This thread has been closed and Stuck. (Hopefully)
 

I thought that by sharing where we each are in the process of getting a Toll Position going, we could be of a help to each other.

So let me start.

At this time I have signed exclusive distribution agreements for 4 products that can be seen on my website under the products link and I hope to be able to add 3 more in the next two weeks.

I have signed agreements with some reps for two of my products and I am looking for more reps everyday.

One of my reps has made a small sale for my product called the HAND-LR and another is going to be presenting it to a drug store chain that has 31 stores.

The same rep is going to be presenting the product to Wal-Mart in the next month or so.

So that is where I am so far.

I really want to hear everyone else's experiences.

I can't be the only one! Can I?
 

I know I can't be the only one trying to get their own Toll Position. Can I?

Since no one else wants to talk about where they are, I will give you a short up date on my adventurers.

I just added a new item to my website and I am working on obtaining exclusive rights to 4 other products.

I am now going to put most of my time and energy into making sure I have all my ducks in a row.

Over the short time I have been doing this, I have found out that there is a lot to learn and I keep learning new things everyday.

I would love to hear from others, either with questions that maybe I can answer or advice that can be of a help to me.

Re: I can't be the only one! Can I?
 

Thanks Bob. I have some questions.

How long have you been doing this?

How did you go about finding your products and getting exclusive rights to them?

How much capital (in general if you don't want to be specific) was required to get your exclusive rights?

Were you one of the people who worked with Gordon?

Have you read any good books on the subject that helped you take action?

Thanks,
Bill

Bill. Here are your answers.
 

How long have you been doing this?

Approx 8-10 months

How did you go about finding your products and getting exclusive rights to them?

Contacting manufacturers.

How much capital (in general if you don't want to be specific) was required to get your exclusive rights?

ZERO

Were you one of the people who worked with Gordon?

I was not one of the original people Gordon worked with, but Gordon did answer numerous questions I asked of him.

Have you read any good books on the subject that helped you take action?

I recommend reading everything by Harvey Brody, E. Joseph Cossman, and Harvey Reese. They will give you a lot of good information, but I found that all these books were missing things that I had to find out on my own.

I hope this helps.

Re: Bill. Here are your answers.
 

Thanks Bob. I've got more.

What criteria did you use to choose which products to go after?

How were you able to get manufacturers to grant you an exclusive rights when you had little to no experience in this?

Bill

Here are some ideas about TOLL positions you may find useful.
 

To all interested in TOLL Positions.

TOLLS, toll booth marketing, TOLL Gates...all concepts you'll hear a lot about this coming year from a wide variety of sources...most of whom know little to nothing about real TOLL Positions, but, hey, a good marketer cashes in on the latest buzz.

There are people who are not as willing as Bob to share their TOLL adventures but I've told them all, if they do 10, they will get to a winner.

Some have had more "help" and guidance than others, but in the end, it comes down to what you are doing. There are PLENTY of products.

Use the many patent searches and patents for sale sites...look in old magazines for products that were introduced but faded away. Look locally to see if someone OWNS a product in your area.

No ONE I've conferred with has had a problem locating PRODUCTS.

The PROCESS is or can be tricky, you have to set the tables from the get go, say the wrong thing and the owner will be gone and done with you.

The ONE thing all these product owners want is DISTRIBUTION. That is the secret. BUT, even good and great products, and we've handled a few of these...may have built in disadvantages. For example a product may be bulky, and storage and shipping and handling become an issue.

It could be a very useful product, but it is too costly for eithe shelf space or for shipping and still maintain a high enough profit margin.

NOW, low cost products, like Bob has, need to have either RETAIL distribution and preferably PRIVATE LABEL ability for a market that is big enough to warrant the costs of private labeling.

What is the IDEAL product to find to try to get a TOLL POSITION on? Actually, we've encountered a few of them, but then we run into problems, and that is part and parcel of the game.

The IDEAL products are:

1) Consumables that have a market. Chemicals and formulas are great. These can be anything from Cosmetics, Household Supplies, Industrial Use products. These get used up and reordered again, again and again.

Think PROCTOR & GAMBLE...and you have the idea of a perfect consumable product. (Billy Mays has done pretty well pitching OXICLEAN, for example).

The good thing is that a small one man band can compete against P&G with a new product Directly Marketed to the Consumer. A few examples:

Supplements, skin care, weight loss foods, home cleaning products, pain relief (Blue Relief), etc.

2) High Value Specialty Products. Here you have the 2, 3 and up to 500 dollar products such as the high cost vacuum cleaners. This is a household item the consumer is going to buy ONE time, although, if it has a continuity to it (like vacuum bags, filters, disposables) then you have something to sell to people who buy the high priced specialty products. Some of the HOT ones are heaters, air conditioners, air filters, water purifiers, kitchen appliances (like SET IT AND FORGET IT). If the product has a high demonstration factor, all the better. NuWave oven as example.

There are thousands of products that have been brought to market and have been UNDER marketed. This is one of the last things the "inventor" thinks of after pumping thousand of dollars into their creative ventures, then they get the BUZZARDS and the hypsters coming in promising to distribute their products for 10 to 25,000 dollars and many inventors have been burned by these guys...making your job harder, but not impossible.

There are products that have only been sold for a short while and then are abandon. Like Bob, and others, no ONE that I know of has put any money out of their pocket for these potential TOLL Positions.

What I look for first, is a product I can write a promotion on, a direct response promotion. IF the product has the necessary mark up (think 5 times and you'll be within most of the ball parks) so if you can get it for 1 dollar and it sells for 5 dollars then you stand a chance.

The smaller items that will go into Lowes and Home Depot will be handled by manufacturer's reps or distributors, so you'll want to start looking and learning about these guys too.

There are many ways to go with a TOLL Position, but the objective is the same, once you have it set up, it pays you for decades to come. The best bet is a consumable that gets used over and over or a higher priced specialty item where a major marketing company can take it it into the stratosphere in sales and you collect a royalty for each unit sold. There are guys we've worked with that are making over 7 figures a year with their TOLL Positions and once the TOLL Booth is set up...it is beyond a doubt, (In my opinion), the very best business activity to pursue.

I don't know of anyone who has spent hundreds of hours, maybe Bob has...but even with some continuous PART TIME effort looking and beating the bushes for Stored Value, and DOING the deals...screwing up as you go along is OK...there are plenty of them out there...IF you will do 10, you will get ONE winner and be like the man with a TOLL BOOTH on a very busy highway...you'll be set for life.

I don't know of ANYONE that has done one a month this past year. If someone sets a goal to do one deal a month...or at least interact with a potential TOLL position, then there are great rewards available.

You have to talk to people. YOU need to understand AGREEMENTS, you have to look for the right potential...but anything to get started and for your education is going to be of benefit to you...and you'll learn each time you set the thing in motion.

AND, if you have either a high priced specialty product with potential, or a CONSUMABLE product you think has potential...I stand ready to assist you.

Gordon Jay Alexander

PS. I have a nice article ready for next week's SeedZine on this subject, so make sure to keep an eye out for it.

More answers for Bill
 

Thanks Bob. I've got more.

What criteria did you use to choose which products to go after?

When I first started looking for products, I followed what Harvey Brody wrote in his course and that was to buy plastic injection molds. But I found that I couldn't afford to buy the molds as Harvey recommended, so I went in a slightly different direction.

I agree with Gordon that the best products to have are consumable products, as they will always need to be repurchased. Think about products like Proactiv. Once you sign up to buy their product they set you up so you automatically get refills without needing to call in and you get them until you finally tell them to stop.

How were you able to get manufacturers to grant you an exclusive rights when you had little to no experience in this?

Experience is perception. As I always tell people your company is only as big or as small as people perceive it to be.

If you have done your homework before you approach a manufacturer, then they will perceive you as a large experienced company. If you don't do your homework, then they will know you are a new little company. It is up to you.

I hope this helps.

RE:Here are some ideas about TOLL positions you may find useful.
 

Great information Gordon!

Gordon, you mentioned 1) Consumables that have a market. Chemicals and formulas are great. These can be anything from Cosmetics, Household Supplies, Industrial Use products. These get used up and reordered again, again and again.

Chemical companies cover such a broad spectrum of products, can you tell me how to narrow my internet search down.

Are there particular categories of chemical companies I should be looking at more than others?

Also Gordon. I know you are retired, but I was wondering if you have heard any more about the release date of Harvey Brody's new book or the opening of the Suarez Business Institute?

This may be true -- or an urban legend...
 

I heard someone approached duncan yoyos and asked if they had any distribution in Japan. They said no. The guy then asked if they would give him exclusive distribution in japan. Duncan, figuring they had nothing to lose, granted the request. The guy then set up yoyo contests and classes all over japan -- making yoyoing a HUGE (and I mean HUGE) sensation there. The legend goes that he quickly made 80+ million dollars.

Again, I don't know if it's all true or not -- but it sure is a great toll position story!

-- TW

Another story (interesting trivia re: smurfs)...
 

I heard this about how the smurfs were brought to America from Germany...

The smurfs were already a big fad in germany FOR YEARS + YEARS before anyone got the idea to import them to America!

So, don't let, 'why hasn't anyone done this yet?' stop you from proceeding!

Cheers.

-- TW