Saturday, June 5, 2010

ot Business Opportunities - 7 Powerful Strategies For Finding Them

There’s no such thing as running out of ideas when it comes to business opportunities. There are a lot of ways on how you can earn extra income for your family and yourself. Here are 7 effective methods on looking for one.

If you’re living from paycheck to paycheck, or if you’re scared of losing your job one of these days, then perhaps it’s high time that you think about looking for business opportunities. A business may never be an easy road to trudge, but it definitely offers a lot of benefits. For one, you’re assured of a job. You will also have more control of how much you’re going to earn, and you can get to spend more time with your loved ones.

You may be scared that the market is already saturated. There are already thousands of people who are shifting from regular employees to entrepreneurs. However, business opportunities are never scarce—if you just know how to look for them. Here are 7 effective ways to landing the most lucrative money-making machine:

1. Solve a problem. Products or services that are being offered by business opportunities may be brought upon by a problem. For example, since there are a lot of men who are worried of hair loss, there are already hair regrowth shampoos available. The business may be a solution to your own problem. You may also learn to observe your community or even your country? What are the current concerns of people these days? What do they need? What can I do for them? You can start from there.

2. Improve a product or service. A less stressful method of looking for business opportunities is to simply enhance a product or service that is already available in the market. Do you think that there’s something wrong with the material used in nail cutters? It doesn’t really matter. As long as you see that there’s a need for enhancement, then you have a future product for yourself.

3. Read newspapers. Not a lot of people pay attention to classified ads, but there are a lot of opportunities there too. You will know what the current demand in the market is, and you can also get to see what other people may be having as their source of income.

4. Participate in trade shows and expos. Of course, when you still don’t have a business, there’s no need for you to open up a booth. However, you can still be active in trade shows by becoming an attendee. Some of these companies may be looking for franchisees, distributors, retailers, and wholesalers for the different products and services that they have. It’s advisable to obtain brochures or product information for those opportunities that interest you, so you can assess each of them when you get home.

5. Go online. There are also plenty of opportunities for you in the World Wide Web. You can type in Google “home-based business opportunities,” and you can come up with hundreds of search results. You can also visit Entrepreneur.com and check their home-based opportunities section.

6.Know what you’re good at. Do you know that most of the people who succeed are those that take opportunities that they’re good at? It’s more than about the passion. It’s because of your expertise and your knowledge about it that makes you really good in managing your business. Thus, if you have creative hands, you can design fashionable jewelry, which you can sell in bazaars or even online.

7. Learn from the experts. When you are in doubt as to what business opportunities to take, don’t be afraid to ask for advice. You can ask other business-minded people in your area. You can also consult your family and friends.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Hiring on Elance

If you’ve been looking to hire a freelance professional over the internet, chances are you’ve heard of the leading online marketplace for freelance professionals, Elance. Whether you’re the CEO of a major company and need some marketing materials, or an entrepreneur just getting your internet business set up, this freelance site will be of great help. Learn the many reasons why Elance is the place to find competent freelancers over the internet.

The Freelancers Are True Professionals

The freelancers you can find on Elance (writers, programmers, researchers, etc.) aren’t just individuals with mediocre skills. In fact, the providers are verified professionals with proven capabilities. In face, Elance verifies the freelancers’ addresses and phone numbers and also requires every freelancer to take an admissions test before beginning any jobs. Elance also strongly recommends that they pass specific tests to gauge their experience and work quality. Most freelancers also verify credentials so clients can hear firsthand from previous satisfied clients. Elance provides rewards for those freelancers who provide excellent customer service, timeliness with projects, and satisfy their customers – drawing highly qualified freelancers who are competent and talented.

Elance Allows Different Payment Options
Elance rises above their competition in more than one way, but one really great feature that stands out is their set of payment options. With Elance, you can choose to pay one flat price for your entire project, or you can break it down and pay your freelancer by the hour. Your freelancer will provide invoices along with their work progress so you can see exactly what they’ve done. In addition, if you have a massive project, you can create milestones to break it down even further. You might decide to let the project run for one month with weekly updates and payments. It’s completely up to you!

Elance’s Guarantees Give You Peace of Mind
Whether you hire a freelancer by the project or by the hour, you’ll fall under Elance’s guarantees – either the Fixed Price Guarantee or the Hourly Work Guarantee. With the Elance Fixed Price Guarantee, the payment for the jobs will be held in a secure Escrow account, so the freelancer knows they’re going to be paid. However, you’ll have the chance of perusing the work and giving your approval on it before you release the freelancer’s payment. This provides a platform for excellent quality work and peace of mind, both for you and your provider.

In addition, you’ll receive screenshots and comments when you work with a freelancer under the Elance Hourly Work Guarantee. This allows you to see the progress being made on the project, including what work the freelancer has done by the hour, guaranteeing payment for time spent on working.

Elance Has Many Additional Features

Elance provides several other features that you simply can’t find with other freelancing sites. For instance, the freelancer and the client share a ‘workroom,’ where communication is enhanced through file-sharing features, message boards, upload capabilities and more. This allows you and the freelancer to work together to clear up confusion, manage projects, correct versions of the projects and so much more. There is even a real time chat option, so you and the freelancer can communicate freely and make sure you’re on the same page. These features reduce the confusion and make transactions go smoother.

The Feedback and Rating System

Once the project is completed and you’re satisfied with the work you’ve been given, you can leave thorough feedback for your freelancer. This helps the freelancer secure jobs in the future, as clients can see that you’re a satisfied customer. Incidentally, this is also how you can gain information about your freelancer before hiring them for the project. Feedback points include communication, expertise, quality of work, and more. They can leave feedback for you as well, and respond to the comments you leave on their profile.

The amount of features, options, and guarantees provided by Elance are simply unmatched, which is the reason they are the number one freelance market place on the internet today.