by Steve Gregory

Created on: November 11, 2009   Last Updated: November 12, 2009

A home business is quite possibly the best of both worlds. First, you're making money. And second, you're doing it from home. Even if your home business involves running around to make deliveries or to pick up and drop off work, most of the work is from home, and that's a real treat.

There is no substitute to being able to work in your bunny slippers with all your favorite snacks close by, your favorite music at the volume you want it without some thing dangling from your ears, and no one peering over your shoulder to make sure you're slaving away from them instead of taking 5 minutes to read "Dilbert" and compare your boss to the pointy-haired one in the strip.

But a business, even a home business, is like a plant - if it's not growing, it's going to die. Having run a home business for nearly 15 years, the following are a few tips for helping you grow your own business while still in your jammies.

Have a Business Name

You don't need to incorporate or have six-foot letters on the side of a bank building, but you should have a business name. First, a name tells someone what you do. "Monica's Services" is not nearly as accurate as "Monica's Morning Muffins." Second, people are more comfortable giving money to a business.

If they are a business owner themselves, it shows up as a business-to-business transaction for them (and for you). And even if they're not, it gives people confidence that they're doing business with a business and not just randomly contributing money to your retirement fund.

You can get a business name with your County Recorder for a small fee, plus another small fee for advertising it in a local paper to make sure there are no name conflicts. Take the form to your bank and have them set up your account with the new doing business as (DBA) name added. Now you're good to go!

By the way, you don't need a business bank account for a DBA; your personal account should be fine. If your bank won't let you do that, set up an account with a credit union or another bank that will. You don't need to pay a bank extra money just so you can make a few bucks on your own.

Advertise

No, not on network television or radio (unless you can afford it), but in your area. Just like an election, people gravitate to names they are familiar with. So get your name (or business name) out there. Oftentimes, just a half sheet of paper with your name, business services, and contact information is enough to generate interest.

You can create your flyer in just about any word processing

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