Home Base Business Ideas and Tips

Babies Ceramic Hand and Foot Print Business Offers Great Flexiblilty

2011-06-20T15:56:00.000-07:00

This ceramic hand and foot print business is an ideal home business for moms, women, men and families. It offers great flexiblility whereby you can create your own work schedule that is right for you and your family. You can work part time or full time. The choice is yours. It all depends on how much you want to work and how much money you want to make.

This business allows you to set up your appointments when it works best for you. If for example, your kids are in school 3 days a week, then this would be the perfect time for you to schedule doing your clay imprints at the schools and site you want to. If you are taking the prints at your home, then you might want to do this while your kids are there and complete your work when they are in bed or at after school activities. You can schedule your business when it works for you and your family.

We know from personal experience that this is a year round business so that if you want to take a family vacation you can. Just let your clients know that you will be taking appointments when you get back. We took summer vacations every year with our family, and came back to clients that waited for their prints. Your clientel understands the value of family time and will wait for you to return.

The beauty of this baby and children's clay handprint business allows you the freedom and flexiblity to choose your days and time that you want to work. If you choose to only take appointments on certain days, you can do this. Again, it is up to you. You choose how much time you want to put into your buisness. If your kids are young and you want to spend more time with them perhaps you only want to work a few hours a week. Then when you want to work more you can. Your business is set up, it's running well and you are ready to expand.

No matter what you choose, this business is an excellent home business for moms, women and families just like yourself because you are able to work from home, create beautiful keepsakes for families and make a difference in your own income. Whether you want to make just a little extra income or make it your main source of income, the choice is yours and you are able to decide. This is one of the true benefits of owning your own successful kids and family clay handprint business. This is truly a heartfelt business that is good for your heart and wallet too. For information on our training program visit us at www.pawprintsmb.com

Are You Dreaming of Owning Your Own Baby & Family Clay Handprint Business?

2011-05-04T09:04:00.000-07:00

If you have always dreamed of owning your own baby and family ceramic clay handprint business we have a few tips for you. Be passionate about this vision of yours. Realize that this business will take work and you will need to follow through with your committment to build your own successful business that will be here for you year after year. Be the person that is responsible for all that this business entails. Have fun with it and at the same time be realistic about it as well. While experience will come with training and doing, being the kind of person that likes to be your own boss and make your own decisions is a major element needed to be in business for yourself.

Committ yourself to your business and take the right steps to grow it the right way. Know that Rome wasn't built in a day. Build your business slowly and grow with it. If you are pressured by needing to grow your business fast because of financial need it will only apply pressure on you and make it more difficult. Take it slowly so that you are able to make the right decisions and have a schedule that works for you and your family. If you work an job currently, keep it and work on your new business at night or hours your kids are sleeping or in your off hours. Make it comfortable for yourself to concentrate on your new venture.

You don't need to spend tons of money on advertising and such. Personalized networking in this business speaks volumes and will help your business grow. Be able to sell yourself and and talk to everyone about your business. Give everyone your business card and speak up about yourself.

Just talking to people and being enthusiastic will get people interested and excited for you.

If you like working with kids, families, and pets and you are a friendly person that is a self starter and you like working with your hands creating keepsakes for families then this can be the ideal business for you. There is definitely a market for baby handprints and we all know that parents spend money on their kids. Do something your love that allows you to make money at the same time. Be accoutable to yourself and your business. Doing so will allow you to build your own successful business that you have dreamed of owning.

Knowing The Right Time To Start Your Own Clay Handprint Home Business

2011-03-21T17:21:00.000-07:00

If you are a stay-at-home mom wanting to have your own business you might be asking yourself when is the right time to start your business. Surprisingly. right now might be the perfect time to set up your own clay handprint business because you can create your own working schedule that fits your lifestyle and your families.

This children's ceramic handprint business is a year round business and parents spend money on their babies and kids regardless of the economy. When we train moms and women to have their own handprint business, we always suggest to them to start small and grow with their business. You don't need a storefront. You are able to start right from your home, in your garage, a shed or extra room in your home.

One of the benefits of this business is that it allows you to create a flexible schedule that works for you and your family. For example, if your children are in school on specific mornings, then that might be a perfect time to set your appointments or work on your prints that need tending to. When I first started my business I would get up early before my daughter and work on my prints then. Also, I worked in the evening. When my family's schedule changed, I could manage and change my time to my liking and needs.

I wanted to be a stay at home mom, make some money and at the same time do something that I felt really good about. Making these baby hand and foot prints was something that I knew would last the test of time and had meaning as well. The joy of this business was not only the people that I met and built relationships with, but, realizing that I could indeed do this business because of the flexibility it offered me. Plus, it was creative, fun and profitable.

I realized that I could make my own schedule and hours that were comfortable for me. Being able to be a stay at home mom with my daughter and having a business that I loved was the icing on the cake for me. So, if you are a mom that wants to be in business for yourself, this baby handprint business might be the ideal home business for you to start now. The flexibility that this business offers allows you to create a balance that works for you and your family while at the same time brings you extra income.

Now is the right time for you to have your own home based business. You will have flexibility, passion and heart for what you do, and you will be making money too. It's a winning combination.

A Business with Heart.. A fun story of Hedy and Ross

2011-02-03T16:43:00.000-08:00

Many of our clients know our business of Pawprints. For over 35 years now we have taken clay hand and footprints for baby's, kids, families and pets as well as we have trained women and men to have their own successful clay handprint business. What many of you don't know is how we started this business.

Ross and I were potters and came to Morro Bay to open up a clay studio. When our friends started having babies because we worked in clay we started making making clay hand and foot impressions for them as gifts from our heart. We never even thought about the potential of having a handprint business. We truly just made these for gifts.

However, when our friends friends saw their baby handprints they too wanted them. We all of a sudden were overwhelmed at how many people were calling and wanting to come in and have their kids ceramic impressions taken and how many inquiries we had from stay at home moms wanting this very business for themselves.

Virtually this business happened over night. What started as a gift from our heart, led us to branching out our pottery business to also marketing these kids handprints. We immediately saw the writing on the wall. This was a way for us to add a real "bread and butter" product to our pottery line. We realized that families always spend money on their kids and these hand and footprints that we were making made a real positive difference in our income overnight. This was a part of our business that was not only profitable, but, it was fun. Plus,we were making wonderful lifetime keepsakes for families that had incredible value and would keep growing in value with years to come. The most fun was that these families were so happy to have to have us make these prints for them.

Most of our clients think that we came to town and opened up our clay handprint business. Not so.. we came to Morro Bay to have a working ceramic studio and teach pottery. We never even imagined that we would have a business that was good for our hearts and wallet too. How fortunate for us. We are so appreciative that we have found a way to create our pottery, make hand and footprints for families. This handprint business changed our lives and has allowed us to live in this beautiful seaside community of Morro Bay, California.

Managing Your Time With Your Clay Handprint Business

2011-01-08T08:35:00.000-08:00

Having your own business merits you many benefits. One huge benefit is that this clay handprint business allows you to stay at home and create a very flexible work schedule for you and your family. What you want to do is plan your time well and this entails organization and being responsible.

Managing your time will help you achieve all your goals with the setting up and running of your new home business. Create a schedule that will work for you. If your free mornings are on certain days of the week, keep that time open for your business. If you take your kids to pre-school, after you drop them off this would be a great time to make your appointments with your clients. Scheduling will be easy. You can schedule your appointments one after the other on days that work for you. You can visit your sites as well on the days that your kids are in school. You can be done with all your appointments in time to pick up your kids and get them lunch or take them to their soccer games, etc. When they nap is another time to get some work done that needs to be tended to. At night might be a great time as well to get to work on your prints and paperwork. Your kids are sleeping and there is a period of quiet time for you to have to get things in order and complete your day's work on your clay handprints.

Make sure you take some time for yourself and well as your kids during the day. You don't want all work and no play or rest for yourself. This hand and footprint business truly allows you to have a very flexible work schedule that works best for you and your family. Like anything else to be successful, it does take a daily work plan. However, with a plan that you create to fit your own schedule it will be easy to stick to, plus this business is fun and profitable too.

More on Growing your Baby Footprint and Handprint Ceramic Business

2010-12-29T19:01:00.000-08:00

There are many avenues to market your baby clay handprint business. One way to find new clients is to do baby and kids fairs and craft shows. These shows can be excellent ways to market your product as well as take your prints right at the show. You are able to find out about the locations of the shows by searching on line as well as contacting your local chamber of commerce and recreation departments. Often times these birth and baby fairs, craft shows and kids fairs are sponsored by your local moms groups, community groups and hospitals.

The benefits of doing these shows are many. It gives you a chance to meet new clients and introduce and show your product. It is always a good idea to have a brochure with all your current contact information as well as sample pictures of your clay handprint and footprints. Have your prices next to your pictures and make it easy for your customers to see what they are buying and how much it costs. Giving your clients a discount coupon for their order is always a good incentive for them to buy. Plus, it helps your business as well.

Taking prints at the show is a true benefit. While you are meeting new clients you have those customers that are wanting prints that day. Taking a clay handprint will generate interest from the crowd and this usually encourages others to get their child's prints done as well. You might want to offer those taking prints the day of the show a discount to show appreciation for their business. This discount may also encourage them to purchase more prints for other family members. It is a win-win situation. You are making money and your clients are happy.

This clay handprint business is a year round business with unlimited potential. Doing these craft and baby fairs is an excellent way to add new clients to your business and it can be very profitable and fun too.

Growing your Ceramic Handprint Business Step-by-Step

2010-12-10T10:07:00.000-08:00

Once you have your ceramic handprint training program you are ready to start practicing making your hand and foot prints and at the same time start developing your network of resources to market them to. It is one thing to know how to make a beautiful product, but, you must market your product to make yourself an income. There are several ways to find avenues to market yourself. First, of course is to let all your family and friends know that you are now in the clay hand and foot print business. Make a few samples of your friends babies and children's handprints and give them to them. They will show them to their friends and you will be amazed at how word of mouth will work for you. Be sure to have cards and brochures with pictures of your samples. Have all your contact information on the front page that can be read easily. No need to spend lots of money on printing. You can do this on your home computer and get them printed at a copy shop. A good idea is to contact your local Chamber of Commerce and local newspaper to let them know about you as well. Look up online local mom's groups and contact them. Let them know that you are now in business and would like to network with them. Networking with local mom's groups, community groups and local businesses will be helpful with building your business. Successful marketing takes time and energy. Being accountable to all you clients and new markets will build a loyal base for you year after year. More on marketing on our next blog.

Building Loyal Customers For Your Clay Handprint Business

2010-11-21T19:34:00.000-08:00

Builiding loyal customers is the key to repeat business. What has allowed us in part to have our business for the past 36 years is the excellent customer service we offer our families that have their kids clay handprints made. We are now creating handprints for second generations. We have built our business by making each client feel special. It is our policy to let each family know how much we appreciate their business and to take time with them. We do special things for our clients. For instance, we gift wrap every gift certficate and take the time to personalize each one. We have customers come back for these baby gifts just because of the unique handmade gift wrap that we do. If a parent isn't sure how the print is going to look, we take the time to draw the hands on paper in different ways so they can choose what they want. This way they can see it and this gives them a choice. We often will take a late appointment for those clients that work all day and want their family to come with them in the evening. We offer a discount on large orders. This is always helpful to their wallets. We go out of our way to personalize our business to show our clients that they are most important to us. Being good to your clients is what will have them be coming back to you year after year. Go the extra mile, spoil them and you will create loyal customers for generations.

How we started our ceramic handprint business.

2010-11-18T14:30:00.000-08:00

When Ross and I came to Morro Bay, we opened up our pottery studio. That was in January 1974. We made our living by making functional pottery items and one-of-a-kind Raku and stoneware sculpture pieces. We showed in galleries nationwide and also did many local shows.

When our friends began to have babies, we made them clay hand and footprints of their newborns for gifts. Our business of making baby prints started as a gift from our heart. When their friends saw these prints, they called us and wanted them as well. We made them for everyone who wanted one. Soon thereafter, mostly moms and women asked us if we would train them to have their own baby ceramic handprint business.

We knew how making these baby impressions for families had changed our lives with regard to a financial reward. After much thought, we decided that it would be to our benefit and others as well to start training moms to have their own business making clay hand prints. We have been making these handprints for over 30 years and have been training stay-at-home moms and families for over 25 years now.

We are currently making these hand and footprints for second generation families. This is a business that has kept growing year by year and decades for Ross and I. It's one that is heartwarming, fun, and profitable for us and we still enjoy it.

A story about Hedy and Ross

2010-11-18T11:02:00.000-08:00

Hedy and Ross have been important to me, even though we don't really know each other very well. They have been clients, off and on, but more meaningful to me is that they have been friends in the little ways that count. Here's a true story that tells a lot about them.

About 4 years ago, my Dad died. He was 86 and had a good life, but that doesn't make it feel any better to me, and I know many of you have been there, so you know what I mean. Somehow, I ended up telling Hedy and Ross about it and I guess I was feeling pretty sad and showing it. Anyhow, what they did next is something that I will carry with me forever.

Dad wanted to be cremated, so I dutifully executed his will, and scattered part of his ashes on his and Mom's homestead in the Arizona White Mountains. That left me with part of his ashes and I needed a place to keep them. Hedy and Ross instantly offered to make an urn, and in fact they basically just herded me into their studio at the Full Moon Gallery and went to work.

As I watched Ross shape that pot and lid, I could see the skill earned by throwing 10,000 pots turning a lump of white clay into a beautiful vessel in what seemed like seconds, though it must have been minutes. Hedy's deep blue glaze (Dad's favorite color: he liked "any color car as long as it was blue") and inscription put the finish on it. That finished urn Hedy and Ross gave to me is an act of kindness for someone they didn't know all that well, but it really matters to me.

So, that blue urn is in sight in my house and I think of Dad when I see it. And you now know why I will always carry Hedy and Ross with me.

Key Elements for A Successful Business

2010-11-12T18:40:00.000-08:00

We know from 36 years of being in the ceramic handprint business how important 3 key elements are to our success. They are first, having a quality product that you believe in. Second is marketing, and third is customer service. All have equal value.

You want to be accountable for your work and make sure you are producing a product of quality...one that you will feel good about putting your name on. Pay attention to the detail. Don't skip steps that effect the quality. Make your product to the best of your ability. Give your client the value of what they are paying for so you will feel good about it and so will they.

Marketing is your key to selling your product. Know who your potential clients will be and target market there. In our clay handprint training program and our local clay handprint business our market is families. Most mom's have a network of friends at their fingertips. This would be a great place to start networking. i.e. You are reading our facebook page. This is one place for moms and families to find out about our business.

Your customer service will come back to you ten fold. In our business we say there are "no problems, only solutions. Do whatever it takes to make your client's happy. If you need to refund their money, do so. If you need to remake the product, remake it. Do whatever it takes to make your customer feel that they are most important, because they are. Be sure to thank them and let them know how much you appreciate their business. This is done so rarely in today's fast paced business world.

Using these key elements daily will help you to have a successful and rewarding business. You will be proud of your product and work, your marketing skills and your excellent customer service that you offer your clients. With these key elements in place, your clients will come back to you for generations. We know this from personal experience. We are now taking clay handprints of second generations of families. It feels good for our heart and our pocketbook too.

Check Out our new Facebook Welcome page!

2010-11-11T14:13:00.000-08:00

You can keep up with news, events and new opportunities from Pawprints and generate ideas for your own successful home-based business!

Click here to check us out on facebook and dont't forget to 'like' our page for all the latest news!

Making baby clay handprints.. An Ideal Home Business for Stay at Home Moms

2010-11-07T18:08:00.000-08:00

Making clay hand and footprints for babies and children is an ideal home business for stay at home moms. This business will allow you to make money and have fun creating life time keepsakes for families and friends. You are able to work from home and create your own flexible work schedule that is comfortable for you and your family.

We know from 36 years of being in this business how rewarding and profitable it can be. We are now doing second generations. This business builds on it's own year after year. Everyone wants one. Parents always spend money on their babies and kids as well as their pets. These ceramic hand and foot prints are easy to make and market. Once your friends see them they want them too.

This is a proven home business opportunity perfect for moms and families that is easy to learn with our learn at home or personalized training. http://www.pawprintsmb.com/

FBML

2010-10-25T22:37:00.001-07:00

Choosing the Right Company to Train With For your Baby Handprint Craft Business: Getting the Perfect Fit For You.

2008-08-12T19:15:00.000-07:00

Congratulations! You’re ready to start your own baby handprint craft business. You have decided you want a hands-on training experience or a Learn In Your Own Home training program to jumpstart your business. Just how do you find the right company and the right fit for you to train with? Based on our 35 plus years of having our own business here are some pointers to help you choose the right fit. Ask yourself these questions.

1. What kind of experience do the trainers have?

2. How long have they been in business and how long have they been training for? Do they have testimonials from past clients?

3. Are they experts in their field? Do they have a complete knowledge and understanding of this business and the materials/equipment used for this particular business? You want them have full knowledge and more. You might want them to be certified teachers in their field of expertise.

4. How many people do they train at one time? Is this one-on-one training or are you being trained with a large group? Will your hands-on training be personalized and geared toward your needs? Is their training schedule flexible so that it fits your time frame or theirs?

5. If this is a Learn in your home training program do they take you step-by-step and leave nothing unanswered? Will they share all their trade secrets with you, or are you getting an “abridged” quick version? You want them to be able to “jumpstart” your business and your learning curve, plus share all their knowledge.

6. Do they have complete materials and equipment supply list and a national suppliers list where you can purchase them? Will they help you with this and advise you on purchasing your materials?

7. Do they offer a business plan, tips on customer service, a marketing plan and technical support? Is their technical support personalized or when you contact them are you talking to a different person each time? How complete are their business and marketing plans? Are they based on tried and true experience and it is a proven path to success? Do they show you the same steps they use in their business everyday?

8. Do they offer step-by-step instructional methods that are backed up with resource materials such as a professionally made DVD or video and comprehensive manual for you to use as a resource whenever needed. Are these resource materials easy to follow and read with clear and concise instructions so that your learning process will be easy and fun to do?

9. Are they members of the Better Business Bureau, business and professional groups? Will they be here for you when you need them to be?

Once you ask yourself these questions, call and personally talk to the people behind the company. Have them answer all your questions. Remember always, there are no “silly" questions. Every question you have about starting your new business venture is important. An experienced businessor crafts person will know this and will be able to answer all your questions as well as want to put you at ease.

Follow your gut response and your instinct. Do you feel comfortable talking with them? Do you get a “good read” from them? Do you trust them and trust they truly will be here for you when you need them to be? Are they easy to talk to? Do you feel like they know their craft and know it better than their competitor? You want them to.

The bottom line in finding the right team to work with and getting that perfect fit for you is to trust your instincts and do your homework. Now, you will be better prepared and will know you have the right team to help you attain your goal of learning your craft well and having a successful baby hand print craft business. This is the relationship you want with your team. One that is built on trust, knowledge, and experience. These elements make for a perfect fit and winning combination.

Don't "Miss A Moment" with your own baby handprint home based business

2008-01-13T18:01:00.000-08:00

Be there for all the unforgettable events!

Create your own Flexible Schedule. Owning your own home-based business clay hand print business gives you the flexibility to make your own schedule; one that is comfortable for you and your family. When you're kids need you to be there, you can be! Rather than regretting missing their first play or soccer game, you have the freedom to arrange your work schedule and appointments so that you can be there and cheer them on. You never have to worry about whether they are getting all the TLC that they need when they catch a cold from their friends, with this baby hand print home business you are always able to make room in your schedule to fix them some warm soup and hold them when they are feeling down.

Enjoy family trips! Missing a family event or just being unable to get away with your spouse and the kids because of a work schedule is always disappointing. Fortunately with a home based business, you have the freedom and power to schedule your work and appointments around your vacation plans. Plus, the Internet also allows you to take any work you might need to tend to on the road with you while you and your family enjoy a well deserved escape. Owning your own home based business allows you to determine how, when and where you will enjoy your next family trip.

Make your kids' schedules a priority! Working 9 to 5 is no longer an oblisgation. Whether you want to work in the early morning, late into the evening, or dispersed throughout the day, a home based business allows you to make your own schedule. You'll no longer have to ask for time off fo work to take your kids to their playdates, sports practises, and extracurricular events- you merely work your schedule around theirs. Never miss a moment again! You will not be able to count the number of wonderful memories you will have at all your children's important moments. Having this clay handprint home based business will allow you to experience all the joys and memories of your family that you would not want to miss for the world.

Benefits of this Ceramic Baby Hand Print Business

2007-11-18T19:42:00.000-08:00

The benefits of this clay handprint business are many. It is a perfect fit for mom's wanting to raise their income while they stay at home with their children. This business can be creative, flexible, fun and profitable. Plus, with our two training options, it's easy to learn. These ceramic handprints are the perfect family gift and keepsake. Everyone wants one.

This ceramic baby hand print business allows you to set your own hours, work from home, and take your business to your clients. No storefront is needed. Your start up costs are low. The learn at home training program is $849.00 and delivered right to your door step. This includes our step-by-step instruction DVD and comprehensive manual. Our in studio personalized 3 day, 12 hour, one-to-one hands on training program is $6000.00. Plus, both training programs come with personalized technical support.

Because we are not a franchise, there are no royalty or franchise fees. You are able to run your business as you wish. The best part of this baby handprint business is these ceramic impressions sell themselves and generate repeat business. Our 34 years of being in this business will jumpstart your business by decades. No experience in clay is necessary, and we show you how you can do this! The families and kids are a great clientele to work with. With our instruction, business plan, and marketing plan, we show you how to successfully get your baby and children's clay handprint business successfully up and running.

Building Your Ceramic Handprint Business Slow and Steady

2007-09-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

The beauty of this ceramic handprint business is that you are able to start small and grow your business at a pace that is right for you. You are able to build your business from your local resources, family, friends, networking, and word of mouth. As you branch out to marketing your self to preschools and daycares you will be making more money. As you make more you can invest more and buy more as you go.

By starting small you will be able to organize your business: get your cards and brochures out. These can be inexpensive. You can make your own or have an inexpensive copy and print shop do them for you inexpensively. In addition, you can team up with other businesses in related fields to create good relationships with and network with them. You don't need to spend lots on advertising. You will be surprised at how word of mouth and putting your cards out in the community will bring you business. Just having one person see these baby handprints will generate more business for yourself.

Choosing a Home Base Business

2007-08-30T09:33:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of thought that goes into selecting a home base business idea that is right for you....

In general, many people consider how much money they want to make, what they have experience at, and what they enjoy. It is always wise to focus on what you enjoy - since that would bring the most satisfaction to you and your family.

We offer a proven successful baby handprint business opportunity that is creative and fun to do, has great training, and the potential for great profit. Ours is a simple business package that paves the road to success! We offer two training options: our easy to follow Home Study Program, or our personalized in studio training.

HOW I GOT STARTED:

When I started out my ceramic business I had to consider:

Would I enjoy this work?
Would I be able to make a living at this?
How would I be able to market myself?
Would my schedule be flexible so that I would be able to be home with my daughter?

Making these ceramic baby handprints allowed me to have a flexible schedule to set my own hours, work from my home and studio, meet truly nice people, and have time for my family as well. It has proven to be very profitable, fun, and rewarding in all ways.

This baby and children's handprint business has been a win-win situation for myself and my family. This business allows me the freedom to spend quality time with my family, and make money at the same time, as well as continue to make my ceramic sculptures. Plus, I love making these ceramic impressions for families! They are personalized handmade keepsakes that they treasure for a lifetime and more!