Example 1 “Collect names for us. We pay $20 each. Guaranteed!”

The truth is, this company will pay you $20 for each name you collect for them. What they don’t tell you is that each person has to spend $100 or more by placing an order before you get your $20.

The customer is led to believe that all they have to do is get out their phone books and start sending the company names and addresses. In return, the company will send them $20 for each name and address they send them.When they send away for the details they discover the scam and think everybody in mail order is operating this way. Result: Mail order is labeled as a scam and illegal business activity.

Example 2 “How to get 100,000 people to send you $10 each. Send $10 to…”

This is cute advertising, but you have to put a legitimate product behind claims like this. One of the materials I found was a book with this title. And you get the book for sending $10 to the publisher. Some so-called seasoned pros will abruptly judge this as a scam. To some extent, these people are not pros. They’re just jaded. For mail order neophytes, this is very intriguing. Besides, it only costs $1 to find out. What the beginner finds out is that they are expected to run the same ad in newspapers and tabloids. Other people will send $1 for information and their mailbox is “supposedly” flooded with $1 bills. This ad is NOT illegal. It asks you to send $1 for information and you DO get the information.

These types of ads are all a bunch of paper-passing - and I classify them under the heading of a “Legitimate Scam.” You can’t complain that your order was not filled. You can’t complain the idea is not possible. You can’t complain the ad promised something it didn’t deliver.

Likewise, do not confuse scam-sounding ads with “legitimate lead-generation ads.”

A mail order buddy of mine will run an ad that states: “Want to make a lot of money? Call (his telephone number.)” This is not necessarily a scam or rip-off. Since there is no cost involved - it might be worth your time and effort to call the number and see what this dealer has to offer.

Also, some dealers run ads that don’t tell you what the product is because they have an entire package of information they want to send you. It would be too costly to advertise the complete information in a small 1″ or 2″ ad, so they run “Lead-Generating Ads” to bring them inquiries. This is also not illegal and is common business practice. You’ll also find that real “Lead-Generating Ads” don’t ask you for a lot of money up front. They only tell you enough about the product to entice you to send in a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) or $1 for more information. They are unlike the “Example 2″ at the left that basically tell you the scam before you order it! (It may take a little time for you to make the distinction between these fine lines.)

Many people overlook the power of the printed word. Instead of complaining, people should be writing their mail order publishers when they are ripped-off, providing them with documentation and a summary of these mail order scams.

Use wisdom. Get your facts straight. Have documentation to back-up your findings and submit them! Wouldn’t it be great if everybody in the world were honest? What a wonderful world this would be!

Lee Porter an author and entrepreneur for HealthSufficiency, a continuing health, personal development and life dynamic education and business development company helping people to be meet their potential to lead healthy, prosperous and successful lives.

Tags: mail order, scams, list building,

America is a throw-away society. We all know that. We all have a lot of junk that we do not need, and just about all of us have things piling up relentlessly in out attics, garages, basements, closets and even in the wide open of the back yard.

A lot of people try to ignore the problem until they can no longer get into their garage, or when they find it impossible to squeeze one more item into the attic. They have too much junk and they need to get rid of it. Often, they will pay someone to do just that. This means an opportunity for you. You can make a decent living by helping people get rid of their junk.

To get started, you need a strong back and something to haul with, such as a pick-up or a small trailer to pull behind your car. That’s about it. If you don’t have a pick-up, consider buying a used one cheap. You could easily find something for less than $1,000. An even less expensive alternative is a small trailer for your car. Trailers can be had for just a couple hundred bucks or less.

How To Get Started

This is generally a very community or neighborhood oriented business. Take out an ad in your community newspaper saying that you will haul away unwanted items or that you will clean garages, basements or attics for a fee. You can also print up a one-page flyer and place them on houses door-to-door, or on the windshields of cars.

What You Need to Know

You will need to find a place for all the junk you collect and remove. Find out where the local landfills are and what their policies are. They may charge you a fee for bring stuff is, but you can charge that fee back to you clients. You also may need dumping permits in some areas, so check with your local city or county offices.

It’s also a good idea to learn about dumping regulation. Some items are more difficult to get rid of than others. For example, you can’t just dump a refrigerator or an old stove anywhere. Old tires are another hard-to- dump item. There are specific places for specific things. Find out what goes where. Once you have it all down, however, you have it made.

You should be able to earn from $7 to $10 an hour. You will not be able to charge by the hour, however, because people may give you a problem about the pace at which you work, and how much time they feel you should take to get the job done. Instead, make an estimate based on your own judgment on how long it will take you to clean out that garage or attic. Once you have done a few, you will have a good idea about the time involved. Then give an upfront estimate. If it will take you a complete day, or eight hours, ask for $80 to $100.

Remember also that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. You may find a market for some of the items many people just want to get rid off. So explore the option of sales to second hand stores, or the possibility of starting up a second-hand store of your own. Such stores can be lucrative like you would not believe. There’s big money in junk - and in getting rid of it. It takes no special knowledge or education, and you can get started with a minimum investment. All that’s left for you now it to get busy

Lee Porter an author and entrepreneur for HealthSufficiency, a continuing health, personal development and life dynamic education and business development company helping people to be meet their potential to lead healthy, prosperous and successful lives.!

Tags: junk, second hand items, clearance, removal service, junk hauling,

Your own home-based bookkeeping business is a much needed service that numerous businesses have neither the time nor the expertise to do themselves. It makes sense that a business owner would want to spend more time doing whatever it is they do to make money, than doing their book work!

The home bookkeeper’s clients drop off their receipts and sales slips for posting to a ledger or computer data bank. The client is provided monthly statements and information for his yearly taxes, plus any other contracted services.

Although it would be nice to have a full capacity computer operation and an MBA in accounting, there is room and a real need for less than expert (at a much lower price) bookkeeping services. Not all small businessmen can afford or even need a lawyer or professional accountant; many simply need someone to keep track of their day to day operations so they can tell where they are financially and stay out of trouble with the IRS.

For example, a one-man painting business might be happy to find someone to keep a single entry ledger for him. The, he just drops off his receipts and copies of tickets and his bookkeeper takes care of them (records the information in the proper column and adds it up each month).

A single entry ledger is a simple form of bookkeeping for uncomplicated operations that does not require any special skill or training.

For the painter, the ledger would have five columns:

Date, Description, (what was done or bought), Invoice, ticket or check number,. Expenses and Income.

The painter’s equipment is almost all expendable because life is five years or less, so little if any of it must be depreciated.

He can even use the mileage option on his work truck or car. When the buys paint the receipt is filed and a line in the ledger filled out with the amount spent written in under Expenses. When he is paid for the job, another line is filled out and the amount received is listed under Income. At the end of the month, total the expense and income columns to see how he did.

Meanwhile the tax preparer can check the expense items to see which ones are listed and how — the information he needs is right there in the ledger.

As long as the painter is dealing in service, there are no complications.. For example, the customer pays for the paint, it need not be reflected in the painter’s books at all. On the other hand, if the price of the job includes the cost of the paint, the paint is a business expense. Either way, the single entry ledger works.

It is only when the painter buys the paint wholesale and retails it for profit over and above the quoted price for the job that some additional records may be needed. As you can see, buying and selling paint separately can be handled more simply by treating the paint as an expense of the job, which allows the easiest bookkeeping.

Profit from the paint is included as job profit rather than profit from resale of the paint. The profit is the same, the painter pays tax on the paint, and there is no need for the tax permit or additional records — unless the operation grows to the point where it is worth while.

The bookkeeper is legally obligated to accurately and honestly reflect client profits that come to his or her attention. Professionals often advise their clients to be honest, and if they aren’t, don’t tell me!

Although it is quite possible to start a bookkeeping service with hand kept records (especially the single entry), a really profitable operation will eventually require a computer.

With one, some practice and a good records-keeping program, you will learn to operate a surprisingly complex bookkeeping service. You will be able to personally handle at least ten times the volume of records!

Business computers (and programs) can be leased at fairly reasonable rates, and good used systems are becoming more plentiful every day. Prices are also dropping for really good systems.

It should be possible to purchase an PC with several business and accounting programs for well under $1,000 — perhaps half that if its a demo or run out model or a good second hand machine as businesses try to update to more sophisticated systems.

Each separate account is kept on one or more disks (costing as little as 19 each) and the program on another (or on a much larger, internal hard disk). As receipts are brought in, you simply add the information to each customer’s file (disk) — the computer does all the figuring for you, prints out the reports.

Like riding a bicycle, it is difficult before you learn how, then it’s easy — you wonder how you ever got by without one! The best advice you will ever get about your computer is to join as computer users club (check your phone book, newspaper or computer publication).

Do this before buying a computer - to get some good, unbiased advice and possibly even find a good deal.

A major potential problem area must be addressed here. Smart computer back-up their important files. There are just too many things that can happen to a CD  (even a hard disk) — it can be inadvertently erased by a magnet, scratched, damaged by static electricity from a television ( or the rug!), or by an electrical surge during a storm or when the lines are being worked on — it can be “double exposed” new data written on top of old).

The First thing to do with CDs that have important data on them is to Duplicate them. The process only takes a minute and the cost of a back-up CD copy is minimal.

The normal procedure is to retrieve the customer’s disk from the main file, update it, duplicate it (it takes only a few seconds to re-copy the entire up updated file), then return both disks to their separate files. If you forget to back up, just one case of having to retype a year’s records and you (like so many of the rest of us) will Get The Message.

The client’s product will usually be an orderly report of all of his invoices, tickets, checks, etc., (things the IRS requires) that he brought to you, plus a monthly statement and any other requested options that you offer and he has requested (and pays for).

Clients are charged for your time for daily posting, for reports they receive, plus any additional services or information they may require, such as yearly totals for tax computation.

Fees for these are usually based on operator time, computer time (different rates), plus the number and type of reports. Hourly charges average about $20, depending on the locality, account size, and the degree of your expertise.

A bookkeeping service is similar to a word processing service in that accuracy is extremely important and business connections are especially beneficial. Join the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, etc. That is where to find potential customers.

Have quality stationery, business cards and brochures. Be visible in community business related affairs (charity balls, cook-outs, fund-raisers).

Place an ad in the service section of the paper and mail out brochures describing your service to business in your area.

Try to get an easy-to-remember phone number (or convert it to a catchy word).

List your number in the business section of the paper name with A to get listed first in the yellow pages.

The home bookkeeping business can be expanded with the addition of specialized or alternative computer programs and/or more terminals for more hired assistants (each has a keyboard and screen but they all use the same computer).

Also, by adding a tax service or service to train employees for other businesses. When you lose a client that gets his own system, he will often need expertise to get started, and who knows his situation better than his “old” bookkeeper?

When you become really proficient (its is a matter of time), check with the store that handle your type of computer and inform them that you are available for business consultation. You can also increase your business by expanding your capabilities. Take extension or commercial (even correspondence) courses in accounting and income tax.

Another suggestion is to find a professional consultant, such as a CPA that you can go to for advice when necessary. He will probably not worry about the competition because you will handle accounts that couldn’t afford him anyway.

Lee Porter an author and entrepreneur for HealthSufficiency, a continuing health, personal development and life dynamic education and business development company helping people to be meet their potential to lead healthy, prosperous and successful lives.

Tags: bookkeeping, accounts, small business, home business, financial reports, tax papers,

You can choose to open a retail facility in your city, or you may decide to operate a mail order business specializing in sports keepsakes. Both can be established for a small investment and run for minimal costs. If you choose to open a retail outlet, you willneed an adequate supply of stock to draw customers into your store.

If your stock is slow in the beginning, offer to sell merchandise on consignment. You will display a customer’s item in your showcase, handle the sale and pocket a pre-arranged percentage of the amount. The advantages of a mail order operation are many. You can begin as a trading club with a monthly or bi-monthly newsletter, featuring the items other members have for sale or trade. Once you have personally gathered a large number of items to serve as a stock supply for your business, you can branch out and begin a retail outlet.

Establishing a retail outlet can be relatively simple. Find a small, inexpensive location in a neighborhood strip mall. You don’t need a lot of interior amenities either. Several glass showcases can serve as your sales counter and display area. Place some shelves on the wall behind your counter to display larger items. Framed pictures or plaques featuring autographed items that you have for sale can be hung on the walls around the room. Other counters or table space can feature collecting supplies such as binders, card cases, storage boxes, pages for holding cards, etc. Sports posters can fill up any bare spots on your wall.

Contact a local magazine distributor and arrange to have a wide assortment of sports magazines and newspapers for sale in your shop. Include magazines featuring sports news as well as those that pertain to collecting trading cards and keepsakes. The magazine distributor will also be able to put you in contact with the publishers of pricing guides for sports memorabilia. These price books will sell especially well, because they are updated on an annual basis and will create repeat purchases by customers.

If your city has a minor or major league team, check with the front office about having one or more players visit your store for special autograph sessions. Fans can come and have the players autograph their cards, programs, etc., or they can purchase some of theseitems to be autographed from you at a special discounted price. While folks are in the store to get their autographs, they will have the opportunity to browse through your stock, make some purchases, and get to know you better. While many teams charge for these special appearances by players, you should be able to recoup your expenses through the added sales the event will generate. Also, having an opportunity to become acquainted with your customers and their likes and dislikes will serve you well further down the road.

Getting employees to work in your shop will not be difficult. Teenagers are wild about sports collectibles and would be willing to work for minimum wage. Of course, you will want to have at least one adult on duty at all times to handle any problems that might arise. This type of job is also a great second job for many adults. Many collectors would enjoy part-time work of this sort simply because it will pay for time spent with their hobby. Don’t worry about getting help. You’ll be swamped with folks applying for work in your store.

As mentioned above, you will want to serve as a consignment shop for folks looking to sell valuable items from their own collections. Have a sales contract written up that specifies that you are taking the described merchandise on consignment for 60 days, ad that the seller will receive X amount for the sale of the item. Of that sale price, you will subtract 25 percent for negotiating the sale. If the item does not sell within the allotted time, the seller will have the option of removing it from your store or lowering the asking price. You should be able to greatly increase your available offers and make a good profit from consignment sales.

Place an advertisement in your city newspaper or local shoppers’ guide informing readers of your location and that you takemerchandise on consignment. Your ad might look something like this:

===============================================
Sports World
Trading Cards and Sports Memorabilia

We buy and sell all kinds of sports keepsakes:
* trading cards
* autographs
* balls
* uniforms

* Baseball * Football
* Basketball * Hockey
* Golf * Tennis

Complete Sports Newsstand–Magazines, Books
Consignments Welcome

3227 N. Hamilton Ave., next to the county courthouse
657-6545
===============================================

Keep your ad simple. Don’t overload it by telling everything about your store. Simply include enough to let the reader know that you have a shop that offers materials in which he will be interested. Also, remember that your ad should be simple enough to attract teenagers as well as adults. Younger collectors will see your ad and prompt their parents to take them to your store. Allow the reader to come by and check out your offers for himself. Once he gets to the store, then you can determine where his interests lie and what items in your stock will appeal to his desires. Your ad is designed to capture interest–not close the sale.

If you choose not to start out from a retail facility, but opt instead to sell through the mail, there are a few things to keep in mind. Decide first how you will market collectibles by mail—will you sell exclusively from your own collection, or will you serve as a clearing house to bring buyer and seller together by mail? If you plan to sell only your own materials, you will need to develop a catalog listing of what you’re offering. Divide it by sport and item type. List all the trading cards, autographs and other collectibles under separate headings. Briefly describe each item. You may want to develop a code for describing the condition of the materials to include the description: M=Mint Condition; E=Excellent; VG=Very Good; G=Good; F=Fair. Cards can be listed by player name, year of issue, company issuing the card and condition with the price out to the side. If a card also carries a player’s autograph, include that information as well. A typical
description might read:

Ruben Sierra, 1991, Topps, M………………$12.00
Ruben Sierra, 1991, Topps, E, w/autograph…..$18.00

If you don’t have a large enough collection of your own, start a trading card and collectibles newsletter. While you will want to include two or three short columns describing recent trends in collecting sports items, price trends or forthcoming collectors items soon to be made available, the main feature of your newsletter will be the trader’s section. Much like a shoppers’ tabloid, your newsletter will include classified ads from folks selling their own items or seeking others who are selling items they want to buy. You charge a small price per word, line or ad to include the listing in your newsletter. Readers will contact each other directly. You will make your profit from subscriptions, your personal sales of memorabilia offered in the newsletter, and the sale of classified advertising and any display ads that readers may wish to place in your newsletter.

You can establish a reader base by advertising on local bulletin boars, in school newspapers, or a small notice placed in the classified section of national sports or trading card magazines. Your ad might read:

Free issue “Sports Memorabilia
Newsletter.” Brings buyers and sellers together. Latest news. SASE
to: Collectors, Box 11000, Anytown,
USA 10001

Along with the first free issue of your newsletter, include a subscription coupon and instructions on how to place a classified ad. You will also want to leave a stack at each of the retail trading card outlets, at the neighborhood newsstand, and in convenience stores that sell trading cards. The ads in the first issue can be placed free of charge by friends and acquaintances with material to sell. Offer to let a retail memorabilia store place a display ad in the first issue for free. The response to their ad will encourage them to buy an ad in a future issue. The important thing is to fill up your first issue, making it look attractive and professional.

Your newsletter can be easily typed up on your personal computer. Many software packages are available with templates (sample layouts) of newsletters of two to eight pages. Simply choose a format you like and type your information into the existing columns. You can even plug in your own graphics for a professional touch. If you don’t have access to a laser printer, visit a local print shop and have your newsletter printed out on a laser. The quality will be excellent and will only cost around $2 per page printed.

Published bi-monthly in a 4-page format, you can have 1,000 copies of your newsletter printed up for about $80. Charge $15 per classified ad or $75 for a one-third column display ad. If you feature 2 pages of classified ads, 3 columns wide with 10 ads per column, you’ll have space for 90 ads bringing in $900. Add to this $150 income from two display ads placed elsewhere in the newsletter, and you have generated a total of $1,050. Plan to leave 200 copies at various locations in town and mail the remainder to prospective subscribers. The first issue will be mailed to prospects in the self-addressed, stamped envelope they provided in reply to your ad. However, subsequent issues will be mailed at your expense through paid subscriptions. Mailing 800 copies via Third Class would cost $160. Your gross profit per issue will be approximately $810. This doesn’t include any sales generated by your own advertising.

Selling sports memorabilia can be highly profitable. A trading card purchased for pennies can bring profits thousands of times the original cost. More than ever before, youngsters and adults alike are collecting sports keepsakes. You can grab a share of thislucrative market and parley your position into a profitable part- or full-time income. The decision is yours. Step into the batter’s box and take a swing at success, knocking one out of the park!

Good Luck!

Lee Porter an author and entrepreneur for HealthSufficiency, a continuing health, personal development and life dynamic education and business development company helping people to be meet their potential to lead healthy, prosperous and successful lives.

Tags: collecting, memorabilia, sport, trading card, trading card magazines, sports memorabilia, souvenirs, sport merchandise, retail outlet, autographs, programs, keepsakes, sports teams, sports clubs, sport uniforms, golf, hockey, baseball, football, soccer, cricket,

The first thing to do in most cases, is visit or check with your local municipal government about the laws surrounding garage sales. You may be required to purchase a license to legally hold your sale. You may have to hold your sale on certain days, or on a certain part of your property, perhaps the backyard instead of the front yard or driveway where safety problems and other nuisances to your neighbors can occur. You may have to follow certain advertising guidelines. In any case, it’s better to know beforehand than have an inspector slap you with a $500 fine for some innocent-looking infraction of local bylaws.

With legalities out of the way, take the previous Saturday and attend some garage sales in your neighborhood if you haven’t already, to see what sort of prices are asked for which items. Try to go early in the morning and also later in the day to find out what’s gone and what’s not selling. What went first was probably under priced and what’s left is either overpriced or not worth anything to most people.

Once you have a general idea of what kinds of prices you can charge, figure out what you want to sell. Remember that if you have any doubts about whether or not you’ll want to keep the item, don’t sell it. You’ll regret it later more often than not. If you really need the money, keep the price reasonable. Don’t make people pay extra for the emotional loss you’ll be suffering or you just won’t sell it.

The Sunday before the sale is the best time to get most of your garage sale items in order. Pack them in boxes or keep them in a special corner. If you start on Sunday, you’ll have six days to stumble upon items you’ll want to sell that you hadn’t thought of and wouldn’t have thought of if you had waited until the last minute. It shouldn’t take more than half an hour to get everything that comes to mind quickly in place for your sale, and it wouldn’t take any time at all to get the items you find during the week since you’ll put them away as a matter of course during the week.

Advertise on a Friday and Saturday only. You won’t get more customers by advertising through the week, and you’ll probably be urged to spend that extra money. Don’t. You’re in this to make money, not spend it.

On Friday, your heavy work begins. The first thing to do is make up signs. Write them like your newspaper ad, including date, starting and finishing time, whether you’ll be holding it on Sunday too, a few of the more interesting items, and your address. With your ad, never start the ad with “Garage Sale.” If it’s going to be under the Garage Sale heading, people know it’s already a garage sale.

When you make your signs, you should put Garage Sale on it in big letters, at least three inches high and in the heaviest felt pen you can find. Write them on white paper or cardboard, preferably 8-1/2″x14″ and leave a couple of inches blank at the bottom. Have the address in letters thick enough to be easily read by a passing car.

Place these signs on lampposts on nearby corners, on Laundromat bulletin boards, and at every corner where someone might turn to get to your home. When you put the sign up, use the felt marker to mark a huge arrow indicating the direction of your home. Many garage sale enthusiasts will give up if they can’t find your home on the first try. Be sure to take the signs down as soon as the sale is over, as police have discovered they make interesting suggestions for burglars.

Once the signs are out, set to pricing all your goods. It will be a lot easier to do half or more of your pricing on Friday night. Masking tape is about the best for this since it sticks to anything and comes off easily and takes felt pen ink quite well. Round off your prices to 5 cent intervals up to a quarter, to 25 up to $2 and 50 up to five dollars. Don’t use prices like $3.95. They are effective strategies for retailers, but they’ll make you look like too much of a pro and make people think you don’t have any real bargains. When in doubt, set the price low. Remember: Your Goal Is To Get Rid Of The Unwanted, not to make a profit! The better your prices, the more you’ll sell.

One quick note: In most cases, it is illegal to resell underwear or bathing suits or any clothing worn directly against the skin on the lower body. It is not wise to sell any baked goods, sandwiches or even coffee and soft drinks unless they come sealed. You will leave yourself wide open for a lawsuit if someone gets sick even if it’s not your fault, and in many cases it’s usually against health codes to do anything but give refreshments away on your property.

Finally, make one big sign, at least an hour and a half before the scheduled start of the sale. If you don’t, you’ll leave yourself little time to wake up and set your merchandise before customers arrive, and expect a steady flow starting half an hour or so before the scheduled start.

Don’t worry if you’re still loading stuff onto your yard or driveway as people arrive. That’s good for business, because the serious people will wait until every item is on display, giving them a lot more time to find things they would otherwise have overlooked. If you’ve got neighbors adding their goods to your sale, have them make a complete list of items and prices marked on them rather than having them listed as they sell.

That means any losses will be their responsibility, not yours, and chances are good a few items could be shoplifted. Keep the list near your change box, which should have a roll each of quarters, dimes and nickels, twenty one dollar bills and a few fives and tens. If you get stuck without change, you’ll wind up giving the customer an unnecessary discount and that costs you money.

Try to have an extra pair of hands around until noon, when traffic will slow considerably for the rest of the day. Have your children keep their eyes open for shoplifters, and unless the item stolen is a valuable one, it may not be worth your while to stop the thief or press charges.

Have a good selection of electrical outlets, make sure they’re grounded, for testing appliances and any other electrically powered items. Heavy duty extensions for lawnmowers or block heaters should be sufficient.

If by noon things have not gone as well as you’ve hoped, think seriously about dropping your prices. Mark everything unsold down by 25% and if that doesn’t help, reduce the price to half your original asking price by 3:00. If you’re not prepared to do this, you’re having your garage sale for the wrong reason. The object is to convert junk to cash, and if you’re reluctant to price things competitively, it’s not junk and will not sell.

You will be asked to drop your price almost on every item. A good rule of thumb is not to split the difference, but to keep in mind what the person asked and hold firm for at least the first couple of hours. If a $50 piece of furniture is fetching several offers of $20, you should probably be asking $30 for it.

You’ll get a feel for these things as the day progresses, but don’t bring your prices down too soon. It’s easy to get the feeling that the person you’re talking to is the only one you’ll meet all day who is interested in the particular item, and it’s not usually true.

If you have furniture for sale, don’t be afraid to let the buyer leave the piece with you until later. You won’t be going anywhere, and as long as there’s a sold sign on it, it does nothing but add to the impression that you have a lot of goods. Variety is a strong attraction, especially with neighbors who just happen to be passing by.

Don’t be too picky about keeping ledgers on everything you sell. It will help to have a receipt book in case you get asked for a written receipt, but you are selling at a loss on almost every item compared to what you paid for it, and it won’t count as income at the end of the year so there’s no sense cluttering your files.

Once you decide to shut your sale down, and you may do it before your advertised hour, if you’re really running short of goods, divide all remaining goods into three categories: goods to be donated to charitable groups, goods to be resold at next year’s garage sale or a neighbor’s garage sale later in the season, and goods you should have sold in the first place. Keep the first group in boxes by the front door so you’ll remember what to do with them and the second group in labeled cartons for easy access. If you used masking tapes on these items, be sure to remove it right away. The gum on this tape tends to stick much harder than regular tape, and removing it later might be a real problem. It’s good to remove price stickers of any kind in all cases for that reason.

If you’ve been reselling items you bought cheap at other garage sales and making a profit from them, you are technically required to charge sales tax and pay income tax on profits. If you hold garage sales on several consecutive weekends, chances are good you’ll receive a visit or letter from the tax people asking about your activity.

Many couples hold weekly garage sales as a source of extra income, though it usually does not pay off your effort since the best items always goes first and you either have to keep buying new items to sell or reducing prices regularly to move your stock. As a general rule, you’ll sell more of your less popular items faster at a flea market where buyers expect slightly higher prices.

Lee Porter an author and entrepreneur for HealthSufficiency, a continuing health, personal development and life dynamic education and business development company helping people to be meet their potential to lead healthy, prosperous and successful lives.

Tags: garage sale, yard sale, patio sale, income generation, extra income, raise money, charity, sales, sell unwanted items,

First, almost all homes and office buildings built since 1960 have wall-to-wall carpeting. Secondly, the replacement costs and the cyclical faltering of the national economy have caused people to want to make what they already own last longer, especially in the case of carpeting, which is a sizable investment.

Most businesses employ janitors or janitorial services to vacuum their carpets after hours daily, and then “master” carpet cleaners to deep-clean them every three months or so. Homemakers also generally vacuum their carpets perhaps several times a week, and then hope to deep-clean every spring or fall, depending on the kind of household traffic, and on their budgets.

It’s true that people everywhere try to save money by handling these jobs themselves. However, empathy with the people, and an understanding of this trend, should be neither cause for alarm nor a deterrent to your success in this business.

Most people are just too busy to handle all their do-it-yourself projects. They continually put off until later any chore that requires special equipment . This is especially true with carpet cleaning, because deep down, they’re fearful of botching the job. Thus, they’re more than willing to pay an expert or a specialist to do this kind of work for them

It doesn’t take any special education, skill or experience to operate a professional-type, deep-cleaning carpet cleaner. Yet, from, your first job onward, you should project the image of a thoroughly experienced expert in your field. And, we’re going to show you how you can get started in this business, and make $300 or more per working day, with virtually no investment!

The important part of this business - or any other business - is the owner-operator’s “sense of marketing” and salesmanship. Make no mistake about it, all businesses succeed through marketing strategies and salesmanship. You won’t be selling a product with this business; you’ll be selling a service. And the selling of services is often more difficult than product sales.

Your success in this business will be predicated upon the sales effort put forth. Getting if off the ground will require a great deal of selling expertise on your part. You’ll have to sell yourself and your services.

Therefore, it will be to your benefit to learn all you can about selling. Then, you should continue to add to your knowledge through an ongoing program of learning. Keeping up to date and being aware of successful selling ideas and methods will add tothe total success of any business person.

Even before the acquisition of equipment, you need customers. Your prospects are all the businesses and homes with carpets in your area. Your problem is going to be in reaching these prospects, impressing upon them the benefits of your service, and getting them set up with an appointment for you to do the work.

We have found that the least expensive and most productive method of reaching these people is by way of neighborhood “hand-out” flyers or announcements, delivered door-to-door by Brownies or Cub Scouts, or members of other youth organizations. These flyers are advertisements or announcements of a “Carpet Cleaning Special,” printed on 5 1/2 by 8 1/2 sheets of paper that invite the recipients to call you for an appointment.

Study the carpet cleaning service ads in your local newspapers, the yellow pages of your telephone directories, and any similar flyers you may have received or seen. Make a pencil sketch of your own flyer, emphasizing customer benefits and your capabilities of doing the job take your ideas to the advertising class at a local college. Explain your project and ask for volunteer help. In most cases, you’ll be favorably impressed with the work, and will only have to pay with a copy of the finished flyer for the student’s portfolio, and a recommendation or testimonial about his work for you. Even if there should be a charge for the work you have done at the college, it will be a reasonable one.

Contracting with an advertising agency will probably take longer and will cost a significant amount of money. However, you might be able to contact a staff member who does free-lance work on the side. But you should set a specific date for completion of the project, and agree to pay no more than half the total estimated cost until the job is finished, and meets with your approval.

The next step is to take this original of your flyer to a printer, and have printed whatever number of copies you want to start. Most quick print shops will be able to print up to 20,000 copies, and deliver in a reasonable time, with nominal costs. If you decide to start with more than 20,000 copies, you will do better by going to a regular commercial printer. Larger quantities that would take a quick print shop all day can be handled by a commercial print shop in a few hours.

While your flyers are being printed, you should be lining up your delivery people - local Brownie or Cub Scout Troops. No big problem here. Either look up their local headquarters office in your phone book or call a friend or two with children about the right age and ask for the name and phone number of troop leaders. Arrange to pay these scout troops $10 for each thousand circulars they hand out door-to-door.

One other thing before you start handing out your flyers - be sure that you have someone available to answer the phone and set up appointments for you. It’s usually best to have a woman do this; it makes the caller think of your service as an established business. You can pay an answering service to handle these calls for you, but if your wife or a friend is available, that would be even better. It is, however, imperative that a “live voice” answer your phone. People have some strange ideas about answering machines, and most businesses find they do much better not using them.

Your “secretary” should have a set pattern of answering your calls, and an appointment book. Usually, your flyer will advertise a special such as “Your living room carpet deep-cleaned for just $20. Get all the ground-in dirt and unpleasant odors out. A professional job by experienced master carpet cleaners, and we can do it all for you tomorrow. Give us a call; set up a carpet cleaning appointment with us now; and we’ll have your home sparkling clean, ready for company in no time at all!” This special offer should take you no more than an hour in the customer’s home, meaning that your secretary can book appointments for you at the rate of one every ninety minutes or less, depending on the travel distance between appointments.

By setting your first appointment for 8:30 in the morning, and working thorough the whole day, allowing 30 minutes between appointments, you’ll be able to handle seven appointments per day. At $20 per call, you will gross $140 per day. Your secretary should book you solid from 8:30 through 5:30 each day. Naturally, some people may want you to stop by at a certain time that’s already booked. In that case, you set them up for their requested time on an open day. You’ll also find that as you gain experience, you can cut down considerably the time it takes you to handle each job, as well as your travel time between jobs, enabling you to book more appointments.

Just as soon as you have job appointments lined up, hurry over to your local carpet cleaner distributor, your local rent-all store, or even some super markets and rent a steam-clean carpet cleaner. Most of the time, you won’t have to pay until you return it, but even if you do have to pay at the time you take it, the cost is usually $25 or less for twenty-four hours. Read the directions and make sure you know how to operate it. Then load it into your car, van or pickup, and set out for your first appointment.

You should bear in mind that carpet cleaning is a type of service business that takes you into the homes of your customers. Therefore, how you look, dress, and handle yourself - particularly in the presence of your customers - will have a direct bearing on the success of your business.

Be clean, and conduct yourself in a businesslike manner at all times. Dress neatly. In fact, one of the best ways to get off to a fast start is to purchase a working uniform from Sears, Ward’s or Penney’s. Drop by a “pennant shop” and have them make up a special oval name tag which can be sewn over the left breast pocket. At the same time, have them make up a large oval with the name of your business and your phone number to sew on the back of the uniform. When you hire people to help you with the work, outfit them similarly.

Go out of your way to be polite and friendly with your customers, but refrain from being fresh. Avoid getting involved in extended conversations - if you are to keep on schedule, you won’t have time for a lot of talk.

Keep your equipment clean, properly maintained, and operating smoothly. Have your supplies organized and within easy reach. Don’t allow yourself to be caught in a position where you have to make excuses because the equipment won’t function properly, you can’t find what you need, or you suddenly find yourself out of certain supplies.

When working these advertising specials, just concentrate on doing the job and moving on to your next customer. If the customer questions you about the cost to do the other rooms, give an estimate and set up a tentative appointment, which you should later confirm with a call-back after checking your schedule. Don’t try to sell your complete carpet cleaning services on this first call, but do be sure to leave a business card with the name of your company and your phone number.

Your service is the “deep-down shampoo cleaning” of carpeting in your customers’ homes or places of business. Always strive to use the best equipment that’s available. Later on - possibly in a month or six weeks - you’ll want to buy or lease your own equipment. Your business will grow and flourish as a result of your doing a good and complete job every time. It may take you a few minutes longer - especially when you are learning the equipment and establishing a procedure - but in the end this will pay off with satisfied customers; and a group of satisfied customers is the key to your becoming wealthy in this business.

You want your customers to call you again and again to clean their carpets. Being pleased with your work, they’ll spread the word about your service for you, free of charge! And this, of course, will generate an almost unlimited amount of ongoing work for your new business.

The average price to the customer to have a 12 by 18 foot wall-to-wall carpet “shampoo cleaned” is about $50. Your materials to do that size job will cost about $5.

The typical job involves more than just one room, and the average period of time spent on the typical job is about two hours, with an average billing to the customer of $75 - materials for each $75 job cost you about $10 all of which means that with just five appointments per day, five days per week, your gross income before expenses will be approaching $2,000 per week.

Most people who set up carpet cleaning businesses manage to gross $50,000 or more the first year. We’ve described to you how to get started with virtually no real investment. However, we do advise you to either purchase or lease your own carpet cleaning equipment just as soon as you can possibly afford it.

Several equipment manufacturers have financing plans available. It would be well to check out several of these plans before purchasing your equipment. Even better than the financing plans offered, some of the manufacturers have business start-up programs to help you along the way. They will provide you with a complete carpet cleaning business plan, numerous advertising materials, a regular newsletter featuring business ideas from all the buyers of their equipment, and low cost supplies.

Before actually starting work in your carpet cleaning business, you should register your business or company name with your county clerk. The cost for this is nominal, and you will receive a registration certificate or card, which you will need to open a bank account in your company name. You should also talk to a few business insurance agents to get complete business insurance against damage to any of your customers’ carpets or accidents in their homes. Being able to state “All work fully insured,” will greatly add to your business image.

Think seriously about buying or leasing a van for your service calls. A uniform with the name of your company emblazoned on the back, plus a late model van with your company name neatly painted on the side will do just about as much to build your image and your business as a full page advertisement in the Sunday paper.

On the subject of advertising, so long as you don’t erect a sign on your front lawn or your roof, proclaiming for all the world to see the fact that you’re operating a carpet cleaning business, you won’t have any problems operating your business from your home. Sooner or later though, you’ll have to buy a City or county business license. So, the sooner you do this and are approved by the licensing agency in your area, the better you’re going to feel and the more confidence you’ll exude in all your business dealings.

Definitely plan to run a quarter page ad in your local business and telephone directories. You’ll really be surprised at the number of calls you get from these ads. At least in the beginning, you should run a regular ad in your newspaper. This should be a display ad, at least 2 columns wide by 4 inches deep, and should appear in your Wednesday and Thursday papers. As you become established, it won’t be necessary to run more than an ad every other week in your Wednesday papers and before the holidays such as Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, when people always want to spruce up their residences.

Radio or television advertising really doesn’t pull that well for this kind of business when you compare the costs to the number of jobs you get from it. I would suggest, that you contact these media and try for a trade or barter agreement. You clean their carpets on a regular basis, and they allow you to store up advertising credit to use in the spring and fall when people are really serious about spring cleaning, and Christmas preparations.

It’s also recommended that you register as a “probationary member” of your Chamber of Commerce. This will add prestige to your business, and enable you to associate on equal terms with the various other business leaders in your community. Joining and attending civic club meetings, participating in their causes and events, will also result in long-range business income for you.

Something else to keep in mind: Get the word about your being in business out to the people in your area. Get the Chamber of Commerce to mention you in their newsletter; send “blurbs” about your business and service to all your area newspapers, TV and radio stations; arrange to put on an all-day demonstration of your work on the carpeting in the covered mall areas in your city’s shopping centers, and hand out brochures to all the people watching; rent a booth and hand out brochures at all the home building, remodeling, and home improvement shows. Do the same thing at your county fair, and hold seminars on the care of fine carpets. The ideas for free publicity and promotion are limitless, so use your imagination and -push” to get your name in the paper and on radio and TV as often as possible.

There’s always going to be competition. Some of it will be good for you, and some of it will be bad for you. Accept it as a part of life. Just keep in mind that you’re in business because you feel you can do a better job; you can do it more efficiently; and you can do it with greater satisfaction to your customers than anyone else. Be aware of the competition, but don’t worry about it. Just stick to your own business plan, and you’ll be okay.

Depending on the population of your area, you should be planning for additional carpet cleaning machines and the hiring of people to do the work for you within three to six months - that is, unless your original motive for a business of your own was to see how fast you could work yourself to death. Assuming that all goes well with you, within a couple of years you should have “hired help” running the business while you enjoy the fruits of all the hard work you put in at the outset.

I personally don’t see the need for you to even consider buying a franchised operation. There’s just too much real help available for the “independent” to go to the considerable expense and obligation of a franchise. Starting from scratch, and as an independent, this is most assuredly a low-investment, low-overhead type business - the kind we recommend for anyone and everyone who’s determined to make it on his own.

A carpet cleaning business of your own is one of the easiest of all small businesses to start. You’ll find the initial start-up costs well within your reach, and the margin of profit most astounding! It’s an easy business to operate, and yet one that can be called necessary to today’s standard of living. It carries a very high rating on all business evaluation stability charts, and it’s a business that will grow rapidly to bring you the monetary rewards you desire.

Lee Porter an author and entrepreneur for HealthSufficiency, a continuing health, personal development and life dynamic education and business development company helping people to be meet their potential to lead healthy, prosperous and successful lives.

Tags: carpet cleaning, carpet washing, carpet steaming, carpet sweeping, business premises, offices, homes, carpet shampoo, vacuum cleaner, seasonal cleaning, 

Before starting an ad sheet, you should plan it all out – decide on an interesting, informative title, choose a masthead, lay out your columns for size, determine if it is to be a simple 8 1/2 x 11 single sheet of paper or an 11 x 17 sheet folded in half. you’ll also need to know your production cost for the number you intend to have printed, and the postage cost to mail them out.

Most of the ad sheets start out as single sheets of paper, 8 ½ x 11, printed on both sides. Usually, the front side is divided into three equal columns about 2 1/4 inches wide, with a ½ inch margin from the edge of the paper on both sides and top and bottom.

Assuming that the space occupied by your title, masthead and listing of rates for advertisers interested in placing an ad with you is two inches deep, this leaves you about 24 inches of advertising space to sell on the front side. Figuring a cost of $50 for 1,000 copies of such an ad sheet, printed both sides, and a third-class bulk-rate postage of $110, this means that your 24 inches of ad space will have to be sold at a rate of $6.25 each in order to break even. This means: You have to sell all of the ad space on the front of your ad sheet at $6.25 each in order to break even. This means: You have to sell all of the ad space on the front of your ad sheet at $6.25 per ad – and then expect to make your profits from the sale of the back side of your ad sheet. Actually, it would be feasible to charge $7.00 per inch for the space on the front side, and carry you own full page ad on the back side. At any rate, don’t box yourself into a loss situation where you can’t afford to place your own ads in your ad sheet.

You get ads by making up an advertising solicitation sales letter and sending it out to as many mail order dealers as you can find. You can also run ads in other people’s publications, inviting the readers to check with you regarding placement of an ad in your publication. And of course, you’ll be wanting to work out some exchange advertising deals (whereby another publisher runs your ad in his publication, and you run his in exchange). From the experience of many, many publishers, this can be one of the most effective ways of getting your ads run, at low/no cost, and it is recognized to be successful in the field of Mail Order.

You probably won’t be able to fill up all of your available ad space with paid ads until you’re well established - but no problem - first you fill your ad space with paid ads, and then you fill in the empty space with ads of your own. Some beginning advertisers fill a part of their empty space with complementary ads for other mail order operators, send them a copy of the issue in which the complimentary ad appears, and invite them to continue the ad on a “paid” basis from there. Many of them will appreciate the favor and send you a check or money order to continue running the ad.

If you undertake the publication of an ad sheet, be sure to consider the possibilities of sending out 100 to 1,000 copies of your ad sheet to other mail order operators to rubber stamp their names/addresses as co-publishers and mail out for you. Thus, if you had 50 other mail order operators sending out 100 copies each of your ad sheet, you’d be talking about a circulation of 5,000 copies plus the number of copies you mail out. If you can get this kind of program going, you’ll quickly build your reputation as well as your circulation, and at the bottom line, your profits.

Some ad sheet publishers, once they’ve established themselves and are putting out an impressive publication, set up distributor networks. Generally, they run ads calling for distributor/dealers and asking for a $5 to $10 registration fee. In reply to the registration application, they send out a letter explaining that each distributor can buy at half price, so many copies of each issue of the ad sheet, rubber stamp their name on each copy, and send them out as their own. In return, the distributors usually get 50% of the incoming advertising orders, a half-price ad for themselves, and an opportunity to sell subscriptions.

The bottom line relative to becoming a successful ad sheet publisher has to do with keeping your production costs - printing and mailing - as low as possible, while putting out a quality product that other people in the mail order business will want to advertise in - while at the same time using it as a advertising/selling vehicle for your own products.

My advice is that almost everyone involved in mail order selling should have some sort of ad sheet - if for no other reason than as a means to an end - an advertising vehicle for your own products, an extra income from advertising revenues, and as an exchange media with which to gain greater exposure for your own products in other people’s publications. Once you’ve got an ad sheet, or any kind of publication set up and being seen by other mail order operators, you’ll quickly gain stature and a certain amount of prestige.

As with any business, your ultimate success depends on your own feasibility studies, and your “sharp-pencil” planning completed before you order your first issue printed. Think about it, weigh the pro’s and con’s, then go with your decision.

Lee Porter an author and entrepreneur for HealthSufficiency, a continuing health, personal development and life dynamic education and business development company helping people to be meet their potential to lead healthy, prosperous and successful lives.

Tags: Ad sheet, advertising, advertising campaign, advertisers, mail order selling, mail order, distribution, publication, printing,

The problems is, however, the generally high cost of either advertising in the most widely-accepted publications or the printing and postage costs of direct mail. Understanding these inherent problems of the mail order business is almost always the basis for most “kitchen table” mail order publications and/or print and mail services.

In other words, instead of spending all that money on “hit or miss” advertising or dropping $300 per thousand on a direct mailing a lot of imaginative and energetic mail order operators start their own mail order advertising sheet - very similar to, and quite comparable to your local shopping news papers, all ads with very little if any editorial space. With your own ad sheet, you can include as many ads for yourself as you want and at the same time, carry advertising from other mail order dealers which will pay your basic printing and mailing costs, while at the same time, bring in a profit for the sharper operators.

Keeping in mind that everything costs money to get started, here’s how you can cash in with your own mail order publication…

Put together an appealing package of offers. Include in your package an Inducement letter which outlines a MLM Program or some other high priced item, charge the recipient just $1 to find out if it’s something he might like to grab onto… then there’s the mailing list sales letter offering to sell mailing lists for as little as $15 per thousand… and then there’s the Money Maker’s Opportunity Library which offers to sell any of more than 40 How To Succeed in Mail Order Reports for just $2 each - We supply all the large mail order catalog houses such as Premier, Mitchell Enterprises, Helmac, and Independence House, plus a large percentage of the mail order dealers in this country… Be sure that the package of offers you put together is as new as you can get, and that the printing and paper are of the best quality you can get.

Along with this package of offers - remember: your package of offers should appeal in some way to everyone you send one to; and should be based long the lines of: if the left one doesn’t get you then the right one will - include a dynamite sales letter inviting people to advertise in your ad sheet.

You make up your ad sheet, computers are excellent tools to use for this - save a few of those you receive in the mail and take them to your printer and have him help you put it together in finished form. Then, when the advertising orders come in, simply place the camera ready ads on your ad sheet - print when full and mail out to all your advertisers plus at least the same number of names and addresses of mail order opportunity seekers. Actually, you should be sending your ad sheet with your follow-up or new offers to your regular customers; your package of offers with your ad sheet enclosed to the names and addresses of mail order people you see advertising in other ad sheets or other mail order publications.

For complete details and/or how-to instructions relating to ad sheet, format, layout, camera-ready ads and the “insider ticks” to putting together an ad sheet, send $5 to: “Distributor Who Sent This Report.”

Finally, remember what I told you at the beginning of this report: Unless you get the word out that you’ve got something the people want to buy - unless you advertise - you’ll get no orders. What I’m saying here is that just because you fill up the space on your ad sheet with paid advertising, you must keep sending out advertising solicitation sales letters.

Once you’ve got all your space filled, you can either raise your rates - which isn’t the best way to go - or you can start another ad sheet - same thing with a different name or masthead…

It’s really no more work nor expense, but your profits will begin to really multiply when you’ve got eight or ten 8 1/2 x 11 2-sided ad sheets filled with paid advertising. Put them together with 16 spaces for one inch ads at $5 per inch - times 10 - equals $1,000 per 2-sided ad sheet. A lot of people are already doing it, and you can too, so think about it!

Lee Porter an author and entrepreneur for HealthSufficiency, a continuing health, personal development and life dynamic education and business development company helping people to be meet their potential to lead healthy, prosperous and successful lives.

Tags: mailorder publisher, mail order publication, advertising, distribution, small business, home based business,

Printing can be contracted with commercial printers in your area, or even out of town. Another alternative that is growing leaps and bounds these days is to use a desktop publishing system to produce “copy ready masters,” which printers or copy services then duplicate inexpensively (off set printing from copy ready masters is the cheapest, providing your need 2,000 copies or more).

You can either produce your own or hire a desktop service to finalize your copy. You can also use the services of one or several different printers for different types of jobs.

A local Ad Sheet is usually given out free at supermarkets, local stores, mailed out (bulk) and/or delivered door-to-door.

Your income is from paid advertisements in your publication. Prices charged for advertising is low for classified ads (a dollar or so each),, with higher rates for contract and display ads.

Advertising rates are proportionate to the circulation - the total number you print distribute to people (not the extras you throw away). Therefore, the more you print and either sell or give away, the more you can charge for your ads!

A Business Directory is a booklet or pamphlet that is sold, subsidized (bought and given away) or given away free to local citizens, visitors or tourists.

The Directory contains a wealth of information of interest to visitors and is also enticing to the advertisers. It too, is financed by primarily by the ads it contains.

A small directory publisher works out a plan to list all restaurants, sights to see, banks, motels and/or groceries (so the list will be of value to the reader) then sells ads to the merchants who are listed.

For a small amount, they can have their ad in bold letters; a little more will get them a slogan or log; or they can purchase space for a separate advertisement, coupon or what-have-you.

Some publishers will include an article about an advertiser if the ad is a certain size. The number of copies each merchant gets to give out or sell also may be governed by his financial participation, especially if the publication has a printed price.

For example, and advertise gets one (or some multiple) free copies to sell or give away for each dollar he spends for ads. If he wants more copies, they are available at a wholesale cost to him, which he can either sell or give away. Naturally, front and back page and larger ads command the best prices.

By getting an idea of what they think is needed, you will be forming a concept of what type of publication they would advertise in. Don’t be shy about asking them for suggestions. They know the area as business people and may be able to provide you with some very worthwhile ideas.

This auction of physically contacting potential advertisers for advice has more than one objective.. Every one that you personally contact establishes a relationship between you and a potential advertiser.

From this point, whether by letter, phone or personal contact, you are communicating with someone you know. Future contacts are not only based on this first meeting, they can refer to the gist of the conservation.. Of course, as a professional business person, you keep a notebook and write down the gist of that conservation so you can remember it and the name of the persons you talked to at each stop.

When you are settled upon the publication, start serious negotiations with your printer and/or desktop publisher. Plan how you will distribute the material and sell ads.

Register your company name (and publication name, if different), and see about any requirements for local licenses. If you plan to mail out your publication, apply for a bulk rate permit at the post office.

One relatively inexpensive way to start publishing an advertiser or directory with limited funds and skills is to begin with a standard word-processing system and IBM compatible computer, like a 512K XT with two floppy drives or one and a hard disk. These systems are not expensive because they are no longer considered “state of the art” - but they are good to get you started.

In most cities you can buy an adequate setup, including a good word processing program for $500 or less.

If you can type, learning to operate the word processor it for normal copy will take at least a half a day. If you have a 24 pin or better printer, you can probably produce adequate quality print, and use your scissors to “cut and paste” art work.

Or, you can compose your copy on your system and send the output on disk to a good desktop publisher who will load your material a more sophisticated system and produce professional looking, copy ready masters for about a dollar a page.. If you print several thousand copies, you can send those masters to a photo offset printer.

Hint: When your print out is a little too light, invest in a can of spray protector from your nearest art store. This is what artists use to spray on their charcoal and pencil drawings to protect them from smears, but it also brings out the contrast. These cans of spray sell for about $5 each and are also available from Dick Blick or Kelsey

Starting a TV Schedule would also begin with surveying the need for such a publication in your area as above.

But you also need to check with several potential schedule suppliers to make sure you get the best possible deal - for you (financially) as well as your customers (timely, thorough coverage).

When you are satisfied that your area can use a TV Schedule, that the local businesses will support (advertise in) it, and that you have found a reputable supplier, you are ready to get down to business.

The problems to watch for in publishing center round over-extension. It is very tempting to buy better equipment, to order more copies, so you can increase your circulation and get more income. Just be sure you are preparing for business that is there!

It is a good idea to be pretty sure of exactly how much more income you are going to realize from increased investments before you invest with the HOP of increasing income. And, make sure to check with legal council when you feel like a little editorializing.

Lastly, probably the most important pitfall of all: advertising publishers have to keep a close eye on their credit advertisers. One of the things business people want to do when business is off is to increase their advertising 0 which can be paid If Business Increases.

You will need to use your judgment in these cases to avoid being the recipient of a large bill someone builds up just before they fold.

Lee Porter an author and entrepreneur for HealthSufficiency, a continuing health, personal development and life dynamic education and business development company helping people to be meet their potential to lead healthy, prosperous and successful lives.

Tags: publishing, ad sheet, advertising, directory, business directory, advertisements, advertisers, small business, income generation,

There are four ways to sell it. If you are new to folio selling, You’ll be shown which of the four ways would be the best for you. Read what follows very carefully and very thoughtfully. There are no catches.

Exactly what is a folio?

A folio can be called a booklet, a pamphlet, a report, a newsletter, a guide, an instruction manual, a plan, a manuscript, etc. etc. A folio is simply an easy-to-understand manual which shows the reader “How To” do something that he does not already know how to do. Most folios show the reader…

* How to start or expand a hobby

* How to develop new abilities or qualities

* How to start a new business or expand an old one

* How to prepare for a new career

* How to make or save money

* How to spend leisure time.

A well written folio is authoritative, factual, and helpful. It should be written in simple, easily understood language. It can be anything from a brief two-page mimeographed report to a professionally printed book bound in hardback cover. People who purchase folios by mail are interested in the information they contain. Seldom do they care what brand of paper the information is printed on.

What Kind Of Folios Are Now Being Sold By Mail?

Pick up almost any magazine at a newsstand that carries classified advertising and you will find ads written by people who are selling their folios by mail. Here are sample ads from magazines lying here on my desk.

“Be secure, confident, successful! Learn the secret of personal power $15.00″

“Why grow old and die? Li Chung Yun lived 256 years. You could too! learn how - $10.00″

“Secrets of the Spirit World! Only 60 cents postpaid!”

“Guide to Witches Covens - $5.00″

“Traffic Tickets? Beat them, step by step method. $1.95 postpaid.”

“Learning Bridge? Send $2.95 for small 20 page guide.”

“Fluorescent Tubes rejuvenated at no cost. Instructions $5.00.”

“Learn the secret of making every pair of slacks you sew fit perfectly, Only $5.00″

How To Write A Folio

“10 Wonder Working Prayers. Enrich, strengthen your life! $5.00 guaranteed.”

“Enjoy camping inside your Volkswagen. Do it yourself Plans - $10.00′

“Homemade Cheese! Hard soft, and cottage! Make it yourself! Easy. Delicious. Complete instructions, recipes $5.00″

“Toronto Area Job Opportunities - $5.00″

“Ship in Bottle. Instructions, Drawing. $5.00″

If you can produce a “How to Do It” Manual that is novel, interesting and genuinely helpful, you can do what the advertisers above have done. You can print it yourself and sell it by mail!

What Should You Write About?

You should write

* only on subjects that really interest you, and

* On subjects that you already know something about.

For example, if you just love to cook, write a folio on cooking. If people like the first folio they buy from you, they will buy other folios in the future, as long as they are on the same basic subject. If you write on a subject that really does not interest you very much, you will be bored to death by the time you get to your third folio!

Ask yourself what do I do with my spare time? Write a folio about that!

How do you research the folio?

Make yourself an expert on the subject! Talk to friends and neighbors. Ask questions. Read books, newspapers, and magazines on the subject. Ask your librarian for suggestions. As you read, KEEP NOTES ON EVERYTHING. When you have read everything you could lay your hands on, sit down and study your notes. Read them over slowing and carefully. Then lay the notes aside and think about the whole subject for a day or two. You will be amazed at what your mind will do with the subject if you have research it thoroughly!

How Do You Write It?

Here’s a tip from a professional writer. Sit down and pretend that you are a person who knows absolutely nothing about the subject. Write down fifteen questions that such a person might ask you. Then write out, in your own words, the answers to the fifteen questions. Do not try to be literary! When you are finished, lay it aside for a day or two.

Then re-read it with a red pencil, crossing out all unnecessary words and sentences, inserting a new point here and there. REWRITE the whole thing, and you will be amazed to discover that your folio is ready to be published!

How Do You Get It Printed?

Type it or print it out as neatly as possible on 8 1/2 x 11 white typing paper. Single space it, leaving two lines between each paragraph. Take it to a local Photo-Offset printer or computerised copier center, who will make a few hundred copies for you, very reasonably, usually within 24 hours. If you have more than four pages, have it printed on both sides of the paper. It will lower your printing costs slightly, and it will save you extra postage in the future. To give your folio a professional touch, have it printed on canary yellow, pink, or light green paper.

How do you Sell it?

There are four ways:

1. Direct From Ads In Magazines And Tabloid Papers. If economically possible, sell it for $1.00 or $2.00 per copy. (Occasionally $3.00.) Write a brief, eyecatching classified ad asking those interested to send their orders directly to you. If your ad is novel, believable, and of genuine interest, you will be surprised at how many people will do this. If your folio is about stamp collecting, advertise it in the stamp collecting papers. If it is about Astrology, advertise it in the Astrology magazines - to do otherwise is fatal. Be sure to run your ad in at least three issues. If you have never sold folios by mail, I sincerely suggest you use this method.

2. Advertise For Inquiries. If your folio is quite elaborate and must be sold for $3.00 or more, use this method. Write a brief, tempting ad describing your folio, and offer free details. Then mail literature describing the folio to those who answer the ads. Don’t expect more than one inquiry in ten to buy it from you.

Here are ads placed by folio writers in a recent issue of the National Enquirer, who use this method:

“Never Won anything? Anyone can win sweepstakes contests! Free details.”

“Overweight? I lost 53 pounds. Easily. (Permanently!) New Method. Information Free.

“Troubles? God can help! Free information.”

“Make money clipping newspapers at home spare time. Details Free.”

3. Direct Mail. If you have written a folio showing how to get inventions patented, you could purchase a list of amateur inventors, and mail your sales literature to each individual on the list. If you are lucky, you’ll sell your folio to about one person in every twenty-five. Direct mail can be very effective for experienced mail order operators, but it is usually far too costly for the beginner. It can easily cost you several hundred dollars for each one thousand letters you mail.

4. Selling Through Agents. If you are willing to sell your folio in small wholesale quantities, or if you are willing to drop-ship folios for mail dealers, then you might find this the most effective way to market your folios. Below are some ads placed by folio writers in a recent issue of Specialty Salesman.

“Sell Health Books Mail order! Write”

“Sell Books by Mail! 400% Profit!”

“Sell Books by Mail. Complete dealer set-up. 25 cents”

“Free Newsletter! Sell Books by mail! We wholesale, dropship.”

Some of the above ads have been running ten and twenty years, indicating that this could be a very successful way to market your folios.

500 New Folio Ideas!

Over the past two or three years folios have been developed and sold by mail.

You are free to use any idea on this list. Items have not been checked to see if any of the titles have been copyrighted. If they have, create a new one. Also, you are free to change the titles around to suit your own situation. For example, “Summer Jobs in Nevada” could become, “Summer Jobs in New York City”. I’m sure you get the point.

Good luck to you!

Marriage

Plan your Wedding Now!

Plan your Honeymoon

What to Wear at your Wedding

Cooking Tips for Newlyweds

Do you need a Marriage Counselor?

Living on a Budget

How to Survive Divorce

How to Get a Divorce

Teach your Husband to Cook!

Organize your Housework

Alimony Laws Made Simple

How to be a successful Father

How to Win a Fight with your Husband

Marry a Man with Money

Poor Men make Better Husbands

Family And Children

So, You’re Expecting a Baby!

Does your Child take Drugs?

Don’t Spank your Child!

Select the Right Names for your Baby!

Inspire your Child to Learn

Can your Boy Defend Himself?

Listen to Your Child

How to Raise an only Child

Teach your Child to Read

Choosing a Baby-sitter

Loving an Adopted Child

Keep your Child Busy!

Tell your Child about Sex

How to Select a Baby Doctor

Understanding your Teenager

Which Summer Camp for your Child?

Teach your Son a Trade

Facts about Childbirth for Husbands

Family Problems

A Parents Guide to Dangerous Drugs

Save Money on your Clothing Bill

Mother’s Guide to Thrift Shop Buying

Where & How to Apply for a Loan

Better Health through Better Eating

How to Trace your Family Tree

Families without Fathers

Does your Child Eat Right?

What Unwed Mothers Should Know

Salesmanship

Ten Ways to Close a Sale

Sell it at the Flea Market!

Is selling for You?

Ten Successful Selling Tips

How to Improve your Sales Technique

Why People Buy

How to Sell Sporting Goods

Positive Thinking makes the Difference

Directory of Direct Selling Firms

How to Get Leads by Telephone

How to Recruit Salesmen

Entertaining At Home

How to Throw a Cocktail Party

24 Ideas for your next Birthday Party

Make your next Shower a Real Success!

How to be a Gracious Hostess

The Office Party Guide

Turn an Ordinary Meal into a FEAST!

How to Make Better Cocktails

Beauty

Glamour Tips for Teenagers

Beauty Tips for the Expectant Mother

Every Woman Can be Beautiful

Apply Make-up like a Professional

Your Personality makes the Difference

What Color is Best for YOU?

How to Achieve the Natural Look

Choosing the Right Hair Style for You

Astrology

How to Chart your Horoscope

Selecting a Career through Astrology

Astrology and your Marriage Mate

Apply Astrology to your Daily Life

Astrology Made Simple

Your Future is in the Stars!

How to Read the Zodiac

Gardening

Build your own Greenhouse

Grow what you Eat!

How to Grow Gorgeous Roses

Beginners Guide to Landscaping

How to Grow Food in an Apartment

Antiques

Introduction to Antique Collecting

Facts about Antique Auctions

How to Sell Antiques

Let’s Go to an Antique Show

How to Become an Antique Dealer

Directory of Antique Publications

How to Detect Fake Antiques

How to Restore Antiques

Writing

Writing Mystery Stories

How to Write Poetry

Writing Gags for Television

How to Write for Newspapers

Start a Writers Club

Opportunities in Ghost Writing

Can you Write Science Fiction?

How to Write for Trade Papers

Writing for Children

Today’s Market for Short Stories

How to Write for Religious Magazines

How to Plot a Novel

Selecting a Literary Agent

How to Write Book Review

How to Review Plays and Movies

Become a Music Critic

What they never Tell you in Writing School!

Home Decorating

Decorating Tips for Your Bedroom

Thirteen Ways to Beautify your Kitchen

How to Decorate your Windows

Decorate Like a Professional!

Patios Can be Beautiful

Beginner’s Guide to Drapery Making

Wallpaper makes the Difference

Glamour in your Bathroom

Selecting Plants for your Home

Photography

Repair your own Camera

Photo Retouching for Beginners

Become a Professional Photographer

How to make Better Home Movies

Selecting the Right Camera for You

Build your own Dark Room

Become a Wedding Photographer

Where to Sell your Photography

Church

Sermon Outlines for Busy Pastors

Fund Raising Ideas for your Church

Twelve Ways to Increase your Church Attendance

Projects for Vacation Bible School

How to use Chalk Talks Effectively

How to Prepare a Sermon

Put some ZIP into your Church Bulletin

Every Parishioner - an Evangelist!

Choir Practice Can be Fun

Keep the Older Members Happy

Teaching Tips for Sunday School Teachers

Have you been Called to the Priesthood?

Religious Vocations for Women

Plan a Prayer Breakfast

Automobiles

How to Tune you own Car

Save Money on Auto Parts

Revitalize your Transmission

How to Test a Car Before you Buy!

Repair the Brakes Yourself

Pets

How to Raise your Kitten

Tricks your Dog can Learn

Build your own Aquarium

Fashion Tips for your Poodle

How to Operate a Dog Kennel

How to Start a Pet Shop

Dog Grooming Opportunities

How to Win at the next Dog Show

Do Snakes make good Pets?

The Successful Way to Raise Rabbits

Travel

Overcome your Fear of Flight

How to Obtain a Passport

Vacation Planning Tips

Travel Tips for Honeymooners

Let’s Go Camping

Ghost Towns you should See

How to Survive in the Wilderness

Vacationing in the Desert

Plan a Hiking trip

Gambling

How to Become a Blackjack Dealer

Job Opportunities in Las Vegas

Gambling Secrets Revealed

Win at the Race Track!

How to Play Keno

Baccarat for Beginners

Roulette Self Taught

Why Gambling should be Legalized

Handbook for Poker Players

How to Win at 21

Better Bingo!

Improve your Pinochle Game

How to Cure a Compulsive Gambler

Art

How to Paint Landscapes

Make your own Picture Frames

Oil Painting for Beginners

Working with Acrylics

Introduction to Water Colors

How to Exhibit your Paintings

How to Buy Art Supplies

How to Model for Art Classes

How to Sketch Portraits

Working with Chalks

Stamp Collecting

Start a Stamp Collection

Stamp Mixtures can be Fun

Organize a Stamp Collectors Club

How to Find a Stamp Collectors Club

Stamps by Country or Topic - Which

How to sell your Stamp Collection

Let’s Visit a Stamp Auction!

How to Sell Stamp Packets by Mail

Start an Approval Business for Stamp Collectors!

Recognizing Rare Stamps

Investing in Stamps

Handcrafts

Working with Leather

Pottery Making for Beginners

Make your own Jewelry

How to make Beautiful Dolls

Introduction to Metal Enameling

How to make Puppets

Making a Potter’s Wheel

Craft Projects for pre-school children

Profits in Indian Jewelry

How to make Stained Glass Windows

Like Working with Beads?

Make your own Christmas Cards

Directory of Wholesale Handicraft Supplies

How to Build Doll Houses

Christmas Decorations You can Make

Knitting & Crocheting Ideas for the Beginner

Selling Handmade Crafts at Art Shows

Candlemaking for Beginners

Weave your own Rugs

The Art of Shellcraft

Selling Handicrafts on Consignment

Needlepoint for Beginners

Decorating Glass

The Art of Papier-mache

An Introduction to Ceramics

Conducting Handicraft Classes

Create your own Ear Rings

54 New Quilt Patterns

Making Gifts from Throw-aways

The Basics of Macrame

Decoupage: An Introduction

What you can make from Macrame

Christmas Crafts for Children

Bread Dough Art for Beginners

New Careers

How to Ask for a Raise

Write your own Resume

Earn Money Tutoring

Dance your Way to Stardom

Your Future in Physics

Careers in Astronomy

How to Dress for Job Interviews

Become a Professional Astrologer

Raising Funds for Profit

Gun Repairing as a Career

Opportunities Unlimited for Commercial Artists!

Have Fun! Be a Ski Instructor!

Job Opportunities in Law Enforcement

Can YOU Manage Apartments?

Become a Book Finder

Writing for Small Town Newspapers

Opportunities in Advertising

Become a Professional Librarian

Are you a Born Mechanic?

Is there a Place in Television for You?

Show Business Opportunity Guide

Your Place in the Electronics Industry

Environmental Careers

Your Aptitude and your Job

A Career in Nursing for You!

How to Break into Public Relations

Air Freight - Transportation of the Future

Be a Management Consultant

Your Future as a Travel Agent

Opportunities for Part-Time Workers

Wanted! Aviation Mechanics

How to Succeed in a Job Interview

Summer Jobs in Nevada

Job Opportunities for Women in Alaska

Can you Counsel Alcoholics?

Guide to Professional Acting Schools

How to Become a Recording Artist

Finding Satisfaction in your Job

Should you be a Social worker?

How to be a Strip Tease Dancer

Money Making Ideas

How to Run a Garage Sale

Making Money with old Comic Books

Start a Shopping service

How to Start a Trade Paper

There’s Money in Turquoise

Cash in on Today’s Hobby Market!

Investing in Real Estate

Twenty Ways to Get Rich Quick!

How to be your own Boss

Turn your ideas into Dollars!

Your Town Needs a Typing Service!

Open an Art Gallery

How to Start a Delivery Service

Collecting Bills can be Profitable

How to Start a Mobile Home Park

Start a Bookkeeping Service

Penpals are Big Business!

Cash in on the Nostalgia Craze

Form your own Rock Group!

Start a Resume Bureau

Teach Children How to Dance

Profits in Auctions

Business Enterprises for College Students

Hobbies

Collect Coins for Fun and Profit

Chess: Self Taught

Boat Building for Beginners

Let’s Go to a Boat Show!

Bicycle your Way to Better Health

How to Repair your Bicycle

Let’s Motor Bike!

How to Join a Motorcycle Club

How to Repair your Motorcycle

How to Enter a Chess Tournament

Start your own Chess Club!

How to Collect Military Medals

200 Things you can Collect

Collecting Paper Weights

Gun Collecting as a Hobby

Collecting Nazi relics

Guide to Antique Car Collecting

How to Collect Gems and Minerals

Become a Silent Film Buff

Model Railroading: An Introduction

How to Collect Old Postcards

How to Build Model Airplanes

Collecting Postmarks

Go Fly a Kite!

How to Perform Magic Tricks

Gardening - America’s Number One Hobby

Guide to Seashell Collecting

Tips for Radio Hams

Collect Bottles for Fun and Profit

How to Collect Autographs

Collecting Old Automobile Manuals

Do you Collect old Magazines?

Book Collecting for Beginners

Personal Problems

Protect Yourself from Muggers

Protect your Home from Burglary

How to Handle Obscene Phone Calls

How to Say “No” to a Salesman

Defend Yourself from Rape

How to File for Bankruptcy

How to Sublet Your Apartment

How to Sell Your Home

Investing in Jewelry

What you Should Know about Banking

How to Buy Stocks and Bonds

Get Creditors Off Your Back

What Credit Bureaus Know about You

How to Balance Your Checkbook

How to Save on Your Hospital Bills

Sports

How to Enter Professional Football

Improve Your Swimming Strokes

Can You Handle Racing Cars?

How to Play Better Baseball

Wrestling Holds: An Introduction

Guide to Ski Resorts

Amateur Boxing Guide

Know Your Hunting Rifle

Let’s Go Trout Fishing

Tennis for Beginners

Keep in Shape! Bowl!

Treasure Hunting Can Be Fun

Let’s Go Deer Hunting!

The Thrill of Salt Water Fishing

Jog Your Way to Health

How to Lift Weights

Build Your Own Gym!

Ice Hockey: An Introduction

Play Basketball!

Are You Interested in Wild Game Hunting?

Body Building Tips

How to Repair your Bicycle

What to Wear in the Jungle!

Occultism

Witchcraft Secrets Revealed

True Mystical Experiences

Your Handwriting Reveals the Real You!

ESP for Beginners

Yoga for Beginners

You Can Change Your Destiny

An Introduction to Hypnotism

Relax! Learn to Meditate

Miscellaneous

The Hitchhikers Manual

You Can Be a TV Contestant!

Facts Every Inventor Should Know

How to Enjoy the Opera

Living in a Mobile Home

How to Read Blueprints

How They Make TV Commercials

Are Your Employees Stealing from You?

How to Prepare a Publicity Release

Understanding the Stock Market

Effective Lecturing for Beginners

All about Mutual Funds

How to Pass a Lie Detector Test

Get Free Publicity for your Business

How to Pan for Gold

How to Select the Perfect Gift

How to Remove Tattoos

How to Learn Tattooing

Sewing Tips (From a Professional!)

Make Your Own Cheese

Directory of UFO Groups

Build Your Own Canoe

How to be a Ventriloquist

The Florida Flea Market Guide

101 Ways to Decorate a Cake

How to Identify Counterfeit Money

Guide to Professional Cooking Schools

Facts about Franchises

Twenty Ways to Get your Name in the Paper!

How to Meet Celebrities

Guide to Radio Talk Shows

How to Adjust to a New Neighborhood

Recipes for Homemade Jelly

How to Conduct a Political Campaign

How to Hold a Fashion Show!

How to Move - Easily, Economically

Handbook for Street Musicians

How to Mold Public Opinion

How to Spot a Potential Suicide

How to Train a Hunting Dog

Health

Ten Old-Fashioned Cold Remedies

Facts about Arthritis

My Life with Polio

Ten Ways to Cure Insomnia

Recipes for Diet Candy

Fasting is Good for You

Are You Facing a Nervous Breakdown?

How to Care for your Skin

Your Way to Better Health

Lee Porter an author and entrepreneur for HealthSufficiency, a continuing health, personal development and life dynamic education and business development company helping people to be meet their potential to lead healthy, prosperous and successful lives.

Tags: Writingarticles, booklets, folio, publishing, selling booklets