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Marketing and promotion is an important aspect of any business. But how do you determine if there is a market for your service? The following are some questions that you should explore:

(1) Is there a clear need for my service not currently being met?

(2) Is my market a local one and can it be promoted nationally?

(3) Is my market easily reachable through personal contact, advertising, or publicity?

(4) Who and how big is my competition?

(5) How does the competition obtain business?

(6) Who are their customers?

It is important that you both define a real need for your service, and also be able to reach your potential customers in a cost effective manner. Who will your primary customers be - schools, business people, college students, etc.? You need to know!

There are many books available at your local library that will help you identify your market. You will also learn how to interpret market testing data.

Regardless of the kind of computer business you begin, success will be virtually impossible without clients or sales. For the new home business it is extremely important that you begin to generate accounts and sales as quickly as possible.

Marketing is a general term that describes advertising and promotion. Advertising and promotion can result in cost-effective methods of building sales. Although they go hand in hand, they are distinctly different ideas.

When a product or service is promoted it is more easily sold than when it is just advertised. Customers are more easily convinced when someone other than the designer or producer recommends the product or service. Spending a large sum of money to publish a half page advertisement in your local newspaper may not produce as much business as a press release of the same amount of space. Good promotion pays big dividends, and the most effective promotion is often good media publicity. It's also cost effective, and usually influences more people than costly advertising. Promoting your products and services with the help of other individuals or companies can bring quick, satisfying results, as can promoting them and yourself through "publicity" in the media.

On the following pages you will discover a range of personal computer business plans to choose from. You don't have to be a computer genius to start or operate any of these businesses. Most of these businesses can be started with off-the-shelf software that you may already own.

Computers are the fastest growing segment of the American economy. Many people want knowledge about computers. This has created a market for providing information in the form of computer camps, schools, courses, books, publications and workshops.

There are computer services in accounting, taxes, financial planning, word processors, mailing lists, and inventory, just to name a few. The demand for computer hardware, software, printers, and other add-on computer devices has created a sales outlet demand. Computers are the fastest growing segment of the American economy. Additionally, the increasing number of computers has resulted in an increasing demand for servicing centers. Anyone who can repair computers should never be unemployed.

Hopefully on the following pages you will discover a computer business that will interest you enough to turn your dreams into reality. Choose those that you would enjoy, that would be fun, that can earn you profits, and success.

A wide variety of off-the-shelf software is available that can assist you in providing custom made diets for millions of Americans that are concerned about dieting, body building, and nutrition in general. Usually, all the software requires you to do is enter information about the person's height, weight, body type, weight goal and physical activity. The software may even have a client questionnaire already prepared for you. After the questionnaire is completed by your customer, you simply enter the information into your system and a custom diet is provided instantly!

Amazingly, you don't even have to be a nutrition expert to get started in this business. Step-by-step instructions will help you feel confident about preparing diets for virtually anyone. The information you will be providing to your customers will include not only foods they need to meet their goal, but food they enjoy.

The field is wide open for this type of consulting service and you should easily be able to charge a fee of $35 consultation and another $25 for the program. Your consultation, set-up, and program delivery should not exceed two hours. Adjust your fee accordingly depending on your area and competition.

This is a business that can be done in your home or your client's home. Millions of Americans are for various reasons afraid, or just too busy to fill in the blanks on their tax forms. Is would almost seem as if people feel they are supposed to go to a tax preparer instead of completing the forms that really aren't all that complicated. After all, there are line by line instructions. Perhaps the manila envelope stuffed full of receipts is too much to bother with. In any event, clients seem to be in awe of anyone who makes it all look simple.

Contrary to popular belief, an extensive knowledge of tax laws is not necessary for this business. You are required to simply fill in the blanks, not give legal advice. Knowledge of simple arithmetic is all you need. Computer software will handle anything more complex.

After familiarizing yourself with the current annual rules and regulations you can begin. Informational publications are available from your local IRS office. You can also get information by connecting your computer to a telephone line through a device known as a "modem." You can then call for information on how to complete a particular form, laws, regulations, etc. You can also print the information for future use. Select the software you need and prepare yourself for about three and one-half months of great profits. Check with the competition if you aren't sure what to charge.

You've heard the saying "there's someone for everyone." Now you can play cupid and make money doing it by matching the millions of single Americans who are looking for companionship and romance. Many people just stop looking for that special someone out there, because he or she isn't that easy to find. Now, with your help they can find that special person that was just meant for them.

Providing a service that makes people happy can be fun, fulfilling, and profitable. if you really enjoy people, and helping people, they will be drawn to you like a magnet. They will look to you not only as a professional who can bring happiness into their lives, but as a compassionate, understanding, and caring friend.

To begin with you should check out some books at your local library on compatibility and devise a questionnaire. Contact other dating services, study their methods and formulate your own material. Keep in mind that a questionnaire must reflect a person's total interests. A "rate by scale" questionnaire may best reflect a person's limit of interest in any area. For example, on a scale of 1-10 what number best represents how much you enjoy sailing, bowling, going to the movies, jogging, etc. After you have devised a questionnaire, put together a simple database on your computer consisting of a name, address, phone number and blanks for questionnaire input. You will then use the database to supply output to match the most compatible answers between people you are working with. Check with the competition to determine what fees are being charged in your area and then begin to place your ads for customers.

You can get a nice cut of typing job profits simply by acting as a typing broker. Everywhere you look there are secretarial services available, but what about a broker that brings the clients and typists together! This field is wide open!

There is always a demand for typing and word processing services, and the typing broker provides a service of "fast turn around" satisfaction to everyone concerned. You don't even have to know how to type. Your main responsibility is to find qualified typists and then supply them with jobs you have received from the business community.

By setting up a simple database you will be able to contact typists who specialize in any field instantly, and know within minutes how soon a job will be completed. Everyone operates on deadlines, and being able to tell a client exactly when a job will be ready means repeat business. Speed and accuracy is the key to success in this area.You can find typists in classifieds, colleges, and bulletin boards, in addition to typing services that are advertised. Tell them you'll do the advertising and provide the job assignments for a per page fee. Check the competition and stick to your area's fee structure guidelines.

Have you ever forgotten a special event. Mother's Day, a birthday, an anniversary? Now you can make huge profits simply because people are forgetful.

If you give your computer the necessary information, it will tell you who is to be reminded, about what, what needs to be done, and how to do it. A customer that has to be reminded can either be called, e-mailed, or receive a postcard that will indicate the time, date, event, etc. that is about to occur.

The list of what people need to be reminded of is endless. Your sales letter should be combined with your application form, and point out that to forget is human, but dates and feelings are important. Your business is to keep your customer posted so that a mother's birthday, for example, is not forgotten, meetings are not overlooked, business associates are not slighted, and other important dates are remembered.

The main skill you will require is to be more organized than your customers. You can advertise by display advertising, direct mail, or through telephone sales. Your potential customer is virtually anyone. For an annual fee you can allow a set amount of reminders, and on a sliding scale determine a fee for reminders above what you normally allow. This can be a very profitable business.

The purpose of this business is to match up potential roommates. Just about every city and medium sized town in America has employees, senior citizens, college students, and people from all walks of life that are looking for someone to share living expenses with. With your computer you can meet their needs. You can accomplish this by having your clients complete a questionnaire about themselves that would include what type of person they would like to live with. You can then let your computer match up people with similar interests and needs.

There is a definite advantage in meeting a prospective roommate and learning something about them prior to making a commitment to share an apartment or home together. You will have the opportunity to provide a great service in helping your clients make the right decision.

You can market your business by advertising your service in local newspapers, bulletin boards, colleges, senior citizen centers, etc., and charge up to $25 or more for providing 2-3 match names or whatever your area market will bear. You should easily be able to process 50 applications for your service per month, and earn $1,000-$1,500 or more in your spare time.

In this real estate oriented business you can make substantial profits by creating target market listings that will save the buyer time and money. In addition to providing a great service to the buyer, you can also provide invaluable information to a seller and agents.

To accomplish this you can create your own version of a realtors "multiple listings" book, in the form of a newsletter or booklet. You can finance your newsletters, booklet, magazine, etc., by selling space to anyone who sells real estate and in turn sell your accumulated data to buyers.

To get started you need names of people who will advertise, such as banks and title companies, commercial brokers, real estate agents, etc., and data regarding the properties you will be listing which you will receive from the advertisers. Study other publications to learn how listings, ads, photos, etc., are displayed. Practice before you go to print by making "dummy" copies of your publication.

You can start your business almost anywhere with low costs and great profits. Your newsletter or publication should sell for at least five times the cost of production. An hourly wage and other overhead costs should be included in your fee structure. Designing a questionnaire regarding what customers/clients are looking for in real estate property will help you narrow the search. For example, does the home have a fireplace, recreation room, pool, double or single garage, microwave oven, etc. Don't overlook any target market as you expand your listings. Remember, to make big money you must have the information that buyers are looking for.

Everyone is interested in their roots and would like to know more about their family history. A personal computer is well suited to sort out and arrange family histories into meaningful and interesting information.

Millions of Americans would like to trace their family histories, and software has been designed to help you with the process. With the latest software you can easily structure a family tree system for anyone.

In this business you need primary and secondary information. Primary information is what you receive directly from your customer on a questionnaire that you provide. Secondary is the information you gather from public sources such as census records. Primary information helps you acquire secondary information.

You can start by advertising your services in your local newspaper, bulletin boards, etc., and expand to direct mail campaigns. Because this business involves researching records, etc. you should charge an hourly fee that is structured to include wages and costs involved such as long distance telephone calls, postage, copies, etc. You should easily earn up to $100 and more for each job.

In this business the object is to locate unique items for your customers. Because most people don't know how to go about finding certain items, or just don't have the time to conduct their own search, you could provide a service that is in demand.

People who are searching for antiques, old coins, collectibles, parts to restore classic cats, or even tubes for an old Zenith TV, could turn to you and your computer service to locate what they need. You can specialize in one area or find anything a customer requests.

To get started you can place classified ads in your local newspaper, utilize bulletin boards, or tap into electronic bulletin boards (BBS’s) with the use of your modem to find what your customer is looking for. To market your service you can also run classified ads in the appropriate specialty magazines.

Because your service is unique, you can charge a flat fee, an hourly fee plus expenses, or a commission fee to buyers and sellers. If you're searching for a high value item, a commission agreement could mean a handsome finder's fee. In this business you can also request payment from your customers in advance.

Direct mail, display and classified ads may be the best way to advertise your specialty service. Always state that your search will cost nothing unless you locate the item wanted. For rare and unique items allow yourself at least six months.

Computer technology has made it possible for the 9-5 office secretary of yesterday to set their own hours and earn more money, all in the privacy of their own homes. Word processing software has made secretarial skills available to anyone who owns a personal computer. Compatible word processing software and the skill to operate a computer is all you need to state your own secretarial service.

A home computer can allow you to do the work of two, three, or even four traditional secretaries. More and more businesses have discovered that it's more cost effective to utilize secretarial computer services, especially if the business isn't using computers or doesn't require a full time secretary.

The advantages of having a computer business at home is obvious. In addition to setting your own hours, you can brush up on skills, and expand your business at your own pace. You will discover there are programs that correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation. There are also Thesaurus programs that cross check synonyms and provide alternative words.

You can advertise your service in local newspapers, direct mail, or by telephone, and charge by the job or hourly rates. Check with the competition to determine what services are being offered and what charges the market area will sustain.

Experts charge up to $500 and more for a single handwriting analysis. Handwriting analysis is done for the purpose of understanding a person's personality. Handwriting analysis or "Graphology" is being used more and more by corporations and businesses of all sizes to screen applicants.

The only skill you need in this business is to integrate your computer software, scanner and printer to give you the equipment needed to process handwriting analysis. You will of course have to become familiar with graphology, but there are many books available on the subject.

The science of handwriting analysis is based upon variations found in individual writing loops, slants, dots, curves, etc., and different styles that each say something about a person's personality. After you do some reading on the subject, you can then enter information into your computer that will allow you to analyze the data. Once your customer provides a sample of his or her handwriting, your computer will study it and print out an analysis.

People from all walks of life are always interested in having an analysis done for personal or professional reasons. You can easily charge $25 or more per analysis and set up just about anywhere.

This computer business will allow you to help individuals live healthier lives, while you develop a healthier bank account!

The purpose of this business is to create nutritionally tailored plans that are compatible with your customer's requirements.

You can start this business with little overhead or expertise, but a general knowledge of nutrition will be necessary. A wide variety of books on the subject of nutrition and vitamins should be available at your local library or bookstore. A wide variety of off-the-shelf custom diet planning software is also available that can be used to establish programs for individual clients. Visit with your local computer sales specialist to determine which programs would best suit your needs.

To get started, select the proper software and prepare a questionnaire for your clients. (A questionnaire may be included in your software package to be used as a reference.)

In this specialized area you should target your market by advertising in pharmacies, health stores, fitness centers, etc. Your fee can be set at whatever the market in your area will bear.

A payroll preparation service could be very profitable both to you and your customers. Many businesses still do their payroll by hand, which can be very time consuming and costly depending on the size of the business. With your computer doing all of the hard and accurate work, you could literally service dozens of accounts.

As an expert specializing in payroll preparation, merchants and businesses of all sizes can supply you with enough work to provide you with an excellent income. All you need is the right program(s) to run check preparations.

Before you print up a brochure, sales letter, etc. to advertise your business, check with the competition to see what services they are offering, and at what cost. Let prospective customers know who you are by handing out business cards wherever you go. Be sure to indicate the services you provide.

As long as there are computers there will be a demand for computer consultants. Your business can be set up virtually anywhere. All you really have to know is what a computer can or cannot do, or know where to get the information. You should also know the difference between computers, software, and computer accessories. What you will be selling is information and knowledge.

Besides your personal experience, you can get information from computer stores, operation manuals, magazine ads, computer magazines, other users, and your local library. To be a consultant you must know, or know how to get, information that customers are looking for.

Many people and businesses are willing to pay a consultant because they want equipment that is suited for their needs. They also want a professional to train themselves or their staff in an efficient, professional, and timely manner. One way to advertise your service is to offer computer dealers (sales and rental) a referral fee for every client they send to you. The most common however is by direct mail or display ads. Whatever method you use, always point out that your services are less costly than buying the wrong equipment. Computer consultants charge up to $100 an hour, so learn the business and enjoy the rewards.

Most businesses do not enjoy the bookkeeping aspect of their business. Those who are still doing bookkeeping the old fashioned way spend hours on a process that can take you only minutes on your personal computer. If you enjoy working with numbers and have a small amount of bookkeeping knowledge, you can look forward to a steady income in this business.

If you visit your local computer or software store, you will quickly learn that there are many bookkeeping software packages available to meet your business requirements. If you're a novice at bookkeeping, teach yourself the basics by visiting your local library, or take a short course at a local community college.

When you begin all you have to supply is the knowledge, and your customers will supply the numbers. You may have to spend a little time with a client in the beginning to determine what their needs are, and if their system could be improved.

Every small business is a potential customer. To begin with, place an ad in the business section of your local newspaper. Have business cards printed up and distribute them to all businesses you come into contact with. When you begin to get customers, charge a set fee for setting up the books and a monthly rate thereafter. Check with other services to determine what the market will be at in fees.

If you know how to type, you can turn that skill into a highly profitable business by typing jobs on your home computer, inserting a code for typesetting equipment, and then transmitting the completed work to a typesetter on a disk or via modem. What you are doing in effect is preparing computer files to be typeset. You can do the typing job yourself, or take a customer's prepared disk file, insert the proper code for a typesetter, and deliver or transmit the material. Using this method you can process jobs ranging from book size manuscripts, magazines, and newsletters, to resumes, sales letters, and invitations. Virtually any type of printing job can be completed with this process.

What you must know to begin this business are the codes that are entered into a computer file that allows typesetting equipment to print in boldface or some other typeface. You can contact companies or individuals that operate computer typesetting equipment by referring to your telephone book under "Typesetting." You must determine what codes they use, and what computers and software can be used to communicate with their equipment. Investigate the differences thoroughly.

You can market your service through classified ads, direct mail, telephone book listings, business magazines, or any other media that targets business and writers. Your ad type should represent your typesetting service and look professional. This business will provide an excellent year-round full or part-time income.

In this business you can tailor your computer teaching programs around an individual's needs. By providing a tailoring service for children, you can help students advance far beyond video games in learning the potential of computers. You can also help students who may have difficulty learning, by introducing programs in spelling, math, foreign languages, etc. You, in effect, can supplement a student's educational needs.

You don't need a teacher's certificate in this business. You will require good planning and organizational skills, and be familiar with software that will benefit a student's weak areas of understanding.

You can get your service started by talking with teachers and parents, and advertising your tutoring services in local newspapers, bulletin boards, etc. When a potential customer contacts you, offer a one-time fee consultation with the student and parents for the purpose of developing a schedule that is a suitable study program based on the individual's needs.

You can see a one-time fee for a series of appointments, or charge on an as-per tutoring session. To determine what your fee should be, place an hourly session value on your time, plus a pro-rated program cost. For example, if you have 10 students, 1/10 of the costs should be applied to each student.

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought

From the "Declaration of Principals" jointly adopted by a committee of the American Bar Association and a committee of Publishers and Associations.

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