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Adman
April 14, 2008, 09:45 PM
Although only a very small percentage of viewers here would have an interest in the following...I'd still like to report on a Money-Maker I've just created;

I'm an "Advertising" guy. I hunt for ways for small retailers and other small businesses to advertise to get customers or clients. I've done "Ads on Placemats, "Ads on Menus", "Ads on Daily Special Boards", "Ads on "Map Boards placed in Hotel Lobbies", "A Book of Menus placed in hotel lobbies", "Ads on TV Channel Guides placed in Hotel Rooms", "Ads on Table Trivia booklets placed on restaurant tables", which brings me to my latest "discovery".

Understand something...I get these "pulses of inspiration" because I'm "out on the battlefield" everyday...talking to business and professional people.... finding out WHAT they WANT (They all WANT ways to bring in New Customers and Clients)

Well....I was having lunch at one of the restaurants that carry my "Table Trivia Report", which is an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of card stock, with 12 to 15 business-card size ads and Trivia questions, folded, laminated and stuck into a plastic base so it can be set on a restaurant table....and I got a "Hot Flash";

It was coming time to renew the ads on this sheet and I just did NOT have the "energy" to go out and call on 12 to 15 advertisers again.

I thought about one of my other "Ad Programs"...Ads on TV Channel Guides placed in hotel rooms.

On these pieces I placed ONE "Pizza Ad" on the front, under the TV Channels and 3 to 4 Ads on the back. These are placed in plastic stands next to the TV in each hotel room. 4 to 5 Ads for which I get good money.

Well...as I sat there, eating lunch, my waitress came over and told me to "Take a Look at out New Dessert Menu!"

The "Dessert Menu" was a full color sheet (5" by 7" high) of Dessert items, placed in a plastic stand, on my table. The other side was BLANK.

Well...as a guy who's trained his mind to "look for places to put Ads"....I thought; "Hey! Why can't I put an Ad on the other side....along with some Trivia Questions (to keep diners entertained until their meal comes)....and provide the whole enchilida FREE to the restaurant?

Well...I asked for a copy of their new Dessert Menu and scurried back to my office... pulled up my handy Graphics program...scanned in the Dessert Menu...plugged in some of the Trivia Questions from the Trivia Booklet...plugged in ONE Ad...printed it out on my inkjet...trimmed the sheet down to 5 by 7 and put it into one of my TV Channel Stands....and WHALA!

A NEW AD PROGRAM WAS CREATED!

So...I went back to the restaurant...showed the owner my creation and told him I'd provide these to him for Freebies AND...the Trivia Questions could also "keep his diners involved so they wouldn't be Antsy about their food order"....making for Happier Customers and Happier Cooks and Wait People.

Well...the guy said, "Go For It!"

So...I took the sample I made up over to a local Insurance guy (who's advertised with me before)....told him I'd put his Exclusive Ad on 10 Tables for $150/Mo for 3 months ($450 for 3 mos) He LEAPED at it!

I then went to the owner of a Real Estate office...offered his Ad on another 10 Tables for 3 mos ($450) and he also, jumped at it.

I then showed my sample stand to a Carpet Cleaner who happened to be in the restaurant....who also took 10 Tables for $150 a Month for 3 mos (another $450)

So...in one afternoon...from just a "simple idea"....and a "MockUp", that cost me about $2, I was able to create and PROVE the Saleability of an Ad Program where I collected $450 x 3 = $1350....and will "cost" me about $50.

And...I can make more money selling THREE advertisers on these "Dessert-Trivia" Stands than I can on selling 12 to 15 advertisers on a Trivia Booklet.

So...once again I was able to show that, "Money-Making Ideas are ALL Around!"...ya just gotta keep yer mind open....and...take the next step....DO IT!



Thanks for reading,

Don Alm


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