So you’re thinking about starting a home business. Good for you! Starting your own business can be one of the best decisions you ever made - or one of the worst mistakes you ever made!

How can you know how it will work out for you? Even more important, how can you tell whether you’re headed for success or disaster before you invest a lot of time, money, and energy in starting your new business?

Let’s start by clarifying vocabulary here. Many people use the terms “home business” and “working for yourself” as meaning pretty much the same thing.

“Working for yourself” can include business plans such as opening a franchise store (think McDonalds, UPS Store, Baskin-Robbins, etc.) Those franchise businesses can become wildly successful for you - after you invest tens (or even hundreds) of thousands of dollars in front money. They also often require at least a year’s worth of constant hard work before you start to see profits coming in. These businesses also require substantial amounts of “overhead” money (store rent, buying merchandise to sell, possibly paying other people to work for you, etc). That’s fine if you have a lot of money and time to invest - not so great if you don’t have all that extra money and time. Sadly, many people who attempt to start a business such as these end up in the “Dismal Disaster” camp.

“Home business” can also mean many different things - doing independent consulting in your area of expertise, running a small daycare center, joining various “party” plans (cosmetics, candles, kitchen goods, etc.). Again, all of these ideas can earn good money for you - after you invest a fair amount of time and front money in them.

In this article, I’m going to focus on a completely different vision of how to start “working for yourself at home.” Wouldn’t it be great if you could start your own business, work at home with your own computer, work on the schedule you choose, spend practically no “front money,” make as much money as you choose to, and see that money start coming in practically right away? (You also don’t need any college degree or other technical knowledge.) Sound good? It is!

The business plan I’m talking about here is called “internet affiliate marketing.” Never heard of it? Don’t feel alone - probably 90% of the people in the world have never heard of the idea. It’s just one more of those awesome possibilities that has been created by the practically unlimited power and the sheer enormity of today’s internet universe.

However, unlike many aspects of working with a computer and the internet, this plan requires absolutely no technical knowledge of either one of them. Can’t even guess how fast your computer modem is (or even what it is)? No problem! No clue what HTML is (or why anyone else cares)? Doesn’t matter! If you can use email and do a few Google searches, you can make good money with internet affiliate marketing.

This is the basic idea

Internet affiliate marketing is just referral-based selling and then collecting commissions from your sales. Don’t freak out - you don’t have to knock on doors, make phone calls, have parties, buy start-up kits, pay for advertising, or any of the things that may have just popped into your head. Here, briefly, is how it works.

1) A lot of people would like information about a lot of different things.

2) There is a lot of very good information for sale on the internet.

3) You locate information that would be valuable to other people (easy).

4) You tell them where to find the information (also easy to do).

5) If they buy that information, you earn a nice commission.

6) Most product owners pay between 50% and 75% commission on their products (that can mean you earn as much as $50 - $75 for each sale).

6) The company that pays the commissions pays out every two weeks, just like clockwork.

That’s it. It’s that simple. Obviously, there are more details, but that’s the overall idea.

To learn more about this idea, read Part 2 of this pair of articles.

Reprint Rights: You are free to copy this article and reprint it as long as you adhere to the following requirements. You must reprint this entire article, exactly as it is now, with no changes. You must include in your reprinting the full Resource box at the end of this article. You must not change the title or the content of the article in any way. You must reprint this article in such a way that all links are active and linkable with no syntax changes. You must follow all requirements regarding spam, disallowed topics, etc. You must include the following article source credit below the article with an active link.

CindyAnn Williams is a self-taught, successful home computer business owner who began her internet business with absolutely no technical knowledge of computers or the internet. She has built her business by trial and error, always trying again after every dead end, and learning from every mistake. CindyAnn’s goal is to share what she has learned to help other people who want to become successful home computer business owners avoid the many mistakes she made along the bumpy and often detour-filled road to home computer business success.

http://NewbieProfitRocket.com/

To be rich–to have an endless supply of money for anything and everything–is the goal of almost everyone in the world. More specifically, the people who don’t have but would like to have money enough for everything they’ve always wanted, are continually searching for some “secret combination” that will open the doors to unlimited wealth for them..

Sooner or later, these people all turn to mail order selling and, one way or another, give it a try as a pathway to the fulfillment of all of their dreams. And, why not..

They are constantly bombarded with “fabulous get rich quick” opportunity offers in their mail boxes. In just about every magazine they look at, full page advertisements promising UTOPIA, Just for clipping and sending in the attached coupon, jump out at them.

Each and every one of these opportunity offers seems to promise complete fulfillment of the readers “needs, wants and desires.” They all make it sound as if all one has to do is sign up–send in a small fee–get the details–an explanation of the plan–an almost immediately, their mail boxes will begin to overflow with letters containing cash, checks and money orders. No big investment–no business knowledge–and no work required..

My friend, all this is “advertising hype” designed to “lead the reader into seeing and tasting” the fulfillment of all his dreams. He’s so overwhelmed by “the solution to his wants” offered by the advertisement, and he reads “only what he wants to read” in these opportunity offers. That’s “Top-of-the-line” copywriting, and worth it’s weight in gold!

Disregarding the obvious “chain letter and envelope stuffing schemes,” these opportunity offers for “riches beyond your wildest dreams,” gives one of two money-making plans.

The first is some sort of “book of knowledge” written by someone on typing ability but generally sadly lacking in the experience of “having done it himself,” and/or the ambition to get away from his typewriter long enough to “make his own mint” using the plan he’s advising you to follow.

These writers tell you to “knock out” a how-to report about something that you’re an expert on–to run a low-cost classified ad offering it for sale in a national publication–and then sit back and let the money roll in..The thing is, what does a shipping clerk, and engine lathe operator, or retail sales clerk know that other people will pay money to learn?

Even if one of these people were to come up with a saleable how-to report, where are they going to get “expertise” to write a real order-pulling ad, and which national publication is the “right one” for him to advertise in…The truth of the matter is that very few, if any–shipping clerks, engine lathe operators, or retail clerks–know the first thing about writing how-to reports, composing classified ads, or placing advertising in national publications…

In fact, the very idea of undertaking such necessities to successful mail order selling–at the risk of losing a lot of “hard-earned” money–is so frightening to so many people that they never get beyond this part of the instruction sheet. And most of those that do rely upon what they “think” they know about writing how-to reports composing classified ads, and placing advertising in national publication–would be much better off, and receive a lot more value for their money, by spending it at the neighborhood church or community center.

The other kind of money making plan these “dream fulfillment” advertisements offer is a Super Profitable Mail Order Dealership of your own..

You buy the book that explains all the procedures for making millions via mail order…Included with your “book of knowledge,” is a camera ready circular advertising this book–the same one you sent for to make YOU rich–and a dealership instruction sheet.

This beautiful piece of sales copy explains how everyone in all parts of the world is just waiting for the chance to buy a copy of this book–after all– you were eager to buy it, weren’t you? Thus, the instruction sheet goes on to explain, all you’ve got to do is either order a supply of these circulars–at inflated printing costs–or better yet, take the camera ready copy to your near-by “quick-print” shop and have it reprinted with your name/address on the order coupon. From there, you simply send these circulars to waiting buyers, deduct 50% from each order you receive–this is your gross income–forward the customer’s name, order and remaining 50% of the sales price on to the people you bought your book from, and you’re supposedly, home free!

Two very important factors of this plan must be considered before anticipating any income..Profits have be weighted against your costs of making each sale..But even before these factors can be considered however, the prospective seller must be sure of the “mass appeal” of the product he’s about to offer, and precisely his “available prospective customers.” In other words, and in case of a report or book, it’s the “appeal of the title” and the mailing list or number of opportunity buyers he can present his offer to..These are the bottom-line factors that will decide whether or not your efforts result in your pockets being filled with profits or monthly payments and debt…

Assuming you’ve understood the theme of our discussion thus far, you’re probably thinking that “supply the needs of the mail order sellers” is where all the big money is being made in mail order. And, if this is the trend of your thinking, you’re absolutely right! It always has been, and it always will be your bigger profit maker…

Thus, the easiest and most profitable mail order business is supplying mail order sellers with mailing lists–the names and addresses of people looking for money-making opportunities…

Unless a mail order seller has ready and dependable source of fresh prospects–names and addresses–to send his offers to, his business will soon wither and die. Every mail order seller in the country needs constant supply of new names/addresses for his business to grow and his profits to build. The need for, and the demand for prospective mail order buyers is glutinous and unlimited! All you have to do is organize your ability to supply this need, and then turn contact mail order operators with your program to supply them with new prospects.

We run our own mailing list subscription service which brought in more than $65,000 for us last year. Here’s how we operate our service, and recommend that you consider duplicating…

Each week, we send out sales letters offering our Mailing List Subscription to mail order entrepreneurs across the country. Basically, we’re offering to supply them with a 100 names of our buyers within the past week, on peel and stick labels, for $5 or 10- week subscription period $50.. 200 names for $9 or $90 for a 10-week subscription…300 names for $12 or 300 per week over a 10-week subscription for just $120…

Operationally, our girls type the names and addresses of our customers from incoming orders onto “label masters” as they are received…On Friday afternoons, these girls then photo-copy these masters onto sheets of labels for our mailing list subscribers, with never more than 12-subscribers receiving any part of, or the same thousand names…

We generate orders–get our names–thou a number of different methods. By far, most of the names come from the advertisement below, which is run on a regular basis in a number of national publications…

FREE! All-new home-based money-making opportunity! Send SASE to:

Of late, this small classified ad has been generating better than 4,000 names per month for us. The report we send out is a simple one-page instruction sheet explaining how anyone can make extra money by saving, and selling, his in-coming mail. Along with each of these reports we send out, we include a copy of out Money Tree circular, and our mailing list subscription service sales letters. In reply to this package, and average 3 out of 4 people send in to get in on the Money Tree Program, and/or mailing list subscription service. From there, we just keep right on going by setting these people as “independent commission sales people” for our entire list of business success reports and business start-up manuals.

The most important part of a Subscription Mailing List Service is to have a good supply of names–a mailing list ready-to-use, organized and on hand. As mentioned earlier, we feel you’ll need at least a basic supply of 10,000 names as a starter supply.

The next most important ingredient is your subscriber sales letter. A copy of our current sales letter is included at the end of this report. It pulls very well for us, as I’m sure it’ll do for you–but the important point here is an example of how to write such a sales letter, as with a pattern in front of you, perhaps you can write an even better one. You must have a sales letter that appeals to the needs of your prospective buyer, and at the same time, solves an outstanding problem for him.

The next thing is to get one of your letters out to all the mail order sellers you know of, and/or can locate. Set up a business plan–you will compile 1,000 mail order operators per week, from incoming mail and advertisements you run across..List these names on 3×5 cards, and arrange in zip code order so that you have a record of who you’ve sent your offer to, and then…Continue adding to this file of mail order people..Then each week, get a thousand letters in the mail–100 or 200 letters per week just won’t pull in the orders fast enough for you–5,000 letters per week, and you’ll soon be making $1,000 per week, over and above printing and postage costs!

So, and as reiteration of what has been stated earlier, the big-big money in mail order is, always has been, and always will be made by those people with the “moxie” to supply the mail order operators with the products and/or materials for them to operate a by-mail business. After everything has been “torn apart and put back together again,” the bottom-line fact remains–The easiest, and most profitable mail order business is mailing list supply business.

Everyone doing business by mail needs a mailing list of prospects to whom he can send his money-producing offers. Every mail order operator alive, and with the slightest bit of ambition to make money, is constantly on the look-out for sources of fresh names–prospects to whom he can send his offers. So long as people continue to “sell by mail,” there will be a demand for mailing list!

Look at it mathematically: if you had 100 subscribers to your mailing list service paying you just $10 per week, you’d be grossing $1,000 per week! Just 10 subscribers give you $100 per week–20 subscribers, $200 per week–and from there, you’re limited only by your efforts to bring in new subscribers..When we started our service, we sent 1,000 sales letters the first week, and from those first letters, we came up with 25 subscribers with 5-days…Needless to say, we continued to build our subscriber list and can truthfully say that this particular division of our business is not only the easiest to operate, but very definitely the most profitable of our entire operation!

Once you’ve got your mailing list service established, it’s only natural that your should “add to it, or have something else to go along with it brings in additional money.” Keeping the thought in mind, of supplying the needs of people hoping to become rich via mail order selling, we think the logical addenda or extra service to a mailing list service is the furnishing of “original business success reports” that can be reprinted/reproduced and sold by your mailing list subscribers! From there, it’s only natural that you become a “business opportunity book dealer or seller.”

Riches beyond your wildest dreams, via mail order, are entirely possible and waiting for you–provided you have your “finger on the pulse” of the market, and a business plan that will enable you to attain total success. Most opportunity offers costs you money, a lot of your time, plus that even a “work-acholic” would shy away from, and they deliver only enough income to keep you “reaching” for the brass ring, untold frustration and indebtedness…

There are secrets in mail order–Number One, an ability to analyze and understand the market…Number Two, the ability to select and offer the right product at the right time–Number Three, an ability to write advertisements and get it in front of the majority of your potential buyers…

Wishing you the greatest of success in all your money-making efforts, the only thing left is for you to read over the instructions as presented herein, get organized with your own program, and start selling it. Everything worthwhile takes a little bit of time to organize; a little bit of money to get started; and a little bit of work to “push it thou to total success,” but of all the money-making possibilities you’ve ever been offered this one can definitely be the easiest and most profitable for you! Take care, and let us hear from you as you grow…

Copyright2004 by DeAnna Spencer

This article may be distributed freely on the Internet as long as the resource box remains intact.

DeAnna Spencer is a virtual assistant that helps entrepreneurs run a successful business by providing affordable administrative help. She also publishes a blog for small business owners. Visit this small business resource today.

Foreclosure is a very personal torture. No one else can possibly picture what you suffer. Mortgage foreclosure is the process a mortgage company or bank uses to repossess your home when you fail to pay your loan according to the mortgage agreement.

If you are unable to make your mortgage payment, here are ways to escape the nightmare of foreclosure:

Talk to a bankruptcy lawyer or a professional counselor about your problem. You should not have any problem in setting up a FREE CONSULTATION. Lenders are not always prepaid to compromise. Have a lawyer representing you in the negotiations.

Quickly get in touch with your lender. Lenders do not like foreclosures because they are costly and difficult. They have options to help borrowers through tough financial difficulties.

Respond to all mails from your lenders. Your failure not to respond to mails from your lender will not be an excuse in a foreclosure court.

Talk to your lender about a compromise. Such compromise may include lower payments, refinancing at a lower interest rate, forgiving some late payments and different payment terms.

Get your loan documents handy. Read and understand the documents. Understand the foreclosure laws and time frames in your state as every state is different.

Review your finances and cut down on your expenditure in order to make your mortgage payments. Delay payments on credit cards and other debt until you have paid your mortgage.

Avoid foreclosure recovery scams. Read and understand every legal document before signing any document. Get professional advice from your attorney.

If you are facing foreclosure you can get a FREE CONSULTATION here. You only have to fill a form and you will get the necessary help required to determine the next steps towards saving your home. Do not lose your home or become a renter in your own home!

HUD Certified Housing Counselors are a nonprofit organization that offers advice and resources to help homeowners with financial challenges.

1. Non-profit housing and credit counselors are particularly helpful in assisting to analyze your financial situation.

2. These organizations help borrowers organize a budget to the mortgage and other monthly expenses-without the stress of your mortgage company’s direct involvement.

3. Finally, these agencies can help you find and take advantage of local services or programs that provide financial, legal, medical or other support.

You can find a credit counseling agency in your local phone book or by contacting the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) at (800) 569-4287 on weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. You can find a list of HUD-approved agencies on their web site.

Disadvantages of Non Profit Counseling Agency:

o Some non profit housing agencies are extremely busy and over whelmed by the sheer volume of incoming calls from distressed homeowners. Be patient, as you can see from the list of HUD approved agencies, there are many in your area.

HUD Counselor Example: Chris’s wife was out of work for 4 additional months because of an especially difficult pregnancy. She has now returned to work and the household is back to two incomes. Unfortunately, the mortgage has fell 2 months behind. Chris contacts a HUD approved agency, with his bills and pay stubs, the agency helps Chris organize his monthly budget and then sends the budget and a letter to the lender requesting that the lender consider a forbearance plan to Chris to put his missing mortgage payments to the back of his mortgage loan. Chris takes care to answer and return the calls from his lender (the department that calls doesn’t seem to know what the Loss Mitigation department that is working on his workout plan is doing!) 3 weeks later, Chris receives a FedEx package from the lender with an approved forbearance plan, that he must sign and fax/mail back to the lender.

K. Patrice Williams has a BA in Economics as well as a law degree. She has successfully managed both residential and commercial multi-million dollar income producing assets and budgets for more than 10 years. As a 1st year law student, Patrice established a real estate development and consulting business and acquired over 30 rental properties. As the housing market values decreased- like millions of other Americans-her properties were negatively impacted by shifting ARM’s, combined by a sluggish economy. Patrice has researched and personally implemented almost all of the pre-foreclosure techniques detailed in the book: “6 Simple Steps to Avoid Foreclosure”. http://www.avoidforeclosuremanual.com