The 10 Symptoms of Mammon's Influence

Here is a compelling recording of Episode 5 of the Renegade Christian Entrepreneur Bible Study, a study of Earl Pitts’ book, Wealth, Riches, and Money. Bruce Cook, host of the annual Kingdom Economic Summit, is teaching today's lesson. The study actually begins at about 27:00 of the recording.

Here is one symptom: Don't want to be accountable, secretive.

You will have to listen to the audio to hear the rest. For additional Christian business resources, visit Christian Business Daily.

What You Should Know BEFORE You Sell on eBay

There's no doubt about it: eBay is a popular way to make money from home. eBay sellers rave about the online auction's ease of use and the large pool of potential buyers. Millions of sellers report eBay as their sole source of income. If they can work from home with eBay, why can't you?

You can. But if you want to make money on eBay, you need to ask yourself some questions.

What do you want to sell on eBay? Some people make a fine income reselling items they found at yard or estate sales. Other eBay sellers list their items again and again because they just don't seem to be in demand.

Why the discrepancy?

Successful eBay resellers are very familiar with their items. They know how much each item is worth, and they know how much competition they can expect from other sellers listing similar items. They also know whether or not there is a market for a given item, and they pass up items that might prove difficult to sell.

One top eBay seller follows a simply rule of thumb: she never pays more than $5 for an item when she's not sure what it's worth. This has brought her great success while minimizing her losses. If a $5 item turns out to be a hot seller, she gladly pockets the extra money. If the item bombs instead, she hasn't lost much of her initial investment. Like other eBay power sellers, she also knows that the really big sales come sporadically. They should be enjoyed, but never counted on.

How do you assess the competition for a given item? Do an eBay search for similar items and see what comes up. If it looks like the market is saturated, find something else to list. You can always list your item later, when competition isn't so stiff. Doing an eBay search is a great idea because it also lets you see how much others are charging for items like yours. If you can undercut the competition without going broke, do it. If not, wait.

While vintage furniture and other bulky items often find enthusiastic new homes, you should be familiar with shipping prices and procedures before you list the big stuff. You don't want to spend a hundred dollars shipping an item that just sold for $150. Consult your local post office, UPS, and freight carriers to learn vital shipping details.

Finally, ask yourself if you want to sell general merchandise or cater to a niche market. Having a wide selection of diverse items can mean a larger market for your wares. It also means a pretty hefty initial investment of time and money while you build up your stock. If you’re experienced with a certain type of merchandise, like designer clothing or toys, why not specialize in that niche? With the advent of eBay stores, you can create a low-cost, permanent showcase for your items. Niche stores tend to do very well, because customers will visit them when they need a specific type of item. Some specialize in gothic jewelry, while others focus on collectible figurines. I made a boatload of money on eBay in 1999-2000 selling Pokemon merchandise. There is a niche market for just about everything, so choose items that you’re familiar with and display them in your eBay store.

Making money on eBay is easy to do, if you do your homework. Sellers who research their items and their markets beforehand lead the pack in eBay success stories. Take a page out of their book. Before you build your inventory, know what you want to sell, to whom, and for how much. A little research now will save you a lot of unpleasant surprises later.

Knowing Our Limits

He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty. - Proverbs 28:19

Webster's defines entrepreneur: "one who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk in a business venture." [Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth ed. (Springfield, Massachusetts, 1993), "entrepreneur."] Entrepreneurs can smell an opportunity a mile away. However, what is often their greatest asset can become their greatest downfall. The road is littered with entrepreneurs who have been successful in one venture only to fail in countless others. Is this the natural way for an entrepreneur, or is there a better way?

King David was an entrepreneur. He grew up as a shepherd boy and later became Israel's greatest warrior. He responded to opportunities, like the time when no one would fight Goliath. He saw this as an opportunity. He ultimately became king of Israel and faced many opportunities placed before him. David learned an important lesson somewhere along the way that each of us as workplace believers should learn.

As an entrepreneur the greatest danger is engaging ourselves in activities in which God never intended us to be involved. This is poor stewardship of what God has entrusted to us. When the Philistines attacked David, he always inquired of God as to if and when he was to counterattack. When he was attacked a second time on one occasion, David inquired of God as to whether he was to attack yet. This time God said yes, but with a condition, "Wait until you hear the sound of marching in the balsam trees" (see 2 Sam. 5:24). This story tells us that David had learned an important lesson about staying vertical in his relationship with God at all times. David had learned the important principle of staying focused on what God wanted for him, not what seemed logical. He was an opportunist, but only through the filter of the Holy Spirit in his life.

How do you approach opportunities? Do you consider the merits of the opportunity only? Or do you inquire of God as to whether He desires you to pursue? It may be a wonderful opportunity, but it may not be God's will for you to be involved. Ask the Holy Spirit to direct you as you seek to use the skills He has given you.


Excerpted with permission from the book TGIF Today God Is First by Os Hillman. Copyright 2003. Reprinted by permission. For free daily email subscription to TGIF Today God Is First, visit www.TodayGodIsFirst.com or www.MarketplaceLeaders.org

Affiliate Programs Make It Easy to Homeschool and Have a Home Business

If you have been longing to start a business online you may be coming across terms you've never heard before. You may also have found the opportunities available are overwhelming. Where do you begin?

AFFILIATE PROGRAMS - EASY START

Affiliate programs may be the easiest online business to start running. Why?

With any online business you must have a product or service to sell. First you must create this product or service and then you must be able to fill orders.

Selling your own product or service also means creating a website, learning how to write ad copy, setting up a marketing plan, being able to accept payments online and obviously doing the work. If you're selling a physical product then you will need to make or buy the item, package it and pay for shipping costs. If you provide a service than you will likely have to start by doing free jobs to build your credibility and then when you are charging for your service you are still limited by how much work you can actually handle.

THE MAGIC OF AFFILIATE PROGRAMS

Affiliate programs are a great way to get started in an online business. In fact there are even some 'Super Affiliates' who are making fabulous incomes from affiliate programs. So, what ARE affiliate programs?

Affiliate programs allow you to sell another company's service or product and make a commission on every sale or lead. You do not even need to build a website or handle the transaction. Your job is to drive traffic (customers) to your affiliate link.

An affiliate link is a special URL code that will identify customers coming to the company's site from your advertising. It will likely be the website address with a code attached to the end.

Some affiliate programs also have tiers. That means if someone who is interested in SELLING the product comes through your link and signs up you will also get a small percentage of THEIR earnings.

HOW DO I CHOOSE A PROGRAM?

You should research the popularity of some of your interests. Try to determine if people are buying that product or service online. There are many sources for finding that information including free ones such as the Overture keyword tool.

When you have found an area that is popular then type the subject along with 'affiliate program' into your search engine and see which programs have services or products for that area. You can also use an affiliate program directory.

When you have found a program that looks interesting you should read the terms of the program. Make sure that payouts are not based on a high commission earning or you may never see your money. Also try to choose programs with high commission rates. Often you will find ebooks and downloadable software has the highest rates as there is no physical product to make or ship. If you are satisfied with the terms then you need to sign up - usually a simple process.

START MARKETING

The reason affiliate programs are so great for beginners is that you only need to focus on marketing - not making - your product.

Many affiliate programs have information on how to market and give you tools such as banners, product feeds and more. You can also look for other information on marketing including writing articles, creating pay-per-click campaigns, commenting in online forums etc. As you gain experience marketing you will make adjustments to your selling and start creating a wonderful income!

I have been an affilliate of SFI since 2001, and believe that it has the best overall marketing courses and information available for the beginning affiliate marketer. I am often surprised to realize how much I know about marketing that I learned from SFI. You can sign up for free and check it out. Be sure and check out the International Association of Home Business Entrepreneurs while you are there.