Everywhere you turn on the internet, there are websites advertising ways to make money from home. They headline, "No More Long Commutes", "Make Money In Your Pajamas", "Work From Home And Be Your Own Boss"! If you are like me, your interest was piqued and you "clicked" on the link only to be taken to a list of Google Ads all "shouting" click me, click me!

If you do "click" you most likely will be brought to someone's glossy "sales landing page"! That's it! These creative internet marketers may be getting paid "per click" by Google or, they get paid when you buy their information which consists of how they learned internet marketing. Some will sell you outdated lists of companies that are looking for home workers or companies that do exist but where you must bid for the work. You will find out quickly that, unfortunately, you will not be able to compete with off-shore workers who will work for as little as $1.00 or even less an hour!

With that said, how would you like to take your hobby or perhaps just a "creative idea" that you may have and start a small at home, "indie" business?

That is exactly what my daughter-in-law Brooke did and so can you! I wanted you to have all of the information so I went directly to the source to get her trade secrets.

Brooke has always been extremely creative with a keen "eye" for color, texture and layout. She has taken her home and decorated each room to perfection. It looks like something you would see inside the pages of a home decorating magazine.

The first items that she started selling were these beautiful banners. She tells me that she got the idea for her "BANNERS" because she just wanted a fun, quality birthday banner for her two boys, my grandsons, that she could hang every year on their birthday. She ended up getting so many compliments on them, and they were so much fun to make, that she decided she would like to try and sell them!

NEED A PROFESSIONAL WRITER FOR YOUR WEBSITE OR ON-LINE BUSINESS:

VISIT MY WEBSITE ON GOOGLE:  yourarticlewriter.com

http://www.google.com/search?q=freelance+writers&pov=114810434051879224812&usg=__KgJVE5TzOm6SUUg0H-BVLp09IRI=&hl=en

Brooke in her own words on:  "How She Got Her Home Business Off the Ground":

1. I first calculated my costs to see if the profit would be worth my while. I found places where I could get supplies online for much cheaper to lower my bottom line. I mark up my banners by 2.5 times the cost because a lot of my time goes into making them.

2. Find your Niche market and promote your product as often and as much as your budget and your time will permit.  Afterall, you may have the best product out there, but if no one knows about it, your business will die a quick death.  Since I am not a computer whiz, nor do I have the time to operate my own online store, I was very fortunate to find www.etsy.com/ which is a website for ("all things handmade") and it was a perfect fit because they do everything for you. All I had to do was upload my pictures, type up appealing descriptions and continue to add products to my online "shop". 

3. You must do some marketing outside of Etsy because, obviously, Etsy markets their home site, and not necessarily your shop. So, I learned how to use Google Base so that customers can find my products online when they search for specific keyword/descriptions.
4. If you can afford to hire someone to help you market yourself or your business, it would help with sales. I know that for me, I am so busy with orders that I don't have the time I would like to further market my business. It is a double edged sword. When I do have spare time, I try to use Facebook and Twitter to advertise a sale or a brand new product.
5. I also attach "tags" to all the products I sell with my etsy address: www.designstash.etsy.com, which will take customers directly to my products on Etsy should they want to buy from me again. 
6. Be sure not to give up or get discouraged. I didn't get a sale on Etsy until my 3rd month! Since then, it has been pretty steady with about 1-2 orders a week (there have been a few spurts in between that time where I'll get 5-6 a week and the most I've ever got in one day is 5)!!
7. Keep adding to your "line" of products.  During my research of the "best selling" products on Etsy, and my current obsession with "girly" things (I am now pregnant with my first daughter) I found that little girl "A-line" dresses were very popular and also very easy to make. I started making these little dresses and then I took a class to learn how to make matching "hair bows and "headbands" as well. It is a continual learning experience, but I love it!!

If you would like more information from Brooke regarding her home based business, please contact her at: brooke.waite@gmail.com

Or, to check out more of her products, prices and latest specials; or place an order, please visit her online store at: www.designstash.etsy.com