If you want to start and build a successful online home based business, you will need more than just a great idea and the desire to succeed, you will need all of the right tools in place that are proven to be necessary for a home-based business. Now a great thing about starting an online home based business is that you can do it for relatively cheap and you can run it month-to-month on very little money, so there is no excuse for not getting started if you have the desire to do it and become successful.Since there is no formal training for aspiring online business owners out there, let’s take a look at four of the most important steps you have to take in order to start and build your home-based business to be as successful as it can be.Step 1 – Start creating a list of potential customersFrom day one, you should get yourself an autoresponder email service and start building a list of potential customers. This ensures that anybody who visits your business and looks for more information will be exposed to the same email sequence that you design to be sent automatically in order to sell them your products.Step 2 – Start communicating with those on your listCreate an email campaign that is personal and makes each customer feel as if they are on the top of your list of priorities. Great ways to ensure each new subscriber feels special is to use their name in the email’s title and throughout the body of the email. This is a technique that is not used as often as it should be, but is extremely effective in building good customer relationships.Step 3 – Learn how to drive the most people to your listThere are many ways to advertise and drive targeted prospects to your online business, your goal should be to try out some techniques, see what works best for you, and then apply it on a much larger scale.Step 4 – Find out what your list wants and create the solutions for themOnce you start driving people to signup for your list, simply ask them what they need and/or want, then go out and create products to fulfill these needs. This is a great way to build business and over time people will be asking for a solution and you can send them directly to your product page.
Obtaining an Online Child Care Education
Working directly with children in a professional setting requires some form of educational training. Students that are interested in obtaining an online child care education have several training options to choose from. Online colleges and universities provide students with educational opportunities at every level of education to prepare them for a career.
Education provides students with the skills to care for infants and young children inside child care clinics, preschools, and individual homes. Specific child care degree programs are only offered at the certificate and associate’s degree level of education. Further educational study at the bachelor’s and master’s degree level is available in early childhood education or child development programs. Education allows students to step into teaching and management positions. Graduate training at the doctorate level of education allows students to function as administrators or work as professors.
Students that can’t dedicate time to a full associate’s degree can work through a certificate program. Most colleges require students to complete 15 to 30 credit hours of schooling to complete a program. Depending on the college chosen education may last anywhere from six to twelve months. Inside a program student’s examine child care practices in regards to development and they learn first aid procedures for children and infants. Psychology, basic nutrition, and behavioral observation are major courses taken online.
Child care management certificate programs are also available for students that desire to enter careers in administration. Students study how to effectively communicate with children and their parents. Nutrition, safety, and discipline are three main areas explored in a management program. Child development is also highly focused on. Common coursework includes topics on special needs care, child abuse identification, child discipline, and education for young children. Further education at the associate’s degree level is the best option for students seeking entry-level careers.
Training at the associate’s degree level prepares students to deal with numerous aspects pertaining to discipline and education. Some online schools and colleges may offer students concentrations, which may include director, pre-school, and infant child care. Some specific online courses could include:
- Child Psychology
- Working with Parents
- Child Guidance
Students will learn the practices needed to establish a satisfying career. Inside discipline courses students will learn the different styles in regards to the strengths and weaknesses of using each. Appropriate disciplinary actions are covered as well as industry tested punishment procedures. Students also cover the five domains of child development and how to positively increase those areas through child care education.
Online students need to be aware that the industry requires hands-on experience to graduate from a program. Students will need to seek out supervised training from the school they are attending or one in their hometown. This restriction is put in place to give students practical experience before they enter a career. Students learn to put their knowledge to the test when directly working with children in a care setting.
Students have several accredited online child care degree programs that they can complete. The National Childcare Accreditation Council ( http://www.ncac.gov.au/ ) can accredit the schools and colleges that offer the best training and meet all requirements for providing a quality education. Learn how to work with young children and their parents by starting education today.
DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERIC OUTLINE and may or may not depict precise methods, courses and/or focuses related to ANY ONE specific school(s) that may or may not be advertised at PETAP.org.
Copyright 2010 – All rights reserved by PETAP.org.
Buying and Selling Real Estate Laws in Portugal
Buying and selling property is always tricky, whether you’re a legal resident, buying a vacation home, timeshare, office building or simply investing in the Portuguese real estate market, buying or selling is always an adventure in bureaucracy. As with your home country, there are regulations, requirements and rules to consider. Murphy’s Law holds that anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
Knowing the ropes, due diligence and expert assistance can make your transaction move forward more easily, if not more smoothly.
Lawyer or no lawyer?
Portuguese law used to require a notary, which is kind of like a minor solicitor, but that is no longer required. It’s a good idea to retain an attorney (avogado) or solicitor (solicitador).
Licensed realtor
Unlicensed realtors abound, so ask for the realtor’s AMI number. It should be printed on all company collateral, such as Web sites, brochures, business cards and letter head.
A licensed realtor has the state-required qualifications and uses the required documentation.
The INCI, the government department regulating real estate, also bonds realtors.
Seller pays the agent’s fees, usually 3% – 5%, plus tax (21%).
The mortgage
Unless it’s a cash transaction, as a buyer you need a mortgage, whether fixed or variable rate. If you go to a Portuguese bank, you’ll need to supply the bank with:
Proof of income, including bank statements
Health records (to be sure you don’t die before you pay the mortgage off)
Life insurance to cover the mortgage (see above)
Property valuation, blueprints, etc.
Residency card, passport and identification
The process
If you are a first-time buyer, you’ll need a fiscal number (cartão de contribuinte) before you can open a bank account.
The local tax office (finanças) can provide you with one, and it’s very easy to obtain.
The bank will also need copies of your birth certificate and passport.
When you’ve agreed a price (buying or selling), there’s a legally binding promissory contract (contrato de compra e venda) to execute.
At that time, a 10% – 20% deposit is required.
A lawyer will (or has already) prepare the contract and it must be signed on licensed premises or before a notary. The contract will include:
Identification of the parties
Identification (article number) of the property
Price
Deposit amount
Signing date (closing date for the final deed-escritura)
Other considerations such as: use of the property before closing, etc.
Once signed, any default incurs penalties:
Seller’s default requires the seller to pay buyer double his deposit
Buyer’s default means seller keeps the deposit
As with any escrow, between signing the promissory contract and final deed, your legal representative will vet the property for:
Deed: use and planning restrictions
Clear title: no outstanding debt, liens, ownership or boundary disputes (unpaid debt follows the property, not the owner, including utilities and taxes)
Habitability: no unapproved building modifications and that the property has an occupancy license (licença de habitação)
Agreed fixtures and fittings in place
Once finalized, you’ll need to register the escritura with the Land Registry (Conservatoria do Registo Predial), tax office (Autoridade Tributária) and utility companies.
Registration with the Land Registry makes you the legal owner.
You’ll need your fiscal number for registration.
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Thinking of living, retiring or buying property in Portugal?
Click here for guides on living in Portugal [http://www.propdom.com/index.php/where/europe/portugal/portugal-overview]
Click here for guides on buying real estate in Portugal [http://www.propdom.com/index.php/where/europe/portugal/portuguese-real-estate]
James Harrison has lived on four continents with his family and is now the founder of PropDom:
PropDom – the worldwide property domain for all things regarding holidaying, buying a second home, investing in property and retiring abroad.
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