ProfitBrite

Time Management or Time Wasted?

I remember thinking back to when I worked for a Fortune 500 financial company and seeing a lot of busy people that barely got by financially; including myself at the time. Why is this? Well, for some of us, just being busy makes us feel more productive, therefore, feel better about ourselves, ignoring the things that really matter because we link pain to it; such as selling. The truth is however, we're kidding ourselves because just the act of being busy is not necessarily productive.

...Let's look at this deeper.

I think that using up time has been ingrained in us. Think back to the good old school days. Think about your day's schedule. You go to your locker put away stuff, just to grab different stuff and head to your home-room; there you will sit until the bell rings. You had roll call taking approx 5 minutes, and this is just home-room, nope no class yet. Now another bell rings and you're finally off to your first class.

....kind of strange process so far isn't it?

Now let's look at all the other "filler" time eating activities. There is the back and forth. Sometimes on the opposite side of the building, to each class. There is lunch time, anywhere between 30 to 45 minutes. There is study-hall, can't we study that at home? There is Gym class, you should be playing a sport or playing outside after school, so therefore, no need for gym class. If they cut out the useless, time swallowing activities, school would start at 8am and be over at 11:30am.

My point is, if you cut the fat, in other words, you could get more done in less time therefore feeling much better about yourself, and earning more as well, a lot more. If anything you would have more time to do things that you love.

...Now what to do and when?

Let's begin with the 80/20 rule, what is commonly known as the Pareto Principle. Make a list of priorities or all of the tasks that are the most important making sure you cut out all the time eating, just being busy stuff. Now work on the 20% of the task that have the highest impact and delegate the remaining 80%. If you don't have anyone to delegate too, you may want to consider hiring a Virtual Assistant or VC, (Read our Guide on hiring VC"s), now you just added 80% of time to your day....

Tim Town is the founder of TheBizRoom Academy and Bizroom.tv. An Entrepreneur and Investor, teaches the evolution process that it takes to start a business today.
To learn more visit Tim's blog at http://timtown.net or http://www.thebizroom.com

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Time-Management-or-Time-Wasted?&id=5748618] Time Management or Time Wasted?

Low Cost Lead Generation - Get Out Your Megaphone

And it got me thinking about how embarrassed I was to be "the crazy mlm lady" back in the day of warm marketing. I would hold back and literally ooze forth negative vibes all over the people I came to be around.

Now, you honestly don't believe that I knew how bad it was, right? I had no real idea how embarrassed I was back then. I just thought I felt that way because I was new. But I wasn't just new for that long. It was something else.

I'm guessing that since you're reading this article you are also on a trek to learn low cost lead generation. Maybe you're already into a little ways, or maybe your new to the concept.

I want to plant a seed for you today. A seed that I hope will change the way you feel about your business... if you feel any sort of embarrassment. Be honest.

First of all please let me help you out by telling you that if you think about it you're really uncomfortable about what the company tells you to say. Saying it just doesn't feel right. Plus, nobody else wants to say it either. So start by changing the way you feel about the company. It's time to simply use them for their compensation plan. It's a business arrangement.

Hmm... I think I can say that a few different ways. But the big thing to recognize is that the company can't train you on effective marketing. They go to big, and they tell you to say the wrong things. I'm going to try to simplify this for you.

Take a few months hiatus from saying anything about your chosen company, including their compensation plan (unless, of course someone says they're ready to join you and they want to get going. Of course you'll tell them the company name and compensation plan at that point.) and tell people you're a marketing mentor, or teacher. Tell me what happens. I think you'll be fairly surprised.

Once people see that you're a credible marketing teacher and they start inquiring about your business further you should simply shout it from the rooftops: "I teach multilevel marketers to NOT bother their friends and family." Then laugh. People love to laugh. They'll respect you for it.

That's mine. Come up with something unique... awe, heck, just use mine. It's an excellent way to spread the word. You'd be amazed how many people in your warm market will naturally gravitate toward you for help when you say something like that.

Declare it! What are your intentions?

Don't know where to start to declare it? Start here: you're a low cost lead generation mentor. You help those who want to learn it. Not so difficult eh? Then keep going and don't twiddle your thumbs - watch your team grow and your affiliate income along with it.

When you start thinking of yourself as a marketing genius instead of a measly, nothing mlmer with (your chosen company's name here) - well you'll see.

No more using the company as a crutch. You only need them after people are ready to follow you. They provide a way for you and your team to get paid. It's time to be bold and make a name for you, my friend.

Have you ever seen the poor fools who say their company name too much in social media? I'd be willing to bet that only about 3% of those guys ever get a single recruit who produces from that method. They're still forgetting that the most important ingredient is themselves. People don't follow companies, they follow people who will help them. The other way doesn't work for the average human.

You've got it in you Low Cost Lead Generation Master.

You're on your way to the top. I'll see you there!

Click on the following link to access information that Bronwen Oehlschlager provides via a [http://www.bronwenlise.com]Low Cost Lead Generation training program for your convenience at no charge. [http://secretmlmskills.com/?page_id=265]Low Cost Lead Generation is affordable for the average new network marketer.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Low-Cost-Lead-Generation---Get-Out-Your-Megaphone&i...] Low Cost Lead Generation - Get Out Your Megaphone

How to Make Money While Saving People Money on Their Energy Bill

Think about it, you can help others and yourself at the same time. Everyone wants to save money. When this opportunity landed in my lap, I immediately saw the potential. I have helped my family, friends, and clients save so much money and they have appreciated the program. My energy bill has been lower and on top of it all, I am getting paid for all of it. Thanks to the deregulation of energy, you as the consumer have the right to choose your energy rate. So stop paying an arm and a leg and make the change to save money today. Why wait, you can start saving every month on your energy bill. The good news in all of this madness is there is a light at the end of the tunnel. In fact, a very prosperous light. If you want to change your reality try something different. A wise person once said "the definition of crazy is doing the same thing but expecting different results". Hmm, make sense doesn't it?

So what are you waiting for, to be overwhelmed and overstressed over your surmounting debt? Don't waste another minute and get some free information about an opportunity that may change your life forever. If you want to earn money plus offer a substantial savings to others on their energy bill, check out my website for further information. Today could be the day you've been waiting for.

Watch the FREE video and decide for yourself. http://www.napowerbroker.com/energyworks

Free Video-Watch Now

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Make-Money-While-Saving-People-Money-on-Thei...] How to Make Money While Saving People Money on Their Energy Bill

How to Make Cake Decorating Supplies, Eggs, Milk & Sugar, Into a POWERFUL Cake Design Business

Now, people don't just want any old Supermarket, mass produced pile of STODGE at that EVENT.., NO SIREE, they want a beautiful piece of carefully sculptured sugar sweet HEAVEN... Cake designs are getting more & more creative all the time, Three-dimensional designs are in vogue right now, resulting in cakes that can look like pillows, animals, handbags, telephones, or whatever you can dream up. Contemporary cake towers are being created, that rise up many feet in the air, that lean every which way, stabilized by mysterious forces, known only to the cake decorator. There are no LIMITS! You can produce the most amazingly DYNAMIC designs that will set you apart from the normal run of the mill cake designers, just with a little practice.

There are literally hundreds of books & courses available, both in bookshops and on the Internet on how to do this.. Don't just think - Eggs, Milk & Sugar... Think Pounds, Dollars & Sense!... This could be one big Gooey bucket of PROFIT, we are looking at here.

People are looking for custom, creative cakes. They are willing to pay premium prices to get them too. The average amount spent on a wedding has nearly doubled in the last 20 years, and the average cost of a wedding cake is �200 - �250 in the UK and about $550 in the United States, according to the Bridal Association of America.

Prices of artisan cakes for special occasions range from $3 to $10 or even more per slice, depending on how complex the design is. Think about it... at a wedding - apart from the Bride, usually the number 1 focal point is "THE CAKE"... How many people are going to be at that wedding thinking.. Hmm, I would like a cake, like that - "Where did you get it?"

Cakes ALMOST sell themselves - don't they?

Now you can be your own Boss, making cakes, which make people HAPPY! In your own Cake Decorating Business, you no longer have to take orders from anyone, other than your many customers, of course! You can choose to specialize in anything from wedding cakes, to children's birthday cakes, to cupcakes, to cakes shaped like fantasy castles... whatever, you most enjoy designing. You can start small, from the kitchen table - create your own cakes, take some very good pictures - create a website and display your artistic talents to the world.

You can easily use Social networking sites like Facebook, to not only find local customers for your cakes, through Facebook Marketplace, etc but also to discuss your cake making skills by creating your own Group and Fan page on Facebook. This will give you TONS of ideas, people will tell YOU what they love, then you go CREATE them.. It's like anything in life - once you awaken those creative juices and you are a little bit good at what you do - everyone wants a piece of the pie, (forgive the pun). I was going to say it was a "piece of cake" but I thought better of it!!

You can then have another micro niche (side door) to add to your cake design niche. Telling other people how do do the same! You will soon be asked to pass on tips & advice. this can lead to you creating courses on how to become a successful cake decorator. And so it rolls on and on, before long - you will be showing how incredibly easy it all is - on video.

This is a business which can be started literally on a shoestring, from home with a little bit of self tuition from books, some ingredients and a little bit of PASSION.. In a few short months, you could be cooking up (sorry!) a very lucrative Business. Of course, you may just want to earn some extra CASH.. Which ever way you see it, this can be very rewarding and above all - Great FUN... rel=nofollow More information

I am an Author and an Internet Marketer from Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, England.

One of my current projects is a daily MONEY MAKING Tip blog called Keith's Money Making Tips.

Get a great FREE Gift "10 Killer Ways to Make money From Home" now! - http://www.keithmakesyoumoney.com

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Make-Cake-Decorating-Supplies,-Eggs,-Milk-and-Sugar,-Into-a-POWERFUL-Cake-Design-Business&id=5015092] How to Make Cake Decorating Supplies, Eggs, Milk & Sugar, Into a POWERFUL Cake Design Business

Your 3 Biggest Assets When Working Online

Time

As we all know time waits for nobody therefore it is up to us to make the best use of the time we have and this is particularly true when marketing on the internet. Most online entrepreneurs work alone and at home therefore they have more to do within a potentially distracting environment as well. Their time and how well they use it is vitally important and a major factor in being successful with their business.
Remember time is an asset we all need to accomplish anything at all, and it is one that could run out on us at any time, therefore use it wisely!

Productivity

Sometimes we take our ability to produce something for granted, so much so we may overlook trying to improve in this particular area. It is common to be content with simply 'getting the job done' where in fact more attention should be paid to the efficiency and quality of our work. In order for business success to be yours as an online entrepreneur, you must learn to be as productive as possible. It is not about how much time you invest in your business but rather how much your business produces and that is entirely up to you!

Focus

Your ability to maintain your focus kind of pulls it all together insofar as it will help you make the most out of your time while being as productive as possible. Investing time with little focus will not make you very productive which is what makes this ability the 'straw that stirs the drink' in terms of marketing on the internet. Results is what you are looking for and maintaining your focus is what will be needed to produce these results!

When working online our focus tends to be on tangibles such as traffic, products, profits and the tactics and tools we use for marketing on the internet. It is such things we are prone to consider assets and rightfully so, but our being successful depends more on the abilities and intangibles we discussed above. Once considered, it is obvious that these things are a fundamental requirement for business success to even be achieved. With that being said and our attention being called to their importance, perhaps more effort will be put into better utilizing these under-appreciated assets! What is the worse that can happen, our productivity and profits increase while the time we spend working decreases! Hmm, I can live with that can you?

TJ Philpott is an author and Internet entrepreneur based out of North Carolina.

For more tips about getting the most out of your abilities when working online and to also receive a free instructional manual that teaches valuable niche research techniques visit: http://affiliatequickstart.com/

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Your-3-Biggest-Assets-When-Working-Online&id=5010495] Your 3 Biggest Assets When Working Online

5 Reasons You Should Start a Work at Home Business Opportunity

Hmm. Are they actually legitimate reasons? Did they really look at the positive side? Did we look at the possibilities for? The issues in favour of? Maybe we should take a more balanced approach. Let's consider 5 reasons why you should start a work at home business opportunity, simply to decide if any of them fit here.

First, you could make some extra money online. Sure, I recognize your objection that it might nor be easy to make money from the internet.

Yes, that's a valid observation, but take a look at it this way, if you try to make some extra money, then the internet is the best possible way to earn some extra cash for yourself. And moreover, you ought to consider that having your own work at home business is something that is quiet achievable.

Second, Be Your Own Boss. The principal reason behind that could be that you will get out of the cycle to be employed and not working for yourself. And in addition you much more in control of how much money you will make for yourself.

Third, you will have much more freedom. And also you will have more time with your family and for yourself!

Fourth, you might be able to retire earlier then you would do in a normal job.

And Fifth, it is much more fun to work at home for yourself and make a living online.

After you have had an opportunity to go over the reasons, and think about them, you'll notice that a very good case can be made in favour of start a work at home business opportunity.

So now, just think about that for a few minutes. A very good case has been made in favour of doing it. Maybe you really should start a work at home business opportunity for yourself.

If you happen to look at all the reasons and evaluate them, you'll have to admit that a very compelling case can be made for beginning to consider the way to start a work at home business opportunity on the internet.

Just consider it. Maybe, just maybe, you truly, in all seriousness, ought to start making money in a work from home business opportunity.

Realize tips on how to work at home at this work from home business training site at [http://www.ralfdooley.me]http://www.ralfdooley.me.

Ralf Dooley is a home based business entrepreneur who find the the way business is done on the Internet by creating a community, building friendships and establishing trust.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?5-Reasons-You-Should-Start-a-Work-at-Home-Business-...] 5 Reasons You Should Start a Work at Home Business Opportunity

Internet Network Marketing Success With Funded Proposals

Welcome to the family of internet network marketing. The same basic rules apply to internet network marketing, as they do to traditional network marketing. You simply market your business to your friends, but here in lies the problem... You have no friends on the internet. Everyone is a foreign stranger. This is where attraction marketing and funded proposals come into play.

We know must use the method of attraction marketing to reel in new prospects. This attraction occurs when the prospect sees you as valuable. When you stand out from the infinite noise that surrounds internet network marketing. You see there are ads everywhere. "The new hottest way to make money" " How to make $500 by next week" "Turn $2 into $2,000,000" You've seen the ads and like most people these type of ads are slightly annoying.

So how are you going to dominate and stand out from all those ads. Simply put your job now is to become an online MLM consultant. With internet network marketing, your business is the least effective way to solve someone's problem. Why, because your competition has made it that way. They are everywhere all the time. You simply give to your prospects. Maybe it's a phone consultation, maybe free training, whatever do give to your prospects will decide if they will be interested in you and your business.

Hmm... All of the above huh? Yes. Funded proposals are the key ingredient to have a marketing system in place that will give your prospect all of the above. The goal is simple. The funded proposal capitalizes on the fact that most people won't join you in your business. While they may discourage you, it shouldn't because there are billions of people and millions of network marketers on the internet anyway. You can't work with everyone.

Funded proposals may sound complicated, but I'm about to go more in depth. People want the easiest, quickest, way to make money online. Your network marketing business is not the microwave answer most people are looking for. Sorry to bust your bubble.. Switch the game up and give the people want they want, upfront. Information on how they can make money. This is what your funded proposal will do for you. This can be video, audio, or a Free report. This will attract the people who are looking and will do something major for you over time. Your freebie will indirectly sell you funded proposal. You should offer an expensive marketing system or valuable training (preferably both) upfront to your prospects as a potential solution. This is direct selling or direct marketing and it allows you to sustain your business and profit from a bigger volume of people.

Your funded proposal will allow you to do two really major things and it is an absolute necessity of you want to be successful with internet network marketing.

1. No need to worry about your prospect not signing - up under you because you can still make money with your funded proposal.

2. Your funded proposal in will your business opportunity for you, by showing your prospect you have a proven plan and not just a MLM business..

As the sales come in you now have money that you didn't have before to grow your business to another level. This is going to be key to building on lasting residual income.

Your career will be over as quickly as it starts if you don't implement the funded proposal into your marketing. More importantly think of the value you will be able to offer your prospects now. Now you have a battle plan they can use to dominate internet network marketing and never have to even think about talking to their friends or family. You will be looked at as more valuable and your team will stay loyal to you. This will cause two more things to happen:

1. You now have well trained recruit magnets and you didn't have to spend that much time training them. Thanks to the funded proposal.

2. Your rapport is now officially through the roof and new distributors will flock to you without fail.

The benefits of internet network marketing as many, but only the select few who have a strong funded proposal system will survive. If you would like to know more about this concept then you may want to click the link below to enhance your learning experience.

Would you like more information on how to dominate [http://justinhelps.blogspot.com/2010/05/dominate-internet-network-marketing.html]Internet Network Marketing by using [http://justinhelps.blogspot.com/2010/05/dominate-internet-network-marketing.html]Funded Proposals then check out my blog for more information

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Internet-Network-Marketing-Success-With-Funded-Prop...] Internet Network Marketing Success With Funded Proposals

How To Get Rid Of Your Fears And Doubts To Amass Opportunities Thrown At You

This is a simple report on how I made $15,000 within 24hours using my computer connected to the internet with a simple step by step guide manual I acquired from an internet guru.

The problem people have most times with ripping from such programs when they come across one is the fear and doubt of it being real. But there is a way of getting rid of this fears and doubts, so that you don't throw away an opportunity to become financially free.

JUST WITH THE NEXT CLICK, YOU CAN MAKE A FORTUNE FOR YOUR SELF.

Though I have been in business for almost 5years, I was not quick to adapt to the power of the internet. I have thrown away several opportunities of tapping into the power of the internet, and I know up till date there are lots out there who still haven't tapped into this power of the internet. For me it took something dramatic to open my eyes.

A few years ago, I read a publication from the national dailies captioned "THE MISERIES OF THE INTERNET" I got interested in the caption, and so I read on.

The body of this caption revealed how possible it is to make a fortune with the internet with little or no effort. It went on to site an incident where a certain info marketing guru in a show under cameras, took a challenge of making $50,000 within 24hours, and ended up generating $120,000 at the end of 24hours, just using a computer connected to the internet.

For me, as usual, at that time this was like a dream story, very, very unbelievable story. Even the so called guru who took this challenge, according to the publication was skeptical about his claims. "I had my doubt, but I just had a gut feeling that, given 24 hours I could generate $50,000 or more". This where his statements at the end of the challenge.

Hmm! This for me is too sweet to be true. To get to the bottom of this story, I got to the closest cyber cafe, opted in with the web address for more details. Guess what, the details on the web even get more attractive to be true.

I said to my self, this must be a scam, because at the end of the details, I was asked to order for the manual that reveals the step by step guide to getting this kind of result for $30.

TAKING A DECISION
It took me one week to actually take a decision to order for this manual because:

1. I felt $30 could have been too cheap for such an invaluable info. So I thought it could be a scam.

2. I have the believe generally that I could be defrauded if I release my MasterCard number, as this was what was requested for the order of this manual.

Even though these facts continue to run through my mind, the overwhelming result as published is worth taking the risk. I then took a simple statistics of possible loss if I take action as follows.

1. If I make the order, and it happens to be a scam, I will loose $30 and possibly hacking of my account, based on the card number released to them.

2. I can live in my fears, retain my $30 and my account protected, and then loose the knowledge on how to make such fortune, made available by the internet, such as earning even $5000 daily.

What did I do next to get out of my fears and doubts to see what exactly this is all about? Find out.

Jimmy Micheal.

A high school graduate, on business accounting 2000. http://www.fearsndoubts.blogspot.com

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Get-Rid-Of-Your-Fears-And-Doubts-To-Amass-Op...] How To Get Rid Of Your Fears And Doubts To Amass Opportunities Thrown At You

Work at Home - The Future?

Today, this is becoming more of a reality on a daily basis. Fortune 500 companies are getting richer and finding more products to sell..

How the companies work

They want millions of customers so they can make more money.

Now if they try and keep all the profit for them selves they will gain large commissions but little amount of sales.. Why make a few large commissions when you can make hundreds of thousands of smaller commissions?

Personally I would think like them, I want millions of customers and smaller commissions and brand my self as a cheap reliable company! Something we all look for in a company

This is the good part this is where we really come into action.

They make us sales men or women and we make a chunk of the large commissions they would be making for them selves that way we are happy sales men or women.

Imagine 10,000 salesmen or women all taking the large commissions.. hmm 10,000 people wont make their company very rich!

NOW IMAGINE the big picture one hundred thousand plus, sales men or women selling your product!!!

NOW that is a huge difference! That is the difference between being greedy and only making few thousand sales, to making hundred and hundreds of sales and sharing the commissions!

They need us

Every major company needs us sales men or women to sit at home or where ever you have an internet connection and a laptop, and sell / market their products! Get the information out there that is product exists and follow this link here to check out more info on the product we are selling.:)

Remember the difference is thousands of people selling 1 product or hundreds of thousands selling 1 product. which sells quicker?

How this works

This works by signing up as an affiliate to a company ( affiliate = sales man or woman ) you will receive often times a referral link that you will send to people to get them to look at your product.

The referral link has a special ID# or your username mixed into the URL that way it identifies that the sale came from so and so and they deserve their rightful chunk for the sales.

work at home, work from home or anywhere!

Now you see how work from home is becoming more and more of a reality everyday.

People are signing up every single day to become an online marketer! Some folks are changing their lives with this work at home opportunity!

It was not available to peoples some odd years back! Today however we have resources that folks just did not have some time ago!

Use them take advantage of this, even when we are in a recession we still have the tools available to make a living.. a Comfortable one at that! It is honestly up to you, decide how hard you are willing to work for your goal of 5 grand a month and how much you are willing to learn to earn that income! Remember the more you learn the smaller the cost is of running your own business!

Thanks for reading:) [http://www.wannafindyou.com]I use to earn money

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Work-at-Home---The-Future?&id=3744949] Work at Home - The Future?

Get Freelance Jobs Online!

What is an online service marketplace?

Also called service auction sites, these are sites that connect buyers needing services, and service providers looking for projects. It's simple how these sites work: a buyer posts a description of what kind of service he or she is looking for, and freelancers from all over the world can present their bid. If a buyer likes your proposal, he or she will then award you the project, and you can both can commence work.

There are sites that post jobs in different categories; from web design to programming, from writing to administrative support. There are also sites that are exclusive for a specific profession, e.g. an exclusive online marketplace for programming work.

Wait! Are these sites safe?

The community policies itself through buyer and service provider feedback, similar to the system of Ebay. A good track record of paying providers and positive comments usually mean that a buyer is trustworthy. Similarly, an excellent track record of completed projects with positive feedback usually mean that a service provider can be relied on.

All payment and communication are done within the sites for added security. Third party sites, like escrow, manages financial transactions to protect both the buyer and the service provider. The security of the site itself is typically verified by online safety and privacy certification sites like VeriSign or TrustE.

This said, it doesn't mean that there are no buyers or providers who register on the site to defraud members, nor does it mean that the site can't be hacked. You have to be careful and conduct independent investigation on a buyer before accepting a project.

Similarly, disputes can happen between buyers and providers over the course of the project that can prove costly. The extent the management of online marketplaces arbitrates on contract disputes and provides insurance for lost data or money varies from site to site.

In general though, these sites are safe as long as you exercise caution and follow site rules and regulations.

Sign me up! Where can I find these online service marketplaces?

Active online marketplaces include:

Elance

Elance is one of the best thriving service marketplaces around, in the sense that there are new job postings almost every hour. Membership is free, and comes with 10 connects (bidding currency) per month with the option to upgrade for a small fee (the lowest paid membership package is $9.95). This makes Elance one of the more beginner-friendly auction site, as you can start aggressively bidding on projects paying zero to just minimal registration fees.

The site deducts some 6.75 to 8.75% (the rate depends on your lifetime earnings) of the money that you make, presumably for web hosting, customer support, escrow etc. As with most auction sites, service rates range from low ball to reasonable with the occasional high paying gigs --- so price your services accordingly.

Great site features: a chatroom for buyers and providers to unwind and socialize, as well as safety nets against unpaid work samples, academic projects and plagiarism.

Guru

Guru is as active as Elance, and offers roughly the same range of projects and benefits. Membership is also free and comes with 10 bidding units/ month. Guru, however, restricts bidding for non-paid memberships (making unpaid membership basically useless), so if you're interested in just "feeling around the site", you might not be able to get a gig.

The site also deducts some 5-10% from your project earnings (the rate depends on your kind of membership). Bank fees can also be deducted depending on buyer's credit card provider.

Guru offers a higher number of bidding units per subscription, almost three times that of Elance. Guru also asks for a flat rate of one bidding unit/ project, unlike Elance which asks for more connects for higher-paying gigs or featured project. The catch: the minimum subscription you can buy is a 3-month one ($75).

Guru's system both works for you and against you. On one hand, you get more bid units per month than what you can use, and thus you can bid on all the projects that catches your fancy --- with extra to spare. On the flipside, however, bidding in Guru is much more competitive compared to Elance. There can be more than 100 other service-providers gunning for the same project as you, while Elance's averages from 10-30 depending on the work.

Great features: option to unpublish negative feedback, ability to post multiple profiles for the same job category.

Freelancer (formerly GetAFreelancer)

Freelancer is another active service marketplace offering both free and paid (called Gold Membership) subscriptions. Compared to Elance and Guru, Freelancer just asks for a 3% commission from what you earn if you're a Gold Member ($19.95/month). Jobs in Freelancer (as well as in oDesk below), however, tend to pay lower rates relative to Elance and Guru--- and the competition is much more cutthroat.

A main difference Freelancer has over the first two sites discussed is the ability to work in several categories without having to pay extra. In Elance and Guru, you have to select just one category, say "Web Design" to work on. If you want to bid on other categories, that's an additional fee. Free membership in Freelancer, however, allows you to pick from 25 subcategories of work, while Gold memberships 50 subscategories. Therefore you can be a writer, a web designer and a virtual assistant with just one profile.

oDesk

Unlike Elance, Guru and Freelancer, oDesk doesn't have paid membership options; non-paying and paying members get the same benefits and privileges. This is great for people testing the waters, those who are interested in just the occasional freelance gig, or those who don't want to shell out on monthly memberships. The site does ask, however, for a flat 10% commission on all work done, a higher commission compared to Elance's 6.75-8.75% cut, Guru's 5-10% and Freelancer's 3 percent.

oDesk is another cutthroat bidding site (low-ball bids, lots of competition) --- but there are plenty of jobs to choose from if you don't have a high hourly rate.It's main selling feature: a unique interface that allows buyers to view at any time what you are working on and track hours spent on a task. This feature is a great idea for transparency --- buyers know exactly how much each of their paid time is being spent, and providers know how much exactly they should bill. But of you're the kind of worker who likes to browse random sites and answer IMs while you work, then the oDesk system might not be for you.

Hmm...Are online service marketplaces really for me?

You know what, you're the only one who can answer this question.

The benefit of service auction sites is the convenience of finding projects postings in just one place. The bane of auction sites is that it forces you to present your best offer to buyers --- and most of the time, this means lowering your rates or doing more than the usually do/ hourly rate. You compete with providers all over the world --- so if you're from a first world country, expect to have to compete with a third world provider who can do the same job for less.

Which is not to say that providers with above average rates don't thrive in these marketplaces. Targeted bidding, specialized services, awesome proposals and consistent work quality can get you a reliable above-par income in these sites. You may even function as a team manager, and source and outsource work instead providing direct services.

*Fees and rate are true as of January 3, 2010.

Want more freelancing tips and resources? Visit [http://www.workingfromyourownhome.blogspot.com]http://www.workingfromyourownhome.blogspot.com.

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