Sales and Marketing

Many people start businesses because they want to do a particular type of work as a career, or they want to be the boss. If you think self-employment means getting to do whatever it is you love to do forever, you’re somewhat mistaken: Self-employment is as much about selling yourself, your product, or your service, as anything else. And working for yourself, whether you are a freelancing copywriter or the owner of a small eBay business, brings up different challenges than those faced by people employed by others...

For many small businesses, the key to success depends on how well you distribute your product. For example, if your company’s products are retail items (such as household decor, clothing, or kitchen appliances), you will be looking for an experienced distributor with a strong sales force and good contacts...