I'm Baack
 

Hey Gordon & Dien....I thought I'd jump back into SowPub during this "History-Marking time (In MY opinion...worse than any past Wartimes)

I'm still very active with my own Advertising Biz in SW Oregon and I thought I might be able to add some ideas or different viewpoints from my many yars of being an Entroopreneer.

Also.....during THIS time....I feel I can.....not only help my local community (got a huge bag of 30 rolls of TP for our 92yr old neighbor this morn)....and people on your Forum (that I was a loong-time participant of...since you began)

Many of my long-time Restaurant Owner clients have requested I try and give them some "Marketing" help while their businesses are shut down SO....I'm going to be setting up a Website to help them get "Take Out" and "Delivery" orders....and....I just found a guy who has a program for setting up an "On-Line Ordering" system.

So....I plan on being VERY ACTIVE in "Marketing & Sales" during the coming months.

Don Alm in Roseburg, Oregon

Welcome back!
 

Wow, Don,

Welcome back!

I'm glad to see you here!

As you know...Don...Many people are hurting now. Lots of people have lost their jobs...

We have a pandemic happening... But there's a "financial pandemic" happening too...

People need money-making ideas to help them survive!

Glad to see you back!

- Dien

Re: I'm Baack
 

Good to see you are back Don !

You have always been a treasure trove of ideas to help others make a few extra bucks. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts as we all go through challenging times ahead.

Keep moving forward,

Millard

We look forward to your expertise.
 

We're glad to see you Don. Few people can match your in the field experience and many years of successful Entrepreneurship.

The restaurants idea, setting up Pick Up and Delivery, is much needed right now. And also, their business neighbors which may be shuttered right now, may be a good candidate for a ride along ad on the Take Out Menu, or the bag or containers.

Look forward to see what is happening in your neck of the woods.

Gordon

Re: I'm Baack
 

Ya Dien....with UNemployment going thru the roof.....many of our friends from church have lost their jobs and it's only a matter of time B4 this gets serious.

We CAN'T do what Communist China does.....depend on da GUMMIT to provide ALL our needs. My goodness....I remember the times when I've been broke.

I'll toss this one up; Waay baack many yars ago....when I went thru my one & only divorce....I lived in chgo....went down to the Train Station when it was over....got on a train headed for Denver....got off in Denver and realized it was just another big city. Went to the bar in the station for a beer.... and met a guy who told me about this neat small town in the mountains called Glenwood Springs.

I looked up at the Schedule Board and....yup....a train was going to GS in 30 mins. I ran down...got a ticket and a couple hours later got off in Glenwood with $200 in my pockets and the clothes on my back (Lucky it was May)

Across from the Station was a Rooming House with a sign "Rooms....$15 a Week!" Went over and got a room...then went to a local pub. This was a Saturday and talking to a couple locals I learned that the local Baptist Church had a pretty good preacher and service.....so I went back to the Rooming House....watched TV then went to bed.

Woke up the next morn....showered and shaved...put on my duds and walked over to the Church. Good service...I Prayed that God would help me get thru this..... and afterwards everyone went into a side room for coffee & donuts.

In that room I "Happened" to meet a man who had just been hired as THE Sales Manager for a New FIAT Dealership in town. I told him I had just arrived from Chgo and I had a few years Sales Experience. We got to talking and he told me to come by his office in the morning. Which I did AND....he hired me as a salesman....gave me a check for $250 AND the keys to a 2 year old Fiat Sedan. HOLY CAMOLY!

I then went to work selling cars for $250/wk plus commissions.....and a few days later I learned that some people were putting together a New Radio Station. At lunch hour I went over to the Station....talked to the managers who told me they were looking for ways to promote their Station and would I consider a Sales Position.

I told them I'd like to stay at the Fiat Dealership for awhile but would like to stay in touch. So...I went home and "Just Happened To Remember" a Radio Station where I lived in a Chgo Suburb had a Promotion Program called "Bumper Bucks".

I bought a 3-ring binder, a package of 20lb paper and some pens and Magic Markers.....made up a Sales Agreement and a Sales Pitch....went to a local Quick Print Shop...had some copies printed up and went to the Radio Station the next day where I showed the managers the Promo Program I had in mind

I would go around to local businesses....telling them I was starting a Radio Promo Program called "Bumper Bucks" where I would provide them with a small Sign by the cash register, some 2" by 6" colored tabs...and a Holder for my Bumper Stickers.....for anyone wanting to participate.

... which involved....putting the stickers on and listen to the Radio Show at 10am on Sat to see if THEIR License Plate was called. If it was....and they were the FIRST to come to the Radio Station....they'd get $100 for every colored Tab they had. (Each of the 15 participating biznesses had different colored Tabs)

Ooops.....rather than take up more space here....I'll just say that when the Promo was finished....I had netted $500 from 15 biznesses ($7,500 CASH)

So....I proceeded to sell cars for about another month...then set up my first Advertising Biz....."Impact Advertising" and I was off on a career of promotion and advertising and marketing for the rest of my days.

What's happening NOW in 2020 reminded me of those days. People CAN and WILL....many Americans.....WILL....make something BETTER happen for themselves .....provided Da Gummit .....GETS OUT OF DA WAY!...and does NOT let the "Bernie Sanders" of the world gain control.

ANyways.....good to be back and I hope I won't Boor you with my "stuff".

Don Alm.....resurrecting "Advantage Marketing" (somebody else got a trademark for Impact Advertising)

Re: I'm Baack
 

Wow! Millard.....you're still "upright and above ground".....good to hear from ya. Yup....."THIS" is gonna be "fun"

Don Alm

Re: I'm Baack
 

Hey Gordon....HEY!...HEY! YOU HIT IT OUTA DA PARK! I've been showing one of my friends how to make money by putting Ads on Flyers and putting the Flyers on PIZZA Boxes.

On an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet I can get 12 Ads on the sheet.....4 across top and 4 across bottom....2" high by 2 3/4 wide.....then 2 Ads, vertical, on each side.... ....2" high by 2 3/4 wide....which leaves a space...4" hi by 5 3/4 wide...for the Pizza place.

It's FREE to the pizza place and I can get $297 for each ad.....$3,564 Gross, and my printer in Cal....will do 5,000, 4 color on 60lb for $171.....then shipping cost about $70.... so my cost is about $250...so I NET NET $3,250 for a week's "work".

And....hey...thanks for the idea of putting Ads....IN....the Take-Out or Delivery boxes. I'll put the Pizza Boxes on one of my sites AND....one of the Take-Out Ad thingee when I geter put together.

Because there's so many UNemployment claims now.... I think I'll reconnect my Midas Reports website where I have 50 different Ad Projects I've done over the years.

Have a great day....Gordon

Don Alm

One thing I love about that story is...
 

Thanks Don!

One thing I love about this story is... you just DID it!

Some people would agonize over it... What if this? What if that?

They'll successfully talk themselves into why it WON'T work...

But you jumped in... and MADE it work...

Which I like a lot!

Sometimes there is a place for planning (Harvey Brody is a meticulous planner, for example). But... too many times it's an excuse to end up doing nothing. That's what you've got to watch out for...

Great story!

I know that for some people, marketing is going very well right now. Including some info-product types of businesses... People are uncertain, they have problems, and they don't know what to do.

They want solutions...

Best wishes,

Dien

Re: I'm Baack
 

Yep ..still kicking and healthy !

Glad to hear you are still going after it !

Millard