I stopped at a small, off-the-path restaurant and got a wrap for lunch the other day.  The server handed it to me in a somewhat typical clear plastic container.  Except that the top of the container was covered with the name and logo of the restaurant.

“That’s cool,” I thought, “but I bet they paid quite a bit extra for that branding.”

I hadn’t finished my lunch, so I brought it into a meeting I had.  After the meeting, someone noticed my leftovers and said, “oh, is that the place over on . . .”  “Yes,” I responded.  We discussed the place (she’d never been there), I gave it a good recommendation, and she plans to check it out.

Had the restaurant chosen the cheap Styrofoam containers, and not put their name and logo on their take-out food, that conversation never would have occurred.

Who knows how many new customers their branding brings in.  Or how many people see the containers and are reminded of the out-of-the-way eatery.  Or how many people stop in after driving by because they remember that a friend had take-out food from there once.

This small out-of-the way sandwich place (I’ve often wondered how they stay in business), has good food, and good branding.  And it works.

So much for my theory that their branding costs them money . . .

There’s a crucial lesson here for your home business. 

It feels like everyone is online these days.  Your home business has lots of competition.

Chances are, you are not the McDonald’s of your niche.  So you need good products/services and good online branding.

More and more, I see an inferior product outdoing its competition simply because it has superior online branding.

Yet, the number one concern of most home business owners I work with is that they create and provide the best product out there.

While this is a noble goal, you can’t spend 90% of your time on product creation and 10% on your online branding.  Reversing those numbers would serve you better.

“So,” you may be thinking, “sounds great, but I don’t know how to effectively do online branding in my home business.”

Let me share another story with you about online branding.

I’ve worked out with the same aerobics teacher for at least 12 years.  New people often follow my feet because I know what I’m doing. 

But it’s hard for me to keep track of these people.  They’re looking at me, but I’m not looking at them.

I hate to be rude and not speak to people I should know.  But I admit that often one of them will strike up a conversation with me about our class and I’ll swear I’ve never seen them before.

The exception is one girl.  I can always identify her.  And I always remember her.  Because she wears colorful knee-high socks to class every day.

Everyone else is in their cute little aerobic-wear, but she looks different.  She stands out.  And I notice.

There’s a lot to be learned from this when it comes to your online branding.

Think about how you stand out in your home business.  How are you different from the competition?  What makes you unique?

And don’t say you’re not.  You are.  Only you are you (obviously, huh?), which means you have a unique hook that no one else has.

It may be a story, a look, a tagline, a product or service.

Stop trying to be like everyone else in your market.  Figure out how you’re different.  Embrace it.  Put it out there.  Use it to make a million dollars.

And let me know how it goes for you!

JENNIFER HERNDON is a work at home mom with three fabulous kids, ages 3, 4 and 7. She has been enjoying the time freedom and financial benefits of working at home for over 13 years. Jennifer’s passion is empowering others to personal and business success through a positive mindset and consistent action.

Jennifer credits the turn-around in her online business to Jim Rohn’s One Year Success Plan, the perfect tool for planning a successful life. Here’s your chance to be inspired and guided daily by the world’s greatest business philosopher. Create your future with Jim Rohn’s One Year Success Plan and start improving your life and your business today!

You know all about Twitter and Facebook.  You probably even have a Facebook Page.

Certainly you’re on LinkedIn.  And maybe even on Tumblr or StumbleUpon.

But let’s go old school for a minute . . . and talk about your forum marketing strategy.

When the Web 2.0 phenomenon began ~ now better known as “social media” ~ I’m thinking approximately zero people included “forum marketing” in their social media strategy.  And, as far as I can tell, that number hasn’t changed.

By the way . . . “forum marketing” is defined as joining forums in your market and participating in those forums with the primary purpose of building relationships with potential clients for your online business.

It seems to me, however, that forum marketing is the originator of social media.  If you do it right, that is.

Like other social media avenues, forum marketing is about building relationships with people.  Some of those people will come to know, like and trust you – and will need your services.

And the beauty of forum marketing is that you don’t have to go trolling around the forum looking for “targeted” connections like you do on Facebook and Twitter.  Everyone in the forum is in your market!

To get you started on the path to successful forum marketing, you’ll take 5 steps.

First, find 2-3 good forums

How do you do this?  Enter a description of  your niche + forum into Google and run a search.  For example, if you are in the personal development market, search “personal development” + forum.

To have a chance of being effective, you’ll want to look for forums with at least 1,000 members.  You’ll also want to make sure the forum is active.  Look for at least 15-20 posts a day.

You’ll also want to make sure the forum allows some amount of self-promotion.  A lot of forums don’t allow affiliate links, which is fine and perhaps even good.

But you’ll want to make sure that the forum allows you to put a link to your own business website in your signature file.

Second, create a compelling signature file

Once you’ve looked through a couple of forums, you’ll understand what a signature file is.  Basically, at the end of every post you make in the forum, instead of simply typing your name, your signature files allows you to also put a short message and link to your website.

The signature file is written by you when you set up your profile.  It automatically appears at the bottom of every post you make in the forum.

Your signature file should be unique enough to catch your reader’s eye, compelling enough to make your reader click your link, and free of sale-sy hype.

For example, if you are a copywriter, saying “visit my site for quality copywriting at competitive prices,” is okay.

But saying, “discover the one copywriting secret that will drive your business to six figures and beyond,” is better.

Your potential clients are more likely to click on the second link.  Everyone wants to know a secret.

Of course, in addition to sharing with and educating your market, your website will also sell your clients on the idea that you have a unique ability to put that “secret” to work for them.

Third, create a complete profile

The forum will have a place for you to enter your username, a picture, and various amounts of background information.

Fill the profile out as completely as possible.  The more people feel like they know you, the more they will trust you and your expertise.

Of special importance — use a picture of yourself as your “avatar” or profile picture.  Don’t use a clever drawing, picture of a celebrity, or – worst of all – leave it blank!

Also be sure to use your real name as your username in the forum.  People build relationships with other people.  And that’s what you’re doing here.  If your name is taken, use some easy to identify combination of your first name and last name.

Fourth, ease your way into this new relationship

Many forums have a core group of people who have established good friendships over time.  Don’t come in with the attitude of “here I am, the expert positioned to save you all from failure!”  No one likes a know-it-all.

Introduce yourself.  Be sincere.  Go in with a real attitude of wanting to learn and to serve.

Lurk around for awhile.  Post a few questions.  Answer a few questions.  Don’t be overly controversial.

Fifth, consistently answer, ask, and interact

Finally, be consistent.  People will notice if you only pop in when you happen to have a product launch going on, or for some other blatant marketing purpose.

And, people won’t get to know, like and trust you if they aren’t hearing from you on a regular basis.

Never become the person with all the answers.  But look for questions, and suggest answers.  You may even write a blog post or put up an article to answer frequent or complex questions.  This way you are referring people back to your content (for your benefit), AND helping answer others’ questions (for their benefit).

There is a social aspect in addition to the business done in most forums.  Contribute in this way too for maximum effect.

Remember that although you are marketing here, the focus is on building relationships.  Be yourself.  Get to know others.  Have fun.  The marketing benefit will naturally flow from this.

I look forward to hearing how it goes for you!

JENNIFER HERNDON is a work at home mom with three fabulous kids, ages 3, 4 and 7. She has been enjoying the time freedom and financial benefits of working at home for over 13 years. Jennifer’s passion is empowering others to personal and business success through a positive mindset and consistent action.

Jennifer credits the turn-around in her online business to Jim Rohn’s One Year Success Plan, the perfect tool for planning a successful life. Here’s your chance to be inspired and guided daily by the world’s greatest business philosopher. Create your future with Jim Rohn’s One Year Success Plan and start improving your life and your business today!

One of the biggest concerns I hear from new or prospective online business owners is “What will I sell?”

You may have a burning desire to help people lose 100 pounds like you did.  But how do you turn that passion into an online business if you have no “how to lose weight” product to sell your clients?

The obvious and easy answer, of course, is that you can become an affiliate marketer.  It’s definitely possible to create a healthy online business through selling other people’s products.  And I know there are people who swear by it.

But, even the most super-successful affiliate marketers all seem to come out with their own product — about how to become a super-successful affiliate marketer.

Having gone the affiliate marketing route in my home business for several years, I realize that I could have served more people, and made more money, if I had overcome my fear and just created a product much sooner than I did.

Like most things, affiliate marketing is okay in moderation.  I still promote Jim Rohn’s One Year Success Plan.  It made a huge difference in my life.  It complements my own products.  I think it’s a perfect place for everyone to start.  And, since I’m about serving my clients in the best way I can, I recommend it.  And make a little money when people get started on the plan.

I also recommend that you start your online business with an affiliate product if you don’t have a product of your own ready to go.  Work diligently on your product creation.  Give yourself a deadline.

But don’t wait to start your home business until your product is ready.  Set up your website and start gathering your audience while you’re working on your product.  Monetize your site with an affiliate product for starters.

But, if you want evergreen success . . . there are three things your own product will do to put you on that road.

Your Own Product Will Allow the Unique You to Shine

Success requires competition.  If you are the only one in your niche, there’s a problem.

If there’s money to be made, there are going to be thousands of people there, trying to grab their slice of the pie.

If you want to get your share, you are going to have to be unique in some way.  You’ll need to give your potential clients a reason to remember you, and to chose to follow you.

Going back to the weight loss niche, even if you followed a plan or system to lose weight, I guarantee your specific experience was unique.  Creating a product gives you something no affiliate marketer has — a one of a kind unique weight loss plan that is only available from you.

Your Own Product Will Give You Credibility

Have you ever gotten the exact same email promoting a product from two different marketers (at least!)?  Or gotten a product promotion from someone and wondered whether he had ever used or even seen the product he was encouraging you to buy? 

When you are selling other people’s products in your home business, your potential clients (1) have no idea whether you’ve tried the product and actually know that it provides value, and (2) have no idea whether you have the slightest bit of knowledge about the niche you’re representing.

Having your own product, on the other hand, gives you credibility.  It says to your clients, “Not only do I know something about this niche, I am so experienced that I have something of value to teach you about it.”

Obviously, if you have credibility in the eyes of your prospective clients, they are much more likely to buy from you.  And to keep buying from you.

Which brings me to the last benefit of product creation.

Your Own Product Will Allow You to Create a Sales Funnel

A successful online business looks something like this.  First, you grab your client’s attention by offering her something for free in exchange for her email address. 

Next, you show her some value by offering a basic Ebook, video or audio course for $27.  From there, you might go to a $97 expanded course, a $495 home study course, and then into coaching programs that can range from $97 a month to five figures a year.

It doesn’t have to look exactly like this, but the point is, once your client enters your sales funnel, she will purchase increasingly higher level products from you.  And making a $1000 sale to a client who already knows, likes and trust you, is a lot easier and more profitable than continuously searching for $27 products to promote to new prospects.

If you can attract a client to buy “you,” then you will always be able to offer higher end products, and to see better profits, than if you are trying to sell someone else’s stuff.

The reality is, if you want a real online business – create a real product.  Don’t get caught up in the fact that someone out there knows more than you do.  There are thousands of people looking for an answer that you have.  It’s time to start serving them.
JENNIFER HERNDON is a work at home mom with three fabulous kids, ages 3, 4 and 7. She has been enjoying the time freedom and financial benefits of working at home for over 13 years. Jennifer’s passion is empowering others to personal and business success through a positive mindset and consistent action.

Jennifer credits the turn-around in her online business to Jim Rohn’s One Year Success Plan, the perfect tool for planning a successful life. Here’s your chance to be inspired and guided daily by the world’s greatest business philosopher. Create your future with Jim Rohn’s One Year Success Plan and start improving your life and your business today!

When I first started looking for ways to make online money, I was assured that all I had to do was find something I was passionate about.  I thought about my hobbies and passions.  But I couldn’t envision turning any of them into an online money making opportunity.

But I’m a good student, so I did what I was told.  Surprisingly, I found that if you’re willing to invest the effort, it’s possible to turn almost anything you’re passionate about into an online money making opportunity.

Now if your passion is studying the mating habits of the Blue Ringed Octopus, you may be out of luck.  But, seriously, there’s probably SOMETHING you enjoy that a few thousand others are also into.

So, take 15 minutes and make a list of things that interest you.  Then start with your favorite and let’s take three steps to turn it into an online money making opportunity for you.

Your first step is to find a starving crowd.  This is where you determine whether you can really make money online with your hobby.  No reason to go further if no one is hungry for information and products in your niche.

To determine if there’s a starving crowd, do three things.  First, run a search using a couple of different free keyword tools to determine how many people are searching for information in your niche.  Second, run a Google search and see how many people are using adwords to advertise in your niche.  Finally, go to the bookstore and see how many magazines are available related to your hobby.

So let’s say people are searching for information on your hobby.  And people are paying to advertise in your niche.  And people are buying magazines on the subject.  Great, you’re in business.

But, you can’t stop there.  If you want to really make money online, you have to take the second step and identify your specialty within your niche.  Some call this “drilling down” into your niche.

For example, there are a lot of ways to make online money if your passion is house pets.  But house pets is a huge market.  Too huge to go after.  You have to focus.  Maybe you really like dogs.  And really really are interested in doggy health and nutrition.  And you believe in natural and organic solutions.

Great, you’ve gone from being an expert in house pets to being an expert in holistic and organic solutions for dog health and nutrition.  This is a targeted market.  Much easier to tackle than house pets in general.  Of course as you’re identifying your specialty, you’ll want to go back through step one and make sure others are interested in this aspect of house pets too.

The third step is the hardest.  And, not surprisingly, it’s the one that’s crucial if you want to REALLY make money online.  You must brand yourself as an expert in your specialty.  You must create an online presence that causes people to trust you when you speak on your subject.  If they trust you, they will like you.  And, ultimately, they will buy from you.  Again and again.

Over the next few days, I’ll break each of these steps down for you.  I’ll walk you through the details of each step so that you will be positioned to turn your hobby into a massive online money making opportunity.  This will be good for your bank account.  And it will make your work feel like play.

JENNIFER HERNDON is a work at home mom with three fabulous kids, ages 3, 4 and 7. She has been enjoying the time freedom and financial benefits of working at home for over 13 years. Jennifer’s passion is empowering others to personal and business success through a positive mindset and consistent action.