I need some advice on starting my home business. I am a full time mom with two small toddlers and I need to work from home. Can anyone give me some advice on what to do first? Advertising? I have the capabilities to make the favors, and also I have the information to buy from wholesalers and sell as they are. What is the best way to go? Do I need a tax Id number? I have alot of questions and I am ready to start immediately. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank You!! Oh yeah, I thought of the name "Do Me A Favor?" What do you think? Sincerely, Kathy H. from South Florida

First of all I love the name!! How catchy and to the point. Excellent! As far as detail on legalities contact your state office for info. They probably have a packet to send you. As for advertising... Get busy! Don't forget flower shops-they usually only take care of the flowers and you might be able to work out some sort of arrangement for 10% of sales go back to them. You will need to leave them some samples or just leave them your card and tell them to make sure the customers mentions their name for a discount. Send out flyers to all your friends, daycares and everywhere! Best of luck!

Kathy, are you doing candy wrappers or party favors? I'm with Susan, you need to contact your local city licensing dept and find out what you need and you will also need a DBA (doing business as) from the State. Hand out flyers, business cards and when you get the business going, make sure you do a Free Press Release in your local newspaper announcing your business to your community!
Good Luck

Vicki
http://www.Cards2you.com

I'd like to start up a wedding, shower, etc..favor business out of my home. I am having difficulty finding out where to purchase pre-made favors. Can anyone help? Thank you!

What type of premade favors are you looking for?

Hi Teri,

Thanks for responding. I'm looking for the kind of favors that do not require assembly. I'm particularly interested in selling Italian imports such as porcelain and crystal items.

>Hi Teri,

>Thanks for responding. I'm looking for
>the kind of favors that do
>not require assembly. I'm particularly
>interested in selling Italian imports such
>as porcelain and crystal items.

Hi,

Just a thought, to find some customers check in the engagement announcement section of newspapers. You may have to research the phone book to get their addresses or maybe the newspaper will work with you in attaching a form or flyer from your business to their application to place an ad to the customer. Good Luck sounds great. My daughter is getting married next summer. Are you planning to do this only locally or are you considering out of state as well.

Thanks
Mary

First, Your business name is awesome. Go with it!

Second, Get a website! You can get a lot more business that way. you can show pictures of your favors and ship them to your customers. I checked and www.domeafavor.com isnt available but domeafavorshop.com is. also www.domeafavorweddings.net and .biz.
I go to www.godaddy.com and check to see whats available. Thats where I got mine, It costs $4.95-$6.95/year (until 5/31-usually priced at $8.95-$9.95) and hosting starts at $3.95/mo. thats where I got my website.(one of them)

Anyway, I wish you the best of luck, now I've gotta get back to work, I just caught myself browsing when I should be working!

Trish

www.myjafra.com/tmcdonald

STRICTLY PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL

FROM THE DESK OF; MR VICTOR UMAH
DIRECTOR FOREIGN OPERATIONS ( UNION BANK NIG.PLC)
MARINA BRACH, LAGOS ; NIGERIA
FAX; 234 1 759 5040

REPLY TO; malamvicumah1@yahoo.co.uk

ATTN; Nieci

DEAR CONFIDANT,

Good day to you,

I presume this letter will come to you as a surprise, but as things
unfold,we will know each other better. I will start by introducing myself to you.My name is MR, VICTOR UMAH, Manager, Credit and Foreign Bills of UNION BANK NIG PLC.

I AM WRITTING IN RESPECT OF A FOREIGN CUSTOMER OF MY BANK AN OIL MERCHANT & CONTRACTOR ( MR RICHARD BROKAW )

WHO PERISHED IN THE PLANE CRASH OF 31 OCTOBER 1999[WITH EGYPTIAN AIRLINE 990] WITH OTHER PASSENGERS ABOARD AS YOU CAN COMFIRM IT YOURSELF THROUGH THIS WEB SITE.

http://www.cnn.com/US/9911/02/egyptair990.list/index.html

Since the demise of this our customer, I personally has watched with keen interest to see the next of kin but all has proved abortive as no one has come to claim his funds of US$5,000,000.00 (Five Million United States Dollar) and all the relevant documents in the bank has no record of any next of kin.

On this note, I decided to seek for whom his name shall be used as his next of kin . Because the banking ethics here does not allow such money to stay more than four years, because money will be recalled to the bank treasury as unclaimed after this period. In view of this, I got your contact through the internet after realizing that you can be used as the next of kin to the deceased. I will give you 30% of the total for your services, and 5% for any expenses that may arise.

Upon the receipt of your response, I will forward to you a copy of my official bank I.D card, my personal picture and a copy of the certificate of deposit issued to the deceased customer ( MR RICHARD BROKAW) by this bank, for proper indentification of my good self and in confirmation of my sincere of purpose in this transaction after which we can now seek the services of a financial attorney who will be your lawyer & legal representative here, he will equally forward an applicaton of claim to this bank on your behalf as the next of kin to the deceased account towards the procurement of all the necessary approvals and documents that will prove you as the Beneficiary of the fund of which the copies will be forwarded to you for your own perusals.

NOTE as the MANAGER of this bank, I can not physically avail myself for the procurement of this documents because neither the lawyer or the bank authorities should know that I am aware of your claims this is exactly why we will need the services of an external attorney, but I will act under cover and make sure that all approvals and documentations are obtained because I have made all arrengements before contacting you.

I will not fail to bring to your notice that this business is hitch free and that you should not entertain any fear as all modalities for the fund transfer will be finalized within five banking days, after you apply to the bank as a relation to the deceased.
When you receive this letter, kindly send me an e-mail to this confidential address

malamvicumah1@yahoo.co.uk

signifying your interest including your most confidential telephone/fax numbers for quick communication.
Respectfully submitted,

MR, VICTOR UMAH
DIRECTOR FOREIGN OPERATIONS ( UNION BANK NIG.PLC)

Has anyone been able to tell you where to purchase the favors? Im trying to start my own favor business as well and have run into the same problem.

I think it's a real catchy name! I started my own candy wrapper business from home and Im looking to expand to wedding favors. I went down to my county clerks office and got a business certificate first(not a license)they said I didn't need one for selling over the computer. Check with your local office though. Then I went on the computer and applied for a EIN# which you really don't need if it's just you. My county clerks office gave me the 800# to apply for a resale cert. but I havent done that yet. Then I went onto yahoo and opened a web hosting account with them because they have a sitebuilder that didn't require html language. It's basically click and drag type stuff(real simple). Then I opened a merchant solution account with yahoo, applied through paymentech for visa/mastercard privlages and began building my store. I went into the search engine and looked up free search engines(couldn't afford $300 for google etc.)and sent out links. Now Im really just trying to find someone to buy favors from to open my store. If you could pass on some info. on where to go I'd appreciate it! If there's anything else you need let me know--Hope I can help.
Antoinette
swimpressed@aol.com
PS I've got 4 running around youngest is 4months

Hi,
I happened upon this forum and everyone
seems really supportive and
positive...congrats on starting up your
businesses. I recently expanded my film
production company to encompass
wedding/special event videography to
supplement my income. Perhaps someone
would like to discuss a potential cross
advertising agreement? Let me know. My
website is www.video.jenkevproductions.com
Thanks.

Hi I am also interested in starting my own favors business but I'm just on a standstill. I would like to offer fine crystal and porcelain but I've done a thorough search thru the internet for wholesale providers of the likes of Lenox, Mikasa and no help. Any ideas?

Hi! I'm new to this and I'm a buying agent who can help you source wedding favors and other products.

I can send some pics for you to see samples. Please let me know your email addresses so I can send pics.

I don't think this forum allows you to attach pictures. It seems you can't.

My email is ocantos@sbcglobal.net

I would suggest that instead of searching the internet for the wholesalers like Mikasa, you CALL and ask to speak with a manager or sales manager. The fact is that you are potential business for them and if they want the sales they will work with you to provide you with what you are looking for. I think the crystal or ceramic items will be a great sale for wedding favors...I would try to keep them reasonably prices however. The adverage wedding in Sacramento California runs about $15,000 not including the honeymoon and the percentage allotted for guest favors is less than 2% of that entire budget, in a standard breakdown. If the couple is having 250-300 guests that puts the gifts around a dollar each...granted if you are wanting to just handle specialty gifts like for $50,000 weddings, it would be great, but MUCH harder to make a steady income from. In my opinion as a wedding professional, you should offer a variety of gifts ranging from "cheap yet classy" to "extravogant" therefore it will open the doors to higher quantity of clients...just my opinion....and thanks for letting me ramble...

Hi,

What about small perfume oils or lotions as a favor. It can be specially wrapped or just provided to you as is and you create a nicely wrapped or displayed gift. You can choose a nice unisex scent or a mixture of men, women and/or unisex scents. Very reasonably priced and different. Let me know if you're interested.

I have just recently opened up my wedding favor business and would like help on to contact wholesalers. I make all of my products. My website will be coming soon.

For the new business owners, you may also want to go to uspto.gov to register your name and logo. The cost I believe is $350.

Good luck to all!!

Well...as far as how to get customers, you need to hook up with wedding and event planners. I am a wedding planner in California and I would love to recommend my clients to you if you have what they are looking for. You would probably need to be able to ship products to California for my clients, but hook up with local wedding planners. We have what is called our "preferred vendors list" which we provide to our clients to let them know of vendors that we trust to take good care of the bride and groom and to have reasonable pricing. Feel free to email me any wedding or event related items that any of the readers of this post may have and I will do my best to send some business your way. (To gain wedding planner business friends...just a tip....we like to be taken to lunch and shown the products you offer hehe) Thanks