If you’re  emphasizing environmentally safe and friendly products, do you use packaging that follows this theme?  My niece ordered a recycled item, only to receive it packaged in plastic, which she felt wasn’t environmentally friendly.  She tried to be environmentally conscious, she said, but only ended up polluting.
Not everyone will feel as she did, but it made me realize that we must take a look at what we’re doing, especially if we’re promoting the “green” scene that’s so popular right now.  Are we acting in ways that contradict what we say we stand for in our business and our life?
Related posts:
Organizing …read more

After I wrote the post, Will the Harlequin Controversy Affect Your Self-Publishing Route? award winning, self-published author, Kristie Leigh Maguire, provided this informative guest post.  She presents self-publishing from the author and publisher’s viewpoint.
Now perhaps the Harlequin authors (as well as other traditionally published authors), because of the controversy surrounding Harlequin’s decision to offer a self-publishing imprint, will realize the discrimination we self-published authors have known for years.
I am glad that this discrimination against self-published (or published by means not traditonal) authors has come out of the closet and is getting press. No matter what the type, discrimination is just plain wrong!
Just because …read more

Several global trends are driving change in consumer selection and buying power, my husband and I learned at a recent business conference for one of our home businesses. 
These trends affect not only home businesses, but most any…large or small.  When you’re producing products or providing services, consider these as they will affect your business to some extent.

An aging population will determine what a majority of consumers are interested in.
Convenience to make the daily routine easier has become important to consumers of any age.  They even will pay more for something that saves them time.
Natural, organic or “green” are buzz words that play a large role …read more

In establishing a direction for your sewing business, or any home business, look at the maket trends. 

*What is catching on in the market? 
 *What’s likely to be the new trend? 
*Does the current product you’re contemplating have limited or long life?

One of the current trends appears to be patchwork and fabric tote bags.  When I had a quiltmaking business, I found that tote bags, interspersed among my other patchwork products, were popular.  Some people have made an entire business with tote bags, especially if they can tie it in with the “green” movement.  Tying totes into environmental concerns seems to be a current trend …read more

After reading a guest post, Walking the Line at Work: Choosing Appropriate Attire, and the comments at Susan Gunelius’ Women on Business blog, I began to consider how this applied to a home business. Most home business owners don’t have employees, but a few do.  Also, if your business is one where you have walk in customers/clients or you meet them outside the home, you have appropriate dress to consider.
I’ve begun to realize that many women feel, “Because I’m a woman, don’t tell me how to dress.”  You may run into this if you have a dress code, even a very informal one, in your business. I …read more

HomeBizNotes.com
In previous articles, I mentioned some tips for recognizing business slowdowns and for parparing yourself and your business. 
Is This a Tough Time for Home Businesses?
Signs of the Times
Shannon Cherry, at Startup Spark, also has her tips…some good ones to consider in these times of big bank failures and scrutinization of Fanny Mae and Freddy Mack.  Check out her post, Prepare Yourself: Recession Proofing 101.
With an ominous cloud hanging over the U.S. economy, now’s the time to take precautionary steps. Recession is something most of us have never been through, so you don’t want to be caught off-guard says Shannon.
(Amazon image)
 (c)2008 …read more

August is Travel month at Home Biz Notes. How can you take your home office on the road?
Office Depot has teamed up with Jeff Zbar, a small business advocate to take his home office on the road. It has been dubbed The Home Office Highway Tour. In a fully decked out RV, Zbar will travel with his family and his home office.
Of course, it’s good publicity for Office Depot, but it does make the point about the potential for taking your home office on the road. If you have internet access, …read more

HomeBizNotes.com
With Michael Phelps setting Olympics records, swimming will be taking a “front seat” in sports, in business, and in general public interest.  More youngsters will likely want to become involved in swimming lessons and events. 
How can you tie this fascination with swimming into your business, either with actual products or with your PR philosophy? 
Also, as a family activity if the home business owner has children, reading books about swimming and participation in this sport will become popular. 
What are there in the way of books about swimming for entertainment and instruction for young and older alike?
The Boy Who Wouldn’t Swim
Sergio …read more

HomeBizNotes.com
The popularity of virtual blog tours for authors, instead of, or combined with, book store signings, continues to grow.  I began hosting authors 18 months ago when very few authors were taking to blogs to make appearances, answer questions, and/or have their books reviewed.
Now this has become almost expected of authors.  However, I’ve found some authors who have never blog toured and aren’t familiar with it.  I wrote a guest post for my co-author, Yvonne Russell, at her Grow Your Writing Business blog, which still contains pertinent information.
So visit Virtual Blog Tours – The Latest Innovation for Promoting Your Writing …read more

HomeBizNotes.com
I’ve often wondered about the marketing behind the Harry Potter phenomenon that caused a book to skyrocket to sales and an author to fame to the point where it has taken on a life of itself. I imagined there was superb marketing strategy behind it that caught the market and readers at the right place and right time.
Susan Gunelius, a b5 blogger , announced the release of her first book, Harry Potter – The Story of a Global Business Phenomenon.
Susan explores the story of the business and marketing behind the Harry Potter brand, and …read more