HOPSON POTTER BUSINESS

This article will explain how you can use information products to build your own entrepreneurial empire that you can operate from anywhere in the world, with customers from all over, starting with nothing at your kitchen table. Read on to find out how you can create your niche in the world, and you don’t have to be rich to get in the game.

Information products are the most successful venture that a bootstrapping entrepreneur can go into. There is almost zero start-up cost associated with them and you don’t have to carry an inventory. However, the upside is limited only to your ability to express what you know in words or video.

In order to create your information product empire, you can start right at your kitchen table. All you need is knowledge about a topic that will provide a solution for another person to get them out of a problem.

This solution can’t be found anywhere else in order for it to have value to the customer.

Your product empire will start with a single product at first, this will be your “training wheel” product, so don’t make it to elaborate or time-consuming. With this product you will make all of your fist mistakes and you probably won’t make any significant money from it.  What you will learn is far greater than the cash coming in. That’s for later, when you really get good.

This first product will be your “lab.” You will test your pricing, your copywriting skills, and even webmaster skills if you completely do everything on your own. The importance is that you get something on the web fast. Get anything up there and then tweak it as you go.

The beauty of information products is that you always get a “do-over.” Anything can be adjusted at a later time, almost instantly with the click of a mouse.

You no longer have to wait for  your marketing campaign to kick in through the mail.

Once you get your first product complete, you will start to learn how to make templates, short-cuts and ways to get information quickly that people want. Start working on your second project and make sure you finish one project at a time and get it up and running before you start a second one. This will force you to move quickly. You will constantly get new ideas for the next product, and you should keep a written list. Just prioritize the list and make one at a time.

As you start to get sales, you can leave the old products on autopilot. Every month you will add more products, slowly multiplying the giant snowball of your income until your empire will sustain your lifestyle and you no longer have to work.

Emotional stress from lay-offs may be common since the economy took its recent nosedive, and many people are looking for work. Job searching is always a lot of effort to attain an interview no matter what the circumstances are. Some people haven’t had much exposure to job searching, and others might not be taking advantage of all the avenues that are available to them. Here are some ways to search for employment, many of which you may have tried, and possibly some that haven’t been thought of. All of them are crucial for effective job searching.

Outplacement Services

Utilize outplacement services offered by your former employer at the time of your lay-off if they are available. These can be helpful by providing some business contacts, advice on interviewing and the preliminaries for finding a new job, and possibly retraining for different work.

This can make networking unnecessary.

Resumes

Send resumes to companies with positions that you’re qualified for. Many companies have their websites with whole sections devoted to careers. Any open positions will be listed here. You can usually apply using their own electronic application, or they might ask for you to email your resume. A follow-up letter and resume sent through the postal services might set you apart from the crowd.

Networking

The majority of open positions in the employment market are filled through personal contacts using some form of networking. Networking is just making efforts to let all your friends and acquaintances know that you’re looking for a job. This can also be best at any type of gathering, be it social, or professional. Referrals can get your foot in the door for many jobs that are not being advertised.

Often, a polite, well-written letter mentioning who referred you, and what your career goals are is the first step to a new job.

Classified Advertising

Classified advertising on the web, and in newspapers offers convenience, and there are many actual openings to be found there. Search engines on the Internet can show you positions to be filled locally, and worldwide. The information given in the details of the ad can be sketchy, or quite comprehensive, possibly nonexistent (be wary of those). You can post your resume or cover letter if you have one, or fill out an online application. Email alerts are offered by some that are delivered to an online email address. Interviews can be gotten this way, but you must remember that there are probably many other applicants. Most employment search experts don’t advise spending the majority of your search time on the

Internet.

Newspaper classified ads are a similar situation to those on the online search engines, but the printed advertisements are limited to a viewing audience that is within the range of its circulation. The number of applicants is many, and also, a small number of the actual openings within an area are advertised there. Many newspapers also have their own websites that may offer a larger number of jobs, and other services, such as, resume posting, and electronic searches.

Search engines, and newspapers both have some advertisers who are just using their ads as a source for filling databases, or as a barometer for seeing what’s on the job market at the time. The position being advertised may not exist at all.

Place Your Own Advertisements

You can also place your own ads for a position. It’s a commendable effort. Good luck.

Job Fairs

Job fairs are usually a good experience, especially if your search efforts haven’t been producing any interviews. Lines are usually long. They are most often held at hotels, or large conference rooms where various employers have areas set up with representatives offering a face-to-face meeting. These people take resumes, and answer questions, as well as, listen to any brief sales pitch that you might have prepared. It’s actually like a mini-interview without having to schedule an appointment. You should prepare yourself accordingly.

A job fair is also a good place to look around, and maybe find some networking possibilities, or pick up some company literature. It’s hard to walk away from a job fair with nothing, even if it’s just polishing up some of your interviewing skills.

Trade Journals

Trade journals are publications, magazines, or periodicals that are directed at a certain audience, or niche who work in that specific occupation, or industry. Advertising in these publications is very narrowly focused, and relevant to these people. There are usually no general advertisements, which means that any employment notices are very job-specific. These are a good place to look as part of a job search if you happen to belong to such a group.

Retraining

Retraining for an occupation that is rising in demand while the demand for your occupation is waning could be quite a reasonable option. You would have to have some means of support while you are doing this. Statistics and information for most occupations can be found on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website, and on the Department of Labor website. Community colleges, and job training centers have many programs, or curricula relevant to job training. Some state or federal programs might even fund this if their qualifications are met. Books and software can be found on the Products & Services page of the Velcodisk website.

CareerOneStop

Every state has CareerOneStop for unemployed, underemployed, and dislocated workers. Velcodisk has them listed on it’s Information page.They offer career counseling, skill assessment, job search assistance, training, and other services. The recently passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides $ 3,514,500,000 in funds that can be accessed through these centers, which means that the services at these centers are free.

We haven’t seen a slump in the American economy like the one we’re experiencing now since the 1950′s; hopefully, this isn’t a portent reminiscent of the 1930′s. There weren’t many programs on the city, state, and federal levels to act as some kind of a marginal safety net back then. Obviously, that doesn’t guarantee a stress free situation for everyone. There are jobs out there; it’s just a matter of finding a way of getting yourself into one.

Bruce Tintelnot

Microsoft is slashing 5,000 jobs this year. Intel is following suit by reducing the workforce by 6,000. Google’s quarterly profits are down for the first time. Sony lost billions in profits last year, layoffs loom. Pay freezes, job losses, people queuing up unemployment benefits and list goes on and on.

Everybody feels the huge impact of the recession. Employees who belong to non-recession proof industries are hanging on tightly to their dear jobs. Careers in health care, education and government services are still okay. Nurses and teachers are still very much in demand especially in the U.S. Finance jobs, on the other hand, are borderline.  Accountants, insurance professionals, among others are considered relatively safe. However, it is best not be complacent about your current employment. Brush up on your skills, attend advance courses and specialize because you wouldn’t know the shelf-life of your current job.

Plus, outsourcing awaits, just waiting for the right opportunity.

Outsourcing, as we are all aware of, creates and takes away jobs. For the countries who provide outsourcing services, jobs are created for their locals. As for the companies who ship jobs overseas, it’s their fellowmen who suffer on the other spectrum of the business equation, for jobs are lost or made obsolete. It’s a fact that some jobs once innate to a particular country will soon be history because of globalization.

So, if you’re still employed, what do you do to keep your job during recession?

Different situations call for different actions. Personally, I employ the following in my career:

1. Work harder than I used to.

This means taking in more responsibilities outside my job description.

This may as well justify a raise or a promotion BUT if things look bleak in your company, better forego of the thought. At least temporarily.

2. Get another skill.

A recession-proof skill, to be exact. I am thinking of going back to school. I know, it’s an additional expense at this very inopportune time BUT the operative word here is “recession-proof”. Consider the further studies as an investment. You may have to tighten your belts a bit more to get this goal done. Think long term.

3. Network.

Touch base with former co-workers and bosses. You’ll never know when they need your services again.

4. Establish a business.

Consider building an offline or online business. Working for oneself is better than working for someone else. You own your time; you bring home all your profits. It’s true that you’ll have to put in more hours of work to build your business but that’s how every business owner starts.

The economic downturn is all part of the business cycle. It has its ups and downs. In our personal careers, it’s a test of tenacity and endurance. A test of how much more we can take. Having said all these, the Pollyanna in me is still optimistic that the situation will improve. The U.S. has a new president and he promised the big change. A change that will hopefully spillover its benefits overseas.

With the economy slowly improving, some small businesses aren’t recovering at the same pace.  They are still struggling to repay the debt that was created just to stay open during the downturn.  Small business is what powers our country and they deserve every opportunity to succeed.  The point of this article is to show what options are available for small businesses that are in need of some cash to cover their debt.

The old saying goes, “it takes money to make money” and in order for some small business to grow their sales, turn profits again, and repay the debts that were created during this recession it is very hard.  An option for many businesses to gain cash in the short term is to take a gamble on their future sales.  Invoice factoring and credit card cash advances will give business the boost in cash they need to get out of the hole.

 If they are in an industry that is expected to grow as the economy keeps improving this is a great option.  Both methods work by “selling” some of your future sales to other companies for cash fast.  They also do not require credit checks to be approved for the advances, so if the bank will not approve your business for a loan or a new line of credit this may be the best bet.  These also work to make it through equipment failures and unexpected large expenses.

If the debt of the company is too much to handle, debt consolidation may also be an easy way to keep the doors open. A debt consolidator will work with the company to negotiate their debt down and a monthly payment will be made directly to the consolidator.  This option works best when all other attempts to get out of debt without assistance.

Whichever method a business chooses to get out of debt, the best thing is get started as soon as possible.

 If you let the debt build it will become even harder to tackle it, even after the economy rebounds and the sales start coming back.