 Writing Your Affiliate Home Business Plan
First Published: July 2004
Last Update: July 2004
Author: Glenn Beach
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 isn’t 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 won’t 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:
1. What service/products does your business provide and what needs
does it fill?
2. Who are the potential customers for your product or service and
why will they purchase it from you?
3. How will you reach your potential customers?
4. Where will you get the financial resources to start your business?
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
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 don’t forget to
save often. If your home office is inhabited 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 commissions, 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
1. Introduction/background: history of the company and its
founder, internet marketing trends, why THIS company
and why NOW, and so on.
2. Goals: I suggest you think of what you would like to be
earning in two years, but mainly focus on goals for your
first year. Realistic goals can be projected based on
info on the company website, in newsletters, searches on
the forums, and focused questions to other affiliates.
3. Marketing plan: based on your answers to the first 3
questions above and your study of marketing aids and
tools.
4. Action plans: the specifics of what you will do on a
monthly, weekly, and/or daily basis for the next year.
I can’t 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 don’t
understand a question, don’t know where to find
information, or don’t know how to ASK a question,
contact your sponsor or someone in your upline. If they
can't help you, they should be able to send you to
someone who can.
Glenn Beach has 25 years of industrial cleaning experience,
5 years experience self-employed in the construction industry,
and specializes in business and employment training.
Currently he writes about entrepreneurship and internet
marketing and sells products he trusts. Visit his website and
pick up a FREE Package worth over $585 that will show you
how to get your share of the e-commerce revolution:
http://www.work-at-home-business-opportunity-canada.com
| 
