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Size Matters
with a Home Based Business By:
John Trout
When companies look for outsourcing help, they often look to
home based businesses. And although the term ‘home based’
can imply one person working from a house, it can take on a
different, larger dimension. And that’s what many companies
look for: a larger sized business operation.
What does that mean? In a word, reliability. For example, can
you be counted on regularly? Or will there be times when you
take on too much work or not enough, need to adjust accordingly
– and then… what will happen to their projects?
Well now you can get a grip on your company size and handle
workloads large and small. Here are ways that you can increase
your home based operations without physically crowding yourself
out of workspace or blowing your budget for future project
handling opportunities.
Joint Venture –
Team up with a partner, company or other entity and help each
other. Combine a product with a service – something or yours
with something of theirs. Then farm out work as necessary.
Interns / Students – Contact colleges, universities, high
schools and other education centers in your area and ask about
intern and student opportunities. Many places allow you to
participate in their programs; fill out their forms, post
flyers, actively recruit, etc. Keep some help on hand and put
them to work.
Subcontract – Check with your local Chamber of Commerce, surf
the Internet, post for help on forums, etc. Find companies for
farming out some of your work and keep their information handy.
Give them a try when you’re not too busy, so that when you
ARE, you’ll know they are a good fit for your clients and you.
Helpers - Hire part time help. Place an inexpensive classified
ad in the local newspaper and search for hourly help. Call the
places that leave flyers on or around your mailbox or front
porch and have them distribute ‘Help Wanted’ flyers in your
neighborhood for you. Call your church, fitness center and / or
other organizations with which you participate and have them
post a notice on the bulletin board. Get help and keep a list
handy of those seeking extra income.
Profit Center –
Seek help from others experienced in your chosen field of
interest and set up a profit center or two to generate
additional opportunities. Many can be automated today so that
they are pretty much hands-on. They all you have to do is
market. This way, when times get lean, you can increase your
marketing efforts. And when times are too busy, you can ease up.
As the Boy Scouts say, Be Prepared! Don’t let your lack of
preparation be an excuse for being too small and unreliable.
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