I don't see it.
 

All I see is that you suggested what HE could do with what HE already has.

Rooster did not ask, "please give me some ideas of what *I* could do." And he didn't ask "what would you do IF you were me."

He asked what would YOU do. And what would YOU do under those certain conditions.

So... what would YOU do?

Michael Ross

You Probably Aren't Aware Dien....
 

But my area of expertise is in the automotive service field...I haven't been posting my URL but I will now...I appreciate all the responses I have received here and I believe I am going with Paulette's suggestion...I have written booklets pertaining to automotive service and could use them as a basis for a teleconference...Since I am a much better 'teacher' than a salesman, I believe this will work for me and could well work into something I could do on a regular basis...Thanks for your forum!....Rooster

Hi Rooster,

> Since you have few assets that you can sell
> or invest, it seems like in this case you
> would be very reliant on your talents and
> knowledge.

> What do people buy? My view is that people
> buy things which they think will make them
> happier.... That means if they are
> miserable, they will buy things which they
> feel will make them less miserable. If they
> are already happy, then people buy things
> which they feel will make them even happier.
> People want to move further along on the
> unhappiness -> happiness scale, and are
> willing to spend money to do so....

> I think every business is really like this.
> People pay to go to a mechanic, because
> having a car that works makes them less
> unhappy. People pay to get their lawn mowed
> because they value their free time - having
> their lawn mowed for them makes them
> happier, and they can spend more time with
> their family. People buy music CDs because
> they imagine that listening to a particular
> kind of music will increase their happiness.
> People buy healthy vegetables because they
> feel that being healthy will make them
> happier than being unhealthy. I think most,
> if not all, businesses are like this -
> people buy their products or services
> because they feel that they will make them
> either less unhappy, or will make they even
> more happy. :)

> So, what can you offer that will help make
> people happier? That of course does depend
> on what you have already, in terms of
> talents, knowledge and knowhow, and what
> assets you have access to....

> Like Michael said, I think the first step is
> to assess what you have that you can draw
> on. Then, the next step is how can you use
> these things you have acess to in order to
> help make people happier?

> Once you have a list of these - then you
> have to figure out what you can charge for
> your product or service. After all, the
> bottom line here is to make a profit. It's
> good to give charity, but we all need to
> make a profit and survive too, whether we
> make our profit from our job or from a
> business....

> The final element here is competition in the
> area you plan to sell your product or
> service. If one person is selling doodads
> for $20 each, it's hard for someone to open
> up next door and sell identical doodads for
> $40 each. Competition in the area where you
> are doing your business can limit your
> profits, because it can limit how high
> people are willing to pay - they will
> compare your item with the competition if
> they can. So it's good to distinguish your
> product from the product of the local
> competition where possible.

> I would also suggest to try to make your
> offer unique in some way - give it a
> "twist" of some kind if necessary.
> This distinguishes your product or service
> from the competition, which often means that
> you can charge a higher rate.

> Anyhow, that's how I would go about it....

> Since you are on a very short time limit (30
> days), you will have to take that into
> account too...

> I know it may sound "vague"
> Rooster, but the reason why is that the
> specific answer here is different for each
> person, because each one of us has different
> talents and assets. Since there is no time
> to learn new skills and there's not much
> money to buy new equipment etc., it limits
> you to what you can do already....

> If you have money you can spend, then your
> options increase! That's because you can
> either buy stuff to resell, or you can buy
> equipment which you can use to help build a
> business.

> I hope that helps!

> - Dien Rice

Thanks To All Who Responded...I Appreciate It!...(DNO)
 

Rooster, I can't resist
 

jumping in here, and I hope no one minds if I rant a tiny bit. I really wish I could get a booklet on what maintenance is truly necessary. I am a car repair dunce and when I go to the dealer they give me a long list of things I "should have done" but when I pressure them on what is most important, they seem to hem and haw. So what gives? Everyone now is pushing timing belt replacement but then the small print says "timing belt wear cannot be detected." Now, I don't want to be riding down the road and have my belts blow up, but how should I know that $140 is really necessary? And when? (My car has 58,000 miles)

Then they say I need a new cap and rotor thingie--when I ask what that is for, they say "it keeps your car running" or something like that--another $180 for some vague generalities. My car is running OK, but again, I don't want something to go wrong all of a sudden. So I dread every maintenance visit.

BTW, I'm not asking you for free answers... I'm just telling you what I would really like to know from a knowledgeable person like yourself at hopefully a reasonable price. I'm willing to pay up $20 to $30 for detailed info--obviously I don't have money to throw away (or I'd get a new car and be done with it).

If you could have a site devoted to teaching car repair/maintenance dunces like me what this all means I would be your devoted fan. Make it look nice to appeal to women, I suppose. And a weekly ezine would be nice.

Anyway, good luck to you. Best wishes,

Kay

> But my area of expertise is in the
> automotive service field...I haven't been
> posting my URL but I will now...I appreciate
> all the responses I have received here and I
> believe I am going with Paulette's
> suggestion...I have written booklets
> pertaining to automotive service and could
> use them as a basis for a
> teleconference...Since I am a much better
> 'teacher' than a salesman, I believe this
> will work for me and could well work into
> something I could do on a regular
> basis...Thanks for your forum!....Rooster

> Hi Rooster,

Re: A Challenge....
 

> To the esteemed members of this forum: If
> you needed to raise $1000 for a family
> emergency, had nothing you could sell, were
> on a modest fixed income, were disabled thus
> preventing physical activity, and all you
> had was a computer with internet access and
> your brain, what would YOU do?...Any and all
> answers would be much
> appreciated!....Rooster

As Michael seems to want to make sure we answer what we personally would do, I will try to do so :)

In an emergency situation, I think these are the steps I would take. Unfortunately emergencies (especially medical ones) can easily go over $1,000. So I'm including what my overall plan for scraping together cash would be for somewhere between $5,000-$15,000.

I would

- sell lots of things on ebay/even the books

- contact doctors about reactivating their lost patients for $x dollars each

- sell car

- contact web site owners with super personalized, researched messages offering to help them increase their sales for a small cut of the pie, risk free, contingency only of course

- think about joint ventures I could put together with local businesses (cc/dc, Tony!) (See Mike Enlow's Sand Castles to Empires free report)

- create web sites devoted to a few of my interests and sell small special reports

- consider a local service business/ teaming up with someone physically able to do the work

Those are some of the things I would do. My family did just recently have a large family emergency, but no cash was needed. And luckily, everything turned out fine.

Success,

Erik Lukas

It Just So Happens...
 

that I may have something that will help you!...I have written some special reports covering what you are asking...With your permission, I will send them to you as an e-mail PDF attachment...If you find them useful and informative send me whatever you think they are worth...If you don't find them to be useful, you owe me nothing!...Is that fair?...

In regard to changing the timing belt: This is one service you most certainly should NOT neglect!...If your engine is an "interference" type, when the belt breaks it can literally "destroy" the engine and it would be 'very' expensive to replace an engine!...So this is $140 well spent!...Replacement mileage is set generally at 60,000 miles so at 58,000 you are getting very close to replacement time...Send me the exact year, make, engine size and model of your vehicle and I will be able to tell you if it has an interference engine...(At no charge of course)...

I am in the planning stages of putting together a teleseminar covering something along the lines of "How to change a flat tire and other basic car maintenance tips for women"...(Title is not firm yet)...Would you or any lady you know be interested in a seminar like this?...

If you like, you may e-mail me at: [email protected] ...I invite you and your friends to check out my website at: www.rockerwisdom.com ...

I hope this helps you and I look forward to hearing from you!...Thanks!....Rooster

jumping in here, and I hope no one minds if
> I rant a tiny bit. I really wish I could get
> a booklet on what maintenance is truly
> necessary. I am a car repair dunce and when
> I go to the dealer they give me a long list
> of things I "should have done" but
> when I pressure them on what is most
> important, they seem to hem and haw. So what
> gives? Everyone now is pushing timing belt
> replacement but then the small print says
> "timing belt wear cannot be
> detected." Now, I don't want to be
> riding down the road and have my belts blow
> up, but how should I know that $140 is
> really necessary? And when? (My car has
> 58,000 miles)

> Then they say I need a new cap and rotor
> thingie--when I ask what that is for, they
> say "it keeps your car running" or
> something like that--another $180 for some
> vague generalities. My car is running OK,
> but again, I don't want something to go
> wrong all of a sudden. So I dread every
> maintenance visit.

> BTW, I'm not asking you for free answers...
> I'm just telling you what I would really
> like to know from a knowledgeable person
> like yourself at hopefully a reasonable
> price. I'm willing to pay up $20 to $30 for
> detailed info--obviously I don't have money
> to throw away (or I'd get a new car and be
> done with it).

> If you could have a site devoted to teaching
> car repair/maintenance dunces like me what
> this all means I would be your devoted fan.
> Make it look nice to appeal to women, I
> suppose. And a weekly ezine would be nice.

> Anyway, good luck to you. Best wishes,

> Kay


"Rocking Chair Wisdom"

Here's what I'd do
 

Hi Michael,

Given the time and money restrictions, I'd look into doing a joint venture (JV) with someone who has a customer list. That is, think up an offer which would appeal to their customers, and share the profits.

For example, I know someone who does computer technical support and sales for a number of regular customers who are doctors. He gives excellent service, and charges relatively high fees for his over-delivery on service, and his customers are all very loyal and happy to pay his fees. I could look for a product or service which would appeal to doctor's offices with computers, then approach him with the JV proposal. If it's a good product or service, and if I could convince my friend to do it, it would probably be a relatively easy "sell" since his customers are all very loyal to him and trust him.

Another friend of mine runs a regular film night as part of a film society which he started himself. His "customer list" tend to be fans of "cult"-type films. If I could find a product or service to appeal to this group of customers, then there's another JV I could do.

Even if I didn't know anyone PERSONALLY with their own customer list, there are people with their own customer lists everywhere. Any one of them can be approached with a JV idea - even if you don't know them personally. What have you got to lose? Nothing.

The great thing about doing a JV and using someone else's list is you don't have to build loyalty and trust, because it's already there. It speeds up the process.

- Dien Rice

Thanks, Rooster, I've sent you an email. (DNO)
 

Re: Making Money From Your Talent or Knowhow
 

> What do people buy? My view is that people
> buy things which they think will make them
> happier.... That means if they are
> miserable, they will buy things which they
> feel will make them less miserable.

I agree...people buy (or do) everything based on the desire to either gain pleasure or avoid pain....

rc