation, who would come to mind? You may think of Edison, Franklin, or maybe Henry Ford. Would you ever think of yourself as someone who can create a quality product? Product creation is actually relatively easy and product launching is not that tough either! If you follow a few easy to understand steps, you could be starting the product creation and product launching process sooner than you think.

The first step in creating your information product is to know and understand your market. This can be very time-consuming, especially if you are unsure of what to do or where to look to know your market. Studying your niche market and understanding the buzz words and buying patterns can ease the process dramatically. Personally, I would recommend networking with someone who has had success in the niche market you are considering and learn from their results. If they are into product creation and not very business savvy expect some hesitation. If they only sell products and have nothing to do with product launching or product creation you may your first affiliate (sales person)! Something else you can use to find hot trends is with the Google Trends tool.

The second step is the product creation process. Take your niche market and brainstorm ideas and topics relating to it. There are a lot of product launching contests going on recently relating to a newly created internet marketing tool. There are so many aspects to the mentioned niche that literally, and unfortunately, anything can be considered an Internet Marketing tool. The reason that anyone can basically create an Internet Marketing tool is because of something called Private Label Rights products.

What I use private label rights products for, and highly recommend them in this specific manner, is to cure writer’s block especially when it is lingering. Many people base their entire product creation and product launching on a private label rights product. This is where you can start to shine and build a strong brand for yourself. If you set goals for yourself, short-term goals to be exact, you can see your product creation come into being much faster and there is a good chance with less revision needed. If you keep hitting time restraint road blocks; however there is nothing wrong with a slow and steady approach, you can consider outsourcing portions of your project. Outsourcing can be an extremely huge benefit or just as great of a disaster.

You can find someone to outsource work to at a freelance site such as Guru.com or eLance.com. When reviewing proposals it is almost mandatory you perform a background check on them as you are in essence hiring them. Doing a background check on freelancers is as easy as asking for samples of their work and reviewing feedback on the freelance site from previous customers. Depending on the size and requirements of your project this can add up to a decent sized investment, so caution is very important. One tip I always recommend to people looking to hire an individual is to ask them what they can provide you that no one else can. This simple question gives them a chance to “toot their own horn” and acknowledge where they feel most competent as far as their skill set.

The final portion of the product creation and product launching formula is the launch. This can literally make or break the effort, time, and maybe (if you invested) money you put in to your project. There are numerous aspects to product launching and although their relevance is debated in terms to their effect, experts agree all must be followed. The person in your field who you asked for product advice from can help you substantially if you have kept in touch. If not, the first thing you need to do is to create a visually appealing website with flawless design work.

I also mentioned outsourcing before, this is one aspect of product launching I have little strength in and I always outsource this portion. The website does not have to be large however the content (ad copy in Internet Marketing) must be stellar and as perfect as possible. This is where advertising knowledge or experience is beneficial. When the site is set up you now put a lead capture form on your website.

I put two lead capture pages on all products I create on the internet and is one of the best methods of getting a solid start when you are in the product launching stage. When you gain information from a prospect or someone looking to get paid for referring sales you are able to provide them updates or specials. Many people abuse their prospect or affiliate lists by in turn emailing them with a new product daily and I find the recommendations to be totally unrelated to their original need, problem, or interest.

Another stage in the product launching stage is creating a free report or demo version of your product to entice the product to sign up to your email list. Using proper follow up with this can help generate numerous sales for you. One thing you need to ensure is that your free product completely relates to your main product that you are looking to sell.

You are now ready to advertise your product launching to customers as well as the opportunity to sell for affiliates. This is the single aspect that many product creations and launches fail on. It is actually not entirely difficult. One thing you can do is write articles (and a good amount of them) on topics relating to your product. I am a huge advocate of giving a solution in forums. When you join a forum you are normally offered the opportunity to create a signature. In your signature, you should enter the link to your opt-in or lead capture page. When you respond to posts, you are advertising your opportunity.

It is not impossible to create a product and it does not have to take a long time. You need to setup a plan and stick to it. If you get stuck, look at similar and successful products to your own and try and see how they did it. When you sit down and brainstorm you will be surprised with what you can imagine.

Between the kids, your spouse, and your other responsibilities you barely have enough time to breathe let alone try to start a home based business. But your family could use the extra income and, even though things can get a little crazy at home, you would rather not get a job. Your only other option is to look at ways you can make money at home with a work at home business of some kind.The standard advice you’ll get from gurus about how to start a small home based business is to develop a business out of your existing skill set. For example, if you are a certified public accountant, then you would be encouraged to run an accounting business from your kitchen table.There several problems with this advice. First of all, what if you don’t want to make use of your current skills? What if the whole reason you quit your CPA job was because if you looked at one more ledger sheet you were going to scream? You will not be successful in a home based business you hate.Second, what if you don’t have any skills that you can draw from? You may be able to do lots of things but what if none of it could make you any money? If you took the advice of the gurus then you would have no business and still stuck at step one.But even if you could start a home business creating products or offering services for which you are fully skilled, is that really the best way to go?When you start a home based business, you are essentially beginning from scratch. There are numerous headaches involved with building a business from the ground up. Usually, there is licensing to obtain, product development and storage, customer acquisition, marketing and brand development, and a host of other things that must be done before your business gains the traction it needs to start making you money.Then there is the capital investment. Depending on the type of business you decide to create, you may have to invest thousands of dollars into your business before you even open your doors. The internet has made starting a home business easier and cheaper but if you don’t have any money, then you are still looking at putting in hundreds of hours of sweat equity.Lastly, most home based businesses are really work at home jobs in disguise. Since they require you to be actively involved in order to earn any money, your income will be tightly bound to the number of hours you work. This can be further complicated by the fact that you still have a household to run which means you may not have as much time available as you need to earn the income you want.A better way to start a home based business is to sign up with a direct sales opportunity. Otherwise known as network marketing, a direct sales business cuts out a lot of the challenges you face when trying to start a home based business from scratch. Investing in a direct sales opportunity is smart business because, you’ll have:* Less Startup Headaches – The company has already invested time and effort in getting the company off the ground. The products are created, marketing materials printed, and licenses purchased. All you have to do is find customers.* Lower Capital Investment – Instead of thousands of dollars, most direct sales businesses can be started with a hundred dollars or less.* Multiple Income Opportunities – In addition to selling the product directly, you will also be able to generate income through referrals and other passive income streams that help uncouple your time from your money. You’ll experience more personal freedom to do the things you want to do.If you are thinking about starting a home based business, don’t do it the hard way. Give yourself a leg up by joining a direct sales opportunity that will have you earning money right out of the gate. For more information on how I built my home based business, contact me. I’ll be more than happy to show you how I’m able to run a full time household and still make money in my business.