Writing Your Affiliate Home Business Plan

Here's a typical scenario: You are deciding to start a home business and suddenly everyone you know has his nose in your business, literally. What do you tell them? And how do you answer your own questions? What should you expect from the company in terms of stability, longevity, vitality, trust, income, and so forth? First the bad news: there are no guarantees. Then the good news: there is plenty of information from which to draw your own conclusions. The internet is huge, and any good company will offer free marketing tools and training.

But back to the WHY of that business plan. You're going to be starting small, slow and boy! is there a lot to learn. What's the point of actually sitting down and writing a business plan? You're not Bill Gates, this is not Microsoft, just you in your home office a few hours a week, slowly building an online business presence, not really understanding what the heck you'll be doing.

Relax and breathe. Unlike Mt. Rushmore, your plan will not be designed to withstand the weathering of the ages. You can expect it will change and bend with the flow of your real experiences, which will be totally yours, not identical to anyone else's.

What writing your plan will do is cause you to pause, think, dream, study and focus. The written document, whether it is one page or twelve, will give your business a framework to work within. The internet is vast and seemingly endless. It is easy to lose focus and drift away on a different whim or idea every day. Understanding where you are today, what tools you have to work with, what your goals are, and how you can best achieve them and measure your success, will help you stay on target and not waste what few hours you may be investing in your business at start-up.

Whenever you feel lost or confused, you can return to what you have written. When you analyze your situation and decide to make a change, rewrite that part of the plan. Understand that it's a living document, intended to grow with you and your business. Your business plan is your friend.

Getting Started with the Business Plan

First you need to study the company and its management. You need to read and learn about the products, the compensation plan and the network structure. See you next month. Just kidding.

Plan on doing SOME reading each and every work day for the next few months, if not indefinitely. Keep up with the company forum entries every day; read something in the training reports every day. Your education will continue. Plan for it.

When you are ready, open up a Notepad window and answer these questions:

What service / products does your business provide and what needs does it fill?

Who are the potential customers for your product or service and why will they purchase it from you?

How will you reach your potential customers?

Where will you get the financial resources to start your business?

Ok. Maybe your company offers many products and services. What do you want to focus on? I suggest that, at first, you focus on one or two products and / or the affiliate opportunity. In other words, keep is simple. Once you get the hang of what you're doing, you will KNOW when it's time to expand. Do only what you are comfortable with, every step of the way. This is YOUR business, it's your right and privilege to decide on your approach.

Internet marketing hinges on building trust. How will you do this?

Reaching customers means marketing. Your decision, once again. And again, the options should be in your company's training materials.

So we're talking developing a reading / study schedule. Here's a possible list, once you've read enough to make your own decisions to answer the above questions, start writing. Your writing can be lists of words and phrases, free-form brainstorming, outlines, mind maps, whatever works for you. Just write it down, and do not forget to save often. If your home office is affiliated by cats or small children, they have the tendency to press on random keyboard keys. Documents do occasionally just disappear. Saving avoids total disaster.

1. Study the products.
2. Read the training materials.
3. Read about decisions, bonuses, etc.
4. Study the marketing aids and strategies
5. Find out what free tools are available.
6. Visit the forums on a regular basis. Read everything about getting started.
7. Ask questions.

Your final written business plan will have at least four parts:

Introduction / background: history of the company and its founder, internet marketing trends, why THIS company and why NOW, and so on.

Goals: I suggest you think of what you would like to be learning in two years, but mainly focus on goals for your first year. Realistic goals can be planned based on info on the company website, in newsletters, searches on the forums, and focused questions to other affiliates.

Marketing plan: based on your answers to the first 3 questions above and your study of marketing aids and tools.

Action plans: the specifics of what you will do on a monthly, weekly, and / or daily basis for the next year.

I can not tell you what your answers should be, because you have to decide how much money you have to invest. Only you can decide how many hours per day, week or month you can invest in your business. What products you feel most comfortable marketing, and who you decide to target as your customer base, are all decisions only you can make. If you get stuck and do not understand a question, do not know where to find information, or do not know how to ASK a question, contact your sponsor or someone in your upline. If they can not help you, they should be able to send you to someonewho can.

You should NEVER feel alone. Work should be FUN! ...

Quick Ways to Make Your Kid's Birthdays Happy and Special Like Never Before

When your child asks you when his birthday will come, you should know he is growing. The childhood is one of the most memorable days in one's life where there is no tension and no stress. Celebrating your kid's birthday becomes the prime priority when you get to plan everything from invitations to the decorations. The most important part would be ordering the kid's favourite cake from the renowned baker in the town. All these arrangements are done with the only hope that the child will feel elated and remember his birthday for the whole of the year. Here are some more ideas to make birthdays of your children special.

Thematic party

While a child grows, his aspirations grow too. He wishes to meet some utopian characters and live in a fantasy land as they are highly influenced by these concepts from story books. Hence party planners' advice parents to go for thematic party to make the child extra happy. Right from clothes to customized cakes till return gifts, every aspect of the party if themed well and executed becomes a huge success.

Cartoon man

Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Ben 10 etc. are some cartoon characters that breathe life into children. Parents who can pay rent for people to can dress up like Mickey or Donald and entertain the kids, love to do that. For two to three hours these cartoon men will be around with children sing and dance with them in unison.

Magic show

Children love to live in the magic world of genies and fairies. So to make the party sound more extravagant, you can invite expert magicians who are specialized in children tricks. You can create a smoky atmosphere using dry ice and introduce the magician as soccer from the sky and create hues and cries of happiness from the kids.

Custom bakes

It is nothing wrong if you make your child's favourite cake in your kitchen and add minimalistic decoration to that sweet and yummy piece. But as kids attend different parties where they see personalised birthday cakes, their wish might just be different. Hence consult an expert baker and get the cake model that your child wishes for as his birthday present.

Field trips

While some parents plan a quiet birthday at their home or a nearby community house, some think of field trips where they go to a picnic place or a children park where they cut the cake and play games. Such plans work well if you invite the other children's caretaker as well for managing safety all the way till return back to home.

While many parents decorate the house and call their kid's friends home for a quick house party, there are few who prefer to celebrate the child's birthday at exotic locations. Howsoever be the preparations, your ultimate goal is to make their children happy and merry for the entire day with a wholehearted wish that their child remains healthy safe and secured forever!

Professional Commercial And Residential Landscaping Services

Why You Need Professional Landscaping Services for Your Home or Business

Many home and business owners may believe that landscaping is purely for aesthetic appearances, but it goes far beyond looks. There are numerous benefits to landscaping, both residential and commercial. With professional landscaping services, home and business owners can achieve a great-looking, sustainable and functional landscape.

Visual benefits

The first details many onlookers notice about a professionally designed and maintained landscape are the lushness of the grass, the lines of the pathways, the well-trimmed hedges and trees, the colorful flowerbeds and the water features of decorative accessories. Landscapes full of flowerbeds can create wonderful smells as well as stunning colors but the benefits of landscaping go far beyond what human senses perceive.

Environmental benefits

There are numerous environmental benefits to professionally designed and maintained residential and commercial landscaping. Landscaping services work with home and business owners to create a landscape that meets all of their needs while also benefiting the environment. Environmental benefits of landscaping include:

• Cleaner environment - Plants include grass, shrubs, flowers and trees help capture pollutants and dust. Grass and other plants produce oxygen, which all living things need to survive.
• Cleaner air - Along with producing oxygen, grasses and plants absorb carbon dioxide. They then transform it into oxygen and carbon, providing adequate oxygen for the property owners.
• Cooling properties - Underfoot, grass is cooler than hard, non-porous surfaces such as cement and asphalt. Properties with grass lawns can experience a cooling effect that keeps the surface at least 20-30 degrees cooler than asphalt or bare soil. A property with trees that provide shade to the building structures may also experience a reduction in interior temperatures.
• Reduced noise - Hard surfaces such as pavement and concrete can increase noise levels, but properties with landscaped lawns, trees and other plants significantly reduce noise levels and pollution.
• Water filtration - Landscaping that contains grass, trees, plants absorb potentially harmful runoff, and helps filter it, keeping water supplies healthy.

Water Restrictions

During times of water restriction, maintaining a landscape with sustainable practices is vitally important. Residential landscaping services and commercial landscaping services ensure that a property retains its appearance and environmental benefits without training the water supply.

Positive impact of urban landscaping

Urban areas can benefit greatly from landscaping services. Creating areas full of grass, plants and tree canopies helps prevent runoff erosion, provides shade to reduce surface temperatures and reduces noise pollution. Incorporating a lush landscaped area in a commercial area offers an oasis that benefits humans and the environment. Additional benefits of urban landscaping include:

• Tree-lined streets and homes with large yards can reduce crime rates, according to the US Forest Service
• Viewing trees, plants and greenspaces can lower stress levels and reduce blood pressure.
• Strolling through landscapes, even small ones in a busy city, can improve attention span and memory retention.
• Creating green spaces in a community can reduce stress and have a positive impact on quality of life.

Commercial landscaping benefits

Commercial landscaping can have several benefits for business owners. High-quality landscaping around a building can increase the number of businesses renting space within it. Tree canopies and lush landscaping can encourage shoppers to travel further, stay longer and spend more money at businesses. Employees who can view a well-maintained commercial landscape from their windows or enjoy it during breaks can experience greater job satisfaction, quality of life and improved health. People seeking an apartment are willing to pay more for a residence with quality landscaping and greater access to green space.

Common Residential Landscaping and Commercial Landscaping Services

A quality residential landscaping company provides a variety of services for their residential and commercial clients. These can include:

• Seasonal clean-up
• Tree trimming and / or removal
• Law edging
• Garden bed care and weeding
• Mulching
• Pruning
• Weekly mowing
• Sprinkler and irrigation installation and maintenance

Professional Landscaping Services

Professional landscaping services focus on creating lawns and greenspaces that meet the client's needs as well as protect the environment. Quality landscaping focuses on:

• Creating green spaces that are sustainable and environmentally friendly
• Conserving water with proper site grading, soil type and drainage systems
• Preserving local ecology and reducing pests by using native plants
• Creating unique designs that combine elements such as flowerbeds, trees, ornamental plants, grass, lighting, stonework, water features and much more

Landscaping goes far beyond the visual level to provide a beneficial space that everyone can enjoy and appreciate.

How to Find the Perfect Vacuum Cleaner

Upright vacuums are cleaners that have wheels, or a ball so you can maneuver them around in front of you. The Vacuum cleans our rugs when the vacuums brush bar hits the rug and practically pulls the dirt out. If you want to use your vacuum on wooden floors you can switch off the beater bar.

Over the last ten years there have been massive innovations in the brush bar, and other vacuum attachments. If you can manage one and have a big or hectic home, a standing vacuum is the best choice.

The upright vacuums do have a few cons:

# Height: It can make already tall persons bend and slouch, which will make an injured back even more painful.

# Power: An upright vacuum can wrench the fibers out of certain rugs, you should check with your floor covering specialist to determine which vacuum will work best for your carpet.

# Size: An Upright vacuum is just too large to fit into certain small spaces such as corners or under shelving, you may have to use the attachments in order to get into certain spots.

# Weight: These machines are often too bulky and big to have to heft upstairs.

Do not ever try to use a vacuum on a stair above you, it could easily fall on you or over you and cause serious injury. It would be easier and safer to keep the vacuum on the ground and detach the hose to use with attachments to clean the stairs.

Cylinder Vacuums

The Cylinder vacuums are little compact machines that trail behind you on wheels while you use the hose. Suction is the main cleaning force behind a cylinder vacuum. These vacuums are light and condensed, so they are very useful for vacuuming stairs, which makes them perfect as a backup vacuum for the upstairs. Because they are little they are much easier to store, and can squeeze into corners and reaching the wall edges of your rug.

Cylinders vacuums are definitely not as good as cleaning as the upright vacuums, and they do not tidy the shag or high rugs as well. If your only real concern with these models is expense, there are low priced models that sell for under $ 50.

When your upright vacuum pulls fibers up, mainly in shag and twist pile rugs. All you have to do is trim the rug thread to the correct height.

A vacuum is a very vital cleaning mechanism. So if you would like to buy a top level appliance, this would be the one to get.

The accessories and unique qualities that are worth paying extra for are:

# Top range filters: These filters capture microscopic particles from the carpet and air including pollen and dust mite droppings that irritate and can make worse asthma and allergies. HEPA filters are the finest and have the best efficiency.

The filter however is heavily reliant on the bag emptying system being efficient. There is no reason to filter all of these microscopic allergens out of your homes atmosphere, to breathe these allergens in when you clean out the vacuum bag or canister. A bag less vacuum can let you breath in a massive amount of dust when you clean it out. If you're asthmatic, a better vacuum may be a sealed disposable bag system. This system makes it easy to clean out the bag.

# Bag-less cleaning systems: While these systems are certainly not for asthma sufferers. Although not for asthmatics (see the last paragraph) a bag-less vacuum lets you use the whole machine as a suction, it can save time and annoyances in emptying the dirt, and you do not have to spend extra money on buying a bag .

# Pet hair removal: All good vacuums can remove pet hair from the floor. A very pet friendly vacuum is one that provides a good way to remove fur from sofas and stairs. Certain vacuums have rotating brushes, that attaches to the vacuum hose so you can pull fur off of couches stairs and other upholstery.

Top Causes of Car Accidents

Experts state that the major causes of car accidents are driver distractions. Dangerous distractions that can lead to an accident include cell phones and other gadgets that drivers use as they drive. Cell phones, laptops, electric razors, etc. causing drivers to take their eyes off the road for seconds at a time with the potential to cause a serious, if not deadly, accident. In response to this, some states in the US have banned the use of hand-held cell phones while people are driving. The alternative is to use a hands free ear bud that is lightweight and comfortable, and allows a driver to carry on a conversation without diversions.

Another dangerous distraction is when a driver who has been drinking and then attempts to drive. The effects of alcohol can and does raise havoc behind the while. Anyone with a blood alcohol level of .01 is considered unfit to drive. The effects of driving while intoxicated include drowsiness, loss of focus and the inability to judge distances and reaction times.

Rubbernecking and tailgating are other potentially dangerous habits that many practice while driving. Rubbernecking occurs when drivers slow down to look at another accident on the road or anything that looks unusual on the highway. When a driver slows a car down too quickly, the driver in the car behind often times does not have enough time to slow down or stop and runs into the back of the vehicle in the lead. Rear end collisions can lead to serious injuries. The same applies for tailgating in that a driver who is following a car too closely may not have enough distance to stop suddenly, and the potential for a serious accident is eminent.

A driver's behavior causes many accidents; still others are caused by mechanical failure or road conditions. There are technical solutions that are available to help with these problems and have contributed to a decline in the death rates caused by automotive accidents. They include trailer monitors that let a driver know how close they are to the vehicle ahead; sobriety detectors, that measure the amount of alcohol that a driver has consumed and drifting monitors that alert a driver when his or her car drifts too far to one side of the road or the other.