Power Up 5 hot ways to profit for your PC...even if you're not a techno-wiz

With the possible exception of the telephone, computers havecreated more start-up opportunities for entrepreneurs than anyother business tool. That's because PCs can be used to launch agrowing number of hot businesses that offer not only long-termmoney-making potential, but also the ability to operate fromhome.

Some of the best opportunities are businesses that have beenaround for decades but are being made easier by computers.Businesses that deal with preparing resumes or writing businessplans may not be new, but computerized word-processing, graphicdesign and spreadsheet capabilities make running such venturessimpler.

Other opportunities include cutting-edge businesses created bythe growing use of the Internet. Despite widely reportedpredictions that billions of dollars in e-commerce will beexchanged over the Internet during the next few years, no onereally knows the Internet's infinite possibilities. Butentrepreneurs getting started in this venue can expect high profitsin the not-too-distant future.

We've selected the following five businesses as hotopportunities. All have a lot of potential and can be started inyour home.

Marcie Geffner is a freelance writer in Los Angeles whoreports on small business and real estate.

1. Internet Training Company

Booming interest in the Internet is creating dozens of hotbusiness opportunities. One of the strongest arenas lies inteaching clients the ins and outs of using Web sites, searchengines, online marketing, newsgroups and other aspects of theInternet.

Some Internet trainers work onsite at corporations and nonprofitorganizations, while others go house-to-house introducing homebasedbusiness owners and private individuals to cyberspace.

Ron Gielgun, author of 121 Internet Businesses You Can StartFrom Home and OneBusiness, Two Approaches(Actium Publishing, $19.95 each, 718-382-2129), thinks the Internetseminar business is a good long-term opportunity. "Seminarswill definitely do quite well, especially [seminars about] theInternet because it's such a popular topic and it's goingto remain popular for a long time," he says.

One entrepreneur capitalizing on Internet opportunities isRandolph Hock, 53, author of The Extreme Searcher's Guide toWeb Search Engines (Information Today, $29.95, 609-654-6266)and owner of Online Strategies in Vienna, Virginia. Hock startedhis Internet consulting service after working for a few years inthe online information industry. He launched his own firm afterdiscovering the strong demand for Internet training seminars. Henow conducts day-long courses for corporations, nonprofitassociations, government agencies and library systems.

Hock charges $1,500 to $3,000 per seminar, depending on theamount of preparation required to address the group's uniqueinterests. Through the University of Maryland's continuingeducation program, Hock also teaches classes on using the Web.Referrals remain his strongest strategy for getting new customers,and he continually gets repeat business from previous satisfiedclients.

2. Resume Preparation Service

If you enjoy helping other people put their best foot forward,consider starting a resume preparation service. A resume expertcreates well-designed, well-written resumes that help professionalsset themselves apart from other applicants. A resume company islike a personal advertising agency for job-seekers.

A few years ago, the resume industry focused on the unemployed.But today, thanks to a strong economy and job market, a muchbroader demand for resume services has emerged, as people with jobswant better ones. "[Until recently,] people who had jobstended to hold on to them, rather than investigate whether therewas a better [position open]. They were glad to have any job-evenone without raises or promotions," says Frank Fox, executivedirector of the Professional Association of Resume Writers (PARW)in St. Petersburg, Florida. "Now, all [those people with]pent-up frustrations and disappointments are goingjob-shopping."

Resume preparers often have experience in copywriting or humanresources, says Fox, but there are exceptions. René Hart, 29,worked in clerical and executive support jobs for 10 years beforestarting First Impressions Resume and Career Development Servicesin Lakeland, Florida, in 1993. She not only prepares resumes forspecific career paths and particular positions, but also helpsclients disseminate their resumes to potential employers."Beyond developing the resume, [my services] encompasseverything from mailing, faxing and e-mail distribution to postingthe resume on the Internet," Hart says.

Joining PARW was an early decision for Hart, who became acertified professional resume writer through the association. Lastyear, she generated nearly $20,000 in revenues by working only 20hours a week.

Most of Hart's clients find her company in the local YellowPages, but she's recently broadened her geographical reach bysetting up a Web site. Fox agrees the Yellow Pages works well forresume preparers seeking leads. He also suggests such low-costmarketing strategies as sending press releases to the media andspeaking in front of local groups and at public libraries.

3. Business Plan Writing Service

With so many people becoming entrepreneurs, business planwriters face a growing market for their services. While inexpensivebusiness plan software can help users structure the sections of thebusiness plan (the company profile, marketing proposal, financialinformation), software can't substitute for the amount ofthought and research a good plan requires, nor the ability to writea persuasive report that will convince investors the business isworthwhile.

Using software as a starting point, these experts constructplans that help new business owners achieve their goals. Businessplan writers also assist entrepreneurs in making sales forecastsand cost estimates and in setting up proper accounting systems.

Steve Crow, 42, describes himself as an entrepreneur who enjoyshelping other entrepreneurs. He started A Better Business Plan inMundelein, Illinois, in 1996, after working for 15 years in thesales and marketing division of a pharmaceutical company. At anygiven time, he has four to eight plans in progress. His standardrate tops $68 an hour; a typical business plan brings in as much as$4,000.

Robert F. Peralta, 67, a retired CPA, started his businessplanning company, RFP Consulting Associates, in Weston, Florida, in1992. Peralta charges $100 an hour for his services. However, bothPeralta and Crow do some work off-the-clock and discount standardrates for cash-poor start-ups.

Finding business hasn't been difficult for either start-upentrepreneur. "A Yellow Pages ad has been my best marketing[tool]," Crow says. "The other things that have reapedthe most benefits have been doing seminars at an SBA Small BusinessDevelopment Center and the local chamber of commerce. Those havegenerated clients almost continuously." Social contacts havepaid off for both entrepreneurs as well: Crow wrote his first planfor a friend, and Peralta advertises in his church'snewsletter.

4. Online Classified Advertising Company

The Internet has given classified ads a whole new meaning. Websites devoted to classifieds enable consumers to sell big-ticketitems such as cars, furniture and appliances over a much largergeographical area than can be reached with a newspaper. They alsooffer the advantages of search functions and immediate posting offor-sale notices.

But tech savvy isn't a necessity when starting a classifiedadvertising site, says author Ron Gielgun. Instead, attractingviewers to the site remains most important. Gielgun suggestspurchasing advertisements elsewhere on the Internet. "Start-upcosts for [an online classifieds business] are minimal because youdon't have any inventory and you don't need to hireemployees," he says, "but you do need to invest inpromotion."

Because the industry is so new, many classified sites have notyet generated significant revenues. Ben Lovelace, 43, operatesCommerce Corner (http://www.comcorner.com) part time from his homein Orlando, Florida. The site, which features display ads andphotos of advertised merchandise, only brings in revenues of about$200 a month, but Lovelace hopes to increase sales throughpromotions- like listing his site in online search engines, andtrading links and banner ads with other sites. He also sendspromotional messages to e-mail address lists and pastcustomers.

5. Internet Research Service

If you relish uncovering hard-to-find facts, you're a primecandidate for starting an Internet research service. Researchersprovide valuable information to corporations, nonprofit groups andprivate individuals on an endless variety of subjects.

Research services are in demand because people want to get theinformation faster than they would on their own. "Not only doresearchers have access to databases [other people] haven'tsigned up for, but they also are more proficient [at searching theWeb]. They can dig deeper and do it more efficiently, getting moreinformation than you would ever think [possible]," says AlexKramer, owner of Kramer Research in Washington, DC, and presidentof the Association of Independent Information Professionals inPennington, New Jersey.

Kramer says many researchers have a background in libraryscience or in professions such as law or accounting. Whileexperience isn't required, it does help give people theresearch and analytical skills needed for this type of work.

Because online research can be done day or night, starting parttime is easy in this industry. Glenna Rhodes, 45, is a referencelibrarian for a public library in Ashland, Oregon, and anafter-hours Internet researcher. She started Informed Source in1996 after earning her master's degree in library science. Thecompany brings in monthly revenues of $750 to $1,000; Rhodes plansto expand her efforts to earn more than 50 percent of her incomefrom the business during the next few years.

Rhodes originally planned to concentrate on market research forcorporations, but soon found much of her clientele consisted ofindividuals seeking information on medical topics. "Ididn't like doing personal medical [research]," saysRhodes, so she hired a consultant to help her prepare a businessplan. The plan helped her focus on getting the kind of customersshe wants-midsized businesses nationwide that need information butdon't have the funds to hire a full-time staff researcher.

The Price Is Right

Start-up costs for PC-based businesses are modest. In additionto a computer and a quality printer, you'll need a separatebusiness telephone line and a fax machine for your home office. Foran Internet-related business, you'll need an Internet serviceaccount and an extra telephone line for data transmission. Plan tospend $2,500 or so for a computer, up to $500 for a printer, andabout $500 for the other items.

You'll also need capital to promote your new business.Depending on how quickly you want to grow your business, yourmarketing budget can range from $500 to $5,000. "The biggestdetriment for most people starting a small business is theydon't have enough money for advertising and promotion,"says Frank Fox of the Professional Association of Resume Writers inSt. Petersburg, Florida. "When you're in business, youneed to actively promote [your services] and let the world knowyou're there."

Your PC can be the gateway to dozens of business start-ups.Regardless of which opportunity sparks your interest, boot up yourcomputer, toot your own horn and business will be buzzing beforeyou know it.

Resources

The following groups and individuals can provide you withadditional information about starting a computer-basedbusiness:

Professional Association of Resume Writers
3637 Fourth St. N., #330
St. Petersburg, FL 33704
(800) 822-7279
(727) 821-2274
http://www.parw.com

Association of Independent
InformationProfessionals
234 W. Delaware Ave.
Pennington, NJ 08534
(888) 544-2447
(609) 730-8759
http://www.aiip.org

Randolph Hock Online Strategies
9919 CorsicaSt.
Vienna, VA 22181
(703) 242-6078
http://www.onstrat.com

Glenna Rhodes Informed Source
426 Walnut St.
Ashland, OR 97520
(541) 488-8859
grrhodes@informed.com

Contact Sources

A Better Business Plan, (847) 247-1213,scrows@aol.com

First Impressions Resume and Career Development Services,renehart@aol.com, http://www.ResumesForSuccess.com

Kramer Research, (202) 234-5410,alexindc@worldnet.att.net