The making of the stencils is about the only difficulty connected with the work, for after they are made the printing of the figures is purely mechanical.
PLAN No. 347. POST CARD SERIES
A New York lady who had accompanied her husband on his vacation in the mountains became, by accident, the originator of a pleasing and profitable idea. She had promised several friends to write them often concerning the many experiences of the trip, but found her time so taken up that all she could find time to write was a few post cards. Even then, she was interrupted while writing the first one by her husband calling her to hurry up, as they were to go to a certain lake at a certain hour, so she added to what she had already written the words, “To be continued,” and mailed the card. The next day she wrote another, with the same ending, and before long had made of them a regular series, which delighted her friends, while they anxiously waited for the next installment.
When she returned and they showed her the cards, all fastened together in book form, making a complete story of the series, she decided upon a plan:
Selecting a good, short love story from a popular magazine, she first obtained the consent of the publishers to use it as she wished; then she divided it into ten chapters, and had each chapter illustrated with an appropriate cut, printed on a post card, and fastening them all together, took them to the stores making a specialty of post cards, and offered them for sale. She received many orders for the series, and they sold well, so that she made an excellent profit on them, while engaging in a delightfully agreeable work.
PLAN No. 348. GETTING MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS BY MAIL
An eastern lady of considerable literary talent and business ability, who could not canvass figured out the following plan:
Securing the agency for several of the most popular magazines, she made a list of her friends, and at odd hours she wrote them, mentioning the fact that she was agent for certain magazines, and calling particular attention to some special feature in which she knew each lady to be interested. She concluded by assuring them that she should regard it as a personal favor if they would subscribe; and, to make sure of a reply, she enclosed a stamped, self-addressed envelope in each letter. The number of those who sent their subscriptions in answer to these personal letters was surprisingly large, and in acknowledging the receipt of remittances she would ask if they would not favor her with the names of some of their friends. This they did in most cases, and by writing these friends’ friends, and referring to the former, by permission, as having already subscribed, she built up a list of regular patrons that paid her very well.
PLAN No. 349. MAKING RUBBER STAMPS
That there is good money in the making of rubber stamps, is proven by the experience of a 20-year-old youngster who started in business for himself in a western town of 8,000 inhabitants.