Help Wanted

“Help Wanted” usually offers a job opportunity or a chance for the reader to make money.   That is the case with this blog post, but, before I explain the income opportunity for you or someone you know, let me speak of “Help Wanted” from my perspective.  

I had toyed with titling this post “Status Report” because I passed a significant milestone yesterday.  

Yesterday was the halfway point of my unemployment benefits sans any unforeseen Federal extensions.   

I was laid off from my job on the 19th of April.   I know that my prospects of finding employment in this city were reduced due to a few factors:

• Unemployment in Sacramento is 12.4%
• I am over the age of 50
• I do not have a driver’s license (and cannot drive)
• I use a public transit system that is also being drastically cut

Having considered the state of the state, the state of the union, the state of the economy, the state of my health, and the state of transportation – I concluded that working from home would be my best option for producing an income.  

With all the faith, hope and tenacity I could muster, the same weekend that I received notice of the lay-off, I designed the first card and opened my shop on Zazzle.

And yes - Praise God - I have experienced phenomenal success.   That success is measured not in income but in the reception of my readers, my followers, my friends and my family.  Your approval, appreciation and encouragement has been overwhelming.  I am so grateful for all the kind words and prayers for my success.  The visitors logs (for the blog and for the card shop) indicate that there is a buzz and a movement afoot.  I am encouraged by the number of women who are finding the value of following the admonition of Paul in Ephesians 5:33b.  I am delighted by the men who read the cards  (and there have been many) who wish, aloud, that their wives would give them one. 

I have even heard of a pastor instructing a wife in a troubled marriage to give her husband a respect card every week.  And the miraculous fruits of that labor are becoming evident in their relationship.  

I have developed a wonderful association and friendship with Nina Roesner, author of “The Respect Dare”.   The respect cards support teachings from her book and in the ministry she directs.  Nina Roesner recently authorized me to publish her personal endorsement of the Your Husband’s Deepest Desire greeting cards.    

This growth is amazing considering that the first card was designed on February 19th of this year.  

Wow!  That was only five months ago.  

Now I look at the calendar and realize that I have three months remaining of unemployment checks.  I need to generate a viable income from this business quickly -  enough to survive without those checks.  

To that end, I am in search of resellers.  The profit margin is completely up to the individual.  There is no contract involved and you do not need my approval though I would enjoy a working relationship!  I can recommend the following resale opportunities.

Fundraising Opportunity for Organizations

A church bookstore recently purchased 100 note cards for $200 including shipping directly from the website.   They are reselling those cards for $3.99 each.  The markup is 199.5%. 

That card cost can be substantially reduced. The manufacturer (Zazzle) offers an exponentially larger volume discount up to 1,000  2,000 cards.   The shipping cost also varies.  Additionally, there are periodic occasions when the manufacturer offers the cards at a discount up to half off or the shipping for free. 

Due to the quantity and cost of the initial investment, I would recommend this opportunity for bookstores, gift shops or fund raising organizations.  

  

Income Opportunity for Individuals 

My other suggestion is geared for an individual and also requires an investment.  However, the amount of the investment is completely up to individual and can be quite minimal.  The same discounts and opportunity for reduced shipping are available to the individual reseller.  

This concept mimics the party plan sales tradition of Tupperware(TM) or Home Interior (TM).

As a reseller, you would choose any number of cards to demonstrate and purchase them.  (You might want to plan on giving them  to your husband or a bride-to-be after the party.)

Invite a few girlfriends to join you – in your home, at a clubhouse, a restaurant or park (to name a few).  Provide a friendly location, good conversation or social games, finger food or sweets, and pass the cards around.  The cards are printed on 120-pound card stock with a glossy finish.  It takes a lot of handling to damage them.   You would price the cards, take orders and provide delivery as you choose.

If you have other ideas I would love to hear them.   Leave me a comment or send me an email through my profile.

Most of my blog posts are intended “to encourage wives to respect their husbands, to strengthen their marriage and to glorify God as they do so”.  That is also the mission of the Your Husband’s Deepest Desire greeting card shop.  If you are willing to commit to that mission, please consider this post as your invitation.

I sincerely appreciate you and all of my other followers.  For your sake I will return to traditional blogging tomorrow.   Meanwhile, this post will become a permanent page filed under the “More About Me” heading in the left hand column.