Best Money Making Ideas

Stories from the Grave

Offer cemetery tours, tell the stories of those who have passed and are buried in that particular cemetery. You can take up to 10 people and charge $100 per hour. The tour would usually take about 2 hours. Any longer and it could get boring or tiresome for the group. You will need to research the stories, memorize them, tell the stories well, and be great with people. You will probably want to get permission from the cemetery’s local administrator first. Market to tourists!

You might be surprised to know how many people visit cemeteries when visiting different areas. Cemeteries are very interesting to some people; a group of people exist that like to collect rubbings from certain head stones as mementos or just visit to learn something about the local area they are visiting. These are the people, which would love taking a tour of a cemetery with you, to learn more about the people buried there.

If you live in, or are close to, an area that has a significant cemetery this could be an extremely profitable ‘business idea’ to pursue. You can take up to 10 people and charge $100 per hour. The ultimate tour should usually take about 2-hours, but you could also offer 1-hour tours to those that are not able to stand, or walk, a 2-hour tour. Any longer and it could get boring or physically tiresome for the group.

If you have a particularly interesting cemetery to offer tours in, you have an option to offer different types of tours also. Each tour could have different themes such as; famous people, well-known politicians, famous mobsters, war veterans, etc. As you can see depending on where you live and the access you have to cemeteries, these tour themes can vary in what you may decide to offer. You will probably have returns for more tours if your tours are interesting and you offer more tour themes.

You will need to research the stories, memorize them, and be comfortable with people. Maintaining pleasant speaking skills will help you deliver enjoyable and interesting tours. If you are not sure if you possess the skills needed, many books exist on the subject and speaking classes are usually offered in most community education classes. This skill can determine how successful you are in giving your tours.

You will probably want, or need, to get permission from the cemetery’s local administrator first. This can be a very important aspect of your business to research, before you put too much work into providing a tour. Find out any rules that the cemetery may want you to follow in showing proper respect for the dead also. Include this at the beginning of each of your tours, so you will not irritate the cemetery caretakers.

Of course, you will want to market your service to tourists! Make your touring service available through your local travel agencies. Leaving well-designed printed information about your tours at all of the local hotels and motels in your area is a beneficial idea too. In leaving printed information, you may want to offer it in areas a little further away also. Most tourists are willing to drive a couple of hours for an interesting tour. Don’t forget the people that live in your area, they may well be interested in touring their own cemeteries and find out who are buried there. Advertise in your local area newspapers and magazines. The investments you make in advertising should be well worth what you will receive in giving tours.

Resources:

http://www.tourmobile.com/tours_arlington.php

http://www.lakewoodcemetery.com/f_welcome.htm

http://www.cemeterytour.com/

http://www.tour-new-orleans.com/

http://www.tourneworleans.com/

Once Upon A Time…

Do I have a story for you! It’s about a guy who traveled the Midwest meeting hundreds of people, having loads of fun, and making money in the process. Sound like a fairy tale? Well, it’s true. You could lead such a charmed life, too. Moreover, it’s easier than you might think.

With all the electronic gadgets and technological entertainment available to children today, it is a strange but true fact that storytellers are more in demand than ever. Librarians, teachers, and parents everywhere are desperate to convince kids that reading really can be fun. Professional storytellers are just the people for the job.

Denny Dey has been a professional storyteller for over twenty years. He has performed over 2,500 times in thirteen states for audiences ranging from one to one thousand. The secret to his success is choosing stories that suit his unique style, practicing his act, and fostering word-of-mouth advertising.

If you would like to pursue professional story telling, first build a base of several stories to perform. Choose books that can appeal to a wide range of ages and that vary in length. This way you can mix and match to fit the needs of your audience. Listening to children’s books on tape, can give you ideas on how to, or how not to, present certain tales. Practice will perfect your delivery.

Obtaining books will be your biggest up front expense, but you will quickly make that money back. To set fees, check around to see what other performers charge. Stay in the same range. Don’t forget to include travel expenses if you are going out of town. In addition, if the client requests specific tales not already in your repertoire, you can up the price.

Now, drum up some clients. In the beginning, you will probably need to meet librarians, teachers, or church and scout leaders in person to promote your business. After you are established, word of mouth is your best bet for advertising. Yellow pages ads, listings in local family fun guides, and business cards will also help people find you.

To set yourself apart from other tale spinners, come up with a unique shtick. Use features such as props, puppets, or costumes. Even simple magic tricks or yo-yo tricks can add a unique quality that will keep children entertained and parents paying.

Denny Dey’s life is full of far-off lands, magical characters, and enchanting language. The beautiful thing is he prospers in his specialty right from his own home. In twenty years, his repertoire has changed, but his act has pretty much stayed the same, and kids still love it! Because even though children grow old, the need for good stories never does.

Resources:

http://www.workersonwheels.com/working/storytelling.html

http://www.storyteller.net/articles/81

http://www.creativekeys.net/StorytellingPower/article1024.html

http://www.eldrbarry.net/roos/art.htm

On the Road Again

Jim and Cindy Leach have it figured out. They have found a way to live life to the fullest, constantly traveling to fun destinations, meeting new friends, and experiencing the best their state has to offer. The great thing is that they are paid to do it.

During the next year, Jim and Cindy will tour the governor’s mansion, gamble in the casino riverboats, shop in the Kansas City Plaza, listen to a performance of Handel’s Messiah, experience a NASCAR race from the grandstand, and attend the state’s largest rodeo. In addition, they will not be alone. Jim and Cindy’s Tours schedules these and other fun-filled trips for any variety of adventurous souls.

If you love to travel, especially if you enjoy the planning process, hosting tours could be a great way to make money. By logging on to www.jctours.com, you will see an excellent example of how to run this kind of business. Besides a love for travel, you will need good organizational skills and an outgoing personality.

Although this business takes a good chunk of time and perseverance to begin, the start-up costs are minimal. Moreover, once the momentum picks up through word-of-mouth, the time you spend advertising will decrease.

To begin, advertise your business in the yellow pages and the travel section of your local newspaper. Also, distribute fliers to places where they will be picked up by people with the time to travel, namely retired people. Contact YMCA’s, churches, and over-55 organizations. Don’t forget the younger folks, too. Honeymooners and students on spring break are also looking for convenient and less expensive ways to travel.

The key to making the tour business work is the creative twist you put on it. Arrange theme packages or plan vacations for specific genders or age groups. You might even try a “singles” outing.

Another tip is to work only with quality vendors. Booking with non-reputable places will not be worth the few dollars you may save. Also, entertain your guests along the way. Make the journey and the destination equally exciting and you will ensure repeat business.

The tour business is one that can start out small, but quickly grow into something bigger. Once you have mastered local trips, you can begin planning jaunts to other states, even cruises to exotic ports. The opportunities for new friendships and unforgettable experiences are as limitless as they are profitable.

Is there somewhere within a day’s driving of your hometown you have always wanted to visit? Why not plan and advertise your first adventure? If you do it right, you will be surprised how quickly you will find yourself making money on the road repeatedly.

Resources:

http://www.jctours.com/

http://www.jctours.com/siteadmin/eaglead_pic/1.pdf