Many people enjoy collecting things, especially rare music or books. The life of a collector has become far easier since the Internet age began. If you have a passion for collecting something then you can set up a website devoted to it. You will earn money from offering an auction-style trade system that will charge a listing fee and commission.  

Skills needed: All you will need is an in-depth knowledge about the memorabilia you are focusing on. This includes how much they are worth and where to find them.  

Business environment and set-up cost:  You are likely to get a lot of overseas custom because often items are highly desirable for foreign collectors due to the added difficulty of obtaining them in their country. The start-up cost will vary for this business depending on how much of the computer equipment you already have. You may wish to pay to have someone develop and host your website for you. In addition, you may decide to purchase an inventory of items to sell yourself. A digital camera would be useful to take pictures of these items. The overall start-up cost will range from £1,500 to £5,000 (2,000- 6,000 EUR, 3,000-10,000 AUD/USD).  

Marketing Techniques:  

• Become involved in newsgroups and forums related to collecting the memorabilia you will be selling, using a clickable banner as a signature that links to your website
• Place reciprocal links on sites related to collectables
• List your website in cybermalls and web rings
• Pay for print advertisements in trade or collectors magazines
• Put a ‘Tell a Friend’ link on your website and use permission marketing to allow your customers to be informed if a product becomes available
• Launch a mailing list for your website with interesting content, and keep customer informed about new products
• Use OnlineOffice to set up web-site, blog and online shop to promote your business online

Complimentary business ideas: Think of additional services related to the memorabilia you will be selling e.g. toy collectors may want some items restored, so either provide this service or partner with someone who can.  

Notes: Ensure that your auction service is both efficient and secure or else customers will go elsewhere in future.  

Online examples & resources:  

• The Card Collector – An example of this type of business
• Eli.com – A large collector store

For previous SME start-up ideas, look through the archive here 

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from Canada:

• Thousands of small business owners say ‘cut fuel tax’!: Halifax - Today, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) will handdeliver 2,500 signed faxes to government from small business owners - also CFIB members - asking for a cut in provincial fuel tax.
• Self employment: the force behind Canada’s job creation record: Toronto - Canada has an enviable job creation record, and, one of the main reasons for the country’s success is a massive increase in the number of self-employed people running incorporated businesses. A Nation of Entrepreneurs, the latest report by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, found the number of self employed increased by 18.6 per cent between 2001 and 2006 - more than double the rate of total employment growth. The 2006 Census findings published earlier this year revealed that Canada’s job creation was the best among G7 nations during the first half of this decade.
• National Bank to acquire Manitoba firm: Bieber Securities caters to wealthy individuals and small to mid-sized institutional customers
• Sir Terence Matthews plants the brightest technology minds: The entrepreneur says he’s been involved in 80 start ups and only two have bitten the dust
• Small business owners seek fuel tax relief: Owners of small businesses feeling the pain at the pump are again asking the province to cut the provincial fuel tax.

• Podcast series puts new business realities into perspective for SMEs: Grand & Toy sheds insight on key trends, issues facing entrepreneurs. TORONTO, May 26 /CNW/ - Small business owners looking for on-the-go information and insight on some of the most prevalent issues facing today’s small business world can tune into a new podcast series from Grand & Toy.

As always this list is not exhaustive, but I hope it will give you a little overview. — ST.

A small business quote a day keeps you thinking, inspired and entertained 

“In good times, people want to advertise; in bad times, they have to.”

Bruce Barton (1886-1967) US advertising executive 

To find previous Quotes of the Day look here 

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from the United States:

• You Can Call for I.T. Help Without Hiring a Whole Crew: Setting up and maintaining computers requires time and expertise that may be in short supply. But assistance is easier to find as vendors like Geek Squad focus on small businesses.
• While the economy Struggles, Profits Can Be Made: While the slow economy has left many small businesses scraping to get by, some enterprises are finding opportunity in the carnage.
• The Goal Is to DO the Right Thing:Small businesses are trying to provide information to consumers about why their products are considered “green.” Nonetheless, there are few definite rules or standards.
• SBA offers disaster assistance following Trigo Fire: The Small Business Administration is making low-interest disaster loans available to residents and businesses affected by the Trigo Fire that began April 15.
• Most small business owners optimistic: Nearly 78 percent of owners and managers of small businesses say their companies will meet or surpass growth expectations this year, according to a national survey. (ASF)
• Linksys Empowers Channel Partners and Small Business Customers With New Leasing Options: IRVINE, Calif., May 20. A Division of Cisco, and the recognized leading global manufacturer of voice, wireless, and networking hardware for home, Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) and small business users, today announced the Linksys Partner Connection (LPC) program has broadened to include lease options from leading financial organization InteliLease(TM). The leasing options bring a new level of service to LPC members and their customers with affordable and flexible alternatives to traditional financing by granting access to funds that could be used for acquiring Linksys by Cisco Business Series networking solutions and other complementary products.
• SBA Advocacy Office Pushes for Greater Autonomy: The Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy is applauding (pdf) new legislation that would give it greater autonomy from its agency parent and codify an executive order requiring all federal agencies to consider the impact on small businesses when crafting regulations.
• Small Businesses Feel Sting of Inflation|: The cost of doing business keeps rising for small businesses. Having to pay more for goods and fuel means increasing prices, too.

As always this list is not exhaustive, but I hope it will give you a little overview. — ST.

A small business quote a day keeps you thinking, inspired and entertained 

“It’s part of my strong feeling for the necessity of constant change, for keeping people a little off balance.”

Sam M. Walton (1918-92) US entrepreneur 

To find previous Quotes of the Day look here 

A small business quote a day keeps you thinking, inspired and entertained 

“All professional men are handicapped by not being allowed to ignore things which are useless.” 

Johann Wolfgang von Goether (1749-1832) German poet, Maxims and Reflections (1819) 

To find previous Quotes of the Day look here 

A small business quote a day keeps you thinking, inspired and entertained 

“We are speeding up our lives and working harder in a futile attempt to buy the time to slow down and enjoy it.”

Paul Hawken, US business author 

To find previous Quotes of the Day look here 

Here is this week’s round-up of technology news small business owners may find informative, useful or entertaining:

• Small business tech uncertainty moves to mid-size companies – The economic slowdown is leading to a delay in SME tech spending
• SMEs, emerging markets get full attention of IBM - The tech giant IBM is changing its strategy to focus more on small business
• A must-have for the head honchos - A look at some of the best notebooks for the corporate market
• Review of HTC’s X7510 Advantage - A new smartphone / laptop hybrid from HTC
• UK rural broadband penetration overtakes urban – Fears in 2000 of a divide between rural and urban broadband access were misplaced
• Viewers take to iPlayer in their millions - The BBC iPlayer continues to go from strength to strength
• Shape-shifting malware hits the web - New malware has the ability to adapt to evade anti-virus software
• Antivirus is ‘completely wasted money’- The CSO of Cisco believes that malware developers move too quickly for antivirus software to keep up
• 20% of U.S. has never sent e-mail – A fifth of all American’s are still not on the Internet
• U.S. corporations massively read employee e-mail – Nearly a quarter of them employ staff tasked with reading colleague’s e-mail
• China ’s All-Seeing Eye – With the help of U.S. defense contractors, China is building the prototype for a high-tech police state
• ‘Big Brother’ database for phones and e-mails – Anti-terror legislation proposed this week in the UK would allow the Government to store details of every phone call, e-mail and use of the Internet
• Shops track customers via mobile phone – A device is being installed into shopping centres in the UK which tracks the movements of customers via the frequencies of their mobile phones
• Most Business-Launched Virtual Worlds Fail, Gartner Says – Around 90% of corporate virtual worlds are abandoned within 18 months
• Microsoft puts new Yahoo deal on the table – The never-ending saga between Microsoft and Yahoo resumed this week with a new proposal
• Microsoft offers cashback search – The tech giant is giving up to 30% cashback on select products purchased through the ‘Live Search’ engine in attempt to compete with Google
• Google Health goes public – The latest Google app allows you to manage your medical conditions online
• Macs Defy Windows Gravity – Two-thirds of PC retail sales over $1,000 are Apple products
• Annoying Software : a rogue’s gallery – An amusing look at the software that irritates us all
• Boffins take gigapixel photos using ordinary camera – A robotic gadget takes multiple pictures of the same scene and overlaps them
• Internet Brings Simplicity to Small-Business Telecom - A look at the benefits of VoIP for SMEs
• Powerful Enterprise Software Small Biz Can Afford - A good explanation of software-as-a-service (SaaS) for small business. If you want to find out more about what SaaS can do for your business, take a look at OnlineOffice

Here is this week’s news round-up for home business, micro business, sole-traders, freelancers, self-employed and any one who is interested in small business news from the United Kingdom and Ireland:

• B2B marketers “considering vertical search”: A number of business to business (B2B) search marketers are focusing on improving their firms’ visibility within vertical search portals, an expert has commented.
• Lack of insurance in small business: New research commissioned by Insurantz.com has revealed that 29% of small businesses are eschewing business insurance. The unexpected finding means that almost three in ten firms are exposing their customers, staff and business to unnecessary risk.
• Don’t fear flexible working, small firms told: Entrepreneurs running small businesses should not fear government plans to extend flexible working, an expert has said.
• FSB calls for Chancellor to share oil tax windfall: The Federation of Small Businesses is calling for the Chancellor to share the tax proceeds of higher than predicted North Sea oil prices with hard-pressed consumers, motorists and small business owners.
• SME’s Neglecting Suitable Insurance Cover: A survey of SME’s commissioned by Insuranz.com finds that many business owners are not aware what their insurance policies cover, with three in ten of new businesses admitting to having no cover at all.It seems the small business owner considers the insurance question as problematical, being time consuming and complex.
• Agency Workers Agreement Not Good For SMEs: A deal has been reached between the government and employers, that gives agency workers the same rights as full time employee’s, after 12 weeks. While business secretary John Hutton sees the agreement as “the right deal for Britain”, small business owners are concerned over what they see as an already expensive option to hiring full time staff.
• bssa blasts lack of Government consultation for Small Business Rate Bill: The British Shops and Stores Association (bssa) reacted with dismay to the government’s announcement that it intends to unilaterally introduce a Small Business Rate Bill in the autumn without further consultation regarding the proper safeguards for retail businesses. Under the Bill, all businesses with a rateable value of over £50,000, will be eligible for the addition tax. As this is a sum which encapsulates many independent retailers operating on the high street it could have huge implications for them.

As always this list is not exhaustive, but I hope it will give you a little overview. — ST.

A small business quote a day keeps you thinking, inspired and entertained 

“Broadband is like a narcotic. Once you have it, you won’t be able to give it up.”

Lynn Forrester (b. 1955) US business executive, Sunday Times (June 2000) 

To find previous Quotes of the Day look here