One of the keys to succeeding in information product creation is to break the process up into discrete steps. This frequently isn’t an instinctive reaction for the typical information marketer. Especially on the internet where small sized learning products are the norm.

However, it is extremely important to your ultimate success. In fact, I would go so far as to say that if you don’t do this you probably won’t succeed… even when you are starting out let alone as you move forward.

Your product creation system should do this for you if only to help you to understand the overall task.

But why?

In this article, I’m going to ignore chunking and focus on the practical aspects. That’s not to say that chunking isn’t important. It is. It’s important to understanding and to learning the process. But while you can use the same chunks as you move forward, long term your focus needs to be on the operation of the system not the understanding of it. Unless of course you are constantly training new people!

So why is chunking important to long term use of the product creation process? (Yes, I know systems design uses a different term for this process but I’m not teaching you systems design. So I’m going to use the word learning content designers use.)

The first reason that having individual discrete tasks is important is one of schedule estimation. Frequently it is very difficult to estimate how long the total task of creating a product will take. After all, the size and type of the products matters as does the number of products in your product funnel. And those are just the most obvious elements. However, estimating a discrete task is often much easier. The total can then be estimated as the total of the discrete tasks.

Secondly, scheduling a large task can be problematic. However, by segmenting the task into a number of discrete tasks, you gain a much greater flexibility in scheduling. Not only that but as your business begins to add people you are able to schedule multiple people to the product creation.

Finally, segmenting a large task into smaller discrete tasks allows you to have much better control over the product creation. This affects two different areas — status and quality.

By segmenting your process into discrete tasks you are able to schedule and record the progress at much more detailed level. As a result you are more in control of the status of the product creation. You know what everyone is doing. When they should complete it. And how much it should cost. You also know exactly what has been done.

You also improve your overall quality. Instead of waiting until everything is done you can check quality as you go. This allows you to immediate react to low quality products without absorbing their costs. This means that you have less rework and your rework costs less. And if the product is not going to meet its quality requirement you will know about it in time to stop the development, change the requirement or fix the product.

If you are considering starting a career in real estate investment, whether it is part-time or full, you need to be aware of the many legal implications that surround properties and understand which ones apply to the sort of investments that you are interested in.

Of course, your first port of call should always be to speak to an expert in the subject of property law. They will be able to provide you with plenty of information about what applies to you and the issues that you might face with the investments that you are considering.

However, there are also a number of tips that are important to keep in mind before you invest any of your money in property.

Be Organised

The very first thing you need to do before investing in anything is to have complete awareness of your current financial situation. You need to be able to set a solid budget that doesn’t put you in trouble if an investment goes bad and you need to understand exactly where your money is going and what sort of return you are getting on it at all times.

In many cases this will require hiring a certified accountant who can keep track of where your assets lie at all times and will be able to inform you of any changes in law that may affect your investments. This is something that you are going to need to spend a considerable amount of time and effort on, but it is important if you want your investments to start paying out.

Be Aware of Local Issues

Real estate and personal property tax are going to affect every investment that you make, so it is important to be aware of what they are and which of your investments they affect. You will need to budget for each every single year, so don’t let your concentration slip and make sure that they are always included in your figures.

It is also important to note that neither is a set rate across the country. Different areas will have different rates of both types of taxes, so you need to be aware of what they are before you invest. After all, it can come as a massive shock to the system if you invest in a property outside of your comfort zone, only to find that you are required to pay a higher rate of tax for the pleasure.

Know Where to Make Savings

A good accountant who understands real estate will also be able to point out ways that you can save on the tax you pay, based on the investments that you make. This is particularly useful for people who are renting out the properties that they own.

Furthermore, you should always be aware of the 1031 exchange, which allows you to defer the capital gains tax accrued from the sale of one property directly into the purchase of another. You can keep hold of much more of your money by doing this, which has allowed for many investors to build a small fortune through continual deferral.

Picking the right home based business is more than just finding the one that seems to offer the most company stability. There are quite a few factors that go into selecting a home based business and none of them should be taken lightly.First, don’t focus so much on finding the perfect home business or network marketing company to join. The trick lies in finding the best match for you. You should never go with a company that you aren’t sold on because you think it has the best compensation plan or the best potential income. You’ll burn out quickly and never be as successful as you could be if you took the time, from the beginning, to find a product you believe in and can really get fired up about.What are the keys to finding the perfect home based business?Viable ProductsCompanies that do not offer viable products are companies that are out to take advantage of others. You do not want to be associated with or have your good name associated with these types of home based businesses. A viable product or service is the first thing to look for in any type of MLM or network marketing organization.Of course you want a little more than merely viable products. You want products that you feel will change lives, inspire people, make the world (or the people in it) beautiful, or simply make people happy or more productive. Regardless of which, the product needs to be a real product that people can use and that has value.You want a product you can really believe in and feel inspired to share with everyone you come in contact with. That is infinitely better than the average product that many companies offer. A viable product and a product that you believe in will make you not only happy but also make you more financially successful. It does this because you can maintain your commitment and enthusiasm when you believe in your products or services.Company StabilityThe stability of a company is important but don’t let that talk you out of joining new or emerging network marketing companies. The truth of the matter is that as long as there is a solid business foundation in place, competent leadership within the company and the specific organization or branch of the company you happen to be joining, and a solid product, there is no reason that even new businesses can’t achieve great things. Getting in on the ground floor can be exciting and very rewarding.However, it is a wise course of action to do a little bit of homework about the company’s founders and the science behind the products being created. You don’t want to stand behind a product that you don’t understand. In addition, it’s never a bad idea to do a little investigating to find out as much as you can about any company you plan to join. You’d probably do no less with a brick and mortar business venture.Company stability is about a lot more than just how long the company has been in business. A few questions you want to ask include:• Can the company deliver the products and services sold?
•Does the company have a good reputation in the MLM community? How about its leaders?
• Is there any bad press about the company now or has there been in the past?
• Is the company in good standing with the Better Business Bureau?
• Where are the products manufactured and/or shipped from?
• Can the company make payroll?
• How well does the company treat the people who are building it?Don’t simply talk to the people who are trying to recruit you to join the company. Try finding those who have been in the company and left. Find out what they have to say about the company and its stability. After your investigation, draw your own conclusions from the good, the bad, and the indifferent points of view you may have heard.Compensation PlanThis is an important factor when you are considering joining a business venture of any kind. You need to know how, when, and why you get paid. You need to be able to understand this clearly. Some MLM companies have compensation plans that are so convoluted you need a personal accountant to sort it all out.Ask yourself these questions as you do your initial research:•Do I understand the compensation plan?
•Can I explain the compensation plan to someone else?
•Do I believe the compensation plan is generous enough?
•How long will it take to reach the next level of the compensation plan?The ability to quickly climb the ladder of bigger commissions and payouts is one that will help you maintain your motivation and reach new heights in your business but it’s all a moot point if you don’t understand the plan yourself or can’t explain itto potential business partners. We all know how frustrating it is to put in long hours for pennies so make sure you find a compensation plan that is generous enough to make your dedication profitable.Residual IncomeThe final thing that is the icing on the cake in a great home -based business is residual income. This is the one thing that makes all your efforts today pay off tomorrow and for many tomorrows to come. Residual income is making money off efforts of the past, whether those are your efforts or the efforts of others in your organization.Wouldn’t you like to be able to make a tiny percentage of the money that is earned from the efforts of 10, 100, or even a 1,000 other people? Can you imagine what that will do to your bottom line month after month? How about if that amount grows with time, attention, and growth within your company and organization? Residual income makes all that and more possible.Keep these four factors in mind as you look for the perfect home based business to meet your needs and you will be sure to find the perfect business for you – a home -based business you can believe in and be excited about!