Work from home businesses - Any luck?

[singinjeannie]

Re: Work from home businesses - Any luck?

One thing people need to realize is that it takes a certain personality to "SELL" stuff. If you don't have that type of personality, you are not successful with home-based businesses that require you to recruit people or sell services / items.

Far too many people, me included, get sucked into the MLM deal when they are not good sales people, and all they have to show for their efforts is lost time and more lost money that they couldn't afford to lose in the first place (that's why they were looking for a way to make money!)

I wish I could offer my services of secretarial skills from home and get paid for them. It's really hard to break into this type of service business, though, because thousands just like me want to do the same thing.

[Snoopy2645]

Re: Work from home businesses - Any luck?

Well as for selling stuff I am not really the selling type. But I have a cousin who did wonderful selling candles. As for myself I am starting a wah job but it will be like a CS rep for a company I am really looking forward to it but if that dont work out which I am really really hoping it does.

I will start a preschool out of my home. I would love to do that too. SO hopefully one or the other works out maybe at some point I will do both if the CS job does work out, but I am done working outside the home until the kids are older. But at the same time I need to be doing something & have my own goals & bringing in money to help the family.

[jmjj215]

Re: Work from home businesses - Any luck?

The key with MLM is to be ready to work your tail off for quite a while before it begins paying off. I have a friend that started w/ a phone-service, long-distance, ISP, type MLM company and he's now "locked in" they say. Meaning he's recruited so many people working under him that he makes well into six figures a year. He's 25. He owns a home, some land, four investment properties, a benz, and a gas-guzzling Escalade.

Well, I say "owns" but I don't know how much of that he financed

He works 70 hours per week.

[zendus]

Re: Work from home businesses - Any luck?

I absolutely agree with singinjeannie that a person needs to have a type of personality to be successful at selling and I am not one of those type of personality either. However, I had a rather good experience selling Avon. Avon sells itself, most everybody is familiar with it and most have favorite avon products. I sold avon while I was working full time among my coworkers. All I had to do was put avon books in their office mailbox and the sales just trickled in, I had to do no selling at all. When their products arrived I would slip a note in their box with the total and when they were ready to pay they would visit my cubicle. At my cubicle I would have demo's there for them to look, which I would write off on my taxes and then later I would have many items to giveaway for gifts. It really worked out very well. I never really made any real money, but I saved a ton of money not buying gifts (I would pick out demos with a gift receipant in mind) and I also saved a ton of money on my taxes. I took the home office deduction and deducted a second phone line which I used for an interenet connection (before DSL was an option). I could go on and on about the many ways that Avon was a great second job, I won't bore you that way.

The only other thing that sticks out in my mind that is another reason that makes Avon a great business, is that it only cost $20.00 to join.(at least when I joined many moons ago) You did not have to buy a $300 dollar starter kit like some home based business require. There were no minimum sale requirements either. Again, there is ever so much more to say, but mainly in my opinion, Avon is an excellent home based business.

[mom-from-missouri]

Re: Work from home businesses - Any luck?

I would not be comfortable selling. #1, I am not a sales person. #2, I don't buy any of those things because, I am too frugal. How could I sell something I personally don't buy because I can either live without it, or get it for a fraction of the price elsewhere? Makeup, candles, all that stuff I can get cheaper and the family dollar store for a fraction of the cost, or I can live without it. Plus, I would be so afraid that people would quit buying it from me when they started feeling the "pinch" from the economy. Selling insurance from home makes more sense to me, because that is designed to save people money, and it is something most people don't want to be without.

[PrincessPerky]

Re: Work from home businesses - Any luck?

Avon, check your area and make sure it is not already saturated, there are 3 dealers in my comunity, and we use a lady from DHs work.

Actually regardless of what you go into, check for saturation.

[Mo102]

Re: Work from home businesses - Any luck?

I am also an Avon representative, and I LOVE it! I have been pretty successful, and paid for our new minivan. You do not HAVE to recruit others to be successful, but that is an option available to you.

I use lots of different methods for getting customers, from tables at community functions, fundraisers, home parties, even chatting people up in the grocery store! It's true, there are a LOT of reps out there, but there are few that are actively working the business. There are plenty of customers out there for everyone! As a matter of fact, I was recruited by a woman who lives behind me, and we both have plenty of business!

It's now only $10 to start, and that includes all materials you will need for your first month of business!!

Good luck in whatever you choose!!

[VJW]

Re: Work from home businesses - Any luck?

I recently caught an interview with a woman named Pam Dixon, who wrote “Online Jobs For Dummies”, which deals with home-based online jobs. She said that most of the listings for online jobs from home are SCAMS. So as the Sergeant on ‘Hill Street Blues’ used to say, “Let’s be careful out there”.

She said that offers to do online jobs from home involving accounting or finance are sure-fire signals of a scam. I assume because only higher-level employees would be trusted with that kind of data.

She offered that the best way to potentially land an online job is to approach a company that does the type of work you’re interested in, and ask if they allow their employees to work from home. This allows you to find a job before they actually list it.

#

[terry1156]

Re: Work from home businesses - Any luck?

So as the Sergeant on ‘Hill Street Blues’ used to say, “Let’s be careful out there"

VJW, you're dating yourself there

[36Rock]

Re: Work from home businesses - Any luck?

I work from home and have done so for 12 years now. I got my at home job by first working in the office. I then moved and took the job with me. I live in Texas my job is in Colorado. I love my job and the non-profit I work for. Hope I never have to change.

I have two-three other part-time jobs also. The freedom allows me to be creative with extra jobs.

What I have found over the years is that when your trusted then they trust you to take the work home and really get it done. Working at home is not easy, it takes drive and attention to details without supervision. I rarely take days off or call in sick. I just work sick, no one cares that I look bad or I'm in my pj still.

Working at home is a dream come true, but there are trade offs.

Good luck in your quest!

[singinjeannie]

Re: Work from home businesses - Any luck?

I would not be comfortable selling.... Selling insurance from home makes more sense to me, because that is designed to save people money, and it is something most people don't want to be without.

Okay, you said "I would not be comfortable selling" and then went on to say, "Selling Insurance from home makes more sense to me..." If you can't sell, you can't sell.

I'm not sure if you're considering selling insurance, but reconsider selling ANYTHING if you're not a salses person.

I sold Avon and I sold Tupperware and made little to no money doing either. With gas prices the way they are, I won't be doing this type of work anytime in the near future. (Gotta run the stuff people purchased to them, or mail it, which will eat up all your "profits.")

-Jean

[cicy33]

Re: Work from home businesses - Any luck?

Okay, you said "I would not be comfortable selling" and then went on to say, "Selling Insurance from home makes more sense to me..." If you can't sell, you can't sell.

I'm not sure if you're considering selling insurance, but reconsider selling ANYTHING if you're not a salses person.

I sold Avon and I sold Tupperware and made little to no money doing either. With gas prices the way they are, I won't be doing this type of work anytime in the near future. (Gotta run the stuff people purchased to them, or mail it, which will eat up all your "profits.")

-Jean

I think that they mean that selling a luxury item that no one really needs is harder than offering something that people need. Also usually insurance stuff nowadays is done with the other people asking for the information first, not you doing the cold calling. I also could not do selling but I do a little ebay. So I do sell a little but I sell stuff people come looking for.

[Gruntina]

Re: Work from home businesses - Any luck?

I have sold Pampered Chef for two years. I love the products and the customers loved the products. Although you can earn money selling PC Products and get good perks, its tons of work. I loved doing the show and being with people but I find that I spend most of the hours doing all the paperwork, cleaning products and customers services and pre show preps. It was more work than I thought and took up all of my time. I learn that this is something I could not do unless I had full support of those living with me and not be interrupted when "working". The stress level was too high for me but again I was working two jobs. The extra income was nice but I don’t miss the extra work. I think Candles, home products and stuff like that would be best for labor reasons. Carrying heavy stoneware’s and glass can be hard on the back. PC is more of a full time job than part time job. If no other job, PC alone can be good.