Bringing Home the Business: The 30 Truths Every Home Business Owner Must Know [Paperback]

Kim T. Gordon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 6, 2000

The greatest obstacles most home business owners face are making sales and finding new customers while also mastering the challenges of living and working under one roof. In Bringing Home the Business, top home business expert Kim T. Gordon has identified the 30 truths that can make the difference between success and failure in a home-based business and has translated them into action steps business owners can take to increase their success. From formulas for positioning a business and creating an image, to new technologies, Internet marketing strategies and tips for work-at-home parents, straightforward truths are illustrated with real-life stories of successful home business owners in a wide range of fields nationwide. Following each truth is a checklist to keep you focused on your goals.

The structure of the book makes it ideal for busy entrepreneurs, and it presents step by step advice and detailed instructions to help you win more business and live and work successfully under the same roof. Whether you're planning to start a home-based business or have run one for years, by reading just one truth per day, in a month, you'll master a complete course on home business success.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

While no one knows exactly how many Americans operate a home-based business, just about everyone agrees their numbers are legion and growing every day. Unfortunately, most books directed their way are either too elementary or too wide-ranging to be really useful--at least without stacks of supplementary resources. Bringing Home the Business, on the other hand, is both refreshing and valuable because it focuses on just one aspect: getting and keeping customers. Significantly, it also lays everything out in a format busy entrepreneurs can easily peruse and absorb. Kim T. Gordon, a small-office/home-office specialist, divides the advice into 30 essential areas like Manage Lists and Callbacks. Each begins with a succinct "truth," such as "You don't need a staff for contact management; you need the right system." What follows are plenty of relevant details: why contact-management software is helpful and how to select an appropriate program (or develop an effective paper-based tracking system). There's no extraneous information on creating corporate structures or choosing office furniture, just solid recommendations on this critical aspect of establishing and growing a commercial enterprise that happens to be headquartered in the home. --Howard Rothman

From the Author

When I was writing this new book, I understood that time constraints are an ongoing problem for many readers, though you clearly want an in-depth and detailed guide that covers hard to find information (like how many pieces should go into a successful direct mail package). So the "30 Truths" make the book an interesting and easy read, yet it's extremely comprehensive and shows you how to:

> Position your business and create a high-quality image. > Select a unique niche market. > Develop prospect lists, build leads, and write terrific sales letters. > Find time-saving tools and software to streamline your work. > Choose the right strategies and budget for your marketing program. > Create sales and marketing tools that motivate prospects. > Uncover objections and close more sales. > Safely buy advertising and select direct mail lists. > Win referrals and adopt PR tactics that get you noticed. > Use the Internet to market your business. > Positively involve family in your business. > Establish strong personal boundaries and work habits. > Live and work successfully under the same roof.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade; 1st edition (March 6, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039952598X
• ISBN-13: 978-0399525988
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,102,989 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bringing Home the Business, March 9, 2000

By 

A. Cochran "Freelance Writer" (Cabin John, MD) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bringing Home the Business: The 30 Truths Every Home Business Owner Must Know (Paperback)

After reading just a few chapters of this new book, I feel like I found a gem! If I take it slowly and spend some time on each topic, I will feel I have taken a much-needed business course. Although my home-based writing business is relatively successful, it is clear from reading the book that I have a lot to learn and improve upon. However, the author does not condescend or try to impress. In fact, the tone is just right...instructional. The checklists at the end of each chapter are focused and helpful. Many checklist items provide a good way to practice what you are learning. I find the book readable and interesting. I already bought a second one for a friend who recently mentioned the need to pump up her home-based floral design business. She called to tell me she is thrilled with it and is using it to do some strategic planning. I recommend this book highly for anyone who already has a home-based business as well as those considering it.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a helpful, excellent, useful book!, June 11, 2000

By 

Wendy Keller - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bringing Home the Business: The 30 Truths Every Home Business Owner Must Know (Paperback)

Wow! Kim Gordon knows her stuff and she shares it all in this highly informative, even inspiring must-have business book. This lady really covers the skills, strategies, thought processes and mental tools every home based business owner must have. It's a terrific book - I thoroughly recommend it!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I recommend this as a pretty good all-around book, June 29, 2002

By 

Laura A. Palka "lauraannp" (Cleveland, OH) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bringing Home the Business: The 30 Truths Every Home Business Owner Must Know (Paperback)

I found this book to be worth the money, though not the best ever (only because it covers a lot of subjects and therefore had to be rather generalized). It does, however, do an excellent job of summarizing the ideas it does present, and continuallly applying throughout the book the points it has already covered. I especially appreciated the information on how to present your business, particularly how to write your company brochure. This section is worth it in itself. I am a marketing assistant at a marketing communications firm, and I learned quite a lot about how to be outer-directed in presenting information (and used this info in designing two brochures and one web site since). The author does an excellent job of getting her points across and stays very focused on the subject at hand while still keeping the big picture in mind. Really good book.