E-Books are big
business on the Internet these days. If you are not familiar with e-books,
they are simply books (usually less content than a printed book) that are
available for immediate download after purchase from a website. E-books are
great because they are easy to create, free to distribute and have a high
profit margin.
Make a positive impact on the lives
of others through credit counseling. Relief from the stress of
overbearing debt can change a person's life. All it takes to do this
job well is an understanding of money management and great
interpersonal skills. As a credit and debt counseling service, you
will meet with people who are in debt over their heads - often
distraught. Your job will be to get them back on track through solid
advice and a well-planned strategy. In your role, you might talk
with their creditors, make payment arrangements, and then follow up
to see how progress is coming. You will also help them set a budget,
determining how much they can dedicate to getting their debt paid
off. You will set time frames and goals.
To get started, you will need business cards, a yellow pages ad,
and newspaper advertisements. You will also need a place to meet
your customers. If you can't yet afford a professional looking
office, offer to meet clients in their own homes. They may view this
as a nice convenience. Since debt is an issue everyone deals with at
one time or another, offering free talks will go a long way to help
increase your business. You could also write debt management
articles for the newspaper to establish yourself as a local expert -
but don't give away all your secrets, save some of your knowledge
for your paying customers.
In your first meeting, you will hear and analyze your client's
situation. A second meeting might be held to review the plan you
have set up for them, and subsequent meetings will be for follow up
and re-evaluation. You could charge by the hour for your services,
at rates of $25-$35 an hour. But remember, your clients are
financially strapped. You might be better off setting a flat rate
for your service that covers your time from beginning to end. Allow
them to make monthly payments. Large fees or demanding they pay you
in a lump sum may send them running.
