Moms, What Will It Take For You To Stay At Home?

With the cost of living constantly on the rise, it's getting harder and harder for moms to say at home with their children. As the price of housing, gas, insurance, and everything else skyrockets, millions of women are having to forego their dream of being a stay-home mom.

Even if you're married, with a spouse who earns a very nice paycheck, staying at home can mean a big change in your lifestyle. You and your kids will have to do without many of the nice things in life, and possibly have to give up some near necessities.

The choice doesn't have to be that stark. Mothers everywhere are discovering that owning their own home-based business can bring in plenty of extra cash, while meshing perfectly with the demands of running a house with kids.

How many moms are doing this? Businesses owned by women have been one of the fastest growing segments of the North American economy in recent years. In fact, women have far outpaced men in new business start-ups for almost 10 years.

Women are exceptionally good at creating strong business relationships, negotiating good customer service, and taking the many details of a business in stride.

But, even more important, here is what a home based business can do to make your life everything you dreamed it could be:

* With your own home based business, you'll be able to work whenever you like. If your small children nap in the afternoon, you'll be able to run your business then. If you have time in the evening when your spouse returns home, you can take care of business duties later in the day. These days, when the Internet is up and running 24/7, it makes no difference what time you choose to work.

* Being your own boss, you can take off whenever you want or need to. You don't have to get permission from a supervisor to stay home with a sick child, meet friends for coffee, or travel to see out-of-town family. Often, you can work your home business from a laptop computer that goes anywhere you do.

* Most importantly, you can earn lots of additional income. A home business can start small, earning you just a few hundred dollars a month. As you build your business, there is no reason why you can't earn $1,000, $10,000, even $30,000 per MONTH! There are countless women who are proving--right now--that making this kind of income from home is truly possible.

* Frequently, you can base your home business around products you already use in your home. Simply by switching your purchases from your local store to the supplier for your business, you can earn a nice monthly income stemming from your own purchases.

So don't feel blue about your prospects of being there for your children. You can take control of your life quickly and effectively with your own home business. This method is working for millions of women all over North America, and is perhaps the most positive factor for our childrens' future to arrive in a long time.

Getting Business for Your Home Business

Home businesses, like other businesses, aren't successful just because they exist. If you want to work at home, you have to learn about marketing a home based business.

Marketing depends in large part on the type of business you have. Marketing on the internet works for most kinds of home business. Even if you plan the bulk of your business from your local area, a website adds professionalism. When sending emails, make sure you include information about your business in your signature file.

Of course, if your home based business is also internet-based, it is essential for you to learn to market on the internet. Techniques for marketing a home based business on the web include pay-per-click advertising, web blogs, and your website. You can also network online through message boards and mailing lists.

An often overlooked tool for marketing a home based business is staying in touch with former clients. You can do this through the phone or through email. Email is often the preferred choice because potential clients look at email when they have time and are not interrupted to do it, as they are on the phone. When emailing former clients, let them know you enjoyed working with them and want them to remember you for future projects.

Look for ways to meet potential customers. Go to trade meetings or conventions. For example, if you are selling pet products, attend dog shows and county fairs.

The major ways to for marketing a home based business are similar to other businesses. Find customers you can serve and find ways to let them know you exist. After they become clients, serve them well and ask for future business. This is how you keep your business running.