Tài liệu Part 5_101 Internet Businesses You Can Start From Home doc

101 Profiles of Top Internet Business Concepts
141
47. Image Consultant
O
VERVIEW

OF
B
USINESS
M
ODEL
This business is ideal for someone with knowledge of the importance of first
impressions and how to present yourself in various settings, primarily the cor-
porate or professional world and in the media. The way this business works is
that you provide one-on-one image consulting to clients and possibly group
seminars about image-related issues such as wardrobe, appropriate colors, cos-
metic application, posture, and self-confidence. Clients can pay by the hour for
your services, or you may choose to have a contract at a set amount for specific
services—it’s up to you. The Web site is the perfect place to showcase your
services and your clients’ success stories, and to market your business.
S
KILLS
N
EEDED
To successfully operate this business, you will need experience in beauty, cos-
metics, and fashion consulting. The Web site maintenance will require basic
Web publishing skills, and you will need clear communication skills via e-mail,
phone, and in person. To inspire confidence and style in your clients, you need
to walk the walk as well.
C
OST

TO
S
TART
T
HIS
B
USINESS
The cost to start this business will include the design, development, and hosting
of your Web site, as well as a computer, appropriate software, a printer, a scan-
ner, and a digital camera. You can start this venture from home and on a part-
time basis. The approximate start-up cost ranges between $3,000 and $4,000.
N
UMBER

OF
E
MPLOYEES
N
EEDED
One experienced and competent individual can start this business single-
handedly.
I
NTERNATIONAL
P
OTENTIAL
The international potential for this business depends on the way you choose to
communicate with your clients. If you would like to have customers send in
images of themselves and communicate via e-mail to conduct consulting, then
the global potential will be restricted only by language. Most image consultants

operate face to face with clients, however, and this is preferred throughout the
industry.
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E-B
USINESS
M
ODEL
/P
AYMENT
P
ROCESSING
M
ETHOD
The e-business model suggested for the image consulting business is level 1.
Clients will pay you directly for your services, so there is no need for online
payment processing or a database. For more information, see Part 1.
I
MPORTANT
B
USINESS
I
SSUES

TO
B
E
A
DDRESSED

The image consulting business is highly personalized and everchanging due to
today’s rapid and progressive styles. Your advice should be tailored to the par-
ticular careers of your clients. Make sure your prices are competitive and your
Web site clearly defines your capabilities and clientele.
O
NLINE
M
ARKETING
T
ECHNIQUES
• Develop a comprehensive link strategy. You want to generate as many
links as possible from appropriate Web sites, directories, Web rings,
and meta-indexes related to your target market. There are many sites
related to business services that would be appropriate link sites. Ensure
that you get listed in sites that target your local area as well as your area
of expertise.
• Participate in local newsgroups, mail lists, chat rooms, and discussion
forums related to style, beauty, and image issues such as weight loss and
makeup application in efforts to create awareness of your services and
to attract new clients.
• Organize a reciprocal linking arrangement with regional beauty salons,
fashion boutiques, stores, and publications in order to make your busi-
ness apparent to the professional women who frequent them.
• Get testimonials from clients whom you’ve helped already and post them
on your Web site—maybe even include before and after pictures.
• Develop and send articles about the benefits of using an image consult-
ant to e-zines that focus on related topics.
• Develop a viral marketing strategy where people can “Tell a colleague
about this service” via your site. This will spread the word about your site.
• Ensure that you submit your site to the search engines and directories.

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• Promotion through related mail lists and newsletters is important. You
could even develop your own newsletter or mail list to stay close with
your target market.
• Participation in cybermalls related to business services in your geographic
area would be very appropriate.
For a more detailed description of these techniques, along with many other
effective online marketing methods, I recommend the companion book 101
Ways to Promote Your Web Site. You can also find tons of free resources at
/>A
DDITIONAL
I
NCOME
Extra income can come from reselling and advertising beauty products and
fashions for preferred distributors. You can generate additional revenue from
banner advertising and sponsorship by companies that are interested in reach-
ing your target market.
O
NLINE
E
XAMPLES
Your Best Image

This site offers image consulting services to women in the professional world.
Victoria Brink-Guillot—International Image Consultant

Victoria does on-site image consulting for brides and professionals. Her site
features before and after images that are extremely effective in attracting new

clients.
48. Information Broker
O
VERVIEW

OF
B
USINESS
M
ODEL
The information brokerage business is extremely popular these days, and need
for the service will only increase as the value of information becomes more
critical. The Internet is information, so if you have a talent for researching and
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101 Internet Businesses You Can Start From Home
accessing public and some private records, databases, and other forms of data
warehousing, this is the business for you.
What types of information are clients looking for? Information requests can
take many forms. Lawyers may be looking for specific information to strengthen
their case. Corporations need market research to support their marketing plans.
Businesses may be looking for competitive analysis or information.
How does it work? Clients request information on a certain subject, and
you do the research, provide the client with your findings, and get paid for your
effort. This operation has fantastic international potential but also has serious
legal issues surrounding it, so make sure to have a firm grasp of your liability
before embarking on this venture. There is good news: Information brokering
can help a lot of people, so your job can be very rewarding and it’s easy to get
referrals.
S

KILLS
N
EEDED
To successfully operate this business, you will need expertise in researching and
accessing public, and in some cases private, information over the Internet and
through traditional sources such as libraries, microfiche archives, and so on. To
update your Web site, you will need basic Web publishing skills. Your commu-
nication skills should be concise and descriptive.
C
OST

TO
S
TART
T
HIS
B
USINESS
The cost to start this business will include the design, development, and hosting
of your Web site as well as a computer, appropriate software, and a printer. The
approximate start-up cost ranges between $3,000 and $7,500.
N
UMBER

OF
E
MPLOYEES
N
EEDED
One experienced and competent individual with superior online researching

skills and resources can start this business single-handedly.
I
NTERNATIONAL
P
OTENTIAL
The international potential for this business is unlimited. There is no telling
where a client may reside. If you have access to the information they seek, it’s
most likely that you can e-mail it to them, and this makes the borders of your
business purely virtual and governed solely by language.
E-B
USINESS
M
ODEL
/P
AYMENT
P
ROCESSING
M
ETHOD
The e-business level suggested for the information brokerage business is level 1
or 2. For more information, see Part 1.
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I
MPORTANT
B
USINESS
I
SSUES

TO
B
E
A
DDRESSED
The information brokerage business sometimes infringes on the privacy of oth-
ers, and whenever this happens there are legal ramifications. Before entering
the business, you should research your liability and risk factor.
Sometimes in this business you will be under tight deadlines. Ensure that you
have additional resources you can call upon to provide a professional service.
The pricing should be clearly outlined on your site for various services that
are defined by the nature of information the client is searching for. The costs
should be competitive and reflective of the amount of time it takes to conduct
each search.
O
NLINE
M
ARKETING
T
ECHNIQUES
• Develop a comprehensive link strategy. It is important to be linked from
as many business service Web sites as possible, as well as related direc-
tories, business service cybermalls, Web rings, and meta-indexes.
• Develop extensive registration in all of the major search engines with
focus on the information brokerage business and on sites where those
searching for private or inaccessible information would most likely go.
You can also develop a pay-per-click strategy with the popular search
engines.
• Organizing a reciprocal linking arrangement with private investigators,

public records organizations, libraries, and security sites will make your
business apparent to your target demographic.
• Participating in market research and other business services-related mail
lists and newsgroups may be an effective way to reach your target mar-
ket online.
For a more detailed description of these techniques, along with many other
effective online marketing methods, I recommend the companion book 101
Ways to Promote Your Web Site. You can also find tons of free resources at
/>A
DDITIONAL
I
NCOME
Extra income can come from conducting extensive searches and aiding private
investigators and security specialists by doing online research that they cannot
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