Write A Home Business Plan For Tax Deductions

All successful businesses have a business plan. A business plan assists you in achieving your goals in business as well as increases your tax deductions.

I am often asked what are the secrets to success in a home business. At first I thought that there were no secrets. Now I am starting to realize that the true secret to success in any business is to treat it like a business or a profession. That doesn’t mean that you must work full time it just means that you must act like a professional. When you treat your business like a hobby you will get hobbyist results. When you treat your home party business like the professional earning opportunity that it is you will earn a consistent pay check. The size of the pay check will be in direct relationship to the time invested. Professionalism is an attitude not a time commitment.

Listen to the hour long recording which we recorded during the Power Hour last year. This Power Hour call is a direct sales training seminar on how to write a business plan for home party companies.

(Please remember that this recording took place in the past so any specials or offers made are expired.)

Business Marketing Plan-IRS Home Office Deductions

All successful businesses have a business marketing plan. Your business plan is a perpetual work in progress and it provides you with a marketing path to follow in your business and it makes you IRS compliant for taking the home office deduction as well. It will change from time to time. Your business plan will provide you with goals and clarity for your business and keep you in compliance with the IRS for your home office deduction.

How To Write A Business Plan

When you write your business plan like a professional and update it yearly you will be setting yourself up for business success. As you listen to the audio recording you will learn how writing a business plan will keep you on track. Many people have a plan but never write it down. Take the time to write out your goals and the actions that you will take to reach your goals so you have a way to gauge your success and determine how you are doing.

IRS Business Plan Templates

The IRS expert accountant approved direct sales business plan template for direct sales and home businesses is part of the Power UP For Professional Results program. A good business plan will set you up for success in your home party business and also give you the security you need for you home office deduction when dealing with the IRS.

Direct Sales Professional Theresa Bernheisel

My friend Theresa Bernheisel is a sales professional success story. She provides a shining example of professionalism in direct sales and is a role model for direct sales consultants every where. Theresa and I network frequently and I am always impressed with here leadership and consistency in positive attitude. Her lead generation system of networking every where she goes using here lead book to generate future business and bookings is something that any sales consultant can incorporate into their business.

• How long have you been in direct sales and how did you get started?

I started with Direct Sales in the 70’s. At that time I had a full-time beauty salon and was a walk-in hostess twice a year. I loved the product but never knew how much money my consultant was earning. Once I found out, I thought I could do this and it wouldn’t be as hard on my back and legs as my other work.

• What is it that you love about direct sales and the network marketing industry in general?

I love that you can work your business around your family commitments and that you get paid what you are worth not what someone else thinks you’re worth.

• Share with us a bit about Latasia Jewelry?

Latasia is a family-owned debt-free company that puts the customer and the field first. Actually 74% of every dollar of profit goes to the hostess and field. We are the only company that has a separate Bridal – Special Occasion line in addition to our regular line of jewelry. We’ve just introduced our elegant lingerie line for women in sizes S to 3 X

• You are a successful leader in your company. How do you define Success and what it means to you?

Success is bringing happiness to my hostess, guests, consultants and others I meet along the way.
And also what drives you to succeed?
Seeing success in others and watching them grow. Success in any business has its challenges. Success is not possible without some challenges and hardships along the way.

• What have been some of the most valuable lessons you have learned in your business journey so far?

Never give up. I truly love and believe in the Direct Sales Business, in fact I’ve been with 3 companies who decided to go out of business. Find a company with a product and hostess program that you believe in and go for it! There will always be challenges (even in the corporate world), just find a way to work around them.

• I really like your networking contact book that you take on the road with you. Would you like to share that with our readers? How did you develop it and is it available for other sales professionals?

I developed the book because I was tired of lost paper, paper here, paper there, notes and leads on napkins, etc. I tried a notebook, but it didn’t look professional and I didn’t get all the information I wanted from a potential booking or recruit when I was out and about. My Lead Generating Booking is purse-size friendly, which was important, and it’s organized so that the person I’m talking to can just fill in the information that I need to send them a catalog and information about my business (and follow-up)

• Is this something that you sell to your team or other consultants in other companies?

Yes I do offer it for sale. If anyone is interested, they can give me a call. 570-386-5511

• Have you used it in your team training?

Yes, in sharing how to bridge conversations when you’re out and about doing your daily things.

• Please share a bit about the opportunity of working with Latasia that you would like others to know about.

Latasia offers a low-cost start-up for an over $800 kit + paperwork. No registration fees ever. A consultant earns 40% commission to start, and then advances to 50% commission. Latasia pays for all hostess credits! Free access to our company website for placing orders, checking deliveries – training, etc.

• Finally, what would you consider your five keys to success?

1. Perseverance
2. Learning to listen (That’s a constant battle …. LOL)
3. Patience
4. Networking with other professionals
5. Constant & Continuing Education

Theresa Bernheisel is a direct sales professional who emulates integrity and understands that attitude is everything in direct sales. If you are interested in purchasing Theresa’s book contact her at:
570-386-5511

Direct Sales Leaders Use “The Secret” & “Think And Grow Rich”

The book by Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich, is my business and personal guideline for life. I love it. One of the best-selling self-help books ever written, it hit the press during the Great Depression. With millions of people out of work and a war on the horizon, Napoleon Hill’s philosophy gave people hope and inspiration that life could get better. The philosophy of the book is the same information presented in the “The Secret” which is a popular book today. Direct sales leaders in all companies are putting the philosophy of The Secret into action in their businesses and using the concepts to achieve success. I love both books.

Law Of Attraction

Using the power of positive attraction, and living a life of gratitude as an inspiration for life is the key to success in any business. I just found this video of Napoleon Hill sharing about his philosophy in Think And Grow Rich on YouTube and thought I would post it here for all to enjoy.

This is a logo that I created for print articles and have submitted it to the online logo contest at Pixal Head Online. I am not a graphic designer in any way and when showing up in print the visible logo is only the oval part, no surrounding box frame. I created it in PhotoShop and now include it with all of my print articles and use it occasionally on the internet.

Write Articles For Publications

I submit articles to many local print publications as well as online blogs and web sites in the area of healthy living and lifestyle choices. Some of the print publications which feature a regular column with my articles are geared toward young people, special needs or seniors, in regard to living healthy and enjoying life. I found that frequently in print publications, the publisher would forget to include my contact information with the article. I wanted to create a graphic that would reproduce well in both color and black and white, as well as include my contact information. I picked a wave because it represents a way of life.

Krakoosh

Krakoosh is a surfer term which as a verb means living on the edge and enjoying life! Krakoosh the verb also refers to living on the edge when you ride a wave right on the edge of the thrill and the disaster. Krakoosh is also a noun which means the sound a wave makes when you go past the thrill of riding the wave and it comes crashing down on your head. Krakooooosh! This may very well be a trademarked name as there is a surfer magazine called Krakoosh! I am not stealing their word. It is a word that I have always liked and included in my vocabulary and as inspiration, ever since I hooked up with the surfing world in Hawaii. I can surf, if you call standing up on the board for 15 seconds surfing. I am much better at the noun version of krakoosh as the waves are always crashing down on my head.

Anyway, I used my love of the surf and my favorite word krakoosh as inspiration for this logo for my healthy lifestyle articles in print. Now, I always have contact information, even if they forget to include it. It is becoming almost a brand in some publications.

Check out the books and CDs to increase your cash flow from home.

Are you trying to win? Or win them over?

Dale Carnegie says that the only way to get someone to do something that you want them to do is to make them want to do it themselves. If you are always trying to win, then you are fighting. It doesn’t matter whether you are using logic or a club then you are not communicating. Communication takes practice. Good communicators do not focus on winning. Good communicators practice the art of communication and compromise. Good communication is not winning, but winning others over.

Logic rarely works

Anyone who has tried to argue with children can tell you that logic never works. The same is true with adults. When you couple logic with emotions. then you have a better chance of effective communication. Humor, anger, virtue, pride, happiness, excitement or even irony can be very effective communication tools. When emotionally involving the participant in the conversation, there is a better chance of creating a situation that they may want to do what you want them to do. Using logic as a tool to “win” an argument is not effective. Incorporating emotional connections into the conversation will bring better results.

Anger prompts action

It has been proven that people who are angry are more prone to action. However, this type of emotional involvement might not result in the type of action you are looking for. A hole in the wall or a black eye is not the result we are after in most communication efforts. Creating the emotion of anger in someone is one sure way to get results. The problem is that the results may not be predictable nor the one you want.

Humor Is A Connector

The ability to use humor in communication efforts will almost always elicit good response even when the co-communicator is not prone to your opinion. The challenge here is to get the other party to see the humor in the situation. A recent conversation with my niece about combing her hair is a good example. She hates to comb her hair as it is long and pulls when being brushed out after sleeping. She would go forever without combing her hair if allowed to do so. On a recent 2-day sleepover; on day one no amount of convincing on my part could get her to allow me to comb her hair. She is 5 years old. We ended up going out and about with her hair looking like a rat’s nest. I am sure that people we met thought I was terrible for allowing her out like that. It was that or anger! I chose the rat’s nest. Day 2 brought a new scenario. I got up and did not comb my hair. My hair always comes out of bed looking like a total lunatic. Flat on one side, sticking straight out on the other and in 10 different directions all over. If I went out in public anyone who would see me surely would think I escaped from the insane asylum. We got ready to go to “Special Persons” day at kindergarten and I asked her if I could comb her hair, and she said no. I said That’s ok, me neither, I’m not combing my hair either. She looked at me and we both laughed and we ate breakfast. After breakfast she went upstairs and combed her hair and we both laughed at mine again and I combed mine and we went to school. Three things happened here. I allowed her to win. She didn’t have to comb her hair if she didn’t want, we laughed together, and she chose to comb her hair. The emotion of humor coupled with me not “needing” to win, allowed her to make her own choice. When I stopped trying to win, I won her over!

Emotions always sell

In sales, when someone has an emotional experience they buy. The same is true in almost all communications. When children at an assembly laugh and become emotionally involved in te Debbie Banana performance, they leave the assembly with a decision to “buy” what I am attempting to convince them of (Eat five fruits and vegetables a day and macaroni and cheese in a box is bad for them.) Learning to communicate on a level of connection takes practice. It is easier to depend on convincing people of our way through logic than it is to take the time to actually learn their motivations and then make an emotional commitment to connect. People buy with their emotions. They view products and services emotionally and they also buy into what it is you are communicating when they are emotionally involved.

Practice the 10 second rule

When you practice the 10 second rule it is easier to connect emotionally and become a better communicator. The 10 second rule is that you share for 10 seconds or less and ask a question. Hear what the person says, and share again with clarifying information regarding what they said for 10 seconds or less, then ask another question. The 10 second rule keeps you open to communicate emotionally as you learn more about the other party instead of getting into the “winning” mentality. Winners rarely get what they want. Communicators, on the other hand, allow the other party to win and then win them over to their way of thinking through emotional connections. The 10 second rule is awesome and takes continued practice and focus.