# My Home Business Ideas Series



## HCK (May 2, 2006)

Hi Everyone,

Back in August I wrote a series of essays in which I discussed several unusual but viable home business ideas. If you are looking for some home business inspiration, check out the series at this link:

http://thedeliberateagrarian.blogspot.com/2008/08/test-photo.html

Best wishes,

Herrick Kimball
Moravia, NY


----------



## clovis (May 13, 2002)

Thank you for the link!!!!!!!

I haven't had time to read all the articles, but I did enjoy reading the Self Publishing entry.

Any chance you can give more ideas of how and where to market "How-To" books?

How has ebay been for your books? Any luck?

Again, thanks!!!!

Clove


----------



## HCK (May 2, 2006)

clovis said:


> Any chance you can give more ideas of how and where to market "How-To" books?
> 
> How has ebay been for your books? Any luck?


Hi Clove,

The BEST way to market a how-to book is to establish a presence on the internet. You can do this at no cost. Start a Yahoo discussion group (I did this with a group called "WhizbangChickenPluckers" years ago and it now has over 2,000 members). Start your own blog (I have six of them). One of my blogs is actually a Whizbang Books "catalog," complete with ordering blank. My sales pretty much doubled when I made that "blogalog." As far as I know it is the only blog of the kind on the internet. And it cost me absolutely NO MONEY to do these things.

I do have a web site (www.whizbangbooks.com) but it is very simple and I paid very little to have someone else put it on the web for me. It acts as "Whizbang Central" and directs people to my many blog essays, which, as I've said, cost nothing to put on the web.

I have not used Ebay to sell books in a long time. But I did that when I started out and it certainly works. Besides selling books, Ebay listings can be used to direct people to your internet sites.

I have also used paid advertising in a few homestead magazines. But my objective with the ads is not to sell something as much as it is to get the reader to read my internet essays.

If I can do this sort of thing, anyone else can do this too. It just takes a lot of time and determination. 

Best wishes.


----------



## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

I've always been interested in the self-publishing thing and it's getting easier and more accepted all the time. I think "how-to" books work best for this as they can be smaller and still be marketable.

With the Internet, it's become even easier and more popular. My last two book purchases were both "self-published" ... on rabbit color genetics. One book can be purchased in PDF format to be downloaded, or on DVD ... or as a "book" ... which is printed by the author, one side page printing, in a 3-ring binder. The other book was published originally by a university press (I believe) but I recently found an updated version ... at the rabbit show, at a vendor's booth ... and the revised book has been published in a spiral bound version, which is available at places like Office Depot or can be done at home with the right equipment.

I also bought a self-published book on eBay several years ago on how to tell a horse's age ... again, I believe it was self-published, with a heavier cardstock cover with a printing setup that gives you a standard 8 1/2 x 11 page when folded once in the center. Put together with heavy staples and one of the "long-jawed" staplers made for this. A lot of people doing catalogs do this as well.

I suspect a good blend of on-line availability/ eBay and website sales of a hard-copy version would work very well.

One of the things I've thought about a bit recently, which would lend itself well to a blog set-up, is doing a series of "How to Draw" lessons ... basics first, one lesson a week ... then a series of specific subjects. The initial purchase could include the 3-ring binder and the first lesson ... could even include a basic "materials kit". Then they could buy each lesson as it came out or the complete series, all at once.

I can also see this working for a number of other "how to" things. Possibly a series of "how to" homestead type things ... again, basics ... canning, freezing, sourdough, etc., how to butcher a chicken ... rabbit ... hog ... wild game with receipes ...

This way, with a ring binder and the first "chapters" the buyer would have a place to put all of the information in one place and perhaps more incentive to buy more "chapters". A blog could announce each chapter as it was available, with some information ... expanded version (with illustrations, photos, etc.) available for purchase.


----------



## chris30523 (Jun 11, 2005)

We have alot of tools for the woodshop.Right now just not the space. DH has the skills to build and I draw up the plans. When we were doing this part time we did well.We made alot of small things to get sales up and then a few large pieces.We would like to get back to it just need to build a shop.


----------



## clovis (May 13, 2002)

Herrick,

Thank you again!!! I really enjoyed the WB link. 

Last year, I started to write a how-to book, but I still haven't finished it yet. Your posts have given me inspiration to get it done!

I do want to thank you for the marketing ideas. I have been racking my brain trying to think of how to market my specialty how-to book. Why didn't I think of those ideas?

I have been in the printing business for 15+ years, and might be able to answer printing questions if anyone should have them.

For instance, if you are self-publishing, you should be getting 'trade pricing' or wholesale pricing. Nearly all printers have 2 sets of pricing, one for retail, and one for the trade. 

I can also offer ideas to anyone needing ideas for how to bind their books.

Clove


----------



## How Do I (Feb 11, 2008)

If you decide to offer the "How To" book in digital version, clickbank is probably one of the better known sites online for marketing digital products. You would be hard pressed to get as much exposure through a newly established website, unless you can offer information that is just ground-breaking.


----------



## clovis (May 13, 2002)

HCK-
I hope you will check back in. We have alot to learn from you!!!!
Clove


----------

