This is a guest post by my friend Lynette Chandler.  She is the owner of Tech Based Marketing.  Lynette’s expertise has been very beneficial to my growth on the Internet and I am proud to have her as a guest on my blog.

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It is quite evident the Internet is to remain as an entertainment, communication and commerce medium. Organizations of any size who want to use and compete online, must maintain and explore new technologies.

Small and local businesses on the other hand need to get on board if they haven’t already. All this require competent web engineers, developers as well as designers. In short, the need for such talent is apparent and you would be a smart teen to consider a career in web engineering or web development.

The good news – there is no need for you to wait till after you complete school to figure out if this is a good fit for you. You could start right now by being a technical assistant.

 What is a technical assistant?

Because small businesses owners often can’t afford a full time IT guy let alone an entire department, a technical assistant is someone who fills that gap. This can be anything from someone who does hardware, manage software and networking on premises to someone who only handles web development and anything to do with web tech for the business.

Growing up with the Internet, most teens are pretty savvy with the Internet to begin with. Learning web development would be a lot easier for you. So it is quite natural for you to start there, then sell your services to a few clients.

If you like it, great! Keep doing and growing it. By the time you graduate or at the end of college, you might have a very successful business that doesn’t require you to find a job elsewhere – unless you want to of course.

If you don’t. That’s totally OK. Your skills in web development will carry you far even if you do not go in that direction. Here’s what I mean. We recently worked with a worship director of a church. That’s all he ever wanted to do and he is working his dream job. Yet, we worked with him for months on their web site and today he is in charge of maintaining the site. Having a little web development savvy can make your job – regardless what it is – a lot easier and even more fun.

Lynette Chandler is the Technical Manager to successful Internet marketers. She invites you to begin learning some web tech skills for free, visit Tech Based Marketing. Keep in mind, it might be a good idea to keep your parents in the loop before signing up.

Technorati Tags: Information technology, Technical director, teen business owner, teen entrepreneur, Web development, Website

When you’re creating a website there are a number of decisions to make. In addition to your budget and the creation process, there are features and functions to weight. There are so many fantastic technologies and options that the process can feel overwhelming!

#1 What’s the purpose of your website?

This is perhaps your single most important consideration. When you know your website’s purpose there are some design options that just make sense. For example, if you’re going to be an affiliate marketer and your website’s purpose is strictly to provide information, then you’ll likely want a CMS or a theme-based website. Know your site’s purpose first! Then you can weight your options.

On the other hand, if you’re building an e-commerce site you will want a shopping cart solution and a product catalog full of product photos and descriptions.

#2 What’s your budget?

Believe it or not, you can design a professional-looking website on just about any budget. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to hire a pro. That being said, you may want to hire a professional so the job is done right the first time. A professional can help you integrate all of the design elements and technologies right from the get go.

If you have a low start-up budget, consider having an existing template or design modified by a pro. For example, you can hire a WordPress designer to modify a template to fit your needs and website purpose.

#3 Who is your audience?

Your audience plays a very important role in the design of your website. Not only do you want to make sure your site is easy to navigate, you also want to make sure it appeals to your audience. If they’re cutting edge, then you’ll want a modern look and feel. If your audience is older, then you may want a more mature design.

Does your website niche fit better with video content or print content? How are you going to connect with your prospects, visitors and customers? Your site’s design needs to support your audience and their needs and desires.

#4 Efficiency and logic

While the appearance of a website is important, so too is the user’s experience. Ideally a site will feel intuitive. Everything will be easy to find and apparent. Your visitors won’t have to dig for information and if they are digging it’s because you want them to. This means:

• Logical content categories
• Relevant and easy-to-access pages (for example your about, affiliate, press and FAQ pages)
• Streamlined processes (for example shopping cart, opt-in and download processes)

Before you design your site or have someone design it for you, plan it on paper. Know exactly what your site’s purpose is and create a plan to make it happen. Research other sites in your industry. Research keywords so you know how your prospects search.

Also take a look at the various technologies that can support your site and its purpose. Some website design services offer seamless integration. Keep your visitors’ experience at the heart of every decision and you won’t go wrong.

Technorati Tags: Shopping cart, Web design, Web Design and Development, Website, WordPress

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You’ve heard that using video to market your business can bring incredible results. But do the benefits outweigh the effort it takes to put your video online? In a word, Yes! Shooting a video, editing and formatting it, uploading it to the internet with the right title and description takes a bit of time. But the payoff for video marketing can be tremendous. Here are seven real benefits of marketing with video:

1. Personal Connection – Especially for internet based businesses, the personal connection with your potential market is a huge selling factor. With video, your audience can truly get to know you, eye-to-eye. They get to see that you are indeed a real, live person. They start building a deeper relationship with you and feel as if they actually have met you.
2. Social proof – There’s an old proverb: “Believe nothing of what you hear, and only half of what you see.” On the internet it’s so easy to be a fake and a fraud. People are skeptical about claims they read online, and rightfully so. But video puts a face to your words and makes you more believable and trustworthy.
3. Traffic – People are watching 2 BILLION videos per day on YouTube alone! That’s a whole lot of traffic you’re missing if you’re not marketing yourself with video. It’s free and easy to add your video to a large number of the video sites available online.
4. Emotional Influence – The classic horror movie is a great example of how the audio has an emotional effect on us. The creepy music comes in, immediately cluing you in that something bad is about to happen. Now, imagine combining that audio with powerful video cues to influence the emotions of the listener and create a much more compelling message than with just text alone.
5. Portability – Maybe even more so then articles and ebooks, video is portable. iPhones, Smartphones, iPads and all kinds of other devices allow video to be seen on the go. You can also allow people to download video easily so they can view it over and over again.
6. Demonstrations – Reviews, case studies and examples are great ways to sell products and services. It’s the reason why infomercials make millions of dollars. Now there’s no need for you to be as annoying as the Sham-Wow guy to make money with video; you just need to create videos that show and tell your potential customers why your product will be helpful for them.
7. Engagement – There are many reports available online to show that video boosts response and conversion rates. When someone is watching a video, you have their full attention – eyes and ears. Unlike with the written word, they’re not likely skip ahead or gloss over important information. Most people will watch a video from beginning to end, allowing you to clearly create a message and call to action that engages your audience.

Overall, video is an effective marketing strategy that is only growing in popularity. Since video is here to stay, it’s time to check out the options and see how quick and easy video marketing can be.

Technorati Tags: Marketing, Smartphone, Video, Video clip, video marketing, YouTube

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Article marketing is one of the most popular methods of promoting a business online. Not only is it easy and low-cost, it works and anyone can do it!

By writing articles on your areas of expertise and offering this content free of charge to online and offline publishers, you can:

• spread the word to your target market
• demonstrate your professional know-how, and
• create a body of work that continues to “sell” you and your website long after the initial article creation

Other website owners, bloggers, and newsletter publishers are constantly looking for quality content to provide to their readers. You help them out by providing your well-written, targeted articles. In return they include a plug about you and your business, called the “author resource box,” at the bottom of the piece. The resource box includes a link to your site. So, they get free content, and you get free publicity. It’s a win-win!

You may be wondering if article marketing will work for your niche or industry. The short answer is yes! There are blogs and newsletters and ezines and websites on just about every topic under the sun, from accounting to Zoroastrianism.

Here’s a short list of businesses that can benefit from article marketing:

Service providers
Bloggers
Affiliate marketers
Ebook Authors
Infoproduct sellers
Online Store owners
Coaches and consultants
Realtors
Podcasters
Membership site owners
Authors
Speakers
Network marketers

In short, if you’re selling something or trying to drive traffic to your website or blog, article marketing is for you. It’s one of the most efficient ways to attract targeted visitors, to build trust among your readers, and to gain new customers or clients.

Here are some broad examples:

Bloggers can use article marketing to attract readers to their blogs and increase their subscriber base.

Webmasters can use article marketing to create valuable backlinks, and increase website traffic.

Writers can use article marketing to exhibit their writing skills, educate readers, and attract clients.

Hairstylists can use article marketing to share hair care tips, showcase their expertise, and attract business to their salons.

Dog trainers can use article marketing to share dog training lessons, and inform the public about the needs at a local shelter.

Whatever your passion, article marketing can benefit you and your business. When used correctly, it can successfully attract targeted traffic to your website or blog, grow your mailing list, help you become an expert in your field, build trust with your readers, make your website more popular, spread your name and website across the Web, add backlinks to your site, allow you to “advertise” free, brand yourself and your business, and generate sales.

As you can see, the benefits of article marketing are numerous.

Who can benefit from article marketing? You! And, it starts with just one article.

Technorati Tags: article marketing, Communication, Free content, teen business owner, teen entrepreneur

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When teens decide that they want to have their very own business there are many things that need to be discussed. Parents or adult guardians need to be fully involved in this entire process from the origin of the idea to the time it is put into action. This is the way to keep things in order and not let them get out of hand in any fashion.

Depending on what sort of business venture that is being entered into, there may be a need for adult permission to even have this business. That is a huge reason to have an adult involved in your business, if you are a teenager. The support and encouragement can provide a heavy boost in letting you know that you have someone believing in you and your efforts.

You have to think about the fact that there needs to be someone you can talk everything out with when you have an idea for a business. Whether you want to admit it or not, there is a chance you will become so excited and wrapped up in your plan that you will not see anything that may be an obstacle to the success of the venture. That’s when an experienced person can become your greatest listener and asset.

Mentors are also a great idea. These do not have to be your parents or even anyone who is related to you. The person you choose as a mentor is someone who has done what you are trying to do and has been successful at it. This is the person who will be able to guide you along in a helpful way as well as answer your questions and assist you when you experience any problems.

Whatever else you do as a teen business owner/operator, don’t push away the adults in your life who care about you and want nothing more than to see you make a success of your business plan or idea. Instead, embrace this assistance and let it work for you.

Technorati Tags: Business, business ideas, Christian Business Owner, Small business, Start Up, Start Your Own Business, teen business owner, teen entrepreneur

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As someone who is homeschooling, you most likely have encountered those difficult people who assume because you’re at home that you’re at their disposal any time of the day.

This situation is also a concern for those working from home.  There’s no getting around the fact that there will always be that ONE person who doesn’t get the concept of working from home. You may even have one of those neighbors or family members who, no matter how many times you say it, will just NOT get that you are WORKING.

There are even those people who just know you’re home and will continue ringing the doorbell, pounding on the door, or running around your house pecking at your windows until you allow them entrance.

Yes, these are real people who do this and try to sabotage your working day, but there are some creative ways to head them off at the pass. The first thing, of course, is to tell them that, although you’re at home, you’re still working and are not available during certain hours of the day. If this does not sink in, make a little sign to put on your door that says something like “WORKING  -  PLEASE RETURN AT 4PM THANKS.”

There will still be those hard headed few who will ignore that sign and continue to knock. You simply have to become stubborn and ignore them. They’ll eventually go away. They might go away mad, but will still go away.

The thing you need to remember is that someone who refuses to respect your work from home job is     probably someone you don’t need in your life anyway.

Technorati Tags: Home business, Home Office, teen business owner, teen entrepreneur, work from home

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Beyond creating teen entrepreneurs we must also teach our teens to be good stewards of their money.  What is the point of teaching them to be independent and creative in their business ventures if we do not teach them how to handle their finances?

Many college students today have no concept of money management.  They leave school with a huge debt from student loans and have started the path of “credit card = free money” living.

Buy today and pay later!  That is the code that so many Americans live by today.  And look at where we are heading.  Bankruptcy, loan defaults, and repossessions abound.  Why, because no one has ever taught us how to be good stewards of our money.

There are things we need to keep in mind regarding money generated when we help our teens get started in business.

• Depending on the business they decide to build, they may have to reinvest most or even all of their profits for a number of years.  That is something you as the parent and your budding entrepreneur need to look into right up front.
• If they borrowed the start up money then that needs to be paid back, any recurring expenses to run their business and acquiring new resources to maintain or improve their business will be a deciding factor in what to do with their money.
• They need to learn to give back and pay forward also.  To some that will mean tithing to their church, but to others it will look like stretching out a helping hand.
• They need to be able to spend a little of it!  After all why are they working so hard to build a business if it is not for some extra cash to put in their pocket?

A good starting point is Dave Ramsey’s Generation Change: Home Edition for Teens.  Parent-led and taught by Dave on DVD, Generation Change gives you the tools and topics to discuss with your teen the most important issues on personal finance.  Once the decisions regarding where the cash goes are made it will be time to see how well your teen entrepreneur manages their money and business.?

Technorati Tags: Business, Education, God, Money, Stewardship

It’s not always easy to know when to offer help to your teen when he or she has a home business going. How much help to offer is also another part of the problem. You don’t want to be a pest or make it too easy for them, but at the same time, you don’t want them to feel that they’re isolated when or if they have a problem.

The key is finding the right balance. This may not be as difficult as it sounds, either. For one thing, you need to know your teen. Be able to read any signs or signals that may be apparent even if they don’t ask you for your help. Know when to go in and ask how things are going. That usually opens up the whole can of worms if there is something not going just right.

If the call for help is genuine, there is every reason to help your teen regain their own sense of balance. Help them to work out the answer to the problem because they will feel much more confident and proud if they feel they contributed significantly to the final resolution. Even though you did push them in the right direction, they managed to pull out the best solution.

Don’t encourage too much dependency on you, though. They need to learn things as they go and there will be some things that they can figure out all by themselves. While they may THINK they need you to help walk them through it, it will actually be that they don’t “feel like” doing it right then, or they just “don’t want” to do it. That’s when you need to have other things that you need to do, or just level with them that the problem is easily within their grasp to resolve.

There are times when your teens may need your help in running their businesses. But it may be up to you to judge when those times are valid.

Technorati Tags: Communication, Entrepreneur, Small business, teen business owner, teen entrepreneur

Learning to manage money is a skill that everyone should have, from teenagers to adults. However, this is one of the more important things that teenagers need to grasp quite early when they are trying to start, and run, their own businesses.  Poor money management has sunk many a promising ship, and it’s something that you definitely don’t want to happen to you.

Before deciding to jump in head first with a business idea, look at all the costs involved. The start up costs should be weighed carefully against the amount of money that’s available to you initially. Never try to live above your means, especially in the beginning. If you commit to a business that requires more money to start than you have access to, you’re finished before you ever begin. This is your first lesson in acquiring money management skills.

Some of you may have built-in natural skills when it comes to handling money. If this is true, you are, indeed, blessed. Your business ideas have an excellent chance of succeeding as you’ll be quite careful and meticulous regarding the tracking of expenses versus income. However, if you tend to have issues with saving money, or controlling impulse spending, you’re going to need some guidance.

Bookkeeping classes can help you learn more about keeping accurate records. For some people, just seeing it in black and white (or red, as the case may be), can help awareness of just where any money errors occur. Besides, if you know how to do your own bookkeeping, that’s another expense that you don’t have to pay out with regard to your business. Accountants and bookkeepers don’t come cheap.

If self-control is an issue for you, do whatever you need to do in order to stop impulsive spending.  When you’re faced with a situation where you see something you simply MUST have, take a couple of moments to ask yourself WHY you need it right this minute? Is it vital to your existence? Most important of all, do you actually have the money to spare? By the time you get through this series of questions, you should have reached the correct answer.

By employing some methods to learn money management skills, you stand a much better chance of building a successful business.

Technorati Tags: Bookkeeping, Money, Money management, Small business, Start Up, Start Your Own Business, teen business owner, teen entrepreneur

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When you’re a teenager who is also running a business along with normal teen things such as school, it may be hard to remember that you ARE a teen and that you should be working some FUN into that heavy schedule of yours. You simply must make some time to get out and have some fun in the sun. Even though you may be happy and busy, don’t forget that this is a very special time in your life and you need to make the most of it.

As you enter the world of adulthood, there will be many responsibilities that become yours. While you are a teen, you should take full advantage of the fact that you are EXPECTED to have lots of fun. You may enjoy running a business already and be happy doing it. It may even be your idea of having a good time. However, you need to get out in the sun from time to time.

The sun provides many good things for your personality and can be quite healing if needed. You can play in the sun at the park for a picnic, or at the beach while swimming. These are both very healthy activities for everyone, but especially for teens. You have more than enough time to spend indoors in the future and shouldn’t spend all of your very precious time working.

Start planning for your summer vacation now. School isn’t in session, usually, and you are free to run whatever business you have going without having to work in studying. However, you should also use some of that time to spend just having fun. Indulge in some past times that take you out into the beautiful sunny weather. You’ll be a much happier and healthier person if you do.

Technorati Tags: Beach, Fun, Summer, teen, teen business owner, teen entrepreneur