The other day I was training a student how to tell which prospects are best for a home based marketing consulting business. Which prospects he should go after...and which ones he should stay away from. Because if you know the difference, then building a strong, profitable home business as a marketing consultant is fast and easy -- even if you're just starting out.

If you don't know the difference, then it can be frustrating and hard.

Here's what I told him:

I think the ideal prospect has to have a couple of things. They have to need. They have to want, and they have to be able to afford your service.

And that's why you have to have the right questions to ask when you go in there. You need to ask questions so you can determine if they need it and if they want it and if they can afford it.

So, throughout the presentation, you should constantly have those three "qualifiers" in mind. Every question you ask should be designed to find out more about those particular things.

For example:

If they're growing and they're growing as fast as they can grow and they have all of the business they can handle, and if you gave them any more business they couldn't handle it, they don't need it.

If he's an owner who's attitude is such that, "Oh, I could do this." Or "I know what you're saying, and I've done it before. I don't need any help. I've got a marketing person. We're all taken care of." Then he doesn't want it.

And if he's a business owner that's saying, "Gee, I'd like to do this, but I'm barely making payroll, and I just don't have cash flow." Then he probably can't afford it. You don't write him off, but you will have to check in with him again later when he can afford it.

So, those are the three areas that really help you determine if you've got a qualified prospect. If they don't fit those three qualifications, you should walk away.

Bottom line: When you're a home based marketing consultant, there's plenty of businesses out there looking for you, all you have to do is find them. And that's what makes being a marketing consultant one of the best and easiest home businesses you can have.