Make money by helping your small town thrive

Small town equals big opportunity for the right business women!

Are you a woman living in a small town?  Can you use some extra income?  Do you have the gift of gab?  If you answered yes to all three questions then there is a new job waiting for you.  You just didn't know it existed!

You can make money by helping your small town thrive.  All you have to do is create a job title for your new position and hit the pavement.  Extra income is on the way!  And your town will love you for it.

Give yourself a title.  It can be as simple as event planner.  Then make a list of all your duties such as organize a sidewalk sale, plan a craft fair, run a weekend farmer's market, etc.  These may sound like huge tasks but they really are not too difficult.  It's the local business owners who do most of the work.  You just put the plan into action.

Now decide what to charge for your services.  Think about the business in your town and try to get an idea of what you think they can afford to pay you.  If you are in a tourist area chances are the local businesses have a big budget.  If you are in a small rural town your rates will have to be very reasonable.  Either way you will be making money and you will be helping your town in the process.

After you have it all figured out go to your town hall and ask if you need any permits.  Then go to your local Chamber of Commerce and join!  Get a list of all chamber members and contact each and every one of them.  Then hit every other business in your town.  Don't forget about the doctors and lawyers and contractors.  Even if they do not participate in the events they may be very willing to pitch in for some advertising in return.

Here is just one example of an event and how it can all play out:

You are planning a sidewalk sale for the retail shops on Main Street.  Ask the shop owners if they can set up an outside display on that day with discount prices.  Tell them you will place ads in the local paper about the sale and you will highlight all businesses who are part of the sale (this gives businesses an incentive to sign up).  Offer to deliver flyers two weeks before the sale so shop owners can hand them out to their customers.  Give them a poster for their window showing they will be part of the sidewalk sale (that encourages other businesses to sign up).  Explain that you need to collect $50 from at least 20 businesses or the event will not take place (then you are not forced to host a sidewalk sale for just a couple stores).  Tell them that during the sale you will collect customers' email addresses so you can invite them directly to future events.  Give them ideas on how to set up their display (balloons, flowers, free kid's face painting).  Get the idea?

You will find that small town businesses will be very receptive to this idea and extremely excited to have someone planning events for them.  One event like the sidewalk sale can bring in a minimum of $1,000.  If you spend $300 on newspaper ads, flyers, your gas, etc., you will have made a $700 profit... all while having fun!  This is a perfect job for the right woman.  That woman can be YOU!

Follow Darlene on Twitter and get to know her by visiting her web site at www.darlenemichaud.com