Time and time again people believe they can start up a home business with little planning or research. The ending result is a failed online home business within a month or less. Here are 7 aspects to avoid when conducting your home business.

1. Not researching the market – When you start an online home business, it is vital that you do market research prior to starting the business AND during the process. You need to know what products have public appeal and what marketing methods draw in customers more than others.

2. Poor time management – When you run a home business, you have the power to create your own schedule and work whenever you wish to. The problem is many end up taking more free time than they do working on their business. There are hundreds of reasons not to work and plenty of distractions at home and online too, but you have to learn to manage your time effectively. One example of poor time management is spending too much time on online discussion forums, aimlessly browsing from topic to topic.

3. Customer service – In an online home business it is much more difficult to get new customers than it is to get return customers. 80 percent of your business will come from 20 percent of your client base, so make sure you leave your customers satisfied and wanting more. Always answer emails in a timely fashion. If customer becomes too much to handle,

4. Not adequately promoting the business – While it is difficult to get new customers, it certainly is not impossible if you put in the effort. Your business is only as good as the amount of time you put into it. Some businesses can promote themselves, but a majority of home businesses require you to put in the time to reach the market and promote your business.

5. Spending too frequently – Starting a home business can become expensive, but there are many expenses you can get around. Too many people end up spending more than they can afford to get the business going. For instance, instead of buying the most expensive scanner, go with a cheaper model. Until you have steady revenue coming in, watch your budget carefully.

6. Passivity – When starting a home business there is no room for passivity. If you are not a leader, then it may be best for you to go and work for someone else. When running an online home business you write the business plan, sell the product and market it as well, so you have to be willing to take chances to get your business going. Like offline businesses, that means investing time AND cash.

7. Not asking for help – As mentioned, there are multiple tasks you are responsible for when running the online home business. If you are in need of help, don’t be afraid to ask for some. If you don’t ask for help all that will happen is that you will get stressed out and end up making poor decisions. Online discussion forums are a great place to get your questions answered although avoid spending too much time there as outlined in step 2.

There are several things that can halt the development of your home business, but they can be avoided. By being aware of these pitfalls, you will have a better chance at running a successful online home business.