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Choosing the Right Networking Events to Attend

Live events are a great way to network with others in your business field. Human interaction builds strong relationships. Also, you get to practice those networking skills in person. But, what events are right for you?

Live events are going on all around you. The trick: knowing where to look. Here are a few suggestions:

• Visit your favorite blogs for information. If your bloggers are speaking or attending a conference they will want to let their readers know about it. Ask for more information if they don’t provide a link.
• Visit forums. Business forums usually have a place where they list upcoming events both online and offline. Check to see which are close to you and if they are on a topic that interests you.
• Local business or chamber of commerce newspapers. Look on the Calendar for events that interest you.
• Visit social networking sites. These are great for business connections. If friends are hosting events or attending, they may post an invite to the event for their business contacts. Read the information and attend.

The live events you choose may interest you in two ways:

• Professionally
• Personally

Professionally, choose events that are relevant to your business. You wouldn’t attend a crafting seminar if you sell gardening supplies. And, you probably would pass on a seminar that highlights how offline businesses can get into online markets if you already own an online business.

It can be hard to decide if you are new to online business. Because you aren’t sure what you need to know, you don’t know what live events will be best for you. Here are some pointers:

• Check geographic location – Your first time out, you might want to stay close to home to lower costs. Money is often tight when you just get up and running.
• Look at event registration costs – Now, money is not the only consideration. As the fees get more expensive, your attendees will reach a different caliber as well. And, some events are tax deductible as a business expense. What we are talking about here is to see if you can swing the cost for a highly rated event that will benefit your business in many ways. You could probably cut back on other things for a little while to make it work.
• Look at the speakers – Who is coming to regale you with their business savvy? If the speakers are some of your favorite bloggers or online business owners that you have been wanting to meet, don’t pass up the chance to have your questions answered and gain some insight.

Choosing a live event to attend doesn’t have to be a hard decision. Gather as much information as you can about upcoming events, their location and fees so you can map out your networking strategy.

Why Even Online Business Owners Should Attend Live Networking Events

Offline gatherings are great for online businesses. You get to meet people who you only know through the screen of your computer.

Everyone is gung ho about social networking these days. Social sites are bursting at the seams with members who reconnect with friends and learn to connect with business colleagues. That social networking platform can be further expanded into the flesh-and-blood world at live events. After all, face to face is the original social networking.

What’s a Live Event?

Well, it’s just like the name implies. A live event is a gathering for business professionals in your business field. They are held all over the world and even in your back yard. People, with something to say that others want to hear, lend their time and talent to anyone who is interested in growing their business.

Live events are usually hosted by companies who want to share their knowledge with others. The speakers are often a list of “Who’s Who” in their corner of the business world, whether it’s local business, online business or anything in-between – from bloggers to marketing gurus to life coaches.

Benefits of Attending

There are many reasons to attend a live event.

1. Get out of your comfort zone. Many wouldn’t call this a plus, but how can your business grow doing the same thing over and over again? For one, you’ll get bored. If you are used to seeing people through their words, now you can put a name to a face and so can they. Stretch your business self with interesting people and thought-provoking seminars.
2. Meet people with similar goals. It is refreshing to hold a conversation with someone who understands where you are coming from. If you are new to business, even the experts can remember back and give you practical advice on how to go from where you are to where they are and beyond.
3. Begin a few joint ventures. Businesses partner with other businesses all the time. If you each have something that can benefit the other, it can be a match made in heaven. But, you may not get the chance unless you attend a live event. When you get to see and hear their plans, you can make a confident decision that this person will be great to work with.
4. Build your business. Oh, yeah, there is this one. There will be people from all walks of life with the same goal – improve their business standing. You will get business cards, photo opportunities, business materials and possibly drinks by the pool with others who are more than willing to talk with you about how to take your business to the next level.

Never been to a live event? Now you have four (of many) dynamite reasons that it needs to be on your “To Do” list.

Tips for Starting your Home-Based Service Business

The current trend is towards more home-based businesses. They require lower overhead and start-up money making them easier for entrepreneurs with limited funds. If you are thinking about starting a home-based service business, here are a few tips for getting started on the right foot.

What is a service business?

Service businesses are those that provide help to others. This can be anything from mowing the lawn to managing business accounts. The basis of a successful service business is one that supplies a need. In your area, it may take some research to discover the top service needs and then figure out which one you can provide.

Benefits of a home-based service business

There are several benefits to running a home-based service business. First of all, you can run the business from your home. Since you already pay a mortgage or rent, utilities and car payments, the only thing you need spend money on now is the equipment for your business. And, if you're choosen service began as a hobby, you probably already own most of the needed equipment.

Secondly, a home-based service business requires low overhead and startup costs. We alluded to the startup costs above and the low overhead means no employees but you. The key to keeping the overhead low is taking on only as many projects as you can safely and efficiently handle by yourself.

Home-based service business options

As we mentioned, you can usually run these service businesses out of your home. Establishing a website for selling your services lowers the overhead even more and maximizes your profit. With the Internet as your potential customer base, the opportunities are endless for marketing and finding clients. Here are some home-based service options.

Virtual assisting has taken off in a big way in the last ten years. Using a computer, fax machine, telephone, and Internet access, you can perform various administrative duties for large and small companies. You are paid for the work that you do so there is no extra charge for the company. Virtual assisting skills run from transcription to accounting to managing email and company websites.

Transcription by itself can be a profitable venture. Medical offices and businesspeople are always in need of someone to transcribe their audio or video files. It is far easier and less time consuming to record an interview or dictate a medical procedure. Your job will be to turn that file into a document for patient charts and online use by various businesses.

Ghostwriting is the process of writing articles, novels, eBooks and more for an individual or a company. Using your writing talent, you can make a lot of money creating literary works (print and electronic) for others who need them.

Getting started tips

There are considerations before beginning any type of business, even a home-based one.

1.    Check out the local laws for registering and zoning a home business. Most home businesses require no zoning issues unless you will be meeting clients in your home and posting signs in the yard.

2.    Small business tax laws. Now that you are a business, you are subject to different tax exemptions, deductions and payments. Sites like www.irs.gov can give you the information you need.

3.    Set up a separate work space at home. This could be as simple as using a spare bedroom or den with a door to keep your work separate. If you rely on the telephone a separate phone line can be added. When a workshop is needed, consider using a garage or purchasing a large outbuilding.

4.    Use on and offline marketing methods to find clients. This may include: viral marketing, newspaper and Yellow Pages ads, flyers and direct mailings, email marketing, article marketing, setting up a website and etcetera.

5.    Create a schedule to divide time between work and family. Balancing both is hard. Scheduling time and sticking to it means more gets done and no one is slighted.

A home-based service business is an alternative for people who want to know entrepreneurship without spending a lot in upfront costs. If you have a talent and can meet a need, consider a home-based business.