| A new approach to serving one of the oldest and | | | | Those areas in which you lack experience or feel |
| most basic needs of even the smallest business | | | | weak in, buy books or tapes and enhance your |
| community, a home-based secretarial service can | | | | knowledge. You don't have to enjoy typing, but you |
| satisfy the entrepreneurial needs of even the most | | | | should have better than average proficiency. |
| ambitious woman! | | | | Your best bet in selling your services is to do it all |
| This is a kind of service business with a virtually | | | | yourself. Every business in your area should be |
| unlimited profit potential. Third year profits for | | | | regarded as a potential customer, so it's unlikely you'll |
| businesses of this type, in metropolitan areas as small | | | | have to worry about who to call on. Begin by making a |
| as 70,000 persons are reported at $100,000 and more. | | | | few phone calls to former bosses or business |
| It's a new idea for a traditional job that's growing in | | | | associates - simply explain that you're starting a typing |
| popularity and acceptance. | | | | service and would appreciate it if they'd give you a call |
| As for the future, there's no end in sight to the many | | | | whenever they have extra work that you can handle |
| and varied kinds of work a secretary working at home | | | | for them. Before you end the conversation, ask them |
| can do for business owners, managers and sales | | | | to be sure to keep you in mind and steer your way |
| representatives. Various surveys indicate that by the | | | | any overload typing jobs that they might hear about. |
| year 2,000 - at least 60 percent of all the secretarial | | | | The next step is "in-person" calls on prospective |
| work, as we know it today, will be handled by women | | | | customers. This means dressing in an impressively |
| working at home. | | | | professional manner, and making sales calls on the |
| For most women, this is the most exciting news of | | | | business people in your area. For this task, you should |
| things to come since the equal rights amendment. Now | | | | be armed with business cards (brochures also help...), |
| is the time to get yourself organized, start your own | | | | and an order or schedule book of some sort. All of |
| home-based secretarial service and nurture it through | | | | these things take time to design and print, so while |
| your start-up stages to total success in the next | | | | you're waiting for delivery, use the time to practice |
| couple of years. | | | | selling via the telephone. At this stage, your telephone |
| Our research indicates little or no risk involved, with | | | | efforts will be more for the purpose of indoctrinating |
| most secretarial services breaking even within 30 | | | | you into the world of selling than actually making sales. |
| days, and reports of some showing a profit after the | | | | Just be honest about starting a business, and sincere in |
| first week! Your cash investment can be as little as | | | | asking them to consider trying your services whenever |
| $10 to $25 if you already have a modern, electronic | | | | they have a need you can help them with. Insurance |
| typewriter. You can set up at your kitchen table, make | | | | companies, attorneys and distributors are always |
| a few phone calls, and be in business tomorrow. | | | | needing help with their typing, so start with these kinds |
| If you don't have a modern, office quality electric | | | | of businesses first. |
| typewriter comparable to the IBM Selectric - a | | | | For your business cards, consider a free-lance artist to |
| portable just won't do, because it'll break down, wear | | | | design a logo for you. Check, and/or pass the word |
| out, and fall apart after a month of heavy duty use... If | | | | among the students in the art or design classes at any |
| you're aware of this delicacy of a portable electric, you | | | | nearby college, art or advertising school. Hiring a regular |
| can conceivably begin with one, but you'll definitely | | | | commercial artist will cost you quite a bit more, and |
| have to graduate to a bigger, heavier machine as soon | | | | generally won't satisfy your needs any better than the |
| as possible... | | | | work of a hungry beginner. |
| An IBM Selectric, complete with start-up supplies kit | | | | Be sure to browse through any Klip Art books that |
| which includes a dozen ribbons, can be purchased for | | | | may be available - at most print shops, newspaper |
| less than a thousand dollars. On contract, this would | | | | offices, advertising agencies, libraries and book stores. |
| break down to about $175 for down payment and | | | | The point being, to come up with an idea that makes |
| monthly payments of less than $50 per month over a | | | | your business card stand out; that can be used on all |
| 2-year period. Naturally, you'd want to include the | | | | your printed materials, and makes you - your company |
| standard service contract which costs about $100 per | | | | - unique or different from all the others. |
| year, and means that whenever you have a problem | | | | I might suggest something along the lines of a |
| or want your machine serviced, you simply pick up the | | | | secretary with pad in hand taking dictation; or perhaps |
| phone and call the service department. They'll ask you | | | | a secretary wearing a dictaphone headset seated in |
| what kind of problem you're having, and then send | | | | front of a typewriter. You might want something |
| some one out to rectify it immediately. | | | | distinctive for the first letter of your company name, or |
| Shoestringers can rent an IBM Selectric for about $60 | | | | perhaps a scroll or flag as a background for your |
| per month, plus a small deposit. And those of you who | | | | company name. |
| are really on a tight budget, can contract an equipment | | | | At any rate, once you've got your logo or company |
| leasing firm, explain your business plan, and work out | | | | design, the next step is your local print shop. Ask them |
| an arrangement where they buy the machine of your | | | | to have the lettering you want to use, typeset in the |
| choice for you, and then lease it back to you over a | | | | style you like best - show them your layout and order |
| five or ten year period for much lower payments. | | | | at least a thousand business cards printed up. |
| Whatever you do, get the best typewriter your money | | | | For your layout, go with something basic. Expert typing |
| can buy. The output of your typewriter will be your | | | | services, in the top left hand corner... Dictation by |
| finished product, and the better, "more perfect" your | | | | phone, in the top right hand corner... Your company |
| finished product, the more clients you'll attract and | | | | logo or design centered on the card with something |
| keep. It's also imperative that you have one of the | | | | like, complete secretarial services, under it... Your name |
| modern, "ball" typewriters. Only these kinds of | | | | in the lower left hand corner, and your telephone |
| typewriters give each character a clear, even and | | | | number in the lower right hand corner... |
| uniform impression on your paper. Typewriters of the | | | | Everybody that you call on in person, be sure to give |
| "arm & hammer" type quickly become misaligned, | | | | them one of your business cards. And now, you're |
| producing a careless look on your finished product. | | | | ready to start making those in-person business sales |
| As mentioned earlier, you can start almost immediately | | | | calls. |
| from your kitchen table if you've got the typewriter. | | | | Your best method of making sales calls would be with |
| However, in order to avoid fatigue and back problems, | | | | a business telephone directory and a big supply of |
| invest in a typing stand and secretary's standard typing | | | | loose leaf notebook paper. Go through the business |
| chair just as soon as you can afford them. Watch for | | | | directory and write down the company names, |
| office equipment sales, especially among the office | | | | addresses and telephone number. Group all of those |
| equipment leasing firms. You should be able to pick up | | | | within one office building together, and those on the |
| a new, slightly damaged, or good used typewriter | | | | same street in the same block. Be sure to leave a |
| stand or desk for around $20 to $25. A comparable | | | | couple of spaces between the listing of each |
| quality secretary's typing chair can be purchased for | | | | company. And of course, start a new page for those |
| $50 or less. | | | | in a different building or block. Now, simply start with |
| While you're shopping for things you'll need, be sure to | | | | the first business in the block, or on the lowest floor in |
| pick up a chair mat. If you don't, you may suddenly find | | | | a building and number them in consecutive order. This |
| that the carpet on the floor of the room where you do | | | | will enable you to call on each business in order as you |
| your typing, needs replacing due to the worn spot | | | | proceed along a street, down the block, or through a |
| where the chair is located and maneuvered in front of | | | | building. |
| the typewriter. You'll also want a work stand with | | | | You'll be selling your capabilities - your talents - and |
| place marker and a convenient box or storage shelf | | | | charging for your time - the time it takes you to get |
| for your immediate paper supply. If you plan to do a | | | | set up and complete the assignment they give you. |
| great deal of work during the evening hours, be sure | | | | You should be organized to take work with you on the |
| to invest in an ad just able "long arm" office work lamp. | | | | spot, and have it back at a promised time; arrange to |
| When buying paper, visit the various wholesale paper | | | | pick up any work they have, and deliver it back to |
| suppliers in your area or in any nearby large city, and | | | | them when it+s completed; and handle dictation or |
| buy at least a half carton - 6 reams - at a time. Buying | | | | special work assignments by phone. You should also |
| wholesale, and in quantity, will save you quite a bit of | | | | emphasize your abilities to handle everything by phone, |
| money. The kind to buy is ordinary 20 pound white | | | | particularly w hen they have a rush job. |
| bond. Open one ream for an immediate supply at your | | | | Establish your fees according to how long it takes you |
| typewriter, and store the rest in a closet, under your | | | | to handle their work, plus your cost of supplies - work |
| bed, or on a shelf in your garage or basement. | | | | space, equipment and paper - then fold in a $5 profit. In |
| In the beginning, you'll be the business - typist, salesman, | | | | other words, for a half hour job that you pick up on a |
| advertising department, bookkeeper and janitor - so, | | | | regular sales or delivery call you should charge $10... |
| much will depend upon your overall business acumen. | | | | |
