The news media tend to give disproportionate publicity to anyone who parades around carrying a picket sign. Even more attractive to the media is several people parading around with picket signs!
So why not capitalize on it? A rent-a-picket service is extremely profitable, yet costs virtually nothing to set-up and run.
Let’s say someone has a gripe… and who doesn’t? The gripe can be against a local business, a neighbor, the town government… anyone.
The person can rent your picketers, complete with picket signs, to “protest” in front of the target’s home or place of business.
Here’s how it works…
First, you create a pool of willing picketers — homemakers and college students work well.
Then you find your clients. As usual with a home-based business, your three most effective methods for finding clients will be:
– Free publicity. As unique as this business is, you’ll get oodles of free publicity.
– Classified ads, and
– Word-of-mouth and customer referrals.
Charge a base price $20 an hour per picketer. Of course, what you charge is completely up to you — tweak it to fit your circumstances. For example, you could charge $15 an hour per picketer if the client wants 6 or more picketers.
Whatever you charge, set a minimum number of hours (three is good) that the client must purchase.
When a job comes in, you simply contact your picketer pool and offer them, say, $7-8 an hour.
The day before your picketing is to take place, contact the local media outlets and let them know there is a protest scheduled at a particular location at a particular time.
Assuming 1) you will be one of the picketers, and 2) you charge the client $20 an hour per picketer, and 3) you pay your picketers $8 an hour…
Let’s say your client wants four picketers for a four-hour picket.
– The client pays you $320 ($20 x 4 picketers x 4 hours) o In turn, you pay out $96 ($8 x 3 picketers x 4 hours) o Leaving $224 gross labor profit for you!
Now, before you start doing cartwheels with dollar signs where your pupils should be, there are a few things to consider. Out of that $224…
– You’ll need to buy “sticks” for the placards to attach to. You can get 1/2″ x 2″ x 8′ very inexpensively at your local hardware store… just cut them in half for 4-foot lengths.
– Who will make the picket signs? Of course, the cheapest route would be to make them yourself. However, consider contracting a local art student to make them up as needed.
– You’ll have to subtract advertising costs.
Everything said and done, you’ll still clear almost $200 on a 4-person, 4-hour picket — $50 an hour isn’t bad for part- time money!
Finally, picketing is absolutely permitted (in the U.S., at least) by the First Amendment to the Constitution… BUT that protection only extends to the point that your rights infringe on someone else’s.
With that in mind, before you picket anyplace in your town, find out what your local regulations are. For example, your picketers must be on public property or have the property owner’s permission. Also, in most cases, your picketers must keep moving and cannot obstruct pedestrians.
And, of course, always remember that each picket is business, it’s not a personal crusade… so stay on the right side of the law and obey lawful orders from peace officers.
2003, Mike Morgan. Reprinted with permission.
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