Today I’m calling on all American Muslims asking that you please participate in the American Muslim Advocacy Survey presented by the DinarStandard, a global research advisory and business media firm committed to positioning the Muslim American market for continued growth and consumer impact. The Muslim market is growing fast, and insha’Allah smart companies will grow more inclusive as they develop and launch products/services, and plan their marketing strategies.

The survey does not take long to complete (around 5 minutes of your time), and the results will be revealed at the American Muslim Consumer Conference, October 29, 2011, and later in an executive summary you can view on the DinarStandard website. You can access the survey HERE and do your part to make sure American companies get to hear our voices and make a greater effort to meet our needs as American consumers, insha’Allah.

Sample Disclosure: I received compensation for this campaign by the ”American Muslim Mom Media Network.” However, the thoughts and opinions of this post are my own.

Today’s post is a short one – I’m passing along some very good information for business owners that regularly offer coupons, promotions and other special offers. A representative of  Work Halal (@workhalal on Twitter) shared this information with entrepreneurial sisters on the Yahoo! Group Work at Home Muslimahs.
If you’re on Twitter, follow @muslimcoupons, and when they follow you back your coupons and  special offers will automatically be retweeted to others within the ummah, masha’Allah. This is a great opportunity to spread the word among the ummah about your business!

Muslimahs Working at Home was created to provide women with a financial alternative to earning an income outside of the home. Our objective is to share resources and tools needed to operate a successful, home-based business.

photo credit: Hotcouponworld.com

If it weren’t for online forums, I’d have very little social interaction – especially when I first started my business back in 2007. My income was detrimental to our family’s survival at this time as my husband’s once thriving business began to fold. Meanwhile I was also caring for four small children under 6 yrs. There wasn’t much time for going out to meet friends.
Building my business was very important to me. I needed the support of others who understood what I was trying to do and could offer advice. I soon found online forms to be an invaluable source of support, advice and business opportunities.

The great thing about forums is that they aren’t just a source of social interaction and business advice. You can find customers on forums too. Many experts refer to this as forum marketing. Many business owners find that forum marketing brings them more sales, but you need a strategy to reap the benefits of this free marketing resource.

Choose Forums the Reach Your Target Market

If you sell handmade jewelry, you’ll want to join forums where the people who want your products hang out. If you sell abayas and hijabs, you’ll have more success targeting forums with fashion forward sisters. The most profitable forums are those that represent your niche or industry.

Set Up an Account

Next step after choosing a forum is setting up an account. You’ll probably be asked to choose a user name. Make it a good one. It should be simple and easy to remember. You’ll also need an avatar. If you have a logo, you can use that, or some other graphic or photo. Avoid offensive or controversial avatars.

Create an Interesting Profile

Create a profile that is interesting to read and lets others know about what’s important to you. Add your contact information in case anyone wants to get in contact with you.

Set up Your Signature

If your account has a signature section at the bottom of your profile, add a tidbit of business info (your SP would be good) along with a link to your website. You can also encourage others to click on your link by sharing special promotions and discounts. Keep it simple and avoid flashy graphics.

Introduce Yourself

Most forums have a section specifically for newbies to introduce themselves to everyone. Take a moment to post an introduction before you start commenting.

Participate Regularly and Sincerely

Make sure you engage others in forum conversation. Share helpful advice and contribute useful information. This is the perfect opportunity for you to establish credibility through your expertise. Don’t jump in and start pitching and selling your product or service to everyone. Work to build relationships and trust first.

Avoid All the Drama

Forums are known for being hotbeds of controversy and conflict. Some arguments are the naturally occurring result of two strong, opposing opinions; others are the result of annoying trolls who get the kicks from showing up on forums stirring up trouble.
Try to avoid participating in controversial topics, don’t jump to respond to criticism, stop your end of the conversation when you notice things becoming heated and remember why you are on the forum in the first place.

Muslimahs Working at Home was created to provide women a financial alternative to earning an income outside of the home. Our objective is to provide women with the resources and tools they need to operate a successful, home-based business.

photo credit: quinn.anya

Every business can benefit from a little public notoriety. After all, if people don’t know about the product or service you’re selling, you won’t be very successful. Some home business owners assume that their business is too small to worry about public relations. If you have an audience of people interested in what you have to offer, then it’s your duty to make them aware of it; make it easier for them to find what you’re selling.

You don’t need to hire some big shot agency or so-called expert to reap the benefits of PR exposure. You can get positive media coverage for your business on your own:
Build a Media List
You’ll need to identify which media outlets you want to target in order to reach your audience. This includes print publications (newspaper, magazines, etc.) radio, news stations, online PR sites, etc. Don’t just list any and every media source you come across. You’ll get a better response if you target those related to what you sell. Think quality over quantity.
Conduct Keyword Research Distributing Online Press Releases
If you don’t optimize your press releases by including the most searched for keywords/keyword phrases in the content, you won’t get the attention you’re seeking. Include keywords in the title of your press release, at least three times within the body of the content and in one subheading.
Show How Well You Solve Problems
I’m just going to be brutally honest here – no one cares as much about you and the product or service you sell as they do about how you can solve their problems. Make THAT the focus of your press releases and other corresponding content.

photo credit: opensourceway

You knit, crochet, sew, paint, make jewelry or are otherwise crafty and creative. People have been telling you forever that you should sell the items you make. It’s not such a farfetched idea. Lots of people have turned their passion for crafts into successful businesses. But before you put up your “open for business” sign, ask yourself a few key questions to ensure that you’re truly on a profitable path:
Are There People Willing to Pay for My Products?
The best way to determine this is by conducting market research. If you belong to a hobbyist group poll them about your idea. Utilize your local library and learn everything you can about finding an audience interested in your creations.
Can I Generate Enough Profit to Make a Living?
This is especially important if you expect the income generated from your sales to cover basic living expenses. It’s also important even if you’ll only be selling your crafts as a side gig – you’ll still need to make sure you generate enough to me your projected goal.
Your pricing will play a big role here. His is the tricky part. Charles Toftoy, associate professor of management science at George  Washington University say pricing a product for sale is “part art and part science.” There are so many different pricing strategies and you want to avoid underpricing and overpricing. Underpricing will negatively affect your bottom line, and overpricing can lead to decreased sales.
Most pricing formulas involve the amount of time spent making the product and cost of materials. Learn more about pricing strategies at…

What is the Most Economical Way for Me to Distribute My Product?

Should you set up a shop, share space at a local bazaar, rent a table at the weekend flea market, craft show or sell online via etsy or your own website?

How Much Do I Need to Get Started?
This will depend on whether or not you need office equipment, special resource books, materials, money for craft fairs, money to create a website, business cards, etc. Make a list of every single thing you’ll need to get started, no matter how insignificant you think it is.
Do I Know Enough About Operating a Business?
Do you understand the basics of creating a business and marketing plan? Conducting market research? How to figure out how much capital you’ll need to get started, and profit projections for the next ear two years, five years and longer? Learn about business operations by conducting your own research or consider taking a continuing education course at your local college.

photo credit: urban farmgirl

When you are selling a product or service, you need to know exactly who you’re reaching out to. Some business owners try reaching out to anyone and everyone. They believe  this is the best way to net the most profit.
When I talk to my clients about narrowing in on their target market instead of trying to be everything to everyone, I’m sometimes faced with quite a bit of resistance. The biggest fear I hear repeated is that doing so will negatively affect bottom-line profitability.
The formula that seems to make the most sense to many business owners is: market to everyone to make the most money. Marketing experts argue that by aiming your product or service to a specific group of consumers, you’ll be able to send a much more personable, clear message about why what you’re selling is beneficial and delivers the most value.
Promoting a product or service to your target market is a lot like showing your ideal customer/client exactly why the product or service you provide is right for them.
So how do you identify your target market?
Start by describing your ideal customer/client with as much detail as possible. Answer questions like:

• Is your target market male or female?
• What age/age group?
• Where are they located? Does geography matter?
• What do they do for a living?
• What is the income bracket? (this info is important if you sell high-end, luxury items)

These are very basic questions to consider. You’ll want to dig deeper and ask questions specific to your type of business (for instance, if you sell organic gardening products or supplies, many in your target market probably own homes).
Years ago the accepted standard marketing advice was to target consumers within the ages of 18-49. This information is now outdated because the current marketplace is so fragmented. The general approach just doesn’t work as well. Consumers fall into categories based on socio-economic status, gender, geography, religion, lifestyle and various other factors which must be considered. Also keep in mind that today’s consumer has a pretty good understanding of marketing tactics and may resist being lumped into a general category. Zeroing in on your target market can take more time and effort, but the bottom-line results  are worth it.
photo credit: Martin Cathrae