7 Real Companies Hiring Now (Work from Home Jobs

7 Real Companies Hiring Now (Work from Home Jobs)
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Can you imagine how simple your life would be if you never had to drive to work? If you have the self-discipline to work from home, the right opportunity could help you get back those commute hours and gain some extra time each day to do whatever you want. If you’re wondering where you can find such a job in a waning economy, here are seven companies hiring for work from home right now. Written By BY MOLLY HALLMAN, PAYSCALE.COM

1. Alpine Access
Website: www.alpineaccess.com Job Title: Customer care professionalThis forward thinking company plans to hire 1200 new employees in the first three months of 2009, with starting salaries ranging from $8-14 per hour. “We look for people who are self-motivated, self-reliant problem solvers who have a strong work ethic,” says Remi Killeen, Recruitment Manager at Alpine Access. Besides offering the flexibility to work from home, Alpine Access, a virtual call center, provides healthcare benefits, 401K, flexible work schedules and opportunities to grow. Each worker is an actual company employee with regular work hours and assignments.

2. HireMyMom.com
Website: www.hiremymom.com Job Titles: Virtual assistant, professional bloggerHireMyMom.com is a web-based job service designed especially for professional working mothers. Founder and President, Lesley Spencer Pyle, says the two most popular positions HireMyMom.com fills are professional blogger and virtual assistant. Bloggers write about their employer’s company, products, or services, often in response to user inquiries or industry discussion. They use specific “keywords” in their responses to get favorable web search engine rankings. A virtual assistant is a professional office administrative assistant who works from home.

3. Sylvan Online
Website: www.sylvan.com Job Title: On-line certified teacherDo you have experience teaching but aren’t interested in managing an entire classroom? Sylvan Online may work for you. It’s a web-based tutoring service that seeks certified teachers to tutor various subjects and levels. Job requirements include a current teaching certificate, a Windows-based PC and high speed internet access. Sylvan offers paid training on-line and opportunities range from 8 to 29 hours per week.

4. National Shopping Service
Website: www.nationalshoppingservice.com Job Title: Mystery shopper/researcherDo you love to shop? Do you like to share your opinion? You can make money doing both. A mystery shopper earns perks or a paycheck for helping companies learn about their products and customer service. Paycheck amounts range from ”$5.00 to $25.00 for a fifteen to sixty minute engagement,” says Matt Wozniak, President & CEO of National Shopping Service. “The vast majority of mystery shoppers do not mystery shop for a living, although we have had a few earning over $40,000 a year. It’s a great way to pick up a free pizza on your way to get the kids from soccer or get some free gasoline.”

5. oDesk
Website: www.oDesk.com Job Title: Various professionalsIf you have experience in software development, web design, language translation and other computer-based careers, your skills may be in demand for work at home. Recently featured on Good Morning America, oDesk lets job seekers apply for contract jobs, large and small. Job seekers search jobs listings which include the job requirements, pay and estimated time commitments. “Our business has three components -- hire, manage and pay,” says Gary Swart, CEO of oDesk. Plus, you don’t have to submit invoices for your contract work, which saves time.

6. Working Solutions
Website: www.workingsolutions.com Job Titles: Transcriptionist, customer service representativeAre you a speedy and accurate typist? You might be interested in a contract position as a transcriptionist, someone who types down information from a recording, live reading or conversation. Established in 1996, Working Solutions hires independent contract agents for various transcription and customer service assignments. You can earn up to $30 an hour if you have the right skill-set and experience.

7. Language Lab
Website: www.languagelab.com Job Titles: Teacher, actor, customer service representativeThe best way to learn a language is to go someplace where you can practice with native speakers. “English Town” is such a place, minus the expensive travel and time away from work. Using a computer and internet connection, at-home students visit a virtual city where teachers help them learn English as a second language. Language Lab is looking for English teachers to participate in this fun teaching environment. Shiv Rajendran, Director of Operations at Languagelab.com says, “Teachers need to be native English speakers, Celta or Delta certified with five years of teaching experience.” Celta and Delta certifications are not college degrees, but post-high school certifications. The company also plans to hire actors and part-time customer service reps.

Here are 6 New and Creative ways to make your Vendor booth stand out

Here are 6 New and Creative ways to make your Vendor booth stand out.  Here are a few ideas.

1. Photo Booth

Who wouldn't appreciate getting photographed for free? The attendees will be happy to be subjects for free photography sessions. Superimpose their images with some interesting backgrounds such as a Hawaiian beach or the Hollywood red carpet. Utilize this great opportunity to distribute your business cards with QR codes that would take them to your social media pages where they can find their images.

2. Free Food and Beverages

No one can resist a free cup of coffee or mouthwatering candy. While they are munching or sipping the food products that you offered, talk to them about your business. Be ready with a brief sales pitch as well.

3. A Game of Darts or Virtual Sports

A chance to play a game of darts or any virtual sport would certainly attract the attention of the attendees to your booth. Make sure that you give them a prize if they win the game. Don’t forget to imprint your business logo and name on the reward.

4. Free Shoe Shine

This is a great option for companies targeting business professionals. By offering a shoe shine service, you not only attract business owners and representatives to your booth, but also make them spend more time there. Your staff can utilize this time to promote your brand and talk with your prospects about your products and services.

5. Appoint a Booth Entertainer

The presence of a caricaturist or magician is an excellent trade booth attraction. The professional event performers interact with the attendees to entertain them. These entertainers would incorporate your product information or brand message into their acts to help you promote your business.

6. Include Useful Giveaways  

Find a product that would be of use to your potential targets in their everyday life. Pens, tote bags, coffee mugs and golf tees are a few options. Offer them to those who stop by your booth and spend a minute to learn about your products and services.

You will be able to make the most out of your trade show booth by implementing one or more of these ideas. Memorable and interactive elements would draw people in.

What Can Vending at Events Offer Small Businesses?

A small business success is largely dependent on booth staffers' personalities and skills. Attendees are attracted to exhibits staffed with friendly, enthusiastic individuals. In addition to staffing their booths with the right people, exhibitors should train staff members well before the event date. Booth staffers should learn how to draw attendees' attention and engage them in meaningful conversations.

"Be original. It's not so much that you need to have the 20-by-40-foot booth. What you need is enough people skills to connect with your customers and have meaningful conversations.

Vendor events can benefit businesses of all sizes, but small companies in particular could gain from the face-to-face marketing opportunities that conferences provide. To maximize the positive outcomes of a show appearance, small exhibitors should plan early, find the right event and focus on offering attendees an original, engaging booth experience.

Join us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/imavendorineedaevent/

Will You Be Ready When The Media Wants To Talk To You? Try These Tips To So You Can Be Ready

To avoid any media mishaps, here are the five pillars entrepreneurs should use. 

1. Create your story. Write down the answers to these basic questions:

• What are the three things about your business that matter?
• What are the three things that are different about your product or service and what are your proof points?
• What are the two or three problems your customers have today that you will solve or improve?

Write one or two paragraphs that summarize these answers and run it by a trusted advisor who knows your market and will give you honest feedback. Your end result is a story that is worthy of your customers’ attention.  It’s what you need to communicate in every interview.

2.  Know the media. Identify five media outlets where your customers would go to get information about you.  Which reporters cover companies like your own?  Research them, learn what they write about and see if your story might be interesting to them. Start simple.  Don’t blow your first (and potentially only) attempt with The Wall Street Journal or Good Morning America. 

If you get a call from a reporter asking to provide context for a piece, ask what they cover, what their story is about and what their angle is.  You don’t want to get quoted in an article that isn’t aligned with your business. Find out what their deadline is.  It’s okay to ask for 10 minutes to think about your answer and then get back to them.

3.  Identify three top messages and keep them short. Before any press interview, identify the top three messages you want to convey, and then craft your talking points around them. Everything you say during an interview should point back to those key messages and support your “story.” These messages should be short and quotable.  Find examples to illustrate them.  Use industry data and statistics.  Stay away from stream of consciousness responses, as it makes the reporter’s job more difficult to capture the essence of what you want to say.

4. Don’t say anything you don't want to read in tomorrow's paper. Avoid saying anything that could negatively affect your company, employees, customers or investors, such as overtly bashing the competition or commenting on rumors.  Similarly, avoid commenting on events that haven’t yet occurred, like a deal or a partnership that is imminent but isn’t signed.  Finally, there is no “off the record.” This can be a dangerous game that even the most seasoned communications pros avoid. Bottom line: If you don’t want it out there, don’t say it.

5. Put yourself in their shoes. Reporters are often on tight deadlines, and if they feel like their conversation with you wasn’t valuable, they won’t call again. Find out what other topics they cover and offer to be a resource. If you say you will call them back in 10 minutes, do so.  If you offer one of your customers as a reference, make sure they are available to speak with the reporter. Engage in a dialogue, not a monologue, and ask them what they need. At the end of the day this is about relationships.  http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/232713

Other Tax Deductions For Your Direct Sales Business

There are a lot of different tax deductions for a direct sales business, but it may depend on exactly how involved in the business that you are. This is a list of different deductions that you may or may not have in your direct sales business.

1. Lodging
2. Advertising
3. Business Bank Accounts
4. Checks
5. Shipping
6. Stamps
7. Cell Phone
8. Home Phone
9. Business Classes
10. Computer Software
11. Tax Software
12. Business Software
13. Booth Rentals
14. Online Classes
15. Books
16. Labels
17. Inventory storage at your home or elsewhere
18. Training
19. Helpers
20. Shipping supplies
21. Utilities (Portion)
22. Professionals such as a tax professional, or organization specialist.
23. Admission to seminars or shows
24. Legal fees
25. Insurance

Tax Tips for Direct Sales Reps

Tax Tips for Direct Sales Reps: 

Are you keeping track of your Income & Business Expenses for the end of year taxes? Here are a few links to choose the one that's right for you. (Learn more at http://ow.ly/uznC7 )

***Business Income and Expense Worksheet
http://www.bigbeartaxlady.com/business-income-expense-worksheet.pdf

***Self-Employed Business & Expenses Worksheet
http://nbaccorp.com/docs/4.Self%20employed%20business%20expenses%20worksheet.pdf

***Basic Business Expense Worksheet
http://www.taxlinkinc.com/Worksheets/business.pdf

***BUSINESS INCOME & EXPENSE WORKSHEET
http://currantax.com/images/Business_Income_Worksheet.pdf

*** Worksheet of Monthly Income and Expenses-HOME
http://www.peace-talks.com/pdf/budget.pdf