Some Tough Questions About "Business Opportunities" By Cliff Ennico This week#146;s crop of e-mails all have to do with buying a #147;business opportunity#148;, and the pitfalls of doing so. #147;I was approached at a trade show recently by a man who is a leading computer consultant for large companies. This man told me he had an arrangement with several #145;apprentices#146; who were learning the business under his guidance. The man assigns one or more #145;apprentices#146; to work for his clients. He bills the clients for each hour an #145;apprentice#146; works, and remits all the hourly fees to the #145;apprentice#146; except for $5,000 a month, which this man keeps as a training fee. Is this legal?#148; This arrangement falls squarely into the definition of a #147;business opportunity#148;. Generally, a business opportunity is any kind of investment program in which you are offered a chance to act as a distributor, marketing agent or reseller for a company#146;s products or services. While the most common business opportunities involve vending machines (you buy the machines from the seller, find locations for them, and stock them with the seller#146;s stuff in exchange for a portion of the proceeds), and farm animals (you buy a training kit and supplies, raise the animals in your back yard, and sell the animals back to the seller for slaughter when they#146;re fully grown), any type of #147;distributor#148; or #147;affiliate program#148; arrangement can be a #147;business opportunity#148; if it#146;s not put together carefully. Business opportunities often must register with state government agencies (see next question) and comply with a host of state laws designed to protect consumers against fraudulent investments, and I#146;ll betcha this guy hasn#146;t done any of that. I#146;m particularly troubled by the $5,000-a-month fixed fee, which #147;apprentices#148; must pay regardless of the number of hours they actually work. What happens if this guy doesn#146;t give them enough work to cover the $5,000 fee #150; do the #147;apprentices#148; pay the training fee out of their own pockets? I also think there#146;s a serious chance the #147;apprentices#148; will be considered #147;employees#148; of this man for tax purposes, since he determines where and when they work, and how much they get paid. Next time you see him, show him this column, and tell him he needs to talk to a lawyer, pronto. #147;I am thinking of buying a business opportunity, and have just recently learned that the business opportunity has not registered in my state, as the law requires it to do. The process will take months, though, and I really want to get going. What is my exposure if I go ahead and buy into the business opportunity anyway?#148; Most states require business opportunities to register with a state government agency (usually the same one that regulates offerings of securities in the state) and/or disclose certain information to people, before they are allowed to sell the opportunity to state residents. While these laws impose fines and penalties on a business opportunity that fails to comply, they are often quite vague about the consequences to the person who buys an unregistered business opportunity. Most state laws I#146;m aware of allow an unhappy purchaser to obtain a full refund of his money within a period of time (usually six months or 1 year) after learning that a business opportunity hadn#146;t registered. This #147;rescission right#148; usually disappears, however, if you knew at the time you bought into the business opportunity that it wasn#146;t registered. Since you know this business opportunity isn#146;t registered in your state, you probably will not be able to get your money back if it turns out to be a sham. But be careful: if the business opportunity wants you to solicit other prospective purchasers in your state, you may be legally responsible for registering the business opportunity with your state government, and paying the fees out of your own pocket. You may also be subject to the same fines and penalties as the out-of-state company if they catch you selling an unregistered business opportunity within the state. #147;I am looking into a business opportunity where I buy vending machines and lease them to area businesses. I#146;m a little nervous, though. They want a lot of money up front for their training materials, plus I have to pay cash when buying the machines from them. When I talk to the president, it#146;s always on his personal cell phone. The company address is a P.O. Box, they don#146;t have a Website, and the e-mail address is at America Online. How can I find out more information about this business opportunity?#148; I think you have all the information you need about this one, pal. Walk . . . no, run away as fast as you can. This one has #147;F-R-A-U-D#148; written all over it. If you buy into this, I foresee a basement full of vending machines you can#146;t give away, and a very angry spouse. Cliff Ennico ( cennico@legalcareer.com ) is a syndicated columnist, author and host of the PBS television series 'Money Hunt'. This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at www.creators.com . COPYRIGHT 2004 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

Stickers of the Month Club By Diane Rosenberg www.creativemailings.net Listening to Dr. Laura gave me the strength to quit my job and open my own business. I started listening to Dr. Laura about 8 years ago when my husband walked out on me and our sons who were 1 and 2 at the time. He left us with nothing. I was in an expensive house with a new car and two babies to feed. My dream was to be a stay-at-home mom so I could raise my children, but to my dismay my dream was suddenly shattered. In search of a job I found a sales position selling advertising. Working in sales provided me with flexible hours so I could take time off to be with my kids for all of their activities. I tried to run my life as if I was a stay at home mom. Things were pretty good, I made good money and the kids were growing up to be wellbehaved happy children until about two years ago when my company was bought out.Unfortunately, the new company had no tolerance for families. I tried to side step them for a while but eventually I had to decide what I wanted to do with my life and how I would support myself and the kids. I could have looked for another position in another company but the nausea I felt every time I considered it made me realized that that wasn#146;t the right thing to do either. So I started my own home business. It#146;s a sticker of the month club for children 3 to 6 years of age. It is similar to a magazine subscription but instead of getting magazines the children receive stickers each month. Both kids and parents love it and it provides hours of entertainment. I love it because I can finally live my dream and my kids love having me home. Plus, they tell me that I#146;m calmer now that I#146;m not working outside of the home. Proof that when you enjoy your work and you#146;re home raising your children the entire family benefits. I came up with the idea when my oldest son turned 3 years old. A friend gave my son stickers as a birthday gift and said that he would be receiving them each month. This was what inspired me to eventually start my own Sticker of the Month Club. One of the first things I observed when my son received his stickers was that he didn#146;t get very many each month and several of them were duplicates from previous months. I knew I could do a better job and I thought it would be fun. I kept everything that this company sent me and put it away in my cabinet. From time to time I would mention the idea to friends and family and everyone shrugged at the idea and said it wouldn#146;t make any money. But, when my employer changed for the worse the stickers of the month idea just started sounding better and better. It took seven years for me to gain the strength to say #147;I can do this and it#146;s a good idea and it will work!#148; As soon as I made up my mind and decided that starting the stickers of the month club was my goal I had to figure out what to do first. I knew I needed to come up with a name for my company that was catchy and would let people know what I was selling. The name I decided on was Creative Mailings. Once you choose a name, you need to find out if the area you reside in needs youto have a business license and if you need to register your company name. Whenyou do this you also need to publish a fictitious name in a local paper. Make sure you check the cost for several different newspapers because some of the local papers are very pricey. The next thing that you might want to do is get a business phone line. I have a localand an 800 number. When you do this you should really sit down and plan out how andwhere in your home you will operate your business it is best to set a separate corner orroom aside just for your business. You will also need to get a sellers permit and a business bank account. I think it#146;simportant to keep your business expenses separate from your personal spending. The toughest challenge for me was getting money to finance my business venture. I looked into all sorts of loans and decided to take out an equity line of credit. That worked best for me because I wasn#146;t sure exactly how much money I would need. This allowed me to take a little out at a time and only pay for the amount that I borrowed. My monthly payment was much smaller than if I had taken a loan for a large amount. A few other things I had to find were vendors for merchandise, a good graphic artist to design a flyer or a brochure, a website and ways to advertise and promote my business. After you get your feet wet you will start revamping your ideas because you will findthat things that sounded so great in your head when you were getting started sometimes are not that great in reality. You may want to find a person who has a business to be your mentor or the Small Business Association has information to help you get started so you can develop a thriving business. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com More >>

Golden Tennis Shoes by Chellie Campbell #147;To do good marketing, you want to attract the people you want#133;and repel the people you don#146;t want!#148;#151;Unknown If there#146;s one thing I#146;ve learned traveling along this life#146;s highways and byways, is that in all things it is best to completely be yourself. Take a stand for yourself, choose your likes and dislikes, and stand proudly in them. When you are clearly you, other people will see it and know you for who you are. This simplifies life immeasurably. Your people will be drawn to you more quickly, and the other people will pass you by. I was thinking about this as I drove to the Jonathan Club downtown Los Angeles, to speak to the Los Angeles Chapter of NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners). I was dressed in my usual #147;Give-a-speech-costume#148;#151;blouse, blazer, pants and gold tennis shoes. Mind you, I wear gold tennis shoes all the time. I have casual gold tennies that have a quilted pattern and gold beads for everyday wear, but for speeches, I wear my dressy gold tennis shoes that have rhinestones all over them. I had thought briefly of wearing #147;real shoes#148; to this event, since this was a rather corporate environment, but then I decided just to stick with my usual style. Wouldn#146;t you know, my momentary hesitation manifested itself in a challenge issued to me by one of the Jonathan Club employees in the lobby. #147;Excuse me, miss,#148; he said frowning disapprovingly at my feet, #147;but we don#146;t allow tennis shoes in our club.#148; Oops! Caught already. I grinned up at him and said, #147;I#146;m terribly sorry, but I am the speaker this evening and this is my costume!#148; He wasn#146;t buying it. #147;Don#146;t you have any other shoes?#148; he inquired. #147;No,#148; I shrugged, #147;not with me.#148; Oh, dear, I thought, am I going to be thrown out? Barred from the club? My eyes widened and I said, #147;You know, I#146;m sure your dress code means tennis shoes as in gym shoes. These are clearly not gym shoes#151;they are gold mesh, dressy shoes with diamonds on them!#148; He paused for a long moment as he thought this over. It must have made sense to him, because he said, #147;Okay#133;but hurry!#148; He wanted me out of his jurisdiction as soon as possible, and I was happy to oblige him as I scurried upstairs to the meeting room. The meeting was fabulous with lots of great people#151;no one else in tennis shoes, I noted. (They must have been tipped off to the dress code.) The reactions to my gold shoes are always very interesting. Lots of people smile and comment how they just love my shoes, how comfortable they look, etc. I know these are #147;my people.#148; And of course, some people don#146;t like them#151;one woman told me after the talk that I should look more professional if I was going to talk about a serious subject like money. I just smiled, because I think that#146;s one of the problems I#146;m trying to solve#151;that people are too serious about money. So don#146;t judge me until you walk a mile in my gold tennis shoes. Today#146;s Affirmation: #147;I am a powerful, fun-filled person, swinging passionately through the chandeliers of life!#148; Chellie Campbell is the author of The Wealthy Spirit: Daily Affirmations for Financial Stress Reduction , selected as one of Dr. Laura#146;s book recommendations in March, 2003. She created and teaches the Financial Stress Reductionreg; Workshops on which her book is based in the Los Angeles area and gives programs throughout the country. Her free e-newsletter is available at www.thewealthyspirit.com . Permission granted for use on Dr.Laura.com. More >>

Avoiding Home Business "Time Wasters" by copy; 2004 Priscilla Y. Huff We all have the same 24 hours in a day -- but some of us make better use of those hours better than others -- especially when it comes to managing a home business#146; operations amidst all the other demands on our lives. What are some examples of #147;time-wasters#148; and causes of wasting one#146;s time? Having work-related items scattered about the house and not keeping or returning those work-related items in the office area where they belong! Solution: When possible, conduct most of your business work in your home office or space. If you do have to take it out of the room, return it immediately when you are finished so important papers or phone numbers or other work-related items do not become misplaced or #147;buried#148; amongst household #147;piles.#148; Unnecessary telephone usage can be a large disruption in one#146;s work schedule. Solution: Thankfully, phones#151;ground lines or cellular phones#151;are easily set-up to take messages. Unless you are expecting an important call, let voice mail or another answering system handle your calls and then periodically return them all in one block of time Not setting specific work hours. Solution: If you set specific times for your work#151;while factoring in scheduled breaks and allowing some extra time for unexpected interruptions#151;you will be accomplishing the #147;must do#148; tasks in your business #147;space#148; where you can focus better in accomplishing them. Not having a plan of action. Solution: You can create a daily #147;to do#148; list from a weekly plan you can draw-up each weekend. Prioritize business and personal chores; but be realistic about how many tasks you can actually accomplish. Do not overwhelm yourself with too many duties or you will become frustrated when you cannot achieve all that you hoped to do for the day. The Clutter!! Solution: Hire or (or barter time with) a professional organizer! I hired one and together we filled 4 frac12; trash bags from my files and office space!! If you cannot find one in your area, go to the site of the National Association of Professional Organizers www.napo.net to find one in your area. Additional Tips One time management expert says, home business owners and managers should learn their own personal time wasters. Once known, they can then be eliminated.#148; Other time-management experts suggest that you set apart blocks of time to carry out specific tasks. For example, block out specific days and hours to run business and/or personal errands and assign yourself as many as you can do into your designated time period in order to save time and gas money. Keep a time diary of all your activities for a week and then closely analyze your most productive work times. Take advantage of technology#151;PDAs, software, daily planners, and other organizational aids to assist you in your time management. Do you have a "time-waster," of which you are guilty? Mine is being on the Internet too long (even though I write for a number of Internet sites!). I find that if I go online at the end of my workday or at least until I finish the most important tasks of the day, I am more productive and less likely to #147;wander#148; around in cyberspace. The challenge here of every home or small business entrepreneur is to find his or her own #147;balance#148; of business and personal-related tasks. It may take a while -- but believe it or not, you will find the best schedule that fits your business and your life! It goes without saying, that even with the best daily plan, life #147;happens#148; and is filled with unexpected #147;surprises; but that is one of the great advantages of being self-employed -- flexibility. Unlike most 9 to 5 jobs, you can pick up your child from school when they are suddenly sick or miss their bus, and re-schedule a task at a later time or day. Being aware of how you use your time can increase your business#146; productivity, profits, and organization, while helping you also find more time for yourself and for those people who are most important to you. FOR MORE INFORMATION Books: Home Based Business Mom: A Practical Guide to Time Management and Organization for the Working Woman by Juli Shulem (Newhoff Publishing) (out of print, but look for copies in your local public or college library). Home Management 101:A Guide for Busy Parents by Debbie Williams www.organizedtimes.com Internet sites: Organized U.com. www.organizedu.com www.thebusywoman.com Susie Glennan#146;s The Busy Woman'sTM Daily PlannerTM ( Time Management Strategies and Tools for Busy Women) #147; Controlling Time Waste #148; #150; article on the Women#146;s Online Business Center Priscilla Y. Huff is the author of 101 Best Home-Based Businesses for Women , 3rd ed.; and The Self-Employed Woman#146;s Guide to Launching a Home-Based Business ; for business-related questions or to request a listing of resources for women entrepreneurs, e-mail Priscilla: pyhuff@hotmail.com . Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

LAND A BOOK DEAL FROM JUST TWENTY PAGES By Mahesh Grossman Author of Write a Book Without Lifting a Finger www.AuthorsTeam.com My father used to tell me that you could build or fix anything with the right tools. If you want to land a book deal, the right tool (for a non-fiction book) is called a book proposal. It consists of some marketing information, your biography, and a twenty-page sample of your book, hence the title of this article. Even if you have written a complete manuscript, make sure you submit a book proposal first#151;not the manuscript. Here#146;s why publishing pros want a sample instead of the whole book: They are incredibly busy. The major publishing houses receive as many as 5000 book proposals a week. Literary agents get inundated as well. They just don#146;t have time to read complete manuscripts. They want to know why they should invest in you. Publishing is a business. More than half of a book proposal is a business plan that explains how and why your book will make money. They may only like part of your idea. An editor may think, #145;gee, if he writes #145;x#146; instead of #145;y#146;, I might be interested.#146; And she#146;ll tell you. But with a complete manuscript, it#146;s hard to tell someone they should have taken a different path starting on page 37. Instead, you#146;ll just hear #145;no#146;. If publishing pros do like your idea, they need it in a form that they can present to other people. Agents present your material to editors. And editors submit your idea to an editorial board. They make the final decision, and they don#146;t have enough time to read your whole book. THE SECRET FORMULA If you want significant attention from agents and publishers, make sure your book proposal includes each of these ingredients: A GREAT TITLE PAGE A great title can go a long way toward selling your book. So your title page is very important. Include your name and contact information on this page. TABLE OF CONTENTS (for the proposal) Just list the sections of your book proposal and the pages they are on. THE OVERVIEW An overview is a one to three page mini-version of your proposal. Start off with a short paragraph that#146;s an attention-grabber. This is called the hook. Look at any bestselling paperback for an example of how to write three or four sentences that will quickly grab a reader#146;s attention. Include a paragraph or two on each of the following: the main benefits and features of your book, who its audience will be, and why they#146;ll buy your book instead of another one that is already published. Add a paragraph that explains why you#146;re especially qualified to be the author of this text. THE AUDIENCE Prove to an agent or editor that there are enough people interested in your subject to make your book worth publishing. Make sure you use statistics. THE COMPETITION For this section, answer these two questions: What are five or six of the bestselling books that compete with yours? How does your book differ from each of those books? What does your book do better than they do? Write six short paragraphs, one per book, about what your book does better than each of these books. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Show why you are qualified to write on your particular topic here. Also mention your general writing experience. Mention anything that indicates you have a built-in audience for your book. FORMAT What will your book look like when it#146;s published? Describe it here. How many words will it be? (A double-spaced manuscript page contains 250 words.) How long it will take you to finish? (Take your best guess and then add three months.) What format do you want it to be published in#151;hardcover, trade paperback, or mass market paperback? Will there be any drawings or photographs? PROMOTION STRATEGIES Publishers need to be convinced that your book will sell. Show them how you plan on getting your book in front of the specific target audiences you mentioned earlier in the proposal. Will you hire a publicist? Do you speak in front of groups? Do you have a syndicated column, or an e-zine with lots of subscribers? Are you planning on starting off with a great media event for charity? You need to have some plan so that people can become aware of you and your book. OUTLINE This section is a short outline of your book. CHAPTER SUMMARIES Build evidence that you have a whole book, not just a long magazine article. Briefly describe the material you will include in each chapter. Use at least half a page, but don#146;t go over a full page per chapter, unless you have a really good reason. SAMPLE CHAPTERS What do agents and editors want to see in your sample chapters? Your knowledge, your heart, your personality and your writing skill. Include about twenty pages of your book, or one to three chapters. Start each chapter in a way that will captivate readers. Use a stunning statistic, a metaphor, tell a story, or ask questions that will make your reader feel like you are writing about her. Close each chapter in a way that will leave your wanting to read more. That#146;s the formula. Write a strong enough book proposal and you could wind up getting paid to write your book. It may seem like the odds are against you, but as literary agent and author Peter Rubie says, #147;if you have a polished and well-written book idea, you#146;re in competition, not with all the others who submit, but with the 5 to 10 percent whose material cries out to be taken seriously by editors and agents.#148; To look at four samples of book proposals that sold (two by first-time authors who received over 100K to write their books), read Write a Book Without Lifting a Finger , available at www.writeabooktoday.com . For a free ezine with tips on how to find an agent, get published, publish your own book and get publicity for it, go to www.AuthorsTeam.com . Mahesh Grossman is the author of Write a Book Without Lifting a Finger ( www.writeabooktoday.com ) and President of The Authors Team ( www.AuthorsTeam.com ), a company that helps credible experts become Incredible Authors, through ghostwriting, editing, coaching, publishing and distributing books to bookstores nationwide. He can be reached via e-mail at: GetPublished@AuthorsTeam.com . Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

11 Creative Ways To Brand Your Name, Sell Lots of Books, and Become a Best-Selling Author By Randy Gilbert Author of the best-selling book "Success Bound" www.randygilbert.com Amazon.com is not just another place to sell books. The proactive author, speaker, coach, and consultant can use it creatively to brand their name, sell tons of products, and create a flood of traffic to their own Internet Web Sites. Yes, you can turn Amazon into your very own "River of Gold!" Don't believe me? Then just stand back for a moment and consider that Amazon is consistently rated in the top 15 websites for traffic and they have over 27 million customers annually (and its growing). The typical Amazon customer loves to buy books and products ONLINE, and, they are trained to USE THEIR CREDIT CARDS. They are the kind of people you want to have come to your own website and buy lots of things from you. By helping them to flow into your own sales funnel, they will become gold to you. Also think about this for a moment. Since Amazon is the largest bookstore in the world, they have every book that is related to your subject area. Therefore, all of your perfect customers, who love the books and products, are already being filtered into your niche by Amazon. You can get these people to your website if you take advantage of the opportunities that Amazon is giving you. If you are not introducing yourself to your potential customers every time they are logging onto Amazon, you are making a really big mistake (HUGE!). ** Your Perfect Customers Are Visiting Amazon! ** How do I know your "perfect customers" are visiting Amazon? Well, simply because they are buying every type of book on Amazon that is in your specialty area, genre, and niche. If you don't believe me, then who do you think are buying all those books? How do I know people who shop on Amazon use their credit card online? Because that is how you buy things on Amazon. Additionally consider this, Amazon knows they are a proven source of people who buy on the Internet, because they have branched out and are now selling just about everything else under the sun. I'll say it again, Amazon has trained millions of your potential "perfect customers" to use their credit cards online (impulsively), and you can attract them to your websites by branding your name in front of them every time they shop there. ** Amazon Is Ten Times Better Than Walmart! ** Amazon is fast becoming the Walmart of the Internet; however, size is not the issue. What makes Amazon far superior to Walmart is that Amazon is willing to share its customer traffic with you!! Can you imagine being able to duplicate yourself and being allowed to stand in every Walmart store in the country, holding out your book and introducing yourself? And even better, can you imagine having a display of your books and products next to every other complimentary product that is sold in every Walmart? Well, that is what you CAN DO virtually on Amazon. ** Here Are 11 Golden Tips You Can Start Using Right Away ** Below are listed 11 creative ideas for turning the people who visit Amazon into your own "perfect customers." Follow these 'Golden Tips' and you will see your book sales on Amazon increase dramatically and you will lots of perfect customers to your other websites. You will literally be turning Amazon into your own river of Gold. [Author's Side Note: I almost hate to share these, because I feel some of them have been my own little money making secrets. However, I know that if I give good things away, eventually I'll get good things in return. So here they are...please use them for your own benefit and feel free to share them with others.] Golden Tip #1 - Tell People 'Who You Are and What You Sell' Amazon has given you a very special place called "Your About You Area," that is a goldmine in itself. This is your own area that you have complete control over. You can post a flattering picture of yourself, and if you want, include your family or even your book. You should use your "About Me" area to its maximum extent allowed. You can post who you are, what books you've written, how you can help people, and most importantly, which of your websites they can go visit to get your help. This description of yourself can go on and on for up to 4000 characters (~650 to 700 words). But here's a note to the wise; be sincere, be personal, don't include any hype, and stay within Amazon's guidelines. Amazon's guidelines say no domain names, URLs, or hyperlinks. Also, no commercial advertising, promotion, or solicitation. Therefore, you only promote yourself and describe your websites and their addresses with words. I also describe what I will give to people who contact me and so far Amazon says that's OK. To find "Your About You Area," click on your store tab. For example, if your name is Jan, then the tab will most likely say "Jan's Store." Then click on the sub-tab "Friends Favorites." Next, look down on the left of the page and click on "Your About You Area." Please, don't let this vein of gold go untouched. To see a sample of mine, I've set up a link that will take you there directly: http://AmazonBestSellerSecrets.com/about-me-area Golden Tip #2 - Use Your Branded Name or Web Address as Your 'Amazon Name' In "Your About You Area" there is a place for you to type in 'Your Name.' It may sound like a simpleton idea, but I recommend you enter the name that you want people to know you by. Here are some possibilities. Use your branded name (ex. Randy Gilbert, Host, The Inside Success Show). You can also make it easy for people to get in touch with you if you use your branded name email address (ex. RandyGilbert@RandyGilbert.com , or your vanity toll free telephone number (ex. Randy Gilbert, call 866-MAUI-BOY). Check out this vein of gold. If you have more than one specialty or branded website, you can open an Amazon account for each. All you have to do is create a separate account using another email and purchase something from that Amazon account. I have three accounts. One for my "Dr. Proactive" niche, one for my Host of "The Inside Success Show" niche, and one for my "Amazon Best Seller Secrets" niche. There's no cost, so why not? Gold Tip #3 - Don't Be Shy, Recommend Your Book! As you view a book that you like and it is even remotely related to your book, you should recommend your book on that page. This is a great opportunity for you to get the name of your book all over Amazon. The only caution is, don't do this in any sort of SPAM fashion. Just do it at the same pace as you normally use Amazon. The Amazon sales page only shows one recommended book title for each category, which is the one with the most number of recommendations. So, if you have a mailing list of loyal readers and customers, you should by bold and ask them to recommend your book too. Gold Tip #4 - Review Other Books and Let People Know You Are The Expert If you're like me, you have just about every other book in your subject area and you have read them all (that's another reason why you are an expert). Use your expertise to review other books and review them in such a way as to give yourself credibility. In addition to becoming known as the person people can trust (which in itself is a sufficient reason to write reviews), people will find out what books you've written because you are going to close each review with "Your Name, author of YOUR BOOK." This is a legitimate credential that Amazon wants you to use (because they like it when you sell lots of your books and they wish everybody did). And, if you're a speaker, consultant, or coach, you can also use your other legitimate credentials. For example, I often use, "Randy Gilbert, Host of The Inside Success Show" on my radio show account. On my Dr. Proactive account I end with, "Randy Gilbert, Proactive Success Coach." You need to be cautioned on a couple of points. You cannot sell yourself in the review or it will not be posted. It should definitely be an honest review of the book. Also, never, ever use a demeaning tone in your review. You will quickly brand yourself as vindictive and nobody will read any more of your reviews or your book. If you always have the highest respect for other people's thoughts, and you write objectively, you will earn the trust of the people who read your review and they will want to read your book too. Gold Tip #5 - Post A Review Of Your Competitor's Book and Sell Your Book Too In addition to reviewing all of the other books in your subject area, you should post a review of the books that might be considered your competition. For those of you who are unfamiliar with writing book proposals, these are the books you identify as being available to people who are looking for information in your subject or specialty area. Since you're going to put your name and book title at the bottom of a very well written review that makes you look like the true expert in your field, people will take the time to search for your book and buy it too. The thing I like most about doing this is, whenever your competitor is receiving a boost in sales, perhaps due to some good PR they've received, your name and book will be seem more often too and your own book sales will inevitably rise. Golden Tip #6 - Use Listmania and Become THE EXPERT In Your Subject Area On every sales page and "Your About You Area" there is an opportunity to create a list of books for whatever reason you choose - it's called "Listmania. This is one of easiest and most effective things you can do on Amazon to brand your name and become known everywhere as THE EXPERT in your subject area. Some people create really corny lists, but not you. You are going to create lists of books in your subject area and write short (200 character) reviews that will create the picture in other people's minds of you being the top expert in your field. I love Listmania, because it allows you to put your branded contact information (see Golden Tip 2) on every sales page for the books in your subject area (or any other area you choose). Another great thing about Listmania is that it will show up almost instantaneously, where as a review can take several days. Golden Tip #7 - Become The "Answer-Man" on Amazon If you are an authority in a field (which you are as an author) there is a wonderful feature on Amazon that has your name written all over it (or it should have your name all over it). It's called "So You'd Like To..." and it's the place where you can post your 'how to' articles. Use this to show the world you can help them find the answers to difficult questions and solver their pressing problems. In your articles you will list all of the books that are appropriate to the topic, which then does a magical job of posting your articles everywhere in your subject area. So, when your perfect customer is out looking for an answer, they will quickly be introduced to you. This is the ultimate article publishing phenomenon and Amazon has brought it to you free of charge. A word to the wise, don't pitch your book, just write interesting articles and people will want more of what you write. They will eventually want to buy your book because you are the one answering their questions and meeting their needs. Golden Tip #8 - Look Like a Prolific Author and a Big Publisher In addition to paper books, you can sell ebooks and other products online on Amazon. Your ebooks by the same title will be shown with the same type of page. The reviews for your ebook will even show up on your paper book. It's a fine way to get more exposure. Under the Amazon Advantage program and you cannot list a book for sale that isn't ready for sale. However, if the e-book is ready (and the paper book has not been printed,) you can begin to sell your ebook and begin getting reviews. If you have them, you can also sell lots of low cost ebooks (that might otherwise be booklets or reports) and by doing so make yourself look like a prolific writer. I'm discovering that you are not limited to just written ebooks either, because you can sell audio and video pdf file ebooks (the kind with links in them for listening or viewing online). This is a feature of Amazon that is still being explored, but by the looks of things, it is going to turn out to be another area of pure gold for 'infopreneurs' like us. Another good reason to sell as much as possible on Amazon, is that your titles will automatically be available on a range of other major web sites: Borders.com, CDnow.com, Target.com, VirginMega.com and Waldenbooks.com. Golden Tip #9 - Use Google Adwords To Put Your Domain URL All Over Amazon Amazon is a joint venture (JV) Partner with Google Adwords and they post the top selling Google Adword ads on every book sales page that has the same keywords, which includes the words in the title and author's names. When you select the title or authors name as your keywords, your ad will show up under "Customers interested in this title may also be interested in..." on that book's page. Although advertising on Google Adwords isn't free (you set the amount it will cost you), the payback can be enormous, especially if your product is pulling in more money than it costs to advertise. Even if it costs you money, the exposure on Amazon is worth every penny, especially when you combine it with the next Golden Tip. Golden Tip #10 - Link Your Main Website to Each of Your Book (orproduct) Reviews. (This tip is a 'two-fer,' so pay attention) By linking your main website page to each book's sales page that you've posted a review for, you can make your review show up on Google. I noticed this happening a short while ago when I was studying how to use the new strategy called "Link Meshing" to improve my own site's ranking on Google. And, if you use this tip in conjunction with the Golden Tip #9, it will turbo-charge your own websites ranking, because it is very likely that your website's URL link will show up when Amazon's sales page is indexed. And, because Amazon is so popular, it will make your own website jump up; maybe even to the third, second, or (cross your fingers) first place listing. (Isn't that cool?) I can't tell you any more right now because I'm still testing it, but don't forget to sign up for getting information about the guide when it is completed. Just send a blank email to: Branding@AmazonBestSellerSecrets.com Golden Tip #11 - Get your book onto Amazon's Top 100 Bestseller List I've saved the best for last -- YOU can proactively control your sales rankings on Amazon. Therefore, by intentionally driving up the sales of your book, you can earn yourself the lifetime credential, "Best-Selling Author." Amazon rankings are completely systematized, so when you get people to buy more of your books on Amazon, your ranking will increase accordingly. The more books you sell, the higher your book's ranking will go. Your goal should be to sell enough in one day, for your book's ranking to go all the way up to the #1 position on Amazon's Top 100 Bestseller List. After you have followed all of the first 10, this will be a lot easier, but the others are not a pre-requisite. There is now a proven Internet marketing strategy that you can use to deliberately drive up the sales of your book. You don't need to be an online expert (you don't even need to have previous experience), you don't need to have a large mailing list (in fact, you don't need a list at all), and best of all you don't need a fortune in cash (believe it or not, it can be done with ZERO COST). What you DO need, is a proven strategy and someone who has done it for himself (and others) and who can explain it in terms you can follow. For more tips on how to do this send a blank email to: tips@amazonbestsellersecrets.com There You Have It! Now you have 11 Golden Tips, each of which will help to increase sales of your books and other products and will help brand your name as an expert in your subject area. Amazon is rich with resources, so you can be sure more gold is going to be found by me as time goes on. If you would like to be kept up to date with future explorations of how to brand yourself as an export and sell more of your info products, send a blank email to branding@amazonbestsellersecrets.com Randy Gilbert is the best-selling author of "Success Bound: Breaking Free of Mediocrity" ( www.Success-Bound.com ) and the creator of "AmazonBestSellerSecrets: How To Quickly and Easily Make Your Book a Bestseller on Amazon in Only 28 Days. www.AmazonBestSellerSecrets.com P: 540-856-3318, F: 540-856-2698, E: randy@randygilbert.com He can show you how to be a Best-Selling Author on Amazon! Fast, Easy, Powerful. Randy is also the host of "The Inside Success Show," the most talked aboutradio talk show www.TheInsideSuccessShow.com Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com More >>

Taming The Small Business Beast By Kristie Tamsevicius Speaker, Home Biz Expert Mother of Two www.WebMomz.com Owning a small business can be a dream come true, or a nightmare if you let it be. Without careful and deliberate attention, a new fledgling business can take over your life and leave you miserable. So how do you keep your business from overrunning your life? Here are a few tips to help you lighten your workload. Tips for lighten your entrepreneurial workload Say No! Say no to clients who aren't your "ideal" clients. Say "no" to things that don't honor your personal needs and agenda. Clear the clutter. Keep your work area neat, plan your day, and keep a good calendar. It's easier to stay focused and productive when you know where everything is. Prioritize. After you make your to do list, put a star beside the top three priorities for the day for yourself and your business. Promise yourself if you get these things done, that the rest can "wait". Uphold your personal boundaries. Say "no" to clients, opportunities, and projects that that don't feel good. Clearly communicating with your clients and family members about your policies, your work hours, and what they can expect. By letting clients know that you have set work hours, they can respect your family time. Similarly, you can tell your family not to call you with personal chitchat until your "home" hours begin. Caller ID can help you identify calls to see if they are from family, friends, or pesky sales people. Eliminate energy drains. Is there a friend or client who drives you nuts? Are you doing overkill with housework? Is there an unresolved problem in your life? Give yourself ample time to do everything. When you try to accomplish too many things in too little time you set yourself up for catastrophe. By working at a steady pace, making time to dream, reevaluate your goals, and making the space for change, you'll leave you'll have the energy and time for "million dollar: opportunities when they come. Don't over promise yourself. If you need 2 days to work on a project, say it will take 3 and then pleasantly surprise the client. Learn to delegate. Identify only those tasks, which you NEED to perform and hand the rest of to an assistant. Maybe it's time to hire a bookkeeper to help with the bills and invoicing. Is there some work you can outsource? You'll feel "lighter" not having to do tasks that drain you and can invest the newfound time and energy into growing your business. Simplify and Systematize. Manage your time efficiently. Group similar tasks together. Work with your body's natural rhythms. If you are more alert early in the morning, tackle those tough tasks first. If you wake up later with the 5th cup of coffee, then read your mail or perform a no-brainer task first. Take a Break! Learn how to slow down and unwind during off hours. Stay in touch with friends. Pamper yourself. Creating a routine such as drinking a cup of hot tea, or changing to comfy clothes to help you mentally switch to "relaxation" time. Stop to enjoy the impromptu kisses, songs, and pretty pictures your kids offer you. If your child wants a moment, stop, breathe, give it to him, enjoy the special feeling of that moment then move on. ** Starting or growing a business online? Here's a free web-based guide that details exactly how to do it right... http://www.webmomz.com/making-living.htm Kristie is a leading expert in the areas of home based business, Internet marketing, and web development. She is the author of three books including her newest release, "I LOVE MY LIFE: A Mom's Guide to Working from Home" (Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing 2003) available at Amazon.com. Join WebMomz.com , an online community for work at home parents. Permission granted for DrLaura.com. More >>

Are You A Work-A-Holic? by Kristie Tamsevicius www.WebMomz.com How many of us have had a day that starts at 6 a.m. - no shower -crunching on a dry piece of toast only to come across a major client emergency? In-between getting the kids off to school, buying milk because you are out, and attending a client meeting at 2 p.m. and hoping it will end so you can get home in time to meet your child as they get off the school bus. We all have days like this, that's life, but you can make sure those days are the exception and not the rule. When you work from home it can be hard to STOP working. Temptations such as the ringing of your business phone, the constant flow of email, and piles of paper work can easily draw you back into work mode if you let them. Tips To Cure Work-a-holism: Here are four ideas to help keep you for working overtime. Set a regular schedule for work and family time. Make a deliberate effort to stop working on time. When you are done with work, shut off the computer, and mentally shut off work. Let your family know how important they are to you by honoring them with your total presence during that family time. Honor yourself by taking that time off to live your life, renew, and dream new dreams. If you started your business to make more time for your life, then make sure you are actually taking that time to do so. Create a routine to help you switch gears from CEO mom or dad to family time. Ask yourself what you could do to mentally change gears and prepare for the family time portion of the day. Maybe you could change from your "work" clothes to comfy sweats. Whatever "transition" routine you choose, make it something simple that you can do at the same time everyday. Locate your office in a separate area of the house. Having your office out of sight may help you forget about work. When work is done, you can shut the door and forget about it. Another idea is to get an armoire with a desk, a kind of fold out workstation. When you close the doors, your work is out of sight. Enjoy your "off" time. Pamper yourself! Schedule regular vacations! Take time to relax! Spend time doing the things you love most. If you started working from home to spend more time with your family, then make sure you are actually DOING that. Schedule daytrips with your kids. Take time to visit a friend you have lost touch with. POWER PAMPERING I just feel like I can't focus today! I feel like I'm not enjoying my job like I used to. What's the matter with me? CALGON, TAKE ME AWAY! When you are CEO, head nurse, mommy, head of janitorial services, and chief crafts coordinator, life can leave you a little weary sometimes. As a business owner YOU are your most valuable resource, so it makes sense to take care of yourself! When you start to feel overwhelmed, it's important to know when to slow down and take a break. Below you'll find 10 tips to help you take a vacation pamper and renew. Schedule a day off. When we are the busiest, this is often when we need a break the most. Write a day in your calendar just for you. Promise to enjoy your time off. Turn off the computer, and don't answer the phone. Don't let guilt or a list of impending deadlines steal your relaxation and enjoyment for the day. Make time for the special relationships in your life. Go on a date with your husband. Enjoy a cup of gourmet coffee with a friend. Steal away on a mommy and daughter/son breakfast. Write a special note to a friend or spouse letting you know how you feel about them. Give someone a long meaningful hug. Spend a little extra time cuddling with your children before bed. Take time to celebrate. Make up a holiday. Invite a friend to a "just because" lunch. Order out for pizza. At our house, we have a tradition called "pajama party." When we want to celebrate, we all get into our pajamas extra early, get all our pillows and blankets, pull out the sofa bed, snuggle up, watch a special movie, and tell each other stories. This is a special treat that the whole family REALLY looks forward to! Pamper yourself. Indulge in a candle-lit bubble bath. Listen to some soothing music. Read a juicy romance novel. Take a day at the spa. Soak up some sun at the beach. Sip a glass of wine and watch the sun set in your back yard. Why not buy yourself a bouquet of flowers? Nurture your body. Treat yourself to plenty of sleep, eat balanced meals, drink lots of water, and take vitamins. If you've been neglecting a checkup, now's the time to schedule it! When you take care of your body, you'll have more energy and feel happier. Get up from that chair and exercise. Sitting in your office chair all day isn't exactly the ideal workout. Head to the gym, take a walk through the park, or take a dip in the pool. Take in a game of golf, racquetball or tennis. Exercise is a proven stress reducer! Catch a ray of sunshine. Remember the song, "I'm walking on sunshine, well...and don't it feel good"? There's nothing more energizing then feeling the sun on your face and breathing in some fresh air. Spend time in your garden, play ball with the kids, or take a trip to the park. I enjoytaking a "nature walk" right in my back yard. I walk slowly looking at each flower, and really taking each detail in again as if for the very first time. Be a kid for a day. Forget your responsibilities for just one day. Put away your "to do list" and revel in all the things you'd like to do but shouldn't. Let your house be messy, sleep in, eat an ice-cream sundae for supper, and watch a funny movie. Make up a silly song. Put on yourfavorite CD and dance! Mix up a batch of monster size cookies! Let the little kid in you come out and play! Renew your spirit. Often in the busyness of life, we forget to take quiet time for ourselves. I encourage you to take time to journal, daydream, read the scriptures, or meditate. In stillness, you can tune in to what really matters to you. Take time to listen to your heart; reflect on and honor the quiet voice within. Treat yourself to a day at the spa. When you look good, you FEEL good. Get a new haircut or a manicure. Get a facial or indulge in a back or foot massage. * Article by Kristie Tamsevicius, America'sFavorite Small Business Success Story. This article is an excerpt from Ch 10"Work/Life Success Strategies" of the new book"I LOVE MY LIFE: A Mom's Guide to Working from Home"by Kristie Tamsevicius - (Wyatt MacKenzie Publishing March 2003 Available at Amazon.com Join our community of Work at Home parents at www.WebMomz.com . Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

Home-Based Business Myths By 2003 Priscilla Y. Huff With the American Association of Home-Business Owners stating there are over 24 million home-business owners in the U. S. and other research findings showing that a new home business is started approximately every eleven seconds, you may be considering starting your own home venture. Making money from the convenience of your own home, being able to have more time with your family, and doing work you love sounds like the ideal work-life situation. However, realistically, there are several home-business myths that should be dispelled as you consider starting a home-based business: Myth #1: A home-based business has no overhead. Reality: Often as much as 50 percent of a home-based business#146; billing rate will go towards covering overhead costs, but the good news is that you can deduct from your income tax a percentage of your home-related bills if you work out of your house. It is best to check with your accountant or bookkeeper, or your local IRS office or the site, www.IRS.gov for guidelines about these home office/business tax deductions. Myth #2: I will not need childcare if I work from home. Reality: True, a home business allows you the flexibility of working your own hours, but it is still difficult, if not impossible, to conduct a conference call with a two-year-old in the same room! Truth is, a majority of entrepreneurial moms and dads have some sort of child care coverage#151;either a spouse or babysitter taking care of the children in the home while they work for a block of time; taking their children to a child care center or sitter for a few hours a day; trading coverage with another work-at-home parent, or some other arrangement. Even older children can be demanding and sometimes resentful of your business#146; demands. It is best to realistically discuss your business idea with your family and think carefully about the number of hours you will actually be able to put towards your business. Myth # 3: If I have a home business, I will have time to clean house, continue to volunteer at church and school, cook delectable meals, taxi the kids to all their activities, and have a meaningful, personal relationship with a #147;significant other.#148; Reality: This really is a fantasy world!! A home and small business demands more hours than a regular job#151;especially in the start-up phase. Unless you are a #147;super-woman or -man or #147;supermom/dad#148; (I know I am not!!), then you will have to prioritize the important parts of your life and phase yourself out of all but the important activities and people with which you are involved. Learn how to say #147;No#148; with a smile. On a positive note, you can use your business to help your community like providing jobs or internships to youth, being a mentor to a struggling entrepreneur, donating your product and/or services to a charity auction, and in a number of other ways. And your altruistic efforts will have the added benefit of promoting publicity for your business. Myth #4: I have a great idea that I know will make me lots of money, and I want to start it next week.Reality: Business experts say that the amount of time and research a person puts into a business idea relates directly to the success of that business. Not to damper your enthusiasm, but one of the biggest mistakes a new entrepreneur often makes is starting her venture too soon, before thoroughly investigating the business and its trade. One woman who owns a successful home-based food delivery franchise, took a full year to research the business before she invested a single dollar. In order to grasp a better understanding of what is involved in running a business, experts recommend that you make list of business ideas that interest you, and then work for a time in a business that is similar to the idea that interests you. Phyllis Gillis, author of Entrepreneurial Mothers, said at a seminar I attended, #147;If you think you might like to bake special desserts for caterers or restaurants, bake a hundred pies in a week to see if that is what you really want to do, fifty weeks a year!#148; Working or volunteering in the trade that interests can also give you valuable skills and knowledge you can apply later on to your own home venture and even some funds to help you start your new at-home venture. It is important to also conduct some preliminary market research to see if people need and want to pay for your business#146; products or services. Without customers, you cannot make money. Be aware, too, that it may take from two to five years until your business#146; profits can support you and your family. When you believe you have a good idea and a potential market, then you can begin to write a business plan to set your goals and the steps you will need to get your business up and operating. You may wish you could start your venture tomorrow, but taking the time to first research and plan your business idea, will pay off, literally, in the end and your business will be much more likely to succeed. Myth #5: If I work from home, I can be much more casual in both how I dress and how I treat my customers. Reality: Yes, you can dress in your T-shirt and sweatpants while you make business calls#151;unless you have a home office that receives customers#151;but how you treat your customers should be as professional as any business protocol dictates. Do you respond promptly to customer requests? Do you have professional-looking promotional materials? Can your customers depend on your product and service? How can customers and business associates reach you if you are not in your home office? Do you belong to any professional trade groups or associations? In other words, you can work from your home office, but you should always follow professional procedures and ethics as if you were working from an office as the CEO of a major corporation. After all, you are the CEO of your business, even if you are the only employee. Just remember to act like one, or no one will take your business seriously. If you take the time to plan for your business, prepare yourself and your family, and persist in learning the skills you need, you can make a successful home business a reality instead of just a myth! U. S. Small Business Administration www.sba.gov , 1-800-UASK-SBA (1-800-827-5722) #150; provides listing of local SBA offices that assist people in entrepreneurial ventures. Women#146;s Online Business Center www.onlinewbc.gov provides a listing of these centers that are located across the U. S., and in Puerto Rico and other U. S. territories that offer business education and training to women entrepreneurs at every stage of business development. Priscilla Y. Huff is the author of 101 Best Home Business Ideas for Women, 3rd ed. and The Self-Employed Woman#146;s Guide to Launching a Home-Based Business. She welcomes home-business questions at pyhuff@hotmail.com ; and offers a free list of resources for women entrepreneurs to those who request it. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com More >>

Open a Fancy Flea Market #147;Store#148; By Glory Borgeson Ann and Cathy wanted to start a business together that they could do part time, that would utilize their creativity (especially Ann#146;s beautiful hand painting talent), and that would be a lot of fun. They considered opening some type of retail store, but they knew that the hours the store would be open would turn it into full-time work. After expanding their thoughts a bit, they realized there was a flea market a few towns to the west that was open once a month on a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. One weekend, they visited the flea market to see what types of items were sold at each booth and the types of things people were buying. They decided that the flea market was a great place to start their business. They would find bargain items and fix them up with paint, Ann#146;s decorative painting, silk greens such as ivy, ribbon, and whatever else they could dream up. They would create their booth each month like it was a beautiful store with an antique/shabby chic look. Their plan worked so well, that by their third month, customers lined up on Friday morning early to get to their booth first. Before long, Ann and Cathy began renting two booths to double the size of their fancy flea market #147;store#148;. How did they do it? First, they formed their business as a corporation, opened their bank account, and did the work needed to get set up to collect sales tax on their future sales, and to be set up to purchase some materials at wholesale. (Note: The scope of this article will not focus on the how-to#146;s of that general aspect of the business, but will focus on the activities specific to this type of business.) From there, they started scouring garage sales, tag sales, rummage sales, resale shops, and other flea markets for items they knew would be great to start with for their first sale. They also decided which month to join the flea market and reserved an indoor booth starting with that month. They each had a workspace in their homes. Sometimes they worked alone, but they also spent time together to plan, create, and review ideas for the items they purchased. They sanded and scraped, removed rust, painted, and made all of the items they purchased become more beautiful, desirable, and sell-able. What About Pricing? Choosing prices for items proved to be tricky. Since theirs was not a typical retail store (where items are usually #147;keystoned#148;, meaning the cost is doubled to arrive at the sales price), they needed to be more creative and forthright in how they priced their items. So far, the idea for this business may have sparked a few thoughts of fun possibilities, and you also get to make money! And in order to get the best price for your merchandise, I#146;m going to show you how to keep track of each item in a manner that helps you to keep your sanity. You want to keep track of each item that you fix up and beautify in order to price it appropriately. To do that, create a form that you will use to track the cost of an item, the cost of anything you add to it, and the amount of time you spend working on it. It will include the hourly rate you choose to apply to your work. The form will help you arrive at a price for the item. You can even have a column to add the initials of the business partner who worked on the item. Toward the bottom of the form, include a box titled #147;Price#148; to write in the final sales price. To make the form even more useful, leave an area in the top right corner for a number. Then take the mocked-up form to a printer to create pre-numbered forms for you. This will ensure that each item has its own unique item number. When you purchase an item that will be fixed up in any way, start a form for that item and write in the amount you paid for it. Find a way to keep the form with the item (for example, staple it to a wooden item; put it in a plastic sleeve and tape it to the item; or tag the item and write the form#146;s item # on the tag, and file the form). As you work on the piece, update the form with the amount of time spent working on it, plus the cost of any materials you add to it (i.e. the cost of silk greens put in a container; this would not include the cost of paint and other materials that you purchase to fix many items). If an item you purchase does not need to be fixed or painted, but can be sold #147;as is#148;, keep a log sheet for these purchases. You can create a log in Excel and use Excel#146;s #147;fill-a-series#148; function to create an item number column. Perhaps you can start with #A1001 to keep these numbers separate from the other item numbers for the items you fix. Tag these items with the item number on the log. Use the log to decide the item#146;s sales price. Later, when you#146;re ready to price items that you#146;re selling #147;as is#148;, you can easily match the tagged items to the log and re-tag the item with a price tag. For the items you fix up, you may also choose to keep a log of these items as well. This log would have the item number (from the form) and a brief description (such as #147;wooden chair#148;; #147;birdhouse#148;; #147;metal container/planter#148;). You could also add a column titled #147;Sales Price#148;. You could bring your log sheets with you to the sale as an inventory control. The beauty of the log page and the individual item sheets is that your accountant can easily determine your cost of good sold. You may find that, as you choose your sales price, there may not be a simple formula that is applied to price each item. More likely, you will find that as you gain experience, you will select the best sales price: a price that your customers will pay and that will yield you the highest possible gain. Arranging Your Booth Ann and Cathy needed a way to display their merchandise in their booth. On their purchase outings, they bought lightweight furniture pieces, crates, and bookshelves, fixed them up, and used them for their displays. Make certain the pieces you buy for display are easy for you to fit into your vehicle and to carry. You may choose to put this furniture up for sale, or you may decide that certain pieces are working well for your displays and that you will keep them. If they display your merchandise well and are easy to transport, why not keep them? (Put a tag on display pieces you want to keep that read: #147;Display only; Not for sale#148; so that customers will not ask you for the price all day.) Nice looking silk green pieces will make your booth look very attractive! As a business that buys wholesale (i.e. assuming you have already obtained something from your state that says you are buying to re-sell, such as a sales tax ID), you can set up an account with a wholesale florist company that sells silk greens, ribbon, and other trim. You can usually shop at these companies in person to choose exactly what you want. Check the #147;business-to-business#148; yellow pages under categories such as #147;Florists-Wholesale#148;. Also check www.floralshops.com/wholesalefloral1.html and click on your state for the names, addresses, and phone numbers of wholesale florists in your area. Before you make a trip to visit them, call all of them in your area to find out what types of floral items they sell. Once you know that they have the types of silk greens you are looking for, ask them about their terms for setting up an account with them. Some will require that you pay by check when you shop with them. Others will have you do that for a short time, and then will give you net 30 terms. Use silk greens either as display pieces only, or use them in your displays and sell them, too. (If you purchase nice quality greens, people will want to buy them!) Working these silk greens into your displays will attract many people who are looking to purchase items that are #147;a step up#148; from flea market wares. And that#146;s what you#146;re selling: merchandise that is a little nicer than the average found at the flea market. The whole look and feel of your booth will be a little nicer than the customers usually find. People will be drawn to your booth. You will go home with only a few items left over (for next month) and lots of money from all of your sales. Use Your Booth for Marketing Because they wanted the good word to get out about their booth, Ann and Cathy created a half-sheet flier as their marketing materials. They used plain light pink paper, some creative wording, and a creative font style. They gave one to each buying customer and made them available to people who visited their booth. Using a word processor, you can create your own half-sheet flier to give away at your booth. Put it on pastel-colored plain paper. Choose a color that will be your #147;signature#148; color: pink? light green? baby blue? In addition to including your business name, come up with a clever phrase or tag line (for example, #147;Creative Objets d#146;art for Your Home Garden#148;; #147;Funky Frolicking Fun from the Flea Market!#148; ). If appropriate, list some of the types of things you sell. Include the dates you will be at the flea market for the next several months (or for as long as you have booked a booth). Also include the name of the flea market, the address, and days and hours of operation. If appropriate, include your contact information (name, phone number and/or e-mail address). If you know the booth number you have reserved for future events, include the number. People may give your marketing sheets to friends who haven#146;t seen your booth. You want them to be able to find you. When customers purchase your items, be sure to give them a marketing sheet in their shopping bag or rolled up inside one of the items they purchased. Extra Materials Ann and Cathy sold some breakable items, and they didn#146;t want customers having to be concerned about breakage. They purchased some plain paper for packing. (They thought about using newspaper, but they knew the newsprint could be a problem for some of their items.) Depending on the item purchased, you may need to wrap it in some type of wrapping materials so that it doesn#146;t break. Find a local supplier of materials such as packing paper and bags. When you are first starting out, stick with inexpensive wrapping materials and bags. Try to choose similar colors (i.e. white, cream, or a pastel to match your marketing sheet) to go along with the whole theme you#146;re creating for your business. Your Flea Market #147;Store#148; Are you ready to create your flea market #147;store#148;? Do some up-front planning. Are you going to have a business partner or are you going it alone? Do you have an area in your home to store your purchases and fix them up? Have you checked the flea markets in your area? Have you scoped out how you#146;re going to find the inexpensive items to purchase? Print out this article and start a #147;to do#148; list of all the things you need to do to get started. Then prioritize the list. In what order are you going to tackle the items on your #147;to do#148; list? What things can you do at the same time? And, please, let me know how you#146;re coming along with your #147;fancy flea market store#148;! Glory Borgeson is a small business consultant and coach who loves to work with clients by phone from her Chicago-area home office. She works with clients individually, and is also planning to hold teleclasses on the details of starting a home-based business. Please contact her by e-mail at glory.borgeson@borgesonconsulting.com for more information about your home-based business. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>