Archive for November, 2008

According to Wikipedia, a niche is “a special place within the scheme of things.” Niche marketing is defined as “the process of finding and serving small but potentially profitable market segments and designing custom-made products or services for them.” So it’s all about finding your special place, and the products and services that fit.

Right from the start, you should understand that your goal in discovering a niche is to concentrate all your ideas and thoughts into the most precise, concise, and focused concept possible. Your potential audience is everyone in the world with computer access and an interest in your site’s topic. Your potential information resources are everything known about that topic. So you want to be sure to have enough information to eventually fill hundreds of pages, and you want to narrow your focus enough that you can be perceived as an expert, as “THE place to go” for information, products, and/or services.

I want to add right now that if your only interest is making money online, this is a very difficult area to build a website around these days. That niche was “hot” eight years ago. Most successful internet entrepreneurs in that area say they would not attempt breaking into that niche if they were starting out today. There’s just too much competition, there are way too many experts already. Breaking into a niche market using keywords like “make money at home” “work at home” “home business” is next to impossible. There are billions of niches out there; find yours. Read the rest of this entry

Working the cube farm has been a disaster for worker productivity for years and you are finally fed up. Your company has offered you an opportunity to work from home. So finally, the home office is born.  The choice of the location of your home office is crucial to your success.
Too close to the activities going on and you get distracted. Too far away, and you become stranded on an island. Another concern is the “7-Eleven” effect, in other words, you are always open for business and in a very short time you find yourself exhausted. But there are ways to manage these issues in order to make your home office experience a success.

Now the home office is more of a focus in the design process, make this space worth living. Make it comfortable, but not too comfortable. Make it warm and inviting, but not a play room for the kids. Make it a place to work, but also a place to live. Confused? Don’t be because this is your space to with as you wish. Just keep in mind your particular situation and plan accordingly. Read the rest of this entry

Teach English

All over the world, English is the accepted language for many forms of international communication. From business transactions to air traffic control, English has taken over as the language of choice. Choosing to teach English abroad puts you into a fast-moving, high-demand job that can take you almost anywhere.

If you have a sense of adventure and love the idea of a job that takes you to another country, you should seriously consider this career path. It’s sure to be a unique and enriching experience.

If you Want to Teach English… Read the rest of this entry

The Functional Consultant!

A map is not functional until you know where you are on it. Consultants that objectively view their current reality always find a way to reduce confusion and misalignment. Agreement with yourself and your clients about what is true right now—in your company, in your project, in your life—is critical for making clear headway.

Get a Grip

There’s an old saying: “what you resist, you’re stuck with.” I’ve noticed this is particularly true with creative consultants and their work. If you’re not clear what your current job really is and you’ve skipped doing a complete and thorough inventory, you’re going to have a hard time making things happen for your client.
Read the rest of this entry