WAHM Help for your Fellow Work at Home Mom

My name is Marie. I am a work at home mom of 3 and I run and operate the Mommy Community. Running an online business takes some planning. It is not smart to assume that you can just build a website and expect that just because it is up and running that visitors will automatically come and you will make lots of money. In my opinion, people build websites for the following reasons: for profit, for fun or both.

I initially built my first WAHM resource site to direct more traffic to my other sites where I actually sell products. After a few months of promoting my resource site in the hopes of generating traffic to my other sites, I realized it was getting more popular than my other sites. I added a few perks to my resource site - message boards, articles/features and directories and before I knew it, I was generating some income from my WAHM resource site - something that I had not intended on. It has generated more traffic to my other sites as well. So for me, it is a win-win. I have had my site up for 1 year now and I have learned so much. Mind you, I had no previous experience in building websites and online marketing.

I have met so many other work at home moms like myself, made friends and learned so much from them. I understand how it can be hard to make it BIG online and so I have taken it upon myself to make it my goal to help promote and encourage work at home moms. Why do I do it? First - because it gives me a great sense of fulfillment, meaning and purpose. Second, it helps me earn some FUN money - I say FUN because - although it is not a lot, I get to earn money so I can use it for whatever purpose I wish. Lastly, I enjoy it. I love helping others because I believe it does me some good too.

If you are thinking of setting up a WAHM resource site as well, here are some things that I have learned and thought I would share:

- It is more cost effective if you learned how to build the website yourself. I didn't have any background on building sites. I started with a web host with a site builder - really easy to use but is quite limiting. I since have learned to build a site on my own using basic HTML. I do all updates myself - I do not have to worry about paying someone to do it for me.

- You can start your resource site with little money - start with a web host that offers a free site, later on, when you have more traffic and more experience building your site, you can transfer your site. I suggest purchasing a good domain name though - something that can easily be remembered and has a positive impact and choose one that makes sense with what your site will be about.

- Offer FREE stuff to your visitors - this will keep them coming back. This can be free advertising, articles, e-books, or promo items. Keep on updating your site - keep it FRESH. This will also help generate more traffic to your site.

- Do your research before you jump in. Do not be afraid to adapt what seems to work for other similar sites. If it ends up not working for you, change it a bit and then give it another go.

- Promote, promote, promote. Join discussion groups. Don't just post ads. Give and ask for insights, opinions and advise. Build relationships with other group members. They will become regular visitors to your site.

- Do not expect to get rich on just having a resource site. Work hard and work smart in promoting your site and what you have to offer and you can generate some kind of income - initially, enough to at least cover for your web hosting.

- Partner up - do not be afraid to ask others to partner up with you. It does not have to be forever - it could be for a certain project or time period. Promote them and they will do the same for you. Two heads are better than one - It will do you more good than you think.

- Expect to spend some money too - you need to spend money to make money. Some expenses to expect are web hosting, advertising (online/offline), and postage. Advertise online and off-line. Host an event or give something away - remember, you may be spending some money now but in time you'll earn it back - even double.

- Lastly, BELIEVE in yourself. Do not give up so easily. It can take anywhere from 3 months to even a year to be where you want to be. It just needs dedication and hard work and major promotions - online and offline. I would be lying if I say that it is EASY. If you truly believe you can help other WAHMs, while generating a steady income - your mind will find ways for you to achieve it.

Some things that have worked for me in terms of generating income are:

- Offering affordable fee-based memberships. Make sure to make your benefits attractive. This generates a steady income.

- Host events where people can sign up and pay to become an exhibitor. Although this requires a lot of planning, the hard work does pay off.

- Offer affordable advertising in your site. Another option is to accept barter instead of cash. I have earned most of my Christmas presents doing this not to mention - it is a lot of fun that I get to try so many different products without having to spend the cash for it.

It is doable. I am just like any other work at home mom - perhaps just a tad bit more dedicated, I do not easily give up. If you are just starting or have already started with your resource site, come and visit my site - Mommy Community (http://www.mommycommunity.com) - I offer lots of FREE advertising opportunities for work at home moms. Feel free to send me an email if you need any advise. I'd be happy to help out as much as I can.

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