[Home-Based-Business] Setting goals is critical to success as a home business owner and entrepreneur but contrary to popular belief, it's really only half true and half the battle. This article explores the other half in detail and will no doubt be the difference maker in successfully setting and achieving goals.

We hear it all the time...

You must set goals in order to be successful in your own business. Its the secret of the wealthy. Its the difference between modest success and explosive success, etc.

Do you agree? I'm here to tell you it's only half true...

Setting goals and writing them down is one thing. Anyone can do that and many people do. But most never, ever achieve their goals.

I'll tell you exactly why shortly but first you must know this:

Despite your best efforts, you will never achieve the success you are looking for if you never actually set goals for yourself and your business in the first place. Let's at least agree on that.

Most people never set goals for themselves or their business at all. One day leads to another and the days continue to disappear without success.

How can you get to where you want to go if you don't know where you're going?

The biggest roadblock to goal setting is YOU. Setting goals requires you to actually write down your dreams and put a date of accomplishment on them.

Do not get in the habit of working your business without goals. This leads to apathy and an empty checking account.

Goals are the lifeblood of your business. Written goals that is. Statistics have shown over and over that small businesses fail within the first five years. You do not want to become a statistic; you want to become a success.

So how do you become successful at setting goals?

The first step, obviously, is to write down your intentions or exactly what you want to achieve. What intentions do you have for your life and your business? Write them down. When would you like to achieve them by? Put a date of accomplishment on your goals.

Get a pad of paper and start writing NOW. Be bold and write them all down. Your intentions are now your goals.

Think BIG! You must be clear...

You now have goals with deadlines. Your first step is accomplished but this is only half of the battle. Now comes the tricky part. Gut check time...

Do you feel as though you can achieve your goals? Do you actually believe you can achieve your goals?

Ahhhh, the look I see you giving your computer screen right now could melt ice. "Of course I believe I can achieve my goals" you say. "Why else would I have written them down?"

Well, writing them down is all fine and good but if don't actually believe deep down that you can achieve your goals, then they are meaningless. And THAT is why most never achieve their goals with their business endeavors.

If you do not believe you can achieve your goals...You can't.

You say you can. You wrote them down. But, if you do not truly feel you can achieve your goals with absolute certainty...You won't. You must be crystal clear. Period.

Tough pill to swallow, I know. So how does one go about doing this?

This is where your mindset comes in to play - the other half of the battle.

Let's take this whole goal setting process just one step further now. Pay close attention here...

In your mind, see the goals you wrote down as already accomplished. What does it look like when it has been completed? You've nailed it. How does it make you feel? How has your life changed?

Go to that place right now (the outcome) and WRITE DOWN that part in addition to the goals you want to achieve. Get into the state of mind as having already achieved the goal instead of always wishing or hoping for it like everyone else does.

Assume the feeling of the outcome. Stay in that state of mind as often as possible. Once you actually feel the outcome you will then, and only then, be able to attract the goals that you wrote down.

This is a fundamental principal that has stood the test of time. DO NOT take it lightly.

So, it's really a two step process, yes?

"What you hold in your mind with energy and focus will tend to be created in your reality."

Read that again.

Remember, success doesn't happen to the uninvolved. Success happens to those who are not only persistent in reaching their goals, but to those who make a decision to reach their goals, get clear on what they want, and already feel themselves victorious in the so called goal setting battle...

A bit deep, I know...But without question, the difference maker.

You should never be without goals. Keep your intentions and your goals before you. Be clear, feel the outcome, and stay focused on the end result.

Take action.

Lean Liam is a Home Business Development Expert and Professional Marketing Consultant.

[Home-Based-Business] So, do you treat your home business enterprise like a hobby or like a real business? You may be surprised and it just so happens that our friends over at a little company called the IRS have a say in the matter now as well. This article lays out the details.

Sounds odd right? Who on earth starts a business and doesn't treat it like a real business? You'd be surprised...

To my surprise and to the surprise of just about every other entrepreneur at the conference, the IRS is not too thrilled with this approach either. As a matter of fact, they have recently taken a stance on this issue due to the astronomical number of home business start ups in the United States as of late.

In case you didn't know, home based businesses now represent 52% of small businesses in the United States according to Small Business Administration (SBA).

Entrepreneur Magazine recently reported that the home business industry is a $427 BILLION per year industry - more that the pharmaceutical industry, food industry and consumer goods industry combined!

So here's what you need to know:

IRS Definition Of A Hobby

It is generally accepted that people prefer to make a living doing something they like. A hobby is an activity in which you DO NOT expect to make a profit.

It amazes me everyday in this industry how many people have the hobby mentality and take the "I'll give this a try and see if it works" approach. You know what I'm talking about. We've all been there at one point or another.

Well, I have some disturbing news on taking that approach to running your home business. "If you do not carry on your business or investment activity to make a profit, you CANNOT use a loss from the activity to offset other income."

The crucial distinction between a hobby and a real business is whether you engage in the activity with what the IRS calls a profit motive.

I thought this was fascinating because the amount of people I see each and every day that want to begin their own businesses actually do not really have a profit motive. They think they do but they really don't and in most cases they take the every popular: "I'll give this a try and see if it works" approach.

Most home business owners do not realize that if their business is properly defined and properly structured (more on this in a moment) from day 1, ALL of their expenses are tax deductible against ALL household income. NOT just against the income from their home business.

You may want to read that again. Here is an example for illustrative purposes:

John and Susan Smith earn $80,000 per year between the both of them from their full time jobs. They start their own home business with $2000 and eventually invest another $5000 into their business over the course of the year to get it off the ground. They have now invested $7000 in their first year.

If they have properly structured their business from day 1 and have a profit motive from day 1 then they are entitled to a $7000 tax deduction for the current calendar year.

So instead of John and Susan paying taxes on $80,000 (their combined job income), they would only pay taxes on $73,000 ($80,000 combined job income - $7,000 in home business start up and expenses).

Not a bad deal, huh? Now, if John and Susan earned $20,000 in their home business that year then they would pay their normal taxes on $80,000 from their combined job income (since they do not show a loss). But, they would only be required to pay taxes on $13,000 of their home business income because they had $7,000 in expenses ($20,000 earnings - $7,000 start up / expenses = $13,000).

Do you see the powerful benefits of owning a properly designed and properly structured home business? Ok, so how do you know if your home business is structured properly and NOT viewed as a hobby?

We'll let's have you take a quick test. Have you ever said any of the following at any time when you began a business? And be honest...

1. "I'll give it a try and see what happens."

2. "I'm doing this with the idea of making a profit and if I can't make a profit doing this, then I'll find something else to do that will make me a profit."

3. "Let's see if we make any money at it first"

Notice the above words in italics. If you find yourself using any of these words in your business endeavors it may be time to rethink this whole being your own boss, entrepreneur thing. Not to mention, it is a hobby mentality and frankly, is a damaging mind set to be in.

So, do you have a profit motive? Let's see. Here's what justifies a profit motive?

First and foremost, you must never take the approach in questions 1 - 3 above at anytime or you are clearly not serious and will most likely spend more money than you ever earn. And, you must Incorporate your business otherwise you are viewed by the IRS as a sole proprietorship. A sole proprietorship is when you operate your own business without a formal legal entity such as a corporation (Inc.) or (LLC). This is very risky.

When you operate you business as a sole proprietorship there is absolutely NO legal separation between you and your business and you have personal liability for every business debt.

Guess how the IRS feels about this? Yep, hobby. Your chance of getting audited doubles as well. Yes, doubles.

Furthermore, we live in the most litigious society in the world. 4 out of 5 small business fail in their first 5 years. This is a national statistic.

Considering the great majority of new business owners use their own personal money to begin their enterprise, should their business fail, business creditors can now rightfully go after your personal assets.

Not good. So ask yourself 2 questions right now to determine whether or not your home business is a hobby or a real business...

1. Am I taking the "I'll give this a try and see if it works" approach?"

2. Is my business properly structured right now by being incorporated for legitimacy, protection and long term success?

The answers lie right there.

Lean Liam is a Home Business Development Expert and Professional Marketing Consultant.

[Home-Based-Business] If you're reading this, chances are you're a Home Business Owner and Entrepreneur and there is a reason why. But do you know the reason why? I hope you do. But if you don't (and most don't) then it's time you found out. If you're not achieving the results you would like to be achieving in your Home Business enterprise there is a reason behind it and this article explains why.

This topic is a favorite of mine. I'm about to share with you a very, very vital (yet overlooked) technique that never fails. That's right. Never fails. I always stress this technique when I'm coaching new Home Business Owners and Entrepreneurs. Works like a charm.

As a matter of fact, I'm even giving you some homework this weekend because I think the dog days of summer may be getting the best of you and I want to keep you sharp.

In today's society we often put a lot of emphasis on how things are done. Present a plan with lofty goals to the board of directors of any company and surely they will ask you how you suppose those goals will be met. Apply for a mortgage and you will be asked to demonstrate how you plan to pay it off. Give a professor the correct answer to a complex question and chances are you'll be asked how you arrived at your conclusion.

The HOW is often so predominant that the WHY is sometimes completely forgotten, as if the why is of less importance. Nothing could be further from the truth. Why you want something is infinitely more important than how you think you're going to achieve it.

Phew. That was tiring just to write. Did you get all that?

If you're reading this newsletter today, chances are you're a Home Business Owner and Entrepreneur and there is a reason why? But do you know the reason why?

I hope you do. But if you don't (and most don't), then it's time you found out. If you're not achieving the results you would like to be achieving in your Home Business enterprise, chances are very good that this is why (no pun intended).

Stay with me now. It's gut check time. To find out what you're why is may just be as simple as identifying what it is that you want, right? Everyone knows what they want, right?

Wrong. 

It's a bit more challenging than one would think. Ask an adult to write down everything they want on a list with a minimum of 10 items and you will find that for most it turns out to be quite difficult.

Stating that you want a certain amount of money, want to quit working or just want a bigger car than your neighbor can cause people to experience discomfort. After all, it may make them appear greedy or lazy and that's not generally considered positive. So they try to come up with something that's socially acceptable and in doing so, make what they want subject to the opinions of others. Not good.

Here's the interesting part: kids on the other hand have no problem here. They'll come up with 10 items and more in no time, listing things you didn't even know exist. They don't worry about what others may think of it, whether it makes them look greedy, lazy or whatever. All they know is that they want it. Fascinating when you think about.

You see, kids have not yet been brainwashed or conditioned into thinking that they can't have certain things. They just assume they can have anything they want, right?

And so can you. You just may not realize it yet. Here's a very effective exercise for you that will really bring to light exactly what it is that you want from your home business or in life so you can pin point your why.

Chances are you've never done this: Figure out what it is that you don't want first and what you do want will become crystal clear. This is a technique called "clarity through contrast" and it basically states that when you observe what it is that you don't want in life it then delivers clarity which makes it clear what you do want.

Easy enough right? Here comes the hard part. Write it down now. Make a list of the things you don't want in life. It will only take you a few minutes and it's actually a pretty fun exercise because when you actually come to terms with what you don't want it becomes clear what you do want. The peace of mind you will experience by being clear is just, well you'll see.

After you've identified what it is you want, then you get to your all important why.

So why would you want all those things? Again, kids have the upper hand here. They'll be quick to point out why they want it all: mostly the fun they will have and the popularity it will give them. Ask an adult why they want something and you'll enjoy watching the expression on their face. You'll see them searching for an answer.

Why would you want to be rich? Why would you want to quit working to have your own home business? What would you do if you no longer had to go to a job every day? You may decide you want a bigger house than anyone in your family before you ever had.

But what does that do for you? Would you sleep better? Would it make your life better? Would it make you happier? Whatever it is, it's critical that you know.

Exactly how you plan to achieve your success is far less important, especially early on. Too much focus on the how early in the process can have a devastating effect. It could paralyze you. I call it "analysis paralysis."

If your financial situation is so bad that you're actually below broke then achieving financial independence can seem so far fetched that reaching it appears impossible. You might sell yourself on the idea that it's so far out of reach that you couldn't possibly make it happen in this lifetime. As much as that may seem true at the time, it doesn't have to become your reality. Don't be sold.

However, in order to get there you will probably have to overcome some serious hurdles. And for that to happen, you need a reason to get up and take the necessary action. That reason needs to be strong enough to pull you through the tough times that inevitably will come. That reason is your WHY.

History is packed with unbelievable stories of accomplishment. People facing seemingly insurmountable odds who overcame obstacles you wouldn't believe. Individuals with relentless determination who decided to push on in situations where most people would give up.

Why is it that so many people throw in the towel when things don't go their way and only a small number of people seem to persevere?

It's not because they are genetically stronger and it's not because they have been dealt a better hand in life. What sets them apart is their why. That's what keeps them in the game. Their why is so strong that whatever gets in their way, they will find a way to deal with it. They don't have all the answers, but what they do have is an inner conviction that they can and will find the answers. And they are crystal clear about what they want.

Nailing down your why is one of the most powerful ways to improve your chances of success with your home business. So make sure that you know what your why is. Find it and refine it over and over again. Make it so strong that achieving it becomes an absolute must for you and the how will absolutely reveal itself to you over time. Trust me.

Lean Liam is a Home Business Development Expert and Professional Marketing Consultant.

[Writing-and-Speaking:Copywriting] Writing powerful, "attention grabbing," benefit driven, knock out punch headlines that are oozing with excitement that get your prospects to TAKE ACTION is the key to your advertising success. This article lays out a simple formula for you.

This is not only one of my favorite topics but one of my favorite things to do: Writing powerful, "attention grabbing," benefit driven, knock out punch headlines that are oozing with excitement that get your prospects to TAKE ACTION! (ok, clearly got carried away right there).

The headline of your sales messages, whether in an on-line ad, in the local newspaper or in an email subject line is responsible for 70% to 80% of the response from your sales message. The success or failure of any marketing effort rests, to a large degree, on the power of your headline.

Pay very close attention...

David Ogilvy is one of the most respected modern day marketing authorities. He revealed that, with the average headline, only 200 people out of 1000 will go on to read your ad. And that is where your profit is sitting. Capture another 200 customers with an exciting headline and you will double your sales. Lose 100 readers with a poor headline and you lose half your sales. Big difference.

Headlines are just that important. Even poorly written ads have been very successful because of the overwhelming power of interesting and exciting "attention grabbing" headlines.

Your prospects will decide whether to read your sales message in only two or three seconds. That's all the time they will give you to scan your headline. Really, you and I are no different. We do not READ a newspaper, we SCAN the headlines, article headlines and ad headlines. We are looking for only what interests us at the moment.

Here are four critical tips for writing your next powerful, "attention grabbing" headline for your home business enterprise:

1. MAKE SURE YOUR HEADLINE IS THE FIRST WORD GROUP YOUR PROSPECT SEES:

I know this may seem like a "no-brainer" but I see this mistake time and again, particularly in local newspaper advertising or on web sites. And even more amazing, the ads the newspaper "experts" use to promote themselves seldom follow this rule.

Take a look through your newspaper. Notice how many businesses start out their ad with their store name and location right at the top. HUGE mistake! This is a terrible waste of their prime "real estate." It's an ego thing and can easily cost them 25% to 50% of their potential sales.

Always keep in mind, the public could careless about you or your product. Sorry to be the one to tell you that. Tough pill to swallow sometimes, I know, but the fact of the matter is; they're only interested in themselves and fulfilling their current desires. As humans, we are all self centered by nature. That doesn't mean we're selfish, just self-centered on "what's in it for us." Big difference.

Put your company name at the bottom. If the headline draws them in to read your ad, and you convince them to take action they will find your business name, no matter how small.

2. MAKE SURE YOUR HEADLINE DELIVERS THE PUNCH LINE:

The "punch line" is the unique and powerful part of your sales message. You aren't telling a joke here. Do not save the best part of your offer until last. Determine the most compelling part of your offer and put it right at the top of your ad in BIG, bold print. Virtually shout it out! And make the wording active, not passive.

For example: "Save 50% On Your Next Suit" is passive. "Take Home Two Suits For The Price Of One" is an active headline.

3. USE 'WORDS' YOUR PROSPECT ARE SEARCHING FOR:

Here is another costly mistake you will see every day. Do not try to get everybody to read your ad by being vague or cute. "Everybody" is not your potential customer. Your prospects are only those who want today what you have for sale today. By trying to capture everybody, you will actually lose many of your most important prospects - the ones that want to give you money.

Your headline should sort out the buyers. Be specific. If you are selling Mens Suits, then say "Men's Suits," not "Mens Clothing." Do not say "Men's Clothing Sale." Say something like: "Men's Suits - Two For The Price Of One For A Limited Time." The more focused your headline, and your sales message, the better the response.

4. YOUR HEADLINE SHOULD BE SHORT AND SWEET:

The headline should be as few words as possible, yet long enough to tell them what you are selling and why they should read your message. Usually ten words or less is a good target. The consumer will read longer headlines if the first four words grab their attention. If you need more words, start with a large, short headline leading to a smaller type, longer worded sub-headline.

Email 'Subject Line' Tip:

No matter what subject line you write, keep it short and sweet, because many e-mail programs cut off long subject lines. Here are the maximum subject line lengths (including spaces) in some popular e-mail programs:

AOL: 52 characters

Hotmail: 45 characters

Outlook Express: 64 characters

Yahoo: 80 characters

Here are some simple and fun ways to find profitable headline ideas:

* Look through your newspaper every day. Watch for headlines on articles and ads that really grab your interest. Think about why those headlines worked on you...

* While waiting to check out at the supermarket, read the headlines on the gossip tabloids. Those headlines are THE main reason, if not the only reason, millions of people buy them every week. Super market tabloids have the highest paid copywriting experts on staff who do nothing but write compelling and extremely profitable headlines. And these headlines are always good for a little entertainment too...

* Your junk mail is a virtual goldmine of great headlines and sub-headlines. Save the ones you like for future use. Mix, match and adapt these headlines to suit your home business. If you see a headline used over and over again, it's because it is making a lot of money for that company. You do not have to re-invent the wheel. Somebody paid $1000's to write that headline, and $1000's more to test it - and you get to use it free.

* Practice writing good headlines in the subject line of your personal emails. This is fun practice and your recipients will enjoy it too. "RE: This Weekend" is passive and boring. "RE: Let's Hit The Beach This Weekend" is active and exciting...

* Buy a good book on marketing! You should be involved in at least one marketing or copywriting related book or course at ALL times. Continuing education in this area will be a HUGE difference maker in your marketing efforts. Hands down.

If you follow these tips, you will become an expert in no time - smarter than 90% of your competitors and 80% of newspaper advertising consultants.

Lean Liam is a Home Business Development Expert and Professional Marketing Consultant.