PLAN No. 413. COLLECTING ON A SALARY
A young man in Ogden, Utah, who had a particularly winning way in approaching people, employed this talent to excellent advantage by doing the collecting for a number of firms at so much per month from each. His tact and agreeable manner won in countless cases where bluffing or threats would have been unavailing. He had made the discovery that “politeness pays” to the extent of $200 a month, or more.
PLAN No. 414. RAISING PANSIES FOR THE MARKET
That pansies can be raised with profit, and made a regular business during a certain part of the year, was proven by a young woman in a middle-west city, who possessed a great love for flowers, and had more time than money.
She started her seed bed in the latter part of July, and in September she set the plants in rows five inches apart. These plants she protected with coarse straw until almost the first of April, when she uncovered the bed. Then she replanted in 2-quart wooden baskets, eight to each basket. The retail price of these baskets was 15 cents each, or $1.25 per dozen baskets wholesale. She sold to both wholesale and retail dealers in plants and flowers, and realized a neat sum from their sale.
PLAN No. 415. MEMBERSHIP COLLECTION AGENCY
A number of merchants in a western city were induced by a young man of that city to organize themselves into a mercantile collection agency, the membership fee to be $30 a year and to entitle them to have all their accounts collected free, even though litigation should become necessary to enforce the collections.
When collections were made for those not members, the charges were 20 per cent on all amounts under $40; 15 per cent on all accounts from $40 to $100; and 10 per cent on accounts over $100.
The young man engaged a live-wire attorney to look after the legal end of the business, and drew a good salary as manager of the agency, besides sharing in the profits of the business after all expenses were paid.
It proved a good thing for the merchants as well as the originator of the plan, and made collections much easier than under the ordinary methods, besides being more economical for the members.