Through a contract with a seminar company, I currently travel in the US presenting one-day seminars to other professionals. I have developed quite a number of materials (besides the seminar manual) that I feel I could market to my participants at the seminars. The company said if I want to do this, fine, but they don't want to be involved. My questions:
1. How would I handle the tax?
2. Would I need a vendor's license? If so, what kind (since I'll be all over the US)
3. Would it be worth it to get a merchant acct so I could accept credit cards, or is it more trouble than it's worth for what I would be doing?
4. Any tips on professional looking publications - besides the "Kinko"s version?
I am also interested in developing a website.
Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for your time!
Here's my reply:
Thank you for contacting ME. I want to see your business succeed.
I have a friend who is a Chiropractor, who does the similar thing.
1st you need to find your bearings. you do this by writing up a Business/Marketing Plan. This link offers one for you:
http://www.volunteercenter.score.org/downloads/MT_01_Marketing_101.doc or
http://entrepreneurs.suite101.com/article.cfm/free_marketing_plan_templates
2nd, I'm concerned about your contract for the items you produced. Have a lawyer look at it to make sure YOU own the product and not the company you produced it for.
3rd you must register your Co. AS a legal entity, usually both in your state and with the USA (at irs.gov) both of these are for tax purposes.
You have a choice between sole proprietor and LLC, tho' Partnership and Corporation are available but may not fit your situation.
A business plan will help you focus on the correct stuff you need to do to make this work.
You apply for Licenses in local cities, most won't require it, but your HOME city will. However, from my own travels, CA requires you to pay taxes on income earned in their state for seminars.
If you are selling, products and services at seminars, I found that having a website with a shopping cart and/or accepting credit cards creates more sales, than not having one.
They can be a pain, however, and we can't make recommendations, I'm sorry to say.
As for publications. Look at that Marketing Plan again, and after you figure out who to market to, ask some of them how they would like to receive the info. Then get it to them. As for quality pubs, try www.elance.com and ask for bids or find a local (inexpensive) graphics artist, and get samples, check pricing and work with them to get it right. Pass it by those target market people you spoke to before.
As for your website: design it to sell, that is make the client take action. Don't use "newsspeak" or "adcopy". Talk to them as people who are in need. Make the connection and you make the sale. Make it easy to navigate and easy to find you by "meta tags" and "keywords" about the subjects you speak about. Your web designer should know how to do this, if not RUN AWAY from them.
Thanks, Any more questions, please contact me again.
Dan has a Marketing Development Program based on the book he's writing: Creative Marketing Dynamics e-mail/call Dan@dancassin.com
502-554-2397
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