HOW TO WRITE A PRESS RELEASE

The word "Press Release" seems to scare most people to death. On top of that not many people take the time to even think of writing their own Press Release. We hope this brief article will help clear up some of the mystery's surrounding this simple form of marketing. The first thing you have to remember is that a Press Release is a "news" item. It needs to "inform" people, NOT sell them something. For example, you are reading this report because you want to learn something that will BENEFIT YOU.

You aren't reading it just so you can buy something else. If money is the deriving force in your business _ you won't go too far. Your main goals should be in pleasing customers, providing them with a high- quality product and more than their money's worth. The trick is to do all this while still making money. People don't care what mountains you had to climb, what seas you had to cross or what tribe of people you had to learn the ways of just to find a secret formula. Instead _ they want to know WHAT the secret formula is.

The sales circulars you print and mail sell your product. A Press Release informs others about your product. Instead of your main objective being to sell the product and have the customer send in an order immediately, a Press Release informs the customer exactly how your product will benefit their lives. This must be conveyed in the form of a "newsworthy" Press Release. If you have a sales circular to sell a product, you can easily turn it into a Press Release without much difficulty. It's just a new marketing angle of presenting your product to the public.

The following is an example of a typical Press Release for our publishing services: So many people are entering the mail order market these days, but so many of them are getting ripped-off by a bunch of hype. People are promised untold riches in a short period of time. The hype ads play with their emotions by making them believe it's so easy to make money through the mail. It's sad.

However, a new book has just been released to help solve these problems for the average person. For the first time in history _ a REAL directory has been compiled listing the ACTUAL name and addresses of 179 honest and trustworthy mail order folks. People can write DIRECTLY to these people and receive FREE information to get them started in their own business now! It's unbelievable. Without trying to sell you anything else, you can get this book for only $4.95 _ a price anyone can afford. Meet the real mail order dealers who care about their products and wants to help you get started doing what they are doing.

Only available from Graphico Publishing, PO Box 488, Bluff City TN 37618. As you can see, this is a short but sweet Press Release _ however, you should be able to see the "newsworthiness" in it. It's main focus is on the fact that most people get ripped-off when they start their first mail order business. The solution to this problem is a new directory that is available for the first time in history. The sell is slowly led into because the reader will naturally want to get their hands on this one. It doesn't ask for money it only tells the reader how to get a copy if they want one.

Here's a great test for a real press release. Since your final sales pitch is included in the last paragraph _ read the Press Release aloud. Would it still be worth reading WITHOUT your sales pitch? If so, it's probably a Press Release. Press Releases come in many forms due to the product you are writing about. However, the basic rule of thumb still applies. If you've never wrote one before _ it may be a little difficult. Don't despair. Grab the latest daily newspaper and read some of their informational articles. Notice how each article is written and pattern yours after the same format. After you do a few of them _ you'll be able to "get the picture."

When your Press Release is written to your satisfaction, the proper way to submit it to a publisher is: Be sure and type it on a typewriter or computer. Standard format is double-spaced and not longer than two 8 1/2x11 pages. Be sure and put your name, address and page number at the top of each page. Write the note: "For Immediate Release." at the top. If you are only sending the press release to one publication _ tell them it's a "first run."

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You Can Be A Professional Engraver In Six Weeks!

Plastics (and some metal) engraving is accomplished with the aid of a pantograph -- a scissors-like device with tracing stylus on one end and a cutting tip on the other. It works something like a Le Roi set. The operator guides the stylus by following or tracing within the grooves of brass "masters" (letters or designs), which causes the other end to cut or scratch the identical design, but not necessarily the same size into material fastened beneath it. By adjusting settings on the pantograph, the operator can make the design the same size, twice as large, or up
to eight times as large as the pattern being traced by the stylus.

Plastic name tags, signs, etc. are made from layered plastic. The core is one color, coating another. When the top layer of blue is cut through, the white core shows -- which results in white letters on a blue background. Different sized cutting blades are used so that large letters have wider strokes and the edge of the name tag is beveled to frame the finished product. There are many combinations of colors; some even have three layers for usual effects. Metal name tags are similar except that the cutting blade does not rotate and the design is actually "scratched" into the surface. Metal tags are considerably more expensive and are probably not worth the extra cost. The metal is usually brass or some other soft material that comes with a plastic coating but still scratches easily.

The vast majority of name tags and engraved signs are on plastic, some of which looks very much like metal, but wear better and are easier to work with. Plastics engraving requires no special talent or extensive training. One only needs to acquire a little dexterity, which can be learned in a few hours and a high school understanding of measurements and ratios. Engraving is a business that grows amazingly fast and has very little competition. With an initial investment of $1,000 - $3,000 in equipment and startup materials, you can learn to operate the
machine, lay out copy and start turning out finished products.

It takes about 30 minutes for the average person to learn how to make a one line name tag, complete with cutting the letters, beveling the tag, and attaching the pin on the back. With a little time ( and a few mistakes of course), you can easily master multiple line layout and some of the other routines. Turning out a name tag only takes a couple of minutes for an experienced engraver, especially when many are made assembly line fashion.

Engraved plastic signs and badges routinely sell for ten to twenty times the cost of the materials because of operator skill, investment in the equipment, and the fact that there is not all that much competition. Used engraving machines (New Hermes are one of the better brands) are sometimes offered in ENGRAVERS JOURNAL for about half retail along with other pertinent equipment and supplies. There are two basic types of engraving machines -- manual and computer. They both turn out good quality work, but the computer is much faster.

The computer engravers run several thousand dollars, but are well worth that to large operations that turn out hundreds of badges and signs per day. Whatever machine you get, make sure it has multi-ratio adjustments. Some of the cheaper and older models will make letters only exactly 2 or 4 times the size of the pattern -- which just won't do. You must be able to adjust the size of the letters at fractions of those ratios, according to the length of the line. A name like Joe Doe, for example, should be in bold letters, while Frederick H Moskovitch must be adjusted down to fit within the width of the name tag.

With the cheaper models, you have little choice and sometimes have no choice but to make these names too big or too small. With an adjustable pantograph, you simply place the cutting blade at the margin of the name tag, and that is the setting All names will "look right." This multiple adjustment is even more critical when you get into logos and larger signs, where 4 times won't fit on the sign and 2 times the size will make the sign look like it has too much wasted space. With the adjustments, you can always have nice margins -- about the width of two letters.

This business is adaptable to wholesale or retail trade -- and there are plenty of places where you can send out work that you can't (yet) do -- large companies that "service the trade, and still leave you room for a modest profit. If, for example, you got an order for 1,000 fire escape signs that you simply could not do in the allotted time, you send the order out to a company that does the work by computer. You would not make as much doing the work yourself, but then you would not be doing the work either. In fact, you would be working on other jobs. Not only that, but your customer dealt with you -- he knows that you can take care of him.

To get a good look at the engraving industry, subscribe to THE ENGRAVERS JOURNAL (418 per year). Read a couple of issues, investigate some of of the advertisements, and notice the different companies that serve the industry -- these can help you get a good well-rouned business started. A special note of possible interest: rubber stamps can be made from engraved designs! Anything you can engrave into phenolics (hard plastics for outside use), you can make into a rubber stamp with a stamp or laminating press. Engrave the design fairly deep; clean and dust with talc ( baby powder is fine), cover with rubber and heat 5-7 minutes at 2-4lbs. pressure. When cured, peel off, trim and glue to a mount. Years ago, vendors would set up shop in heavy traffic areas and make rubber stamps to order in about 10 minutes.

It is easy -- almost unavoidable -- to add profitable sidelines, such as hot stamping, inside signs, rubber stamps and desk accessories to an engraving business once you get started. these require essentially the same skills, very little additional investment, but most importantly, you already have a ready-made market for these added products because it is the same as for your engraving business! Probably the biggest and most expensive headache encountered by engravers (as well as sign and rubber stamp makers) is getting the name or message incorrect. Most "pros" soon discover the value of repeating back, letter by letter, every word of copy that is to go on the product. There are some letters that some of us seem to have more trouble with (like "B" and "D") over the phone -- so if there is any possible doubt, it is a good idea to say "B as in boy or "D as in dog."

On a single name tag the loss is not much, but large orders could be disaster. Also, keep a dictionary handy (within easy reach of the engraving table) and look up any word that could even possibly be incorrect (call the customer if necessary). Last, but certainly not least, keep the order that shows the desired copy in full view during the engraving process -- and check it constantly.

BUSINESS SOURCES
THE ENGRAVERS JOURNAL, Box 318, Brighton, MA 48116, 313/229-5725.
The trade journal of the engraving industry. Subscribe to this as
soon as possible!
A TO Z ENGRAVING, 1150 Brown St.,Wauconda, IL 60650.
312/526-7396. Custom engraving and hot stamping for the trade.
NEW HERMES, INC., 20 Cooper Square, New York, NY 10003.
Manufactures high quality engraving equipment and sells high
quality (and high priced) parts, accessories and supplies. Their
engraving mechanical engraving machines have been industry
standard.
AWARD SUPPLY CO.,1212 California Ave.,Arlington, TX 76015,
817/465-7210. dealer in used engraving equipment.
ABILITY PLASTICS, INC.,3254 Laramie Ave.,Chicago, Il 60650,
800/323-2722. Engraving equipment, cutter sharpening, wide
assortment of supplies and materials -- excellent prices.
ENGRAVING MACHINERY AND SUPPLIES, 419 East 91st St.,New York, NY
100128. Wholesale engraving equipment and supplies.
DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC., 31 East 2nd St.,Mineola, NY 11501.
Discount books, clip art, stencils, etc.
QUILL CORPORATION, 100 Schelter Rd.,Lincolnshire, IL 60917-4700,
312/634-4800. Office supplies.
NEBS, 500 Main St.,Groton, MA 04171, 800/225-6380. Office
supplies.
IVEY PRINTING, Box 761, Meridan, TX 76665. Write for price list.
SWEDCO, Box 29, Mooresville, NC 28115. 3 line rubber stamps - $3;
business cards - 413 per thousand.
ZPS, Box 581, Libertyville, IL 60048-2556. Business cards (raised
print - $11.50 per K) and letterhead stationery. Will print your
copy ready logo or design, even whole card.
WALTER DRAKE, 4119 Drake Bldg.,Colorado Springs, CO 80940. Short
run business cards, stationery, etc. Good quality, but no choice
of ink or color.

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FACTS ABOUT ADVERTISING IN MAGAZINES

Successful mail order dealers realise that there are two very distinct groups of publications in which to place advertising for maximum results. The first group includes newspapers and magazines designed to fill the needs, wants and interests of the 'General Public'. These 'National' publications can be found on news stands across the Nation. The second group is what is called 'Trade' publications. This consists of dozens of mail order magazines, ad sheets etc. Contrary to what some publishers of these 'Trades' claim, very few copies ever get into the hands of the General Public. Over 90% of the readers are mail order dealers or those thinking of entering mail order.

Whilst an advert placed in one of the 'Nationals' may bring in astronomical results, the identical advert may fall flat when inserted in a 'Trade' publication. Likewise, an advert that has sensational pulling power in one of the 'Trades', may get little or no response when it appears in a 'National'. As with any other profession, most mail order dealers are interested in what is happening in their own field plus they may also read 'Nationals'. However, the general public reads 'Nationals' but about 99% have very little interest in the 'internal' affairs of mail order. They couldn't care less. This is very important to remember when placing ANY advert.

Readers of mail order publications are interested in two basic needs. Firstly, how they can build up their business and increase profits. Secondly, ways of saving money. Unless what you have to offer falls into either of these two categories, adverts placed in 'Trades' are a waste of money. With so many 'Trades' to choose from, the logical question is,'Where will an advert get the best results?' There is no 100% accurate answer. It is a matter of 'testing'. When selecting a publication to place an advert in for the first time, check the names of the advertisers appearing in each publication. If some of the better known names in mail order are represented, then you can be assured that it is a good publication to try. Most of these veterans know what they are doing and make certain that their advertising budget is wisely spent. So, follow the leaders.

Next, check the amount of 'filer' copy that appears in the publication. If more space is devoted to articles than to advertising, it is very possible that the publication is floundering. Remember, it is the adverts and NOT the articles that support any publication. Lack of adverts means that the publication does not have many advertisers. Lack of advertisers generally signifies that others have tried advertising in the publication and were disappointed with the results. They would then naturally stop advertising. However if you enjoy the articles and find them informative, it is much wiser to pay a small fee for a subscription and forget about advertising in them.

A second warning signal of where NOT to advertise is by the amount of space a publisher devotes to his own offers. Obviously, any publisher would rather fill their publications with adverts of cash-paying customers but if dealers are reluctant to buy space due to poor response from previous adverts, the publisher has no alternative but to fill up the pages with his own offers. Otherwise many of the pages would be blank.

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DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC?

Do you still believe in magic? Do you think you can pay $24.95 for a mail order program and make $5,000 within 30 days? Do you think you can open a business today and quit your job in 2 weeks? Do you think you can advertise a 1" ad to 1,000 and expect 800 orders? It's sad that our push-button, do-everything-for-you-society has taken away our ability to climb to the top of the hill. Those of us who do have the stamina have to try twice as hard to "prove" we are not those other types of people.

Let's all stop pretending we're in business and start learning how to make it grow into a thriving, honest and reputable company. It is sometimes hard to be completely honest in everything we do. We could tell a "little white lie" and get that $120 bucks we so desperately need right now. Oh, what we have to give up to be honest. I never lived in the 1800's but I have studied their life-styles quiet extensively. Back then _ people were not afraid of hard work. In fact, it never entered their minds to be lazy. If someone in the community was lazy, they were considered abnormal and were given a bad name. Even as late as the 1940's, a man that didn't work to support his family was considered to be piece of "trash."

But in the 1990's it seems that the man who doesn't work, lives on welfare and sponges off his wife who works two jobs to make ends meet is considered "cool." The State agencies spent millions of dollars trying to motive him to go out and find a job and work like he is supposed to. Employers sometimes contribute to the madness also. Since hard working people are considered "strange" and "indifferent" in today's society, an employer will take a hard worker and pile all the work on them that other people should be sharing in doing. It sometimes feels like hard working people are fighting a losing battle.

But getting something for nothing is NEVER rewarding. Sure _ you can cheat the welfare system and get free benefits for awhile, but pretty soon they will track you down. Sure _ you can sit on the couch and watch television while your spouse goes out and works 2 jobs, but you'll never have any true financial rewards in life. Sure _ you can work 8 hours and spend 6 hours on coffee breaks just to get a paycheck every Friday, but you'll be the first to go when a lay-off is administered. Sure _ you can forge credit cards, set up scams, write bad checks and steal innocent people's money, but you won't get anywhere. You only are taking care of your needs at the present time _ never building security, pride and respect for yourself. But hard work pays off. The rewards are not immediate like they would be if you robbed a bank tonight, but you WILL make lots more money and benefit yourself in the long-haul.

Money is NOT everything. Money cannot buy respect and love. A poor person running a business, who is honest has peace of mind. A person who works hard and long hours to give their customers high-quality receives repeat orders. And when word gets around that you're honest and trustworthy - people start noticing you and telling others about you. Respect is much more important than money because of the repeat rewards it brings you. For instance - when you think of Howard Hughes you don't think of him with respect. Even though he had billions of dollars, does anybody really care now? But think about Martin Luther King or Thomas Edison. Think about some heros you know.

Does it matter to you how much money they had? Don't you remember them for the hard work and great things they accomplished? Isn't contributing to society and the betterment of mankind much more valuable than the money you have in your bank account? Take pride in yourself. Hold your head up and do an honest day's work. Yes - being honest has great rewards.

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EASY WAYS TO GET FREE ADVERTISING

Place copies of your circular on bulletin boards throughout your community such as in coin-operated laundries, grocery stores, barber shops etc. Concentrate on Fridays and Saturdays when shopping increases. Check with local newspapers. Before going to press, many smaller newspapers have space left that needs filling. Your advert may just be the right size to occupy the unfilled space and they may well agree to run your advert for free.

Place your circulars on the windscreens of parked cars. Youngsters will be happy to do this for a few pence. Check first with your Local Council or car park operator to see if this is permitted as regulations do differ quite considerably from one place to another.

Leave sales literature on doorsteps of homes and businesses in your area. Do this on weekends in residential areas and weekdays for businesses. Have your best pulling 1" and 2" adverts made onto a rubber stamp. Then stamp it on envelopes of all your outgoing mail. When you have envelopes printed with your return address, have them also print your best advert directly beneath your address. It costs nothing additional to have this advert printed on the front of your envelopes. Check with the Post Office before doing this as they do have certain restrictions which vary from time to time.

Take advantage of advertising 'specials'. Many publishers offer adverts on a three for the price of two basis. Use the free advert and pocket the difference. In your adverts, always request an S.A.E. then insert some of your other offers in the outgoing mail. This is the same as getting free advertising. Never miss an opportunity to get your offers out to your potential customers - particularly if you can save money at the same time.

Become a 'Mailer'. Get your Printer's lowest price for printing circulars on both sides of the sheet. Contact other dealers and state that you will print and mail their circulars for this price 'with no conflicting adverts on the back'. Then print your circulars on the reverse side and distribute them with your outgoing mail. There is no extra cost for postage or envelopes and your side of the circular is paid for by your customer.

Offer free commission on circulars. Print one of your regular offers on one side, a small commission offer on the reverse and leave space where the mailer can rubber stamp his or her own name and address. Your offer then gets a free ride. If you use a postage meter machine, use the space directly to the left of the stamp imprint for placing a small advert. This way you get a FREE message to your potential customer.

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SURVIVAL TIPS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

You may be in Mail Order, Direct Mail, or you may be a local merchant with 150 employees; whichever, however or whatever - you've got to know how to keep your business alive during economic recessions. Anytime the cash flow in a business, large or small, starts to tighten up, the money management of that business has to be run as a "tight ship." Some of the things you can and should do include protecting yourself from expenditures made on sudden impulse. We've all bought merchandise or services we really didn't need simply because we were in the mood, or perhaps in response to the flamboyancy of the advertising or the persuasiveness of the salesperson. Then we sort of "wake up" a couple of days later and find that we've committed hundreds of dollars of business funds for an item or service that's not essential to the success of our own business, when really pressing items had been waiting for those dollars.

If you are incorporated, you can eliminate these "impulse purchases chases" by including in your by-laws a clause that states: "All purchasing decisions over (a certain amount) are contingent upon approval by the board of directors." This will force you to consider any "impulse purchases" of considerable cost, and may even be a reminder in the case of smaller purchases.

If your business is a partnership, you can state, when faced with a buying decision, that all purchases are contingent upon the approval of a third party. In reality, the third party can be your partner, one of your department heads, or even one of your suppliers. If your business is a sole proprietorship, you don't have much to worry about really, because as an individual you have three days to think about your purchase, and then to nullify that purchase if you think you don't really need it or can't afford it.

While you may think you cannot afford it, be sure that you don't "short-change" your self on professional services. This would apply especially during a time of emergency. Anytime you commit yourself and move ahead without completely investigating all the angles, and preparing yourself for all the contingencies that may arise, you're skating on thin ice. Regardless of the costs involved, it always pays off in the long run to seek out the advice of experienced professionals before embarking on a plan that could ruin you.

As an example, an experienced business consultant can fill you in on the 1244 stock advantages. Getting eligibility for the 1244 stock category is a very simple process, but one with tremendous benefits to your business. The 1244 status encourages investors to put equity capital into your business because in the event of a loss, amounts up to the entire sum of the investment can be written off in the current year. Without the "1244" classification, any losses would have to be spread over several years, and this, of course, would greatly lessen the attractiveness of your company's stock. Any business owner who has not filed the 1244 corporation has in effect cut himself off from 90 percent of his prospective investors.

Particularly when sales are down, you must be "hard-nosed" with people trying to sell you luxuries for your business. When business is booming, you undoubtedly will allow sales people to show you new models of equipment or a new line of supplies; but when your business is down, skip the entertaining frills and concentrate on the basics. Great care must be taken however, to maintain courtesy and allow these sellers to consider you a friend and call back at another time. Your company's books should reflect your way of thinking, and whoever maintains them should generate information according to your policies. Thus, you should hire an outside accountant or accounting firm to figure your return on your investment, as well as the turnover on your accounts receivable and inventory. Such an audit or survey should focus in depth on any or every item within your financial statement that merits special attention. In this way, you'll probably uncover any potential financial problems before they become readily apparent, and certainly before they could get out of hand.

Many small companies set up advisory boards of outside professional people. These are sometimes known as Power Circles and once in place, the business always benefits, especially in times of short operating capital. Such an advisory board or power circle should include an attorney, a certified public accountant, civic club leaders, owners or managers of businesses similar to yours, and retired executives. Setting up such an advisory board of directors is really quite easy, because most people you ask will be honored to serve.

Once your board is set up, you should meet about once a month and present material for review. Each meeting should be a discussion of your business problems and an input from your advisors relative to possible solutions. These members of your board of advisors should offer you advice as well as alternatives, and provide you with objectivity. No formal decisions need to be made either at your board meeting, or as a result of them, but you should be able to gain a great deal from the suggestions you hear.

You will find that most of your customers have the money to pay at least some of what they owe you immediately. To keep them current, and the number of accounts receivable in your files to a minimum, you should call them on the phone and ask for some kind of explanation why they're falling behind. If you develop such a habit as part of your operating procedure, you'll find your invoices will magically be drawn to the front of their piles of bills to pay. While maintaining a courteous attitude, don't be hesitant, or too much of a "nice guy" when it comes to collecting money.

Something else that's a very good business practice, but which few business owners do is to methodically build a credit rating with their local banks. Particularly when you have a good cash flow, you should borrow $100 to $1,000 from your banks every 90 days or so. Simply borrow the money, and place it in an interest bearing account, and then pay it all back at least a month or so before it's due. By doing this, you will in crease the borrowing power of your signature, and strengthen your ability to obtain needed financing on short notice. This is a kind of business leverage that will be of great value to you if or whenever your cash position becomes less favorable.

By all means, join your industry's local and national trade associations. Most of these organizations have a wealth of information available on everything from details on your competitors to average industry sales figures, new products, services, and trends. If you are given a membership certificate or wall plaque, you should display these conspicuously on you office wall. Customers like to see such "seals of approval" and feel additional confidence in your business when they see them.

Still another thing often overlooked: If at all possible, you should have your spouse work in the business with you for at least three or four weeks per year. The important thing is that if for any reason you are not available to run the business, your spouse will be familiar with certain people and situations about your business. These people should include your attorney, accountant, any consultants or advisors, creditors and your major suppliers. The long-term advantages of having your spouse work four weeks per year in your business with you will greatly outweigh the short-term inconvenience. Many couples share responsibility and time entirely, which is in most cases even more desirable.

Whenever you can, and as often as you need it, take advantage of whatever free business counseling is available. The Small Business Administration published many excellent booklets, checklists and brochures on quite a large variety of businesses. These publications are available through the U.S. Government Printing Office. Most local universities, and many private organizations hold seminars at minimal cost, and often without charge. You should also take advantage of the service s offered by your bank and local library.

The important thing about running a small business is to know the direction in which you're heading; to know on a day-to-day basis your progress in that very direction; to be aware of what your competitors are doing and to practice good money management at all times. All this will prepare you to recognize potential problems before they arise. In order to survive with a small business, regardless of the economic climate, it is essential to surround yourself with smart people, and practice sound business management at all times.

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MAKE YOUR BUSINESS SURVIVE # Part I

You may be in Mail Order, Direct Mail, or you may be a local merchant with 150 employees or more; whichever, however or whatever, you've got to know how to keep your business alive during economic recessions. Any time the cash flow in a business, large or small, starts to tighten up - the money management of that business has to be on the ball.

Some of the things you can do and should do, include protecting yourself from expenditures made on sudden impulse. We've all bought things or services we really didn't need, simply because we were in the mood, or perhaps due to the flamboyancy of the advertising, or even because of the persuasiveness of the sales person. Then we sort of "wake up" a couple of days later and find that we've committed business funds to hundreds of dollars for an item or service that's not really essential to the success of our own business.

If you're incorporated, you can eliminate these "impulse purchases" by including within your by-laws a clause that states: "all purchasing decisions over a certain amount are contingent upon approval by the board of directors." This will give you a chance to consider any "impulse purchases" a second time after you've had a chance to think about the need for your purchase.If you're business is a partnership, you can tell whoever it is that attempts to sell you something, that all purchase decisions are contingent upon the approval of a third party. In reality, the third party can be your partner, one of your department heads or even one of your suppliers.

If your business is a sole proprietorship, you don't have much to really worry about because as an individual you have three days to think about your purchase, and then to nullify that purchase if you think you really don't need it or can't afford it. Especially in times of emergency, be sure that you don't "short-change" yourself on professional services. Anytime you commit yourself and move full-speed ahead without fully investigating all the angles, and preparing yourself for all the contingencies that may arise, you're skating on thin ice. Regardless of the costs involved, it always pays off in the long run to seek out the advice or experienced professionals before embarking on a plan that could ruin you.

As an example, an experienced business consultant can fill you in on the 1244 stock or Sub-Chapter S advantages. A very simple process, but one with tremendous monetary benefits to businesses. The 1244 status encourages investors to put equity capital into your business because in the event of a loss, amounts tup to the entire sum of the investment can be written off in the current year. Without the "1244" classification, any losses would have to be spread over several years, and this of course, would severely lessen the attractiveness of your company's stock. Any business owner who has not filed as a 1244 corporation, has in effect, but himself off from 90-percent of his prospective investors.

Particularly when sales are down, you must be "hard-nosed" with people trying to sell youluxuries for your business. When your business is booming, you undoubtedly spend more time allowing different sales people to show you new models of equipment or a new line of better-looking supplies, but when your business is down, skip the entertaining frills and concentrate on the basics. Great care, however, must be taken to maintain courtesy and allow these sellers to consider you a "friend," and call back at another time.

Whoever maintains your company's books should reflect your way of thinking, and generate information according to your policies. Thus, you should hire an outside accountant or accounting firm to figure your return on your investment, as well as the turnover on your accounts receivable and your inventory. Such an audit or survey should focus in depth on any or every item within your financial statement that merits special attention. In this way, you'll probably uncover any potential financial problems before they arise.

Continue To MAKE YOUR BUSINESS SURVIVE # Part II

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THE LURE OF EASY BANKRUPTCY

Here is a true story about bankruptcy, and the advantages it offers. A husband and wife team of practicing psychiatrists, with a joint income of $78,000 per annum, accumulate personal debts totaling $22,000, and also have outstanding a $33,000 mortgage on their com-fortable suburban New York home.

They are not in arears, nor even over their heads. They simply seek more discretionary spending power. Their solution to the problem? They file for bankruptcy and are able to immediately reduce their debt load to a mere 10 cents on the dollar, repayable on an extended schedule in very small amounts. An officer in one of their finance companies notes that they could refinance the mortgage or even sell the house. But you will see in a moment why that was not necessary.

Traditionally, personal bankruptcy has been a desperate last resort for those so deeply in debt and harried by creditors, that there really seemed to be no other solution. The typical profile included low-income, under- educated clerical workers or laborers, or perhaps transient non-homeowners. Common age groups were those who were in their twenties, or those over sixty five years of age. This is no longer the case. Today's profile includes people with good jobs, even families with two incomes. It is not surprising to find those with six-figure incomes declaring bankruptcy. The process comes no longer out of a dire necessity, but it is now a means by which people can rid themselves of debts that cramp their lifestyle.

The most common applicants for bankruptcy include recent college graduates who file in order to avoid paying back government-guaran-teed student loans. Their rationale? They feel society owed them an education. You will also find older, "keep up with the Joneses" types filing for bankruptcy. For suburban executives to Wall Street professionals, they are unwilling to live within their means. The passage of the Federal Bankruptcy Act of 1978 made the whole process much easier. This change significantly liberalized personal filing procedures in the name of consumer rights. Chapter 7 makes no reference at all to the debtor's income. It permits debtors to clear the slate by turning over all their assets except those specifically exempted to creditors. Among the exemptions: Up to $7,500.00 equity in the debtor's house (15,000 if both file); $4,000.00 in accrued dividends; $1,200.00 in automobile equity; $500.00 in jewelry; $200 per category of household items (including clothing, books, etc.) and more!

Chapter 13 requires that debtors show only a regular income to handle a reasonable three-year pay-back plan. The court's definition of reasonable happens to be as little as 1% to 10%, even when a payment of 50% could easily be managed.

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SERVICE BUSINESS

HOW TO MAKE MONEY WITH YOUR OWN ERRAND SERVICE BUSINESS
People are busier than ever and the world around them hasn't changed. Grocerys 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.

Note: Don't transport people or children unless you have the proper licenses. Also, if you delivery messages, there may be state utility regulations you'll need to check into. Emphasize to these people how they will BENEFIT from your service: more time, less worries, less stress. Be competitive with your pricing. Call other delivery services in the area and find out what they charge, whether hourly or by the job. Make your prices competitive and your services personal, and you'll get the edge. Four other good ideas for publicizing your services: advertise in charity event publications that are read by executives; get permission to post your business card at dry cleaners, grocery stores, bakeries, upscale food stores and delis, etc.; produce press releases about your services showcasing a unique aspect of your business, i.e. you specialize in delivering wedding cakes, for example, and get them to all the newspapers and local magazines in the area; and notify senior citizen organizations about the services you offer.

Hints: Know your way around your area extremely well so you can plan the quickest route to efficiently accomplish all your errands. Be assertive, both with potential clients and with places you are visiting for a client. Be friendly, and you'll get more return business. Also, be confidential in respect for your clients. If you're willing to hustle, you can make it in the errand business. Once you get that first steady client, if you're good, you can count on word-of- mouth business. Then you'll really be rolling!

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WIN OVER YOUR FEARS

If you really want to do something you will always find a way.
But if you don't want to do it, you will find execuses.

The easiest way to combat fear is by not using excuses. Instead, you need to look for positive approaches to accomplish your goal. If you want to start a business, attend a meeting at the Better Business Bureau. Read some national magazines like "Income Opportunities" or "Spare Time." Start reading the business section of your newspaper. Gather some ideas and do a little reading before actually jumping into a business. Surely you can find some spare time to read.

Also, begin associating yourself with people who are in their own business already. If you're afraid to go out and make new friends, attend local business-related seminars in your community. Start watching television shows that are related to business. You'll eventually find people to associate with who know others and you'll be the part of a new crowd - the motivating ones!

FEAR is always your enemy. Look at it this way: If you never try, FEAR wins by 100%. However, if you do try, FEAR only has a chance of winning by 50%. If you needed a place to live and only had $10 to your name would you allow FEAR to win and make you homeless? No, most of us would find a job or borrow the money to have a roof over our heads! FEAR is the root of failure, depression and lifelong problems. Are you going
to let FEAR ruin your life?

FEAR also will cause you to lose out on many other things in life. If you FEAR the boss at work is going to fire you _ it will naturally be on your mind day in and day out. It will eventually wear you down and you will begin making mistakes on the job. You will also get depressed and build up resentments that may have never been there in the first place. Facing FEAR head on is the best way to combat it. If you think the boss is going to fire you _ go up and ask him. It takes guts, but isn't it better than putting yourself through many months of agonizing torture? Are you full of so much FEAR to even ask him because you think it will trigger him to say "yes" when he might not have been considering it at all? Believe me _ asking a boss "if" they are thinking about firing you will put you in no different position than you are now. In fact _ it will have the
opposite effect.

The boss will more than likely respect you for your candidness and ability to face FEAR head-on. Is FEAR holding you back from a lot of things? Are you afraid to confront people and tell them how you really feel? Do you smile in their face and talk about them behind their back? What's so hard about being truthful but using tact? Doesn't it get rid of FEAR and solve many problems? Complaining is also an act that emotionally drains you and goes hand-in-hand with FEAR. In fact, FEAR is normally the root of any complaint. People don't want to admit their FEAR so they will complain to release some tension. This is a crazy merry-go-round! Instead of complaining, try to find ways to solve the problem.

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How To Sell Royalties

Here is a way to cash-in on your ideas. If they are unique some company just may be willing to pay big bucks for some of them. This report explains how to protect your ideas to make sure that you get paid for them. Your saleable ideas can be something tangible or intangible. Ideas include such things as mechanical things, chemical compounds, designs, works of art, advertising and business plans, ideas for improving a design, flavor, etc.

Of an existing product or service. Many thousands of dollars are paid out to idea men each year by industries. If your idea will increase production, increase sales or improve the product, they will be willing to pay substantial money when they accept it. First, you must know how to protect the ideas that you generate. Ideas that are made public by word of mouth or even in writing become public property unless you first make an agreement to retain all rights to your ideas. Let s say that you have an idea for increasing the sales of an existing product for company A. Write them a letter similar to this one in duplicate: Gentlemen: I have developed a new idea for increasing the sales of your product.

This new method will not increase your costs in any manner. If you are interested in the full details I shall forward them to you upon receipt of the below signed agreement. AGREEMENT TO REVIEW IDEA. We the undersigned agree to receive in confidence full details about an idea for increasing the sales of widget s as submitted by (your name). It is further understood that we assume no responsibility whatever with respect to features which can be demonstrated to be already known to us. We also agree not to divulge any details of the
idea submitted without permission of (your name) or to make use of any feature of information of which (your name) is the originator without payment of compensation to be fixed by negotiation with (your name) or his lawful representative.

It is specifically understood that in receiving the idea of (your name) it will be reviewed in confidence and within a 30 day period we will report to (your name) the results of our findings and will advise whether or not we are interested in negotiating for the purchase of the rights to use said idea. Have them sign both copies and return one to you.

Then you must submit complete details of your idea to the company after they review your idea they must by law follow the instructions of the agreement. Many idea men are earning substantial money following this procedure. The sky is the limit buy make darn sure that you first get the agreement signed prior to disclosing your idea. Otherwise no go! To increase chances of having ideas accepted spend lots of time preparing complete minute details before you submit them. This is the key! Include illustrations of drawings if it's
necessary to get the story over.

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Cleaning Up Profits

The continuing growth of families with two paychecks is a good indication that maid services are booming. Two paychecks also mean that time is limited for busy families. In fact, more than their cleaning skills or the type of cleaning equipment they use, the success of maid service is premised on two factors: time and Convenience. With both husband and wife working, the couple of neigh has the time nor the energy to do housework.

Plus, the principle of delegated work simply suggests that "... if the work that needs to be done can be farmed out to someone who will do it for less than what you can earn given the same amount of time needed to do the job, it is better to pay someone else to DDO the job for you. If for anything else, doing housework that fits descreption.

A clean SYSTEM
Knowing how to clean a house is no guarantee of success in the housecleaning Business. The key to a successful cleaning business is good organization and systematic process that lends to an efficient cleaning routine. Most maid service operators recommend the team system, with two to three maids in a team who visit the same accounts, homes or businesses, every week or every day. Teams divide their chores, rotating tasks among team members, from one account to the next, in order to reduce monotony.

Getting Started
In finding clientele, target your advertising efforts, in terms of both the demographic and geographic distribution of your desired audience. Although maid service is no longer for the rich, it is not for low-income Markets either. You must be aware of where your prospective accounts are located, zip codes on which to focus your efforts. When setting up your rate structure, consider your hourly fee per employee and to estimate how longt Cleaning will take.

Provide a base rate while allowing for optional services at extra charge. When meeting with clients for the first time, try to upsell add-on services.

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WORK WITH PAWNSHOPS

A pawnbroker makes loans on personal property left as collateral.The property can be redeemed when the loan plus interest is repaid. The interest rates for pawnshops, which may be regulated by state or local laws, may range from 5% to 6% a month. Loans can usually be renewed, but only if the interest for the original period has been paid.

Pawnbrokers will accept a variety of personal property as collateral.Usually, items that are small or of modest value (jewelry, clocks, computers,camcorders, silverware, etc.) Brokers won't lend more money than they think they can get if the pledged item is not redeemed and has to be sold.When a pledged item is not redeemed, brokers are required to notify pawners that the loan period has expired and to give them a final opportunity to redeem their personal property before the broker has the right to sell the item. In some jurisdictions, brokers may keep all the money received from the sale of the unredeemed pledge. In other cases, the broker may only keep the original loan and any interest due, but must turn any excess over to the pawner.

In many states, pawnbrokers are required by law to file with the local police a daily list of items that have been pledged. They must report and give a description of the object along with serial number and other points of identification. This gives the police an opportunity to check these pledge items against any list of reported stolen items. In somebody buys a stolen item from a pawnbroker, it must be returned, and the broker must refund the purchase price to the customer.

DEBT LIMIT. Installment debt should not exceed 10% of take-home pay. A debt ratio of 20% indicates trouble ahead. However, when computing for your debt ratio, you must not include mortgage payments in the amount of debt.

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