Books:

Discovered! 505
Odd Enterprises

Hidden Dollars

How to Make
Money at Home

Small Business
of Your Own

You Can Own
a Business

Many of these collectors take advantage of his offer and usually he can sell the stamps he receives for many times the cost of the merchandise sent.

This is a situation that will last for a long time and if you are thinking about going into the export-import business, and a lot of folks are considering this field right now because of the fortune-making possibilities, remember this plan of exchange. You may need it if you wish to do business with many foreign countries. It will be extremely valuable to you so don't forget this information.

When these countries allow money to go to America again, and when there is an abundance of money again in these lands, it will be too late to capitalize on the great demand for anything American that is now present in every foreign land. You can sell anything abroad nowadays if you can get it to them and some form of payment can be devised! #99

U.S.A. . . . . TIN CANS
The use of waste for profit is one of my pet subjects. Here is another clever waste project that some of my readers may work into something really interesting and profitable.

The creator of the idea, a young woman, takes old tin cans, any size, then cuts the top and bottom out of the can, using one of those new wall-type can openers. Then one cut is made straight up the side of the can from bottom to top. The tin is now spread out flat and a slanting cut is made inward from each corner. Each separate section is then bent inward, making a square tin box. It takes a bit of knack to turn these out, but experience will iron out any kinks.

The tin boxes are now painted with enamel, all colors. Little plants are put into the tin can flower boxes, dirt pressed in around the plant and there you are, a fast seller for the bazaar. Smaller flower boxes sell in toy shops and are used in doll houses. Larger boxes are made for ferns and sold to flower shops. #100

U.S.A. . . . . DIAPERS & PHOTOS
Do you like babies? Like to take pictures? You do? Well, here is the business for you! Start a diaper-photo service like Martin did back in New York. He operates one of the not-so-new "Diaper services". Realizing that this enterprise has received so much publicity that competition is growing by leaps and bounds, he decided to make his service different from the rest. He offers his customers something "extra" by taking pictures of their babies without extra charge. This made such a hit with the parents that he thought he could make even more money by going into the photographing business.

He now operates an independent photographing service in which he acts as an agent for two diaper services, taking free pictures for them at absolutely no charge to the customer or to the diaper service. They in turn allow him to receive all of the "repeat" business (paid orders) for himself. He says that his repeat orders are now averaging around 90% of all "free" clients. Over 1,000 parents have had Martin photograph their babies to date. Claims that he has 1,000 more orders on his appointment book.

At the moment he can only handle 50 sittings a week. Sounds like a very good idea, don't you think? Many folks would be able to go into a similar business. Every city offers possibilities, and there are hundreds of thousands of hobbyists-photographers who would try their hands at this. #101

CANADA
Inter-Continental Mail Service. Here is a Canadian with a service that is adapted to mailing circulars and other pieces of literature to British Africa, thus opening up a new market to domestic mail-order enterprises!

Where did he get his mailing list? Well, it seems that he visited Persia, India, East and South Africa and many other places during the war. He made personal contacts in all of these countries. When he arrived back home he found that he had collected several thousand names of opportunity seekers and other classes from all parts of the world. A perfect set-up for a mailing list business or a circular mailing business, dealing exclusively in foreign names and mailing to foreign names.

Over in England there is another mailing service that specializes in overseas mailing, sending mailings to live English-speaking clients in over 40 countries. They also have a mailing service in French, German and Dutch at an inclusive charge for translating, printing and mailing.

Why haven't we a similar service in the United States? The people in foreign countries are amazing in their intense interest in anything American. I know from my Own small experiences in selling my books abroad. The percentage of sales to "cold" lists, mailing literature "unasked-for", is much higher than mailing to the same type of "cold" list in the United States. There is a real market awaiting thousands of mail-order dealers in this country, but how to reach these people is the puzzle. A service that could make contacts abroad with mailing list houses, secure lists from every country, and then mail regular circular mailings to these countries under 1½¢ third class mail postage, should be profitable to the operator.

As many as a dozen different circulars represented by a dozen different American firms, could be included in each envelope. A translator could be hired to handle the translating of some literature destined for non-English speaking countries. #102

U.S.A. . . . . LINEN SUPPLY
Here's a good one. Irving and John had a linen-supply service in a large eastern city. You know the kind. Usually towels and sheets, etc., are provided to all hotels and hospitals, etc., on a given route. They pick up the dirty linens and leave fresh, the linen being owned by the company.

Well, these two fellows got to thinking about how they could expand their business. There didn't seem to be any way as there was some competition in that particular city.

Anyway, somehow or other they finally came up with the idea to service private homes. So, today, Irving and John provide some 15,000 families with 4 fresh kitchen towels, 4 bath towels, 4 face towels, 4 sheets and 4 pillow cases. The fee is only $1.44. This charge would be different in other sections of the country, of course, but in this city it compared favorably with regular laundry charges, in fact it was a bit less.

Regardless of the price, there are other advantages for the customer. He doesn't have to put out a lot of money for linens, doesn't have to stand the loss due to depreciation, damage, etc., and therefore doesn't have to buy new linens at regular periods. Furthermore, there is no worry about getting the laundry back on time, no worry about missing pieces and the customer never gets caught short without enough replacement linens. Sometimes, the housewife will have to send out a second week's laundry before the first week's stuff is back, so there is a shortage.

A linen-supply service never takes anything away without leaving the same amount behind. It is easier to operate this kind of a service because there are no labor worries or labor charges for sorting and identifying as there are in other laundries. Wrapping each individual laundry, making out laundry lists, etc. is unnecessary. Packing the delivery trucks and delivery itself is simplified.

Consider this new field of operation if you are interested in a delivery route of some kind, or if you are interested in the linen-supply or laundry business. Might make you a lot of money because the idea will probably be new in most communities for some time to come. #103

U.S.A. . . . . TEAKETTLE LAMPS
How would you like to sell table lamps for $125 each? A couple here in Southern California are doing just that, making their products out of odd-shaped wine bottles, queer pitchers, granite water kettles, copper kettles, old coffee pots, vases, teakettles, jugs and other bric-a-brac. They've even made a lamp base out of three salad bowls. The bowls are placed one above the other, two inverted and one upright. A brass pipe usually goes right through such odd bases and is wired for a socket at the top. This particular lamp became a good seller when the buyer discovered that the top bowl in the base, or the upright one could be filled with fruit. A gingham shade goes nicely with this particular lamp, if it is to go into the kitchen or the breakfast nook.

The idea for this unusual enterprise started from a hobby of making such quaint lamps for their own home. It blossomed out into a real business when a large furniture store placed a good sized order for the lamps, and another storekeeper followed suit with a smaller order for 18. It became necessary for the husband of the partnership to really get out and look for material for bases. Finally he discovered an antique dealer who now supplies them with most of their bases, such as hand-blown bottles, chamber pots, chinaware, coffee grinders, crockery, etc., in addition to that already mentioned.

Such artistic lamps, including shades, fetch from $25 to $125! So far they've sold almost 300 of the expensive novelties without any complaint as to the price.

The male member of the partnership handles all of the base work, such as locating the odd bases, wiring them and painting, etc. The wife takes care of the shade making. She buys the shade frames and covers them with suitable material that will be in harmony with the unusual bases her husband digs up. Here is an enterprise that doesn't sound like it would be too hard for any couple to master. What do you think?

And new ideas could be thought up and new lines added. For example, this enterprising couple have created a dustpan novelty that acts as a magazine holder for the bathroom "library". Here is something that will REALLY appeal to every family. Take an ordinary dustpan, paint it in bright colors, stencil some comic motto thereon and you have a cute item for the bathroom when hung in inverted fashion.

Speaking of bathroom novelties, one hobbiest turned out a few framed mottoes for the bathroom. Folks liked them so well that he was obliged to turn out around 130. One of them read as follows: "Do ye so many towels need to use? Somehow I doubt it. Methinks ye bathtub would look well without a ring about it. Please not to linger, after ye ablutions all are through, for there are others, friend, ye know, who need this bathroom too." People liked this for some reason. No doubt a complete series of "bathroom" mottoes would make a big hit with the public. Think about that as a money-making idea. The originator hand letters these mottoes on parchment, then frames them. Could be first hand lettered by an artist, then hundreds of duplicate copies printed from an engraving. Sold for $1.25.

Large frying pans, painted in gay colors with clever designs stenciled on the bottom, make fine wall decorations for the kitchen. Spittoons painted in the same manner make unusual flower vases with a comic "history". Ideas come easily once you get the imagination to "perking". That's what my books are mostly written for (outside of my own profit!)—so that others can receive enough mental stimulation to get their own thought processes working! #104-105

U.S.A. . . . . TAILORED TOURS
Arthur noticed on his trips that it was awfully easy to pass by many sights worth seeing without even knowing it. Many of the scenic views were "just around the corner or the hill" from the main highway so the tourist very rarely got to see them, unless he was "in the know".

This chap decided to make a thorough study of his own state, particularly along one highway. He found, for instance, a ghost city off the beaten track, breathtaking views, a replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, a pet cemetery, a quaint French village where everyone speaks the language of their ancestors, a natural bridge 80 feet high and 150 feet long, the smallest tombstone in the world, a mysterious Footprint Rock which has puzzled archaeologists, Oriental "Ginkgo" trees, largest Indian petroglyph in the world (or Pisa Bird, painted into a rock, the work of a race of prehistoric humans), a Mormon settlement, etc., etc. Where would we find all of this? Utah? Colorado? Further east than that! Illinois is the state! Illinois…the state that is usually forgotten when they make up the scenic travelogue folders.

Yet Arthur found all of these interesting sights and many more in this particular state. It goes to prove that there are sights worth seeing no matter where you travel, and chances are that you'll miss many of them.

Anyway, to get to the point of this tale, Arthur went into business. By various means and by traveling, he managed to collect items similar to the aforementioned from other states until his files were jammed with a total of 15,000. Looseleaf folders were then created and called "Tailored Tours". These list all of the things a traveler might ordinarily miss, sights that lie between many of the towns, sights that are up to six miles away from the main road.

The folders are similar to the travel cards issued by the Automobile Club, giving the mileage between towns, distance to outlying scenic views, etc. The whole route or trip is explained in a step by step fashion. In fact, the folders can be used as a supplement to a map or sometimes by themselves just as you can drive across the country without a map, using the Automobile Club's Travel Cards and nothing else.

His charge for a series of folders covering 500 miles is only $3.00. Side trip mileage is not counted,

Arthur is now planning to list all exceptional photogenic spots on the route for the benefit of the vast number of travelers in this country who take their cameras along. This would be a nice enterprise for a couple who like to travel, like to gather information. Possibly six months of the year could be given over to traveling and the remainder of the year to publishing the folders.

Here is another idea that you can work in with the aforementioned plan. Develop a tourist service or bureau for the family with a very modest income. I don't believe that there are any bureaus of that nature operating at the present time. The assumption is, I suppose, that a person shouldn't travel if he can't afford to throw his money away!

Not only would a bureau of this kind appeal to those with modest means, but it would also draw the patronage of the more well to do class because by saving money on one trip they could manage to take several trips a year instead of just one.

Bulletins could be mimeographed that would list all of the out-of-the-way spots, the scenic countryside, where one wouldn't have to outlay a fortune in order to linger a few days. First hand information would have to be procured about all hotels, trailer camps, tourist homes and restaurants that made a practice of giving good value for an extremely low price. It would take some time to dig these places up, to separate them from the "gyp" joints and the high-toned, high priced, but such a list would be extremely valuable.

At the same time data could be obtained about the many unusual and unique places along the route, even though they might be slightly in the "luxury" class, but not too high priced, mind you. These could be listed so that the tourist could have at least one day to forget the "Budget". All listings should give the average price for each meal, lodging rates, general price scale for each tourist town or resort, types of stores, etc. In other words, tell where the tourist can be most likely to receive the best meal, or the best lodgings or the best recreation or entertainment for the most reasonable price. What a wonderful bulletin service this would be!

Snapshots of many of these places, the surrounding scenery, attractions, etc., should be taken. Perhaps the bulletins could be printed by photolith process and in this way you could illustrate your typewritten material with photographs…at no extra cost because zinc etchings are not necessary to illustrate this type of photographic printing.

Start such a service by concentrating on the scenic wonders of your own state. By showing these subscribers how they can save a few dollars here and a few dollars there, it will more than pay them to pay you your small fee. Then too, if you can be absolutely sure that you are guaranteeing the right places, you can accept a small commission from many of the spots that you recommend to your clients.

Every resort town has its little cafe with wonderful meals. Many times this little place might be cheaper than, perhaps, the hotel coffee room or hotel cafe. The tourist has no way of knowing. You make it your business to find out these things, and that goes for repair garages too. One mechanic will charge a fortune to fix some little trouble while another will only ask for a fair charge, the very minimum that he can ask. The tourist must know which is which. #106-107

RUSSIA
Own a little business of your own in Russia! You don't believe it? It's possible, although I'll admit that I was just as surprised to learn this as you probably are!

Yes, you can own your own business and make as much money from the enterprise as you wish, even a fortune, if you observe one rule. That rule is based more or less on what I have been preaching in two volumes. Operate a "one-man" business, or a husband and wife partnership, or let the family in on the project. Keep everything in" the family. You'll escape a lot of worries if you follow this plan. The problems of labor and business today are immense and it looks like it is going to take a while before both sides get their differences settled. You by-pass all of these headaches if you use family labor only.

The Russian government will allow one to make money in his business IF such money has not been acquired by "exploitation of the labor of others". So, if you want to get wealthy in Russia, you must do the work yourself. You are allowed to hire your wife or other members of the family, but no "outside labor".

The private enterprise can be a private farm or an artisan or handicraft business of one's own. By that, I mean that one cannot buy any merchandise, for resale purposes. What the small business sells must be the result of the owner's or his family's handiwork. A simple rule, isn't it?

For instance, one Russian operated a bee-keeping project before the war and during the war. Made a fortune out of the enterprise, enough to contribute 100,000 rubles to the Red Army Fund during the war, and another time to present to a squadron a brand new fighter plane named "The Angry Bee".

This man accumulated his fortune as have other owners of enterprises in Russia, by allowing his sons or daughters to work with him, with perhaps his wife acting as the sales manager, and so forth. There was no limit to the number of rubles this Russian and others too could salt away In the bank. And they have savings accounts over there too! Personal bank accounts have increased in the last six normal years from 1,000,000,000 to 4,500,000,000 rubles.

Of course it is a known fact that private enterprise is limited in Russia, just as it is limited in England, Spain, Argentina, etc. In Russia the state owns the land, forests, mineral deposits, water power, banks, insurance, factories employing outsiders, foreign trade and many other types of big business. England is rapidly taking over one industry after another under her new form of socialism, yet this book will prove that private enterprise still flourishes in that country, despite government competition and controls!

The small individual enterprise, as described heretofore, will probably always exist in every country of the world, no matter what form of government is in power.

M. S. Lipetsker, of the Academy of Sciences, Moscow Law Institute, tells us that such privately owned enterprises in Russia are not exceptions. For instance, during the war some 2,000 individual Russians gave sums of money to the Army, particularly when things were going badly. This money came from savings accounts, and most of the gifts were for considerable sums of money, ranging from 50,000 to 200,000 rubles. This indicates that not all Russians are poor and that private wealth is not illegal in Russia, under certain conditions.#108

U.S.A. . . . . "PIN-UP PEN PALS"
Fragrant notepaper is now being sold by mail. Decorated with hand-painted flowers, each flower radiates its own particular fragrance. This is accomplished by scenting the paint before it is applied. Reminds me of the perfumed writing ink I made mention of together with formula in my other book. Perfume will be used more and more in business in the years to come. Watch and see.

Speaking of stationery, there are two other forms of notepaper that have come to my attention, both unusual and with money-making possibilities.

I refer to the new pin-up girl stationery (in natural colors) and the "personal introduction" stationery. The latter bears the opening salutation, such as "Dear Herbert", "Dear George", "Dear Frank", or "Dearest Jane", "My Dear Ruth", "Dear Mary", etc. These are printed in longhand, either gold or silver ink being used. The seller would have to stock an assortment of the most popular first names.

The pin-up stationery is just what it implies. Talking about "pin-ups", have you ever thought about the possibilities of starting a "Pin-Up Pen Pals" service? One fellow did, in a town in Ohio. I don't know if he is making anything out of it, but you've got to admit that the idea is splendid! He sells a collection of non-professional pin-ups and includes the girl's name and address. Seven different girls and seven different pictures for a dollar.

Just pretty girls, or pleasant appearing girls who have posed for amateur pin-up pictures. The same as the regular professional pin-up pictures you've seen. Maybe not as daring, but fairly alluring. Most important of all, the subscriber to this service can actually WRITE to the girls. In other words, it's simply a glorified pin-up correspondence club, operated by mail. New and different all right, and immense possibilities if it could be operated in a legitimate manner with a nice clientele of girl members. Should be a lot of fun for the girls and much more interesting than a matrimonial bureau or correspondence club, for the men. See "Discovered" for more details. #109-111

U.S.A. . . . . SAGE SHORTAGE
Twelve years ago a man in a small town in Michigan bought a 10¢ package of sage seed. That is all the seed he ever bought, and it has grown into a very profitable sage business. If you have tried to buy sage at the corner grocery during the past few years, you will realize that this herb has been almost impossible to obtain since the beginning of the war. The reason is that prior to the war nearly all of the sage used in America was shipped in from Greece where it was a byproduct of sheep raising. Shepherds gathered wild sage while tending their flocks.

Taking advantage of these conditions, our Michigan dealer has made his hobby into a nice business.

Sage is a perennial plant, and if properly handled will grow larger and will produce a heavier crop each year. Some of this man's plants are twelve years old and still producing. He claims to the best of his knowledge, that sage has no insect enemies or diseases. After the first year it requires no cultivation. From the second year on it produces purple blossoms which therefore also make it an attractive border decoration or plant.

When the leaves are harvested, they are not dried in the sun, but instead, in the shade. Drying in the shade protects the essential oils which give the sage its flavor. A well ventilated attic is a perfect place for curing sage. Sage grows on the poorest of soil and will live through extreme drought. Better yet, than all of these things, is the fact that our home grown sage is said to be better in quality than that imported from Greece at one time. It is up to a few enterprising souls to capture this market right here at home before the shortage is over!

A Mrs. Marion has been raising and selling sage for her hometown consumption, and her total sales have passed $700. As there has been no expense except packaging, she can count most of this $700 as profit.

She has never tried to develop a large business, but her spare time profits would indicate that a person can realize considerable profit by raising a fair-sized plot of sage, starting in the backyard, and then going on to other herbs and possibly many acres of the stuff on a big time scale. Here is a field that has not been extensively exploited and should offer fair profits to the grower.

Mint farming will pay well too. Recently a chap in Minnesota introduced a new crop to Minnesota of commercial mint. The state's only mint farmer, he now plants 50 acres in mint, and for the last two years has been netting $300 an acre in mint oil. What's the matter with some of the other farmers? Get in on this. It sounds like a good thing for the old-time farmer or the beginner.

In Indiana I ran across another man who specializes in raising unusual plants. His farm deals in the following: Pinkroot, partridgeberry, lemon balm, vetiver and bearsfoot. These are his leading sellers.

Other items raised are applemint leaves (for flavoring iced drinks), peppermint, lemon scented spearmint, catnip (medicinal), tansy (medicinal), bee balm, sage, deer tongue (lavender flowers), wild yellow lady slippers, wild white spider lily, Indian turnip (medicinal); Virginia snakeroot (medicinal), vinca minor (blue flowers), devil's shoestring (plant), Adam and Eve (plant), John the Conqueror (plant), boneset (plant), yellow dock (plant), wild indigo (plant).

All plants are shipped out damp for replanting and the postpaid prices range from 10¢ per plant to 50¢ each. Much of his business seems to be conducted by mail to garden lovers looking for unusual plants and also to gift shops. Some of the medicinal leaves and roots are shipped to buyers, while vetiver is sold to a manufacturer of perfume and sachet powder. No inspection or special tags are necessary to ship these odd plants through the mails. For the outdoor type who likes gardening, here is a hobby or enterprise that couldn't be more interesting.

Speaking of unusual plants, I've been told that the Indians near Traverse City, Michigan, turn out a most attractive perfumed basket by using a perfumed type of grass to be found growing wild in that vicinity. Tourists like the looks of the baskets and like their perfumed odor, so they buy.

Similar baskets are being made out of pine needles by a lady in a small Florida town. She uses the long, green needles, some of them 12 inches long, and ties and binds them all together with raffia. Attractive sewing baskets, ash trays, oval handled baskets, etc., are the result.

This spare time project brings her $65 to $86 a month. She sells them all to one store in a nearby city. Cardboard bottoms are used and the bound needles built up from this bottom to a height of two inches. The sewing basket has a lid, the ash trays have glass or metal linings. Sometimes fancy seashells are laid on a lining of cotton in the bottom of the basket and a round piece of glass laid on top of the shells, creating an unusual effect. #112-115

COSTA RICA
Costa Rica is an unusual Republic, sort of a tropical oasis of democracy, free from much of the present day trouble, post war uncertainty and strife.

It's said to be a happy "Shangri-La" undisturbed by political dissension and labor troubles. It might be worth the price of-this book to find out about such a place and leave everything behind on a trip to the island Republic!

I can tell you a few things about Costa Rica. My gentle hint might be just what some one particular reader is waiting for. May he find the happiness that Costa Rica is supposed to provide to all inhabitants!

The island has no army, to start with, which is fine with me, after four years in the service! The police force consists of 242 men, but only 82 of them are policemen, the other 142 being musicians!

Although the Republic declared war on Germany and Japan, there were no casualties. There never seems to be much bloodshed in this pleasant country. Even the revolutions are conducted via the newspapers!

The happiest of all Latin American Republics has a leisurely charm that gets under the visitor's skin. One such visitor, who came to Costa Rica to build a railroad, forgot about the project, decided to make Costa Rica his home for all time. He picked an enterprise more in keeping with the charm and simplicity, the patience—of Costa Rica—growing orchids! He now has around 3,000 different kinds of orchids in his immense garden. He must like this outdoor venture and the Republic because he has now been there for over 30 years!

Talking about orchids reminds me of some data I received recently explaining the opportunity awaiting some who will specialize in growing orchids in the United States, Canada…anywhere, for that matter. It now seems to have been proven that orchids can be grown almost anywhere with a little special care and protection against excessive climatic changes.

The widely publicized meticulous care said to be necessary in raising orchids is part of a commercial attempt to keep the methods of culture mysterious. There has always been a certain tantalizing mystery about the growing of orchids. However, our informant tells us that plants can be grown from seeds, seedlings, or cuttings, and although maturity time is often long, growing from seeds taking seven years or more, it is interesting to note that SEED harvest is considerable. It might even pay one much more to raise orchid seeds instead of the plant itself, or perhaps to raise both.

The nearest estimate made by one horticulturist who counted a small part of a gram and then weighed the mass, set a figure of approximately 850,000 seeds from a single pod! From this information it can be seen that orchid culture has potentialities of becoming a sideline or an eventual full-time venture, in either case, with a most inviting income.

For amateurs interested in this subject, a supply service for seeds from South America is available by contacting Experimental Station No. 1, Quito, Ecuador, South America. This agency will send you a supply of South American orchid seeds with instructions for their propagation and culture, free, for a small postage fee of 10¢.

Twelve years ago, Harry, living in a small eastern city, thought about this orchid business and decided to make a start. Object: a good living from the project! Today he has achieved this aim. Even though he only started with $100, he now sells about 75,000 orchid each year. The average price is $2.00 wholesale, so you can see that he is making that "living". #116

Starting as a hobby, it is claimed that $25 will start you off fast by allowing you to use mature plants, not seeds. In this way your hobby will produce orchids the very first year. In fact your first crop may even have a retail value several times your $25 investment! For the beginning a 2½ square foot glass box, possibly made out of storm window sashes, is all that is necessary.

AUSTRALIA
I have tried to encourage my readers of "Discovered" and "Hidden Dollars" too, to specialize. It is the age of specialization. Even way down in Australia a Mr. Jones has been practicing the art of specialization for many years. He started a small men's shop a long time ago and decided to specialize in one thing…trousers, and nothing else.

His shop soon ceased to be known as "just another men's shop" and quickly became "The Trouser Shop". Today he is said to be selling over 700 pairs of trousers a day! There are many colors and some 88 different sizes.

Of course I am not suggesting that you go out and open a trouser shop. But the principle remains the same and can be applied in a variety of ways to other projects. All I am trying to put over is that it pays to specialize. #117

AUSTRALIA
Another Australian chap, this one an ex-serviceman, has started a mobile workshop. He repairs farm machinery right at the farm. He employs ten men and will work on the spot through the night if necessary so that the farmer will not lose the use of the equipment if it is badly needed at the time. He is said to be making a success out of the service! #118

SOUTH AFRICA
An idea from South Africa may work extremely well for beauty parlors in this country. You've seen those comic frames at carnivals or amusement centers where one is invited to place his head at the top and have his photo taken. The suggestion from this far away country is to have hairdressers use similar frames, but instead of comic figures, have the women place their heads through various holes, and looking in a mirror opposite, see the effect of different hair-do's!

You may laugh at this idea, it is amusing, but nevertheless it is a mighty good idea. The women would go for this in a big way; it would be talked about a lot and bring the beauty shop a lot of valuable publicity and more business. A type of showmanship or advertising that would cost the shop very little. #119

ENGLAND
House organs have been used by big business for a long time and they must help to increase sales and profits or they wouldn't be used.

A small book store retailer in England decided to test out the power of a similar medium and created a small monthly bulletin, which he mimeographed on his own duplicating machine. Called it "Book News" and mails it or gives it to his customers and interested prospects.

He believes that this medium has increased his book sales 12%. Many other kinds of enterprises could try the same idea. #120

AUSTRALIA
I covered the story of taking snapshots of stores, store fronts or window displays, in "Discovered". It seems that more shopkeepers like pictures of their stores, especially when there are attractive or unusual displays.

When the idea was tried out in Australia, out of 100 traders who were shown snapshots that had already been taken and prints made thereof, some 45% ordered enlargements. Even without the snapshot, tests proved that 10% to 15% would order.

Many of these storekeepers want the pictures so they can send copies to their friends and relatives. It is natural to be proud of one's own business.

The Australian idea, however, goes a step further than the American plan outlined in my other book. Electros or halftone cuts are made from the photos and these are included with the enlarged set of photographs…all for one set price. The storekeeper can then use this halftone cut in his newspaper display advertisements, on his circulars, on his business stationery and postcards. An attractive deal, if the price is special for the combination offer. #121

"ESQUIRE" SHEETS
This lady created on unusual mail-order business by simply making an ordinary thing out of something not so ordinary. She makes ordinary sheets glamorous by making them out of satin! The idea has created a sensation yet I don't believe that she is covering the field like it should be covered. There is room for other dealers to really put this over.

Making them in every luscious shade in satin material she found a ready market with the "Esquire" type mole. Even married men bought the sexy sheets for their wives. Soldiers from far away lands ordered them to be sent as gifts to their wives and sweethearts. Her display ads in Esquire and other magazines pulled orders from England, South Africa, Alaska, Brazil, Iceland, South America and Saudi Arabia. Even dealers in South America and South Africa sent her wires requesting wholesale prices. Soldiers in Korea sent in orders to be filled direct to their loved ones.

Stores saw the ad and asked for quantities of the sheets. The fact that this clever lady had something unusual brought in orders and more orders. So tickled were the folks that one fourth sent in repeat orders!

Advertisements are always stressing the words "smooth", "silken", "soft" and "satiny" so she reasoned…why not actually give them a sheet with all of these qualities? Working with a Celanese acetate satin sheeting she was able to turn out several attractive sheets. These seemed to wrinkle less than ordinary sheets and tucked in stayed put as well as any other sheet. The first ad produced a deluge of orders and so another success was born. More colors were added to her line until she finally has the following: American Beauty—Ming Gold—Sable Black—Pearly Ivory White—Azure Blue—Charm Pink. Orders come in such quantities that she is now able to buy her material direct from the mill. As premiums she offers two satin pillowcases (bearing satin initials) and a satin sachet to match. All for $32.00.