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               A Home-Based Business Online
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   Useful ideas, resources, freebies and articles for your
      home-based or online business, September 18, 1999

                   Editor: Elena Fawkner
               Publisher: Fawkner Publishing
                  http://www.fawkner.com
                  Contact By Email

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ATTENTION: You are receiving this newsletter because you
subscribed or submitted a classified ad. If you'd like to
remove yourself from this mailing list, please see the
instructions at the end of this newsletter. Our subscriber
list is NOT made available to other companies or individuals.
We value every subscriber and respect your privacy.

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          This Ezine Is Listed At FreeZinesOnline.
          http://Globemark.net/FreeZinesOnline.htm

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                  IN THIS ISSUE
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      This Week’s Sponsor
      1.   Welcome and Update from the Editor
      2.   Home Business Idea of the Week - Errand Service
      3.   Online Business Idea of the Week - Travel Club
      4.   Article - The Franchise Alternative
      5.   Continuing Tutorial Series - How to Become an
           Information Broker - Part 5 - Online Marketing
      6.   Guest Article - 20 Low-Cost Businesses You Can
           Start From Home by Marcus P. Meleton, Jr. and
           Cary Arentz
      7.   Telecommuting Openings
      8.   Freebies
      9.   The News Digest
      10.  This Week's Web Site Pick
      11.  Subscription Management
      12.  Contact Information

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1.  Welcome and Update from the Editor
==================================================
Hello again and a warm welcome to all new subscribers!

This week's edition ran a little long so I've split it into
two parts for the benefit of those subscribers whose email
programs won't accept long documents.

This week sees the introduction of a new feature at the
A Home-Based Business Online website at http://www.fawkner.com .
In addition to Home Business Ideas, Online Business Ideas
and Telecommuting Corner, from the middle of next week
you will also be able to browse the brand new Franchise
Connection.  Here you will find some great franchised
business opportunities to consider.  So, if you're wanting
to start your own business but want to minimize the risks,
be sure to visit!  The Franchise Connection will be open
from next Thursday.  Also, if a franchised business is
something you're thinking about, read this week's feature
article - The Franchise Alternative.  It's at section 4. of
this week's newsletter.

Advertisers, you can put your ad in front of almost 800
subscribers for as little as $5 for a 5 line ad.  Full
details are at http://www.fawkner.com/adsubmit.htm .  There
are only 3 ad spots left for next week's edition though
so don't delay!

Writers, as always I am happy to showcase your work both
here and in the Reference Library so submit your articles
(including resource box)to Contact By Email -- this
is a great way to get free publicity but please make sure
your work relates to ideas or resources for home-based or
online businesses.

Finally, this newsletter is for YOU!  If you have comments
or suggestions for topics you would like to see addressed,
or would just like to share your experiences with other
subscribers, I want to hear from you!  Please send comments,
questions and stories to: Contact By Email

See you all again next week.

==================================================
2. Home Business Idea of the Week - Errand Service
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People are busier than ever and the world around them hasn't
changed.  Groceries still need to be bought, deliveries
still need to be made, gifts still need to be bought, etc.
You can take advantage of the needs of these hyper-busy
people by running an errand service.

In essence, what you do is run errands for people and get
paid for it. Think it sounds like a kid's business?  Well,
you won't make kid money! If you are in a good sized
metropolitan area with steady clients, you can make $15,
even $20, an hour!

You won't need much to start off with.  You'll, of course,
need a reliable car or, better yet, a van.  The only real
expenses at the start are: business cards and business
stationery;  a pager;  and postage.  Make a list of large
businesses in your area, ones with large numbers of well-
paid executives, such as banks, headquarters of large
manufacturers, etc.  You should then compose a letter
detailing your services.  List as many timesaving services
as you can think of:  grocery pickup, dry-cleaning delivery
and pickup, post office errands, gift-shopping services,
food pickup and delivery, etc.

Read the full report at http://www.fawkner.com/r111.html
-----
There are many more home-based business ideas like this at
http://www.fawkner.com/hbideas.html with more being added
all the time.

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3. Online Business Idea of the Week - Travel Club
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Most Travel Clubs are organized on the premise of building
a sizable membership capable of negotiating discounts with
various travel providers.

The Travel Club makes money earning a commission every time
a member purchases airline tickets, books a hotel room, or
goes on a cruise. Today, things have changed quite a bit.

SELLING MEMBERSHIPS

With a swelling membership basis it is difficult for travel
clubs to ignore the profits of charging for membership, no
matter how insignificant the amount.  With 10,000 members,
a travel club charging only $20 a year will earn $200,000 in
membership dues. This revenue is over any commission the
Club earns when a member travels.

SPLIT DISCOUNTS

A Travel Club normally acts as a travel agent for the
exclusive use of its members.  As an "agency", it gets
standard agent commissions from airlines, hotels and cruise
lines.  This can range anywhere between 10% and 18% of the
purchase price. What travel clubs usually do is offer its
members a rebate equivalent to 50% of its commission (meaning
5% to 9% of their purchase price).  If the member spends
$1,000, he/she gets back anywhere between $50 and $90.  This
is enough reason for people to join a travel club, especially
if the membership dues are just $20 a year.

Read the full report at http://www.fawkner.com/r92.html
-----

There are many more online business ideas like this at
http://www.fawkner.com/obideas.html with more being added
all the time.

===================================================

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===================================================
4. Article - The Franchise Alternative
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By Elena Fawkner
Copyright © 1999 All Rights Reserved

ANY new business involves risk.  The proportion of new
businesses that fail within their first two years of
operation is much higher than those that succeed.  Whether
you can afford the risk of your business failing depends
on your own individual circumstances. If you are continuing
in full-time paid employment and your business is something
you start in your spare time for a little extra cash to see
how it goes before quitting your job, then you are more
likely to be able to afford the risk of that business
ultimately not succeeding.  But what if you've lost your
job, taken a package, and are looking for a business in
which to invest the proceeds of your package?  All of a
sudden the risk of your new business failing looms very
large indeed.

One way of reducing that risk is to consider buying a
franchised business.

What is a Franchise?
Simply put, franchising involves the owner of the business
which is being franchised ("the franchisor") granting to the
person who wants to offer the products and services of the
franchisor ("the franchisee") rights to use its trademarks,
business names, associated intellectual property, know-how,
business systems, training systems and operating manuals in
exchange for monetary payment in the form of an initial
franchise fee/purchase price and/or ongoing royalty payments
which are typically calculated as a percentage of the
franchisee's turnover.

Advantages of a Franchise
-> Proven system
The franchisor has already done the work of establishing a
system for the business being offered for franchise.  This
system provides you, the franchisee, with a roadmap to
follow, hopefully to success.  The franchisor has already
tested and refined all aspects of the business and has
created a "business success formula" for the franchisee to
follow.  This means that you are spared the trial and error
of working out what works and what doesn't and are therefore
freed to focus on "working the system", hopefully generating
profits within a short period of time.

-> Avoid many start-up problems
Starting a business from the ground up requires a lot of
time and effort just getting the basics in place.  These
include major undertakings such as developing a reputation
in the market place, obtaining finance to fund the new
venture and overcoming competitive threats, as well as the
more mundane such as what business licenses to obtain and
what insurance cover to purchase.  The franchisor will have
already done a lot of this work.  For example, the
franchisor will already have developed a reputation for the
business in the market place, will have identified competitive
threats and opportunities incorporating ways of meeting them
within the franchise system and will usually have already
established relationships with service providers such as
financiers.

-> Existing name and reputation
As stated above, you do not need to invest significant time
and effort into getting your business known in the
marketplace as the franchisor will already have done this
for the benefit of the group as a whole.

-> Support when needed
You are not on your own when things go wrong.  Got a
business problem?  Contact your franchisor for assistance.
The franchisor will have employed many different specialists
within its organization who are there just to assist
franchisees successfully operate their businesses.  In my
12 years of experience in franchising, the most successful
franchisees are those who are not afraid to ask for help
when needed.

-> Group buying power
Depending on the size of the franchise network, the group
should benefit from being able to negotiate favorable buying
prices because of their ability to generate volume sales for
the supplier.

-> Group advertising
By contributing advertising fees into a group fund,
individual franchisees are able to benefit from much greater
advertising exposure than they could afford if each
franchisee had to market their business on an individual
basis.

-> Greater knowledge base
The franchisor is likely to have invested in market
research for the benefit of the group as a whole.  This
means the group has a much greater knowledge of their
market(s) than does the local "independent" competitor.
The results of this market research can be put to good use
in the group's advertising and marketing programs.

Disadvantages of a Franchise
-> Restrictions on autonomy
Because you are buying the rights to participate in a proven
"system", the franchisor will be concerned that all
franchisees adhere to the system and not operate outside it.
After all, if franchisees are free to adhere to the system or
not as they see fit, there is no point in buying into a
franchise at all.  For this reason, for the benefit of the
system as a whole, franchisors will generally impose strict
controls on things such as the quality and types of products
and services that you may offer for sale, the types of local
advertising you may undertake, methods of dealing with
customers, ethical conduct and the like.

-> Pay initial franchise fee and purchase price
There may be an initial investment ranging from a few
hundred to tens of thousands of dollars to buy into a
franchise.

-> Pay ongoing royalties
In addition to the initial franchise fee and purchase price,
most franchisors will also charge an ongoing royalty for the
rights to use the franchised system.  These royalties are
usually calculated as a percentage of turnover but various
other fee structures exist.

-> Restrictions on ability to sell business
Some franchise agreements can restrict quite severely your
rights to sell your business to another franchisee.  They may
impose strict criteria for proposed purchasers and you may
find it difficult to find buyers who meet this criteria.

-> May not be able to realize value for business on
termination
Some franchise agreements state that upon the expiration or
termination of the franchise agreement, the goodwill of the
business reverts to the franchisor.  This means you may have
operated and developed a business over many years and yet,
when the franchise agreement expires, you effectively walk
away from the business with no further financial compensation.
Under this type of arrangement you must understand going in
that you are expected to derive your financial return during
the term of the franchise agreement by way of annual profits,
not by way of a capital gain at the end of the franchise term.

What to Look For in a Franchise
-> An established franchise system with a good reputation.
-> Comprehensive training systems for both your own
management team and other employees.
-> A relatively harmonious relationship between franchisor
and franchisees.  Some friction from time to time is
inevitable in any long-term business relationship but a
constant atmosphere of hostility, mistrust and long-running
disputes can be a warning sign of an unstable system.
-> Ethical business practices both by franchisor and
existing franchisees.
-> An inclusive "partnership" approach on the part of both
franchisor and franchisees.  This does not mean that the
franchisor should not impose controls on the system but you
should look for a spirit of goodwill and cooperation,
willingness to listen to others' ideas and a climate of open
communication at all levels throughout the organization.
-> Exclusive territories - although not crucial, exclusivity
of territory (where the franchisor grants you a limited but
exclusive territory which is yours alone) can in some cases
be a relevant factor to the competitiveness of the business.
It would be fair to say that it does not benefit the
franchise system if franchisees are forced to compete with
each other for limited business.

These are just a few of the major factors you should take
into consideration when deciding whether a franchise is
for you.  Although franchising minimizes the risks of
business failure, it cannot not eliminate them entirely and
any decision to proceed with a franchised business should
only be made after obtaining thorough advice from both your
lawyer and your accountant.

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5. Continuing Tutorial Series - How to Become an Information
   Broker - Part 5 - Online Marketing
==================================================
ONLINE MARKETING

Online marketing is still very new and it is important to
realize that this area of the online world is constantly
growing and improving. Although you can spend a bundle of
money when marketing online, this section will only cover
the top four strategies for a small business on a limited
budget.

They are (a) classified advertising, (b) e-mailing
lists, (c) newsgroups, and (d) electronic newsletters.

As your business continues to grow you may want to explore
other marketing tools such as getting your own web page
complete with text and graphics. In the early stages of your
business, however, you should find that one or more of the
following strategies will work very well. I prefer to use
free classifieds coupled with direct e-mailing. Remember,
it's all up to you!

No matter what strategy you are using, it's important to
understand that the biggest key to successful marketing is
offering your product to the correct audience. Another way
to describe this is "target marketing". I cannot emphasize
the importance of this enough. In order for you to sell your
product with any success whatsoever, you must concentrate
your marketing efforts on the people that are most likely to
buy it. Keep this in mind no matter which marketing strategy
you utilize.

(a) Classified Advertising

Basically, there are two types of online classified
advertising. The first one is the classified areas of the
major providers like AOL and Compuserve. If you are a
subscriber to a major provider, you have easy access to
these areas. Most are free and you get there by simply
pointing and clicking.

The other free classified advertising is a little
trickier to find and use. This advertising is done at any
of the hundreds of classified web sites on the internet.
Most of them are completely free, while others charge small
fees. To find a large list of these classified areas on the
internet, simply go to whatever search engine you use
(Web Crawler, Infoseek, Lycos, or any other) and enter the
key words "free classifieds".

Once you get to one that looks good, you post your
classified ads in the appropriate section (business, hobbies,
books etc.)  Anyone who reads the classified can request
more information by sending you E-mail. Once you receive the
request, you simply E-mail the prospective customer with
your sales literature. They can then print the details
(including order form) and send for the product!

When advertising your new information product, stick to the
business areas on the internet! Don't waste your time
advertising your product in the "general merchandise" or
"miscellaneous" sections! Concentrate solely on your target
audience.

Note: Upon entering a classified section, check into the
"guidelines & regulations" area before posting. This is
usually where you will find the rates if they do charge.
(Don't worry, they are required to tell you exactly how much
you will be charged before they post your ad.) Most sites
require you to register with them before you can post your
ad. This registration is also free unless otherwise stated.
This is where you will usually find detailed directions for
posting an ad. It is actually quite simple and only takes a
few seconds. You simply type some information about yourself
then type your classified ad. Once all the information has
been entered you click on "post" or "submit" and you're done.

Remember, your ads should not try to sell your product!
They are placed with the intention of getting interested
people to respond to you so you can send your sales
literature to them.

(b) E-mailing Lists

The next marketing strategy that is gaining popularity in
the online world is called direct e-mail. This involves
e-mailing your advertisements directly to a list of people
that may be interested. This list is usually bought or
rented from an e-mailing list broker. The costs vary widely
depending on the broker used. This can be a very effective
way to get your message out.

I was never an advocate of traditional mailing list
strategies for two very big reasons. First of all, the cost
of mailing to everyone on the list (at 32 cents a pop)
usually offset any profits immediately. And secondly, a lot
of this mail was considered junk mail and was never even
opened!

Direct e-mail does not have these downfalls. First of
all, sending e-mail is free, saving you hundreds or
thousands of dollars in postage. And secondly, the e-mail
sits at the person's mailbox until it is opened. These two
factors coupled with the high number of people you can reach
in a very short amount of time warrants giving this dynamic
new marketing strategy a try!

Remember, don't try to sell your products with the first
contact. Simply offer the opportunity to receive "free
details" by replying to the ad. Then e-mail your sales letter
to these new prospects.

Beware: You will undoubtedly come across some "flaming"
when utilizing direct E-mail. This is another name for
rude replies from unapproving internet subscribers. You can
avoid a lot of flaming by seeking out a list of "opportunity
seekers only". You can also keep it to a minimum by sending
only short unsolicited messages and offering everyone an
option to be removed from your list.

Although direct E-mail is not illegal (as of the writing of
this) if you make too many people angry, you stand the risk
of having your provider disconnect your service.

To learn more about bulk email, and contact some bulk email
professionals, visit http://www.bizweb2000.com/engines.htm
and search on "bulk email. You find a long list of companies
that supply bulk email services and address lists.

(c) Newsgroups

Another way to market on the net is through Newsgroups.
There are literally thousands of newsgroups on the internet
on every subject imaginable. A great web source for
information on Usenet Newsgroups is Deja News at
http://dejanews.com/ .  From there you can search and even
post to newsgroups.

Once you find your area of interest (i.e. business opps),
you can join them and post to them for free.

A typical message posting in a business newsgroup would be
similar to a classified ad. It would contain your offer and
your e-mail address to allow people to request more info
(your sales literature).

Before the birth of the World Wide Web, online marketers
relied heavily on newsgroups. Although many have slowly
wandered away from this method net marketing, newsgroups
are definitely surviving (and thriving).

With that said, we've decided to give you a bit of a
jump start. If you're interested in trying newsgroup
marketing, the following list should keep you busy for
a little while. Below you'll find 34 of the most popular
newsgroups among online marketers.

alt.ad
alt.america.online
alt.bbs.ads
alt.bbs.internet
alt.biz.misc
alt.business
alt.business.accountability
alt.business.career-opportunities.executives
alt.business.home
alt.business.home.pc
alt.business.hospitality
alt.business.misc
alt.business.multi-level
alt.commerce.misc-ads
alt.internet.commerce
alt.internet.services
alt.make.money
alt.make.money.fast
alt.misc
aol.commerce.misc-ads
aol.commerce.mlm.announce
aol.misc
biz.comp.misc
biz.general
biz.marketplace
biz.misc
biz.mlm
biz.newgroup
biz.next.newprod
biz.univel.misc
can.atlantic.biz
market.internet.free
misc.business
misc.entrepreneurs

If you're not ready to spend time reading and posting to
these newsgroups right now, you may want to at least
consider saving the list for future use. Remember,
newsgroup marketing is free. When used regularly, it can
become an integral part of your online marketing campaign.

Note: When you join one of these groups it's a good idea
to just observe for a little while. This way you can get a
feel for the way users do things in that particular group.
Many newsgroups do not allow blatant advertising. Instead,
they expect you to help other members with your posts and
market with your signature, or short footer at the end of
each post. This is a good way to avoid breaching newsgroup
regulations or "netiquette".

(d) Electronic Newsletters

Another way to get your message out is to hire someone
else to do it for you. All of these companies charge some
type of fee to get your message across to potential
customers.

There are already a number of companies offering online
marketing strategies of one type or another. One example of
another marketing strategy being utilized is direct e-mail
magazines and newsletters. The companies that send these
e-mail mags offer paid advertising to small business owners
for a relatively small fee. The fees are based on the size
of ad as well as the circulation or number of e-mail
addresses that receive the issue. Although e-zine
advertising is not free, it is one of the most effective
forms of internet marketing!

To find some of these companies and get more information,
simply visit http://www.meer.net/~johnl/e-zine-list/ or
http://www.liszt.com/. These site allow you to search for
ezines based on subject or name. Send an e-mail to the ones
that sound the best  and they will be more than happy to e-
mail you some free details.

As I stated earlier, the world of online marketing is
still in relative infancy. This means that a smart
entrepreneur will stay very open minded and receptive to new
marketing strategies as they are being introduced. The
businesses that make the most money will be the ones that
keep a keen eye out for the potential winning strategies.

-----

Next Week - Part 6 - E-Mailing Your Sales Message and
Filling Sales Orders

Missed previous instalments of this tutorial series?  Pick
them  up from the newsletter archives at
http://www.fawkner.com/newsletters.html

===================================================

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6. Guest Article - 20 Low-Cost Businesses You Can Start
   From Home
==================================================
By Marcus P. Meleton, Jr. and Cary Arentz

So you want a home business. You have the time, the ambition,
and are excited about the prospect. All you need is the
right idea that's perfect for your first start-up or for a
second, third or fourth business. We at Home Business®
Magazine watch for these ideas and present them to you with
the expectation that one will provide you with home-based
success. When evaluating these possibilities, keep in mind
the items shown in the box and look at our next issue to get
more great ideas for businesses.

E-Mail Marketing
If "Surfing the Net" is something you can't get enough of,
then maybe you should get paid for it. E-mail marketing is
an exciting new business opportunity. The objective is to
compile E-mail address lists to support a client's mailing
and then broadcast your client's E-mail to that list. A
secondary market is to sell you lists to businesses or
individuals who market their goods and services by E-mail.
Internet experts will be able to search for and collect
lists at a moment's notice. You most likely have all the
computer equipment you'll need, although upgrades may be
necessary.

Raising Pets For Money
Do you like dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, or fish? Would you
enjoy raising them? Why not turn it into a business? Find
out what your local pet stores need or what the general
market is looking for, such as rabbits and chickens for
Easter, or dalmatians to capitalize on the Disney movie. Not
only is this business opportunity fun for animal lovers,
it's a great first business for kids. Guinea pigs, hamsters,
rats, and mice multiply rapidly and make good pets or
science projects. Be sure to evaluate your demand first, or
you'll be sharing your home with permanent pets. Expanding
your business to care for other people's animals is also a
possibility. Make sure that zoning laws and other regulations
related to raising animals do not affect you.

Artist
One of the most difficult endeavors is earning money through
art. The best way to do this is to go commercial. Look at the
type of art you excel at: painting, computer art, or line
drawings, and decide how it could benefit businesses. For
instance, marketing companies hire artists to do artwork for
advertising. You can also develop and draw ads and flyers for
small shops that need publicity. Approach the shops and offer
to develop material that they can buy upon approval. As your
sales increase, create a portfolio to show to other
businesses. Local rock bands and dance clubs like the more
radical stuff. Over time, your art and contacts will enable
you to expand into more traditional outlets.

Photo Albums
People just don't have the time to develop photo albums, or
they do it haphazardly with no idea about how creative a
photo album can be. This is a service that gets you out of
the house to meet people. You will build a reputation and
can do the work on your kitchen table. You interview clients,
go through their pictures, and suggest ways their photo
albums can be arranged or improved. Books on the subject are
available to help you improve your skills. Use your family
or friends as your initial customers and bring their albums
to potential customers to show what you can do. It is
rewarding to see how grateful people are with the results.

Agent
The best thing that could possibly happen to a home-business
owner is to have so much business that you can't do it all
yourself. When this happens, you can become an agent for
your type of business by sub-contracting excess work out to
others and taking a percentage of the fee. In this capacity,
you do the billing and maintain the clients. When business
is slow, you assume the workload and maintain service to
your customers.

Errand Service
People who run everything from home businesses to Fortune
500 companies often lack the time to get everything done.
That's why there's such a large demand for errand services.
If you have a small truck or van, are punctual and
trustworthy, and don't mind an occasionally hectic schedule,
you can profit from delivering packages, picking up supplies,
and handling similar details for harried home business owners
and executives alike. To locate clients, check with
businesses in your area, or have your friends and family ask
their employers if they could use your services.

Family History
Most of us are curious about our ancestors. That's why
written accounts of family history or family trees, known as
genealogy, make popular gifts. Why not make this your
business? Although the task of digging deeply into someone's
past may seem daunting, there is a variety of software
packages and books available that will make this task much
easier. Visit large software and book stores to see what's
available. To reach your customers, arrange with local card
and gift shop owners to let you display your advertising and
samples in their stores. Placing advertisements in local
newspapers is a relatively inexpensive way to reach a large
audience.

Fix-It Shop
Any appliance, tool, or toy you buy eventually breaks —
that's a fact of life. Although America is said to be a
disposable society, most of us would rather hold on to what
we have rather than incur the cost of buying something new.
Having a knack for fixing household items means you can earn
up to $100 an hour, and you never have to leave your own
garage! There are many low-cost ways to advertise your
services — flyers, classified ads, and the Yellow Pages are
just a few. There are also many ways to expand your business;
for example, you could offer pick-up and delivery, stock
replacement parts, or refurbish toys and appliances and sell
them for less than what they'd cost new.

Fund Raiser
Do you enjoy working with the public, and helping those less
fortunate? If so, you can put your people skills to work by
offering yourself to local community, hospital, school, and
civic groups as a fund raiser. You help the group raise
money for its cause, and take a percentage of the amount for
your fee. Your organizational skills, pleasant phone manner,
and ability to develop effective direct mail pieces mean
success in this career. Keep in mind that those who act as
fund raisers for charities are often expected to do so on a
volunteer basis, but this is a great way to gain experience,
make valuable contacts, and build your reputation.

Handyman Service
Leaky faucets, clogged drains, doors that stick — the list
of minor home repair needs is almost endless. Most of us
just don't have the time or the know-how to tackle these
problems ourselves. If you're good with your hands and have
a general knowledge of home repair, then start a handyman
service. Charge your clients less than the professionals.
Your customers' savings is your gain! You'll need a good set
of tools and a truck. It's also a good idea to check with
your city to see what licensing is required. Begin your
business with your friends and family, then expand into your
neighborhood.

Herb Garden
Cooking with home-grown herbs holds a special appeal these
days. If you have a green thumb, you can capitalize on this
culinary trend by growing herbs to sell to small restaurants,
specialty shops, health-food stores, or even your friends
and neighbors. Use your computer to create attractive, eye-
catching labels for your packages. Cultivating an herb garden
can require very little space - in fact, you can grow a fair
assortment in flower pots on your window sill! Put your
gardening expertise to work in another way by becoming a
"gardening consultant," — assisting your clients in setting
up their own herb gardens.

Mail Services
Companies of all types and sizes use direct mail to
advertise goods and services. However, many of these
companies may not have the personnel to undertake a mass
mailing, especially if it involves a large base of potential
clients. That's where you come in. Contracting with these
businesses to handle their mass mailings could result in ample
financial rewards. You'll need a computer, special software
to create labels and process lists, and most importantly,
clients. Check with local businesses, especially those
involved with publishing, computer accessories, or special
events. Friends, relatives, and business associates can also
provide leads. Expand your business by writing the
promotional material, obtaining the target lists, and
maintaining the client lists.

Sewing Service
Do you have a talent for sewing? Starting a sewing service
in your home is a profitable and enjoyable business. You
already have the equipment and skill, and the demand is
great. Busy professionals need to keep their clothes in
shape. Local dry cleaning and clothing stores are good
sources for leads. Also, try advertising in the classified
section of your local newspaper, or posting flyers in your
neighborhood. Put your creativity to work by creating
curtains and other home decorations, or sewing costumes for
holidays and stage productions. To expand, consider the
large demand for upholsterers.

BBQ Catering Service
If you like to barbecue, get compliments as a chef, and
like to meet people, why don't you set up a barbecue
catering service? You need a truck, portable barbecue pits,
and a little marketing. Send out flyers, post them at
grocery stores, or advertise in your local newspaper or
weekly ad magazine. People will love having outdoor parties
with you showing up, setting up, cooking, and cleaning up
afterwards. You can offer various options on meat and expand
out to more and more food options and drinks. You thought
outdoor cooking was fun; well, it's profitable also.

Professional Organizer
If you notice the messes in other people's homes and
businesses, then maybe you should be an organizer. There are
many books on organizing and a multitude of products that
help conserve space or provide filing or stacking capability.
Gather material on the subject. To start your business,
practice on people you know for a small fee, then use this
experience to sell yourself to others. You can purchase and
mark up ready-made products, or call in carpenters to put in
closet organizers, shelves, and furniture. What people save
in time and money will more than make up the difference.

Apartment Renewal
Apartments must be cleaned, painted, and repaired after
renters vacate. Since this is a frequent event, this event
provides an opportunity for you to make money. Apartment
unit sizes, damage, and cleaning needs vary widely. So
develop estimates after a walk-through or charge by the hour.
Cleaning equipment and a small truck will get you started
and college students can provide help. Your target market is
defined, so visit and send mailers to apartment complexes,
rental management companies, condo complexes, and also offer
your services to real estate brokers who need property
prepared for sale.

Baby Furnishing
Baby furniture is constantly being cycled in and out of
homes and sold at garage sales. Acquiring baby furniture can
be expensive for new parents, so a service that will satisfy
them and give you a good income is to stock their homes with
what they need. You can get beds, chairs, tables, potty
seats, and the like at garage sales. Clean and paint them,
and turn them around for sale. Market at pediatrician
offices, Lamaze training classes, and prenatal care services.
You can provide single furniture items to full set-ups, and
get the parents to resell them to you after they no longer
need them, ready for you to make money on them again.

Tax Assistance
You can be the answer to the April 15th blues. Use your
accounting background and your computer to process tax
returns from your home. This business is seasonal and
starts out slowly, building over time as you get returning
clientele the next years. There are a number of great tax
preparation software packages available that makes this task
easier. Start by doing returns for your family and friends,
then use them to help get business referrals. Be sure to keep
up the with latest tax rules and join accounting organizations
to work on accreditations.

Used Computer Sales
Are you a tinkerer who likes to take computers apart and put
them together? Used computers that are gathering dust can
make money for you. Although technology advances rapidly,
much of what people need computers for can be handled by the
simplest of machines. Make yourself available to buy the
obsolete machines at fire sale prices. Many of the parts are
interchangeable; you can cannibalize and rebuild computers
that are fine for normal use, and add new parts as necessary.
Then, sell the computers with your own warrantee. This is a
business your high-school children may love to assist with,
or even run. Repair books and training are readily available.

Flea Market Sales
Flea markets are like the ultimate garage sale. If you like
garage sales maybe you should become a participant in flea
markets. There are a number of products that you can sell:
Your own crafts, collectibles from your own hobby collections
(trains, coins, comics, etc), and products for resale
(polishes, toys, tools, garage sale items you purchased).
Some markets are opportunities to sell your skills or
services such as furniture refinishing, car detailing,
sewing and handyman services. Find out what flea markets are
local to your area and which apply to your products or
skills. Contact the organizers to find the cost of booths,
qualifications, tax laws and other necessary information.

Originally Published at http://www.homebusinessmag.com/
Reprinted with permission.

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-> Claims Examiners
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-> Recruiting
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-> Sales Professionals - Photography Background
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C/- Mr Michael Kelly
VP Sales
631 Mill Street
San Marcos TX 78666
Fax: (312) 396 8767
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mailto:mkelly@pxlmagic.com

-> Writers
Top national consumer publication seeks insightful freelance
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issues. Candidates must have 7+ years experience writing
for major consumer publications and the ability to write
tight, clear, sophisticated 1500 word "how to" articles based
on phone interviews with leading experts.  Send resume and
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55 Railroad Avenue,
Greenwich, CT 06830

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9. News Digest
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-> GOP Admonishes E-Commerce Tax Committee
NEW YORK -- A letter dated September 14, 1999 and signed by
35 members of Congress asked members of a national
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Internet not how.
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-> Y2K Report Says Global Preparation Accelerating
Travelers who plan to be abroad on or about Jan. 1 should
learn as much as possible about potential year 2000
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of State said Tuesday in releasing its latest country