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

> 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

Hi, Rooster,

If I had a website and product(s), I'd write articles and anything else I could to generate new traffic, add some incentives to the product offer that others aren't offering (or at least not many) and that wouldn't cost me anything to offer and promote the heck out of it.

People are very nostalgic and looking for escape from this war weary world. How about a booklet with some funny reminiscenses from the 'good ol' days'?

If I could, I'd create or swap with others, for new products to offer. Perhaps join some affiliate programs to promote.

If I were a Warrior, I'd take Karin up on her QuickStart 7 offer for 7 mini-sites, do them up, and get income going there. She has a Warrior special now that will net you 7 sites that are quick and easy to do and get good Google listings for only $7.00 per month for all 7 (normally $27.00 mo). I got in on the total freebie for 60 days but that's gone now.

I'd be sure to contact those who are most likely to offer help, like on this and other forums, and any other folks who are successful who might have words of wisdom.

If you need products to help promote yours with, I have some available that are good freebies I'd be happy to share with you. Let me know what you have, what you could use, and I'll do what I can to help.

God bless!

Sandi Bowman

DNO means Do Not Open because the entire message is in the headline


Consider The Great Ideas Letter

>

Michael, 30 days at most, sooner if possible....Rooster

DNO means Do Not Open because the entire
> message is in the headline

First, take stock of ALL my resources. Which includes everything in my brain. And write it down in a list.

Drink a few cups of green tea.

Read over my "list" asking myself "How can I make $1,000 in 30 days?" Or better yet... "How can I make $33.33 a day?" (I'd even write this question down on a sheet of paper together with a more definite description of the challenge. Just so it's clear in my mind.)

Pause for question: Ok. I am going to answer this from MY POV as requested. But just so you know, I don't do 9-5 in any sense of the word. So if I had to figure this "challenge" out as making an additional $1,000 on top of my regular income from a 9-5, then my answer may be different. Might not. But might.

Continue: I can think of LOTS of ways to make $33.33 a day. I'd write all these ways down on my piece of paper.

*I* would teach something. Put on a class. If it had to be marketed online, then I would also use someone else's list for a percentage of the total takings. Otherwise. I'd generate my own list with print advertising.

At $100 a person I only need 10 to make $1,000. That's pretty doable.

Got something you can teach?

Know anyone who has a business which also sells to those who would go for a class in your chosen subject? JV sounds good.

Hope this helps.

Michael Ross


Consider The Great Ideas Letter Please

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


Business Ideas That Work

DNO means Do Not Open because the entire message is in the headline.


Consider The Great Ideas Letter

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

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

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,