The Recycling Entrepreneur
 

__/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/

ISSN: 1539-6789      (C) Scott D. Andrews June, 2002

__/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/ __/

In This Month's Issue...

1. Announcements & Commentary

2. More Techniques for Using Technology to Market Your Business

3. Trivia

4. Coming next month -

---------------------------NOTICE----------------------
This newsletter is NEVER sent unsolicited. If
you do not remember subscribing or believe you
are getting this in error, please just
unsubscribe (unsubscribe links at bottom). We
have logged your original subscription request
and assure you we DO NOT send emails to ANYONE
who has not requested we do so.
-------------------------- NOTICE -----------------------

*** Section 1 ***

Welcome to the June issue of The Recycling Entrepreneur, the monthly newsletter devoted to those interested in the subject of recycling for profit.

I apologize for getting this out so far behind schedule. I have been undergoing some medical treatments and fallen behind in many projects. I am a cancer survivor and I tend to take any potential problems quite seriously from a treatment standpoint.

After having been diagnosed with prostate cancer at the very young age of 44 I was successfully treated and “cured”. My father died of thyroid cancer at the age of 47, so between these two life experiences I learned that my health comes first and I get checkups regularly. Please take my advice and do the same.

I apologize for any questions you may have had about the consistency of the newsletter, but I plan on being around to publish this work for many years to come. Besides, when I told my wife I’d always planned to die while I was still young and good looking, she
told me it was too late for that - on BOTH counts!

So I guess I don’t have any choice but to keep plugging away. If you have questions or suggestions as to what you'd like to see covered , let me know and I'll do my best to address it. I intend to do periodic reviews of other authors' recycling-related books as well.

Remember, this ezine is designed to be support material for "The Recycler's Library". If you are not currently an owner of the manuals, please reconsider why you aren't armed with this indispensable information.

Another month has passed, and the economic situation continues to deteriorate daily. Are you letting dire economic news get you depressed?

Perhaps it is time to take control of your financial circumstances and start building your own side-line business - something which will give you the ability to weather the tough financial waters we are starting to experience.

Of course, I believe that recycling high-value scrap materials is an ideal business, but it is
certainly NOT the ONLY business opportunity you might consider. What does recycling scrap (especially the precious metals) offer in the way of benefits and opportunities?

First, there is a never-ending supply of scrap materials being held by private individuals. As times become tougher, more people will be interested in getting whatever cash they can for their old, unwanted items. Of course, the recent increases in the price of gold and silver will stimulate this desire.

Also, these materials are constantly being generated in the course of business activities every day, and in almost every city and town. Because gold and silver have been so blatantly manipulated for the past two decades, there is a LOT of scrap being held by cer-tain professionals awaiting higher prices before selling.

Those of you who already own my manuals and have read each issue of this newsletter (Recycling Entrepreneur Newsletter archive), know some tactics to overcome the customers’ objections to selling by using trading techniques.

You also need to educate yourself in the techniques of saving taxes and maximizing the tax benefits of having a home-based business. You MUST learn to do business wisely while documenting your transactions properly, taking EVERY deduction you’re entitled to by law and avoiding problems with the tax authorities.

You can also learn how to finance your business by taking money you are currently paying to the government and using it to make steady, substantial profits.

The best resource I have found to teach you these tactics is:
http://homebusinesstaxsecrets.com/t.cgi/191493

Get this inexpensive manual and it will pay for itself many times over!
It is much easier to enter this business today than it was twenty-five years ago when I started actively recycling. The communications options available today can multiply your efforts ten-fold when used judiciously and consistently.

Fax and Internet based options such as discussion groups and email can keep you in touch with customers and prospective clients cheaply and instantly. In short, there has never been a BETTER time to do this business.

As I mentioned in last month’s issue, I am currently completely reviewing and updating
The Recycler’s Library to reflect the best opportunities and practices for the 21st century.
The first revamped chapter will be online next week and will update the information on hard drives and other replaceable/consumable PC and office machine components.

Each chapter’s updated version will be made available FREE to existing owners of the manuals. Once the entire book is updated, new customers will pay much more for the new version, reflecting its increased size and value.

So go ahead and make this important investment NOW if you haven’t already:
http://recyclebiz.com/online%20order%20form.htm

If you haven’t been following current metals prices, you need to be aware that both gold and silver have hit multi-year highs in the past month. Silver especially has taken a dramatic jump into the five dollar range, and has since fallen back down into the high four dollar range. This is to be expected, and will likely happen repeatedly until the metal leasing scam is finally terminated, at which time these prices are going to climb explosively.

Even if you are not planning to get involved in recycling as a business, the best financial advice I could give you today is to buy every ounce of silver bullion you can afford and hold onto it. It is truly the most under-priced commodity in the world today!

*** Section 2 ***

More Techniques for Using Technology in Marketing Your Recycling Business
 
One of the biggest roadblocks to starting any new business is that of getting new customers, especially making that initial contact. Let’s face it, most of us
are just not comfortable making sales calls and facing possible rejection.
 
I daresay that this one fact alone is the biggest roadblock to success in becoming successful in this or any business. OK, Scott, how do I get around this?

I will not bother to advise you to study any of the unlimited number of books available on selling, cold calling, marketing, and so forth. If you could learn to become relaxed and stress-free when making sales calls from a book, there would be a lot more happy, highly paid professional salespeople in the world, and there AIN’T!

It is something you just need to get out there and DO!

This ability is what will separate you from those who say there isn’t any opportunity in this area. There are ways, however, to introduce your services quickly, efficiently, and profitably to your potential clients.

Technology is the answer. You DO have a fax machine, don’t you? You are not really in business these days without one. Does that statement tell you anything? You can get a fax for as little as $80 today. Do not get a dedicated line until your business can justify it, just use your home phone line, as you will be using it primarily for outgoing fax transmissions.

If you do not want to obtain your own fax, check into fax services in your immediate area. You’ll need your own fax “mailbox” with the ability to send, or “broadcast” faxes. Believe me, it will be far cheaper to get your own machine at the outset, however.

What you are going to do is compile a list of potential customers: whether dentists, muffler shops, photo labs, jewelers, scrap yards, recycling centers, etc. Create a simple flyer with large type and minimal graphics (no photos) using any word processing or publishing
software.

Outline your services, e.g. buying scrap, trading, whatever you decide to pursue as your primary recycling endeavor. Call your prospective customers and talk whomever answers the phone. This will usually be a secretary or receptionist and rarely the business owner.

DO NOT start a conversation regarding your service. Simply ask their permission to send them a simple, one page fax.

If they say no, they’re probably not going to give you the time of day if your went in person. Most will appreciate the fact that you’re asking permission to send them your
information, because they probably are inundated with ‘junk faxes’ sent without permission.

Send them your one page, info-laden fax and tell them you’ll either be calling or asking them to fax you for further info or an appointment. Tell them you’d like to keep apprised of any news items or articles of interest regarding your services.

You already have their permission to contact them using this method. Be sure to give them the option of opting  out of any further faxing. This doesn’t mean you can’t stop by in person in the future.

What you’ve done is created a business relationship, even if no money has changed hands YET. You also have established yourself as a professional in your area because you have shown respect for their time and can possibly provide them a profitable service in the future, if not immediately.

Marketing is an ongoing process, not a one-shot deal, regardless of what business you’re marketing. Remember this, use the appropriate tools to make your job easier, and use them consistently, and you WILL succeed!

*** Section 3 ***

Trivia Question - What are the four commercial Classifications of Platinum?

Answer: Type A is 99.99% pure and used in thermo-couples and resistance thermometers. It is utilized primarily for its physical properties and the purity is based on the thermal electro-motive force and the temperature coefficient of its resistivity.

Type B is 99.9% pure, or “chemically pure”; used in the preparation of chemicals and alloys for catalysts.

Type C is 99.5% purity and is called “crucible grade”. It is commonly used in applications requiring high corrosion resistance and inertness, as well those needing a high melting point.

Type D is 99% pure and used in jewelry and electrical contacts and breakers.

Next month's question: How much precious metal is there in a catalytic converter?

*** Section 4 ***

Coming next month: A new book review; the three methods of profitable recycling and
their strengths and weaknesses; what to look for in a reputable refiner - the hidden traps

P.S. - Just found this on the Internet and thought It might give a little different, tongue-in-cheek perspective. I’ve titled it:

"Why I Recycle"

If you had bought $1000.00 worth of Nortel stock one year ago, it would now be worth $49.00.

With Enron, you would have $16.50 of the original $1,000.00.              

With WorldCom, you would have less than $5.00 left.  

If you had bought $1,000.00 worth of Budweiser (the beer, not the stock) one year ago, drank all the beer, then turned in the cans for the 10 cent deposit, you would have $214.00.

Based on the above, maybe I should just drink heavily and then recycle to make a profit.