The internet is loaded with a lot of get-rich-quick schemes. A lot of people have lost their hard earned money by getting involved with such schemes. You will need to be realistic while choosing the home based business opportunity and should not believe in something which is clearly just not logical to be true. Ideally you want to start a home business because you:

are tired of working late hours
want freedom 
looking for a good and real business that will generate real income 
want to spend more time with your family and friends 
want to get out of debt 
want to be your own boss 
want to own your own reputable organization    
Every person wanting to start up with a home based business opportunity has the above mentioned points in mind. Unfortunately, not many people who think like this end up being successful. What do you think that these people lack the most?Primarily, it is the lack of persistence which can be considered as the main reason for the failures in the home based businesses. Obviously when running a business people do come across a lot of obstacles. This is where the weak buckle down under the pressures and give up. Many people just quit the business when they see first signs of defeat. Accepting defeat with just one blow is not the ideal way to run a business. They tend to throw away their goals and targets in life. You will need to understand that every business has highs and lows. It is very similar to that of a good day and a bad day in the office. When you can manage such days in the office, why can’t  you do it in your own business?When a person starts working on a home based business opportunity, it is important for him to never give up and stay persistent in order to become a true winner.  Remember it takes time to become successful in any type of business, let alone your business from home. However, if you relentlessly manage to do what it takes to become successful, your business will eventually pick up force.    Another main reason for business failures is the inability of the entrepreneurs to sell their product or service.    Here again persistence pays a major role and it decides between the successes and the failures. People expect their marketing efforts to show results with their first attempt.    Not only their first attempt could be a mistake, they do not have the patience to even allow their efforts to reap the benefits. Businesses might take months and sometimes even years to yield the best results.    You have to be really persistent with your marketing and promotional activities. You need to keep changing things and strategize on the follow-ups in order to make your prospective customers do business with you.    Therefore, it can be concluded that persistence plays a major role between success and failure of a home based business opportunity. 

You have finally started your home based business. Your success will depend on several factors no doubt but unfortunately one aspect that is often overlooked or neglected is to give a professional look to your home based business. Some entrepreneurs neglect this aspect knowingly thinking that it is a waste of time and money. There are others who neglect this aspect because of cash flow problems. Whatever your problems, it is extremely important that your business projects a professional image to your customers, competitors and to your well-wishers. More so if you have to meet your customers and clients regularly in your home office.1. Professional looking Home Office.The first step to make your home based business look professional is to have a good home office. You have to designate a room, a section of the house or even the garage for this purpose. Create a good working environment, choosing the proper colors for the walls. Equip your home office with essential furniture, equipment and fixtures to start with. You will require items such as, a table, two chairs, telephone, filing cabinet, computer, printer, trays and a table lamp.2. Project a Bigger Image of Your Business.Though all these equipments are necessary for your day to day work it is also important to impress your visitors. The first impression is the best impression. Your clients should get the impression that they are dealing with someone who is organized, knows his or her business and doing well. Your conversations with your clients should also convince them that your home based business is much larger and prosperous than what it appears to be.3. Business Website.Today with the development of the Internet and the availability of the computer in most homes, the website has become a necessity. A website can make your business appear big, professional and organized. With an attractive and informative website you can make your home business appear as big as or bigger than your million dollar competitors. You can give detailed information about your home business, your products, any specials and discounts available from time to time.4. Business Cards.Quite often most of us have made use of other peoples’ business cards to look for addresses or phone numbers but we do not have one of our own. Entrepreneurs new to business do not realize how effective a business card can be. A business card projects professionalism, your business image and credibility. They become very handy to promote your home business in seminars, conferences, trade fairs, and other functions.5. Stationary.Make your envelope and letterhead look professional with your logo and address printed attractively. Print the URL of your website, address and phone number on all printed material that goes out of your business. All this add up to give your business a professional look while at the same time promoting your business.6. Avoid Interference by Family members.One of the major problems faced by home based business entrepreneurs is family members popping in and out of their home office thus distracting them from their work. This must be discouraged right from the beginning. Customers and other businessmen who come to discuss business matters dislike this interference. This makes your business appear cheap and ordinary.Conclusion.The above mentioned ideas will help you to project a professional image for your home based business. The more professional you appear, the more confident your customers and clients will be in doing business with you.