Entrepreneurships as you are doing are what this country needs to help get us out of our financial difficulties!  However, it does look as if your businesses may be perceived as "luxuries" in this recessionary time.  Perhaps you need to do more basic hands on activities, i.e actually do the remodeling and repair work for individuals.  There are many, many elderly persons who need specific help with home repair, home health care, transportation, running errands, and other duties in the home, for which those with middle class incomes would be happy to pay.  Either do the  work yourself or hire and rent out individuals to do so.  For  further self-employment tips, refer to my book "Thinking ABout Retirement? Think Again:  Goal Exploration and Employment Strategies for Midlife and Beyond", Barbara B. Hildner author.

That's the issue --- I don't know beforehand and I would suspect I'm like so many other consumers now in that I'm simply looking for a basic job to be done and don't worry I might have had something nicer or better if I had paid some hundreds of dollars to a consultant.

   I may be wrong about what your business does. But someone like me who wants to get new countertops, for example and change a few things in the kitchen will go to Home Depot and talk to them, for free, to get ideas. If that is the business you're in, or a part of it, you're trying to compete with 'free' advice.

   Like your motorcycle tours. I've paid for a few tour guides (not motorcycle, just walking tours). But more often than not, I can get a guidebook, or print info off the net, that describes an area such as an historic district and gives me basic background on buildings for free, or litle cost for a 'walking tour' brochure. I fully realize it's fun to have a knowledgeable tour guide --- we love ranger walks in national parks, for example. But is it worth $20 to us for an hour walking tour? No, just more money than we want to spend which is what you're running into.

   I'm rambling and not really specific. I guess I'm saying is that is a touch economy, you're not a 'necessity'. You're a 'fun to have' but as reasonable as prices may be, it's still one more expense that's not really needed and fewer and fewer people are able to afford the extras. There is 'value', and there is basic 'economy', and people are doing things in the least expensive manner.  

Good points.  what would it take to convince you that a company or service was offering you good value?

As an ex -travel agent broke and in heavy debt, I understand what you are saying.  May I suggest that Internet knowledge is very ruinous to value added knowledge.  You cannot convince people that they might not know more than you do, so they will not spend money to find out that you are right.  They would rather be wrong than spend money. 

Kind of an interesting posting to me. I'm just an 'average' American consumer --- never involved in a small business of any type.

  An issue I think about, and hear discussed, is that we never know if we're really getting 'value' or not. For instance, I'm doing remodeling in the house, some of which will be done by pros. But I go online and spend many hours reading articles about materials, ideas, decorating, etc. I don't know if someone in your business would actually provide me with ideas that I can't find on my own. I'm not saying you can't, but I don't know. There is always that question if the extra expense will really be worthwhile to me, or to others.

   In general, anyone can put out their shingle and advertise their services. But I have no way to know if they really can provide good service, even if they have a piece of paper showing some kind of certification or group affiliation. 

   Just a comment from the 'peanut gallery'. 

Find a company like mine that places professionals in interim positions with the top companies in our area. We work with our clients to select,hire and provide world class individuals with experience and knowledge to hit the ground running and get the job done. I don't want to take advantage of your post to advertise our business, but if you want to know more about this, I can give you our website address. Just let me know. I was on the road for the last 4 years doing corporate turn-arounds and know the hassles involved with doing all the "stuff" necessary. Like marketing, billing etc., you know what I mean!