Friday, February 13, 2009

The business of books


I recently borrowed a book from my favourite local library about running a business from home. It covers everything the potential homebody workabee might want to know: how to pick the right business (as a wild guess I'm thinking a home-based brain surgery business might not be the one for me, seeing as how I'm not a brain surgeon); how to organise your desk (invaluable for mass profits apparently); and how to stay motivated and productive (what's not motivating about having the freedom to stay in bed all day?).

Anyhoo, so it looked like a gem of a book and I couldn't wait to get started reading.

Sitting down last night with a nice cup of business-motivating tea I opened the book and what did I find inside the front cover but a little business card, completely unadorned apart from a few simple lines of text:

Opportunity
to create

the most profitable
business

Turn your annual income
into a monthly income
within 6 months!
1800 blah blah


Yeah sure it's probably some crazy kind of diet shakes and vitamins business, but what an enterprising approach: going to libraries and slipping your business card into subject-related books!

Just think of the potential applications: leaving little notes in Pritikin diet books saying "Opportunity - to create - the most delicious burger experience ever! - turn your tofu into take-away tonight!"; or slipping a card about your reconstructive surgery business into the Sharks of Australia book; or your anger management brochure into the Sharemarkets for Fun and Profit book.

I'm keeping an eye out for flyers advertising counselling practises specialising in overcoming delusions of grandeur in copies of John Howard's biography.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Book are the right way to get knowledge and also for a good business.
It create a good home business apportunity as it can be handled through home. Apart from any online job a book store will also create a good income for people who wants to maintain their business at home.

Kettle said...

Dear MM, because you called me out on being insensitive to Roger Federer I'll let your 'business opportunity' link stand - think of it as an olive branch, to you and all the many celebrities I may have advertently and inadvertently offended over the few short months this blog has been running.

But as a rule we don't flog products here. This is a kettle, man, not a wealth creation seminar.

squib said...

I actually thought of slipping a few free copies of my doomed children's book onto the shelves of a local bookshop. It would have confused the booksellers no end :)

Let me know if the business from home book is any good Kettle. I've only sold two pairs of buttons online and I'm seriously thinking about carnation-coloured tents now

Kettle said...

Put me down for a carnation-coloured tent! Marvellous. We will be the envy of the beach / camping ground, and readers of late eighteenth century gothic fiction will look on in awe ;)

Hmm, a children's book and button hair-ties... there are plenty of shops in Newtown that would love your stuff. Have you sent any over? I can give you some shop names :)

squib said...

You will have to tell me if King St already has fabric button hair ties made by squirrels Kettle :)

Senji said...

I have no idea what Millionaire Maker said. None at all.

Kettle said...

What do you mean, Senji? Haven't you heard of such great apportunities before?