By Tope Babatope
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*Job Description :

A company that designs promotional materials, advertisements, resumes, publications,  reports, flyers even books using a personal computer, colour printer, and other documents for businesses and consumers.

*Start up cost: very low

*Potential first- year earnings: 100% of start up cost.

*Breakeven time from initial investment : Rapid (one year or less)

*Skills necessary: Computer proficiency and experience in commercial art and graphic design, as well as copy editing, all help.

Why it’s a good business :

Despite the proliferation of easy-to-use graphic-design and page- layout software, many businesspeople don’t have the time or simply prefer to contract  out this work to experienced professionals. The widespread development and use of desktop publishing programs that seem to be able to do everything but wash the Windows  has resulted in a step increase in the number of people- entrepreneurs and employees alike- who can whip out anything their company may need in the way of marketing materials  and written documents.

Start up

Desktop publishers are no more than personal computer users who employ very ” friendly” technology to compose designs on screen rather than through paste-up, typesetting, art creation, or the like. Then desktop publishers go one step further by reproducing typeset – quality printouts of what they have envisioned on the screen. While some entrepreneurs use laser printers hooked up to their computers to produce a final copy, others hire a printer to deliver the final step of printing.

Desktop publishing is fast finding favor with advertising firms and large corporations to produce everything from company newsletters to menus to advertising flyers. Whether you see desktop Publishing as a means to another end , such as newsletter publishing, or as the basis of a business, such as designing brochures for local businesses, you probably can get started for less than we the amount quoted initially simply because hardware and software prices continually fall. In addition, the computers simultaneously get easier to use and offer more sophisticated options.

The best way to get started is to approach companies you already do business with and offer your services. Perhaps they have wanted a new brochure or advertisements for a while, but have not yet gotten around to it. Because the majority of  business don’t keep a full-time graphic designer in staff, especially shall retail stores and service providers, your service providers, your services would be perfect for them.

Methodology American business man, Malcolm Ross explains the process clearly in a monthly newsletter he sent to 1400 clients or potential clients.” The laser in the printer is made to paint a picture of your computer file on the drum of what is really a photocopying machine, by scanning back and forth at high speed while the drum rotates.

 Toner, similar to that used in photocopiers, is attracted to or repelled from the image (painted) or un- imaged areas of the drum. From there the toner us transferred to a piece of paper as it is fed oats the rotating drum. To make copies, you take the “camera- ready” image to a printer who runs off duplicates.

Bottom Line Advice:

You will gain expertise daily, so don’t let a little thing like computer illiteracy slow you down. A short  course on the subject given at a community college might help, but the best thing to do is get in there and practice.

 Our source stated that fluency comes within a month or two. Malcolm Ross said if you work from the spare bedroom in your house, how do you let customers know they need you?

Our source said the Internet affords another excellent opportunity for promoting and marketing for your business. “Putting up your own web page enables clients to discover you and also to evaluate your work, services, and prices.

 If you want to specialize, you may want to advertise directly to businesses in a particular industry. Most desktop publishers begin with variety of income sources. It revealed that aggressive promoters can take the  desktop publishing business in any direction they want. The field is growing and changing and its up to the participants to create the rules- and the opportunities.