Showing posts with label Home business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Home business. Show all posts
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Home business
There's an exciting new "down-home" kind of business springing up among homeowners all across the country. It's called Bed and Breakfast. Basically, this is a transplant of European Hospitality, adapted and refined to the American way of doing things. To foreign visitors, it's the comfort and hospitality of home---staying overnight "with people of the land" and enjoying a hearty breakfast---without the traditional gaudiness and
plastic feelings visitors get from most big cities in the United States.
To U.S. citizens, it is a welcome alternative to the same old hotel/motel circuit.
Now, all it takes is a spare bedroom, a good cook ad an outgoing personality. Prices per night range from a low $25 to $100 or more. If you have an extra bedroom, a large home, or extra space in your farm house, you have the necessary beginnings to start making extra income as a Bed and Breakfast Inn. One of the beautiful aspects of this idea is that so long as you're hosting "overnight visitors" on a small scale no licenses will be required. It's always best, however to check with your local authorities just to be sure. Naturally, your "visitors" will expect a clean, neat and comfortable home. So assuming that your home meets these prerequisites, and you have a spare bedroom, simply 'doll it up" a bit. Make sure it's painted brightly, there's an outside window, lots of room, closet space and bureau, and perhaps a small writing desk, and a large comfortable bed, or twin beds.
Most foreign visitors will expect and appreciate a "quick tour" of the interesting sights in your area. However, as your particular popularity as a B&B Host grows, you'll find that a lot of American tourists and business people on the road will begin availing themselves of your hospitality. Certainly with these people, it won't always be necessary to give the "Red Carpet" visitors treatment. Which brings us to the basic appeal of a Bed and Breakfast Inn. Travelers seem to be looking for, and appreciate a quiet "home-style" place to stay. Generally, they enjoy visiting with the people off the superhighway and want to get away from the sterilized atmosphere and sameness of hotels and motels.
Most people will either write to you ahead of time, inquiring about the possibilities of staying at your home while in your town or city. This means a bit of advertising on your part, or listing your availability with a B&B broker. Some people will check the local telephone listings, and the newspaper advertisements when they arrive in a strange town. And some people will just be driving across the country, come to a town or city they think is interesting, and start driving through the residential areas looking for Bed and Breakfast Inns. Thus, you should have a small sign posed either in your front yard or on the front of your house. This sign needn't be much more than about two feet wide and about ten inches deep. It need only state: BED AND BREAKFAST--Inquire Within or Call 123-4567.
For newspaper advertising, a similar listing in the personal column of your local paper, particularly on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, will be all you'll need. But when it comes to the yellow pages of your telephone and business directories, go with a small display ad that describes in greater detail the comforts and pleasures of your service. Be sure to list your services with all the travel agencies in your area. A brochure or a short synopsis of what you offer will most assuredly give the travel agents an idea for steering visitors your way. At the same time, listing your services in a number of national travel magazines --particularly those that
cater to women--- will bring customers in for you.
Listing your services with a broker usually won't cost you anything up front, but they will expect a certain percentage--usually about 25% of the total bill. This same arrangement applies with travel agents. Now, suppose you're organized and ready to receive your first customers. You greet them as host or hostess and offer to assist them in getting situated in the room or rooms you have for them. If they'd like to take a drive around your area and see the points of interest, you do that. And then in the morning, serve them a big, delicious breakfast. You'll probably find that foreign visitors will want to stay several days. With most people of this country who are just travelling through your area, it'll be a one-night stopover.
Whatever, if they want to sleep comfortably through the night, eat breakfast and be on their way, so be it. If they want to stay around after breakfast and plan an itinerary for a compete visit in your area, your assistance and help will be greatly appreciated. (Remember those recommendations)! That's it! The complete how and why of this tremendously profitable business that's becoming more and more popular. It's called Bed & Breakfast, and it's very definitely a low investment idea. And you can parlay it into a very interesting and comfortable income producing business--all from the comfort of your own home!
plastic feelings visitors get from most big cities in the United States.
To U.S. citizens, it is a welcome alternative to the same old hotel/motel circuit.
Now, all it takes is a spare bedroom, a good cook ad an outgoing personality. Prices per night range from a low $25 to $100 or more. If you have an extra bedroom, a large home, or extra space in your farm house, you have the necessary beginnings to start making extra income as a Bed and Breakfast Inn. One of the beautiful aspects of this idea is that so long as you're hosting "overnight visitors" on a small scale no licenses will be required. It's always best, however to check with your local authorities just to be sure. Naturally, your "visitors" will expect a clean, neat and comfortable home. So assuming that your home meets these prerequisites, and you have a spare bedroom, simply 'doll it up" a bit. Make sure it's painted brightly, there's an outside window, lots of room, closet space and bureau, and perhaps a small writing desk, and a large comfortable bed, or twin beds.
Most foreign visitors will expect and appreciate a "quick tour" of the interesting sights in your area. However, as your particular popularity as a B&B Host grows, you'll find that a lot of American tourists and business people on the road will begin availing themselves of your hospitality. Certainly with these people, it won't always be necessary to give the "Red Carpet" visitors treatment. Which brings us to the basic appeal of a Bed and Breakfast Inn. Travelers seem to be looking for, and appreciate a quiet "home-style" place to stay. Generally, they enjoy visiting with the people off the superhighway and want to get away from the sterilized atmosphere and sameness of hotels and motels.
Most people will either write to you ahead of time, inquiring about the possibilities of staying at your home while in your town or city. This means a bit of advertising on your part, or listing your availability with a B&B broker. Some people will check the local telephone listings, and the newspaper advertisements when they arrive in a strange town. And some people will just be driving across the country, come to a town or city they think is interesting, and start driving through the residential areas looking for Bed and Breakfast Inns. Thus, you should have a small sign posed either in your front yard or on the front of your house. This sign needn't be much more than about two feet wide and about ten inches deep. It need only state: BED AND BREAKFAST--Inquire Within or Call 123-4567.
For newspaper advertising, a similar listing in the personal column of your local paper, particularly on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, will be all you'll need. But when it comes to the yellow pages of your telephone and business directories, go with a small display ad that describes in greater detail the comforts and pleasures of your service. Be sure to list your services with all the travel agencies in your area. A brochure or a short synopsis of what you offer will most assuredly give the travel agents an idea for steering visitors your way. At the same time, listing your services in a number of national travel magazines --particularly those that
cater to women--- will bring customers in for you.
Listing your services with a broker usually won't cost you anything up front, but they will expect a certain percentage--usually about 25% of the total bill. This same arrangement applies with travel agents. Now, suppose you're organized and ready to receive your first customers. You greet them as host or hostess and offer to assist them in getting situated in the room or rooms you have for them. If they'd like to take a drive around your area and see the points of interest, you do that. And then in the morning, serve them a big, delicious breakfast. You'll probably find that foreign visitors will want to stay several days. With most people of this country who are just travelling through your area, it'll be a one-night stopover.
Whatever, if they want to sleep comfortably through the night, eat breakfast and be on their way, so be it. If they want to stay around after breakfast and plan an itinerary for a compete visit in your area, your assistance and help will be greatly appreciated. (Remember those recommendations)! That's it! The complete how and why of this tremendously profitable business that's becoming more and more popular. It's called Bed & Breakfast, and it's very definitely a low investment idea. And you can parlay it into a very interesting and comfortable income producing business--all from the comfort of your own home!
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Home business
Starting An Importing Business From Home
Carefully select and buy a product or line of products directly from an overseas source for resale, eventually on an exclusive basis. The ultimate objective is to offer products that you can buy for an especially low price that are not available elsewhere, at least at this time and this price. This business requires a good deal of time and effort to find the right overseas sources and products, and then have them shipped to you. The product must generate enough revenue to be profitable, so it should either result in a large mark-up per sale or sell in sufficient quantity to provide a good return.
For these reasons, it is suggested that beginners first concentrate on products that have already been imported -- to learn about marketing without unnecessary risking a large initial investment. There are many U.S. sources for imported products, and it is easy to specialize in a single product or line. However, it is almost impossible to get exclusive rights or even territorial protection because most importers sell to anyone with the money to buy. By checking with many importers, you should be able to find something that you believe has promise. Even if you don't have exclusive rights, you will learn how to market it and accumulate
a clientele that will help you decide what to import, hopefully for your waiting buyers.
Buying direct from foreign countries is time consuming and requires a good deal of paperwork, but it is not nearly as difficult as one might think. Otherwise there would not be so many importers. For some purchases you need an import license, and you will often have to pay import duty. This is a good reason why it is a good idea to find out just which countries are currently "in favor," Where their goods are taxed lightly, if at all. Import requirements, procedures and tax rates vary drastically with the country of origin. To get an idea of what to expect, write to the Bureau of Customs (see Business Sources) and ask for their booklet "Rates of Duty
for Popular Tourist Items" When you are ready to start importing your own merchandise, it would be wise to consult an attorney that is well versed in import and international law. You might not need his advice, but it is still a good idea to let him look over your contracts and agreements. It tales time and patience to become a successful importer, but the rewards can be significant for one who is both shrewd and patient.
As a small importer looking for an exclusive, you will probably want to concentrate on finding a small manufacturer in the country of origin who will agree to let you serve as his stateside representative -- at least for a time. An agreement can be made with a wide variety of possible terms, the only criteria being that you both agree to them. Remember, however, that other countries have different customs and legal systems. For example, "sterling" silver does not mean the same thing in every country! The best way for a relative beginner to start is to contact trade representatives, usually through the appropriate embassies, and ask them for lists of manufacturers who might have what you want.
These representatives will often help you get started because they are interested in promoting the sale of merchandise to the United States. Correspond with some of the more promising companies; find out their prices, terms and obtain samples (by air; steamer may take 2 months). Now is the time to clarify any possible
misunderstandings -- before you commit to a contract. Make sure they understand the quality you require, and that you understand their policies. Find out who else has dealt with this company and contact them for a reference. When satisfied with the products, terms, shipping procedures and you know the import tax situation, have your attorney check the contract, then deal! There may still be problems -- any business can expect a snafu here and there -- with shipments, breakage and even payment problems. These are some of the reasons that merchandise that is imported directly is so much cheaper. The other reason is that when you import something, you usually have do so in quantity. If it sells well, you are on cloud nine; if it doesn't -- well now you know where jobbers get their merchandise, and how they can sell it so cheap and still make a profit! This is why some importers use the following variation:
You can sell imported goods without importing them. They are available from importers, jobbers and several wholesale houses. Sometimes excellent buys can be made on merchandise that someone could not sell. Maybe time ran out on them, it was the wrong market, or perhaps they didn't market them wisely.. Just because one entrepreneur cannot sell a product is not proof that another won't get rich on the same product! The advantages of buying imported goods domestically sometimes outweigh the extra cost (they are not always higher, though). There is always someone who "gets lucky" -- they spot a potential fad, promote it before anyone else, or find new ways to market things had problems with.
The most dangerous pitfall in this business is to stock up on something that you can't sell. The way to avoid this danger is to test market before getting in too deep. NEVER buy products in quantity just because YOU like them. Unless you are that one in a million, the public will often disagree with your personal tastes, which means you could lose a bundle!
Order a reasonable stock with the (written, if necessary) assurance that you can buy larger amounts at the same (or lower) price, and get immediate delivery. Many suppliers (both here and abroad) will be happy to work with you when they understand you are working on a promotion that can be profitable to both of you.
BUSINESS SOURCES
SPECIALTY MERCHANDISE CORP., 9401 De Soto Ave.,Chatsworth, CA 91311-4991. sells imported merchandise to membership (cost, about $250). Mostly novelties and giftware. Will drop-ship. GALAXY ELECTRONICS, Box 17, Blythbourne Station, Brooklyn, NY 11219, 800/221-8294. Imported merchandise; heavy in radios, novelties; good prices. $50 minimum purchase. JZE ENTERPRISES, 2912 Springfield Rd.,St Frances Village, Bacolod City, Philippines. Catalog of importable merchandise (carvings, batiks, rattan) - $5, refundable.
CHINA CONSULTANTS INTERNATIONAL, Guardian House 905, #32 Oi Kwan Rd.,Happy Valley, Hong Kong. Free book, "Advertising and Selling to the People of China."
INTERNATIONAL INTERTRADE INDEX, Box 636, Federal Square, Newark, NJ 07101. Newsletter that lists new import products.
TAIWANESE EMBASSY, CCNAA, Economics Division, 4301 Connecticut Ave.,Ste 420, Washington, DC 20008. Information about products to import from Taiwan.
INTERNATIONAL NEW PRODUCT NEWSLETTER, 6 St. James St.,Boston, MA 02116. Newsletter about new import products.
GERMAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, 666 5th Ave.,New York, NY 10019. Information on importing products from germany.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE COUNCIL, Box 73, Centro Colon, San Jose, Costa Rica, CA 1007. Trade council for 18 Latin American Countries; free list of 20,000 products and companies.
CHEU LAI YING, Block 48, Tampines Ave.,5 #06-270, Singapore, republic of Singapore. Private contact for goods from Singapore.
ITALIAN TRADE COMMISSION, 499 Park Ave.,New York, NY 10022. Information on importing products from Italy.
GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, Rose Mansion, 162 Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan. Good place to check on products from Taiwan (as well as the embassy).
BRITISH TRADE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, 845 Third Ave.,New York, NY 10022. Information on importing products from England.
COORDINATING COUNCIL FOR NORTH AMERICAN AFFAIRS, Commercial Div.,20N Clark St.,19th Floor, Chicago, Il 60602. Information on importing products from Taiwan. O.H. URIHEULA, P.O. Box 40160, 0007 Arcadia, South Africa. Exports African arts, crafts and toys. S.H. LIM, Litaco Mfg. & Trading, Jurong East P.O. Box 12, Singapore 9160, Republic of Singapore. Exports consumer goods, stamps, asian arts and crafts.
DOVER PUBLICATIONS, 31 East 2nd St.,Mineola, NY 11051. Discount books, picture postcards, clip art and stencils. Excellent source for accessories; good prices.
QUILL CORPORATION, 100 Schelter Rd.,Lincolnshire, IL 60917-4700, 312/634-4800. Office supplies (probably best mail order prices).
NEBS, 500 Main St.,Groton, MA 04171, 800/225-6380. Office supplies. Good, fast service.
IVEY PRINTING, Box 761, Meridan, TX 76665. Letterhead: 400 sheets plus 200 matching envelopes - $18.
ZPS, Box 581, Libertyville, IL 60048-2556. Business cards (raised print - 411.50 per K) and letterhead stationery. Will print your copy ready logo or design, even whole card.
SWEDCO, Box 29, Mooresville, NC. Three line rubber stamps - $3; Business cards - $13 per thousand.
WALTER DRAKE, 4119 Drake Bldg.,Colorado Springs, CO 80940. Short run business cards, stationery, etc. Good quality, but no choice of style or color.
Carefully select and buy a product or line of products directly from an overseas source for resale, eventually on an exclusive basis. The ultimate objective is to offer products that you can buy for an especially low price that are not available elsewhere, at least at this time and this price. This business requires a good deal of time and effort to find the right overseas sources and products, and then have them shipped to you. The product must generate enough revenue to be profitable, so it should either result in a large mark-up per sale or sell in sufficient quantity to provide a good return.
For these reasons, it is suggested that beginners first concentrate on products that have already been imported -- to learn about marketing without unnecessary risking a large initial investment. There are many U.S. sources for imported products, and it is easy to specialize in a single product or line. However, it is almost impossible to get exclusive rights or even territorial protection because most importers sell to anyone with the money to buy. By checking with many importers, you should be able to find something that you believe has promise. Even if you don't have exclusive rights, you will learn how to market it and accumulate
a clientele that will help you decide what to import, hopefully for your waiting buyers.
Buying direct from foreign countries is time consuming and requires a good deal of paperwork, but it is not nearly as difficult as one might think. Otherwise there would not be so many importers. For some purchases you need an import license, and you will often have to pay import duty. This is a good reason why it is a good idea to find out just which countries are currently "in favor," Where their goods are taxed lightly, if at all. Import requirements, procedures and tax rates vary drastically with the country of origin. To get an idea of what to expect, write to the Bureau of Customs (see Business Sources) and ask for their booklet "Rates of Duty
for Popular Tourist Items" When you are ready to start importing your own merchandise, it would be wise to consult an attorney that is well versed in import and international law. You might not need his advice, but it is still a good idea to let him look over your contracts and agreements. It tales time and patience to become a successful importer, but the rewards can be significant for one who is both shrewd and patient.
As a small importer looking for an exclusive, you will probably want to concentrate on finding a small manufacturer in the country of origin who will agree to let you serve as his stateside representative -- at least for a time. An agreement can be made with a wide variety of possible terms, the only criteria being that you both agree to them. Remember, however, that other countries have different customs and legal systems. For example, "sterling" silver does not mean the same thing in every country! The best way for a relative beginner to start is to contact trade representatives, usually through the appropriate embassies, and ask them for lists of manufacturers who might have what you want.
These representatives will often help you get started because they are interested in promoting the sale of merchandise to the United States. Correspond with some of the more promising companies; find out their prices, terms and obtain samples (by air; steamer may take 2 months). Now is the time to clarify any possible
misunderstandings -- before you commit to a contract. Make sure they understand the quality you require, and that you understand their policies. Find out who else has dealt with this company and contact them for a reference. When satisfied with the products, terms, shipping procedures and you know the import tax situation, have your attorney check the contract, then deal! There may still be problems -- any business can expect a snafu here and there -- with shipments, breakage and even payment problems. These are some of the reasons that merchandise that is imported directly is so much cheaper. The other reason is that when you import something, you usually have do so in quantity. If it sells well, you are on cloud nine; if it doesn't -- well now you know where jobbers get their merchandise, and how they can sell it so cheap and still make a profit! This is why some importers use the following variation:
You can sell imported goods without importing them. They are available from importers, jobbers and several wholesale houses. Sometimes excellent buys can be made on merchandise that someone could not sell. Maybe time ran out on them, it was the wrong market, or perhaps they didn't market them wisely.. Just because one entrepreneur cannot sell a product is not proof that another won't get rich on the same product! The advantages of buying imported goods domestically sometimes outweigh the extra cost (they are not always higher, though). There is always someone who "gets lucky" -- they spot a potential fad, promote it before anyone else, or find new ways to market things had problems with.
The most dangerous pitfall in this business is to stock up on something that you can't sell. The way to avoid this danger is to test market before getting in too deep. NEVER buy products in quantity just because YOU like them. Unless you are that one in a million, the public will often disagree with your personal tastes, which means you could lose a bundle!
Order a reasonable stock with the (written, if necessary) assurance that you can buy larger amounts at the same (or lower) price, and get immediate delivery. Many suppliers (both here and abroad) will be happy to work with you when they understand you are working on a promotion that can be profitable to both of you.
BUSINESS SOURCES
SPECIALTY MERCHANDISE CORP., 9401 De Soto Ave.,Chatsworth, CA 91311-4991. sells imported merchandise to membership (cost, about $250). Mostly novelties and giftware. Will drop-ship. GALAXY ELECTRONICS, Box 17, Blythbourne Station, Brooklyn, NY 11219, 800/221-8294. Imported merchandise; heavy in radios, novelties; good prices. $50 minimum purchase. JZE ENTERPRISES, 2912 Springfield Rd.,St Frances Village, Bacolod City, Philippines. Catalog of importable merchandise (carvings, batiks, rattan) - $5, refundable.
CHINA CONSULTANTS INTERNATIONAL, Guardian House 905, #32 Oi Kwan Rd.,Happy Valley, Hong Kong. Free book, "Advertising and Selling to the People of China."
INTERNATIONAL INTERTRADE INDEX, Box 636, Federal Square, Newark, NJ 07101. Newsletter that lists new import products.
TAIWANESE EMBASSY, CCNAA, Economics Division, 4301 Connecticut Ave.,Ste 420, Washington, DC 20008. Information about products to import from Taiwan.
INTERNATIONAL NEW PRODUCT NEWSLETTER, 6 St. James St.,Boston, MA 02116. Newsletter about new import products.
GERMAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, 666 5th Ave.,New York, NY 10019. Information on importing products from germany.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE COUNCIL, Box 73, Centro Colon, San Jose, Costa Rica, CA 1007. Trade council for 18 Latin American Countries; free list of 20,000 products and companies.
CHEU LAI YING, Block 48, Tampines Ave.,5 #06-270, Singapore, republic of Singapore. Private contact for goods from Singapore.
ITALIAN TRADE COMMISSION, 499 Park Ave.,New York, NY 10022. Information on importing products from Italy.
GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, Rose Mansion, 162 Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan. Good place to check on products from Taiwan (as well as the embassy).
BRITISH TRADE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, 845 Third Ave.,New York, NY 10022. Information on importing products from England.
COORDINATING COUNCIL FOR NORTH AMERICAN AFFAIRS, Commercial Div.,20N Clark St.,19th Floor, Chicago, Il 60602. Information on importing products from Taiwan. O.H. URIHEULA, P.O. Box 40160, 0007 Arcadia, South Africa. Exports African arts, crafts and toys. S.H. LIM, Litaco Mfg. & Trading, Jurong East P.O. Box 12, Singapore 9160, Republic of Singapore. Exports consumer goods, stamps, asian arts and crafts.
DOVER PUBLICATIONS, 31 East 2nd St.,Mineola, NY 11051. Discount books, picture postcards, clip art and stencils. Excellent source for accessories; good prices.
QUILL CORPORATION, 100 Schelter Rd.,Lincolnshire, IL 60917-4700, 312/634-4800. Office supplies (probably best mail order prices).
NEBS, 500 Main St.,Groton, MA 04171, 800/225-6380. Office supplies. Good, fast service.
IVEY PRINTING, Box 761, Meridan, TX 76665. Letterhead: 400 sheets plus 200 matching envelopes - $18.
ZPS, Box 581, Libertyville, IL 60048-2556. Business cards (raised print - 411.50 per K) and letterhead stationery. Will print your copy ready logo or design, even whole card.
SWEDCO, Box 29, Mooresville, NC. Three line rubber stamps - $3; Business cards - $13 per thousand.
WALTER DRAKE, 4119 Drake Bldg.,Colorado Springs, CO 80940. Short run business cards, stationery, etc. Good quality, but no choice of style or color.
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Home business
If you are handy with table saws, wood lathes, and related equipment and woodworking tools, a lucrative business is the purchase, repair and resale of old furniture. We don't mean just davens or arm chairs. We're talking about everything from baby furniture and children's play equipment, to antique bedroom sets.
You can pick up just about anything at garage sales, moving sales, yard sales, flea markets and sometimes find a bargain at a second hand store. Quite often you can clean out someone's attic or garage and take the "junk" as pay for your services. Strip and repaint the various furniture, tighten it up, change and modernize, do whatever is necessary to put it in good saleable condition with the least amount of time and expense.
Advertise that you purchase old and broken down furniture on one side of the newspaper and on the other side your ad can detail the large choice of all types of tables, chairs, baby furniture, children's play things and other furniture and toys you have available at bargain prices. You can start out in your basement or garage, but eventually, as your business grows you may have to rent or buy a workshop and sales display area, or set up a retail outlet.
After you become more experienced you can specialize only in those items that have the best market and make the most money per unit. Then when you grow large enough, distribute your works to various sales outlets on a distributorship or wholesale basis!
You can pick up just about anything at garage sales, moving sales, yard sales, flea markets and sometimes find a bargain at a second hand store. Quite often you can clean out someone's attic or garage and take the "junk" as pay for your services. Strip and repaint the various furniture, tighten it up, change and modernize, do whatever is necessary to put it in good saleable condition with the least amount of time and expense.
Advertise that you purchase old and broken down furniture on one side of the newspaper and on the other side your ad can detail the large choice of all types of tables, chairs, baby furniture, children's play things and other furniture and toys you have available at bargain prices. You can start out in your basement or garage, but eventually, as your business grows you may have to rent or buy a workshop and sales display area, or set up a retail outlet.
After you become more experienced you can specialize only in those items that have the best market and make the most money per unit. Then when you grow large enough, distribute your works to various sales outlets on a distributorship or wholesale basis!
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Home business
HOW TO CREATE AND MARKET YOUR OWN SPECIAL-INTEREST VIDEO PRODUCTIONS
The trouble with publishing a book, from a first-time writer's point of view, lies with the slowness of the publishing industry. Once written, the book has to be accepted by a publisher, rewritten according to the editor, then scheduled, manufactured, distributed, and marketed. Most books don't get much in the way of marketing.
Years later, with the very best of luck, the author begins to see some small reward for his efforts. Maybe $5,000 if he or she is very lucky. If your first book isn't profitable for a publisher, you may never have the opportunity of having another published. Self-publishing is a better route because the author typically knows his audience and how to reach them. But the up-front costs of a $5,000 printing can be $30,000 or more, and the marketing costs can run quickly into five figures as well. Any books that go unsold are "dead inventory" or wasted money. I have written, self-published and marketed four books, all dealing with exercise physiology and race horses (a very narrow and specialized market). Two made money, two didn't; one of them was a total loss and didn't even bring back publishing costs.
Still the two winners produced a net profit exceeding $200,000 over four years, and both are still selling today. The first book, The Fit Racehorse, originally sold for $55 a copy. My most recent book, The Racehorse Owner's Survival Manual, is the other winner and sells for $59.95. The smaller the market, the more specialized and valuable the information, and the bigger the retail price.
A BETTER WAY
There's a better, easier way to make money in self-publishing. A reasonably talented communicator with specialized knowledge of the value to others is more likely to see big profits from his efforts if he chooses instead the medium of video. Today, almost everyone who has indoor plumbing has a videocassette recorder/player (VCR). The six months to a year needed to write a book can be condensed to six weeks of planning, writing, taping, and editing a self-made video.
I've "published" twenty-eight videos and the monthly income from them has been between $8,000 and $20,000 for more than four years now. Most are still selling (four are new and just going on the market), none have lost money, and I have never had any inventory except for a supply of blank tapes. The unsold copies of my two failed books, in contrast, represented some $40,000 in unrecoverable up-front costs. From now on, I'm going to let someone else publish and market my books, and I'm sticking to the self-published video business, where the real profit is.
HOW IT'S DONE: THE SUBJECT
The first rule of thumb is teach what you know or what a friend of yours knows. My most recent tape, Exercise Rider, the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, has returned more than $20,000 in three months - and I don't know how to ride a horse. In fact, a friend who likes to visit racetracks took the original footage on a Hi-8 Cannon camcorder.
I sent videos of fifty racetrack exercise riders to several friends who are experts in the field. They critiqued each rider, talking into a cassette recorder as they watched the footage. I listened to the critiques and built my voice-over from them. The $69.95 ninety-minute tape is getting raves from buyers, all of whom are guaranteed satisfaction. If they don't love the tape, they can send it back within thirty days. Not one has been
returned as of this writing.
If you deliver valuable information, in quantity, in a reasonably decent production, your production will stick. If you go for effect, but deliver drivel, or plain erroneous or incomplete information, the customers will be enraged. They'd much rather buy and keep an amateur production which fills informational needs than one that's pretty, but shallow.
HOW IT'S DONE: PRODUCTION
As I mentioned above, the raw footage for my most recent tape was taken with a consumer-type camcorder. My first tape was taped with an older Panasonic camera and recorder. By today's standards, the results were blurry pictures with mumbly sound, but the tapes did sell and most stayed sold. At home I Have a JVC VHS editing console that cost me $5,000 new, and five JVC HQ consumer decks for making copies. I "assembly edit" the master tape, videos first, then add voice and sometimes music. Labels are printed by a typewriter with memory (you can do any number of the same label with just one command). The finished product goes back into the original box and is shipped without further packaging.
Because I wanted to use slow motion for this last video, I took all the footage to the racetrack video lab (a great place to get access to expensive video equipment on the cheap) and had all the footage moved up to one-inch tape, then dropped to standard VHS in slow motion - all for $200. From the original HI-8 tapes, and the converted slow motion stuff, I built my master and dubbed in the narration and background music. You have to keep in mind that this is a tiny business for profit, not Walt Disney Studios. Profit will come from delivering large bodies of valuable information, not fancy video effects, super quality production, or beautiful packaging. Once your customers trust you, your packaging doesn't matter at all. Almost everyone trusts a company that gives written guarantees and takes credit cards.
EQUIPMENT
Your original footage should be of high quality because as you move from original to master a copy, you're going to lose some video quality. In order to avoid paying big bucks for professional equipment, my advice is to start with a Hi-8 or super 8 CCD camcorder with a lux rating (low light capability) of four or less (Your video dealer can assist you in choosing equipment). For higher quality productions and more up-front expense, you can rent studio equipment, studio personnel, and even a radio announcer's voice. If you're highly organized, know precisely what you want to shot, and how you might get by with a one-day, or two half-day studio rental fee. That's $2,000 to $3,000 in most cities.
SELLING: CUSTOMER AND PRICE
In your direct mail and print advertising the offer has to be irresistible. You have to guarantee and deliver satisfaction. You have to make the act of purchasing easy by honoring credit cards and providing an 800 number. Your advertising should be targeted precisely at your potential customer: it's unlikely you'll be able to sell a gardening video in a motorcycle magazine! Before you begin work on any video, plan your marketing approach.
I use an computer for keeping track of my customer list and a laser printer for producing all my fliers and the documentation that I send along with the videos. This documentation helps the videos "stick," providing and extra unexpected bonus for the customer, and virtually eliminating returns. Essentially, the documents are close-ups of the subject matter included in the video, getting down into detail that perhaps the tape could not
deliver - sometimes charts and graphs.
One-third of my business is wholesale sales. My print ads complete for business with those of the retail accounts I service. When I introduce a new video, I first offer it to my old direct mail customers at a discount in a "pre-release special." The prices of my videos are always high. I want to make a profit and I want my retailers to make a profit. The lowest price I've ever put on a single video is $39.95; the highest, $99. Thus, when a wholesale customer orders, say a dozen $39.95 tapes, they'll send me $240, while a dozen direct mail sales of the same video will bring in $480.
Remember that you can always lower a price, but just try to get away with raising it! But THINK before you lower a price. At one time, I thought I had nearly exhausted the market for a pair of my $99 videos since their sales had plummeted I then cut the price in half, confident that sales would go up. That was two years ago. The tapes are still selling, but at the same slow rate - and now my profits are at a lot lower too. I made the
mistake by dropping the price on them.
THE MARKETPLACE
You may feel, especially after browsing through specialty video catalogs, that everyone has beaten you to the punch. You may think that big, sophisticated studios are producing the only videos that consumers will buy. What you must understand is that a whole new marketplace is out there, and there isn't nearly
enough material to satisfy it.
Information is information, no matter who delivers it. Major studios feel they cannot waste their resources on small projects that might require specialization outside of videography. If they wanted to produce a video on cabinet-making, they would have to locate a cabinetmaker, pay for his time and materials, and using their millions of dollars worth of high-tech gear and expensive technicians begin production. Meanwhile Joe Cabinetmaker, on Elm Street, has made a nifty little video that is informative and enjoyable to watch.
The trouble with publishing a book, from a first-time writer's point of view, lies with the slowness of the publishing industry. Once written, the book has to be accepted by a publisher, rewritten according to the editor, then scheduled, manufactured, distributed, and marketed. Most books don't get much in the way of marketing.
Years later, with the very best of luck, the author begins to see some small reward for his efforts. Maybe $5,000 if he or she is very lucky. If your first book isn't profitable for a publisher, you may never have the opportunity of having another published. Self-publishing is a better route because the author typically knows his audience and how to reach them. But the up-front costs of a $5,000 printing can be $30,000 or more, and the marketing costs can run quickly into five figures as well. Any books that go unsold are "dead inventory" or wasted money. I have written, self-published and marketed four books, all dealing with exercise physiology and race horses (a very narrow and specialized market). Two made money, two didn't; one of them was a total loss and didn't even bring back publishing costs.
Still the two winners produced a net profit exceeding $200,000 over four years, and both are still selling today. The first book, The Fit Racehorse, originally sold for $55 a copy. My most recent book, The Racehorse Owner's Survival Manual, is the other winner and sells for $59.95. The smaller the market, the more specialized and valuable the information, and the bigger the retail price.
A BETTER WAY
There's a better, easier way to make money in self-publishing. A reasonably talented communicator with specialized knowledge of the value to others is more likely to see big profits from his efforts if he chooses instead the medium of video. Today, almost everyone who has indoor plumbing has a videocassette recorder/player (VCR). The six months to a year needed to write a book can be condensed to six weeks of planning, writing, taping, and editing a self-made video.
I've "published" twenty-eight videos and the monthly income from them has been between $8,000 and $20,000 for more than four years now. Most are still selling (four are new and just going on the market), none have lost money, and I have never had any inventory except for a supply of blank tapes. The unsold copies of my two failed books, in contrast, represented some $40,000 in unrecoverable up-front costs. From now on, I'm going to let someone else publish and market my books, and I'm sticking to the self-published video business, where the real profit is.
HOW IT'S DONE: THE SUBJECT
The first rule of thumb is teach what you know or what a friend of yours knows. My most recent tape, Exercise Rider, the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, has returned more than $20,000 in three months - and I don't know how to ride a horse. In fact, a friend who likes to visit racetracks took the original footage on a Hi-8 Cannon camcorder.
I sent videos of fifty racetrack exercise riders to several friends who are experts in the field. They critiqued each rider, talking into a cassette recorder as they watched the footage. I listened to the critiques and built my voice-over from them. The $69.95 ninety-minute tape is getting raves from buyers, all of whom are guaranteed satisfaction. If they don't love the tape, they can send it back within thirty days. Not one has been
returned as of this writing.
If you deliver valuable information, in quantity, in a reasonably decent production, your production will stick. If you go for effect, but deliver drivel, or plain erroneous or incomplete information, the customers will be enraged. They'd much rather buy and keep an amateur production which fills informational needs than one that's pretty, but shallow.
HOW IT'S DONE: PRODUCTION
As I mentioned above, the raw footage for my most recent tape was taken with a consumer-type camcorder. My first tape was taped with an older Panasonic camera and recorder. By today's standards, the results were blurry pictures with mumbly sound, but the tapes did sell and most stayed sold. At home I Have a JVC VHS editing console that cost me $5,000 new, and five JVC HQ consumer decks for making copies. I "assembly edit" the master tape, videos first, then add voice and sometimes music. Labels are printed by a typewriter with memory (you can do any number of the same label with just one command). The finished product goes back into the original box and is shipped without further packaging.
Because I wanted to use slow motion for this last video, I took all the footage to the racetrack video lab (a great place to get access to expensive video equipment on the cheap) and had all the footage moved up to one-inch tape, then dropped to standard VHS in slow motion - all for $200. From the original HI-8 tapes, and the converted slow motion stuff, I built my master and dubbed in the narration and background music. You have to keep in mind that this is a tiny business for profit, not Walt Disney Studios. Profit will come from delivering large bodies of valuable information, not fancy video effects, super quality production, or beautiful packaging. Once your customers trust you, your packaging doesn't matter at all. Almost everyone trusts a company that gives written guarantees and takes credit cards.
EQUIPMENT
Your original footage should be of high quality because as you move from original to master a copy, you're going to lose some video quality. In order to avoid paying big bucks for professional equipment, my advice is to start with a Hi-8 or super 8 CCD camcorder with a lux rating (low light capability) of four or less (Your video dealer can assist you in choosing equipment). For higher quality productions and more up-front expense, you can rent studio equipment, studio personnel, and even a radio announcer's voice. If you're highly organized, know precisely what you want to shot, and how you might get by with a one-day, or two half-day studio rental fee. That's $2,000 to $3,000 in most cities.
SELLING: CUSTOMER AND PRICE
In your direct mail and print advertising the offer has to be irresistible. You have to guarantee and deliver satisfaction. You have to make the act of purchasing easy by honoring credit cards and providing an 800 number. Your advertising should be targeted precisely at your potential customer: it's unlikely you'll be able to sell a gardening video in a motorcycle magazine! Before you begin work on any video, plan your marketing approach.
I use an computer for keeping track of my customer list and a laser printer for producing all my fliers and the documentation that I send along with the videos. This documentation helps the videos "stick," providing and extra unexpected bonus for the customer, and virtually eliminating returns. Essentially, the documents are close-ups of the subject matter included in the video, getting down into detail that perhaps the tape could not
deliver - sometimes charts and graphs.
One-third of my business is wholesale sales. My print ads complete for business with those of the retail accounts I service. When I introduce a new video, I first offer it to my old direct mail customers at a discount in a "pre-release special." The prices of my videos are always high. I want to make a profit and I want my retailers to make a profit. The lowest price I've ever put on a single video is $39.95; the highest, $99. Thus, when a wholesale customer orders, say a dozen $39.95 tapes, they'll send me $240, while a dozen direct mail sales of the same video will bring in $480.
Remember that you can always lower a price, but just try to get away with raising it! But THINK before you lower a price. At one time, I thought I had nearly exhausted the market for a pair of my $99 videos since their sales had plummeted I then cut the price in half, confident that sales would go up. That was two years ago. The tapes are still selling, but at the same slow rate - and now my profits are at a lot lower too. I made the
mistake by dropping the price on them.
THE MARKETPLACE
You may feel, especially after browsing through specialty video catalogs, that everyone has beaten you to the punch. You may think that big, sophisticated studios are producing the only videos that consumers will buy. What you must understand is that a whole new marketplace is out there, and there isn't nearly
enough material to satisfy it.
Information is information, no matter who delivers it. Major studios feel they cannot waste their resources on small projects that might require specialization outside of videography. If they wanted to produce a video on cabinet-making, they would have to locate a cabinetmaker, pay for his time and materials, and using their millions of dollars worth of high-tech gear and expensive technicians begin production. Meanwhile Joe Cabinetmaker, on Elm Street, has made a nifty little video that is informative and enjoyable to watch.
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