You Can Own a Business
(101 Ways to Earn Money)

by Justus Day Wilbur – 1st published 1953
[Ed. Note: The business listings have been deleted due to unreliability.]

Contents

Introduction

Part I. You Can Sell Unique Goods

Part II. Operating Services and Special Enterprises

Part III. Sidelines and Odd Saleable Items

Part IV. You Can Own a Business if You Obey These Fifty Do’s and Don’ts on (Small Personal) Business Management

Introduction

EVERYBODY TODAY—even rich young folk, even small boys and girls—even retired old folk—like and practice the idea of earning extra money. Keeping busy, keeping boredom away, making themselves useful, learning the business of life, relishing the idea of making money or operating a clever plan—”being your own boss”—all these are motives enough.
But for a great many, need and necessity are also motives of great importance. Yet many are bewildered by the scene of economic activity, and so unacquainted with the business world that they do not know what they should do to earn extra money. As a result they listen to some of the futile and unsound appeals made, and take up something they are unfitted for, or which has no prospect of providing them with any real, steady results.

One of the most common of such traps for the unwary is the invitation to sell a type of goods which has no real price, quality or use appeal, and which, frankly, is intended to be sold by the victims to their circle of friends mostly on a friendship appeal alone. When that circle is canvassed the sales come to an abrupt end; but this limited “friendship sale” is what the shrewd seller banks on, and he cares little that severe disappointment awaits the hopeful agent. There is always someone else to be found to sell to his friends. This is basically unsound, and even unethical. What the honest earner is looking for is not a scheme to “rope in” his friends to buy for his sake, and then do a “fade-out”, but a plan that can produce steady earning on merit.

Such a “proposition” is not easy to find, or to operate. It takes thought, energy, discrimination, personality, persistence, and other qualities to make anything a success—even something expected to earn a little extra money. Dollars never did grow on trees, and never will. This is a keen commercial age, and the age of the “medicine fakir” who sold “snake oil” or “rheumatism belts” worth half a dime, for a dollar, is pretty well crowded out. The public’s sense of values is more sharpened, and business is alert in catering to every need.

If you’re looking to earn extra money, therefore, the place to find the opportunities is in the unexpected, neglected, overlooked places, with a bright idea, product or service which fits consumer need.

Take time to make your selection. Look yourself over—your situation, your capabilities, your location—very realistically, and don’t use any “fantasy.” Go over your capabilities with a pair of open eyes, and neither under-rate nor over-rate yourself. You are probably a lot better at selling something than you think; but if you consider yourself an invincible, irresistible, polished salesperson you are probably wrong. If you believe you are a musical, literary, or artistic prodigy, or near-prodigy, forget it. The world of all art is very exceptionally difficult; but not entirely impossible if you will make a cool appraisal of yourself and will be content with small success, small earning. Be practical, down-to-earth!

Energy and push may actually take you further than talent in many fields. Just as the best newspaper reporter admits he is after all, “a leg man”—his feet being his best asset or next-best asset—so you may have to realize that hard work in itself is the best money maker. The good salesman, for example, who plugs along, door-to-door, trying to sell a household device, on a hot or rainy day; who has ten doors slammed in his face, one after the other, doesn’t lose his nerve, because he knows that if he keeps working the “law of averages” it will work for him. In other words, he knows that the law of “chances” has in the past proved to him that if he makes 25 calls without discouragement or loss of enthusiasm, one or more is always sure to turn out to be a prospect. So he calmly plods along, knowing that even if for two days straight everybody slams the door on him, chances are that on the third or fourth day three people in a row will come through as prospects. The week will thus end up with his usual average, if he keeps on going and doesn’t reduce the number and zest of his calls.

The same psychology holds true of the person who works out an original plan to make extra money. He will encounter much “resistance,” indifference, failure, but if he has been rightly advised, done the intelligent analysis and the right stuff is in him, he will first of all know beforehand, by trial and test, what his “proposition can and will do on the average. And, second, he will not give up easily after his analysis and test, but give it a thorough whirl, with eyes and ears wide open to study how he may improve its effectiveness and his operation. He did not go into the proposition or plan until he had studied it well, from all angles, and tried it out—so he isn’t going to “turn tail” and quit at the first cold wind.

To do any extra money earning, the very important first things are value, “consumer acceptance”, appeal, uniqueness, desirability, fitness, usefulness. You may have the “brightest idea” in ten years, but if people can’t use it, won’t pay money for it, won’t “go” for it, then it really isn’t quite so “bright” as you thought. Also, if they can get its equivalent more cheaply, it isn’t hopeful. Also, if it will take too much, too long an argument to persuade them, it isn’t practical. You can’t afford to take time to “re-educate” a person by a long hour’s argument, in order to convince him and thus make a mere dime of profit. Speed of “turnover” is one of the great keys to successful business operation. “Time is money”—you’ll have to trade your hours for dollars of profit, at the very least.

And if your plan or proposition collapses and does not bring you a return, through no fault of your own of planning, or energetic action, or quality—price ratio, then you must be competent enough to promptly recognize and admit failure, without shame or high blood pressure; and begin again to analyze and locate a plan for earning. Few people are so clever or so lucky as to hit upon the very best thing at a first try. But be sure that you’re not just seeking change for change’s sake, or because of unrealistic expectation of earning. There are no more “gold” mines—(in fact very few of the thousands of gold mines ever gave the owner as good a return as a first-class plumber earns today!) Some ways of earning extra money are poorly fitted for some people, or the location or the time isn’t right. But don’t be too swift in your judgment. It may be a plan that needs slow coddling toward success; that is how many a big business started. You must carefully figure out the situation by keen observation, thinking, testing.

How does one go about “testing” a plan? It is really a fairly simple thing to do; but you must do it painstakingly. Select, most carefully, 25 thoroughly typical customers of the kind you will need to sell to. Exclude all relatives and friends of yours from this list; see to it that the list includes all the types of people you’ll sell to, both in age, location, wealth, sex, culture and education, etc. Then work out a very competent sales talk such as you have reason to know they would believe and respond to, and then call on the 25 and do a real good job of selling.

After this is done, sit down and analyze your results. Classify the responses. How many didn’t want to hear your sales talk at all? How many bought? How many promised to consider? How many made this, how many that objection? How many kicked about price? How many were enthusiastic? Now multiply these figures by four, for each classification.

You have, then, real “percentage” figures as to what you can expect of your further efforts. Such and such a percent will buy; (so many in 100). Such-and-such a percent will be further prospects after the first call. And so forth.

With such figures you will be able to plot your needed action; maybe the objection on price is strong, and you will have to re-price.

Now you are operating with “business research “—brains, like the big companies. And you will succeed, because you are “objective” and “hard-headed”.

Don’t despise “ordinary” things to sell. In America fortunes are made on humble, ordinary things—from pen-wipers and chewing gum to safety pins and shoe laces. Keep your thinking close to earth—close to human needs of the simplest kind. But of course also goods and services of the more odd type—the “wish-I’d-thought-of-that” kind.

Don’t fail to think originally. Don’t toss away a good idea because you have a diffident personality and have a habit of distrusting your own thoughts and ideas. Money-making ideas lurk in the craziest comers of life-in the most unexpected places. A business girl who had to quit working in offices because of poor health, conceived the idea that people in her semi-suburban section needed some baby-sitting, so she organized a little baby sitting neighborhood business. Another girl in a similar situation organized a daily children’s story circle; entrance fee 25 cents. For this she told the children stories for one hour. At last accounts she had three story hours per day with 20 or 40 children in each.

A 17 year old boy in the same neighborhood found that the local newsdealers did not deliver Sunday papers to apartments, so he organized a reliable, all-weather, early-bird delivery plan, and now uses a jeep and is about to earn his college tuition by operating a newsstand. An ordinary farm-hand with some crude artistic learnings, shaped up some Christmas wreaths with art trimming, took a truck load to town and sold every one before the day was out. Now he sells various foliage and wreath items all year round. It’s a business now, after four years of “extra” money after a regular day’s work.

No matter what kind of ability you have, examine it, study its possibilities, ask for advice, test and try out ideas—you may have a basis for extra money earning. Every day one hears of some other idea that clicks—this is a day of extra earning, bright ideas, energetic action, success story repeated a thousand times. Why not let it be your story?

If and when you choose one of the many ways to earn money described in this book, make a point of writing to all of the companies listed under that heading. This gives you a broad comparative picture of what you can do, and you can make your choices and decisions intelligently.

Part I
You Can Sell Unique Goods

WHEREVER there is buying there is also selling opportunity. Whoever sells something is always permitted and expected to pocket a profit. Selling is no mystery—no complicated hocus-pocus at all. You simply bring together at the “psychological time” the person who has the need and the money, with the thing that fits that need and that money. A sale almost occurs automatically, when this is perfectly done.

The hardest part is to be on the spot with the goods, or the samples, or the evidence, about the goods, and get the person who can use it to listen, see, feel, and become convinced with the help of your talk and demonstration. You have to seek out such people, and be bold in getting and holding their attention. And if you have a ready tongue, a pleasant smile and a lot of common sense and friendly helpfulness, you definitely can make money selling.

Selling what? That is the important question, and you will need to make some intelligent study of the various opportunities open. You should make a kind of survey of your situation. Where do you live? How many friends and acquaintances do you have? How many people would you be able to contact in a day in your locality—by foot, by car, by bus, trolley or whatnot? Next, study what kind of goods or services are needed by these people in your locality. What kind are most enticing and alluring to them? What kind of income and spending money have they got? What kind of goods or services must make a good appeal to them because of their situation?

Take time to study this—go around and ask questions. Draw a kind of sales territory map of your locality for yourself, and figure out the number of people, kind of people, distances, etc. Draw circles of one, two or ten or more miles or city blocks. Estimate the number and kind of prospects in each circle.

Then you’ll be ready to study what is presented here, and begin analyzing what you should try to sell, and make tests to try out a few things. Don’t be fooled by what close relatives and friends would buy from you—go to strangers for your test. Don’t offer goods or services too luxurious or expensive—or too cheap or common—for the type of people you are depending upon.

Above all don’t be afraid to try to sell. Don’t distrust your ability. You may not be a “slick”, “glib” talker or trained in salesmanship, but still you may do a good job in selling if you’ll persist, study, watch your errors, make enough calls, be business-like.

Now we will list “101″ different goods or services which are known to be worth considering; proved to make money, Look over them all—

I. Sell Kitchen Utensils and Gadgets.
Every home has a kitchen, every kitchen has a cook in it, and every cook needs utensils, time-savers, helpers. It’s that simple. You carry a sample with you, get a chance to demonstrate, if need, be, and the appeal does the rest. Women take pride in their kitchens, and men love a gadget. It’s a “natural.” Manufacturers are eager to sell through local agents, and offer good commissions. Some such agents make as high as $50.00 a day. The companies have often sales training managers who will train you. If you are ambitious you can, in turn, train local persons to sell under you, and thus earn an “over-ride” on their sales.

II. Sell Greeting Cards, etc.
It is amazing how the greeting card, which was once rather looked down upon, has climbed up in sales. Well over 100 million dollars worth a year are now sold. It has gotten so that people feel slighted if you don’t send them anniversary, birthday, holiday, sick and other cards! This makes a great opportunity. Stores make a lot of money out of them-money which you can make if you bring the right cards direct to people, and give them a “break” in price. Sell them on the idea of buying in quantity, ahead of time, rather than one at a time, at higher unit prices. You can make as much as $50.00 selling 100 boxes of cards.

There are now dozens of large greeting card firms offering wonderfully artistic assortment for selling by local agents, and it is an all year business, with additional items to sell to established customers. Work up a trade with regular customers.

III. Sell Brushes and Related Items.
You probably know that the Fuller Brush organization pioneered the way in large-scale door-to-door selling of brushes, and has made dozens of persons millionaires, and gives thousands of persons a handsome income. Everybody needs not only one, but many kinds of brushes, and there are now a dozen different concerns using local door-to-door sales agents on commission. The brush salesman has made a good name for himself and is usually welcome in any household, for he carries many types of brushes not readily available in retail stores. Connect up with a good maker of brushes and go to work—you will likely make sales without meeting too much resistance.

IV. Sell Men’s Suits.
This is still pretty big business, as there are far more men than is realized who cannot readily be fitted with ready-made suits, or who prefer custom-tailoring. But ordinarily this is very expensive, so there is wide opportunity. You go to see men with a selling kit and sample swatches of cloth, and take their measure right in their home or shop, and sell them a tailor-made suit at about the price of a ready-made one. Your company makes up the suit in rapid time. This still has a lot of appeal and sales are large, especially in semi-rural and rural districts. Salesmen are permitted to pocket a part of their commission out of the first advance payment made, and some companies give the salesman a suit for himself as a bonus.

V. Sell Women’s Hosiery.
What a business! Women have to buy, often, as much as one pair of nylons every week. Thousands of women agents sell nylon hosiery, and so do hundreds of thousands of stores. Naturally, then, practically every woman is a prospect. However, this all makes the competition pretty keen—but still there is room for enterprise and energy! Some of the big companies which were built up on sales by agents (like Realsilk) are now very huge concerns, and offer “self-selling sales outfits” which make selling easier. Also five million dollar advertising campaigns.

If you have fairly ready access to many women, or have a very wide acquaintance with women you should succeed.

VI. Sell Children’s Dresses.
Millions of mothers with children are located far from a store where children’s clothes are available at very reasonable prices. They welcome an opportunity to buy from an agent who has pretty, durable dresses. Some of the firms using local agents will send complete style display, and will give a mother of little girls who acts as agent demonstrator dresses for her own little girls.

VII. Sell Nylon Uniforms for Nurses, Waitresses, Doctors’ or Dentists’ Helpers, Housewives, Maids, Beauticians, etc.
This is a novel idea, but much appreciated by many who have difficulty finding what they want, in the right fit. These uniforms are available in nylon, poplin, rayon or seersucker, modernly styled, and immediate delivery is made from large stocks, to fit. A good business is to be had here, as factory workers, store clerks, housewives, maids and others are now finding such uniforms desirable, cheap, serviceable.

VIII. Sell calendars, Advertising Specialties.
There are nine millions of people in America who operate some kind of a business—retail stores, tailors, plumbing contractors or whatnot. All of them must make a bid for business to possible customers. A time honored, popular proven way is through a calendar which when hung up is a daily reminder. You live in a locality with hundreds of such small (or large) businesses—why shouldn’t they buy their calendars through you? Get smart and go ask them! Show samples, especially samples of “cute,” semi-naughty, sentimental or artistic subjects, not ordinarily available. There are also dozens of other advertising specialties you could sell, too.

IX. Sell Aprons.
It seems that the ladies—poor or rich—never have enough aprons! There’s always “room for one more”—either a more practical one or a prettier one. And they are popular gifts, woman to woman. So, there’s a business! Go see the ladies, show them a line of aprons and chances are, if she’s got a bit of loose change, she’ll buy one or two or three! Tell her aprons will solve her problem of birthday and other suddenly arising gift occasions, if she’ll buy a bargain of a half dozen of them; if you’ve got her convinced it’s a bargain!

X. Sell Business Cards. Amazing how few people have business cards! It is so often neglected, yet so logical and valuable. This is an agent’s opportunity. Go to see not only the small business men in your locality but also larger companies, and tell them they need business cards for their executives, salesmen and others; that you can offer a particularly good service at economy prices; cards of all kinds—two sided ones, “photo” cards, “tear-off” cards, buff and blotter cards, gold and silver or process embossed ones. There’s money in this.

XI. Sell a Refrigerator Defroster.
This is a new and active line, but has already sold over a million dollars’ worth! Thirty million or more families now have electric refrigerators and every family hates to defrost them-it’s a messy chore. So, along comes an electric defroster, and it’s a natural for local agents. The price is still a bit high, but agents can make around $2.00 a sale. A keen bet at this moment.

XII. Sell Men’s and Boy’s Shirts, Neckties.
Offhand, you wouldn’t think this would offer a good agent opportunity, but think again. A large amount of men’s and boys’ shirts are bought by women, and that makes an agent opportunity (as a side-line, particularly). A particular attraction is out-size shirt sizes, made-to-measure; and also economy. Agents are furnished with cloth samples, measuring instructions, etc.

XIII. Sell A “Baby Tender.”
This is a type of merchandise that has both sentimental and practical appeal. (It is a baby chair enclosing the child with a large play-surface, so that baby is not only secure in his chair, but has a lot of room for his toys and for food when feeding.) It has good appeal for those families with children of aged 1 to 4. Remember, four million babies a year are born!

XIV. Sell Match Books, Scotch Tape, Ball Pens, Razor Blades, etc. With Ad.
Everybody nowadays has use for books of matches, and they are recognized as effective advertising mediums. So, why not sell business firms an order? Especially when unique, new and interesting shapes, designs, colors, etc., are available.

XV. Sell Cookware.
This is the oldest and most logical line of “direct-selling.” Thousands of Americans have earned their way through college selling it. Women, when it comes to cook pots, are like men with pipes—they readily fall for something new. Every woman likes to have the latest and best. Once it was enamelware, then aluminum, then came stainless steel, then pressure cookers, then copper-bottom. It’s still a good bet!

XVI. Sell Neckwear, Hosiery, Underwear, Sportswear.
Experience shows that once you make a customer for one wear apparel item, you have a line in for selling many other items, especially if your customer is a family. Therefore if you sell not only one item, but a related group, you can most profitably reduce your “unit of sale cost.” That is, you can walk away with an order for not only a pair of hosiery, but for neckties, underwear, sport shirts, etc., thus cutting down appreciably your cost per call or per dollar of sales, and increase your “dollar volume per sale” and “net profit per call”. This is how the “big money” is made by direct selling. And, in selling such goods you establish an “entree”; you can come back soon again to sell more.

It is thus good strategy to sell for a firm which offers a varied line, and can in one shipment, fill a variety order.

XVII. Sell Power Lawn Mowers.
People like to have trim lawns. Grass so easily gets “out of hand” and makes grounds look untidy. Yet it is quite a chore, by hand-power; even dangerous for people over forty through over-exertion in the heat of summer. Here is where a light, efficient power lawn mower comes in; everybody with a sizeable lawn is a good prospect. These prospects are not only suburban homes but estates, institutions, factories, parks, schools, and colleges, etc.

XVIII. Sell Hand-Fire Extinguisher.
Newspapers constantly tell of entire families burned in fires. There is widespread neglect of home fire precautions—for example hand fire extinguishers in basement, kitchen, second floor, to quench a fire at its start. Everybody who owns a home must respond to such an appeal to caution. Sell three or four at one sale.

XIX. Sell Shoes with Special Appeal.
Ask anyone whether they have “foot” and “shoe” trouble. Many have; women in particular. They respond to a good shoe, sold with special attention to their foot troubles. If satisfied they will likely become regular repeat customers and induce the rest of the family to buy also. A few concerns offer fine service, many styles, sizes, special shoe comfort and health.

XX. Sell Rubber Floor Mats.
It is a most practical idea to save floor coverings by placing rubber mats at heavily worn spots. Today some very nice ones which please housewives are available and are quite saleable. Contact homes, stores, offices, hotels, restaurants, banks, etc. for sales.

XXI. Sell Books.
Here is a wide field indeed! From Children’s Encyclopedia to cookbooks or sets of books. Most Americans are great book buyers. especially reference books, self-help books, culture material. There are literally hundreds of opportunities in this field, from Encyclopedia Britannica downward.

XXII. Sell Printed Stickers, Envelopes, Sales Books, etc.
Everybody likes to see their name in print, and has use for a mucilaged small sticker, containing their name and address. It saves time and money. Not only adults but adolescents; not only city folk but farmers; not only persons but churches, societies, lodges, schools, etc. You sell at $3.00 per thousand, but pay only $1.00, which is very good profit.

Every business firm needs envelopes, sales books, etc., also.

XXIII. Sell Small Water,Power Dishwashers.
All women claim to hate dish washing most of all household chores. Most of them can’t afford a big electrical one but they could afford a small faucet-attached water-power one. So, the appeal is very great. Even farmers today have water under pressure, so the appeal is wide.

XXIV. Sell Novelty Items.
There is always some new and enticing article being put forward, and many of these, when fairly new, are great and fast sellers, because they fascinate people with their novelty as well as usefulness. Buying such items gives many people a sense of superiority, or something to talk about, at least, or to “show off.” Contact such concerns as are listed under “Side-line” items further on in this book.

XXVI. Sell Auto Accessory Specialties.
Practically everybody runs an automobile today, and takes some pride in it. And all are just naturally “gadget-minded”. If the appeal is to operating economy there is good prospect of a sale. Or appeal to comfort, or just novelty. There are plenty of such propositions.

XXVII. Sell Watches, Ball Pens, Razor Blades, Specialties, Etc.
Everybody, just everybody, wants a watch, a pen. Even those who have 3 or 4, somehow usually buy another. From 8 years up people are prospects for low-priced watches, ball pens, etc. Some excellent bargains can be offered.

XXVIII. Selling Roofing and Related Products.
Most home owners, farmers, etc. have roofing troubles. They are open to reminders, warnings and sales talk regarding their roofs, which are often far more faulty than they realize. In addition to roofing material, paints and other productive building materials are equally saleable, especially those with extra appeals.

XXIX. Sell an Electric Dryer.
Women are demanding full modernization of their kitchens and laundry. They got the automatic washer, now they seem to want the automatic dryer. These are now standard equipment in modern apartment houses, but millions in private homes want them. This is the sales opportunity.

XXX. Sell Office Reproduction Devices, Office Devices.
There are millions of small businesses which can’t afford full, high-priced office equipment, but need small quantity reproduction of letters, documents and printing of forms, postcards, etc. They are open to a reasonable expense-saving proposition.

XXXI. Sell Women’s Apparel.
The greatest market of all in America is woman’s apparel. Women never stop or get tired of buying more, no matter how much they already have. “I haven’t a thing to wear!” they quite frequently exclaim; which is just the right time for contacting them with a line of snappy garment numbers. There are quite a few snappy concerns doing a great business. The head of one concern that sells through women agents has been called “the boss of 50,000 women”, that being the number of his local agents plus his employees! There are several plans of operation: (1) the local agent uses her home and invites people to see the line; (2) the agent travels in a special automobile, hung full of garments, visiting prospects door to door; (3) the agent stages a show or “tea” at a hotel and sends out personal invitations to visit the show; (4) the agent rents a vacant store for a period of a week or so, and invites people by phone, advertising and by mail; (5) the agent encourages other women to use their homes for a “party” at which dresses are “modeled”; the local agent giving a dress free to the “hostess” if at least 3 sales are made.

There is a wide variety of concerns, some offering “fashion outfits” free to agents.

XXXII. Place and Manage Vending Machines.
This is a very large business as there are now many millions of vending machines at work, increasing at a very rapid rate; vending constantly new types of merchandise, from chewing gum and peanuts to hot dogs, hot coffee and quarts of milk. A very large proportion of these vending machines are not sold outright but placed and tended on premises by local agents, who make the arrangements, collect the “take”, replenish the machines, payoff the owner or lessee of the premises. Thousands of local agents thus “live” on the “take” of a “string” of vending machines, which they have placed with care at strategic locations.

These local agents often then branch out, with other local agents operating under them. Exciting new vending machines are appearing all the time.

XXXIII. Sell Corn-Popping Outfits.
Popcorn is superbly salable today, as is proved by its popularity in moving picture theatres. It’s a business, and an outfit can be sold to those who want to set themselves up in the business. Agents hunt out such prospects, tell him what he can hope to make in profit, and themselves profit by the sale not only to individuals, but retailers, filling stations, theatres, candy, drug, stationary stores, taverns, etc.

XXXIV. Sell Toys.
America has blossomed out into the greatest makers of toys in the world; a far wider range of them is now made here than ever was imported from abroad. Especially, mechanical toys and craft sets have been developed phenomenally. Today parents are very generous about toy-buying, because the new toys are so educational, and so appealing. (Even adults like to play with them!). This makes an opportunity for local agents.

XXXV. Sell Toilet Specialties.
Women are enormous buyers of toilet preparations, and often become attached to one brand. To sell them one item leads readily to sale of an entire line. Out of pride and vanity they speak of their choice to others, and the result is very nice business for the agent who contacts her. This keeps local agent sales of toilet preparations in the big brackets.

XXXVI. Sell Fireworks.
Yes, it’s quite a business! It’s seasonal, of course, but it pays off as a side line, and its use at other times than July 4th is increasing.

XXXVII. Sell Jewelry.
Was there ever a woman who wasn’t willing to take time out to look at jewelry? So, naturally, any peddler on the street can usually get some attention; while a responsible local agent with a good assortment is often able to sell her quite a bill of costume jewelry in particular. There are plenty of suppliers.

XXXVIII. Sell Vitamins.
Everybody nowadays seems to be talking vitamins, especially the “multiple” ones, to compensate for the inevitable dietary deficiencies of our modern hurried life. There are now some excellent ones, and the demand is pretty general. Makes an easy, light article of merchandise to sell, and as it is good for young and old, it is impossible to run into anyone not a prospect, and sell for the whole family.

XXXIX. Sell Tools to Mechanics and Householders.
To an astonishing extent today, tools are hobbies, as well as mechanics’ necessities. Mr. Man, when he gets his own home, likes to make over a corner in the basement into a hobby shop, or just plain workshop. Even the women are taking it up (there are classes for women on home repairs and mechanics). And, of course, it is notorious that mechanics love their tools and often own several full sets of them. Furthermore, the new electric power tools are positively fascinating. (Even the 5¢ and 10¢ stores now sell tools).

Result: a big direct-selling market possibility. Tales of salesmen making $200.00 a week have been told; one earned $54.00 the first hour he was selling saws.

XXXX. Sell Tobacco Pipes, Leather Belts, Name-on-rugs, Special Baby Chairs, Bronzed Baby Shoes, Electric Odor Destroyers, etc.
These are all appealing specialties. Some of the new type smoking pipes, unavailable locally, are fast sellers. So are tooled leather belts, rugs with your name or initial on them, and other unique items that are rarely sold in stores. They give the owners a chance to brag and show off something nobody else has! The baby strollers and chairs of unique design also do this. So do the other items.

XXXXI. Sell Bibles.
Yes! The Bible is now, as always, the best seller among books. Practically everybody wants a Bible in the house; surprising how many are ready to buy it—you don’t have to “sell” it. Especially a nice flexible cover edition that appeals.

XXXXII. Go Into Mail Order Selling.
There is no neater business on earth. You get your orders and checks by mail, and don’t have to hire salesmen, office or other rigamarole. You can conduct your business at home, and even the packing, shipping, circularizing can be hired. A cripple or an invalid or old man or woman can operate it. There are thousands of items that can be sold by mail, from bobby pins to trailers.

But don’t think that it doesn’t call for head work! It does! It’s all analysis, thinking, testing, experimenting. You can learn how to operate: a mail order business.

XXXXIII. Sell Odd (Counter Card) Merchandise to Dealers.
Retail stores love a simple, fast-selling, item which takes up little space, calls for small investment, and is all ready set up for display (mounted on a counter card). There is now a wide variety of items of this kind, and a few concerns make a specialty of them, selling through local agents, who in turn sell to every kind of local stores.

XXXXIV. Sell Special Work Gloves, Price Tags, etc.
Remarkable how a simple, small item can sometimes be rolled up into profitable sales. Take work gloves which have a special value and appeal. Factories and workshops, repair shops, garages, contractors, builders, mechanics and scores of other places have need for them—often in quantity. One can say almost the same thing of price tags.

XXXXV. Sell Chlorophyl Tooth Paste.
You would think you couldn’t compete with retail stores on this item, but you don’t know the magic that the word “chlorophyl” has developed. You can sell a family jumbo size, at a modest price, and it clicks with housewives. One salesman claims he made a thousand dollars in a month.

XXXXVI. Sell Window Cleaning Tools, Plastics, Hooked Rugs, etc. to Housewives.
Women are not only proud of their homes, but always ready to be interested in something novel, labor-saving, pretty. The hard work of window-cleaning helps sell a good swift cleaner; the economy, ease of cleaning sells plastic fabrics for curtains, table cloths, baby needs. Even bedspreads and raincoats make good sales for plastics. Teach housewives how to make—and sell—hooked rugs, and they are interested.

XXXXVII. Sell Magazine Subscriptions.
This is a long-tried and ever-profitable way to earn it; it has sent many a boy or girl through college! America is a magazine-reading country; practically everybody reads one or two magazines. Your job is to show them the economy of subscription as against news-stand buying—a very substantial saving.

XXXXVIII. Sell Dairy Frozen “Ice Cream.”
This is growing “like house-afire”—a plan for you to go into a business of your own with little capital. A machine turns out the very tasty stuff (in many flavors) and everybody loves it; you can scarcely tell it from real ice cream. Entire chains of roadside stands for its sale have spread around the country, under local franchises from central companies.

XLIX. Operate your own Dress Shop.
This doesn’t mean rent a store and take a lease or buy a lot of dresses on “spec”. It means, let a company supply you and help you operate a “dress-shop” in your own home, or better. You use energetic methods to get women to see your stock of dresses, and sell before you pay for them. Issue invitations for a “modeling” and make it a social occasion.

L. Make Money with a Camera.
There are a number of things you can do if you have a good camera and know how to take good pictures. You can do “candid camera” shots of prominent people in local restaurants, night clubs, social and organization affairs; also large group pictures. You can be a “news camera “—alertly taking pictures of events of every kind at the time they happen (even hold-ups, accidents, etc.) and selling them to local newspapers. You can visit homes and apartments to take photographs of children. You can take pictures of merchandise or portraits of business men at their desks or in front of their stores. You can even snap people on the street, hand them your card, and ask them if they wish the photo. You can take photos of unique store fronts, and store interiors, sales, etc. for sale to trade papers.

Continued in Pt2…