THE COMPLETE HOMEWORKER
ANTIQUES & COLLECTORS' ITEMS:Not always an area in which any specialist
knowledge is required of the businessman or woman, the world of antiques and
collectors' items can be as basic or as specialised as one might wish it to be.
Some dealers work entirely from home; others venture to car boot fairs, antiques
fairs, collectors' fairs and fleamarkets tosupplement their already lucrative incomes.
Those who choose to operate entirely from home do so via many varied means,
almost certainly reaching their customers via thepostal services, or else by personal
and prior invitation intotheir homes.
Acquiring stock is not the difficult exercise it might seem.There are many
specialised auctions operating in Britain alone,details of which are usually available
in 'Exchange and Mart' andnumerous collectors' magazine. Car boot fairs,
fleamarkets andantiques fairs, even jumble sales, are known to yield excellent
items for stock. Suitable items can also be acquired by means of 'wanted'
advertisements placed in local magazines, shop windows and specialist magazines.
The latter in particular finds a steady stream of regular contributors to the honest
dealers' stock. By 'honest' the intention is to stress that a fair price should
always be offered for stock, if that is you are to come by that band of browsers
and part-time dealers who in looking out for items for their own collections and
stocks, will also scour local fleamarkets and car boot fairs for items you too require.
Other trends that created a very useful and profitable wagon upon which to climb,
included 'Beatlemania', anything to do with the 1950s, Guinness memorabilia, and
for book collectors there now is a positive dearth of Dr. Who, William, Billy Bunter
and Rupert bear titles.
COACHING/TUITION/CORRESPONDENCE COURSES: Whatever it is you do best,
you owe it to yourself and to others to pass your knowledge on. And so we find
the keen and proficient swimmer taking classes in the local pool the experienced
typist teaching his or her skills to others; the proficient pianist catering for the
needs of those who would love to have a similar talent in their own hands.
Qualified personnel managers teach the basics of successful interview techniques
to eager job hunters; cake decorators and microwave specialists invite parties of
'wannabees' into their homes for one-hour coaching sessions every week;
craftworkers, artists and writers pass their skills on to others by all manner
of means, including private tuition, working in local schools and colleges, and
giving demonstrations to local clubs and societies.
COMPUTER/WORD PROCESSING SERVICES: It doesn't necessarily take a
whizz-kid to succeed in the highly competitive and extremely profitable field of
computers. Those with a working knowledge of word processing can teach typing
skills, or else teach the rudiments of computerisation to those more familiar with the
outdated manual or electronic machinery of yesterday.
Stock taking, re-ordering, balance sheets, filing, even forecasting of trends, stock
levels, profit margins and so on are available from the everyday PC, with of course
the right software and a keen and accurate operator.
And on the more fun side of things, there are others who use their computers to
analyse biorhythms, forecast the future, research family trees and provide details
on the origins of customers' surnames from huge memory banks of software.
CRAFTWORK: It isn't purely to embroidery thread and knitting needles we may
turn in order to make a really handsome living, or else just a few dollars a week
extra from craftwork. Opportunities exist by the hundred, not only for those
blessed with actual creative skills. There is much on offer too for those who can
provide a service to this growing band of craftwork enthusiasts, as well as
to those whose business enterprises depend entirely upon such skilled
professionals to provide the stocks they require.
In this respect the person actually knitting the jumper or whatever is required,
might choose to personally design the required garment, or else have it
professionally designed by some outside expert. Consider the fact that a great
many intricate designs can easily be produced with little more than the
assistance of graph paper or unused football pools coupon, with each small
square taken to represent one stitch in the pattern, and it becomes clear that
almost all of us can, if we set out minds to it, produce highly original pictures and
motifs for ourselves. One method of doing this is to section an actual picture or
photograph into squares of equal size to the grid of the graph paper or pools
coupon used, thereafter transferring the color of the square on the original
design to the corresponding square of the pattern one is designing. From then
on, it's a simple matter of knitting these colors into the body of the
garment itself.
- What about a highly original service, producing Victorian-type wedding dresses,
with the bride's choice of design incorporated, and perhaps offering to include
panels bearing designs of sentimental value?
- Producing heirloom christening gowns
- Designing and producing a range of clothing for premature and smaller than
average newborn babies
Again, alternative openings are available to the experienced needleperson, many of
them basically similar to those for the knitting enthusiast. Take for instance: a
range of christening outfits, premature and smaller baby clothes, fancy dress
outfits, wedding and bridesmaid outfits, and what of that perennial favorite as
December approaches - dolls' clothes?
Amongst the many other areas desperate for your work are local ballet and dance
schools, amateur dramatics and pantomime companies, jazz bands, and many
other organisations heavily reliant on costume for their promotions. Securing a
contract with any of these establishments, or else offering your services to
parents and participants, might well find a steady stream of work coming your way.
DVDstry is one of today's more popular crafts, perhaps explaining the existence of
several highly skilled individuals who will either transform your photos of pets and
family into DVDstries, or might instead create a pattern from which you might
personally create your very own heirloom. Look into the many publications
available for craftworkers today, and amongst the many original services available,
you'll find patterns for dolls' clothing, toymaking kits and pattern books,
modelmaking kits, quilting packs and templates, embroidery kits, and so on.
You'll also find specialist services such as those which offer the design, perhaps
also the completion of a unique nursery sampler ready to present to proud new
parents.
Writing is in itself a very easy task; one simply lists all points of relevance, which
when combined will give the reader a working knowledge of the craft concerned,
following which the writer produces the document in much the same manner as
when writing the very same information in a letter to a friend. Then he types up the
document or has it typed up for him. A study of suitable places in which to
advertise your book is now all that is required. Books can be photocopied and
collated quite inexpensively and efficiently in most local print shops.
Have you thought of selling your work yourself, perhaps offering a range of toys at
car boot fairs, craft fairs, or from small rented stalls in already established craft
centers and retail outlets?
Another prospective kitchen table enterprise, here one can offer various options to
those seeking engraving whether for decorative, celebratory, or commemorative
reasons, or else simply seeking to have their personal possessions engraved and
consequently made less likely prospects for the opportunist thief. Consult
'Exchange and Mart' and craft magazines for essential equipment.
Your customers will come from all sections of the community, from private
individuals, to jewellers shops, clubs and societies, sports centers and so on.
JEWELLERY: It's another craft for which a wealth of appropriate 'how to'
publications, craftwork periodicals, local authority and correspondence courses
exist. In the pages of the many craftworkers' publications on the newsagents
shelves, as well as in the perennial advertising favorite 'Exchange and Mart', there
are hoards of complete business packages awaiting those interested in making
money from jewellery making.
PICTURE FRAMING: Here the demand is for high quality craftwork, which if it can
also come at a realistic price, will command a steady stream of eager customers. As
for so many other craft and art services, a wealth of 'how to' books are available to
guide the novice through to professional status as a picture framer. Equipment
need not eat too heavily into your capital and can be located in most of the major
craftwork and model making magazines on the newsagents' shelves, as well as in
advertising publications, including 'Exchange and Mart'.
Customers might come from the general public, via advertisements placed in the
press or in shop windows. You might instead provide a service to local artists and
art shops, photographers, antique shops selling antique prints, print and poster
shops and so on.
Other skills from which to make money from home, whether on a self-employed or
outworker basis, include model making, for which a variety of options exist,
ranging from toy soldiers, to chess sets, model cottages and so on. One highly
enterprising individual turned his love of old buildings into an extremely
profitable enterprise, designing and crafting miniature designs of local historical
interest, which were then transformed into moulds for the making, painting and
selling of miniature designs. Selling takes place at car boot fairs, fleamarkets and
collectors' fairs, through the post from press advertisements, and in many shops
and crafts stalls operating in the locality. The business is set to expand into
creating models of famous locals, living or dead, but nevertheless preserved for
posterity via this talented model maker's skills.
Sewing, knitting, dressmaking, quilting and embroidery - all are skills that lend
themselves equally to profitable business ventures, as a glance through any of the
magazines dedicated to craftworking enthusiasts will testify.
TOYMAKING: Toy making can range from very basic soft toys intended for heavy
and frequent handling, to a range of specialised items intended more for
decoration or celebratory reasons than play. Into the latter category come such as
the now highly successful Teddy Bear gift service which, operating on a national
scale, produces customised teddy bears, sometimes with the name of the recipient
hand embroidered on its clothing; sometimes dressed in a manner which would
indicate the profession or employment of the recipient. And so we have teacher
teddies, traffic warden teddies, building site teddies and so on.
Have you noticed when cult figures creep onto our screens, that a similar variety
finds its way almost instantly into the craft shops, this time in soft toy version?
Here we find Mickey Mouse and Minnie, Turtles, Marios, Care Bears and so on. At
local fetes, rallies, seaside resorts and anywhere potentially thousands of people
congregate, soft toy makers or their representatives are there to provide for
seemingly insatiable visitors' needs.
CURRICULUM VITAE SERVICE: This rather ominous-sounding title may at first be
a little off-putting, and I wouldn't blame anyone tempted to skip this proposition in
favor of more familiar-sounding business ventures. But think again, for here we
have an excellent opportunity to make up to 25 each time a conversation takes
place with the potential customer and the details of that conversation are put to
paper.
At one time the humble application form was the order of the day, requiring one to
neatly present personal data in little boxes on the employer's or whoever's
individual forms.
Here the curriculum vitae comes to the rescue, offering the candidate the facility to
include in the application all of those details which he and the intended recipient
feel necessary for a fair analysis to be made. It contains all of the information
required on a standard application form and those additional points peculiar to the
individual applicant. But how does the inexperienced applicant or those with
insufficient time or inadequate facilities go about the task of preparing this
ostentatiously named document in a neat, orderly and professional manner? The
answer is - they don't - they get someone more experienced to prepare the
document on their behalf!
This service, much needed in today's competitive job and education market, has
led to the emergence of many specialist 'CV' enterprises. Fees range from $40 to
$50 and more, and all for what essentially amounts to handing over a few copies
of a short document.
The person who decides to enter this lucrative business must of necessity possess
two prime qualifications: an ability to put his or her customers at ease as personal
details are elicited as fully and accurately as possible, and, access to a good
typewriter or if all possible, a word processor or typesetting facilities. The end result
is professional, and in the majority of cases where word processors are used, also
completely free of typing and spelling errors.
HOME PUBLISHING: It's one of the most lucrative businesses ever, one requiring
very little in the way of starting capital; yet surprisingly, few people have even heard
of 'Home Publishing'. Good news indeed for those business men and women
currently earning anything from 1000% to 4000% profit on each and every sale
they make, often charging $40 or more for an item that has cost $2, perhaps less,
to produce.
'Publishing', loosely defined, is the preparation and distribution of printed material,
from which we can conclude that a 'home publisher' is a home-based
entrepreneur, needing no special business premises, and requiring no stock other
than one master copy of each publication he or she intends offering for sale.
Basically, the publisher selects and acquires those titles that form his or her stock,
decides upon the means by which they will be advertised for sale, and
subsequently places appropriate advertisements to which prospective customers
are invited to apply.
Customer manuals and folios may be produced as photocopied versions of the
master document, or in professionally printed form if the publisher desires. By
shopping around for the best rates in photocopying, or else installing a
photocopying machine at home, the cost of manuals can be kept extremely low,
thereby making for far higher profit margins.
To build and maintain a good customer list you must of course offer only quality
information, and for this reason the prudent publisher will always choose the titles
that form his stock with the utmost care. It's surprisingly easy to acquire a good,
extremely saleable title for anything from $20 to $80 for reproduction rights; more
of course for sole copyright, the latter affording an enviable situation indeed for the
publisher to find himself in, for he alone will have authority to offer the copyrighted
manuscript for sale. Your titles may come from one or more of several sources;
direct from the writer or his agent in the case of copyright; from the writer or agent,
or other publishers in the case of reproduction and resell rights.
With exclusive copyright you might, quite rightly so, feel reluctant to share your
market with other publishers, which of course would happen if you decided to sell
reproduction rights, with or without resell rights. Many publishers jealously guard
their copyrights, especially in the case of titles much in demand. Such a title could
well continue selling to the public for many years to come. With copyright the
profits are entirely yours; pass on reproduction rights and the chain grows rapidly,
until after just a few transactions your title is shared by many publishers. If selling
by direct mail, remember too that the very same people contacted by you will
almost certainly have been approached with the same title by several of your
competitors - a huge waste of time, energy and money.
Arm yourself with as many books and manuals as you can on the art of
advertising, direct marketing techniques, and standards of mail order
professionalism in general. Remember to keep abreast of the times, never stop
learning, and never ever stand still!
LIST BROKING: This is one big business proposition that requires an absolute
minimum of capital, but nevertheless offers extremely high rewards to the operator.
In this category we find mail order traders and those dealing in specialised
products for particular sections of the public. There are also firms for which
business premises might be wholly unnecessary, perhaps because they operate in
short-term undertakings, as would be the case for someone seeking to rent out
sales and promotion pitches at once-off exhibitions. What these businesses need
above all are lists - lists of potential customers who might otherwise remain
unaware of their existence.
For firms requiring such contacts, the task of compiling lists for themselves would
no doubt be so arduous and time-consuming a task, as to leave little or no time for
normal business obligations. The specialist list broker therefore collects or
co-ordinates all necessary information, and either sells his list outright, or more
likely hires out the addresses for once-off use only. I have personally seen offers to
sell or rent lists of people who take an active interest in entering consumer
competitions, people who collect antiques and books, stamp collectors, even
people interested in contacting pen pals or being entered onto dating agency files.
The middle person or broker often buys or rents very many large lists which are
then split for hiring or sale to firms unable to afford the larger lists, or not needing
vast quantities of names and addresses.
Lists should be kept 'clean', that is free of people no longer living at the stated
address, or perhaps no longer active members of that group to which they purport
to belong. This cleaning exercise can be done by making frequent mailings
yourself, or else by analysing the results of someone else using the list, and
removing from the list all communications removed as gone away or
non-deliverable for whatever other reason.
MAIL ORDER: Far from the bustle and throng of shops with their queues, busy
streets, traffic jams, recessions and closing down sales, there's a group of traders
for whom business flourishes, though many might never even come to see a
customer, let alone make a personal transaction. All dealings are carried out by
post, with sometimes a telephone call to supplement the deal, or to convey
some message between dealer and purchaser. This is mail order, widely accepted
as one of the easiest of businesses to begin in, and certainly one of the few in
which massive fortunes still lie in wait for those keen to join the ranks of dealers by
mail. Mail order is not an easy, though it can for some be a quick route to
riches. Fast profits go to those determined to succeed, individuals who seek never
to be content with their efforts, and who strive continuously to improve those
already high standards they set themselves.
For many dedicated buyers by mail, the principal allegiance is one of excitement
such as only mail order offers, in that once the order has been placed, sheer
anticipation is the order of the day until that delivery is made.
And so amongst those thousands of items sold by mail, we find clothes, books,
household items, and hobby items. Services too can be offered by mail, as is
discovered by a profusion of typesetting services, stationery design facilities,
writing services, insurance, printing, circular mailing, and so on.
Mail order is also a very easy business to enter, and also one in which to make
massive profits for very little effort. It is also, ironically, one of the main businesses
abandoned in the newcomers' early days, simply as a result of disillusionment of
promises of vast fortunes coming through their doors failing to materialise. The
entire business though, is one which becomes easier with experience, and even
the big names in mail order will admit to making massive and usually very costly
mistakes in their early attempts at selling by mail.
Here the item is described via advertising in appropriate publications, or by display
advertising or usually less costly lineage advertisements in classified advertising
sections. The reader is requested to send the price of the item advertised,
following which the dealer will complete the transaction by fulfilling the order to the
purchaser.
The two-stage 'enquiry' method: Selling by this method involves placing an
advertisement, briefly outlining the main features of what is on offer, and inviting
the reader to write to the advertiser for further details. The dealer then sends out a
sales circular for the item or service concerned, and additionally includes circulars
relating to other items available.
Direct Mail: Direct mail incorporates many of the features of the enquiry method,
since the prospective customer is usually sent the very same circulars that would
be provided if instead selling by the enquiry method. The mail order operator here,
is not involved in promoting his wares by means of advertisements placed in
publications; rather he or she sends mailshots (sales circulars) to names hoped to
represent fair targets for the items or services being promoted. That mailing list
might be the dealer's own list; it might instead be hired from a mailing list broker or
fellow trader. The importance of a good mailing list can never be over-estimated - it
is the life blood of effective and profitable direct mail.
In choosing to offer something in the same mould as that your competitors offer,
you are of course offering something that someone, somewhere, will already have
tested market demand for. You are on fairly safe ground, even if in choosing
something similar, you will inevitably be sharing your potential market with many
other dealers.
One's advertising strategy must be planned carefully from the very outset, by
investigation of all publications in which one's competitors, if any, advertise. The
operator is also advised to study the frequency with which specific firms advertise,
by what means, at what product prices, whether by display or classified
advertising, and so on.
It is essential that advertising is never skimped on; NO ADVERTISING = NO
ORDERS = NO BUSINESS. It is however, equally essential that you do not simply
place advertisements haphazardly, without a full and meticulous investigation of
the likely suitability of the medium concerned.
Similarly, items that are promoted almost exclusively by direct mail, speak volumes
for the effectiveness of this particular marketing method. This is often the case for
business plans which require a substantial outlay from investors, and which might
also require much 'telling' before 'selling' can take place.
SECRETARIAL AND OFFICE SERVICES: For those who can turn out neat and
accurate typing within set deadlines, a regular and often very high income awaits
them. This might not be a business with any place in the 'get rich quick' category,
but certainly it will provide extra cash for family commitments, and for offsetting the
burdens of unpredictable, but generally rising interest and inflation rates.
A business such as this takes time to build up in terms of clientele, and your own
reputation for good, efficient work, as well as ability to meet customers' deadlines.
You might in the very early days consider the whole thing anything but worthwhile;
perhaps you are spending more on advertising than you are recouping in custom.
Keep at it though, for all businesses relying so heavily on advertising need time for
what's on offer to filter through to the ultimate customer, often from the shop
floor of a large corporation to the upper echelons of its management structure.
WHAT EQUIPMENT WILL I NEED?: Naturally, you wouldn't start a venture such as
this without the physical ability to produce good type. You need not be a highly
qualified typist to offer such a service; you might not need any qualifications at all;
some of the best typists are self-taught. I have known some keyboard operators
who, falling into the latter category, could batter the highly qualified ones into
submission when their accuracy, presentation, speed and professional abilities are
put to the test. Don't offer what your can't deliver though. If you are accurate but
your speed requires improvement, don't offer to deliver a huge report at breakneck
speed, when you know full well your speed will need to be boosted to such a
degree that your accuracy will suffer. Wait until you can produce work at the speed
such work necessitates before you make rash promises. At the very best you'll be
paid, but you'll almost certainly lose the customer concerned and suffer adverse
word of mouth publicity at his next meeting with counterparts in the business
world. Don't bite off more than you can chew!
An electric typewriter will not set you back a great deal, and purchasing one is
something you should seriously consider if your work is to be of a consistently
high standard. Equipment necessary to the running of a business can be set
against Income Tax liabilities, so contact your local Inland Revenue office for
advice.
At first, the thought of using a word processor can frighten the typist rigid, but
within weeks he or she will be using it like an expert. No photocopiers and carbon
papers are necessary, since the machine's memory banks store work for as long as
the operator wishes, thereby allowing him or her to churn out copies of past work
at the mere touch of a button or two. Work can also be produced virtually error
free; any errors that do remain are due usually to lack of observation, since errors
can be rectified before the document is ever produced on paper. Typing appears
on a computer screen and errors can be corrected immediately. Additional software
allows your spelling to be checked by the machine, thereby allowing one of the
great problems of many an otherwise accurate typist, or now word processor
operator.
Advertising your service as one of 'word processing' instead of 'typing' can also
create a more professional image, thereby leading to greater customer interest.
HOW DO I ADVERTISE MY NEW BUSINESS?
There are several ways to bring yourself and your business to the attention of
potential customers, but remember that you are offering something of an artistic
service, and your first communication with prospective customers must be one of
total professionalism. A tatty business card in the local fish and chip shop window
will lead the reader to wonder if your typing will be prone to a similarly ill-thought
out standard.
Business cards are not limited to personal delivery. They can be left in any suitable
place where those requiring your services are likely to congregate. I recently saw a
batch of cards for a word processing service, neatly displayed on the counter of a
local photographic center. I have also seen them built into the covers of home
videos. Well, not only the kids need the relaxation offered by the box - the TV box
that is! I personally thought this method of advertising little short of ingenious.
Your card can be pinned in many places where custom might be attracted:
business clubs, job centers (for curriculum vitae and job application forms), in
youth clubs and on college notice boards (students need their theses typing to a
professional standard), etc.
You can if your capabilities and other commitments allow, offer an emergency
service, with collection and subsequent delivery of documentation. But never put
another client's work to one side for the purpose of attracting higher fees, unless
you are already ahead of any predetermined deadlines for that other customer. In
gaining the gratitude of one, you may well lose the respect and repeat custom of
another!
Don't be tempted to type these postcard advertisements just to save a little cash.
Remember the 'first impressions' rule and have them properly printed. You'll save
time to concentrate on the business your professionally prepared advertisements
generate. Again, with the printed variety, you can have an attention-grabbing but
subtle design incorporated, that will inform the public of what service you offer,
long before they have read the text hidden amongst many other advertisements
displayed in the window.
WHO ELSE NEEDS SECRETARIAL SERVICES?: You will, as your business grows,
find yourself serving businesses large and small. Some will want a one-off service,
and you might never see that customer again. Others might need a regular service
for a very small workload on each occasion. At the other end of the scale you
might be offered one enormous job by a business whose secretary has taken
extended sickness leave. That same business might be so impressed with your
work that its management later decides to sub-contract to you the entire workload
of another employee who subsequently leaves the workforce.
Many such groups exist, some under government auspices; others created by men
and women for the promotion of their own business interests. You will find entire
buildings devoted to small workshops and retail outlets, the businessmen
themselves often working under Enterprise Allowance Schemes. Other buildings
are sub-divided into units, by groups of private individuals for their own use, or
else for sub-letting to other usually smaller concerns. Craft shops flourish in such
environments, as do antique shops, printing establishments and book shops.
Almost all such entrepreneurs at some time will have need of a typing facility, and
you should therefore advertise your business by distributing individual handbills,
or having a postcard advertisement placed on any communal notice board you
might find.
Always be on the lookout for new business groups, and make sure you are the
first typing agency to get that all-important foot in the door.
Job centers and Colleges: Wherever students congregate, whether for educational
or social needs, you have a large and ready made market for your skills. Students,
not all of whose lessons include typing, require their theses to be presented in a
manner that will create a good impression for the assessment body responsible for
grading the work concerned.
Specialist Publications: Many specialist publications cater for people whose
businesses are largely dependent on mail order. Book dealers, stamp dealers,
ephemera specialists, dealers in a wide range of products, have regular lists of
offers prepared, often monthly, for distribution to customers old and new. Their
entrepreneurial talents do not always extend to the typing of such documents they
require, which must look as professional as the service they offer. They must
therefore discover some means of having the sales list prepared on their behalf.
Anywhere Potential Customers Congregate: Here lies perhaps the largest marketing
opportunity of all. Most people however busy, find recreation and leisure facilities
an essential part of their lives. Whether it is the local pub, or the sports center of
small villages or massive city centers, an ideal opportunity presents itself for you to
reach hundreds of potential customers. Ask if you can have your card or
advertisement displayed prominently on notice boards, or even on counters - in
better establishments of course - you don't want to soil your business reputation
by having a pile of your cards end up as missiles in the regular Saturday brawls
some watering holes are renowned for.
New and Expanding Businesses: As soon as you are aware of a new business
coming to your area, or one that is opening additional premises, have your
advertisement delivered through its door. You might discover many people who
otherwise would seek full-time or part-time staff to cater for their needs, but who
would infinitely prefer to relinquish the responsibilities of employer status in favor
of a freelance service which will involve payment only in respect of work done and
doesn't include hours spent awaiting work.
Restaurants, Hairdressers, Taxi Firms, and all businesses issuing price lists, etc.
And also Many typing and secretarial agencies offer various spin-off services to
extremely good effect. Hairdressers for instance, might jump at the chance of
having their documents delivered to homes in the locality. Whether you personally
do the job of delivery is entirely for you to decide, but it takes the burden from
them, and might tip the balance in your favor when deciding where the initial job
of preparing the handbills should be offered.
ACCOMMODATION ADDRESS SERVICE: This is a business proposition
presenting an attractive level of profits for very little effort expended. A business
operated from home, with few overheads, here we also have something which can
be operated with very little time and space at one's disposal. The service provided
is that of allowing others to have their mail forwarded to your own or your business
address. Often the reason is one of protecting the customers' own privacy; at
other times it's because customers live in accommodation that isn't their own, and
from which they have no absolute entitlement to operate a business.
Contact a few already established accommodation address services for details of
what charges and special facilities they operate.Then make yours even better.
GROWING AND SELLING HOUSEPLANTS: Here we have a product for which a
ready market exists amongst young and old alike, whether requiring such plants
for their own enjoyment or as presents for relatives and friends. Nurseries, garden
accessory shops and florists are also amongst the many customers for whom your
'growing' business will cater.
RESEARCHING FAMILY TREES: Recent years have witnessed the emergence of a
great interest in our heritage. More and more people are interested in discovering
their roots, although not necessarily as some mockingly suggest, to discover
possible family fortunes or hidden links with royal houses, and thereby facilitating
access to titles they alwaysbelieved were rightly theirs. As memories fade or the
older of our relatives die, essential information is often lost for ever. Or is it?
In government records, parish registers, graveyards, and in many other places,
there are segments of information which whenlocated, and pieced together, offer
an extremely accurate and interesting profile of one's family history. Here a problem
presents itself which precludes many a man or woman from researching his or her
family history. Time! Time in many of our lives is in extremely short supply, and
other demands allow insufficient time to undertake the painstaking research which
might of necessity take us to the far ends of the country, even the world.
The end product should be presented attractively and in an easy to understand
way, perhaps with a family tree format to guide the customer through the maze of
dozens of forebears who often bore common ancestral names through several
generations.
BABY SITTING AGENCY: Not usually something for you might need to offer
personal service, but rather one in which you can act as coordinator between
those persons requiring a baby sitting service and those prepared to offer their
services as attendants. As coordinator of so vital and important a list of potential
baby sitters, it will be one of your major responsibilities to ensure the suitability
of those you place on your list. Mature teenagers, adults of both sexes, teachers
and nurses, are usually likely to feature amongst your most reliable 'workers'; but
be careful and always make assessment of suitable candidates one of your primary
objectives.
Rigid rules and regulations not unnaturally govern all those responsible for
children's welfare. Contact your local Department of Social Services before you set
out in this highly lucrative and much in demand business venture.
CHILDMINDING: A little like baby sitting, but here children are usually cared for in
childminders' homes. Again rigid rules govern those responsible for children's
welfare, details of which are available from local Social Services offices.
Children are usually cared for during the day, often because both parents go out
to work. Occasionally the childminder's services are required on an emergency
basis only, perhaps during parents' illness or incapacity.
MAIL ORDER GIFT SERVICE: A mail order gift service might exist to fulfil any of
several requirements, not all of them much to do with finding and providing the
ideal gift for the recipient. For many, the sheer ease of ordering is the deciding
factor; for others it's the opportunity to offer something unique; for others it's
status that proves the deciding factor when we discover a service so expensive
and outlandishly expensive (messages trailing behind light-powered aircraft;
thousands of balloons released into the air; bottles of ever so unashamedly
expensive champagne delivered to the door). For others, the mail order gift service
simply allows guaranteed delivery at a distance and overrides the possibility of
forgetting the occasion.
GROWING AND SELLING HERBS: Take a look at the uninviting packets of herbs
and garnishing products available in many supermarkets and it's not surprising
to discover that many people would walk miles to discover an alternative to this
particular 'convenience' product. For those with fine palates and purses to match,
only freshly picked herbs will provide for their superior requirements. Into this
category fall many higher-income households, restaurants and hotels,
delicatessens and up-market food outlets. Someone who can provide potential
customers, perhaps on contract, with a regular supply of herbs in which quality
and variety are also significant factors, might well find their businesses achieving
hitherto unexpected proportions.
NEWSPAPER CLIPPING SERVICE: For those willing to carry out a few menial tasks
before the real work of earning begins, a newspaper clipping service could be just
the answer. The aim of the exercise is to select and cut out all items of news
reportage that might prove of interest to other than thenewspaper's or magazine's
original readers. But who wants news when it's yesterday's news? Actually, quite a
lot of people, amongst them writers and historians, genealogists and geographical
researchers, and not forgetting the actual people or organisation at the center of
the news or article concerned.
