VoIP Home-Based Business Opportunities

In today’s economy, there are many individuals who are looking for a way to earn residual income. A home-based VoIP system is one of those opportunities. A VoIP system (Voice over Internet Protocol) will not only allow phone calls to be made over the Internet, but can actually serve as a way to access various reseller and affiliate programs. This is because a large number of service providers have included these programs in their marketing strategies.

Most VoIP service provider programs will allow subscribers to place free calls to one another. However, there is a charge for calls that are placed to standard phone numbers. These charges are a lot cheaper, overall, than regular phone company long distance toll charges. In some cases, there are no monthly charges for the basic VoIP phone service. If someone is calling from a standard phone, they would usually dial an access code in order to reach a phone with a VoIP number.

How Affiliate and Reseller Programs Work

VoIP affiliate programs are generally pretty standard agreements. When an individual purchases call time minutes, VoIP hardware, etc. there is a commission paid to the one that referred them.

The reseller opportunity, however, is a bit more interesting. When someone becomes a reseller they will most often be given their own code/website. This is where their customers will purchase call time minutes, hardware, etc. In this case, the buyers are treated as customers of the reseller with a percentage of the sales paid to that reseller. Usually, the customer’s account will be attached to the original reseller for as long as the reseller’s account remains open with the VoIP service supplier.

Advantages of a Reseller Program

There are several advantages to the reseller and their customers that make this type of an agreement a viable business opportunity. First of all, when one is a reseller, that individual’s customer base can increase along with the income potential. In addition, the reseller has all the advantages of VoIP communications which can be marketed to potential customers. These benefits can include:

• Significantly cheaper long distance calls than those made from standard phone lines.
• The ability to use your PC to make calls (using a broadband connection).
• VoIP phones are corded, cordless and can come with video capability.
• VoIP enabled cell phones offer portability (in any Wi-Fi location).
• A full range of features such as call conferencing and advanced messaging options.

Additionally, the VoIP market is a growth market with an increasing number of people and businesses switching to VoIP technology. There is also an increasing variety of VoIP hardware options that are becoming available.

But, while VoIP technology is continuing to emerge, there are a few disadvantages that still need to be worked out. These can include:

• Variable call quality.
• Hardware must be on in order to make or receive calls.
• With some VoIP providers, dialing in from a standard network can be complicated.
• Power outages can affect phone service.
• 911 numbers require programming (especially if your residential location changes).

Even though VoIP technology is still maturing, there are some segments that are quite promising. For example, home-based businesses, that need to make a lot of calls, can benefit from significant savings. Additionally, those who make a lot of calls internationally or parents with teenagers can also save money.

Things to Consider in a VoIP Reseller Agreement

When it comes to entering a reseller agreement, there are several things to look for. First of all, you’ll want to make an assessment of the VoIP service provider’s ability to stay in business. This means that you will want to do business with a service provider that is financially sound and is committed to the industry for the long term.

You will also want to determine the quality of the VoIP service that the provider can offer. Poor quality is seen as the number one issue when it comes to losing customers. Cheap prices and good commissions will be of no use if you can’t maintain your client database.

The overall pricing of the VoIP service is also a factor. The better the savings, the easier it is to market VoIP to current standard telephone service users.
The available features that can be offered can be used to market against your competition. You will want to look for service providers that offer a wide range of free options for local calls. This will allow you to market these advantages to your potential customers and a large customer base is better for your overall profit margin.

Look for a VoIP service provider that already has a large existing customer base. A large customer base will provide more people that your new customers can call without charge.

A good international presence is also something to look closely at. Being able to provide service to numerous countries will make your operation more impressive and can create selling points.

If you’ve decided that being a VoIP reseller is an opportunity that you wish to look into, you can find a number of VoIP service providers that specialize in reseller opportunities. One of the best places to look is on the Internet (using any major search engine).