In message, KEN VAUGHAN wrote to ALL:
 KV> I have a computer, bubble jet printer and fax/modem sitting at home 
 KV> and all I do with it is play games and ring up BBS.
 KV> So to cover my cost I would like to start a home based business, so 
 KV> would anyone have any business ideas I can start from home using my 
 KV> computer, bubble jet printer, fax/modem and email address.
 KV> The business ideas could includes low cost start up, as I don't have 
 KV> a car must be from home, no big printing jobs eg 2 or 3 pages at a 
 KV> go okay, no scams and maybe ideas could be database work.
  
  Hello Ken!
  You have the basic equipment for a business service.  Take a look in the 
business listings of your phone book under Secretarial Service, Word 
Processing, Typing, Transcription, and Resumes.  If there are a number of 
businesses listed there, let's say ten or more, then there is probably enough 
market to support another business.  
  While word processing at home seems to be saturating the market, our 
experience here is that there is always room for one more good service 
provider.  The bad ones will fail, the mediocre ones die a slower death.  My 
wife has been operating a homebased word processing business for over three 
years now.  She even teaches a class on how to start and market a homebased 
word processing business.
  Since you have the basic equipment, you might try posting fliers around 
with the word "TYPING" in big letters, with instructions on how to get in 
touch with you.  Try to put your name and phone number on feathers or tear 
off strips at the bottom of the fliers.  This way a prospective client can 
tear off the little paper strip and not take down your flier to get your 
phone number.
  Why do people need typing done?  Because they don't have the means or the 
time to do it themselves.  If you can put together a letter in standard 
format, you can probably run a typing service.  There are textbooks on how to 
set up a standard business letter; margins, type of font, etc.
  If there is a university anywhere near you, try to post fliers for student 
work, papers need to be typed.
  This is not a "get rich quick" scheme.  It's not even a "get rich in any 
reasonable amount of time" proposition.
  But you can set your own hours and bring in a couple hundred dollars a 
month if you like.  Call some existing services on the phone and ask what 
they charge to type a student paper about 10 pages or so, double spaced.  You 
will get a feel for what the going rate is.
  An average charge around here (Sacramento, CA) is US$2.50 per double spaced 
page.  An average typist can do about 8 pages per hour, bringing your income 
to $20 per hour.  If you are faster than average, then you will bring in more 
money on the page rate.
  If you wanted to go full time at it, a good goal is to bill 20 hours per 
week.  $20 an hour at 20 hours per week is $400.  In a year, this would be 
over $20,000 gross.  
  But if you think you just need a $100 or $200 per month, resume writing is 
a good specialty.  A well written resume is a valuable thing to a job hunter. 
 You could charge $35 to $50 or more per resume with a cover letter.  Call 
the resume services in your area asking how much to do a resume for you.  Try 
to start somewhere in the middle of the high price and low price.  
  Don't be the cheapest service in the marketplace.  You will only attract 
cheap clients who will not value your work and you will scare away the good 
clients who won't believe that good work can come cheap.
  There are many books on how to write a resume.  Resume writing is fun, you 
meet interesting people, they are usually willing to come to you for your 
services and you have them pay when they pick it up so the cash flow is good. 
 Repeat business is also very good on resumes.  Keep a copy of all resumes on 
disk for as long as you can, at least a year.  We have copies of every resume 
we've done here in the last 3 years.
  5 resume packages a month at $40 each would be $200.  Your bubble jet 
printer should be of good enough quality to look like a typewriter when you 
use a font like Courier (300 to 600 dots per inch resolution).  But if you 
find you enjoy writing resumes as sideline, you can always buy a laser 
printer.
  It helps when you have the right tools.  But you'll have to study the 
craft, resume writing is a specialty.  There are books on the subject.  The 
better you get at it, the more you will be able to charge for your services.
  Have a good day!
  -Franco Rios 
   Backup Typist at *****'s Express Typing
   (Actual name of our home based business has been disguised
    to comply with the no advertising rule of this conference)
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