COMPUTER INFORMATION SERIES NO. 1 OF 3

This is the first in a series of reports to help you understand the world of computers and to determine how they can bring many benefits to your personal life and home business.  So, if you want to read the entire series and learn along with us — you’ll need to subscribe via RSS right away to make sure you get the entire report series.

Getting Familiar with the PC Computer:

Before you purchase your new computer, you must first understand a little about them. There are 2 parts needed to complete a computer system — The HARDWARE and the SOFTWARE. The hardware is what you carry home when you purchase one. Hardware consists of the following components:

• CPU (Central Processing Unit). This is the square part of your computer system that houses the floppy disk drive and hard drive.
• Monitor. This is the television-type screen of the computer you use to type and create your work on.
• Keyboard. This is the typewriter-like keys you use to type in information and commands for your computer to understand.
• Printer. This is what you use to print out your data (letters, mailing lists, and everything else.)

The second part of your computer system is the SOFTWARE. Without software your computer will just sit on the desk and look at you. It’s like buying a toaster without an electric cord. Without a means of plugging the toaster into the electric socket, the toaster will not work. Without software, a computer will not work. Therefore, don’t be surprised when you spend $500 to $3,000 for a computer and find out you have to invest another $200 or more for the beginning software.

Shareware programs are very popular with new computer buyers to reduce this cost — but you do need to invest some money in a good word processing package (like WordPerfect(R) or Word for Windows.) If you purchase a new computer, normally most of your beginning software is supplied to you from the factory and if your first computer is purchased from an individual advertising in the paper — they normally give you free software too. But be prepared to buy specific software for your specific needs now or soon because your individual needs may differ.

Purchasing For Your Particular Needs:

When you start pricing computer systems you will find they range considerably in price. This is because you can mix-and-match all the custom qualities available to you in almost any way to fit your particular budget. Since most beginners don’t know enough about a computer or how they’ll affect their lives, it’s sometimes impossible to mix-and-match to your particular needs when you don’t even know what they are. A good mail order publication for computer bargains is the GrapeVine Journal, PO Box 488, Bluff City TN 37618 but perhaps the following will help:

• Monitors: Like a television set, monitors come in black/white or color. If you want to save $150 or more, just specify that you want a black/white monitor. To further confuse you though — both black/white and color monitors also come in a variety of types. Each type determines how clear and definite things appear on the screen.  Different types include VGA, Super VGA, CGA, EGA, PGA, MDA and Hercules. The industry standard at this time is Super VGA. It’s compatible with almost every type of software. It’s clear and easy on your eyes and very affordable. You can purchase a Super VGA color or a Super VGA black/white.
• RAM (Random Access Memory). The amount of information your monitor can hold at one time is called RAM. Computer memory is measured in bytes and megabytes (1,000 bytes = 1 megabyte and is expressed: 1MG.) The more RAM your monitor has, the better. Be sure and get a minimum of 1MG of RAM for your monitor to run most of the software on the market today; preferably 4MG if you can afford it.
• Hard Drive. Your hard drive is a gigantic storage tank for all your software. It’s impossible to operate any software on the market today (unless you just want to play simple games) without a hard drive. A hard drive takes the place of floppy disks. You copy information from your floppy disks to your hard drive and it stays there — even when you turn your computer off at night.  The size of a hard drive is measured in MG’s (megabytes). A standard size hard drive to purchase to run most of the software on the market today would be 120MG. Anything less means you will have to purchase more floppy disks as you fill up your hard drive, which will slow up your operation considerably.

Continue reading Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 of the series.

SELF-PUBLISHING: A GENIUS MONEY-MAKING IDEA

Some “crazed nut” started a rumor that publishing a book costs lots of money. What this “nut” didn’t tell you is that self-published booklets do NOT!  In fact, it’s one of the easiest ways to make money in the world and doesn’t require any talent! It’s true — let me show you step-by-step how it’s done:

1. Choose a subject to write about. Select something you enjoy or want to know more about yourself. As just an example, we’ll use “Household Hints” (something I personally know nothing about.)
2. Now, to collect the information to put in my book about “household hints” I would go visit my mother, talk to my aunts and cousins, call friends on the phone, and in general — ask everybody I came into contact with to give me their favorite “household hint.” After a few months I’d have a lot of stuff.
3. At this point I would start categorizing all this information. I’d put all the stuff about “kitchen tips” in a separate file from “home remedies.” Each separate file would be a new chapter in my book.
4. Then I’d begin typing out my book on a computer or typewriter. (You also could utilize the services of a publisher such as Graphico, PO Box 488, Bluff City TN 37618 or Muchmore Marketing, PO Box 50027, Reno NV 89513.) If I was typing it myself though, I would simply number each tip as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 . . . with a title at the top of the page as to what type of “household hint” this particular page referred to. (i.e., kitchen tips, cleaning hints, home remedies, words of wisdom, etc.)
5. Okay. Now the book is ready to print. You’ve read everything and there are no misspelled words or obvious grammar mistakes. You are ready to see the final result of your labors. How much will it cost? Let’s assume that my “household hints” book is going to measure 5″ wide by 8″ tall (like a sheet of 8 1/2×11″ paper folded in half.) There are 2 pages on each side or 4 pages front and back. These are the best size for mail order unless you write a 100-page novel.
6. Now, the only thing left to do to make my book a success is to sell them and make some money back. One idea would be to call all the people who gave me the information for the book. I’d put a price tag of $5 on the cover and offer it to my aunts, cousins, friends and co-workers at a discount of $3 or $2. Everyone whose name or contribution is in a published book will want a copy for a keepsake — at least.

Are you still with me? My “household hints” book is a total of 24 pages. That means it will take both sides of 6 sheets of 8 1/2×11″ paper to print each one of my books. That includes the cover and everything.

Based on standard mail order prices, you could have 250 of these books printed for $109 or about 44c each. 1,000 would run even less — $200 or about 20c each. That’s cheap! Even if I sell each one for just $3, I’ll make a great profit! (A good mail order booklet printer we recommend is Kem’s Graphics, 549 Friendship Rd, Seneca SC 29678.)

Another method of saving money with printing of booklets is to have the mail order printer print them at the same price you would pay for 8 1/2×11″, 2-sided printing (around $25 per 1,000) without having them collated, folded and stapled. This way, your cost would only be a total of $150 per 1,000 or 15c per booklet.

This method is great if you want to do some of the work yourself. Your only expense would be a saddle stitcher from an office supply store. This is a long-armed stapler and the cost is around $45. Of course you would not want to make this investment if you were only going to be publishing one book per year — but if you plan to go into heavy production, it would be worth your while. I personally don’t care to do this myself because I’m saving tons of money. I’ll get paid in the long run for my time.

So you see; it’s not that hard to create your own money-maker. There’s no hidden secret to it. You don’t have to pay $29.95 for the same information. We’re GIVING it to you free of charge.

Every single human being has a book inside of them! Everybody knows something that other people don’t and everybody has interests that other people don’t have the time to learn about. There is a subject that interests you that would interest others. Guaranteed!

So, get busy. Pick a subject, gather the information and type it up! You’ll be a hero before you know it. Neighbors will begin to label you as a notorious writer. You’ll be able to hold your head high, and you’ll be able to start putting “, Writer” at the end of your name on your business letters. Won’t that be something?

BUSINESS IDEA FOR BEGINNERS

Did you know that you can market mail order materials in your own area, to your own friends and co-workers without losing any money? It’s easy! All you have to do is find a product, mark up the price to take care of your commission and sell it.

One of the easiest items to sell in your local area is printing. Call any print shop (Minuteman, Quik Print, Pip, etc.) and ask them the price for printing 1,000 copies of the same original (one-side). Prices will differ across the nation, but I have found the medium range to be between $60 and $90. However, most mail order printer’s prices range between $20 and $30 for the same job! That’s about a 50% difference — even going by the lowest local rates.

Okay — now we have an idea. Let’s do our preparation and I’ll lead you step-by-step into the marketing of this idea. Let’s stick with our example of printing. Before you begin to advertise printing services in your local area, you need to locate an honest and good mail order printer. If you don’t, you will be stuck with unsatisfied customers if the order isn’t right.

In order to locate a good printer, you will need to read mail order publications. Compare prices and services. Look at the quality of their advertisement. Is it professional looking? Does the printing look sloppy? Find a printer with the lowest prices but the most services. It is more important to have someone who is reliable, ships on time and never lets you down versus saving $1 per order.

Three printers we recommend are, however, there are many other good ones in mail order:

Kem’s Graphics
549 Friendship Rd
Seneca, SC 29678

JRS Printing
PO Box 2508
Calcutta, OH 4392

Tom Leash
64 W Main St
Dallastown, PA 17313

To get a current Big Mail of up-to-date information, write to the following and request a copy of their current publications to get you started:

George Norr
PO Box 70268
Salt Lake City, UT 84170

G&B Records
PO Box 10150
Terra Bella, CA 93270

Once you’ve narrowed your company selections down to a few choice ones, you probably will want to send each of them a small order. Keep records of the date you sent each order and how long it took to get back. I would mail all my orders on the same day. This way, you would automatically know “which” printer was the fastest in shipping orders. (This fact is very important when dealing with local customers who want their order yesterday or last week.)

Now, compare the quality of the printers you have selected. Choose the best! Remember, when you deal with local customers you will have to provide the same type of commercial quality they are used to receiving locally. Even though they will be paying less, no customer should expect “less.” Your business will grow if you offer the same quality for less money.

After you have selected the printer you want to use, write them a letter. Explain that you are going to market their services locally and would like to obtain their “best” price. Often times, they will discount their prices even more just to get repeat business. This brings you in more commissions.

Now, all that’s left is to make yourself a price sheet listing YOUR prices (marked up from the prices your printer charges you and how much the same item sells for locally). Pass these price sheets out at work. Place on car windshields. Tack on bulletin boards. Advertise in the paper. Drop off at small business establishments. Contact people in the paper who are planning a wedding or pass out flyers in your neighborhood. When you get an order, you keep your portion of the customer’s money and send the order to your printer, who normally dropships to you or your customer.

This is only one idea for selling mail order printing in your local area. There are 1,000′s of other mail order products that are superior as well as a lot of talented folks who provide exceptional products that cannot be purchased at all locally! Just choose one that interests you and find a way to sell it in your neighborhood.

Another way of selling locally is by contacting Coal Publishing, 27 South 4th Ave, Highland Park NJ 08904. Start a newspaper in your area and have local businesses place advertisements. When you have secured advertisers, send the ads and payment to Coal’s “Small Business Keeps America Growing” newspaper services. Copies are professionally printed and shipped back to you. Have kids and teenagers help you distribute them and you’re in business. This idea can net you as much as $1,000+ per week once you build up the advertisers for it.

Selling locally is the quickest and easiest way to start a business of your own without any money. It’s better than working for McDonalds. Just look around — opportunities do exist everywhere!