Freelancers: We Are the Future

Presented here are relevant statistics and observations gleaned from the fourth annual "Freelancing in America" survey, conducted by the Freelancer's Union. According to the organization, "Freelancing in America" is the largest and most comprehensive measure of independent workers conducted in the U.S. The online survey queried 6002 U.S. adults who had engaged in full or part-time freelance work between August 2016 and July 2017. Freelancing was defined as temporary, project-based, or contract work performed at a for-profit or not-for-profit organization or government agency.

Who we are

In 2017, 57.3 million of our fellow citizens, representing 36% of the nation's workforce, participated in the freelance economy and contributed $1.4 trillion to the U.S. economy. The survey found that 63% freelance by choice, rather than by necessity, and enjoy this way of working. Freelancers reported feeling positive about our work and 79% preferred freelancing to traditional employment. We're more likely than traditionally employed workers to feel respected, empowered and engaged in our working environment. The survey designated the following freelance categories:

Independent contractors (35%, 19.1 million) -- Full-time freelance consultants whose only income is derived from client work
Diversified workers (28%, 15.2 million)-- Freelancers who regularly do client work, but also perform other part-time work
Moonlighters (25%, 13.5 million)-- Those who periodically take on freelance projects in addition to their traditional employment
Freelance business owners (7%, 3.6 million)-- Full-time freelancers who assemble ad hoc teams of freelancing specialists to form a consulting firm, so that more complex and lucrative client work can be performed
Temporary workers (7%, 3.6 million)

What we like

Time and money impact the decision to freelance. Flexibility is considered a significant benefit and is favored by 60% of freelancers. Additionally, more than 50% of workers who left full-time employment to freelance were able to earn more money within the first year of freelancing than was earned in traditional employment. Forty-six percent raised their project fees and hourly rates in 2017 and 54% said they planned to do so in 2018.

Serious challenges

Sill, money is an issue for freelancers. Survey respondents reported that adequate billable hours, negotiating fair project fees or hourly rates and receiving timely payment of invoices (or receiving full payment) could be problematic.

On average, full-time freelancers log 36 billable hours/week. When the billable hourly rate or project fee is considered inadequate, cash-flow is impacted and there can be a struggle to meet financial obligations. Not surprisingly, the survey found that debt is also a worrisome matter.

Access to health insurance and saving for retirement are a challenge. Full-time freelancers rank medical and dental insurance as primary concerns; 20% have no health insurance savings.

Shaping the future

As traditional full-time, middle class paying employment continues to disappear, the ranks of freelance consultants can only increase, making us a fast-growing segment of the American workforce. Sadly, our government leaders are not attentive to the freelance community's unique circumstances or our voting-bloc potential.

Eighty-five percent of survey respondents said they planned to vote in the 2018 mid-term elections. If that statistic is accurate, it would represent nearly 49 million freelancer voters, more than enough to influence congressional and gubernatorial elections. Seventy percent of survey respondents would prefer that candidates and political representatives would address the needs of freelance professionals, because no matter how lovely things may be for the chosen few who command lucrative project fees, we are nevertheless quite vulnerable.

Freelancers receive no paid sick, vacation, or holiday time. We do not receive co-sponsored health insurance or retirement benefits. Billable hours can have feast or famine fluctuations that wreak havoc on our cash-flow and ability to meet important financial obligations. The 57.3 million freelance consulting professionals in the U. S. desperately need political representation, advocates and activism.

Thanks for reading,
Kim

Kim L. Clark is an external strategy and marketing consultant who brings agile skills to the for-profit and not-for-profit organization leaders with whom she works. Ensure that your organization achieves its mission-critical goals when you contact Kim at http://polishedprofessionalsboston.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kim_L._Clark/647250
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Online Jobs Versus Online Businesses

It's Your Online Business, Not Your Online Hobby
An online business versus an online job has a different mentality for the individual. A job is something you do for someone else. It's something that dominates your day and your time with a prearranged schedule.

The job is your master, not the other way around. You work for someone else. Even if this is online the truth remains the same... you are still an employee. You have heard that you can make money online through working online for a company or a third party (this is not as an affiliate or a salesperson). You do jobs for someone else and complete a W4.

This to me is literally the lifestyle I intended to avoid when I got into online business. This model could not and would not do.

I know you see the ads. "We are looking to give stay at home mom jobs", but you may find that some of these places not only do not offer you a good job but will stick you with a horrible schedule. Not all of them are like this, though some are.

Why I like the online business model
For me it's about control. I like to control my day. If I want to work in the morning, I can do this. If I want to work late into the wee hours of the night... it's my right. Why? Because I decide how successful (or unsuccessful) my business is and this is through my effort.

It can be the highest paid hard work I ever done or the easiest, lowest paid work I have ever done. This lies squarely on my shoulders. You see the problem with a lot of online companies you may work for is stability.

Many of them catch people unawares stating grandiose claims making things look easy. For example, you may read something like "Earn Money Online Today, $55-$65 hour, no experience required".

What happens is that unsuspecting folks who trust these people invest time, money, and effort into a business that might not last the rest of the year. I have seen this with my own eyes. I always advocate starting your own online business. Why you ask? Who can you trust better than you? I will tell you, if I am going to invest in anything it will be me, period.

You Won't Let You Down
When you succeed those you love succeed. Those you care about succeed. It's about grabbing your dream and never letting it go. Working for someone else is helping them promote their dream through your effort. Working for yourself helps you to bring your dreams to fruition.

I know where the difficulty comes in. It is at the point of the beginning. How do you get started? Where do you start? Can I startup my online business quickly and with a minimal amount of investment?

Well, I can help you there. I recommend checking out my Internet Business Quick Start Guide by clicking here. It will help you to launch into the deep and get started making money online quickly.

I am serious about home business, and thankful for the time you have taken to read this article. If you are serious about beginning an online business then I recommend my Internet Business Quick Start Guide.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Eugene_Barber/939610
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9928525

Make Money Online With Your Own Internet Business

The Make Money Farce
You have seen them and probably received thousands of them since you have begun internet marketing. They come out the wood works, don't they? Opportunities promising that you too can make money online with little to no effort. You then invest your money into the opportunity only to find out there aren't any pies in the sky... only the cold hard reality that you just spent some of your rent money on someone's new car.

Yes, this is the reality many internet marketers face. I have been there. I started in this business with my father and let me tell you... we have seen every scam under the sun. Why? Because we were those people who had a dream and wanted to help other people through success only to find out there ain't no free lunch in business. The cold hard truth is that "business is business". Period. There are a million work from home opportunities contrived each year. There are many more gullible individuals who buy into the dream. In the end, they are left like me and my dad... a few thousand dollars shorter.

But, It's Online And It Has To Be TRUE
Here is a revelation. People who scam lie. They don't just lie a little, its more like lie a lot. They want you to trust them, and to believe their story. But when it comes to delivering... well. You know. You've been there a thousand and one times. You've spent your money on the magic potions of the internet only to realize that you are out of money and now have a rash (the legendary rash of discouragement).

I'm not here to sell you a pie in the sky. I am here to be your jolt of reality. Sleeper, it's time to wake up! The internet is not some new invention that defies the laws of business. It is business on steroids. Imagine the business rules you know and then multiply them by the sheer volume of variables now introduced by the online component. The internet can allow you to become very wealthy or very broke.

So... Can I Make Money Online Or Not?!
You can young Jedi. I know some of the things I've said may be a little cheeky but I am serious. There is no money like "internet business" online money. The thing is you have to see it for what it is. Your internet business is just that... a business. Do not enter the online business field with any other mindset than "I am going to run MY business".

There is nothing more rewarding and satisfying professionally then running your own business. And if ran right, your internet business can feed you and your family. You may be looking for quick ways to make money. Once you setup your business depending upon the model you use the money can come quick. It all comes down to you and your imagination. Add hustle, grind, and grit and you got something.

Nowhere to start? If you would like to skip the line click here for the proven method to get your internet business up and running quickly (which means more money).

I am serious about home business, and thankful for the time you have taken to read this article. If you are serious about beginning an online business then I recommend my Internet Business Quick Start Guide. Get your kit here now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Eugene_Barber/939610
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9928528

Start Your Home-Based Online Business With These eCommerce Platforms

Starting an online venture these days is super easy. There are many inexpensive or free open source platforms for eCommerce store development.And, with the right development team, you are just one step away from getting your own website. Starting a home-based shop to trade your handicraft items, or other locally sourced products is a great idea as a startup. Starting an online business is trouble-free with ample of flexible open source and inexpensive eCommerce platforms available. The only secret of success is not to stop halfway but go on expanding product categories and store's features to convert from a small startup to a leading online business.

While we know that for any individual who is not much aware of the functioning of the eCommerce world and how things go live overnight, selecting a platform rightly to set their own online shop is a backbreaking job. So, here's a list of most powerful and easy-to-use platforms which can help owners to successfully transform their startup idea into a vibrant reality.

#1 Magento

Acclaimed as the leading and fastest evolving platform, Magento is the benchmark platform. It supports all trades and can accommodate up to 500,000 products and 80,000 orders an hour. With a number of advanced features, easy integration, SEO oriented and versatile content management, it stands to the best solution available within the budget.

Further, it is modular and customisable, means you can gradually expand your store and add new features over time.

#2 OpenCart

If there is one simple platform for startups, then it is OpenCart! This is the reason it is exceptionally popular amongst small retailers or the home-based ventures. Easy backend functionality, extensive feature plugins, unlimited products capacity and less server load are few of the perks bestowed by OpenCart.

#3 Shopify

It comes as a befitting platform for eCommerce stores that simultaneously wants focus on mobile shopping and also social shopping. Easy integrations, lightning-fast loading speed, versatile payment gateway integrations, SEO features, direct social selling are the key features Shopify offers.

#4 WooCommerce

Those who are at ease with WordPress, then WooCommerce is the right platform for them. Based on the WordPress, it is easy to install and start and hence developers will charge you less. Further, there's a large number of additional plugins or templates and themes of WooCommerce, which will help owners to deck up their stores as per the business category.

#5 ZenCart

The whole reason for putting ZenCart in this list is its user-friendly approach and easy store management. It bears a set of far-reaching tools that offer full-scale customisation options to the owners. Moreover, it focuses on the store security features to safe keep all customers and products information.

For a household person who is new to the eCommerce world with zero technical knowledge, selecting a platform that serves their business interests fully is tough. So, the wisest decision lies in choosing the one that offers best user-experience and inherent SEO features that will help the store outshine on the Google results.

Rob Stephen is one of professed Magento developers in Melbourne, who works at PHPProgrammers, a pioneered company for eCommerce solutions development. It houses a pool of talented eCommerce experts, not only in Magento but other platforms like WooCommerce, Shopify and ZenCart. Follow the Facebook page to have more insights on our services, markets we cover and solutions we offer.

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Work From Home And Make Money With Your Own Online Business

Start Your Own Online Business- Top Reasons Why You Should
It isn't easy to start an online business. Some people may lie to you and say it is the easiest thing they have ever done, but they are being at best unrealistic. Running an online business is as the name implies, "a business that is online". So there are certain rules you must follow in order to earn cash online (and do it the right way).

Even though there are challenges to running a business online there are benefits to it as well. In my view it is better to start a business online. Below I have listed some of the top reasons I believe this to be true.

The Traditional Way To Get Cash Is Becoming Outdated
There are a lot of people who have great ideas, but can never seem to the get them off of the ground. Many times this is due to lack of resources or the ability to properly fund their business. With the traditional business model there is normally a substantial investment. An internet business does not require this major investment (though there could be a small one).

Using the example of a brick and mortar store an owner must invest in their business only to have their money at times locked in the business itself for years. Many times it takes years for the store owner to recuperate their entire investment. With an online business model you would have less overhead and other means to store your inventory (such as drop shipping or as an affiliate). This means that inventory is not a requirement allowing you to ship product upon demand versus investing in the goods upfront.

Each Industry Dictates It's Threshold To Make Money
Certain industries require you to invest money to make money. Depending upon the industry itself starting small may be out of the question. The reason? In order to compete you must be competitive. To be competitive in the traditional sense may require a significant investment of funds from the beginning. This is not even mentioning physical location(s), staff and security issues.

However, a home based business that exists on the internet can grow as you grow. We all want to grow. With a smaller investment you can leverage your advantage for greater profits. If staff is required, the positions are minimal and physical security becomes one less thing for you to worry about (especially if you are an affiliate or you don't house your products in-house).

The Internet Is Becoming The Standard For Communicating A Business
The day is coming where if you're not online you don't exist. Even traditional brick and mortar organizations are now vying for a presence on the web.

The level of innovation new technologies are providing the entrepreneur online are endless. You are limited by your imagination and ambition.

With the internet you can make as much or as little as you want. This is determined by your willingness and effort to take your business to the next level. Will you press forward the wheel of innovation a success and become the next internet millionaire (or billionaire)? Or maybe you're not as ambitious and are only looking to take care of your needs (and maybe your families too)? An online business can provide you with this ability.

If you are serious about taking the next step and take the quick path to getting your online business off the ground (and making you money), get my new quick start guide here now!

I am serious about my internet business, and thankful for the time you have taken to read this article. If you are serious about beginning an online business then I recommend my Internet Business Quick Start Guide. Get your kit here now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Eugene_Barber/939610
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9928522

10 common investment mistakes that can ruin your retirement

 It is well known that as things stand, the majority of South Africans will not have enough money to sustain their current standard of living in retirement.

Recent increases to value-added tax and the fuel levy, among other things, have worsened the outlook for many.

Retirement savers would do well to avoid fairly common investment mistakes, according to chief executive officer at 10X Investments, Steven Nathan.

Here are the 10 mistakes retirement savers frequently make, and how to avoid them:

Mistake #1: Saving too little

The number one reason most people miss their retirement goal is because they don’t save enough.

“No rocket science here,” says Nathan. “You can’t save like a pauper and then expect to live like a prince in retirement.”

The basics of  a successful model for retirement is that people should save 15% of their gross salary throughout their working life (an average of 40 years) and invest in a balanced high equity fund that charges low fees.

Mistake #2: Paying high fees

Fees matter a lot more than most people imagine, says Nathan. In the context of a 6.5% real return (that is after inflation), every 1% paid in fees reduces the return by more than 15%.

If investors are paying 3% in fees the return will be reduced by 45%, which means that more than half of the real annual return is lost to fees.

When the effect of compounding, where you earn a return on your return, is included the negative impact can be devastating.

Nathan urges investors to understand the fees they are paying, and to look for a low-cost provider that charges no more than 1% in total annual fees.

Mistake #3: The wrong asset mix

Choosing an asset mix that mirrors personal risk tolerance, such as conservative or risk averse, but is not appropriate for the investment time horizon can dramatically damage a retirement outcome.

"It is critical to grow your savings at a high rate for the majority of your savings period, which is why you should be invested in a high equity fund," said Nathan.

"A lower growth portfolio would be insufficient in the context of a 40-year savings plan, based on a 15% savings rate."

A life-stage solution, where one can automatically be switched to the appropriate portfolio as the time horizon changes, is a simple and effective solution.

Mistake #4: Investing in an underperforming fund

Nathan said that, when it comes to retirement investing, it is more important to eliminate the downside risk and reach the minimum savings goal than to entertain upside risk in the hope of overshooting the savings goal.

"No one should be gambling with something as important as their retirement savings," says Nathan.

Mistake #5: Emotional switching

Chopping and changing funds or asset classes, especially during periods of market turbulence, often leads to buying high and selling low.

Investors should rather stick to their plan and avoid the temptation to switch or try to time the market.

Mistake #6: Inadequate diversification

If you are over-invested in one asset class or security, you assume concentration risk, the risk that one investment will have a disproportionate impact on your savings outcome. As a retirement investor, you cannot afford the downside risk as it may ruin your pension.

Nathan says: “Remember, it’s about reaching your goal with the lowest possible risk; it is not about speculating your way to a dream existence.”

Savers should invest in various asset classes (equities, bonds, property and cash), each providing exposure to many different underlying securities, held across different currencies (local and international) and regions (for example, developed and emerging countries).

Mistake #7: Saving outside retirement funds

Tax-free deductions and investment returns can potentially increase the value of your retirement savings by up to 30%.

And you score again because your retirement income is almost always taxed at a lower average rate than the marginal tax you saved on your contributions.

Mistake #8: Starting to save too late

Few people in their 20s worry about retirement but, ideally, we should start saving towards retirement from our first pay cheque. We should keep it up throughout our working life (around 40 years on average).

Nathan says it is important to remember that contributions are only one source of your future retirement income. The other is the net investment return you earn on your contributions.

“The sooner you start contributing to your retirement fund, the longer your money has to grow.”

Initially, Nathan adds, the returns add only a little to your total pot, but once compounding (earning a return on your return) kicks in, the growth will pick up and continue building momentum.

“The effect is much like a snowball rolling down a mountain, until the compounded investment return totally overwhelms your contributions.”

Mistake #9: Cashing in savings on changing jobs

Not preserving what has already been saved is a very common mistake in South Africa: up to 80% of fund members have at some point cashed out their savings when they changed jobs.

Not preserving is like starting late: people lose not just the accumulated savings, but the return on those savings for the remainder of the savings term.

The foregone return becomes a big number when a fund is cashed in 30 years ahead of time.

Mistake #10: Underestimating how much money is required

Using a quality retirement calculator (based on accurate inputs and assumptions) provides a good sense of where savers stand relative to their goal, and what they could do to improve their savings outcome.

“When it comes to retirement planning, various factors are beyond your control, such as the macroeconomic environment and stock market performance, which makes it even more important to understand and control the many factors that you can,” says Nathan.

Steven Nathan is the chief executive officer at 10X Investments.

How To Find Product Ideas And Information

Are you one of the many that tried starting an online business but stopped before generating any sales or income? Every new business will have its own opportunities as well as challenges and difficulties. One of the hardest things to decide for many is actually the very first step, choosing a product(s). This is one reason that many quit before they ever really begin.

There are any number of ways to search for good product ideas within a chosen niche and I'll give several good ones here. Keep those listed here in mind when selecting products to promote. Studying the different avenues for finding great product ideas can be beneficial in helping uncover opportunities to promote and sell online.

1. What do You know - your own experience can give you a strong competitive advantage. Many enter into the online marketing world at an older age, as an encore career, with lots of knowledge from their previous career. One can start a website with career knowledge and promote related or relevant products and do quite well.

2. Research the common problems within your chosen niche and have solutions available, for those seeking the answers. It's great to have as many of the problem solutions as possible in order to be an authority within your niche. Recommend and have available a product(s) to promote, an affiliated item or your own, that will help the seeker out.

3. Follow customer passions - people spend a lot of money on their passions and habits. If you are passionate about something, chances are that there are millions of others with the same passion and will purchase relevant products within that niche. Following your own heart and compassion is one of the best ways to make money online.

When you build a business around your own personal passion and sell products within your niche, you'll have the strength and tenacity to overcome all hurdles and problems during occasional difficult time periods. Staying motivated is essential to online business success.

4. Create your own brand - get a really good understanding of who your potential audience and customers are. Also, understand the process of creating your own brand and where to find the best sources of each product to brand as your own.

Many hot-selling items are made in China and can be re-branded with your own product name. These items can be purchased on sites like Alibaba dotcom for less than half of the cost of purchasing in the US, then shipped to Amazon or another storage facility and sold.

5. Trends - taking advantage at the start of a trend allows you to establish the product and your authority early on and you can really capitalize on the trend. Capitalizing early on a new trend will make you one of the first websites being indexed by the search engines and can help you climb to the top of the rankings quickly.

Each opportunity will require its own mindset and strategy to reach the largest audience and peak sales.

For more info visit Pete @ http://www.newcareerat40.com. If you would like to learn more about making websites and starting an internet business, it would be a great idea to take advantage of an absolutely FREE opportunity to take 10 Free Certification Course Lessons and get 2 Free WordPress websites to create, step by step your own sites. There is No Card Required - Nothing to lose.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Peter_Mangini/2298216
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The Passive Income Myth

According to the IRS there are three categories of income: Active, passive, and portfolio.

Active is what it sounds like. You do income-producing activities that you get income.

Portfolio is also what it sounds like. You invest money into things like stocks, real estate funds, or other investment vehicles and - in the best of times - your investment yields gains, or income.

Then there is passive income.

The sacred cow of network marketing companies and continuity/membership site experts.

The goal of every over-worked, under-earning, praying-for-a-miracle self-employed type.

Passive intimates no work. You, on the beach, cocktail in hand, checking your PayPal account for the sales every few hours. Or, better yet, you, on your couch, in your jammies, binge watching GOT or House. Again.

I googled a ton of content on passive income and although there are some sound possibilities out there - lend money for interest for instance - many take a sound idea and run it right off the rails, like this one that admits you must frontload the work to get to passive: "first you need to haul ass and do something crazy, e.g. write a quality 20,000-word eBook (insane, not passive hahahah)", but here is where it runs wild -"but then you get to sit back and enjoy seeing PayPal sale messages pop up on your iPhone each morning as sale after sale after sale is made... on an ongoing basis and without any additional work. That's some seriously Pina Colada flavored passive goodness!"

There's some seriously delusional-flavored thinking.

Let's look at digital products. You write or create it once, set it up on a landing page, hook up the cart, drive traffic and you are off to the beach to collect your moolah.

A well done e-book or virtual program takes hours of research, writing, producing, formatting, etc. Those hours cost your time, and during those hours you are not making money. But OK, we can all agree, there has to be work on the front end right?

Right, but it doesn't end there.

Now we have marketing. If your landing page is optimized, your copy is killer, and your ads are spot on - something by the way that takes daily monitoring - and your e-book/product/program is targeted to the right audience, you could see recurring revenue from this evergreen type product.

Phew. We've done quite a bit of work so far and there are lots of "ifs" from a marketing perspective. (If your landing page converts because you've got conversion copy and the page is optimized for SEO, and you are targeting an audience that wants what you've got from you, and on and on.)

And marketing doesn't end if you want to keep the sales coming.

What about managing affiliate partners, returns, customer service? Even outsourced, there is still some active participation.

This type of income, as you see, is far from passive but it is leveraged.

Leveraged is good. It's how businesses grow and in our case, entrepreneurs, how we get out of the income-capping trap in the fee-for-service-only model.

I don't want to be Debbie downer, but part of my commitment to my clients and you, my readers, is to bring the truth; shine a light on traps, false gods, and naked emperors.

Am I suggesting not to do an e-book, a virtual program, or a continuity program? NO! (Well, I might in the case of the membership/continuity program, and I'm getting a few experts together to parse the good and bad and who should and shouldn't and when. I'll have details next week here.)

I am suggesting that you examine your attraction to a marketing idea before jumping in. No one idea will "save" a shaky business - sales is the exception here - and one idea that promises to "change everything" in your business is likely to fall short of its promise. What it really requires will only be found in the mice type - that tiny print at the bottom of webpages and print ads that gives you the disclaimer.

Always read the mice type.

And start researching leveraged income streams. Find out what it will really take to set one up and get started. It may not be passive, but it's income that requires less of you one-on-one or one-to-many. And that means more time to work on your portfolio or pina coladas.

Gregory Anne Cox is a free spirited entrepreneur who offers marketing in a fashion without using tired and boring content but a new fresh approach getting away from "Squishy Language" From becoming a freelance writer in NYC, to opening her own restaurant in San Diego, she is also a world renown author. Her most recent publications are "Everything is Food Journal" & "Your Genes Do Not Determine The Size of Your Jeans". Gregory now specializes in Online copy assessment, Done-For-You and Speaker and Engagement Services.

http://bemoremarketable.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Gregory_Anne_Cox/55712
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9923944

How To Sell Other People's Products Online

When you sell other people's products online, you don't have to devote time to creating the products, but you get a percentage of the sales that you make. This well established and popular business model is known as affiliate marketing and being a successful affiliate marketer can be very lucrative.

Here are some the key issues to concentrate on when you sell other people's products online.

Find The Right Audience

It's important to determine what type of audience you want to sell products to. By knowing the audience, you'll be able to find the right type of products or services for them. You'll know what their problems are and find a way to offer them products that solve them.

Find The Right Products and Services

Choose who your audience is first, then find products for them. Doing it the opposite way round can include the risk that there isn't an audience for that product in the first place. Once you know your audience, you can choose the right products and services to recommend to them. It's best that you test out the products or services that you plan to recommend. Any product you choose should offer a solution to a problem that your audience has.

Create the Right Type of Content

Knowing your audience, and the products and services that you're going to promote, will help you create the right type of content that attracts your audience to take your recommendations. Always aim to provide value above all else. If your content doesn't make your audience feel like they're getting great value, they're not going to feel motivated to buy from you.

Maintain Your Reputation

When you're marketing and selling other people's products or services, you're putting a lot of trust in the creators of the product. Even if you didn't create the product, if someone buys something on your recommendation that turns out to be rubbish, they'll blame you. That's why you should only promote products that you have bought yourself or that you truly believe in.

Communicate With Your Audience

Communicate regularly with your audience via email, social media, blog posts, video or any other channel where you can reach out. Talk about their problems and the solutions that you know about and why you know they're the right ones. The best thing you can give your audience is a look into who you are. That's what makes you unique and special. Your audience will appreciate getting to know you, and that will make them trust you more.

Companies are happy to pay commissions to people just like you, in return for selling their products and services. You have the potential to make a great income when you choose the right niche, stay committed, and understand your audience. For a no-nonsense, kick-start guide to getting started, download my free checklist, Affiliate Marketing For Beginners at https://jonallo.com/affiliatechecklist

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jon_Allo/1079948
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9919535

Affiliate Marketing Is a Nice Way to Earn Money Online

How would you react if I say that you will be able to earn a minimum of $100 a day online? Your immediate reaction would be something like this. "Are you out of your mind?" In fact, there are ways by which you can earn money online. With a little bit of hard work and perseverance, you can touch the magical figure of $100 per day. It is definitely not beyond the reach of a dedicated individual. Let us look at some ways by which you can achieve this objective.

Have you heard the word, Affiliate Marketing? You must have because this has become a very common method of earning money online today.

What is affiliate marketing and what do you do in this type of marketing?

This is a type of a performance-based marketing rewarding its customers for referring other prospective customers to its fold. This is how the system works.

This method of marketing is an overlapping of various types of internet marketing methods. There are four players in this kind of industry. The first category is the merchant or the retailer. The second category is the network through which the affiliates work. This takes care of the payment aspects too. The affiliate is the third link of the chain. He is the one who publishes the advertisements and brings in the customers. The customer forms the final link to the chain.

The affiliates use a variety of methods to market the produce. This is also a type of referral marketing. However, there is a major difference between the two. Affiliate marketing focuses on the financial aspects and motivations. Referral marketing uses the trust and personal relationships as a base to improve the sales.

The affiliate marketer uses all the internet-marketing methods to some degree such as email marketing, search engine marketing, pay per click advertising methods, and even display marketing techniques too. He also relies of product reviews by customers or professional bloggers on the internet.

What are the advantages of affiliate marketing?

We shall look at three simple advantages.

Cost-effective for the merchant because he saves on advertising costs thereby passing on the benefits to the final user.

The affiliate marketer eliminates the entire middle chain and links the customer directly to the merchant. He derives a decent commission out of the sales proceeds.

The customer can get his product at a much lower price than the retail market cost.

Hence, you can see that affiliate marketing provides a great opportunity for the individual to earn extra money online. You have to do the hard work in the initial stages. However, after you set up the chain beautifully, making $100 a day would be very easy. You can have a great team working for you.

This is one of the time-tested methods of earning money online. There are other methods whereby you can earn handsomely, but affiliate marketing ensures a steady stream of income once you are able to establish the chain properly. Of course, you need to maintain excellent rapport with the people in the chain below you.

Trevor Browne is the author of this article on earn money online. Find more information, about earn extra money online.

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6 Actionable Ways To Get More Done In Less Time

I came across this wonderful analogy on time while researching for one of my events:

"Think about the airline industry. Their target is to have a full cabin in every flight. They don't really like empty seats. So, the prices are high. And dynamic. As the day of the flight nears, the prices keep on increasing. Good luck to anyone with a tight budget - if they want a seat on a flight at the last moment! It becomes a mad house then, the same seat which would have initially cost you probably 30-40% less.

But once the plane takes off, an empty seat has no value. That's a loss for the airline. There is no way they can get any money for it. However expensive the seat had been, once it's gone, it becomes valueless.

The same can be said about 'time'. A very expensive commodity indeed. While the clock ticks away, it keeps becoming more and more precious. You would kill to save those precious moments right before something has to be done. Do anything to have little more time at your disposal! Unfortunately, you cannot stop the clock.

And once it is gone, it ceases to be expensive. It ceases to be anything!"

There is a very simple thing I like to say,

Time pass = Time Fail

Let me give you some stats. The average person gets 1 interruption every 8 minutes, or approximately 7 an hour, or 50-60 per day. The average interruption takes 5 minutes, totaling about 4 hours or 50% of the average workday. 80% of those interruptions are typically rated as "little value" or "no value" creating approximately 3 hours of wasted time per day.

By taking 1 hour per day for independent study, 7 hours per week, 365 hours in a year, one can learn at the rate of a full-time student. In 3-5 years, the average person can become an expert in the topic of their choice, by spending only one hour per day.

If only we had that one hour we could take out from our crucial time (kept aside to be wasted)

I know it is difficult. The habit of wasting time if hard to beat, especially the blissful joy of doing nothing. And then running around in mindless panic at the 11th hour - that's not much fun though. Here are a few things you could do that have proved to work well for me, if you are looking to managing your time better:

1. Put a price on your time

Yes, make a guesstimate of the cost of your time. You may not make it comparable to some industry stalwart but consider yourself as someone who is fairly successful when you do so.

Depending on how much you earn (or spend, if you are a student) each year, you can count the number of productive days in a year and number of working hours in a day. Get you own hourly rate;)... If you do not know the value of your time, who will? I do this exercise every time I revise my compensation rates for clients.

Once you have that estimate, next time you have the urge to splurge your time on something, you can compare whether it is worth your time or not. The concept of value in marketing is defined as benefits/cost. (Some even consider it as benefits minus cost). Find out your own version of benefits upon cost for your time i.e. time value.

Now, I am not saying that you do everything according to this method. But a lot of your trivial activities could go through this simple test before you decide to undertake them. This will simply give you an idea of how much valuable time you generally waste doing stuff that you need not do really.

2. SWOT Analysis

You must have heard of SWOT right? It's an analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Generally it is done on an organization level vis a vis competitors to understand the road that has been traveled so far and what lies ahead.

But whoever said you couldn't do it for your own self?

SWOT can be helpful in prioritizing your time and to-dos. Between all the elements of your SWOT, I would suggest that you focus on your strengths. Give more time to things you are good at and play to your strengths. This will ensure you enjoy your productive hours more. But it will also help you figure out which of your weaknesses can you spend how much time on, so that you could turn them into your opportunities and subsequently, into your strengths. It is very much doable, should you put your heart on to the pursuit of 'better-ness'.

If you cannot picture a long term situation, don't panic. Take one day at a time. I would say, devote some time each day to your SWOT elements. Some will of high priority and some will be of low. But ensure that you take some time out. As mentioned in the very beginning of the post, merely taking out 1hour everyday can get you to gain expertise in a particular field (condition applied - dedicated one hour). Just find out time first for your priorities.

You will be amazed at how much buffer time will remain each day for you to decide how much of it to spend or trivials and non-essentials. SWOT has always come to my rescue. It will do the same for you - I guarantee!

3. Wake up early

This does not seem like a time management tip but trust me it is. When I started waking up early and tried to get done with 50% of my To-dos even before the rest of the world woke up, it gave me a very beautiful delusion of having more than 24hrs in my day. I had more time for myself, my family, my work - everything. This habit just does wonders.

Most important things get done early on, leaving time for leisure and fun and most importantly - getting more important things done than you had planned! That's a welcome delusion I would say. Here are a few early morning activities that can prime your day.

4. Creating To-Do lists

Creating to-do lists is a classic time management tool. I keep a white board right above my workstation where all the to-dos go. It is the simplest way to tackle your list of never ending works. Keep striking off what got done and keep writing what needs to be done further.

Place it strategically at a position where your eyes keep going from time to time. If you are a more organized person, you can even color code your white board of to-dos. The essence is to make you feel ashamed if the list of struck out items is smaller.

And don't be ashamed of jotting down to-dos. Once you have an exhaustive list, you can do your SWOT and prioritizing too! Find out what's more important and what needs to be done right away.

5. Right here Right now

If it takes 2 minutes to do a thing, do it now. Don't procrastinate even for very small things. It is often the 2 minute tasks, that when piled up - look like an Everest that you have to conquer. It is this pile of 2minute noodles that gets perceived as crisis often. And believe me, a major part of crisis management is dealing with these simple things efficiently. It is not that big a deal. We just turn it into one.

It would also be advisable that you do the things you fear most first. Or abhor. That inertia of having put good effort gets carried forward to the rest of the day (or sitting). You may not succeed initially. But slowly, you will get into the habit of facing your fears and getting things done in time - that's two things nailed!

6. Kill your Distractors

Have you heard of Pareto's principle? The 80-20 rule by Pareto, when applied to time management, says - 80% of your half-hearted time generates only 20% of the results.

And it is no rocket science that your 80% unfocused time is a result of too much distraction. Kill those distractors. Free, high speed internet, YouTube streaming without buffer, endless social media networks and their apps, so many relationship issues to worry about, numerous trivial things to think about, useless people issues to get into - a lot of work, a modern living is!

It is possible to keep these distractions at bay. A little will power is all you need. And what starts as will power, soon becomes a habit. Progressively remove your distractions if you want to reach somewhere in life. Because what doesn't take you towards your goals, takes you away from them!

There are many more ways to manage your time better. But the first step to all of them is - your sheer, infallible determination to make use of these non-renewable, very important resource - in a better, more judicious way.

Remember,

The difference between a Steve Jobs and a normal job is - how one utilizes their 24hrs!

Akash Gautam a Motivational Speaker for Youth & Corporate Events in India. He has more than 16yrs of experience as a Public Speaker, Writer & Career Counsellor. He is known for his comic & sarcastic style as a speaker. He believes that he still is an ardent student of life and learning. He writes regularly on his blog answering questions that his audiences mostly ask. You may know more about him and his work at: http://akashgautam.com/motivational-speakers-in-india/

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How High Achievers Harvest Time and Accomplish Their Dreams - Part 1

Have you ever wondered why some people achieve so much more than others?

Our research of high achievers (HAs as we call them), regardless of their chosen field of endeavor, show shared characteristics. Here are 6 of the most important; all of which speak directly to the issue of harvesting time to achieve their dreams.

1. They know what they want.

2. They know why they want it.

3. They have set goals to achieve it.

4. They have a clearly defined plan to get them there.

5. They take action.

6. They commit their time and resources to its accomplishment.

While only a part of the total formula for Time Harvesting these 6 factors are important, contributing elements. In Part 1 we will look at the first element: they know what they want.

Envisioning the outcome.

HAs know exactly what they want. There is no ambiguity about their dream. They are totally focused on the outcome. They can describe it in vivid detail. They're convinced it can and will happen. It's not about "if," it's about "when."

The "what" defines the priorities.

Because the outcome is both crystal clear and expected, there is singleness of purpose. Thus, dedicating time to accomplish the goal becomes top priority understanding that the sooner the plan is executed, the sooner the dream is realized.

Competing priorities.

Unfortunately, like everyone else, HAs don't have the luxury of only dealing with the dream. Life gets in the way and HAs must deal with other issues, as well. But, just like the consistency of the compass needle, after the fires are put out; HAs return to accomplishing the dream.

The lesson.

The lesson is clear. To get the absolute benefit out of every moment of your time you must have a compelling, desired outcome. Otherwise, your time is just dissipated as you wander about aimlessly. Unfortunately, too many people do not have a clearly defined, realistic, defined outcome for their life. That is why they waste so much time and feel unfulfilled.

Remember, if you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there.

Going forward, the compelling question is, "Where will you be, and is that where you really want to be?" What a terrible shame to live an unfulfilling life because you aren't doing what you really want.

The critical issue.

The critical issue is the necessity to define your dream. Take the time to figure that out. You simply must. Then, each day you can devote your time to getting there.

In Part 2, we will look at your "why;" what drives you to accomplish the "what."

Would you, too, as so many other have, like to effectively have a 13th month or more every year to achieve your dreams? Author Jan Schrader shares the secrets of Time Harvesting in the book, The Secret of the Thirteenth Month - Harvesting the Time to Achieve Your Life's Dreams. To learn more, just go to http://www.JanSchrader.com, and discover the power of Time Harvesting.

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This Year, Transform Your Time With the Stories You Tell Yourself

When you pause and listen, you may be surprised at how much 'chatter' is going on in your head. You're actually conversing with yourself almost constantly. And this isn't just idle chatter.

Indeed, the stories you tell yourself, to a surprising extent, define your reality.

So, when it comes to meaningful conversations, the silent ones you have with yourself may be the most important ones to pay attention to.

And what better time than the start of a New Year to think about that? Maybe it's time to consider telling yourself some new stories.

What you tell yourself is your choice...
Here's a scenario that a client told me about not long ago:

Joan had invited a few of her friends to join her family for their holiday meal. She was really looking forward to it, had cooked up a storm, and had created a centerpiece that she was really proud of. Just before the guests started arriving, her cat jumped up on the table and started tearing the centerpiece apart.

Upset, Joan sprang into action to shoo the cat away. In the process, she knocked over a pitcher of water. It soaked the tablecloth and was starting to puddle on the floor as the doorbell rang.

Telling the story, Joan smiled proudly and said that in that moment she made a really important choice. She decided to laugh as she opened the door to her first guests. And that decision powerfully defined her present reality and had a ripple effect that changed the shape of her day.

What our stories tell us...
So Joan told herself quite a bit with her laughter. She indicated that there was no need to feel ashamed or to panic. Her laughter meant that what had just happened was something she accepted. It became part of the unfolding story of her day and was a source of humor, not horror.

And I'm sure you can imagine how differently this would all have felt had she chosen differently. Picture her face as she opens the door. How does it look if she is furious with the cat or self-critical about knocking over the pitcher?

Choose your stories well.
So, as we move into a new year, I invite you to consider the power of the choices you make. And especially, think about the stories you tell yourself about your life. You can make such a big difference for yourself.

You'll find expert guidance quickly with our free Finding Time Success Kit, so check out our video at http://thetimefinder.com/ and then sign up for your Kit!

You'll receive our Finding Time Boundary Template, our popular Weekly Tips, and our monthly, award-winning E-zine -- all free and all right to your in-box!

For even more time tips, tools and techniques, visit our blog at http://thetimefinder.com/blog/

Offered by Paula Eder, Ph.D. The Time Finder Expert

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