Peek inside any successful home business owner’s desk drawer and you'll find safely tucked inside one of the secrets behind that success.

You might find it in the form of a notebook with dog-eared pages and broken seams, or a binder with scuffed corners and faded vinyl.

It may not look like a priceless gem, but to the business owner, it's worth many times its weight in gold.

Why?

Because within those pages you’ll find their blueprint for business success.

You may call it an operations manual, survival guide, or call it … "the golden key” that accesses the critical information, formulas and processes behind their business success.

Regardless of what it's called, astute entrepreneurs understand that without it, the success of their business and their plans for financial and personal freedom would be left to chance.

It's no secret that more than 90 percent of home-based businesses fail in the first five years, and if you were to conduct an autopsy on every one of them, you would be hard pressed to find any type of written record that supported their operation.

And of those who have made it, you can expect to find them in one of two camps …

The first camp is made up of those who are working long, demanding hours, sacrificing health, relationships and happiness -- whose business hangs on a shaky limb supported only by the owner's sheer determination and relentless commitment to keep it going, regardless the cost.

The second camp is made up of those who operate their business as a vehicle that allows them to do something they love while transporting them to a life of personal and financial freedom, good health and meaningful relationships.

Those in camp two understand the critical importance of leveraging every effort and creating structures and processes to put that vehicle on autopilot, and it is in these businesses you'll find that treasured and vital component to every business success – the operations manual.

Building a successful home-based business is tough, especially for someone who has never worn the hat of "entrepreneur" before – but the good news is once you understand the fundamental laws of business success and apply them, you create success.

One of these laws is to have solid, written documentation of your company's mission, vision, plan and daily operating procedures. And I'd like you to have full understanding of the importance of this … so you too can enjoy the sweet success of running a profitable home-based business and all the freedoms and rewards that come with it.

Building a successful business is like building a luxury cruise ship. Building the physical ship is the easy part, but it will do no good left tied to a pier.

You have to sail the ship. Have a destination in mind and a map to get there.

Even more important, that map has to be made available to someone else who may have to take over the helm if and when you can't be there.

Many business owners have been building their own manuals as they go -- learning by trial and error and making notes and developing processes and policies along the way.

But, the downside to building your own manual is you have to make the mistakes before realizing certain processes have to be implemented or structures have to be created.

Operations manuals are frequently born out of costly lessons. Yours does not have to be.

Your Operations Manual

Serves 3 Powerful Functions

 

 

It…

1. Increases the probability of success of your business
2. Gives you the freedom to run the business AS A BUSINESS and not a self-employment project
3. Adds to the worth of your business

 

I have operated a home-based business for over 30 years and NEVER have I realized until I read The HBB Survival Guide just how important this is!! As I was going through it, I was saying to myself (and anyone within earshot), "I don't have that! Why didn't I ever think of that? Laurie has thought of everything! I NEED to do this! How could I have been in business so long and never realized this is mandatory?" Laurie has created a superb, finely detailed and comprehensive guide for the Home-Based Business owner and believe me, we ALL need it! No one with a HBB should go another day in business without it! Lynn Moore, Clarity Coach Clear Goals Coaching www.cleargoalscoaching.com

Success In Business is A Planned Event

Many home businesses have crumbled due to unexpected and sometimes tragic events and this is due in great part to the fact that no one other than the business owner knew what to do in order to carry on operations.

Is there anyone else who knows what your business is really about, how it's conducted, who your clients are or what is required on a day-to-day basis to maintain operations?


Without an operations manual to show the way, your business will be deprived of life-giving oxygen in your absence and will quickly cease to exist.

Worse yet, if in your absence, your spouse, life partner or trusted associate can't quickly determine what expenses are being paid on a recurring basis through automatic bank withdrawals or credit card payments, those withdrawals will continue, unbeknownst to anyone else, and may rack up unnecessary debt very quickly.

If you were to suffer an accident or illness that could take you away from your business for an undetermined period of time, does anyone know how to carry on your business, suspend automatic withdrawals, notify your clients and vendors, access your banking information, or retrieve important legal documents?

The potential for disaster alone is enough to keep you awake at night, but let's continue to explore how it serves a second vital function...

How To Avoid Overwhelm
And Focus On What Matters..
MAKING MONEY  

Successful entrepreneurs understand the importance of leverage and this can be achieved in a variety of ways including:

• Delegation
• Automation
• Standardization

Many home-based businesses fail because the owner tries to do everything his or herself. (S)he is the president, marketing director, salesperson, customer service rep, clerical staff, computer tech, bookkeeper, shipping/receiving clerk, repair department, web developer, product creator and service delivery person.

How long could one person possibly keep all of this up while growing a business designed to create more freedom?

It's important to delegate tasks so you can focus on the big picture and making money. Hire an employee or award contract positions to skilled individuals and give them very clear, specific instructions on what is required of them.

By having clearly stated expectations and procedures in your operations manual, you are armed with a built-in training précis that leaves no room for misunderstanding or confusion.

And that translates into increased freedom and peace of mind for you, improved efficiency, happy customers, enjoyable working relationships based on shared understanding, and ultimately … a healthier bottom line.

Automating manual repetitive tasks saves a HUGE amount of time, energy and money and smart entrepreneurs take advantage of the extended reach of the worldwide web.

One of the great things about the Internet is you can set your sales and marketing on autopilot and generate revenue 24/7.

Automating communications with your list and setting up online merchant accounts allows you to keep your eye on the vision of your business instead of the daily tasks.

Automation through the Internet means you have access codes and user ID's and by recording this information in your operations manual, any trusted second party can take care of these responsibilities for you.

Standardization of processes also makes daily business life much easier, more effective and more enjoyable. Recording your sales, marketing, customer service, production, and delivery processes and following them to the "T" creates consistency.

And when your processes are written down and followed precisely each and every time, your clients and customers respond more favorably because they know what to expect, employees have clear direction, professionalism is demonstrated, results can be measured, and your potential for business success skyrockets.

With these processes recorded in your operations manual, anyone can step in and keep your business running without so much as a hiccup.
 

The Golden Key That Adds
Thousand$ To Your Resale Value
 

What would be more appealing to you – a turnkey business with the complete daily operations guide, all relevant data, and training manual, or the business with no recorded or supporting data?

Understanding the importance of consistency, structure, processes and immediate access to important data, does it not make sense that even at a premium, the turnkey business would provide a much better return on investment?

A turnkey business benefits from a higher resale value and is always regarded as a more attractive investment by every knowledgeable buyer.

By backing your business with an operations manual, you not only increase your efficiency and safeguard the survival of your business, you also dramatically add to its worth which means you'll be needing an extra large money bag when it's time to haul your gains to the bank!
 

How To Make Sure Your Business
Survives and Thrives

It's a tragic reality that far too often entrepreneurs don’t pay attention to the details and it costs them big time later on. Laurie has assembled THE Definitive Source to guarantee your business is covered. She's a blessing for any entrepreneur because she sees things that most overlook, which ends up saving YOU tons of money! James Roché "The Info Product Guy" www.infoproductguy.com

Starting and running a home-based business is a big undertaking, especially if you're still working at a job – and building an operations manual on top of it, strips away the limited time you already have.

With that in mind, it makes little sense to waste precious time trying to piece together an operations manual when The HBB Survival Guide already gives you the templates and guidelines you need to ensure you cover every aspect of your business, even some you may not be aware of.

Here's what you'll find …

• Organizational Chart - to help you plan for growth

• Combinations and access information for your fireproof safe, bank accounts, online and offline storage facilities, safety deposit box, computer login, and key locations for locked storage – so if you can't be there, critical information can be accessed quickly

• A list of recurring billings that are applied to your bank account and/or credit card each month – if you are permanently removed due to unexpected circumstances, all withdrawals can be terminated immediately so no more money can be taken from you

• Contact numbers for your success team, clients/customers, vendors and strategic alliances – so they can be informed of cancelled appointments, a delay in shipments or payments, and not left hanging

• Listing of article submission sites and access information – instead of searching for loose pieces of paper and scribbled notes

• Listing of your services and related fees – so when you're not there, your services can still be promoted and sold

• Listing of your products and related prices – so potential customers aren't forced to wait for the information or go elsewhere for answers

• Individual page links for your web site - for quick access to update or repair

• Online access information for your auto responder, blog, FTP site, shopping cart, PayPal account, personal and business e-mail addresses, site statistics, web content editor, etc. – so if you're absent, someone can keep things going or close accounts promptly

• Listing of affiliate programs you belong to and access information – so your accounts can easily be accessed to retrieve earnings information and request pay-outs

• Listing of memberships, networking groups and professional associations you belong to – to keep track of ongoing fees

• Listing of online forums you belong to and password information – for quick and easy access

• Policies and Procedures – to serve as guidelines and ensure consistency that customers and business associates come to expect. Service is prompt, professional and predictable.

• Business Plan – to ensure your master plan is always at your fingertips and available to anyone who may have to assume your role temporarily

• Mission and Vision Statements – to serve as a constant reminder and make sure everyone is working towards a shared goal

• Contracts and Agreements – to protect your business and be easily accessible for new clients and customers

• Business Forms – easy and quick access

• Process outlines (Sales, Customer Service, Marketing, Advertising, Production, Delivery, etc.) – to ensure conformity, professionalism and provide a means of measurement

• Job descriptions for employees and/or contract workers – to reduce confusion and ensure specific outcomes

• Record keeping procedures – to ensure conformity and reduce risk of error or omission

• Daily/weekly/monthly/yearly process instructions – to maintain consistent flow of operations and avoid late payment fees or missed deadlines

• Government reporting procedures – to avoid nasty letters and late filing charges

• Data back-up procedures – to protect everything you have dedicated your heart and soul to

• Instructions on how to publish your ezine/newsletter – so the connection between you and members of your list (or database) remains solid

• And much more …
  

The HBB Survival Guide gives you all of the forms and fields you need so all you have to do is insert your operational information and carry on -- kind of like those one-step cake recipes -- just add water and stir.

Filling in your guide is quick and easy. You can have your critical information recorded in less than a couple of hours and then you just add to it as you go along.

If you're just starting out, you may not have a whole lot of information to record; but you can enjoy peace of mind knowing you are a hundred steps ahead of the many others entering into business, and position yourself straight on the path to entrepreneurial success.

Everything is laid out in a clear, comprehensive format so you don't have to worry about what you might overlook by doing it on your own.

With The HBB Survival Guide tucked safely under your wing, you'll know the exact steps to take as you head into the future.

This comprehensive guide has everything I need to confidently take a leave from my business! Because it serves as both a daily operations and training manual, it's the one and only source of information I need to keep my business running in my absence. Linda Robert, Relationship Coach www.thesolutionlady.com