Home Based Business Tax Advantages

I am so sure by now, you already know how wonderful it can be to work from home, but do you realize how many home based business tax advantages exist? Here in the United States, many people operate home based businesses just to take advantage of the numerous tax deductions. Claiming the use of your home in your business can give you some hefty deductions on your tax return. As with anything tax-related, you must meet certain requirements determined by the Internal Revenue Service. However, if you use one room or part of a room specifically for your business, you can receive a significant home based business tax deduction. This can include portions of your utility bills specifically related to that area of your house as well as any relevant home improvements. Your phone and other office services can also provide you with a substantial home based business tax deduction. If you maintain a separate fixed phone line or cell phone specifically for your business, then all costs related to those phone lines can be tax deductible. However, if you use equipment or services in both personal and business environments, it is more difficult to establish a tax deduction. Its not impossible, but you must meet some fairly strict requirements and maintain good records. Using your car in your business gives you the potential for another good home based business tax deduction. Of course, you must keep excellent records but you can deduct mileage and car-related expenses that you incur while conducting your business. With any type of business, other incidental costs come up. You can also take deductions for purchases of items such as office supplies, postage, advertising materials and expenses. You can potentially deduct even more by hiring your children or spouse to work as employees for you. This enables you to deduct health insurance premiums and other typical employee-related expenses. In order to find out about the many home based business tax deductions available to you, consult an experienced tax advisor. With proper advice and good recordkeeping, your home based business can become even more successful.

Home Based Business Mail Follow-Up System

Do I Need a Home Based Business Mail Follow-Up System?

In a word yes! You most definitely do. In marketing circles, research studies indicate that people need seven exposures to your offer before they buy from you. So, how you can you guarantee that they visit your site those seven times? Simple you collect their contact information and then you follow up with them periodically through your home based business mail follow-up system, also known as an autoresponder. This way they get to know and trust you and, if you do your job right, they may become your customer at some point. When looking for a home based business mail follow-up system, it benefits you to go with a paid service. Although some good free autoresponders exist, the level of support tends to decrease when you use them. Also, ads are usually inserted into each e-mail that goes out  ads that are for someone elses products, not yours. Common sense says that it is in your best interest for your message to be the only one that your respondent reads. Do a search for the term autoresponder and then investigate the results. If some of your friends or business associates use this type of service, get a recommendation from them. As with any service, thorough research ahead of time saves headaches and lost business later. In addition to quality customer service, your home based business mail follow-up system should include as many of the following features as you can find. Look for the ability to:

• Personalize messages with your list members name and other information.
• Send an unlimited number of e-mail messages.
• Pre-load a series of messages to be sent out at predetermined intervals.
• Create and send html messages.
• Create and add opt-informs to your web site.
• Broadcast a general message to your list.

Building a list is crucial to your business success. However, with a good home based business mail follow-up system in place, your chance for success can improve substantially.