Yes Paul...us "pc freaks" who sit in front of our screens for hours at a time...SHOULD get out and see what goes on "OffLine" (also known as "outside" or "life") ...if not just for keeping our "sanity".

I myself am a "salesman". I LOVE talking to people. I LOVE selling things. So...every few months I go out and "sell something".

I just sold a project which involved placing ADS on the sleeves that go around hot coffee cups to keep your fingers from getting burned.

What I am putting together now is going to be FUN also.

Have you ever been to a restaurant where there's a "Daily Special" board?

It's usually just a blackboard with chalk but some can get pretty elaborate with neon lights and colored letters...etc. And these "Daily Special" boards are usually at the front of the restaurant...either mounted on the wall or free standing.

Well...what if there were ADS around the side and across the bottom of this pretty neon "Daily Special" board? Would the ADS be seen?

You Bet! Would someone be interested in paying for an ad on this "Daily Special" board? You bet.

I found one guy who gets $520 for a year for each ad on one of these boards and he puts 6 or 8 ads on each one. $3,000 to $4,000 per restaurant.

And...guess WHO his prospects are?

Right! Business people who frequent the restaurant.

And...guess where he gets the NAMES of these prospects?

Right! From the owner of the restaurant.

Business people who are "regulars" at that restaurant would LOVE to see an ad for their business on this board RATHER than their competitor.

So...THIS is one of the easiest "sales" I will ever make. I call it the "Obligation" sale...because the restaurant owner has an "obligation" to do a favor for his/her regular diners and would be glad to give a list of their "REGULARS".

And...these business people will GLADLY buy an AD on the board because they do NOT want their competitor there! Capishe?

I believe I can "sell" one of these "boards a week.

Oh...the boards are given FREE to the restaurants.

ALSO...The guy who is doing this now...and has been for a number of years...does not want to tell me his source of Boards and...I would prefer not to have to make these boards myself...

So...I am seeking the help from people on this forum.

If you have seen a "Daily Special" Board, either wall-mounted or free-standing with ADS around the side or at the bottom...would you please make note of WHO is providing the board and email the name to me?

Thanks much.....I in turn will email any of you who want to take a closer look at THIS money-maker.

Don Alm

> If you are anything like me, sitting in
> front of a computer from dawn to dusk and
> beyond will drive you up the wall after a
> while. That's why I still like to go out and
> get my hands dirty working in the brick and
> mortar (plaster) world now and then.

> Offline, I'm a drywaller/plasterer/painter.
> I have several general contractors who hire
> me on a subcontract basis to provide their
> clients with smooth painted walls for their
> renovation projects.

> Recently I ran a small space ad in the home
> services section of a local weekly newspaper
> with lukewarm results. The ad cost about
> $60, I recieved 8 calls, and did 2 small
> jobs for a total of $800 in my pocket. Not
> bad when you consider the ROI for
> advertising.

> But that was not enough. I knew there was
> more I could do to get more business. Here's
> what I did:

> I ran the exact same ad in the same section
> of the same newspaper, but with one
> difference... At the bottom of the ad I
> added this:

> Know anyone who
> needs Drywall or
> Painting done?

> We'll pay you $50+ for any referrals
> resulting in
> new clients! It cost me an extra $20 for
> the space that the extra wording used. I
> recieved over 30 responses to the ad - got 3
> new clients as a direct result of the ad,
> PLUS, I did 7 estimates and got 4 of those
> as new clients as a result of referrals from
> others.

> A very simple referral generating technique
> that is so effective, yet used so little
> offline (for this type of business in my
> area at least).

> People probably saw the ad the first time
> and said "hmmm, nope - don't need my
> house painted". But after seeing the ad
> the second time said "nope - don't need
> my house painted, but I know my neighbour
> John does, and if I refer him I'll earn a
> cool $50 just for telling him!"

> It's Leverage. I'm not an expert on the
> subject, just a student of marketing.
> Offered people an incentive to pass my name
> around that's all.

> Now, in order for my offline business to
> grow properly, I'm forced to use the
> "Leverage" thing again. After a
> few weeks of running the new ad on a regular
> basis, I've had to sub out several jobs to
> other drywallers and painters, many of whom
> were running ads in the same section of the
> same paper I advertised in!

> I still get my hands dirty from time to
> time, but now I have about 2 dozen or so
> people passing my business cards on to their
> friends and associates, who in turn do the
> same. I have lot's of paperwork, and
> business management stuff to do as a result
> of all this new work...

> Which puts me back in front of this
> computer. Hmmm, so much for trying to get
> out of the house and away from the darn
> thing eh?

> Paul




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