How Women Can Become Successful Entrepreneurs

 

The number of female-led businesses has increased by almost 60 percent in over a decade. Altogether, these women have earned $3.1 trillion in revenue. Clearly, female entrepreneurship is a force to be reckoned with. If you’re looking to hop on the bandwagon, follow these tips for success:

Selling Your Own Product

While women-owned businesses only make up about 30 percent of all U.S. companies, 86 percent of Etsy sellers are women. Online marketplaces like Etsy offer many women the ability to monetize their talents with flexible hours and an easy way to set up shop. Women are selling everything from photography and clothes to soaps and stationery.

Although some women start with online marketplaces to earn extra cash, some turn their hobby into a business. For example, one Etsy seller started to sell hoops for hoop dancing in 2009. Since then, she quit her job at an interior landscaping company, and her shop is now a full-time job. In fact, 30 percent of sellers on Etsy say their shop is their sole occupation.

Direct Sales

 Direct sales consultants can purchase a starter pack of products from a company, and then market and sell the product on their own schedule, essentially running their own business. This industry has evolved, as more and more different products and services are being sold to customers—from essential oils to bakeware.

The idea of running a business using direct sales is not new. Avon has been using the model for more than 130 years. There is a perception that direct sales are in decline, but that is not true; in fact, direct selling has actually been on the rise in the U.S.

Affiliate Marketing

 According to Black Enterprise, those working in affiliate marketing earn commission “through either the promotion of another brand or company’s products, tools or services, or shared revenue generated from selling products and services to joint customers and audiences.” The obvious benefit of affiliate marketing is that it generates passive revenue. However, there is a second benefit: By recommending beneficial tools, services, and products, you are establishing trust and authority with clients and customers.

Many affiliate sites take their marketing efforts to social media. This is a powerful way to generate revenue and form connections. The key is to create engaging, attractive, and informative content. The Wire Cutter, Gear Patrol, and Nerd Wallet are just a few examples of businesses that have found success with social media marketing.

Other Sources of Business

Instead of starting your own business from scratch, you can invest in startups. You can either directly invest with the company, or you can leverage investing platforms as more of a low-risk option for yourself. Although there are obvious risks to investing, it can be a smart financial move that generates hefty returns. Consider choosing a company that’s involved in something you understand and in which you can potentially add value. Also, it’s a good idea to invest in multiple deals, which will help to expand your portfolio.

Where to Operate

You might be thinking about setting up your business in an actual office, but do consider the alternative: working from home. A home office allows for more flexibility in your schedule, and you won’t have to pay as much for overhead costs. Working at the dining table isn’t ideal, though; opt for designing an office complete with a custom desk, ergonomic chair, places to store papers, and anything else you require to work efficiently.

Instead of buying your desk at a furniture store, consider hiring a handyman to create a desk tailored just for you. It can include any features you wish, like shelves, cabinets, and a cord organizer. If you live in Miami, you can expect to pay between $168 and $579 for handyman services.

Entrepreneurship was once considered a man’s domain, but with more women-owned businesses than ever, the times are changing. Whether you turn your hobby into a career, monetize your cooking blog through affiliate marketing, or become a direct sales consultant, there is a way to turn your dream of entrepreneurship into reality and success.

5 Tips for Using Social Media

The various social media platforms have steadily gained popularity amongst consumers from all industries.  Using social media successfully is a challenge for some businesses, causing them to experience a decline in sales and customer satisfaction.  Below are a few tips on how to create a successful and effective social media campaign.

Tip #1: It is essential to make sure that the social media campaign associated with the company is innovative, creative, and able to capture and maintain the audience’s attention.  If the consumers grow bored with the content provided to them, or worse offended, the company will experience a variety of negative consequences up to and even including, going out of business.

Tip #2: Concentrate on providing customers with quality content.  Most times business owners forget that it is not always quantity that is important, but rather quality is what will drive and keep their readers.  By providing a comprehensive plan for each of the social media platforms companies will be able to ensure that they develop respect amongst their consumers.

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3 Must Have Items for Your Consultant Tool Kit

business consultant tool kit

Image Source: Oasis Consulting Group

Being a consultant of any kind can be an extremely rewarding career, especially if you have the right tools.  Below are 3 must have items that every consultant should have in their tool kit (or briefcase).

briefcase

$41.99, Uniform City

Item #1: Sturdy Bag – This is most important because obviously a sturdy bag is needed to carry all of the other items on this list.  When choosing a bag for the kit, it is a great idea to make sure the item is stain and water resistant, has plenty of room with multiple pockets and a big zippered section, is light weight and comfortable to carry, has multiple straps for easier carrying, and a section to put a laptop or netbook.

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