A consultant works with the management of a business to improve
the profitability of the business. Working with the top
management, you can rest assured the consultant is a very highly
paid individual. Some consultants charge $100 per hour. Others
charge $1,500 per day for their services, and still others work
on an annual retainer fee of $12,000 to over $30,000 per year
from any number of large corporations.
Until a few years ago, the title "consultant" was more or less
limited to retired diplomats and top corporate officers. In other
words, until recently, the consultant's position was honorary
than actual. But that has all changed dramatically in the past
few years.
The number of consultants for almost any problem in life has
increased by tenfold or more during the past ten years! And the
field of consultants is continuing to grow. In fact, independent
consulting is one of the fastest growing businesses in the
country today!
Reaching for a consultant is an expert at recognizing problems
and shaping solutions to those problems. The need for problem
solvers for business problems---among large and small businesses
worlwide--has never been greater. The ever changing moods of the
buyer plus the myriad of crisis situations faced by businessmen
almost daily, have created this "seller's market" for the alert
consultant.
Another side of this need for consultants is in the case of the
over-enthusiastic entrepreneur who rushes headlong into a
business in which he has little or no experience. Many such
dreamers invest their life savings in questionable projects
without even considering the idea of bringing in a competent
business consultant to analyze and evaluate their plans.
Even experienced people are prone to overrate their own ideas.
The image of the end result, and dedicated enthusiasm toward the
attainment of one's goal are the prime prerequisites for
success; however unmerited enthusiasm and dedication can also be
very dangerous as well. Unless it is based upon solid research,
it may cause people to chase headlong after nonexistent rainbows.
And that's where you can fit in as a business consultant.
It is not necessary for you to have owned or operated a
successful business to become a successful business consultant.
Nor is it imperative that you have been in management or have
held a titled position. You will, however, need the ability to
sell yourself, and an up-to-date understanding of the area in
which you intend to assist others.
The first step is to make a honest evaluation of your own
training and experience. You might be an ambitious tax consultant
who was never recognized for your abilities. You might be
especially good in such areas as system design, marketing,
scheduling, expediting or productivity. There are hundreds of
consultants across the country specializing in Direct Mail and
Mail Order operators. Most of these people enjoyed some measure
of success in those fields, and then discovered the easier
way--advising others on how to operate successfully. There are
consultants for people who want success with a garage sale, party
planning merchandising, or even multi-level operations. The
important thing is to choose an area in which you've had some
experience; an area that you have spent sometime learning about;
and of course, an area of work that you enjoy.
Almost everyone is afraid of the responsibility involved. They
claim they don't have the experience or the knowledge. Such was
the case of a young lady we know who was seeking work as a
personal clerk. She had worked five years as assistant to the
personal manager of a large manufacturing plant, yet when we
advised her to become a consultant to people looking for work or
to start her own resume writing service, she pleaded lack of
knowledge, experience and ability.
Just about everyone has had special training in a certain line of
work, and they've gone on to absorb special studies or education
along the same lines, and most people have worked all their lives
along or very close to a specific line of endeavor. So, why
souldn't a woman who has worked 20 years as a waitress represent
herself as a consultant to the training program for waitresses
within a restaurant organization? A shipping and receiving clerk
would be a natural for setting up efficient operations and for
solving problems for businesses just beginning or expanding
production output.
The point is, most people don't realize how much expertise they
really have, or the probable marketability of their training,
knowledge and experience. The important thing is to look over
your educational strengths, combine that with any special
training or on-the-job experience, and then offer your expertise
to help others with their problems along the lines you know best.
You don't need a big, fancy executive type office in order to get
started, especially if you start your consulting business on a
part-time basis. A spare bedroom, a section of the basement, or
even a corner of the dining room, will do very nicely. If you
handle your own bookkeeping/filing, you will need a ledger of
some kind, and a file cabinet or two. You will need a good
typewriter if you plan to do your own correspondence. An
alternative is to do all letters, etc. in longhand hire someone
to put them in final form for you. Check the local high school or
college. They may be happy to post your ad for a young lady
looking for part-time work.
Instead of going to the expense of paying for a business phone,
use your residence phone and train all members of the family to
answer it in a business-like manner during normal working hours.
Save copies of all the sales letters you send out, and of course,
all job proposals you submit. Set up your file system with your
final plan in mind, and you'll save a lot of time as well as
frustration. Get the kind of file folders that hang from the
sides of the file cabinet's drawers, allowing you to position the
file folder title anywhere across the top of the folder. Then as
you add clients to your file, you can keep them in alphabetical
order without a jumbled-looking file drawer in which you have to
search for each title. It's also a good idea to keep your active
accounts in one drawer, your"hoped-for" accounts in another, and
master copies of all letters, proposals, business contact
information and records in still another drawer. You'll also need
business cards. Your nearest quick print shop can usually order
these and help you in selecting wording and design.
Whether to rent, lease or buy a copy machine is up to you, but
virtually no business can get by without file copies. Carbon
paper means a loss of efficiency, and running over the corner
shop to get copies is going to cost you time and money, so be
sure to fit some sort of copier into your business start-up
costs. If impossible at the very first, use the old carbon
paper--you must a a copy for your file.
Just how good a typist you are, how well you can write sales
letters, and how busy you want to be, should be the deciding
factors about the typewriter. If you type at all--there will
always be at least a few letters that you should type
personally---we suggest again that you go for the long haul
probabilities and rent, lease or buy the best and most modern
typewriter you can afford. Later on, when you do move into that
"dream" office, that will be one less piece of equipment you will
have to be concerned with.
One you've decided what area of business consulting you want to
be in, and have your office or working space set up, the next
thing is to let people know you're available for work. Definitely
use some common sense and applied knowledge before spending any
money on advertising. Generally speaking, you will pick up some
customers regardless of the problem area you specialize in, by
advertising in your own area's most popular newspaper. However,we
wouldn't recommend much more than a small ad in the Sunday
editions, unless you're direct mail, multi-level or garage sale
consultant.
Check with your Chamber of Commerce for a list of trade and
specialized business publisher in your area. Either pick up a
sample copy of the business journal at the local newsstand or
write to the publisher and ask for a sample. Look through those
catering to the type of business you want to serve. Check the
editorial styles and types of advertising they carry, then select
the one that corresponds with your needs. Basically, unless a
publication reaches the people you are trying to sell to, don't
advertise in it regardless of the style, quality, or advertising
rates.
Radio or television advertising would probably be a complete
waste of advertising dollars, unless you're offering help with
direct mail, multi-level marketing or garage sales. The best time
for any broadcast advertising in order to reach your best
prospects seems to be in the evening hours after the late-night
news, when these people are either still laboring over their
special projects or relaxing before going to bed. If you do use
broadcast advertising, the commercial is very important. Really
concentrate on this, and use lot of common sense in writing the
message. Even if you engage the services of an experienced
broadcast copywriter, make sure the message speaks to your
potential customers, and convince them that you can help solve
their problems or improve the profit picture of their business.
Finally, where to advertise. Go with a quarter-page ad in the
yellow pages of your telephone directory. The space salesman will
help you with the ad, but remember, you want it to catch he eye
of your particular client, and offer a promise of an end to his
problems. Always talk to your kind of people, emphasizing the
benefits of your services. It's not good practice to quote or
even discuss prices in either you advertising or on the phone
when people respond. Always get name, address and telephone
number, then explain your services in general. Set up an
appointment to look over their operation, analyze their needs,
and make a written proposal to solve their problems.
There may be a number of factors involved in establishing you
fees, but starting out with beginning and small businesses, and
until you line up 50 regular clients, your best bet would be $50
per hour. Count on two to three hours per client per day, and
devoting 10 days per month to work on their needs, you're talking
about $1,000 to $1,500 per month from each client. Multiply that
times 50 clients, and you'll be grossing $5,000 to $7,500 per
month. As a one-man operation, you'll be plenty busy.
Insiders in this business say a person can leave his regular job
on Friday, start a consulting business on Monday, and within six
months, have an income of more than $100,000 per year. Suffice it
to say that a beginning business consultant should earn from
$30,000 to $60,000, before taxes and office expenses, in the
first year of business.
Ther's still another very important method of finding new
clients, and that is via Direct Mail solicitation. This is done
either by postcard or sales letter mailings. For a mailing list
of local businesses, check the yellow pages of your telephone
directory, under the heading "Mailing Lists." Tell the advertiser
the kind of mailing list you need---if they don't have it, ask
them the names of suppliers who might be able to supply your
needs. Alternately, you could compile your own mailing list of
prospects most likely to be interested in your services. Mark the
names you want in the area business directory, and pay someone to
input these names onto a computer for you. The computer should be
able to supply you with peel-and-stick address labels at a
nominal cost. Putting your list on computer from the start will
save you thousands of dollars in money and countless hours of
work.
Your postcard solicitation should basically be an elaboration of
your printed advertising. In other words, an ad for a Direct Mail
Consultant might be transferred to a post card along these lines:
ARE YOU HAVING TROUBLE GETTING RESULTS
WITH YOUR DIRECT MAIL BUSINESS???
I can help you! Show you how to double, maybe
even triple the response from your mailings!
Expand your market! Increase your profitability
Whatever your needs, I can HELP! Whatever your
problems, I can SOLVE THEM! Call now, and let
me explain.
After the message on the postcard, add your telephone number and
your name, followed by your identification as Direct Mail
Consultant.
A direct mail solicitation sales letter simply uses more words
than the postcard, reads smoother, and forces the reader to
respond as you direct him. Your sales letter can be any length
needed to tell your story and achieve the objective. To be
successful, though, it must embody and follow the "AIDA" form:
A=Attention I=Interest D=Desire; A=Action on the part of the
reader.
Another point to remember when writing sales letters: Always
appeal to the needs and wants of the person who's going to be
reading the letter. He will start reading to see if your services
can benefit him. He is looking for answers to his most pressing
problems. Keep these elements in mind when you write a sales
solicitation letter, whether for yourself or fora client.
People receiving sales letter are somewhat more responsive to a
letter that is typed as opposed to one that is typeset. But the
typed letter must be"letter perfect," and not of a different or
unusual style of type. As a consultant your letterhead should be
simple while still conveying to the reader a sense of class. Your
paper should be the best quality you can afford---not flamboyant,
but sending a subtle message of success. Direct mail surveys show
what slightly better numbers of responses are received when a
light beige or off-yellow paper is used.
Basically, your letter should do what the postcard does for
you---move the recipient to call you and allow you to set up an
appointment to discuss his needs as your client. Whether you're
writing an advertisement or a sales letter, it's important that
you have the objective clearly in mind---what you want the reader
to do. With this in mind, you needn't use the"hard sell" approach
quite as forcefully as someone asking for money on the first
contact.
All that's left is meeting with the prospect, listening to his
problems, and hearing what he wants, then write out a proposal to
solve his problems and satisfy his wants. This means selling
yourself to the prospect---assuring him you know what you're
talking about, and that you can make him more successful.
There you have it--a plan that can lead you to success as a
Business Consultant. Remember, though, no amount of research,
reading, listening or investment can make you successful until
you do something with them. Action on your part is the absolute
ingredients that must be added, and that's up to you. Your future
is in your own hands.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
How To Start A Roommate Finding Service
The average income for the owners of this kind of business in
California is $65,000 a year. Best of all, here's a business that
you can start with an absolute minimum investment. Practically
anyone who lives in a city anywhere in the country can expect to
do just about as well, and with a bit of imagination, mixed with
some business "moxie," you should be able to do even better!
Income and market potentials for a service such as this are truly
fantastic! rent increases that have far outpaced wage increases
have brought about a tremendous need for a method to alleviate
the cost of housing. Also, many apartment complexes are being
converted into expensive condominiums. These two factors have
created a problem of gantic proportions for millions of people
who are concerned about keeping a roof over their heads.
You can make big money solving that problem with your own
Roommate Finding Service. We're going to tell you how.
Many of the nation's leading economists are predicting this kind
of living arrangement to be the "money-saving answer" for the
apartment dwellers for the rest of this century. Others are
predicting the roommate finding service to become as popular as
the employment agency by 1990.
This is an ideal absentee owner business. Most of those operating
on the West Coast have a woman doing the managing--sometimes as
just the manager, and sometimes as the owner-manager. This
apparently has something to do with the nature of the business,
and how most people seem to naturally trust a woman to fid the
right roommate for them.
As to the fee structure, I suggest something similar to the
successful employment agencies. Charge everyone a $25
registration fee to start the ball rolling toward finding them a
suitable roommate. You take a Polaroid snapshot of each
registrant, have them fill out an appropriate application card
which will indicate the kind of roommate they'd be happy with,
and start searching through your files for people with similar
likes and dislikes.
To get started, you'll want a bank reference; a legal reference,
a telephone, a business name, letterhead paper, envelopes, and
business cards; and office supplies such as 3x5 index cards;
typewriter; file cabinet; and printed questionaire-application
form. You'll also need a responsibility disclaimer, which can be
combined with the applicant's agreement-to-pay contract. Once
you've found a roommate for your prospective client, you should
have it spelled out in your agreement that each of the "matched
roommates" will pay you 15% to 20% of the first month's rent. You
should charge a bit extra for particular requirements, and
perhaps somewhat less for older persons, or foe persons with
handicaps.
The approval or disapproval is left up to the parties involved.
You simply look through your registration card file, pull five or
six apparently suitable roommates, call each of them on the phone
and arrange separate meetings for them with your client. Your
client reports back to you, and tells you his or her decision,
and you call the person chosen and finalize the deal.
Good advertising will play a most important part getting this
business off the ground. Make a good circular or "flyer"
detailing your roommate finding services, and listing your phone
number. Get these flyers on as many bulletin boards in your area
as possible. Get them in grocery stores, barber shops, community
colleges, beauty salons, bowling alleys; the list of places to "
billboard" your flyers is endless. Another idea is to set up
"take one" boxes in as many retail places of business as you can.
Don't overlook the value of placing your flyers on
windshields---particularly around apartment complexes, and in the
parking lots of colleges in your area. You might even pay the
downtown parking lots attendants to slip one under the windshield
wiper of each car he parks on Monday. If you do a good job with
the make-up of your flyer, and use your imagination in getting
them into the hands of your prospective clients, you'll have no
trouble moving your business into the black quickly.
Even so, you'll need to run regular ads in your area newspapers.
The best headings to run your ads under is the Personals Column.
Your ad might read:
NEED A ROOMMATE? We'll find the ideal roommate for you!
Everything handled on a strictly confidential basis. For details,
call Jan, Mary, or Carol, 123-4567.
Within only a couple of months, you should be well enough
established, and with a income large enough to afford an office
location. When you establish your office, do some publicizing of
your business with press releases to all the media in your area,
and plan some fanfare that will bring attention to your services.
Tacking up on your office walls the enthusiastic testimonials of
people you've have matched with roommates is a very good idea.
Later on, you might want to input all your client information on
computer, and take video pictures of each client for showing to
prospective roommates. In the final analysis, once you have your
business underway, your future success will be limited only by
your imagination.
California is $65,000 a year. Best of all, here's a business that
you can start with an absolute minimum investment. Practically
anyone who lives in a city anywhere in the country can expect to
do just about as well, and with a bit of imagination, mixed with
some business "moxie," you should be able to do even better!
Income and market potentials for a service such as this are truly
fantastic! rent increases that have far outpaced wage increases
have brought about a tremendous need for a method to alleviate
the cost of housing. Also, many apartment complexes are being
converted into expensive condominiums. These two factors have
created a problem of gantic proportions for millions of people
who are concerned about keeping a roof over their heads.
You can make big money solving that problem with your own
Roommate Finding Service. We're going to tell you how.
Many of the nation's leading economists are predicting this kind
of living arrangement to be the "money-saving answer" for the
apartment dwellers for the rest of this century. Others are
predicting the roommate finding service to become as popular as
the employment agency by 1990.
This is an ideal absentee owner business. Most of those operating
on the West Coast have a woman doing the managing--sometimes as
just the manager, and sometimes as the owner-manager. This
apparently has something to do with the nature of the business,
and how most people seem to naturally trust a woman to fid the
right roommate for them.
As to the fee structure, I suggest something similar to the
successful employment agencies. Charge everyone a $25
registration fee to start the ball rolling toward finding them a
suitable roommate. You take a Polaroid snapshot of each
registrant, have them fill out an appropriate application card
which will indicate the kind of roommate they'd be happy with,
and start searching through your files for people with similar
likes and dislikes.
To get started, you'll want a bank reference; a legal reference,
a telephone, a business name, letterhead paper, envelopes, and
business cards; and office supplies such as 3x5 index cards;
typewriter; file cabinet; and printed questionaire-application
form. You'll also need a responsibility disclaimer, which can be
combined with the applicant's agreement-to-pay contract. Once
you've found a roommate for your prospective client, you should
have it spelled out in your agreement that each of the "matched
roommates" will pay you 15% to 20% of the first month's rent. You
should charge a bit extra for particular requirements, and
perhaps somewhat less for older persons, or foe persons with
handicaps.
The approval or disapproval is left up to the parties involved.
You simply look through your registration card file, pull five or
six apparently suitable roommates, call each of them on the phone
and arrange separate meetings for them with your client. Your
client reports back to you, and tells you his or her decision,
and you call the person chosen and finalize the deal.
Good advertising will play a most important part getting this
business off the ground. Make a good circular or "flyer"
detailing your roommate finding services, and listing your phone
number. Get these flyers on as many bulletin boards in your area
as possible. Get them in grocery stores, barber shops, community
colleges, beauty salons, bowling alleys; the list of places to "
billboard" your flyers is endless. Another idea is to set up
"take one" boxes in as many retail places of business as you can.
Don't overlook the value of placing your flyers on
windshields---particularly around apartment complexes, and in the
parking lots of colleges in your area. You might even pay the
downtown parking lots attendants to slip one under the windshield
wiper of each car he parks on Monday. If you do a good job with
the make-up of your flyer, and use your imagination in getting
them into the hands of your prospective clients, you'll have no
trouble moving your business into the black quickly.
Even so, you'll need to run regular ads in your area newspapers.
The best headings to run your ads under is the Personals Column.
Your ad might read:
NEED A ROOMMATE? We'll find the ideal roommate for you!
Everything handled on a strictly confidential basis. For details,
call Jan, Mary, or Carol, 123-4567.
Within only a couple of months, you should be well enough
established, and with a income large enough to afford an office
location. When you establish your office, do some publicizing of
your business with press releases to all the media in your area,
and plan some fanfare that will bring attention to your services.
Tacking up on your office walls the enthusiastic testimonials of
people you've have matched with roommates is a very good idea.
Later on, you might want to input all your client information on
computer, and take video pictures of each client for showing to
prospective roommates. In the final analysis, once you have your
business underway, your future success will be limited only by
your imagination.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
How To Prepare A Business Plan That Guarantees Big Profits
Success in business comes as a result of planning. You have to
have a detailed, written plan that shows what the ultimate goal
is, the reason for the goal, and each milestone that must be
passed in order to reach your goal.
A business plan is written definition of, and operational plan
for achieving your goal. You need a complete but
success tool in order to define your basic product, income
objectives and specific operating procedures. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A
BUSINESS PLAN to attract investors, obtain financing and hold
onto the confidence of your creditors, particularly in times of
cash flow shortages--in this instance, the amount of money you
have on hand compared with the expenses that must be met.
Aside from an overall directional policy for the production,
sales effort and profit goals of your product--your basic "travel
guide" to business success--the most important purpose your
business plan will serve, will be the basis or foundation of any
financial proposals you submit. Many entrepreneurs are under the
mistaken impression that a business plan is the same as a
financial proposal, or that a financial proposal constitutes a
business plan. This is just a misunderstanding of the uses of
these two separate and different business success aids.
The business plan is a long range "map" to guide your business
to the goal you've set for it. The plan details the what, why,
where, how and when, of your business--the success planning of
your company.
Your financial proposal is a request for money based upon your
business plan--your business history and objectives.
Understand the differences. They are closely related, but they
are not interchangeable.
Writing and putting together a "winning" business plan takes
study, research and time, so don't try to do it all in just one
or two days.
The easiest way to start with a loose leaf notebook, plenty of
paper, pencils, pencil sharpener, and several erasers. Once you
get your mind "in gear" and begin thinking about your business
plan, "10,000 thoughts and ideas per minute" will begin racing
thru your mind...So, it's a good idea when you aren't actually
working on your business plan, to carry a pocket notebook and jot
down those business ideas as they come to you--ideas for sales
promotion, recruiting distributors, and any other thoughts on how
to operate and/or build your business.
Later, when you're actually working on your business plan, you
can take out this "idea notebook" evaluate your ideas, rework
them, refine them, and integrate them into the overall "big
picture" of your business plan.
The best business plans for even the smallest businesses run 25
to 30 pages or more, so you'll need to "title" each page and
arrange the different aspects of your business plan into
"chapters." The format should pretty much run as follows:
Title Page
Statement of Purpose
Table of Contents
Business Description
Market Analysis
Competition
Business Location
Management
Current Financial Records
Explanation of Plans For Growth
Projected Profit & Loss/Operating Figures
Explanation of Financing for Growth
Documentation
Summary of Business & Outlook for The Future
Listing of Business & personal References
This is a logical organization of the information every
business plan should cover. I'll explain each of these chapters
titles in greater detail, but first, let me elaborate upon the
reasons for proper organization of your business plan.
Having a set of "questions to answer" about your business
forces you to take an objective and critical look at your ideas.
Putting it all down on paper allows you to change, erase and
refine everything to function in the manner of a smoothly oiled
machine. You'll be able to spot weakness and strengthen them
before they develop into major problems. Overall, you'll be
developing an operating manual for your business--a valuable tool
which will keep your business on track, and guide you in the
profitable management of your business.
Because it's your idea, and your business, it's very important
that YOU do the planning. This is YOUR business plan, so YOU
develop it, and put it all down on paper just the way YOU want it
to read. Seek out the advice of other people; talk with, listen
to, and observe, other people running similar businesses; enlist
the advice of your accountant and attorney--but at the bottom
line, don't ever forget it has to be YOUR BUSINESS PLAN!
Remember too, that statistics show the greatest causes of
business failure to be poor management and lack of
planning--without a plan by which to operate, no one can manage;
and without a direction in which to aim its efforts, no business
can attain any real success.
On the very first page, which is the title page, put down the
name of your business-ABC ACTION--with your business address
underneath. Now, skip a couple of lines, and write it all in
capital letters: PRINCIPAL OWNER--followed by your name if you're
the principal owner. On your finished report, you would want to
center this information on the page, with the words "principal
owner" off-set to the left about five spaces.
Examples: ABC ACTION
1234 SW 5th Ave.
Anywhere, USA 00000
PRINCIPAL OWNER: Your Name
That's all you'll have on this page except the page number
-1-
Following your title page is the page for your statement
purpose. This should be a simple statement of your primary
business function, such as: We are a service business engaged in
the business of selling business success manuals and other
information by mail.
The title of the page should be in all capital letters across
the top of the page, centered on your final draft--skip a few
lines and write the statement of purpose. This should be direct,
clear and short--never more than (2) sentences in length.
Then you should skip a few lines, and from the left hand margin
of the paper, write out a sub-heading in all capital letters,
such as: EXPLANATION OF PURPOSE.
From, and within this sub-heading you can briefly explain your
statement of purpose, such as: Our surveys have found most
entrepreneurs to be "sadly" lacking in basic information that
will enable them to achieve success. This market is estimated at
more than a 100 million persons, with at least half of these
people actively "searching" for sources that provide the kind of
information they want, and need.
With our business, advertising and publishing experience, it is
our goal to capture at least half of this market of information
seekers, with our publication. MONEY MAKING MAGIC! Our market
research indicates we can achieve this goal and realize a profit
of $1,000,000 per year within the next 5 years...
The above example is generally the way you should write your
"explanation of purpose," and in subtle definition, why you need
an explanation. Point to remember: Keep it short. Very few
business purpose explanations justify more than a half page long.
Next comes your table of contents page. Don't really worry
about this until you've got the entire plan completed and ready
for final typing. It's a good idea though, to list the subject
(chapter titles) as I have, and then check off each one as you
complete that part of your plan.
By having a list of the points you want to cover, you'll also
be able to skip around and work on each phase of your business
plan as an idea or the interest in organizing that particular
phase, stimulates you. In other words, you won't have to make
your thinking or your planning conform to the chronological order
of the "chapters" of your business plan--another reason for the
loose leaf notebook.
In describing your business, it's best to begin where your
statement purpose leaves off. Describe your product, the
production process, who has responsibility for what, and most
importantly, what makes your product or service unique--what
gives it an edge in your market. You can briefly summarize your
business beginnings, present position and potential for future
success, as well.
Next, describe the buyers you're trying to reach--why they need
and want or will buy your product--and the results of any tests
or surveys you may have conducted. Once you've defined your
market, go on to explain how you intend to reach that market--how
you'll these prospects to your product or service and induce them
to buy. You might want to break this chapter down into sections
such as..publicity and promotions, advertising plans, direct
sales force, and dealer/distributor programs. Each section would
then be an outline of your plans and policies.
Moving into the next chapter on competition, identify who your
competitors are--their weakness and strong points--explain how
you intend to capitalize on those weaknesses and match or better
the strong points. Talk to as many of your "indirect" competitors
as possible--those operating in different cities and states.
One of the easiest ways of gathering a lot of useful
information about your competitors is by developing a series of
survey questions and sending these questionnaires out to each of
them. Later on, you might want to compile the answers to these
questionnaires into some form of directory or report on this type
of business.
It's also advisable to contact the trade associations and
publications serving your proposed type of business. For
information on trade associations and specific trade
publications, visit your public library, and after explaining
what you want ask for the librarian's help.
The chapter on management should be an elaboration on the
people operating the business. Those people that actually run the
business, their job, titles, duties, responsibilities and
background resume's. It's important that you "paint" a strong
picture of your top management people because the people coming
to work for you or investing in your business, will be "investing
in these people" as much as your product ideas. Individual
tenacity, mature judgement under fire, and innovative
problem-solving have "won over" more people than all the AAA
Credit Ratings and astronomical sales figures put together.
People becoming involved with any new venture want to know that
the person in charge--the guy running the business knows what
he's doing, will not lose his cool when problems arise, and has
what it takes to make money for all of them> After showing the
"muscle" of this person, go on to outline the other key positions
within your business; who the persons are you've selected to
handle those jobs and the sources as well as availability of any
help you might need.
If you've been in business of any kind scale, the next chapter
is a picture of your financial status--a review of your operating
costs and income from the business to date. Generally, this is a
listing of your profit & loss statements for the six months, plus
copies of your business income tax records for each of the
previous three years the business has been an entity.
The chapter on the explanation of your plans for the future
growth of your business is just that--an explanation of how you
plan to keep your business growing--a detailed guide of what
you're going to do, and how you're going to increase your
profits. These plans should show your goals for the coming year,
two years, and three years. By breaking your objectives down into
annual milestones, your plan will be accepted as more realistic
and be more understandable as a part of your ultimate success.
Following this explanation, you'll need to itemize the
projected cost and income figures of your three year plan. I'll
take a lot of research, an undoubtedly a good deal of erasing,
but it's very important that you list these figures based upon
thorough investigation. You may have to adjust some of your plans
downward, but once you've got these two chapters on paper, your
whole business plan will fall into line and begin to make sense.
You'll have a precise "map" of where you're headed, how much it's
going to cost, when you can expect to start making money, and how
much.
Now that you know where you're going, how much it's going to
cost and how long it's going to be before you begin to recoup
your investment, you're ready to talk about how and where you're
going to get the money to finance your journey. Unless you're
independently wealthy, you'll want to use this chapter to list
the possibilities and alternatives.
Make a list of friends you can approach, and perhaps induce to
put up some money as silent partners. Make a list of those people
you might be able to sell as stockholders in your company--in
many cases you can sell up to $300,000 worth of stock on a
"private issue" basis without filing papers with the Securities
and Exchange Commission. Check with a corporate or tax attorney
in your area for more details. Make a list of relatives and
friends that might help you with an outright loan to furnish
money for the development of your business.
Then search out and make a list of venture capital
organizations. Visit the Small Business Administration office in
your area--pick up the loan application papers they have--read
them, study them, and even fill them out on a preliminary
basis--and finally, check the costs, determine which business
publications would be best to advertise in, if you were to
advertise for a partner or investor, and write an ad you'd want
to use if you did decide to advertise for monetary help.
With listing of all the options available to your needs, all
that's left is the arranging of these options in the order you
would want to use them when the time come to ask for money. When
you're researching these money sources, you'll save time by
noting the "contact" deal with when you want money, and whenever
possible, by developing a working relationship with these people.
If your documentation section, you should have a credit report
on yourself. Use the Yellow Pages or check at the credit
department in your bank for the nearest credit reporting office.
When you get your credit report, look it over and take whatever
steps are necessary to eliminate any negative comments. Once
these have been taken care of, ask for a revised copy of your
report and include a copy of that in your business plan.
If you own any patents or copyrights, include copies of these.
Any licenses to use someone else's patent or copyright should
also be included. If you own the distribution, wholesale or
exclusive sales rights to a product, include copies of this
documentation. You should also include copies of any leases,
special agreements or other legal papers that might be pertinent
to your business.
In conclusion, write out a brief, overall summary of your
business- when the business was started, the purpose of the
business, what makes your business different, how you're going to
gain a profitable share of the market, and your expected success
during the coming 5 years..
The last page of your business plan is a "courtesy page"
listing the names, addresses and phone numbers of personal and
business references--persons who have known you closely for the
past five years or longer--and companies or firms you've had
business or credit dealings with during the past five years.
And, that's it--your complete business plan. Before you send it
out for formal typing, read it over once a day for a week or ten
days. Take care of any changes or corrections, and then have it
reviewed by an attorney and then, an accountant. It would also be
a good idea to have it reviewed by a business consultant serving
the business community to which your business will be related.
After these reviews, and any last-minute changes you want to
make, I'll be ready for formal typing.
Hire a professional typist to type the entire plan on ordinary
white bond paper. Make sure you proof-read it against the
original. Check for any corrections and typographical
errors--then one more time--read it through for clarity and the
perfection you want of it.
Now you're ready to have it printed and published for whatever
use you have planned for it--distribution amongst your partners
or stockholders as the business plan for putting together a
winning financial proposal, or as a business operating manual.
Take it to a quality printer in your area, and have three
copies printed. Don't settle for photo-copying..Have it printed!
Photo-copying leaves a slight film on the paper, and will
detract from the overall professionalism of your business plan,
when presented to someone you're trying to impress. So, after
going to all this work to put together properly, go all the way
and have it duplicated properly.
Next, stop by a stationery store, variety store or even a dime
store, and pick up an ordinary, inexpensive bind-in theme cover
for each copy of your business plan. Have the holes punched in
the pages of your business report to fit these binders and then
slip each copy into a binder of its own.
Now, you can relax, take a break and feel good about
yourself..You have a complete and detailed business plan with
which to operate a successful business of your own. A plan you
can use as a basis for any financing proposal you may want to
submit..And a precise road-map for the attainment of real
success...
Congratulations, and my best wishes for the complete
fulfillment of all your dreams of success!!!
have a detailed, written plan that shows what the ultimate goal
is, the reason for the goal, and each milestone that must be
passed in order to reach your goal.
A business plan is written definition of, and operational plan
for achieving your goal. You need a complete but
success tool in order to define your basic product, income
objectives and specific operating procedures. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A
BUSINESS PLAN to attract investors, obtain financing and hold
onto the confidence of your creditors, particularly in times of
cash flow shortages--in this instance, the amount of money you
have on hand compared with the expenses that must be met.
Aside from an overall directional policy for the production,
sales effort and profit goals of your product--your basic "travel
guide" to business success--the most important purpose your
business plan will serve, will be the basis or foundation of any
financial proposals you submit. Many entrepreneurs are under the
mistaken impression that a business plan is the same as a
financial proposal, or that a financial proposal constitutes a
business plan. This is just a misunderstanding of the uses of
these two separate and different business success aids.
The business plan is a long range "map" to guide your business
to the goal you've set for it. The plan details the what, why,
where, how and when, of your business--the success planning of
your company.
Your financial proposal is a request for money based upon your
business plan--your business history and objectives.
Understand the differences. They are closely related, but they
are not interchangeable.
Writing and putting together a "winning" business plan takes
study, research and time, so don't try to do it all in just one
or two days.
The easiest way to start with a loose leaf notebook, plenty of
paper, pencils, pencil sharpener, and several erasers. Once you
get your mind "in gear" and begin thinking about your business
plan, "10,000 thoughts and ideas per minute" will begin racing
thru your mind...So, it's a good idea when you aren't actually
working on your business plan, to carry a pocket notebook and jot
down those business ideas as they come to you--ideas for sales
promotion, recruiting distributors, and any other thoughts on how
to operate and/or build your business.
Later, when you're actually working on your business plan, you
can take out this "idea notebook" evaluate your ideas, rework
them, refine them, and integrate them into the overall "big
picture" of your business plan.
The best business plans for even the smallest businesses run 25
to 30 pages or more, so you'll need to "title" each page and
arrange the different aspects of your business plan into
"chapters." The format should pretty much run as follows:
Title Page
Statement of Purpose
Table of Contents
Business Description
Market Analysis
Competition
Business Location
Management
Current Financial Records
Explanation of Plans For Growth
Projected Profit & Loss/Operating Figures
Explanation of Financing for Growth
Documentation
Summary of Business & Outlook for The Future
Listing of Business & personal References
This is a logical organization of the information every
business plan should cover. I'll explain each of these chapters
titles in greater detail, but first, let me elaborate upon the
reasons for proper organization of your business plan.
Having a set of "questions to answer" about your business
forces you to take an objective and critical look at your ideas.
Putting it all down on paper allows you to change, erase and
refine everything to function in the manner of a smoothly oiled
machine. You'll be able to spot weakness and strengthen them
before they develop into major problems. Overall, you'll be
developing an operating manual for your business--a valuable tool
which will keep your business on track, and guide you in the
profitable management of your business.
Because it's your idea, and your business, it's very important
that YOU do the planning. This is YOUR business plan, so YOU
develop it, and put it all down on paper just the way YOU want it
to read. Seek out the advice of other people; talk with, listen
to, and observe, other people running similar businesses; enlist
the advice of your accountant and attorney--but at the bottom
line, don't ever forget it has to be YOUR BUSINESS PLAN!
Remember too, that statistics show the greatest causes of
business failure to be poor management and lack of
planning--without a plan by which to operate, no one can manage;
and without a direction in which to aim its efforts, no business
can attain any real success.
On the very first page, which is the title page, put down the
name of your business-ABC ACTION--with your business address
underneath. Now, skip a couple of lines, and write it all in
capital letters: PRINCIPAL OWNER--followed by your name if you're
the principal owner. On your finished report, you would want to
center this information on the page, with the words "principal
owner" off-set to the left about five spaces.
Examples: ABC ACTION
1234 SW 5th Ave.
Anywhere, USA 00000
PRINCIPAL OWNER: Your Name
That's all you'll have on this page except the page number
-1-
Following your title page is the page for your statement
purpose. This should be a simple statement of your primary
business function, such as: We are a service business engaged in
the business of selling business success manuals and other
information by mail.
The title of the page should be in all capital letters across
the top of the page, centered on your final draft--skip a few
lines and write the statement of purpose. This should be direct,
clear and short--never more than (2) sentences in length.
Then you should skip a few lines, and from the left hand margin
of the paper, write out a sub-heading in all capital letters,
such as: EXPLANATION OF PURPOSE.
From, and within this sub-heading you can briefly explain your
statement of purpose, such as: Our surveys have found most
entrepreneurs to be "sadly" lacking in basic information that
will enable them to achieve success. This market is estimated at
more than a 100 million persons, with at least half of these
people actively "searching" for sources that provide the kind of
information they want, and need.
With our business, advertising and publishing experience, it is
our goal to capture at least half of this market of information
seekers, with our publication. MONEY MAKING MAGIC! Our market
research indicates we can achieve this goal and realize a profit
of $1,000,000 per year within the next 5 years...
The above example is generally the way you should write your
"explanation of purpose," and in subtle definition, why you need
an explanation. Point to remember: Keep it short. Very few
business purpose explanations justify more than a half page long.
Next comes your table of contents page. Don't really worry
about this until you've got the entire plan completed and ready
for final typing. It's a good idea though, to list the subject
(chapter titles) as I have, and then check off each one as you
complete that part of your plan.
By having a list of the points you want to cover, you'll also
be able to skip around and work on each phase of your business
plan as an idea or the interest in organizing that particular
phase, stimulates you. In other words, you won't have to make
your thinking or your planning conform to the chronological order
of the "chapters" of your business plan--another reason for the
loose leaf notebook.
In describing your business, it's best to begin where your
statement purpose leaves off. Describe your product, the
production process, who has responsibility for what, and most
importantly, what makes your product or service unique--what
gives it an edge in your market. You can briefly summarize your
business beginnings, present position and potential for future
success, as well.
Next, describe the buyers you're trying to reach--why they need
and want or will buy your product--and the results of any tests
or surveys you may have conducted. Once you've defined your
market, go on to explain how you intend to reach that market--how
you'll these prospects to your product or service and induce them
to buy. You might want to break this chapter down into sections
such as..publicity and promotions, advertising plans, direct
sales force, and dealer/distributor programs. Each section would
then be an outline of your plans and policies.
Moving into the next chapter on competition, identify who your
competitors are--their weakness and strong points--explain how
you intend to capitalize on those weaknesses and match or better
the strong points. Talk to as many of your "indirect" competitors
as possible--those operating in different cities and states.
One of the easiest ways of gathering a lot of useful
information about your competitors is by developing a series of
survey questions and sending these questionnaires out to each of
them. Later on, you might want to compile the answers to these
questionnaires into some form of directory or report on this type
of business.
It's also advisable to contact the trade associations and
publications serving your proposed type of business. For
information on trade associations and specific trade
publications, visit your public library, and after explaining
what you want ask for the librarian's help.
The chapter on management should be an elaboration on the
people operating the business. Those people that actually run the
business, their job, titles, duties, responsibilities and
background resume's. It's important that you "paint" a strong
picture of your top management people because the people coming
to work for you or investing in your business, will be "investing
in these people" as much as your product ideas. Individual
tenacity, mature judgement under fire, and innovative
problem-solving have "won over" more people than all the AAA
Credit Ratings and astronomical sales figures put together.
People becoming involved with any new venture want to know that
the person in charge--the guy running the business knows what
he's doing, will not lose his cool when problems arise, and has
what it takes to make money for all of them> After showing the
"muscle" of this person, go on to outline the other key positions
within your business; who the persons are you've selected to
handle those jobs and the sources as well as availability of any
help you might need.
If you've been in business of any kind scale, the next chapter
is a picture of your financial status--a review of your operating
costs and income from the business to date. Generally, this is a
listing of your profit & loss statements for the six months, plus
copies of your business income tax records for each of the
previous three years the business has been an entity.
The chapter on the explanation of your plans for the future
growth of your business is just that--an explanation of how you
plan to keep your business growing--a detailed guide of what
you're going to do, and how you're going to increase your
profits. These plans should show your goals for the coming year,
two years, and three years. By breaking your objectives down into
annual milestones, your plan will be accepted as more realistic
and be more understandable as a part of your ultimate success.
Following this explanation, you'll need to itemize the
projected cost and income figures of your three year plan. I'll
take a lot of research, an undoubtedly a good deal of erasing,
but it's very important that you list these figures based upon
thorough investigation. You may have to adjust some of your plans
downward, but once you've got these two chapters on paper, your
whole business plan will fall into line and begin to make sense.
You'll have a precise "map" of where you're headed, how much it's
going to cost, when you can expect to start making money, and how
much.
Now that you know where you're going, how much it's going to
cost and how long it's going to be before you begin to recoup
your investment, you're ready to talk about how and where you're
going to get the money to finance your journey. Unless you're
independently wealthy, you'll want to use this chapter to list
the possibilities and alternatives.
Make a list of friends you can approach, and perhaps induce to
put up some money as silent partners. Make a list of those people
you might be able to sell as stockholders in your company--in
many cases you can sell up to $300,000 worth of stock on a
"private issue" basis without filing papers with the Securities
and Exchange Commission. Check with a corporate or tax attorney
in your area for more details. Make a list of relatives and
friends that might help you with an outright loan to furnish
money for the development of your business.
Then search out and make a list of venture capital
organizations. Visit the Small Business Administration office in
your area--pick up the loan application papers they have--read
them, study them, and even fill them out on a preliminary
basis--and finally, check the costs, determine which business
publications would be best to advertise in, if you were to
advertise for a partner or investor, and write an ad you'd want
to use if you did decide to advertise for monetary help.
With listing of all the options available to your needs, all
that's left is the arranging of these options in the order you
would want to use them when the time come to ask for money. When
you're researching these money sources, you'll save time by
noting the "contact" deal with when you want money, and whenever
possible, by developing a working relationship with these people.
If your documentation section, you should have a credit report
on yourself. Use the Yellow Pages or check at the credit
department in your bank for the nearest credit reporting office.
When you get your credit report, look it over and take whatever
steps are necessary to eliminate any negative comments. Once
these have been taken care of, ask for a revised copy of your
report and include a copy of that in your business plan.
If you own any patents or copyrights, include copies of these.
Any licenses to use someone else's patent or copyright should
also be included. If you own the distribution, wholesale or
exclusive sales rights to a product, include copies of this
documentation. You should also include copies of any leases,
special agreements or other legal papers that might be pertinent
to your business.
In conclusion, write out a brief, overall summary of your
business- when the business was started, the purpose of the
business, what makes your business different, how you're going to
gain a profitable share of the market, and your expected success
during the coming 5 years..
The last page of your business plan is a "courtesy page"
listing the names, addresses and phone numbers of personal and
business references--persons who have known you closely for the
past five years or longer--and companies or firms you've had
business or credit dealings with during the past five years.
And, that's it--your complete business plan. Before you send it
out for formal typing, read it over once a day for a week or ten
days. Take care of any changes or corrections, and then have it
reviewed by an attorney and then, an accountant. It would also be
a good idea to have it reviewed by a business consultant serving
the business community to which your business will be related.
After these reviews, and any last-minute changes you want to
make, I'll be ready for formal typing.
Hire a professional typist to type the entire plan on ordinary
white bond paper. Make sure you proof-read it against the
original. Check for any corrections and typographical
errors--then one more time--read it through for clarity and the
perfection you want of it.
Now you're ready to have it printed and published for whatever
use you have planned for it--distribution amongst your partners
or stockholders as the business plan for putting together a
winning financial proposal, or as a business operating manual.
Take it to a quality printer in your area, and have three
copies printed. Don't settle for photo-copying..Have it printed!
Photo-copying leaves a slight film on the paper, and will
detract from the overall professionalism of your business plan,
when presented to someone you're trying to impress. So, after
going to all this work to put together properly, go all the way
and have it duplicated properly.
Next, stop by a stationery store, variety store or even a dime
store, and pick up an ordinary, inexpensive bind-in theme cover
for each copy of your business plan. Have the holes punched in
the pages of your business report to fit these binders and then
slip each copy into a binder of its own.
Now, you can relax, take a break and feel good about
yourself..You have a complete and detailed business plan with
which to operate a successful business of your own. A plan you
can use as a basis for any financing proposal you may want to
submit..And a precise road-map for the attainment of real
success...
Congratulations, and my best wishes for the complete
fulfillment of all your dreams of success!!!
Friday, August 22, 2008
How To Start Your Own Auto Tune-Up Shop
This business idea is one of those recession proof
opportunities that can put you on "easy street." When
the economy heats up and inflation increases the cost
of living, people become "do-it yourself" conscious,
looking for ways to save money. Whenever the economy
falters, people again are searching for methods of
saving money and making what they already own last
longer.
The marketing principles outlined within this report
emphasize the money-making potential of an independent
auto tune-up shop in any part of the country. One of
the secrets of success in this business is the
specialization. No longer do auto owners expect their
neighborhood service station to keep their cars tuned-up
and running smoothly.
There are several reasons for the demise of the local
"do-it-all" auto mechanic: first, there are very few auto
mechanics running service stations anymore. A good
journeyman auto mechanic can earn much more, without the
responsibility, by hiring out to big-time auto
dealerships. Most service stations today are simply gas
and tire selling outlets operated by the major oil
companies who advise you to take your mechanical problems
elsewhere for repair. When you do find one with a mechanic
on duty, the prices are such that only the very rich can
afford them.
There's also the problem of unethical operators. Although
many state legislatures have enacted licensing and consumer
protection safety measures, the rip offs continue. The crux
of the problem is that most auto owners do not realize
they've been taken until after the fact, and then it's too
late. After being taken once or twice, among consumers turn
to "do-it-yourself" auto repair until they run into
technology and advanced electronics of the ignition system
on today's cars. That's when they'll be needing your help.
It really doesn't take any special education or training to
set up and independent auto tune-up shop. Any automotive
repair experience you may have will help, but a simple
knowledge of basic tune-up procedures is all that's really
necessary. In fact, the important prerequisites will be a
strong business sense and an old fashioned "down-home" to
get along with people.
Remember this fact: In staring and operating this business,
it's not mandatory that you be a qualified auto mechanic;
but your success will depend upon your ability to "serve
others," and upon having a genuine desire and ability to
do a good job.
This means remembering faces and names; addressing
customers by first names as you get to know them; and
listening to them; interacting with their problems and
achievements. The best way to explain the kind of "people
empathy" you need for success in any kind of service
business is to think of all your customers as close friends.
You can start this business in your garage--and even on
a part-time basis. Run an ad in your local paper:
QUICK IN & OUT AUTO TUNE-UPS...Low cost guaranteed.
We pick up and deliver...Call Jim at 123-4567
Place a similar ad or notice on all the bulletin boards in
your area. To drum up business and get the ball rolling,
you could even solicit customers via phone. Simply start
calling people out of the phone book. Tell them that your
shop is offering a change-of season special on auto tune-
ups--in and out in less than an hour for $5, plus parts,
which usually run less than $10, and then ask them if
they'd like for you to pick up and deliver their car
this afternoon or evening.
Another way of managing, building and promoting your
business is via the service stations and auto parts stores
in your area. Have posters or signs painted, advertising
your "quick in-and-out" tune-up service. Take them around
to all the service stations that don't handle auto repair,
and to the auto parts stores, and ask them to put your
signs in their windows.
The next thing would be to hand out your business cards
wherever you go and to everybody you meet. Give a handful
to your friends, and ask them to write their name on the
back of the cards and hand them out for you. You could
promise them a dollar or two for every customer who
brings in a card with their name on it. You'll be quite
pleasantly surprised at how fast your business will grow
when you take advantage of these promotional methods.
Still another idea is to have advertising circulars made
up. Pay some junior high school students to hand them out
at busy shopping centers on weekends, especially after
the first cold snap or hot spell of the year. If you live
in a large metropolitan area, leave off stacks at your
downtown parking lots and get the lot attendants to hand
them out as the people pay their parking fees.
You should be able to trade tune-up work for free radio
advertising, especially after or during any change in the
weather. This kind of advertising should work very well for
you, so plan on it and use it at those times when people
are most likely to be thinking about a tune-up.
You can set this business up very simply and operate it
according to the sophisticated time-saving methods of the
highly capitalized franchised operations.
This means an electronic check of the ignition system and
scientific diagnosis of the engine. Check with the auto parts
and tools distributors in your area. They should be able to
steer you onto the national manufactures or suppliers of the
equipment you need.
Here's how to buy the equipment: Decide upon a supplier and
explain your business plan to him. Tell him you want to
finance the cost of the equipment through your local bank
with him as your co-signer. Get the bank to draw up the
papers, make a layout of your shop and equipment with the
help of your supplier, and that's all there is to it.
After you've electronically checked the ignition, the next
step in your quick tune-up procedure is to replace all parts
that aren't operating properly. This usually means points,
condenser and plugs. In some cases this may include a new
rotor, distributor cap, fuel filter, air cleaner and maybe
spark wires. Be hesitant to suggest extras beyond the basics
until your business is established. Spray some chemical
cleaning fluid into and on the carburetor, start the engine,
set the timing, make any necessary adjustments--and the job
is complete. You charge the customer about $10 for parts,
(according to your cost) plus $5 for labor, and you should
be on your way to a good income.
As you become established, and as your customers gain
confidence in your work, you'll be able to suggest and sell
them such things as new batteries, battery cables, starters,
voltage regulators, alternators and sometimes even generates
--when these parts are not working properly and need
replacement. It's important that you don't sell, or even
allow your customers to buy parts from you that are not
really needed for continued trouble-free operation of their
vehicles. Another thing: when you do replace a major piece
of equipment on a customer's auto, always schedule the
replacement work for a time when you're not handling regular
in and out tune-up customers. In other words, you might
schedule the replacement of a generator for Monday, after
advising the customer of the need on Friday. Suggest that
he leave the car with you all day, and pick it up on his
way home from work. Or he could stop by on his way to work,
and you take him to work, replacing the generator during
the day, and pick him up after work.
The charge for replacing a major engine components such as
suggested should be $10 plus the cost of the replacement
part. It's also very important that whenever you contract
to do this kind of work, you have the work done and the car
ready for your customer at the time promised him it'll be
ready. No one likes to wait around for the completion of
work that was promised to be done at a specific time. By
completing the work on time, and having your customer's car
properly serviced as promised, you'll build more long-term
loyalty than any fancy advertising, "come-on" gimmicks or
rock-bottom prices ever offered.
So the thing to do as you organize your business is to
established accounts---sources of wholesale priced parts--
with the major auto parts distributors in your area. You'll
want to maintain a general supply of new parts on hand, and
not have to worry about paying for them for at least 30 days.
In other words, you'll need a cash-flow system that works to
your advantage.
Your profit will come from developing a standard routine that
allows you to move at least four cars through your shop every
hour. Some automotive purists may argue that you're only
providing a "pep-up" instead of a tune-up, but let them beat
their gums. Give each car the same procedure: and electronic
check, new points and condenser, then an engine diagnosis,
and collect your fee.
Talk with your customers. Get to know them and allow them to
get to know you. Then when your engine diagnosis indicates a
valve job or a new carburetor you can recommend it to them and
they'll trust your judgement.
You, as the operator of a quick tune-up shop, should not
volunteer any major mechanical work. Suggest someone whose
work you trust. Your customer will appreciate your suggestion
and concern. And he'll remain loyal to your for not taking his
money and attempting to give him a repair job in an area where
you don't specialize.
After all, you're tune-up specialist---the guy who knows all
there is to know about a car's ignition system---the guy who
keeps cars running smoothly. By specializing in a particular
area of auto repair, and recommending other specialists as
needed, you'll be able to quickly dispel the skepticism many
car owners have for independent auto repair shops in general.
An assembly line in-and-out operation will reduce the
necessary investment for tools, enable you to hire low-cost
workers, and greatly increase your profit potential by
eliminating wasted motion. Keep it simple, routine and
according to a definite procedure on every car.
Once you have your business established and a regular
following of people who bring their cars to you for regular
tune-ups---usually every six months--you can begin thinking
about expansion. It's best to hire college students, or
"car-crazy" high school students, to work alongside you.
Give your customers a chance to recognize and know your help.
When you find one who seems to be especially mechanically
inclined, take him aside and offer him the title of assistant
manager of your shop.
Teach this young man how you want the business to operate;
explain where the profit comes from; and assign more of the
actual responsibility to him. Leave him on his own to run the
shop for longer periods of time. Be patient; compliment him
on his work; and if you want him to stay with you, give him
a raise now and then, and eventually, a percentage of the
profits.
Offering him a percentage arrangement will result in even
greater profits for you, plus a very strong local image for
your business. Because you're "giving him" a part of the
business, he'll promote your business to his friends, and
through him and his friends, a long line of new customers
and a chain of loyalty that could become more valuable to
your business than any amount of advertising you could buy.
When you're ready to expand your operation from your garage
to a regular commercial location, look for a vacant service
station. One of the larger facilities built by a major oil
company, located on a strategic corner, will be your best
bet.
So long as you operate out of your garage and on a small
scale, you probably won't have to worry too much about
licenses. That is, providing you get along well with your
neighbors, don't clutter up the street with 5 or 10 cars
at a time, and don't erect any kind of sign indicating
you're doing business in a residentially zoned neighborhood.
However, once you move into a commercial location, you'll
need to register the name of the business with the appropriate
local government authority. In most states, this is the
office of the county clerk.
If your state has a sales tax, you'll have to check with the
state tax commissioner's office to learn the rules on how to
collection system operates.
All these licensing offices are in reality offices for tax
collecting. Basically, they know nothing about your business,
and usually could care less. Their main reason for existence
is simply the collection of money for the administration of
government in your area. If they should ask you questions
relative to the worth of your business, or how much money
you will be taking in, always estimate a much lower figure
than either the true worth of those you anticipate. Most
license fees are based upon the investment of the entrepreneur
and his anticipated income from the new business, and you
certainly don't want to start off paying excess taxes.
A good eye-catching sign is vital to the success of any
business in a commercial location. The most important
requirement for you is visibility. Your sign should be
big enough and tall enough for people to see it from
several different directions at a distance of at least
a half block away. Check with your city ordinances for
the sign limitations in the location you select.
Secondly, your sign should immediately state the service
you're offering. Hence, a sign that clearly and simply
announces "Auto Tune-ups" fits this requirement. However,
in order to attract customers into your shop, your sign
should "promise" a benefit. It should describe an added
benefit to the reader. So, your sign should read: "Rapid
Auto Tune-Up!"
Basically, that's all you'll need for a sign, but to "fill
it out" you might come up with a special logo or business
motto. You can probably get an art student at your local
college to design something for a little more than the
privilege of including it in his or her portfolio. For a
business slogan or motto, something along the lines of
"Better performance from your car, at a price you can
afford," is the kind of thing you want to come up with,
and that will do you the most good.
Remember, fast, efficient service and low prices, coupled
with a personality that makes the customer feel you're
his friend, are the keys to your success. Organize
yourself; start slowly and build your customer loyalty;
instill these principles in your employees, and you'll
be on you way. Study this report again, then act on
the recommendations given there.
opportunities that can put you on "easy street." When
the economy heats up and inflation increases the cost
of living, people become "do-it yourself" conscious,
looking for ways to save money. Whenever the economy
falters, people again are searching for methods of
saving money and making what they already own last
longer.
The marketing principles outlined within this report
emphasize the money-making potential of an independent
auto tune-up shop in any part of the country. One of
the secrets of success in this business is the
specialization. No longer do auto owners expect their
neighborhood service station to keep their cars tuned-up
and running smoothly.
There are several reasons for the demise of the local
"do-it-all" auto mechanic: first, there are very few auto
mechanics running service stations anymore. A good
journeyman auto mechanic can earn much more, without the
responsibility, by hiring out to big-time auto
dealerships. Most service stations today are simply gas
and tire selling outlets operated by the major oil
companies who advise you to take your mechanical problems
elsewhere for repair. When you do find one with a mechanic
on duty, the prices are such that only the very rich can
afford them.
There's also the problem of unethical operators. Although
many state legislatures have enacted licensing and consumer
protection safety measures, the rip offs continue. The crux
of the problem is that most auto owners do not realize
they've been taken until after the fact, and then it's too
late. After being taken once or twice, among consumers turn
to "do-it-yourself" auto repair until they run into
technology and advanced electronics of the ignition system
on today's cars. That's when they'll be needing your help.
It really doesn't take any special education or training to
set up and independent auto tune-up shop. Any automotive
repair experience you may have will help, but a simple
knowledge of basic tune-up procedures is all that's really
necessary. In fact, the important prerequisites will be a
strong business sense and an old fashioned "down-home" to
get along with people.
Remember this fact: In staring and operating this business,
it's not mandatory that you be a qualified auto mechanic;
but your success will depend upon your ability to "serve
others," and upon having a genuine desire and ability to
do a good job.
This means remembering faces and names; addressing
customers by first names as you get to know them; and
listening to them; interacting with their problems and
achievements. The best way to explain the kind of "people
empathy" you need for success in any kind of service
business is to think of all your customers as close friends.
You can start this business in your garage--and even on
a part-time basis. Run an ad in your local paper:
QUICK IN & OUT AUTO TUNE-UPS...Low cost guaranteed.
We pick up and deliver...Call Jim at 123-4567
Place a similar ad or notice on all the bulletin boards in
your area. To drum up business and get the ball rolling,
you could even solicit customers via phone. Simply start
calling people out of the phone book. Tell them that your
shop is offering a change-of season special on auto tune-
ups--in and out in less than an hour for $5, plus parts,
which usually run less than $10, and then ask them if
they'd like for you to pick up and deliver their car
this afternoon or evening.
Another way of managing, building and promoting your
business is via the service stations and auto parts stores
in your area. Have posters or signs painted, advertising
your "quick in-and-out" tune-up service. Take them around
to all the service stations that don't handle auto repair,
and to the auto parts stores, and ask them to put your
signs in their windows.
The next thing would be to hand out your business cards
wherever you go and to everybody you meet. Give a handful
to your friends, and ask them to write their name on the
back of the cards and hand them out for you. You could
promise them a dollar or two for every customer who
brings in a card with their name on it. You'll be quite
pleasantly surprised at how fast your business will grow
when you take advantage of these promotional methods.
Still another idea is to have advertising circulars made
up. Pay some junior high school students to hand them out
at busy shopping centers on weekends, especially after
the first cold snap or hot spell of the year. If you live
in a large metropolitan area, leave off stacks at your
downtown parking lots and get the lot attendants to hand
them out as the people pay their parking fees.
You should be able to trade tune-up work for free radio
advertising, especially after or during any change in the
weather. This kind of advertising should work very well for
you, so plan on it and use it at those times when people
are most likely to be thinking about a tune-up.
You can set this business up very simply and operate it
according to the sophisticated time-saving methods of the
highly capitalized franchised operations.
This means an electronic check of the ignition system and
scientific diagnosis of the engine. Check with the auto parts
and tools distributors in your area. They should be able to
steer you onto the national manufactures or suppliers of the
equipment you need.
Here's how to buy the equipment: Decide upon a supplier and
explain your business plan to him. Tell him you want to
finance the cost of the equipment through your local bank
with him as your co-signer. Get the bank to draw up the
papers, make a layout of your shop and equipment with the
help of your supplier, and that's all there is to it.
After you've electronically checked the ignition, the next
step in your quick tune-up procedure is to replace all parts
that aren't operating properly. This usually means points,
condenser and plugs. In some cases this may include a new
rotor, distributor cap, fuel filter, air cleaner and maybe
spark wires. Be hesitant to suggest extras beyond the basics
until your business is established. Spray some chemical
cleaning fluid into and on the carburetor, start the engine,
set the timing, make any necessary adjustments--and the job
is complete. You charge the customer about $10 for parts,
(according to your cost) plus $5 for labor, and you should
be on your way to a good income.
As you become established, and as your customers gain
confidence in your work, you'll be able to suggest and sell
them such things as new batteries, battery cables, starters,
voltage regulators, alternators and sometimes even generates
--when these parts are not working properly and need
replacement. It's important that you don't sell, or even
allow your customers to buy parts from you that are not
really needed for continued trouble-free operation of their
vehicles. Another thing: when you do replace a major piece
of equipment on a customer's auto, always schedule the
replacement work for a time when you're not handling regular
in and out tune-up customers. In other words, you might
schedule the replacement of a generator for Monday, after
advising the customer of the need on Friday. Suggest that
he leave the car with you all day, and pick it up on his
way home from work. Or he could stop by on his way to work,
and you take him to work, replacing the generator during
the day, and pick him up after work.
The charge for replacing a major engine components such as
suggested should be $10 plus the cost of the replacement
part. It's also very important that whenever you contract
to do this kind of work, you have the work done and the car
ready for your customer at the time promised him it'll be
ready. No one likes to wait around for the completion of
work that was promised to be done at a specific time. By
completing the work on time, and having your customer's car
properly serviced as promised, you'll build more long-term
loyalty than any fancy advertising, "come-on" gimmicks or
rock-bottom prices ever offered.
So the thing to do as you organize your business is to
established accounts---sources of wholesale priced parts--
with the major auto parts distributors in your area. You'll
want to maintain a general supply of new parts on hand, and
not have to worry about paying for them for at least 30 days.
In other words, you'll need a cash-flow system that works to
your advantage.
Your profit will come from developing a standard routine that
allows you to move at least four cars through your shop every
hour. Some automotive purists may argue that you're only
providing a "pep-up" instead of a tune-up, but let them beat
their gums. Give each car the same procedure: and electronic
check, new points and condenser, then an engine diagnosis,
and collect your fee.
Talk with your customers. Get to know them and allow them to
get to know you. Then when your engine diagnosis indicates a
valve job or a new carburetor you can recommend it to them and
they'll trust your judgement.
You, as the operator of a quick tune-up shop, should not
volunteer any major mechanical work. Suggest someone whose
work you trust. Your customer will appreciate your suggestion
and concern. And he'll remain loyal to your for not taking his
money and attempting to give him a repair job in an area where
you don't specialize.
After all, you're tune-up specialist---the guy who knows all
there is to know about a car's ignition system---the guy who
keeps cars running smoothly. By specializing in a particular
area of auto repair, and recommending other specialists as
needed, you'll be able to quickly dispel the skepticism many
car owners have for independent auto repair shops in general.
An assembly line in-and-out operation will reduce the
necessary investment for tools, enable you to hire low-cost
workers, and greatly increase your profit potential by
eliminating wasted motion. Keep it simple, routine and
according to a definite procedure on every car.
Once you have your business established and a regular
following of people who bring their cars to you for regular
tune-ups---usually every six months--you can begin thinking
about expansion. It's best to hire college students, or
"car-crazy" high school students, to work alongside you.
Give your customers a chance to recognize and know your help.
When you find one who seems to be especially mechanically
inclined, take him aside and offer him the title of assistant
manager of your shop.
Teach this young man how you want the business to operate;
explain where the profit comes from; and assign more of the
actual responsibility to him. Leave him on his own to run the
shop for longer periods of time. Be patient; compliment him
on his work; and if you want him to stay with you, give him
a raise now and then, and eventually, a percentage of the
profits.
Offering him a percentage arrangement will result in even
greater profits for you, plus a very strong local image for
your business. Because you're "giving him" a part of the
business, he'll promote your business to his friends, and
through him and his friends, a long line of new customers
and a chain of loyalty that could become more valuable to
your business than any amount of advertising you could buy.
When you're ready to expand your operation from your garage
to a regular commercial location, look for a vacant service
station. One of the larger facilities built by a major oil
company, located on a strategic corner, will be your best
bet.
So long as you operate out of your garage and on a small
scale, you probably won't have to worry too much about
licenses. That is, providing you get along well with your
neighbors, don't clutter up the street with 5 or 10 cars
at a time, and don't erect any kind of sign indicating
you're doing business in a residentially zoned neighborhood.
However, once you move into a commercial location, you'll
need to register the name of the business with the appropriate
local government authority. In most states, this is the
office of the county clerk.
If your state has a sales tax, you'll have to check with the
state tax commissioner's office to learn the rules on how to
collection system operates.
All these licensing offices are in reality offices for tax
collecting. Basically, they know nothing about your business,
and usually could care less. Their main reason for existence
is simply the collection of money for the administration of
government in your area. If they should ask you questions
relative to the worth of your business, or how much money
you will be taking in, always estimate a much lower figure
than either the true worth of those you anticipate. Most
license fees are based upon the investment of the entrepreneur
and his anticipated income from the new business, and you
certainly don't want to start off paying excess taxes.
A good eye-catching sign is vital to the success of any
business in a commercial location. The most important
requirement for you is visibility. Your sign should be
big enough and tall enough for people to see it from
several different directions at a distance of at least
a half block away. Check with your city ordinances for
the sign limitations in the location you select.
Secondly, your sign should immediately state the service
you're offering. Hence, a sign that clearly and simply
announces "Auto Tune-ups" fits this requirement. However,
in order to attract customers into your shop, your sign
should "promise" a benefit. It should describe an added
benefit to the reader. So, your sign should read: "Rapid
Auto Tune-Up!"
Basically, that's all you'll need for a sign, but to "fill
it out" you might come up with a special logo or business
motto. You can probably get an art student at your local
college to design something for a little more than the
privilege of including it in his or her portfolio. For a
business slogan or motto, something along the lines of
"Better performance from your car, at a price you can
afford," is the kind of thing you want to come up with,
and that will do you the most good.
Remember, fast, efficient service and low prices, coupled
with a personality that makes the customer feel you're
his friend, are the keys to your success. Organize
yourself; start slowly and build your customer loyalty;
instill these principles in your employees, and you'll
be on you way. Study this report again, then act on
the recommendations given there.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
How To Start & Successfully Operate A Correspondence Club
Raise Capital in 90 Days Online - Now!
All over the country, in fact--all over the world, there are
lonely men and women eagerly seeking confidential introductions
to other people--for friendship, companionship, even marriage.
They're in every village and hamlet, in every town and city, at
every crossroads and every rural route; up in the mountains and
down in the valleys, on ranches, in factories, mills, stores,
offices, churches--They're everywhere!
You can help these people ease their loneliness, and make a very
good income for yourself as well, with a Correspondence Club. If
you enjoy people, and have an imagination for the world of
business, then this is for you.
The first step is to find out what the other correspondence clubs
are doing. Your purpose will be to design your own format, and
look for ways to improve upon what they are doing. So, check out
the tabloids on sale at your supermarket and write a letter to as
many of the advertising correspondence clubs as you can afford.
Simply state that you're thinking of joining a correspondence
club--but you don't want to get "ripped off," so you would
appreciate a sample copy of their latest club bulletin/newsletter
and a listing of everything the club endeavors to do for its
members. It isn't an absolute necessity--but it wouldn't hurt to
include a loose stamp with your letter inquiry.
Most of the established clubs will respond quickly, because the
very least it means to them is another address they can sell.
Don't use business letterhead paper, or a business name. Just
inquire as an ordinary interested person.
Once you have your game plan organized--what you will offer your
members, the fees you'll charge, and the related services or
items you want to offer as sources of added income--your next
move will to begin advertising. Start small, go slowly...This is
mainly to allow you to handle the ever-increasing number of
members while still maintaining firm control over the time
required to keep up with the business.
Your first advertisements should be in the "nickle or
classifieds" newspapers in your area. An advertisements such as
the following, inserted once a week for a month, shouldn't cost
you more than $25 while filling your mailbox...
Young woman, just divorced, wants to meet eligible men thru
correspondence. Tell me about yourself with SASE to: Box number,
and Your name or nickname. (Most people just use a tag-line such
as: Judy, Box 123, Anywhere (USA).
At the same time this ad is running for men to inquire about the
available girls, run an ad such as the following in about five or
six of the national mail order sheets...
Young business executive--Little Shy--wants to meet right women
thru correspondence. Will answer all letters. Sherm, Box 123,
Everywhere USA.
Certainly you should vary the ads--study the ads the other clubs
are running, and adapt what and how they're doing it to your own
needs.
Hopefully before you began, as a result of the "sample
bulletins/newsletter" you received from all the correspondence
clubs you wrote to, You've prepared your own bulletin and can
send it off in reply to all of your inquires, with an invitation
to pay for a membership in your club. Another important "rung up
the ladder" you're going to get from these samples is a list of
names and addresses of both men and women seeking correspondence.
Some do include names and addresses with their bulletins, and
some don't either way, they all sell names to each other so you
can send a sprinkling of those names and addresses with your own,
until you become well established and with a mailing list of your
own.
Important to remember--Do not begin advertising until you have
your first club bulletin/newsletter prepared, along with your
membership application. Then, just as soon as you receive each
inquiry, you can send out your answer--the faster your service
the more credibility you'll impart to your prospects. Also,
always watch what the older, more established correspondence
clubs are doing--You'll want to duplicate their methods, but with
more flair and better service for your members.
After about three months in business, you should be pretty well
established and showing a good monthly profit. Then you can begin
running advertising on your own in the "check-out counter"
tabloids, and several of the monthly subscription magazines such
as True Story, True Confessions, Modern Romances, etc.
One way of getting started with a built-in supply of names is by
contacting Metrapala--Box 4091, Sunnyside Station, Long Island
City, New York 11104... They have several sources of good names
of people wanting introductions to members of the opposite sex,
and will gladly supply you with price lists for 25 to 500 names
of lonely people in every state in the union, plus most countries
around the world.
Another important organization that can be of tremendous help to
you is Destiny Syndicate--P.O. Box 5637, Reno, Nevada
89513...Headed by R.J. Williams who directs the office of the
World Federation of Correspondence Clubs, they can set you up
with a quarterly newspaper that has built-in membership forms,
and advertising possibilities as well. In fact, with destiny
Syndicate affiliation, you need do nothing more than a little bit
of advertising, and then mail out club news bulletins every three
months or whatever you enlist a new member. It would be well
worth your effort to investigate.
All over the country, in fact--all over the world, there are
lonely men and women eagerly seeking confidential introductions
to other people--for friendship, companionship, even marriage.
They're in every village and hamlet, in every town and city, at
every crossroads and every rural route; up in the mountains and
down in the valleys, on ranches, in factories, mills, stores,
offices, churches--They're everywhere!
You can help these people ease their loneliness, and make a very
good income for yourself as well, with a Correspondence Club. If
you enjoy people, and have an imagination for the world of
business, then this is for you.
The first step is to find out what the other correspondence clubs
are doing. Your purpose will be to design your own format, and
look for ways to improve upon what they are doing. So, check out
the tabloids on sale at your supermarket and write a letter to as
many of the advertising correspondence clubs as you can afford.
Simply state that you're thinking of joining a correspondence
club--but you don't want to get "ripped off," so you would
appreciate a sample copy of their latest club bulletin/newsletter
and a listing of everything the club endeavors to do for its
members. It isn't an absolute necessity--but it wouldn't hurt to
include a loose stamp with your letter inquiry.
Most of the established clubs will respond quickly, because the
very least it means to them is another address they can sell.
Don't use business letterhead paper, or a business name. Just
inquire as an ordinary interested person.
Once you have your game plan organized--what you will offer your
members, the fees you'll charge, and the related services or
items you want to offer as sources of added income--your next
move will to begin advertising. Start small, go slowly...This is
mainly to allow you to handle the ever-increasing number of
members while still maintaining firm control over the time
required to keep up with the business.
Your first advertisements should be in the "nickle or
classifieds" newspapers in your area. An advertisements such as
the following, inserted once a week for a month, shouldn't cost
you more than $25 while filling your mailbox...
Young woman, just divorced, wants to meet eligible men thru
correspondence. Tell me about yourself with SASE to: Box number,
and Your name or nickname. (Most people just use a tag-line such
as: Judy, Box 123, Anywhere (USA).
At the same time this ad is running for men to inquire about the
available girls, run an ad such as the following in about five or
six of the national mail order sheets...
Young business executive--Little Shy--wants to meet right women
thru correspondence. Will answer all letters. Sherm, Box 123,
Everywhere USA.
Certainly you should vary the ads--study the ads the other clubs
are running, and adapt what and how they're doing it to your own
needs.
Hopefully before you began, as a result of the "sample
bulletins/newsletter" you received from all the correspondence
clubs you wrote to, You've prepared your own bulletin and can
send it off in reply to all of your inquires, with an invitation
to pay for a membership in your club. Another important "rung up
the ladder" you're going to get from these samples is a list of
names and addresses of both men and women seeking correspondence.
Some do include names and addresses with their bulletins, and
some don't either way, they all sell names to each other so you
can send a sprinkling of those names and addresses with your own,
until you become well established and with a mailing list of your
own.
Important to remember--Do not begin advertising until you have
your first club bulletin/newsletter prepared, along with your
membership application. Then, just as soon as you receive each
inquiry, you can send out your answer--the faster your service
the more credibility you'll impart to your prospects. Also,
always watch what the older, more established correspondence
clubs are doing--You'll want to duplicate their methods, but with
more flair and better service for your members.
After about three months in business, you should be pretty well
established and showing a good monthly profit. Then you can begin
running advertising on your own in the "check-out counter"
tabloids, and several of the monthly subscription magazines such
as True Story, True Confessions, Modern Romances, etc.
One way of getting started with a built-in supply of names is by
contacting Metrapala--Box 4091, Sunnyside Station, Long Island
City, New York 11104... They have several sources of good names
of people wanting introductions to members of the opposite sex,
and will gladly supply you with price lists for 25 to 500 names
of lonely people in every state in the union, plus most countries
around the world.
Another important organization that can be of tremendous help to
you is Destiny Syndicate--P.O. Box 5637, Reno, Nevada
89513...Headed by R.J. Williams who directs the office of the
World Federation of Correspondence Clubs, they can set you up
with a quarterly newspaper that has built-in membership forms,
and advertising possibilities as well. In fact, with destiny
Syndicate affiliation, you need do nothing more than a little bit
of advertising, and then mail out club news bulletins every three
months or whatever you enlist a new member. It would be well
worth your effort to investigate.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Questions To Answer Before You Buy A Franchise
Raise Capital in 90 Days Online - Now!
Franchise businesses such as Wendy's, McDonald's and Jack-In-
The-Box are booming. The people setting up franchise ideas and
businesses know a good thing, and are really promoting this
idea. Franchises for just about every conceivable kind of
business are being sold in ever increasing numbers.
Some franchises are very good. They treat both the franchisor
and the franchisee very well. Others are very one-sided. Still
others are almost total rip-offs that trap one into paying ten
to fifty times the actual value of the business idea, equipment,
or whatever it is they are trying to get you to buy.
Before putting any money into a franchise, you should investigate
everything completely. We've prepared a list of questions you
should be asking, and should get satisfactory answers to before
investing.
1. Has your attorney studied the franchise contract, discussed it
completely with you, and do you both approve it without reservations?
2. Does the franchise require you to take any steps which are
either illegal or even border on illegal, or are otherwise
questionable or unwise in your state, county or city?
3. Does the franchise give you an exclusive territory for the
length of the franchise period, or can the franchisor sell a
second franchise in your territory?
4. is the franchisor connected in any way with any other
franchise company handling similar products or services?
5. If you answered yes to the above questions, what is your
protection against the second franchising company?
6. Under what circumstances can you end the franchise contract,
and at what cost to you?
7. If you sell your franchise, will you be compensated for your
goodwill or will it be lost to you?
8. How many years has the firm been offering you the franchise
been in operation?
9. Does the company offering you this franchise have a
reputation for honesty and fair dealing among its franchisees?
10. Has the franchisor shown any certified figures indicating
exact net profits of one or more of its members, and have you
personally checked the figures with these people?
11. Will the franchisor assist you with: a) A management training
program; b) An employee training program; c) A public relations
and advertising program; d) Capital; e) Credit; f) Merchandising
ideas?
12. If needed, will the franchisor assist you in finding a
suitable location?
13. Is the franchising firm adequately financed so that it can
carry out its sated plans?
14. Does the franchisor have experienced management, trained
in depth?
15. Exactly what can the franchisor do for you that you cannot
do for yourself?
16. Has the franchisor investigated you carefully enough to
assure itself that you can successfully operate a profit to
both of you?
17. Does your state have a law regulating the sale franchises,
and has the franchisor complied with that law to your
satisfaction?
18. How much equity capital will you need to purchase the
franchise and operate it until your income equals your expenses?
If you can get the answers to each of these questions, and those
answers satisfy you, then you're probably thinking about buying
a pretty good franchise deal. However, if you're in doubt about
any of these points, be sure to check it out and know the
answers for certain before you invest or sign anything.
Buying a franchise can give you a measure of security, and in
some cases, sure-fire profits. Business surveys show that fewer
than 20 percent of all franchised businesses fail. This is in
comparison to a 60 to 80 percent failure rate for ALL new
businesses started in this country each year.
Information regarding specific franchising ideas can be found
in the franchising directories, which are generally available
at the local library. Often there will be a notice posted in
franchise outlets themselves.
If you can afford the entry into this business, statistics are
on your side. You are now armed with some CAUTION and STOP and
GO signs!
Franchise businesses such as Wendy's, McDonald's and Jack-In-
The-Box are booming. The people setting up franchise ideas and
businesses know a good thing, and are really promoting this
idea. Franchises for just about every conceivable kind of
business are being sold in ever increasing numbers.
Some franchises are very good. They treat both the franchisor
and the franchisee very well. Others are very one-sided. Still
others are almost total rip-offs that trap one into paying ten
to fifty times the actual value of the business idea, equipment,
or whatever it is they are trying to get you to buy.
Before putting any money into a franchise, you should investigate
everything completely. We've prepared a list of questions you
should be asking, and should get satisfactory answers to before
investing.
1. Has your attorney studied the franchise contract, discussed it
completely with you, and do you both approve it without reservations?
2. Does the franchise require you to take any steps which are
either illegal or even border on illegal, or are otherwise
questionable or unwise in your state, county or city?
3. Does the franchise give you an exclusive territory for the
length of the franchise period, or can the franchisor sell a
second franchise in your territory?
4. is the franchisor connected in any way with any other
franchise company handling similar products or services?
5. If you answered yes to the above questions, what is your
protection against the second franchising company?
6. Under what circumstances can you end the franchise contract,
and at what cost to you?
7. If you sell your franchise, will you be compensated for your
goodwill or will it be lost to you?
8. How many years has the firm been offering you the franchise
been in operation?
9. Does the company offering you this franchise have a
reputation for honesty and fair dealing among its franchisees?
10. Has the franchisor shown any certified figures indicating
exact net profits of one or more of its members, and have you
personally checked the figures with these people?
11. Will the franchisor assist you with: a) A management training
program; b) An employee training program; c) A public relations
and advertising program; d) Capital; e) Credit; f) Merchandising
ideas?
12. If needed, will the franchisor assist you in finding a
suitable location?
13. Is the franchising firm adequately financed so that it can
carry out its sated plans?
14. Does the franchisor have experienced management, trained
in depth?
15. Exactly what can the franchisor do for you that you cannot
do for yourself?
16. Has the franchisor investigated you carefully enough to
assure itself that you can successfully operate a profit to
both of you?
17. Does your state have a law regulating the sale franchises,
and has the franchisor complied with that law to your
satisfaction?
18. How much equity capital will you need to purchase the
franchise and operate it until your income equals your expenses?
If you can get the answers to each of these questions, and those
answers satisfy you, then you're probably thinking about buying
a pretty good franchise deal. However, if you're in doubt about
any of these points, be sure to check it out and know the
answers for certain before you invest or sign anything.
Buying a franchise can give you a measure of security, and in
some cases, sure-fire profits. Business surveys show that fewer
than 20 percent of all franchised businesses fail. This is in
comparison to a 60 to 80 percent failure rate for ALL new
businesses started in this country each year.
Information regarding specific franchising ideas can be found
in the franchising directories, which are generally available
at the local library. Often there will be a notice posted in
franchise outlets themselves.
If you can afford the entry into this business, statistics are
on your side. You are now armed with some CAUTION and STOP and
GO signs!
Friday, August 15, 2008
The Business-Residence
Raise Capital in 90 Days Online - Now!
The Real Secret to Success
A few years ago there were millions of "mom & pop"
businesses across the country. Not a few of them were
stores with living quarters attached. There were stores
along the highway with houses in back and on city streets
with apartments upstairs.
This practice has largely gone by the wayside with our
modern living standards. Comfort and separation of the
"unpleasant and unsightly" work place from home have made
the business-residence unpopular.
Our concept of what ia and what isn't "accepted" has changed.
Not many brides want to live over the :deli"; most of them
prefer a "cottage with the white picket fence" -- which today
translates to a condo or tract house -- just like everyone
else.
Yet no one can dispute the fact that the business-residence
concept is a practical, cost effective and SMART alternative.
Tract housing is the least likely type of all home investments
to appreciate in value. If the price does go up, it is almost
always due SOLELY to inflation (which affects everything). The
property value doesn't go up; the value of our money goes down!
Aside from being easy to purchase, the only real financial
benefit from a tract house is an inefficient method of equity
building.
Even so, equity building in a constant value asset (like a
tract house) is far less productive than building equity in
something that increases in value (like a "going" business).
In many residential neighborhoods, it's either illegal or
impractical to operate a business (put up signs, display wares
and have customers coming and going).
Most people who live in housing developments and want to start
a business must buy or rent a second location and commute to
and from their homes, all of which costs money that could be
invested in their business.
There are exceptions such as take-home work and residences that
lend themselves to certain types of businesses like word
processing or a photo lab, but few people actually seek out
residences that can be used for business as well.
A young Texas couple rented a small house along a fairly well
traveled state highway some three miles outside the city limits.
The rent was considerably lower than it would have been inside
the city because it ways "a ways out." It was a nice enough
little house with a front yard. Whenever you drove buy their
place there was always something in the front yard with a For
Sale sign on it; a chest of drawers, lawn mower, picnic table.
The husband had a full time job and the wife also had a full
time job taking care of two little rascals. To help make end
meet, they bought some of their furnishings at garage sales and
local auctions. After furnishing their place, they kept going
and started buying things just to sell from their front yard
"store" (for about double their cost).
They wouldn't lie, but were perfectly happy to allow buyers to
assume the things were their own. These people technically did
buy each and every item "for themselves" and merely sold what
they no longer needed (often, the next day). Although the never
said how much they made they did admit that they made enough to
cover their rent and utilities.
This is but one of thousands of possible businesses that can be
operated from a business-residence. Houses on well traveled
streets in business zones have an excellent potential from a
small service or retail shop... So do large lots with business
building in the front and room for a house or mobile home in
the back. These businesses have the additional advantage that
they can be operated by the family -- even the kids can help!
Many excellent business-residence locations cost no more
(even less) than a conventional residence. They can often be
purchased on similar terms. In fact, "business" property notes
are sometimes carried by the owners at better rates than
offered by conventional home lenders. These "loans" may be
easier to get and can sometimes virtually make their own payments.
In addition, they appreciate into a business asset (well above
the land and building value alone). They save the cost of an
extra business investment, transportation to and from home,
labor and even insurance costs.
Another major advantage is that the cost to start a business
in a business-residnce situation is a tiny fraction of what it
would cost to start the same business at a separate location.
In the "real world" many people who like to start their own
business and buy a home usually buy the home and never get
around to starting their own business. They work for someone
else all their lives.
If one were to give their best home investing advice to a
young couple today, it would probably be to invest in something
that would most likely to go up in value. Something that would
produce income and expedite their climb up the ladder to
prosperity.
Most will agree it is better to buy a duplex than a single
tract house, so the income from one will help pay for the
other. The duplex will probably not increase in overall value,
but the rent income represents a definite plus that increases
the young couple's income builds faster equity.
A genuine business-residence, on the other hand allows the
couple to make extra income from a residential business and
the odds are that as a business site, its monetary value will
increase considerably more than either a single residence or
a duplex.
Specifically, the young couple ( or an older one, for that
matter) would be advised to buy or rent (with option to buy) a
residence with a business potential. The option to buy clause
shouldn't cost much and could become very important should the
business really take off!
Business-residence property can increase in value, for its
business or residential value or both. Then, the advice would
be to operate some kind of business at the location, even if
it is putting one or two "For Sale" items on the lawn. The
objective is to establish the business potential future buyers
to see; another is to prevent zoning changes before a business
is started.
Once a business location is established, it is very difficut to
change the zoning laws to remove businesses that existed before
the ordinance was enacted -- due to the "grandfather" factor.
This means new laws do not effect businesses that existed prior
to a newly passed law because it predates the law.
Interestingly, unless there are building changes, setting up a
business in your home normally does not increase your property
taxes, another interesting benefit!
If our young (?) couple invests in the business-residence,
establishes and builds a successful business at the location,
the chances are great that in a comparatively short time they
will be able to sell the residence and business for a nice
profit.
When they do sell out, they are very likely to do the same
thing again-- because they will have tasted the "honey" of
free enterprise and found it sweeter than "staying with the
group"!
BUSINESS SOURCES
WEB PUBLICATIONS, INC. Box 12830, Wichita, KS 67277,
316/722-9750. Publishes ANTIQUE AUCTION REPORT for antique
dealers.
ATLANTIC, 189 Baldwin Blvd.,Hempstead, NY 11550-6929. Free
appliance parts catalog and trouble shooting details;
wholesale prices.
AUCTION MERCHANDISE, 800/541-0900 Sells computer listings
of auctions by geographical area (200 for $15).
MEYER GIFTWORLD 23252 Cavanaugh, El Toro, CA 92630.
Wholesale brassware and giftwares. Catalog of 2,500
items - $2.
MEDICINO, 1385 Broadway, New York, NY 10018. Wholesale
bridal supplies.
WILTON ENTERPRISES, 2240 W. 75th, Woodridge, IL 60517.
Cake decorating supplies and information.
CAHNER'S PUBLISHING CO., Box 5080, Des Plaines, Il 60018,
312/635-8800. Published CERAMIC INDUSTRY, trade journal for
ceramics dealers.
STERN, Box 2059, Great Neck, NY 11022. Wholesale new and
used clothing.
S & S FACTORY OUTLET, 32 Orchard St.,New York, Ny 10002,
212/226-2730. Wholesale men, women and children's wear;
exclusive dealer for CHAMS ( men, boys shirts); free catalog.
GLASS STUDIO, Box 23383, Portland, OR 97223. Trade magazine
for arts and crafts dealers.
ENGINES, Box 1661, Ashland, MO 65010. Small engines offered
at discount prices. Free catalog.
WOODMERE CHINA, Box 5303, New Castle, PA 16105. Porcelain,
dinnerware, giftware and collectibles.
FUNGI PERFECTI, Box 7634, Olympia, WA 98507, 206/426-9292.
Mushroom growing supplies.
GUIDES PUBLISHING, Box 133, Fairview, NJ 07011.
Business kits and instructions for producing TV schedules,
bingo, home sales types of publications.
JACKSON MARKING PRODUCTS, Brownsville RD.,Mt Vernon, IL
62864, 800/851-1334.
DOVER PUBLICATION, INC.,31 East 2nd St.,Mineola, NY 11051.
Discount books, clip art, stencils, etc.
QUILL CORPORATION, 100 Schelter Rd.,Lincolnshire, IL
60917-4700, 312/634-4800. Office supplies.
IVEY PRINTING, Box 761, Meridan, TX 76665. Letterhead:
400 sheets plus 200 envelopes - $18.
SWEDCO, Box 29, Mooresville, NC 28115. 3 line rubber
stamps - $3; business cards - $13 per thousand.
USA PRINTING, 160 Washington SE, Ste 30, Albuquerque,
NM 87018. Low-cost printing, 505/229-3111.
ZPS, Box 581, Libertyville, IL 60048-2556.
Business cards (raised print - $11.50 per K) and
letterhead stationery. Will print your copy ready
logo or design, even whole card.
The Real Secret to Success
A few years ago there were millions of "mom & pop"
businesses across the country. Not a few of them were
stores with living quarters attached. There were stores
along the highway with houses in back and on city streets
with apartments upstairs.
This practice has largely gone by the wayside with our
modern living standards. Comfort and separation of the
"unpleasant and unsightly" work place from home have made
the business-residence unpopular.
Our concept of what ia and what isn't "accepted" has changed.
Not many brides want to live over the :deli"; most of them
prefer a "cottage with the white picket fence" -- which today
translates to a condo or tract house -- just like everyone
else.
Yet no one can dispute the fact that the business-residence
concept is a practical, cost effective and SMART alternative.
Tract housing is the least likely type of all home investments
to appreciate in value. If the price does go up, it is almost
always due SOLELY to inflation (which affects everything). The
property value doesn't go up; the value of our money goes down!
Aside from being easy to purchase, the only real financial
benefit from a tract house is an inefficient method of equity
building.
Even so, equity building in a constant value asset (like a
tract house) is far less productive than building equity in
something that increases in value (like a "going" business).
In many residential neighborhoods, it's either illegal or
impractical to operate a business (put up signs, display wares
and have customers coming and going).
Most people who live in housing developments and want to start
a business must buy or rent a second location and commute to
and from their homes, all of which costs money that could be
invested in their business.
There are exceptions such as take-home work and residences that
lend themselves to certain types of businesses like word
processing or a photo lab, but few people actually seek out
residences that can be used for business as well.
A young Texas couple rented a small house along a fairly well
traveled state highway some three miles outside the city limits.
The rent was considerably lower than it would have been inside
the city because it ways "a ways out." It was a nice enough
little house with a front yard. Whenever you drove buy their
place there was always something in the front yard with a For
Sale sign on it; a chest of drawers, lawn mower, picnic table.
The husband had a full time job and the wife also had a full
time job taking care of two little rascals. To help make end
meet, they bought some of their furnishings at garage sales and
local auctions. After furnishing their place, they kept going
and started buying things just to sell from their front yard
"store" (for about double their cost).
They wouldn't lie, but were perfectly happy to allow buyers to
assume the things were their own. These people technically did
buy each and every item "for themselves" and merely sold what
they no longer needed (often, the next day). Although the never
said how much they made they did admit that they made enough to
cover their rent and utilities.
This is but one of thousands of possible businesses that can be
operated from a business-residence. Houses on well traveled
streets in business zones have an excellent potential from a
small service or retail shop... So do large lots with business
building in the front and room for a house or mobile home in
the back. These businesses have the additional advantage that
they can be operated by the family -- even the kids can help!
Many excellent business-residence locations cost no more
(even less) than a conventional residence. They can often be
purchased on similar terms. In fact, "business" property notes
are sometimes carried by the owners at better rates than
offered by conventional home lenders. These "loans" may be
easier to get and can sometimes virtually make their own payments.
In addition, they appreciate into a business asset (well above
the land and building value alone). They save the cost of an
extra business investment, transportation to and from home,
labor and even insurance costs.
Another major advantage is that the cost to start a business
in a business-residnce situation is a tiny fraction of what it
would cost to start the same business at a separate location.
In the "real world" many people who like to start their own
business and buy a home usually buy the home and never get
around to starting their own business. They work for someone
else all their lives.
If one were to give their best home investing advice to a
young couple today, it would probably be to invest in something
that would most likely to go up in value. Something that would
produce income and expedite their climb up the ladder to
prosperity.
Most will agree it is better to buy a duplex than a single
tract house, so the income from one will help pay for the
other. The duplex will probably not increase in overall value,
but the rent income represents a definite plus that increases
the young couple's income builds faster equity.
A genuine business-residence, on the other hand allows the
couple to make extra income from a residential business and
the odds are that as a business site, its monetary value will
increase considerably more than either a single residence or
a duplex.
Specifically, the young couple ( or an older one, for that
matter) would be advised to buy or rent (with option to buy) a
residence with a business potential. The option to buy clause
shouldn't cost much and could become very important should the
business really take off!
Business-residence property can increase in value, for its
business or residential value or both. Then, the advice would
be to operate some kind of business at the location, even if
it is putting one or two "For Sale" items on the lawn. The
objective is to establish the business potential future buyers
to see; another is to prevent zoning changes before a business
is started.
Once a business location is established, it is very difficut to
change the zoning laws to remove businesses that existed before
the ordinance was enacted -- due to the "grandfather" factor.
This means new laws do not effect businesses that existed prior
to a newly passed law because it predates the law.
Interestingly, unless there are building changes, setting up a
business in your home normally does not increase your property
taxes, another interesting benefit!
If our young (?) couple invests in the business-residence,
establishes and builds a successful business at the location,
the chances are great that in a comparatively short time they
will be able to sell the residence and business for a nice
profit.
When they do sell out, they are very likely to do the same
thing again-- because they will have tasted the "honey" of
free enterprise and found it sweeter than "staying with the
group"!
BUSINESS SOURCES
WEB PUBLICATIONS, INC. Box 12830, Wichita, KS 67277,
316/722-9750. Publishes ANTIQUE AUCTION REPORT for antique
dealers.
ATLANTIC, 189 Baldwin Blvd.,Hempstead, NY 11550-6929. Free
appliance parts catalog and trouble shooting details;
wholesale prices.
AUCTION MERCHANDISE, 800/541-0900 Sells computer listings
of auctions by geographical area (200 for $15).
MEYER GIFTWORLD 23252 Cavanaugh, El Toro, CA 92630.
Wholesale brassware and giftwares. Catalog of 2,500
items - $2.
MEDICINO, 1385 Broadway, New York, NY 10018. Wholesale
bridal supplies.
WILTON ENTERPRISES, 2240 W. 75th, Woodridge, IL 60517.
Cake decorating supplies and information.
CAHNER'S PUBLISHING CO., Box 5080, Des Plaines, Il 60018,
312/635-8800. Published CERAMIC INDUSTRY, trade journal for
ceramics dealers.
STERN, Box 2059, Great Neck, NY 11022. Wholesale new and
used clothing.
S & S FACTORY OUTLET, 32 Orchard St.,New York, Ny 10002,
212/226-2730. Wholesale men, women and children's wear;
exclusive dealer for CHAMS ( men, boys shirts); free catalog.
GLASS STUDIO, Box 23383, Portland, OR 97223. Trade magazine
for arts and crafts dealers.
ENGINES, Box 1661, Ashland, MO 65010. Small engines offered
at discount prices. Free catalog.
WOODMERE CHINA, Box 5303, New Castle, PA 16105. Porcelain,
dinnerware, giftware and collectibles.
FUNGI PERFECTI, Box 7634, Olympia, WA 98507, 206/426-9292.
Mushroom growing supplies.
GUIDES PUBLISHING, Box 133, Fairview, NJ 07011.
Business kits and instructions for producing TV schedules,
bingo, home sales types of publications.
JACKSON MARKING PRODUCTS, Brownsville RD.,Mt Vernon, IL
62864, 800/851-1334.
DOVER PUBLICATION, INC.,31 East 2nd St.,Mineola, NY 11051.
Discount books, clip art, stencils, etc.
QUILL CORPORATION, 100 Schelter Rd.,Lincolnshire, IL
60917-4700, 312/634-4800. Office supplies.
IVEY PRINTING, Box 761, Meridan, TX 76665. Letterhead:
400 sheets plus 200 envelopes - $18.
SWEDCO, Box 29, Mooresville, NC 28115. 3 line rubber
stamps - $3; business cards - $13 per thousand.
USA PRINTING, 160 Washington SE, Ste 30, Albuquerque,
NM 87018. Low-cost printing, 505/229-3111.
ZPS, Box 581, Libertyville, IL 60048-2556.
Business cards (raised print - $11.50 per K) and
letterhead stationery. Will print your copy ready
logo or design, even whole card.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
10 Steps To Success In Direct Sales
Raise Capital in 90 Days Online - Now!
Every year thousands of men and women across America sign on with
direct selling firm-Tupperware, Amway, or a cosmetic
company-hoping to make money enough for new draperies, a new
davenport, or some new clothes. They sell a little merchandise to
a few relatives and close friends. Then they are through. They
quit before they give themselves a chance to learn the basics of
success in sales. "I am simply not a born salesperson," they
often say.
No one is born a salesperson, any more than one is born a doctor
or born a lawyer. Sales is a profession. To be successful in any
profession one must learn not only the basic techniques, but also
how to apply those techniques. Success in sales makes use of all
the abilities one is born with, plus all those acquired through
education and experience.
If you are looking for a career opportunity or "extra income" to
help with the family budget, direct selling offers you
dream-fulfiling possibilities. However, you must give yourself
time to learn the techniques of sales. Ask yourself. "How long
does a doctor to be study? A lawyer to be study?
WHAT IS DIRECT SELLING?
Direct selling is marketing a product directly to the consumer
with no middleman involved. Most reliable firms are members of
the National Association of Direct Selling
Companies. They bring to the public fine products that are
modestly priced in order to insure mass consumption.
Most direct selling companies furnish their representatives with
a starter kit and essential supplies below-cost prices. In many
instances the investment is under $100.
I was a teacher. In the early 60s, teachers' salaries ranked next
to nurses', the lowest of all professionals salaries. I went into
direct sales to earn a better income. I chose a cosmetics line
and marketed them to small groups of women in the home. I
provided a service for women who wanted to learn professional
make-up techniques and the art of professional
color-coordination.
My teaching background proved beneficial. My clients were
interested and eager to learn. I worked every day, as I would at
any job, and put in long hours. I read books on how to sell to
women. I devoured inspirational and motivational books. My income
grew steadily. Soon I was earning more money than I had ever
earned teaching school. I was excited about my new "freedom to
earn" and I began to share this opportunity with
others-recruiting and training sales organization.
There is an old adage which says "Give a man a fish and you feed
him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a
lifetime." I taught my trainees how to fish.
Many of them were able to change their lives for the better. They
took their families on nice vacations. They purchased a piano or
an organ and provided music lessons for their children. They
saved money for college educations. They redecorated their homes,
bought needed furniture. One highly successful saleslady built a
new home.
The rewards of direct selling are many
1. You can be your own boss.
2. You can set your own hours.
3. You can own your own businesses with little or no investment.
4. You can pay yourself more than any boss would ever pay you.
5. You can give yourself regular raises as your business grows.
It is only fair to tell you that there are failures, too. There
are people who will not work for themselves. When working for a
boss, they rise early, are well-groomed, and get to the office on
time. However, when they are their own boss, they are still in a
bathrobe, drinking one more cup of coffee at 11:00 A.M.
If you can be your own boss and discipline yourself to do what
has to be done when it has to be done, direct selling offers a
most unusual earning opportunity.
THE TEN STEPS
Here are ten steps that will assure your success:
1. BE A GOAL SETTER. What do you want to accomplish? Do you want
to save for college educations for your children? A new car? A
new home? You can have whatever you want, but you must want it
enough to do the things that have to be done to get it. Whatever
your goal, write it down and set a target date for reaching it.
Divide the time period into blocks of achievement that are
reachable. Work consistently toward accomplishing each day, each
week, each month what you set out to do. Goal-setting is a must
in every area of life. Little is ever accomplished without
definite goals.
2. BE A LIST MAKER. Each evening list all the things you want to
get done the following day. That gives you an organized approach
to each day. As each task is finished, mark it off your list. It
is amazing how much gets done when one works with a
"things-to-do" list. Also, have a notebook listing appointments,
potential clients, repeat clients, and referrals, and keep it
with you at all times. You will be adding to it constantly.
3. BE ENTHUSIASTIC. Enthusiasm is the high-octane "fuel" that
salespeople run on. Enthusiasm generates its own energy. Energy
and good health are synonymous with busy, happy people, people
who are achieving.
4. RECOGNIZE THAT THE MAGIC WORD IN SALES IS "ASK." In direct
sales we don't have to wait for business to come to us. We create
our own business by asking for it. Ask for appointments, then you
can do business. Ask for business, then you will close sales. Ask
for referrals, then you always have a full list of potential
clients. Be quietly, yet firmly aggressive.
5. EXPECT NO'S. Realize that no's are not personal. In sales, as
perhaps nowhere else, the law of averages works. Every no gets
you closer to a yes. Keep track of your ratio. It will help
improve your techniques. Are you getting ten no's to one yes? Is
your ratio five to one? Remember, the yes's are your income. Also
remember that "no" does not necessarily mean "no." Often a "no"
is simply a stall for more time to think. It may be a request for
more information about your product or your service. What your
client is actually buying is assurance. Assure here by your
helpful attitude and your complete honesty, that you want what is
best for her. She will most likely respect you and do business
with you.
6. SCHEDULE TIME WISELY. A schedule is the roadmap by which
salespeople travel. It takes the frustration out of the day. It
assures that the necessary things get done and get done on time.
Plan your work then work your plan.
7. BE POSITIVE IN YOUR ATTITUDE. Success in sales, as in all
areas of life is 90 percent attitude and 10 percent apitude. All
of us must work at developing habits of constructive thinking. I
am proud to be a salesperson. Sales make the wheels of our
economy turn. Bernard Baruch, advisor to several presidents, is
quoted as saying, "If every salesperson sat down and took no
orders for twenty-four hours, it would bankrupt our country!"
Every company that manufactures any kind of product depends upon
salespeople to move that product. Without salespeople business
would be paralyzed.
Remember, sales is one of the highest paid of all professions.
Statistics show that good salespeople enjoy incomes far above the
average.
8. HAVE AN OFFICE AREA. Most direct salespeople work from their
own homes, but it is essential to have a place where you can work
in a organized and efficient manner. An office plus a strict
working schedule gives you dignity. Both are absolutely essential
for efficient operation and accurate record keeping, so important
to the success of any business.
9. BE INVOLVED. Most sales organization offer contests to
stimulate production. Include winning contests as part of your
business goals. Contests make your business fun as well as adding
considerable dollar value to your income. One of my prized
possessions is a lovely grandfather clock earned as a contest
prize.
10. LEARN TO HANDLE MONEY INTELLIGENTLY. A regular nine-to-five
job usually means a paycheck at the end of the second week.
Direct sales "reps" handle money constantly. Direct sales is
instant income and constant income. Therefore. it is absolutely
necessary to become an efficient money manager.
I trained organization to deposit every penny collected from
clients into a checking account set up especially for its
business. Since bank statements show an exact record of all
monies collected, and business expenses can be verified by
cancelled checks, record keeping becomes simple and accurate.
Everything except a few "petty cash" transactions can be directly
taken from bank statements.
Money saved regularly and put at interest, soon develops a second
income in addition to earned income. A long-term goal, which is
realistic in direct sales, is to be able to live in retirement
off the interest earned on savings.
Would financial security mean a lot to you? If so, ask yourself
these questions:
* Am I honest?
* Do I really like people?
* Am I willing to learn?
* Am I willing to work?
* Am I capable of being my own boss?
If your answers are yes, I encourage you to find a good product
for the direct sales market, one that you like, one that fills
the need of a lot of people, and go to work for yourself! .You
can turn dreams into reality.
Every year thousands of men and women across America sign on with
direct selling firm-Tupperware, Amway, or a cosmetic
company-hoping to make money enough for new draperies, a new
davenport, or some new clothes. They sell a little merchandise to
a few relatives and close friends. Then they are through. They
quit before they give themselves a chance to learn the basics of
success in sales. "I am simply not a born salesperson," they
often say.
No one is born a salesperson, any more than one is born a doctor
or born a lawyer. Sales is a profession. To be successful in any
profession one must learn not only the basic techniques, but also
how to apply those techniques. Success in sales makes use of all
the abilities one is born with, plus all those acquired through
education and experience.
If you are looking for a career opportunity or "extra income" to
help with the family budget, direct selling offers you
dream-fulfiling possibilities. However, you must give yourself
time to learn the techniques of sales. Ask yourself. "How long
does a doctor to be study? A lawyer to be study?
WHAT IS DIRECT SELLING?
Direct selling is marketing a product directly to the consumer
with no middleman involved. Most reliable firms are members of
the National Association of Direct Selling
Companies. They bring to the public fine products that are
modestly priced in order to insure mass consumption.
Most direct selling companies furnish their representatives with
a starter kit and essential supplies below-cost prices. In many
instances the investment is under $100.
I was a teacher. In the early 60s, teachers' salaries ranked next
to nurses', the lowest of all professionals salaries. I went into
direct sales to earn a better income. I chose a cosmetics line
and marketed them to small groups of women in the home. I
provided a service for women who wanted to learn professional
make-up techniques and the art of professional
color-coordination.
My teaching background proved beneficial. My clients were
interested and eager to learn. I worked every day, as I would at
any job, and put in long hours. I read books on how to sell to
women. I devoured inspirational and motivational books. My income
grew steadily. Soon I was earning more money than I had ever
earned teaching school. I was excited about my new "freedom to
earn" and I began to share this opportunity with
others-recruiting and training sales organization.
There is an old adage which says "Give a man a fish and you feed
him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a
lifetime." I taught my trainees how to fish.
Many of them were able to change their lives for the better. They
took their families on nice vacations. They purchased a piano or
an organ and provided music lessons for their children. They
saved money for college educations. They redecorated their homes,
bought needed furniture. One highly successful saleslady built a
new home.
The rewards of direct selling are many
1. You can be your own boss.
2. You can set your own hours.
3. You can own your own businesses with little or no investment.
4. You can pay yourself more than any boss would ever pay you.
5. You can give yourself regular raises as your business grows.
It is only fair to tell you that there are failures, too. There
are people who will not work for themselves. When working for a
boss, they rise early, are well-groomed, and get to the office on
time. However, when they are their own boss, they are still in a
bathrobe, drinking one more cup of coffee at 11:00 A.M.
If you can be your own boss and discipline yourself to do what
has to be done when it has to be done, direct selling offers a
most unusual earning opportunity.
THE TEN STEPS
Here are ten steps that will assure your success:
1. BE A GOAL SETTER. What do you want to accomplish? Do you want
to save for college educations for your children? A new car? A
new home? You can have whatever you want, but you must want it
enough to do the things that have to be done to get it. Whatever
your goal, write it down and set a target date for reaching it.
Divide the time period into blocks of achievement that are
reachable. Work consistently toward accomplishing each day, each
week, each month what you set out to do. Goal-setting is a must
in every area of life. Little is ever accomplished without
definite goals.
2. BE A LIST MAKER. Each evening list all the things you want to
get done the following day. That gives you an organized approach
to each day. As each task is finished, mark it off your list. It
is amazing how much gets done when one works with a
"things-to-do" list. Also, have a notebook listing appointments,
potential clients, repeat clients, and referrals, and keep it
with you at all times. You will be adding to it constantly.
3. BE ENTHUSIASTIC. Enthusiasm is the high-octane "fuel" that
salespeople run on. Enthusiasm generates its own energy. Energy
and good health are synonymous with busy, happy people, people
who are achieving.
4. RECOGNIZE THAT THE MAGIC WORD IN SALES IS "ASK." In direct
sales we don't have to wait for business to come to us. We create
our own business by asking for it. Ask for appointments, then you
can do business. Ask for business, then you will close sales. Ask
for referrals, then you always have a full list of potential
clients. Be quietly, yet firmly aggressive.
5. EXPECT NO'S. Realize that no's are not personal. In sales, as
perhaps nowhere else, the law of averages works. Every no gets
you closer to a yes. Keep track of your ratio. It will help
improve your techniques. Are you getting ten no's to one yes? Is
your ratio five to one? Remember, the yes's are your income. Also
remember that "no" does not necessarily mean "no." Often a "no"
is simply a stall for more time to think. It may be a request for
more information about your product or your service. What your
client is actually buying is assurance. Assure here by your
helpful attitude and your complete honesty, that you want what is
best for her. She will most likely respect you and do business
with you.
6. SCHEDULE TIME WISELY. A schedule is the roadmap by which
salespeople travel. It takes the frustration out of the day. It
assures that the necessary things get done and get done on time.
Plan your work then work your plan.
7. BE POSITIVE IN YOUR ATTITUDE. Success in sales, as in all
areas of life is 90 percent attitude and 10 percent apitude. All
of us must work at developing habits of constructive thinking. I
am proud to be a salesperson. Sales make the wheels of our
economy turn. Bernard Baruch, advisor to several presidents, is
quoted as saying, "If every salesperson sat down and took no
orders for twenty-four hours, it would bankrupt our country!"
Every company that manufactures any kind of product depends upon
salespeople to move that product. Without salespeople business
would be paralyzed.
Remember, sales is one of the highest paid of all professions.
Statistics show that good salespeople enjoy incomes far above the
average.
8. HAVE AN OFFICE AREA. Most direct salespeople work from their
own homes, but it is essential to have a place where you can work
in a organized and efficient manner. An office plus a strict
working schedule gives you dignity. Both are absolutely essential
for efficient operation and accurate record keeping, so important
to the success of any business.
9. BE INVOLVED. Most sales organization offer contests to
stimulate production. Include winning contests as part of your
business goals. Contests make your business fun as well as adding
considerable dollar value to your income. One of my prized
possessions is a lovely grandfather clock earned as a contest
prize.
10. LEARN TO HANDLE MONEY INTELLIGENTLY. A regular nine-to-five
job usually means a paycheck at the end of the second week.
Direct sales "reps" handle money constantly. Direct sales is
instant income and constant income. Therefore. it is absolutely
necessary to become an efficient money manager.
I trained organization to deposit every penny collected from
clients into a checking account set up especially for its
business. Since bank statements show an exact record of all
monies collected, and business expenses can be verified by
cancelled checks, record keeping becomes simple and accurate.
Everything except a few "petty cash" transactions can be directly
taken from bank statements.
Money saved regularly and put at interest, soon develops a second
income in addition to earned income. A long-term goal, which is
realistic in direct sales, is to be able to live in retirement
off the interest earned on savings.
Would financial security mean a lot to you? If so, ask yourself
these questions:
* Am I honest?
* Do I really like people?
* Am I willing to learn?
* Am I willing to work?
* Am I capable of being my own boss?
If your answers are yes, I encourage you to find a good product
for the direct sales market, one that you like, one that fills
the need of a lot of people, and go to work for yourself! .You
can turn dreams into reality.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
How To Use The Internet
Raise Capital in 90 Days Online - Now!
The subject of electronic marketing will not be complete
without at least mentioning the network or all computer
networks, known as the Internet. Founded over 20 years
ago by the U.S. military, and managed in part by the
National Science Foundation, the Internet has 20 to 30
million users worldwide. People who use the Internet
include, entrepreneurs, executives, researchers,
educators, technicians, consumers, activists, students,
and military personnel. Most use the Internet to
exchange e-mail, pursue special interests, search
databases, and conduct business.
E-MAIL
One of the most popular uses of the Internet allows you
to send and receive messages to and from people around
the world from the comfort of your home computer. These
messages, which are free to send, are almost always
delivered faster and more accurately than regular mail.
You can send messages to anyone who has an Internet
address. This includes members of most online services.
It is estimated that over 4,000 e-mails per minute go
through the Internet What this means to you as an
information marketer is that you can conduct "direct
mail" through the Internet to existing and potential
customers. This will eliminate your postage and
printing costs. It will also reduce the amount of time
needed to process your mail.
The Internet also has mailing lists to which you can
have your e-mail address added. These mailing lists are
made up of groups of Internet users with similar
interests. The users send messages back and forth to
each other regarding relevant topics. For example, if
you are selling a publication on gardening, you might
want to join a mailing list of users interested in
outdoor hobbies. Whenever someone sends e-mail to this
mailing list, the e-mail goes to everyone on the mailing
list. Sometimes the mailing list is monitored by an
administrator. If this is the case, you may be limited
to the kinds of e-mail you can send. If you can't find
a list that has to do with your publication's topic, you
can start your own mailing list and wait for others to
join.
Once you join a mailing list, usually for free, you can
receive 1000's of e-mails from users you have already
selected based on their interests. You can then respond
by sending an e-mail to each user's e-mail address.
Your e-mail might be a short message where you mention
how your information products can help them. Rather than
responding to each e-mail individually, you may be able
to respond by sending one e-mail to the entire Internet
mailing list.
USENET
The Internet also has what is called, USENET newsgroups.
This aspect of the Internet allows users with specific
interests to forms groups and share information with
each other, usually by posting messages that others
can read. Unlike mailing lists, you do not need to send
or receive any e-mail. You simply connect to the
Internet, locate a USENET newsgroup, and read or post
messages to that particular group.
Marketers can also use USENET newsgroups by finding a
newsgroup that focus on interest of specific advantage
to the information products being sold. You can do this
by scanning the messages that have been posted. By
recording users e-mail addresses, you can compile a
mailing list to which you can e-mail information
describing your product.
The Internet also has 100's of free databases that can
be accessed to gain information on practically any
subject. These databases are indexed so that you can
search for information using key words or phrases. Most
are run by volunteers, but, just about anyone can start
one. Publishers can use these databases for two
purposes. First, they are an excellent source of
current information. This information can be used to
help you write your publication. Second, experienced
publishers can create their own database. Once created,
the database can be accessed by millions of Internet
users worldwide. Your own database can contain your
publication(s), much like your own BBS.
Finally, the Internet, like many online services, is
scattered with 1000's of interesting computer files that
is accessible free of charge to Internet users. These
files are usually located in areas called special
interest groups (SIGs). There are over 5,000 SIGs on
the Internet.
Information Marketers can upload free reports,
announcements, press releases, etc., to these SIGs for
others to download. This process is known as file
transfer protocol (FTP).
Using this process, Internet users can send and receive
computer files all around the world. These computer
files may contain more complex information than
contained in standard e-mails. These computer files can
contain text, graphics, sound, or they may be actual
programs. They have all been created, saved, and stored
by a computer connected to the Internet. You can send
and receive advertisements, small reports, or entire
publications using the File Transfer Protocol.
The subject of electronic marketing will not be complete
without at least mentioning the network or all computer
networks, known as the Internet. Founded over 20 years
ago by the U.S. military, and managed in part by the
National Science Foundation, the Internet has 20 to 30
million users worldwide. People who use the Internet
include, entrepreneurs, executives, researchers,
educators, technicians, consumers, activists, students,
and military personnel. Most use the Internet to
exchange e-mail, pursue special interests, search
databases, and conduct business.
One of the most popular uses of the Internet allows you
to send and receive messages to and from people around
the world from the comfort of your home computer. These
messages, which are free to send, are almost always
delivered faster and more accurately than regular mail.
You can send messages to anyone who has an Internet
address. This includes members of most online services.
It is estimated that over 4,000 e-mails per minute go
through the Internet What this means to you as an
information marketer is that you can conduct "direct
mail" through the Internet to existing and potential
customers. This will eliminate your postage and
printing costs. It will also reduce the amount of time
needed to process your mail.
The Internet also has mailing lists to which you can
have your e-mail address added. These mailing lists are
made up of groups of Internet users with similar
interests. The users send messages back and forth to
each other regarding relevant topics. For example, if
you are selling a publication on gardening, you might
want to join a mailing list of users interested in
outdoor hobbies. Whenever someone sends e-mail to this
mailing list, the e-mail goes to everyone on the mailing
list. Sometimes the mailing list is monitored by an
administrator. If this is the case, you may be limited
to the kinds of e-mail you can send. If you can't find
a list that has to do with your publication's topic, you
can start your own mailing list and wait for others to
join.
Once you join a mailing list, usually for free, you can
receive 1000's of e-mails from users you have already
selected based on their interests. You can then respond
by sending an e-mail to each user's e-mail address.
Your e-mail might be a short message where you mention
how your information products can help them. Rather than
responding to each e-mail individually, you may be able
to respond by sending one e-mail to the entire Internet
mailing list.
USENET
The Internet also has what is called, USENET newsgroups.
This aspect of the Internet allows users with specific
interests to forms groups and share information with
each other, usually by posting messages that others
can read. Unlike mailing lists, you do not need to send
or receive any e-mail. You simply connect to the
Internet, locate a USENET newsgroup, and read or post
messages to that particular group.
Marketers can also use USENET newsgroups by finding a
newsgroup that focus on interest of specific advantage
to the information products being sold. You can do this
by scanning the messages that have been posted. By
recording users e-mail addresses, you can compile a
mailing list to which you can e-mail information
describing your product.
The Internet also has 100's of free databases that can
be accessed to gain information on practically any
subject. These databases are indexed so that you can
search for information using key words or phrases. Most
are run by volunteers, but, just about anyone can start
one. Publishers can use these databases for two
purposes. First, they are an excellent source of
current information. This information can be used to
help you write your publication. Second, experienced
publishers can create their own database. Once created,
the database can be accessed by millions of Internet
users worldwide. Your own database can contain your
publication(s), much like your own BBS.
Finally, the Internet, like many online services, is
scattered with 1000's of interesting computer files that
is accessible free of charge to Internet users. These
files are usually located in areas called special
interest groups (SIGs). There are over 5,000 SIGs on
the Internet.
Information Marketers can upload free reports,
announcements, press releases, etc., to these SIGs for
others to download. This process is known as file
transfer protocol (FTP).
Using this process, Internet users can send and receive
computer files all around the world. These computer
files may contain more complex information than
contained in standard e-mails. These computer files can
contain text, graphics, sound, or they may be actual
programs. They have all been created, saved, and stored
by a computer connected to the Internet. You can send
and receive advertisements, small reports, or entire
publications using the File Transfer Protocol.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
99 Ways For A Photograher To Make Money
SPECIAL EVENTS
1. Photograph vocational school graduates
2. Wedding photographer
3. Photograph large parties
4. Photograph at banquets
5. Prom and graduation photos
6. Photograph fashion shows
7. Photograph trade shows
8. Wedding movies
9. Photograph new stores' grand openings
10. Photograph local performances
11. Commencement day photographs
PEOPLE
12. Take pictures of people mounted on a horse
13. Make polaroid pictures of seamen going abroad
14. Take pictures of people wearing special costumes
15. Photograph people on a fancy motorcycle
16. Take pictures of people in nightclubs
17. Take pictures on the beach
18. Antique photo shop - produce 1890's type portraits for the
"nostalgic crazy"
19. Take I.D. photos
20. Take passport photos
21. Specialize in legal photography
22. Produce community yearbooks
23. Produce company year books
24. Produce composites for models, actors and actresses
25. Photo fund raising
26. Take slow-motion sports film for athletes
27. Take executive portraits
28. Photograph children on a pony
29. Take portraits of children in department stores or malls
30. A day in a child's life - an album of 30 pictures
31. School photography
32. Santa Claus portraits
33. Travelling industrial photographer
34. Ilustrate manufacturers' sales manuals and catalogs
35. Ilustrate manufactuers' sales manuals and catalogs
36. Public relation photos for business
37. Photograph store fronts
38. Produce progress photos on construction sites
39. Real estate photography
40. Produce illustrated promotional brochures for business
firms, hotels, etc.
41. Interior decorator's photographer
42. Photograph in-store merchandise displays
ON THE ROAD
43. Foreign fashion photography for textile and fashion
manufacturers
44. Photograph tourists in famous places
45. Summer camp photographer
46. Roving festival photographer
47. Sell scenic prints to gift shops and hotels
48. Offer personalized vacation photo packages to resort clients
49. Sell slide shows of interesting places or subjects
50. Build a mobile portrait studio in a trailer or van
51. Be a slide-show lecturer on different subjects and
geographic locations
MAKING NOVELTIES
52. Candid keychain photos
53. Photo stamps
54. Color postcards for hotels or resorts
55. Exceptional color scenes for calendar printers
56. Personalized Christmas cards - with family portraits or
photos of family home
57. Photo buttons
58. Photographs on coffee mugs
59. Photographs on shirts
60. Imprint a photograph of a child on the face of her doll
61. Photo sculptures
62. Bookends adorned with any desired photographic subject
63. Decorative photo plaques
64. Personalized photo matchbooks
65. Instant personal postcards by gluing polaroid shots to blank
postcards
66. Stationery imprinted with personal portraits
67. Custom calendars
SERVICES
68. A microfilming service
69. Photo duplicating service
70. Slide duplicating service
71. Restoring old photos
72. Producing filmstrips
73. Duplicating negatives to sell
74. Slide-titling service
75. Making offset negatives and plates
76. Collecting old photos to make into books
77. Making photomurals
78. Retouching service
79. Custom photo lab
80. Blowing up photos, on the spot
81. Photo oil portraits
82. Selling prints to photo agencies
83. Camera rental
84. Camera exchange
85. Repairing cameras
86. Teaching photography
MISCELLANEOUS
87. Making postcards
88. Publicity photography
89. Photographic essays for various publications
90. T.V. news freelancing
91. Selling news photos
92. Taking and selling peculiar photos
93. Selling local photos for travel magazines
94. Aerial photography
95. Documentary film making
96. Photos of human interest
97. Composing photo guides for tourists
98. Photographing accidents for lawyers and insurance companies
99. Photographing parades
1. Photograph vocational school graduates
2. Wedding photographer
3. Photograph large parties
4. Photograph at banquets
5. Prom and graduation photos
6. Photograph fashion shows
7. Photograph trade shows
8. Wedding movies
9. Photograph new stores' grand openings
10. Photograph local performances
11. Commencement day photographs
PEOPLE
12. Take pictures of people mounted on a horse
13. Make polaroid pictures of seamen going abroad
14. Take pictures of people wearing special costumes
15. Photograph people on a fancy motorcycle
16. Take pictures of people in nightclubs
17. Take pictures on the beach
18. Antique photo shop - produce 1890's type portraits for the
"nostalgic crazy"
19. Take I.D. photos
20. Take passport photos
21. Specialize in legal photography
22. Produce community yearbooks
23. Produce company year books
24. Produce composites for models, actors and actresses
25. Photo fund raising
26. Take slow-motion sports film for athletes
27. Take executive portraits
28. Photograph children on a pony
29. Take portraits of children in department stores or malls
30. A day in a child's life - an album of 30 pictures
31. School photography
32. Santa Claus portraits
33. Travelling industrial photographer
34. Ilustrate manufacturers' sales manuals and catalogs
35. Ilustrate manufactuers' sales manuals and catalogs
36. Public relation photos for business
37. Photograph store fronts
38. Produce progress photos on construction sites
39. Real estate photography
40. Produce illustrated promotional brochures for business
firms, hotels, etc.
41. Interior decorator's photographer
42. Photograph in-store merchandise displays
ON THE ROAD
43. Foreign fashion photography for textile and fashion
manufacturers
44. Photograph tourists in famous places
45. Summer camp photographer
46. Roving festival photographer
47. Sell scenic prints to gift shops and hotels
48. Offer personalized vacation photo packages to resort clients
49. Sell slide shows of interesting places or subjects
50. Build a mobile portrait studio in a trailer or van
51. Be a slide-show lecturer on different subjects and
geographic locations
MAKING NOVELTIES
52. Candid keychain photos
53. Photo stamps
54. Color postcards for hotels or resorts
55. Exceptional color scenes for calendar printers
56. Personalized Christmas cards - with family portraits or
photos of family home
57. Photo buttons
58. Photographs on coffee mugs
59. Photographs on shirts
60. Imprint a photograph of a child on the face of her doll
61. Photo sculptures
62. Bookends adorned with any desired photographic subject
63. Decorative photo plaques
64. Personalized photo matchbooks
65. Instant personal postcards by gluing polaroid shots to blank
postcards
66. Stationery imprinted with personal portraits
67. Custom calendars
SERVICES
68. A microfilming service
69. Photo duplicating service
70. Slide duplicating service
71. Restoring old photos
72. Producing filmstrips
73. Duplicating negatives to sell
74. Slide-titling service
75. Making offset negatives and plates
76. Collecting old photos to make into books
77. Making photomurals
78. Retouching service
79. Custom photo lab
80. Blowing up photos, on the spot
81. Photo oil portraits
82. Selling prints to photo agencies
83. Camera rental
84. Camera exchange
85. Repairing cameras
86. Teaching photography
MISCELLANEOUS
87. Making postcards
88. Publicity photography
89. Photographic essays for various publications
90. T.V. news freelancing
91. Selling news photos
92. Taking and selling peculiar photos
93. Selling local photos for travel magazines
94. Aerial photography
95. Documentary film making
96. Photos of human interest
97. Composing photo guides for tourists
98. Photographing accidents for lawyers and insurance companies
99. Photographing parades
Friday, August 8, 2008
How To Get Rich Giving Away Something Free
The best of all worlds is to have a product you can give away
free and still make money. That world exists. The product need
not be expensive or elaborate. It can be something simple - a
sticker with a happy face, a pen with a logo, or some other
intriguing item.
This marketing approach is excellent because you can give the
product away, charging the recipients only a nominal fee for
postage and handling. If you price your shipping fees correctly,
you can make thousands of dollars a month.
So how do you let people know about the gifts you have waiting
for them? The best way is by placing classified ads in national
magazines, an enormously successful method. Small classified
advertisements in such national publications as Popular Mechanix,
and The National Enquirer produce excellent returns on such
items, National publications such as these sell millions of
copies each week or month. Even a tiny return from this kind of
large readership means thousands of dollars in your pocket. One
advertiser noted his ads have generated returns of seven times
the cost of the classified ad. Other advertisers have done even
better.
To put together your own ad, begin by studying the classified ads
in these national publications. Study every issue you can find..
Note the ads that show up issue after issue. These marketers have
created a money-generating format, and they're taking full
advantage of it.
Study the long-running ads. Note that they're short, but they
contain a nugget of appeal that makes you want to send your money
immediately.
Now try drafting your own ads. write several versions that you
can try in different national publications. The ad should be
simple but hard-hitting. You want the reader to respond
immediately. Use the words that create an attractive picture of
your product for the reader.
You don't have to charge much for your giveaway product. Aim for
high sales volumes at low prices, a proven technique in this
market. If you come up with an ad that grabs reader's interest,
the money will flow your way.
The technique of advertising giveaway products that people can
receive for the cost of postage and handling has proved so
successful that there's even a magazine devoted to showing off
the free items that are given away by companies throughout the
country. This 32-page bimonthly magazine is called Freebies. It
is chock full of these free-for-postage-and-handling items. For a
copy of the magazine, information about listing your product, and
a rate card, write to Freebies, 407 State St.,Santa Barbara, CA
93120. (805) 962-9135.
free and still make money. That world exists. The product need
not be expensive or elaborate. It can be something simple - a
sticker with a happy face, a pen with a logo, or some other
intriguing item.
This marketing approach is excellent because you can give the
product away, charging the recipients only a nominal fee for
postage and handling. If you price your shipping fees correctly,
you can make thousands of dollars a month.
So how do you let people know about the gifts you have waiting
for them? The best way is by placing classified ads in national
magazines, an enormously successful method. Small classified
advertisements in such national publications as Popular Mechanix,
and The National Enquirer produce excellent returns on such
items, National publications such as these sell millions of
copies each week or month. Even a tiny return from this kind of
large readership means thousands of dollars in your pocket. One
advertiser noted his ads have generated returns of seven times
the cost of the classified ad. Other advertisers have done even
better.
To put together your own ad, begin by studying the classified ads
in these national publications. Study every issue you can find..
Note the ads that show up issue after issue. These marketers have
created a money-generating format, and they're taking full
advantage of it.
Study the long-running ads. Note that they're short, but they
contain a nugget of appeal that makes you want to send your money
immediately.
Now try drafting your own ads. write several versions that you
can try in different national publications. The ad should be
simple but hard-hitting. You want the reader to respond
immediately. Use the words that create an attractive picture of
your product for the reader.
You don't have to charge much for your giveaway product. Aim for
high sales volumes at low prices, a proven technique in this
market. If you come up with an ad that grabs reader's interest,
the money will flow your way.
The technique of advertising giveaway products that people can
receive for the cost of postage and handling has proved so
successful that there's even a magazine devoted to showing off
the free items that are given away by companies throughout the
country. This 32-page bimonthly magazine is called Freebies. It
is chock full of these free-for-postage-and-handling items. For a
copy of the magazine, information about listing your product, and
a rate card, write to Freebies, 407 State St.,Santa Barbara, CA
93120. (805) 962-9135.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
How To Profit In Flea Marketing!
Raise Capital in 90 Days Online - Now!
On the outskirts of nearly every town across the U.S.,
especially in The spring, summer and fall, you will see a Flea
Market set-up. Often there will be hundreds of trailers, booths
and tables in a large field just off a major thoroughfare. How
do these people operate? Where do they get their merchandise?
Do they make any money?
Whether they make any money or not depends on the way each
individual merchant operates, what type of merchandise is
offered and how much time is devoted to the business.
Most of them set up their wares on weekends an spend the rest of
the week searching for goods to sell. Good antique dealers who
know their product generally make very good profits. Clothing
dealers, in the right location, can often bring in up to $600 on
a typical weekend.
Jewelry, including rings, various kinds of necklaces, and silver
and gold are bIg sellers.
Large, heavy and bulky items are not generally favorable for
flea markets.
The secret to making a profit in Flea Marketing is not what or
how you sell. It's what you buy and how you buy it! You must
find items which will sell for 8 to 10 times more than cost,
unless you have really favorable products that will sell in
large quantity. The products should be unusual; things which
can't be obtained locally, unless the price is substantially
below market.
You can get seconds and damaged goods direct from many factories
across the country, often at very little cost just to get them
out of their warehouse where they are taking up room and
gathering dust. Call on the managers in person or send letters
offering to purchase factory closeouts, etc. Hand out your
business cards letting people know that you are in the business
of purchasing various kinds of merchandise.
Auctions, garage sales and yard sales are other good sources.
Don't overlook the classifieds in the paper.
Offer to clean out attics and garages and haul "junk" away.
Many times the "junk" turns into the most lucrative profit
items. You will have to learn to "bargain" with the people on
all your purchases in order to get them to sell for a low
figure.
On the outskirts of nearly every town across the U.S.,
especially in The spring, summer and fall, you will see a Flea
Market set-up. Often there will be hundreds of trailers, booths
and tables in a large field just off a major thoroughfare. How
do these people operate? Where do they get their merchandise?
Do they make any money?
Whether they make any money or not depends on the way each
individual merchant operates, what type of merchandise is
offered and how much time is devoted to the business.
Most of them set up their wares on weekends an spend the rest of
the week searching for goods to sell. Good antique dealers who
know their product generally make very good profits. Clothing
dealers, in the right location, can often bring in up to $600 on
a typical weekend.
Jewelry, including rings, various kinds of necklaces, and silver
and gold are bIg sellers.
Large, heavy and bulky items are not generally favorable for
flea markets.
The secret to making a profit in Flea Marketing is not what or
how you sell. It's what you buy and how you buy it! You must
find items which will sell for 8 to 10 times more than cost,
unless you have really favorable products that will sell in
large quantity. The products should be unusual; things which
can't be obtained locally, unless the price is substantially
below market.
You can get seconds and damaged goods direct from many factories
across the country, often at very little cost just to get them
out of their warehouse where they are taking up room and
gathering dust. Call on the managers in person or send letters
offering to purchase factory closeouts, etc. Hand out your
business cards letting people know that you are in the business
of purchasing various kinds of merchandise.
Auctions, garage sales and yard sales are other good sources.
Don't overlook the classifieds in the paper.
Offer to clean out attics and garages and haul "junk" away.
Many times the "junk" turns into the most lucrative profit
items. You will have to learn to "bargain" with the people on
all your purchases in order to get them to sell for a low
figure.
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