Books:

Discovered! 505
Odd Enterprises

Hidden Dollars

How to Make
Money at Home

Small Business
of Your Own

You Can Own
a Business

Contacts were made with local stores that had delinquent debtors. He offered to collect the old accounts on a 20 per cent commission basis. In four stores he got about 2000 bills to collect. The first day's collection was not heavy, but on his second trip to the homes of the debtors, it was a different story. Most of them paid their obligations. Many of the delinquents lived in rather pretentious neighborhoods. They simply didn't like the idea of the bright yellow car parked in front of their homes. It attracted attention and indicated to neighbors that they owed bills. To get rid of this nuisance they "ponyed up"—paid their accounts.

These reverse collection tactics worked for the young man. Moreover, the car, with its glaring message, captured the attention of merchants, and little difficulty was experienced in getting old accounts to handle. The National Collection Agency was a success and the owner is reported to have made at least $50 a week, with ease.

Possibly this type of collection agency service could be started in other communities. An office in a building is not necessary. It could be conducted right from one's home. Business cards could be distributed to merchants. A picture of the car could be put on the cards, with an appropriate statement appearing thereunder; i.e. "This car collects the money when everything else fails". Or brief details about the service could be prepared on a circular for distribution to prospective clients.

In conducting a collection service of this nature, only the "hopeless" or "dead-beat" accounts should be solicited.

CHURCHES BUY 50,000 STAMPS—518
Here's a new type of mail order service one fellow in Indiana launched with no little success. It had to do with a plan to stimulate attendance at Sunday School.

His successful mail order business was built around 12 individual gummed colored stamps bearing quotations from the Bible. There were two different sets of these stamps. He also provided handsome albums to hold each set.

To reach his prospects he circularized pastors of various churches by means of a double post card. Inside the double post card was a sample stamp and a brief but clear-cut explanation of what the stamps were intended for.

Unlike other post card selling, this one was merely used to get inquiries, rather than sell direct. When the inquiry came, a 16 page booklet of suggestions, information, a proof of one set of 12 stamps, sample album, price and enlistment card went to that particular church. The plan was an immediate success and as many as 200 churches reported a 20 per cent increase in attendance. Over 50,000 stamps were eagerly purchased at the start by these churches.

This plan is a variation, and on a higher scale, of the well-known "Go To Sunday School," "Come To Church" seals that are being used by many churches. These seals are used on backs of letters, packages, etc. Not only do church members buy them, but they also act as Agents.

In the attendance stimulator plan a small prize was offered when the first album was filled. A larger prize was given when the second album was filled. When the Sunday School student attended class consistently for 4 weeks, he was given an additional "Second Album" stamp.

A well-planned Church campaign like this one undoubtedly had to succeed. It wasn't a case of merely buying stamps with Bible quotations on them. It was the well-planned step-by-step procedure of the plan itself that stimulated its success.

Today many Churches are looking for ways and means to raise attendance, and to raise funds. This plan, with the aid of an able advertising writer, can be worked with unfailing success in other states. The prize offered for perfect attendance is usually of a religious nature, a deluxe edition of the Bible, or any other religious article. Or, the churches could use their own funds and purchase a worth-while prize of their own to bring up the attendance.

A BEAUTY PARLOR ON WHEELS—519-523
The "Beauty Parlor On Wheels" is a natural for girls who like to travel, share in many exciting adventures all over the country and still make money in year-around "vacation" traveling.

Two girls in a two-wheeled trailer made this venture payoff big. In their trailer they brought permanents, facials, and manicures right to their clients' front doors. That is, small towns or resorts that were miles away from beauty shops. Busy housewives greeted this novel "beauty parlor" with open arms. Women in the hinterlands who hadn't had a permanent wave for many years readily accepted the offer for a permanent wave right on the spot.

In other villages the girls received permission from town officials to plug their equipment in on the town power line in a central location. Business flourished to the extent that advance booking had to be made by the girls. Customers were so plentiful that working hours started at 9 A.M. and many times never stopped until 11 P.M.

Many villages have mills or manufacturing plants where hundreds of girls are employed. The "beauty parlor" on wheels could do an excellent business in front of the plant after quitting time. Announcements could be made in advance to the effect that a beauty parlor will be camped in front of the mill for one week. Girls who ordinarily would have to go miles to the nearest beauty shoppe would gladly condescend to be "beautified" after work.

The trailer idea isn't limited to girls with beauty parlor equipment. "Tailors In A Trailer" toured all over the United States making their living as they toured the country repairing trousers and sewing on buttons. One man was reported to have made $100,000 in one year fitting miners and their families with tailor-made suits.

Meat can also be sold from a trailer shop. An enterprising gentleman, living in a sparsely populated district out in the country, travels around from one small community to another selling a full selection of meats from his store on wheels. He arranges his schedule so that his traveling meat market spends one day a week in six different communities. The country town folk looked forward to his weekly visits.

The trailer idea should be given plenty of consideration. The salesman goes after the business instead of waiting for it to come to him. The bankroll many salesman sport would make the ordinary "store" business man green with envy. It always pays to go after the business in any line of endeavor.

There is no doubt about it, the trailer is going to be used more and more for business purposes in the years ahead! However, some business men will use the trailer as a means of traveling from one location to another. They'll use the trailer to store a small supply of goods, but on the whole, the trailer will be used for living purposes only.

For example, take the case of one veteran who travels around the state visiting small golf courses and large golf courses. His merchandise is small and easy to carry. Takes up very little space in the trailer and the profit is large enough on each unit sold to make it unnecessary to sell a large volume of items.

He leaves a "nut-cracker" arrangement or device that is used to imprint or indent the owner's name into a golf ball with the dealer operating the club store. Every golf course has a club house. The consignment method is used temporarily until he can get out on the course—play a bit of golf with some of the fellows—and advertise his device. Usually enough players drop in at the club house and buy the stock on hand to induce the manager to put in a cash order for more of the novel "nut-crackers."

They sell for around $10 and the profit is large enough to assure him of a net profit of $25 to $40 a day. If he can't place a cash order with the clubhouse then he will leave a few on consignment. If any are sold the store manager is requested to mail the remittance to him and a supply of addressed return envelopes is left with the merchandise. As he travels around all the time he has to have one central address (possibly a friends) and from here the mail is forwarded to wherever he may be at the time. Sometimes he writes to the firms that handle the golf supplies and novelties he sells and tells them what his traveling schedule will be for the next six months. The advertising departments of these companies will then cooperate by mailing literature to each clubhouse, seeing to it that the letters arrive just a few days ahead of his visit.

The repeat orders for more "crackers" plus the repeat orders for supplies (inks, plates, holders, type letters, etc.) is large, making it necessary for him to go back over the same territory every so often. Some day he hopes to handle some of this work by mail. There is room for other operators to work this plan in their own state.

ONLY THE MAILMAN KNOWS—524
When she was forced to earn her living, another western woman conceived the ingenious idea of building roadside mailboxes, but these were not the ordinary kind. They were miniature reproductions of the homes which they served. She created them with her own hands in her own home workshop. These model-home mail boxes wert made to order, following the lines and color scheme of any particular dwelling. Many movie stars engaged her to build such mail boxes for their homes. The miniatures add to the attractiveness of any home as well as the landscape and are placed on a post by the side of the front walk or pathway. This type of business could be duplicated in many communities throughout the country. The mailman knows they are for mail, but to all others they are a garden decoration.

BATHROOM ETCHINGS—525
After leaving college, a certain young man wondered if he could not make money from an idea he had thought about for quite awhile. He had learned how to etch glass in his chemistry course. After a bit of practice he discovered that he could produce a very attractive liquid medicine container by etching the name on a standard-sized bottle. He bought up a carton of these bottles in a good, clear glass and proceeded to etch the names of medicinal products common to most medicine cabinets, such as cough medicine, aspirin, laxative, glycerin, hand lotion, boric acid, witch hazel, peroxide, etc. He sold sets of four of these etched bottles to friends and relatives. Later he sold them to others by hiring agents to follow up the many inquiries he was receiving. It was also necessary to hire some one to help him with the etching work.

As an inducement for his agents, he offered to etch two additional bottles and offer them as a premium for every set sold. Therefore, the agent could offer the housewife a complete set of six bottles, two of them lettered with whatever she so desired. Orders were also taken for custom-made sets for baby's toilet articles, or for specially labeled containers for medicines used by some invalid.

Tiny match boxes topped with mirrors appropriately etched were also good sellers. These were ideal for bridge prizes. Sometimes dad could be sold a matching set of bottles labeled "Bourbon", "Rye," "Scotch," etc., or bottles with his name thereon. Larger mirrored cigarette boxes with the names of the popular cigarette brands etched on the tops were popular for bridge prizes and also for the housewife's own home.

This process can be mastered and interested readers can obtain many books on the subject of etching. The process consists of spreading wax on the glass surface, sketching in the desired outline with a steel point, and then allowing hydrofluoric acid fumes to come in contact with the exposed glass. A partner with this knowledge could handle the actual etching work, if more practical, and the promoter handling the marketing of the useful product. Just keep in mind that the bathroom cabinet in the average home is rather unsightly and there is often the danger of getting the wrong bottle. A cabinet would certainly look neater and smarter if a good many of the containers were uniform and attractive in appearance. Bottles could be devised to serve as containers for such items as new razor blades and used blades, bandages and dressings, adhesive tape and absorbent cotton, castor oil, mineral oil, bicarbonate of soda, petroleum jelly, boric acid, ointment, rubbing alcohol, etc. A panel on the back of each jar or bottle could be used for direction-labels, pasted in the panel insert if necessary.

HOUSE OF WIDOWS—526
Did you ever think about the thousands and thousand of lonely widows in this country? Most of them, according to statistics, live alone, but the chances are they don't like it. The solution to such a situation, it seems, would be an exclusive residential club, a place that could provide friendly meetings for tea, cards, special events and general social events. There are some few exclusive clubs in successful operation, particularly in the larger cities, but they cater to wealthy widows, a limited group. Most widows happen to be in the middle class, and apparently have been overlooked insofar as providing them with suitable club facilities.

A club to serve the middle classes might operate in an ordinary apartment building; the number of apartments needed would depend on the extent of the membership. With the aid of a little imagination, the originator of such an "institution" or club, could make it quite cozy and attractive, with a "home-like" atmosphere. Lectures, concerts, and other such entertainment would all have their place in such a club.

CLIMATE DATA FOR THE AILING—527
Here's a specialized service idea that has promise of developing into a good business. Strange as it may seem, there is no assembled information readily available to ailing folks describing the climatic conditions in various states that are favorable to certain diseases and afflictions. For instance, certain climates are conducive to alleviating certain ailments. People with asthma find the climate in one section of the country helpful to their condition. Those suffering from tuberculosis get along better in hot climates, such as Arizona. The afflicted also want to have dependable information about living conditions in the places.

Much valuable and reliable information can be obtained by writing to hundreds of Chambers of Commerce in various states. As an illustration: The Prescott, Arizona, Chamber of Commerce will tell you that their town is especially good for asthma sufferers and will tell you why. By compiling the necessary information about various places, it could be couched in a little booklet, and should be worth $1 or more to those interested.

Advertisements could be inserted in various magazines, such as Physical Culture and "health" magazines mentioning the booklet. Names and addresses of people suffering from different illnesses could be obtained from regular List Bureaus, and literature describing the booklet could be mailed directly to these prospects. It must be remembered that nearly every state in the union has certain communities that are good for different kinds of illnesses. For the reason that each state has different climatic conditions, different elevations, different kinds of weather at certain times of the year.

COMBINING A FARM WITH A CAFE—528-529
Taking in $500,000 in a single year is a lot of money, but one Californian did just that operating a roadside farm and cafe providing motorists with berry pies, fresh produce, fried chicken, nursery stock and cut flowers. Over 100,000 cars stopped by his place in a year.

The owner's whole family works hard and they all pull together, yet they find wholesome enjoyment in their work. It was a long, hard pull, however. At the start they only had a little stand and served just berries, pie and coffee, and now the business comprises a 160 acre farm and a very large cafe accommodating more than 700 people at one time. An average Sunday business serves 5,000 dinners.

Nearly the entire farm is devoted to producing berries and vegetables to supply the daily needs. Artichokes, rhubarb, asparagus find their way direct from the field to the kitchen, and the house's specialty is boysenberries. Extra juicy berries with many of them an inch and a half long, and what a delicious pie these berries make!

Eighty-five girls are hired to take care of the crowds on busy days. Two daughters in the family take care of the dining room. The girls that are hired are picked for their appearance and ability in meeting and serving the public. In the homelike kitchen there are 80 women cooks, each one specializes in one particular part of the dinner—pie makers, chicken fryers, biscuit makers. Here everything produced on the farm is prepared for the table.

This kitchen makes the kind of old-fashioned chicken dinner that the city dweller wants, and they come back again and again. The berry market next to the cafe is quite attractive. The produce from the farm is sold here and it always looks as though it still had the morning dew on it, fresh from the fields. People also like the place for things that are not there—no posters, no sales talk—just the irresistible appeal of plain, wholesome farm food. The proprietor's son manages the market.

Visitors are impressed with the rock garden and waiting room with a beautiful George Washington fireplace in one comer and an old stone mill in the other. Many people come back from time to time merely to stroll among the rock arrangement and study the general layout to get ideas for their own flower gardens at home. Wishing wells, waterfalls, cool spots, more gardens, redwood tree slabs all add to the effect of this unusual farm enterprise.

Due to his interest in early western life, the owner built a ghost town on the place which has an old-time hotel, stagecoaches, adobe buildings, patios, newspaper office, assayer's office, Chinese laundry, barber shop, Silver Dollar Bar, livery stable, a jail and a western cemetery. The reality of the place is enhanced by the presence of wax dummy figures, and there is even a facsimile desert mine. A little chapel was built on a little lake which is right on the grounds.

There is an outdoor field market where one of his men sell the fruits and vegetables brought there in boxes. Sold right from the wagons.

In 355 weeks this place has served a total of 2,800,000 dinners and there probably isn't another place that will surpass this record. The deep, 10-inch, three pound boysenberry pies bring the customers back again and again. The roadside market sold over $100,000 worth of products in a year. At peak periods 300 to 400 people are employed and many of these are neighbors. One son has collected 60 kinds of fluorescent rocks with brilliant hues visible only when exposed to invisible ultrashort-ray lights. They are displayed in a dark room where visitors press buttons which turn on the rays.

When the customers come too fast to be seated immediately, the girls send them out to see the old blacksmith shop, the Wells Fargo stage depot, the whole two acre ghost town. Because the people got so interested in all this, it was necessary to install a loudspeaker system to call them to their meals when the tables were ready.

This is probably the most ingenious roadside success yet discovered. Notwithstanding, there are many little roadside stands and cafes all the way across the country, from Maine to California, from border to border, and many of them could be turned into humming roadside businesses. But it takes elbow grease and imagination. America is the land of opportunity, but real opportunities do not always have their true value stamped on them. One must penetrate deeply and use his imagination to see them and exploit them.

In operating a business like the combination cafe and restaurant one would, of course, have to own a farm or suitable arrangements could be made with a farmer to rent some land by a popular highway, not too far from centers of population. Perhaps the entire crops of the farmer could be contracted at a low rate. By making your place different, distinctive or unusual your chances of success are materially increased.

BAT HOTEL—530
The queer, spare-time business of Milton, who lives in San Antonio, Texas, possibly has no equal. He is "guardian" of more than 250,000 bats, and his business has proven very successful. Years ago he was obsessed with the idea that bats would rid the area of malaria-carrying mosquitoes. He endeavored to get the little creatures to settle in his wooden roost. Later he succeeded in transferring them to his present lakeside bat hotel which is a tall wooden tower modeled like the base of a windmill.

Within a short time, there was a noticeable decrease in the number of mosquitoes, and it has been estimated that one bat will consume as many as 3,750 mosquitoes in a single night. "But," you may ask, "where does he make any money out of this extraordinary business?" The thousands of bats that inhabit the place leave their guano on the roosts, and this deposit (excrement) is rich in phosphates, nitrogenous matter and other material which is excellent for plant growth. In other words, guano is used as a fertilizer.

The owner of the "bat hotel" removes the guano once a year and puts it in sacks for sale, bringing from five to ten cents a pound. In a single year the roosts have yielded about 6,000 pounds of guano. Further profit is realized from the sale of bats to laboratories, and additional revenue has been obtained in the selling of plans on how to operate such a business to other prospective bat-raisers. Guano is said to be the almost-perfect fertilizer and as fertilizing products are in demand the bat business may hold opportunity for others.

There is a plethora of information available in most public libraries about bats, and anyone interested in delving further into the possibilities of conducting a business should acquire as much data about these creatures as possible.

GO FLY A KITE—531
Making money by flying kites is an unusual business, but as we have seen, the "unusual" enterprise stands out and often attracts more business than the conventional kind. Consider Frank's enterprise, for instance, in Atlantic City and Miami. He built kites big enough to carry large advertising banners. During summer months he flew them to advertise a firm in Atlantic City. In the winter he performed the same services for a Miami hotel.

He started his career by advertising corsets, and since that time he has built and flown more than 10,000 kites, from small ones to 14-footers that can lift 200 pounds. One of his achievements was an enormous kite minus tail which would rise from his hand in a four-mile breeze, or remain in the air, undamaged, with a 90-mile gale.

This kite-advertising-idea might appeal to some enterprising business men today when its novel publicity advantages were pointed out. A kite banner would be sure to attract the attention of the public.

SEND NO MONEY—532
Selling services or articles by mail on the approval plan is a common practice these days, and to the uninitiated it doesn't require any special courage. As a general thing most people are honest. Most people do not order things they don't intend to pay for.

One mail order operator was attempting to sell a stomach remedy for $3, asking for payment in advance with order. The best returns he could get was about 3 per cent, which was not sufficient in his case to show a profit. On the suggestion of a competent Mail Sales Specialist, he changed his "mail order tactics" and offered the remedy on approval—no money to be sent with order. This gesture was sufficient to cause many prospective customers to have confidence in the product and they bought; that is some 12 per cent of the people on the mailing list did. Less than 1 per cent failed to pay for the product.

Many would-be mail order operators have by this simple process turned failure into success. The "send no money" words on order form oftentimes work like magic to get customers to respond. Usually, the "selling on approval plan basis" allows the prospect or customer to try the article for a certain length of time before deciding whether or not to keep it.

Years ago, established firms frowned on the idea of selling services or products by mail on the approval plan, but that was years ago. Where the service or product is something new, and prospective customers might be inclined to be skeptical of its merit, the "approval method" will frequently get results where the conventional method of cash-with-order won't.

Today all sorts of products and services are sold on this plan and it has been generally reported that losses resulting therefrom have been and are less than 1 per cent, which is mighty negligible.

MIKE THE DOG WAITER—533
Here's one for the records. If you are a lover of animals, and especially dogs, there's a treat in store for you when you step into Bowser House, a licensed pub on Vancouver Island. Here an unusually intelligent dog that responds to the name of "Mike" actually waits on the customers, incredible as it may seem.

And "Mike" makes it unmistakably known that he is there to serve you. When you seat yourself, "Mike" jumps into the nearest chair, with his tail wagging furiously. Beer is the only beverage sold at Bowser House and when you ask for a bottle of it, "Mike" is behind the bar in a jiffy. The owner hands him a bottle of beer. "Mike" takes it in his teeth and brings it to you in double-quick time and sets it right side up! If you ask for an opener, "Mike" responds to your request and runs to the supply department, returning with the article in his teeth. "Mike" sits in an adjoining chair and watches you enjoy your drink. When you take money from your purse to pay for the drink, "Mike," knowingly wags his tail, licks his chops. If you drop the money on the table, "Mike" forthwith picks it up with his mouth and drops it in a nearby open till. With "Mike" as the attraction, the owner of the establishment does a thriving business, which is understandable. Incidentally, "Mike" can wait on a dozen customers without being confused.

Ideas like this incorporated into a business are excellent publicity stunts and pays off in dividends. A salesman employed a similar idea by having a trained dog carry his small samples and catalogues in a saddle-bag over its back. Prospective customers are amused and it helps to break the ice for an interview.

175,000,000 YEARS OLD—534-535
In one of our western states there is a certain gasoline station which is said to be the oldest in the world. Actually the station itself is rather modern, but the material from which it was constructed is supposed to be 175,000,000 years old.

Perhaps you've already guessed what the material is—petrified wood which the owner of the station gathered himself from a prehistoric forest south of his town. Although it is lighter than stone it is much more durable than wood. The important point to be noted herein is that this odd station gets attention and causes many motorists to stop and buy gasoline.

When you build any business establishment out of unusual materials it is a safe bet that it will get attention. For instance, another man out west made considerable money selling Lava Rock, which is equally as old as petrified wood if not older. He also used the material for building his service station and a restaurant, which plays an important role in effective advertising.

SAVE YOUR SOLE—536
One Californian established a successful business selling a special preparation which, when applied to the leather soles of shoes, provided them with double wear. He made the sole preserver himself which was a varnish-like substance containing neatsfoot oil, kerosene, varnish and other ingredients. Photographic evidence was available to show how effective the preparation was, and the author of this book happened to buy some of it for his own use when he pursued his hobby of mountain climbing and found it to be all that was claimed for it.

The directions for applying this substance was quite simple. You simply heated the bottom of the sole and brushed the mixture on. The hot sole would absorb the oily mixture. A Circular-Letter issued by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards, Washington; D.C. that pertains to certain tests made on sole leathers, using various types of oil, indicates that an improvement of 14 per cent in the wear of sole leather is possible when soles are treated with either heavy mineral oil and Stoddard solvent or Brown Fish Oil Substitute and Asphalt. Wax-impregnated soles have indicated an improvement of 30 per cent to 40 per cent in wear.

Further tests gave the following results: Drying Oil Compound and solvent, approximately 7 per cent more wear. Two parts Aluminum Stearate dissolved in 63 parts cod oil, 35 parts solvent, approximately 17 per cent better wear. Mineral Oil 33 parts, neatsfoot oil 33 parts, solvent 34 parts, approximately 7 per cent more wear. Dubbing conforming to OQMG Tentative specification 9C (Dubbing is a material used by the Army for waterproofing and preserving shoe uppers, and consists of tallow, oil, wax and aluminum stearate), approximately 26 per cent more wear. Oleate of aluminum and solvent also have some value. Although not tested by the Bureau of Standards, the following formulas might yield some valuable data: (1) 2 parts tallow, 1 part resin (2) Bees Wax, Cerecin Wax, Spermaceti Wax, Turpentine, Asphalt Varnish, Shellac Varnish, Borax, Nigrosene. (3) 1 lb. of Vaseline and two ounces of beeswax, melted and mixed well. The mixture for the soles could be offered along with a complete outfit, consisting of plastic heel putty, shoe top waterproofing and conditioning oils.

There are probably worthwhile commercial possibilities for others to manufacture a sole preserver and put it on the market, and if your interests should lie in this direction it would be advisable to consult some competent chemist in order to obtain the best formula possible. A preparation that will do the job and that is easy to apply should appeal to the general public and particularly to parents who have youngsters. It would save them a lot of money in shoe-repair bills.

While valuable information may still be available from the United States Department of Commerce, oftentimes the terms used are technical and meaningless to the layman. Therefore, it is perhaps more advisable to contact a reputable chemist whose business it is to analyze formulas and create formulas for this and that.

A PARLOR THEATER—537-539
Tired of trying to make ends meet, one woman had a bright idea that brought in the much-needed extra money and proved again that women can make good in spare time activities. The idea had to do with a "motion picture theater" in her own home-in the parlor.

She realized that many parents did not like their small children to go to the regular public motion-picture theaters because some of the pictures were not just the right kind for impressionable, growing minds. Moreover, too many children stay to see the pictures twice and so are away from home longer than is desired by the average parents. Fortified with the courage to test out her idea she rented a projector and then contacted a film exchange and got the titles and rental prices of several well-known films of the "Cinderella" type, especially suitable for youngsters. Among final selections of films she rented were also wholesome comics.

In due time she bravely opened her Saturday Morning Theater. Few came at first but the idea gradually took with parents when they realized what a pleasant and helpful way it was of instructing their offsprings. It wasn't long before the "Saturday Morning Theater" was packed every Saturday.

This same plan could be adopted and carried on a larger scale merely by building a Backyard Theater for the neighborhood generally. It could be so arranged as to cater to children, say, on Saturdays, and to grownups one night during each week. However, much would depend upon the neighborhood. Today many of the suburbs of large cities have regular neighborhood moving picture theaters. Notwithstanding, many communities do not, and in such localities a good Backyard Theater might be welcomed and prove profitable to the owners.

There is a restaurant in California, at least there was before World War II, where old time moving pictures were presented for the amusement of customers while they enjoyed their meals. As you might well imagine, this attraction helped materially to stimulate business. There are many of the Charlie Chaplin and other old time comedy shorts still available on a rental basis.

HOUSEWIFE SELLS INFORMATION TO NEWLYWEDS—540-541
Making $525 in two months is excellent "pin money" for any housewife, and that is precisely what one married woman did by giving a free booklet of interest to newlyweds. She wrote the booklet herself and sold advertising space in it to various business firms who had something to sell of interest to these people who are just starting a home.

The text of the booklet pertained to household hints, care of baby, recipes, beauty advice, sex data and other items. When prospective advertisers understood her plan to distribute the booklets without cost to a large number of newlyweds, they were receptive to the idea and purchased space in the booklet. She called on furniture companies, real-estate establishments, dairy firms, laundries, and merchants.

She obtained her list of newlyweds by going over court records, through the newspapers and magazine columns. Within two months she had 1,500 names. Each month she was able to obtain new names, but her first mailing went out to the list of 1,500 she had compiled. She received $50 for a full page in the booklet, with rates proportionately higher for less space. When she had the booklet printed she arranged to have 20,000 of them prepared and was able to get a reasonable amount of credit from the printer. According to last reports, her business was growing and the plan was being accepted by more advertisers.

It should be evident to the reader that a booklet of this kind, carrying important and useful information which costs them nothing is of value to newlyweds. It is also evident to advertisers. They appreciate the fact that most of the newlyweds will read the booklet and at the same time see their advertisements. Moreover, they recognize further that newlyweds usually need a lot of things because they are just "starting out in life" so to speak, preparing to build a home or purchase a lot of things necessary to their comfort and welfare. So they are excellent prospects.

This booklet-advertising-idea could be enlarged on by others merely by "covering" more newlyweds and in any city there are thousands and thousands of them yearly. As such a booklet has important value to the recipient, it will be kept and it will be referred to. Advertisers know this which is why advertising in such a medium appeals to them. If the booklet is well-printed and looks important and contains useful information and prospective advertisers are convinced you are going to conduct your service-business in tip-top shape the chances are 9 to 1 many will be glad to support your venture.

For a good many years now, one women in Salt Lake City, Utah, to be specific, has earned a good living simply by publishing a small directory booklet. This booklet lists all the streets in the city and a map explains just where they are. It also lists all the apartment houses, places of amusement, doctors' office and home telephone numbers, and a lot of general, useful information. She distributes them free-of-charge to office workers and factory workers by mail. Every year she has 25,000 of them printed, and she gets her "pay" from local advertisers.

THE AIRPLANE JUNK YARD—542
A Los Angeles flying enthusiast crashed with his airplane but managed to escape serious injury. The only thing that bothered him now was the fact the plane wasn't insured. It was a complete loss…for the moment.

He managed to salvage some of the parts and sold them to other plane owners. Much to his amazement the final tally netted him $930 in parts sold.

An airplane junk yard was the result of this "unfortunate" crash. He scanned the newspapers for airplane crashes and immediately sent his bid for salvaging the wreck. Needless to say, the competition in this salvage work was nil. The airplane junk yard was a huge success. Among his customers are movie directors who use such ships in filming crack-ups, amateur plane enthusiasts, assemblers of gliders, and even souvenir hunters. His unique junk yard is known far and wide. But there is certainly room for many, many more airplane junk yards. In the years to come there will be a growing demand for used airplane parts.

PRESERVING MEMORIES—543
In almost any home one finds a book or two that contains flowers amongst its pages…some treasured memento a sentimentalist wants to preserve. Temporarily at least!

It was this that prompted a young man to set up a flourishing business. Flowers, wedding bouquets and other treasured floral bits were laid against padded satin and framed in glass.

Many women flocked to this unique shop to have a memento framed. He also specialized in making artificial replicas of a memorable bouquet in a crystal lamp base, or under the hollow glass frame of a mirror.

Here is one unique venture that certainly can payoff in any city one may wish to start it. There are thousands of sentimentalists looking for a service of this kind.

THE ANTIQUE TEA ROOM—544
Antique shops, as a rule, have a limited clientele. They rely solely on a handful of regular patrons or antique collectors. But this wasn't the case with a woman who thought of opening a tea room in the antique shop.

She served meals in her shop using the antique collections which naturally attracted the diner's eye. Everything was for sale, even the tables and chairs the customers used to sit and eat from. Throughout the shop pieces of furniture were placed at vantage points, giving the diner plenty of time to look the antique collection over.

The idea caught on in such a splendid manner that the owner had to secure agents to scour the country for more antique collections. No sooner had patrons finished their delightful meals, then they usually purchased the very pieces of old and beautiful china, glassware and silverware from which they had eaten.

As in this case, of a business using another business to attract the trade, the food sold in a unique tea room of this type could be sold almost at any cost and still realize a nice profit from the sale of the antiques.

THE CHILD AMUSEMENT BUREAU—545
Children who are victims of illness usually need mote than medicine or doctor's care to bring them back to normal again. They need to be amused, especially shock victims. The famous poem "Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house…" was written by a college professor whose young son refused to rally when he learned his pony was shot as the result of a spill the youngster had while riding him.

The Child Amusement Bureau of California must have had a keen insight of the little tot's mind, because their bureau is a huge financial success. Parents all over the West know of their service and write in to ask them to write their unique letters to their bedded children. The letters of course deal with the things a child's mind would likely respond to, yet none of them are of the "nursery rhyme" variety. The letters are usually from "Danny The Boy" or "Rover The Dog." These new friends coming into a sickroom work wonders on the children. Often times the bureau sends inexpensive gifts to the children as though they were coming from the mythical writer of these letters.

A service of this type could be worked throughout the nation on a grand scale. One need not be able to write a single bit of the promotional literature or the unique letters. A good copywriter could map out a complete campaign that should payoff well over a period of years.

BOOK LAMPS—546-547
An Iowa man converts old books into attractive table lamps. His home business finds many eager buyers who like these unusual lamps from old books with embossed leather covers.

A partly open book forms the shade, another the pedestal and a third the base. The material he used to start this business was some old volumes from his own library, a few old etchings, scrap lumber and a plastic compound.

When several of them were finished he sent one on approval to an exclusive gift shop. The gift shop was so impressed with the lamp made out of the old books, he was told to make more of them. They would buy all he could make.

From the profits of the first few lamps he invested the money into more raw materials and the business was on its way to financial success. Later on actual books were discarded in favor of genuine embossed leather. The cover of the book used as a lamp shade had a part cut out to allow an etching to be inserted. This for the light to shine through.

A big league pitcher fashioned lamps out of broken baseball bats. The value of the unique baseball lamp soared when the pitcher had his team mates autograph it. The base of the lamp was cut and carved down beautifully off a wood lathe. A lamp of this type naturally appealed to athletic-minded men. Housewives eager to please their sport-loving husbands quickly purchased these lamps.

Here's an opportunity to turn a basement or backyard into a shop turning out unique lamps. Handy craftsmen could turn out all types of odd lamps.

PARK CHAIRS—548
In France there are many parks, and you will find special chairs in them that are available, to those who pay for them by the hour. This plan, but worked out differently, could be put into effect in America. In most parks, it is true, park benches are provided for the public, but they are uncomfortable. It would not be illogical to assume that thousands of people would be glad to pay a small sum for the use of comfortable deck-chairs. One can lean back, and even take a snooze, in one of these chairs with gratifying ease.

Deck-chair concessions could be obtained, it is believed, from the public parks commission in a lot of cities. It ought to be easy also to obtain similar concessions at beaches, amusement parks or picnic grounds. Of course, a small sum for the purchase of deck chairs would be necessary. Deck-chairs are popular at private resorts and it is reasonable to suppose they would be welcomed by many at public places on a rental basis. The idea has more than ordinary possibilities.

"TRUSTING" PEOPLE BY MAIL—549-553
The "trust scheme" way of selling by mail isn't exactly new, but every time a good campaign is worked out along these lines it has an uncanny ability of succeeding.

Take the case of the invalid who worked this plan to perfection. He didn't have any extraordinary ability to promote a successful mail campaign. All he did was to decide he would "trust" a selected group of people to whom he sent a box of 14 distinctive Christmas cards—unsolicited! If they liked the cards, they were asked to remit the price asked for them. If not, would they kindly send the box back?

The "trust scheme" way of selling by mail worked so successfully for this Christmas card salesman that he soon had to hire a group of girls to assemble and pack the cards in boxes. His mailings totaled more than 100,000 each year.

Another man sent three beautiful neckties to a list of prospects. The three ties sold for $1. The dollar bills that started rolling back to this man made mail order history. Not even his wildest dreams conceived any such returns.

One woman selling Christmas cards the "trust scheme" way worked her plan a little differently. She mailed her 14 cards unsolicited but enclosed a gift coupon telling about a 21 card assortment which would be given free upon return of the dollar for the 14 cards. This was her first venture in mail order and the returns from her Christmas cards made enough money for her to take it easy for the rest of the year.

In a little town called Paradise, Pennsylvania, goods have been sent "on trust" for the last 20 years to grade and high school students. Seeds for the garden used to be their specialty, however, this firm now sends anything and everything to the boys and girls, trusting to their honor to remit the money from the sale of the seeds and an assortment of merchandise. In return the youthful salesman either receives cash or a gift premium, roller skates, basketball, baseballs, etc. However, this firm relies mostly on inquiries sent them through their advertisements in various Sunday newspapers.

The "trust scheme" can be worked in a number of ways. There is a man who sends a "sex" book to newly married couples. The book is sent unsolicited. If the person sends the $1 or $2 asked for this particular book, he will receive free of charge another book on sex when he remits the price asked for the first book sent him.

There is only one thing about this unusually successful method of selling by mail. The Post Office Department frowns on the sending of unsolicited merchandise through the mails. This means you can't send the merchandise C.O.D. The only thing you can do is suggest payment for the merchandise sent. You can't even demand return of the goods even though you send postage. And you can't force the recipient to pay for the goods sent him.

However, there are many successful "collection" letters used by the firms and individuals who send out merchandise unsolicited. These letters are usually warm, personal, and entirely devoid of the usual threatening note found in many collection letters. They do the job, too!

Despite these seeming obstacles, this mail order selling plan has made hundreds of thousands of dollars for its operators, which proves that most of the people are honest and willing to remit the money asked for the merchandise. A word of warning: One should not expect prompt remittance if the merchandise sent isn't worth the price asked for it. As stated previously, the majority of people are honest, but they expect honesty from the sender too.

One of the Veteran's organizations is using a similar plan for raising funds. They mail out thousands of miniature car license plates. Each license serves as a handy key tag and it actually has your correct license number thereon. The miniature reproduction is exactly like the big plates and follows out the same color scheme.

The tag is supposed to help one to remember his license number, identify lost car keys (the license plate owner's name is on the back), etc. Sent unasked for the recipient can quickly see that a great deal of thought has gone into this proposition and he feels more or less obligated toward the sender, although the card that he receives plainly tells him that he is NOT obligated. If he wants the ingenious little license plate he sends in 25¢. The plate is easy to manufacture and is simply a metal frame, printed number card slipped in and covered with celluloid.

A SERVICE FOR INVENTORS—554-557
Inventors are the most hopeful people in the world. They firmly believe in their pet inventions and hope ultimately to see them manufactured and sold by the millions to a waiting market. There is only one drawback…how to successfully reach the manufacturer!

A Pennsylvania man had not one but MANY answers to this. He conducted a variety of "services" for the inventor. His intentions were honest. He gave them value for their money. For instance, he charged inventors $25 for inserting an ad in a bulletin going to interested businessmen and a set number of letters written to manufacturers to interest them in manufacturing the inventor's brain child. This service also sold for $35 and $50. The inventor received more ad space and a proportionately larger amount of sales letters to interested manufacturers. In short a great deal more effort was put behind the invention if the inventor subscribed to the $50 service.

The Pennsylvania man with an Inventor's "Service" relied on the direct route to sell his service to the inventors. And he received as much as 100,000 names and addresses free of charge from the patent gazette issued by the government yearly. A neat form letter describing his services did the trick. He is reported to have grossed more than. $1,000 monthly.

Another service incorporated by him was the one selling: the names and addresses of manufacturers who would be likely prospects for the invention. Inventors gladly paid $2 for ten of these addresses. Then it was up to the inventor to write to the manufacturer and ask for a personal interview. Unknown to most inventors there is a huge registry of all the manufacturers in the United States in most all public libraries.

If a service can be worked in one direction, it can also pay dividends if pointed in the other direction. The manufacturers were contacted this time and told his service was in touch with inventors all over the country at all times. He asked the manufacturers what inventions they were interested in, and if they wanted it on a cash or royalty basis. He turned this information around and used it on the inventory, telling them he had special information for them on their particular invention, right from the manufacturer.

Inventors need a reliable service, one that truly has their interests at heart. A person seeking a "sure thing" via the mail order route ought to investigate this field thoroughly and devise a variety of helpful services.

While investigating the possibilities in this field, one should consider the fact that a trade magazine for inventors would have it all over the trade magazines found in the mail order field. In the first place there are ten times more inventors than mail order dealers. A medium serving the interests of inventors ought to attract a huge subscription list right from the start. The ad space that could be sold to the inventors would really mount into the big money class. Too, why not mail a magazine of this type free of charge to thousands of manufacturers, small businesses, opportunity seekers, investors and the like? A publication of this type certainly has unlimited possibilities.

There's a wealth of material to work on when entering the inventor's field. One man sells a folio to inventors showing where to sell their inventions and listing 65 names of manufacturers and what they want, how to go about selling the invention, etc. Another man publishes a small patent bulletin which tells of several hundred patents lapsing each month. A patent is good for only 17 years and after that is wide open for the public to use.

EVEN WATER CAN BE SOLD SUCCESSFULLY!—558
One man had a hobby of collecting water from famous rivers. Somewhere along the line he found out people would like to be baptized with water secured from the river Jordan. That started him to thinking…and selling Jordan water in flasks.

The water was shipped to his home with affidavits of a priest and a protestant minister attesting to the fact the water was taken from the River Jordan. The flask contained the two affidavits also, and many people bought water…from the river Jordan.

Originality, showmanship and specializing in the sale of products—even water—counts in any line of endeavor. One need only to think a little to make the money that's waiting to be made.

CLIPPING BUREAU OF THE AIR—559-560
Anyone with electrical or radio experience should never overlook the "Clipping Bureau of The Air" plan. There are endless opportunities arid money by the barrels for the person who has little experience in this line.

This plan isn't new because a clever New York originator grosses $50,000 annually selling "vanity" records to celebrities, little fellows, politicians, etc. The "vanity" records of course are the records made by this man from the original broadcast. Here's how he works it:

He listens to speeches and public events day and night and "cans" the voices on his records. He then gets in touch with the person who made the speech and offers to sell the recording at his own set price. Readers can rest assured there are very few who do not want a recording of their own voice. A person at the mike doesn't know how his voice sounds over the radio, and he's a certain customer when approached by this clever man with the precious disc in his hands. Many of the prospects are reached by mail. As soon as the letter reveals its contents, a check is on its way to the recorder.

In any city one can find many things to record from the radio. Street "quizzes," women who appear on "kitchen" programs, solo performers, singers, piano players, etc.…none would hesitate to buy a recording of his voice or the musical instrument he played over the radio.

The New York man literally "cleaned up" by "canning" the voices of thousands of American soldiers from overseas and either selling the records to their families or to the boys themselves. There's no greater thrill than to hear one's voice as others heard it over the radio. It's a plan that has no obstacles where making a sale is concerned.

"SEARS & ROEBUCK" FOR GREYHOUNDS—561
Owners of greyhound dogs all know of the unique "grey-hound service" by mail conducted by a Colorado woman. The business started some time ago when the woman went to a coursing meet. She decided to take the dogs along but first designed traveling clothes for the pups. Among them were hand made muzzles, matching blankets for all the dogs, and kennel blankets of canvas with each animal's name in applique.

At the coursing meet the woman's two greyhound dogs caused a sensation. Greyhound owners swarmed all around the dogs, looking their "wardrobe" over. They insisted the woman tell them were she purchased all those things. She did!

Today she conducts a mail-order greyhound specialty business, reported to be the only one of its kind in the country. She employs 15 people. The two-story shop furnishes greyhound muzzles, slips, leads, blankets, and even metal greyhound stick pins and dress clips. Besides this, she manufactures many different kinds of "spinners" for fishermen.

ANTIQUE AUTO ADVERTISING—562
Antique automobiles are probably hard things to get, but it's certainly worth investigating, advertising and searching the country for them. It's a profitable venture for a man who has a surprisingly large number of them.

This man has cars of ancient vintage, among them being an 1898 Haynes-Apperson, 1908 Ford and a 1911 White Steamer. He rents the cars out to merchants for advertising purposes. The relics are so valuable to this man that he and his sons are the only people who may operate the cars when they are used for advertising purposes.

Here's still another field that has practically no competition whatsoever in many parts of the country. One could start with a few old cars, keep them in good running condition, and rent them out for many purposes. They'd command good prices because they are hard to find.

CUSTOMER DECIDES ON STORE'S PROFIT!—655
Probably the most unique store of its kind in the world is a Texas store which sells all of its merchandise on the "Golden Rule" basis. The huge variety of merchandise is sold at cost to the customer. It is up to the customer to decide what profit the storekeeper is to make on the item purchased!

If one were to walk into this store, no clerks would be found. There would be an odd assortment of merchandise, soup to nuts, waiting to be picked up by the customer in the serve-yourself manner of chain grocery stores. The only "price tag" is a notation stating what the article cost the storekeeper. From here on the customer takes the item, wraps it up, goes to the owner at the cash register with his money. If it's a $10 bill, the owner asks how much change the customer wants…depending entirely on the customer's honesty!

Here's a business where angels would fear to tread, yet this man's store has flourished for the past 22 years! Huge placards inside the store announce the "intentions" of this unique business. The signs state the store is kept going by free-will offerings. And the reason it flourishes is the fact that more people than NOT are honest! So the storekeeper's unfailing faith in fellow-man is generously rewarded.

A store of this type would receive valuable word-of-mouth advertising. Most people are skeptical of the prices they pay for merchandise these days. They'd gladly patronize the man who put it up to them to judge the value of the item they just purchased. Storekeepers, why not try this method? Where one man succeeds, another should NOT fail!

THE DINNER DETECTIVE—564
Of all unusual occupations probably the most unusual is the "Dinner Detective", a man who has traveled all over the country tracking down the best restaurants. He used the information he personally garnered by publishing it in a pocket-size book that sold for $1.50. In about 5 years this man sold 450,000 booklets to grateful travelers who usually had bad luck whenever they searched for a good place to eat.

The success of this self-made venture was probably due to the fact the man played no favorites. He refused free meals throughout his travels. He refused to be biased in his opinions. He never "knocked" a restaurant for its poor food. He simply named the towns he and his wife visited and published the restaurants that met with his favor in-so-far as good food was concerned. He even turned down a fortune in advertising space in his booklet. The booklet was solely for the purpose of guiding travelers, vacationists and business men who wanted good meals enroute. He reasoned correctly that readers may think some restaurants were favored because of direct or indirect advertisements found in the booklet that might have been associated with the restaurants named therein.

The popularity of his booklet grew so that he received as many as 400 letters a day from people who suggested he visit the eating establishment they had been in. Other letters asked to be placed on his staff checking restaurants all over the country. And that was the birth of an idea.

The Dinner Detective sifted a huge list of discriminating gourmets to 60 "dinner detectives". The information they bring is then published every year in his famous booklet. The staff also checks hotels, tourists' homes, lodging houses and roadside courts, for service, cleanliness, scenery, hospitality, etc. All this information is worth many times over the $1.50 asked for the booklet. Tourists all over the country eagerly await its publication, as do many restaurants, hotels, etc.

The Dinner Detective sermonizes and gives excellent hints to restaurants who fail to comply to his standards in good-eating and good lodging. One of his quotes taken from the booklet…"many inns and cafes in smaller places might do much better if they would specialize in products near at hand. Why not utilize green corn, cream, eggs, and cheese dishes, good chickens rather than tough meats that must come from a distance."

How about a home publishing enterprise with an idea similar to this one for your own state? If you're planning one, speak the truth—in your own words—nothing fancy—and publish the truth. One will find a small booklet publication of this type to be welcome in fields other than the restaurant one.

A TOTEM-POLE IN EVERY BACK YARD—565
Ordinary logs can be transferred into totem-poles of rare beauty and can be sold to many home owners for decorating their back-yards. A man in Wisconsin proved this to be a fact.

There is no competition in this field, yet it takes a man skilled in woodcarving to make a totem-pole. If need be, a man could be hired to carve these back-yard decorative pieces while one could take charge of disposing of them to the hundreds of people who would be interested in buying. They command a high price and would therefore be an extremely profitable occupation.

THE USED CAR INSPECTOR—566
If ever there was a need for a "used car inspector", now is the time for a person to get into a SERVICE that would be appreciated by millions of used car purchasers.

Used car buyers rarely get an automobile that's worth the money they invest in it. The reason for this is because they can't spot defects. To a man who has just a superficial knowledge of it car, a bent frame, motor that needs rings, etc. are things he knows little or nothing about.

It is for this reason a "used car inspector" would find plenty of used car buyers willing to invest $5 with him to check a car they intend to buy. A "consultant" on this order would check the car from bumper to bumper, inside and out, checking everything before recommending the buying of the car. Readers know a service of this type would meet with popular acclaim. A person buying a used car would rather invest $5 to find out whether or not he would have to spend hundreds of dollars in repairs later on.

This, of course, is intended for the person who has a pretty good knowledge of a car. Yet this shouldn't be an obstacle to a person who can see the possibilities in a service of this type. There are many excellent books on auto mechanics in all book stores and libraries.

FIGHTING COCKS—645
Raising game cocks is the profitable occupation of an Iowa dealer who thought of the idea from his hobby of raising chickens. It takes no more time or effort to raise these game chickens than it would the ordinary kind. And there's a ready market for them in states where cock fighting isn't illegal, and in states where it is, because it isn't illegal to RAISE them!

On his farm he has as many as two hundred battling roosters and, hens. They consist of Irish Grays, Brown Grays, Red Cubans, Silver Duckling Grays and Black Breasted Reds. These sell for big money.

There isn't as much fuss with game hens and roosters either. Incubators are too "sissified" for these hardy fowl. A setting hen is sufficient.