Page 197 - One Thousand Ways to Make $1000

boutonnieres, and notions such as darning cotton, tape, thread, hairpins,
powder puffs, etc. Later when she began to know her customers’ tastes better
she would purchase ten to fifteen dresses in the moderatelypriced line which
she knew would be suitable for certain customers, and telephone them that
the dresses were in stock. Frequently, all were sold in a day or two as the
styles and prices were right.

Her first step in building up a business in corrective garments was to call on
the doctors in the neighborhood and explain that she was a trained corsetiere
and specialized in surgical supports. She also left cards with the hospital
office. Through the nurses who purchased hosiery and other items, she
secured further advertising.

A card record of every customer was kept on file giving the name, address,
type of garment purchased, date purchased, and size. From time to time post
cards were sent to these names announcing something special. A separate
record was kept of the patients who had been fitted with surgical supports,
and these names were followed up by special calls in order to determine
definitely whether or not the garment sold had been satisfactory and,
incidentally, whether a new one or a different type of garment was now
required.

The store had only one display window but she made the most of it by
keeping it spotlessly clean, by changing the displays frequently, and by
displaying the latest fashions in lingerie or the most attractive seasonal items.
Whenever she had purchased a few dresses she would place one in the
window with a card stating that a new stock of dresses had just arrived.
Within the store, the collars and cuffs, the handkerchiefs and silken lingerie
were attractively arranged in display cases, brassieres were displayed on
models in the corset section, and if dresses were in stock they were arranged
on a long rack at the back of the shop. The surgical support section was
located in a room at the back of the shop which was divided to include a
fitting room and space for altering garments.

For ten years this little shop flourished and during good times and bad she
made money. What competition did spring up quickly died down because she