Interesting Don Alm type idea..

My employer sent me out of town for business this week. I stayed at a hotel and they gave me this 8.5 x 11 piece of paper folded into about 6 squares. The front square had the hotel and room number on it. Once unfolded, there were about 8 other boxes with businesses on it, mostly restaurants. The backside had a mini map on the back of it. Pretty neat concept. They give you the key with this little folded paper.


Just wanted to share....

yep...I am working on one now...

I posted a site here some time ago for 50,000 4x6 cards that were distributed to the residents upon check in that had basicallly the same idea...think the entire deal ran about 5400 and had 1700 commissions in it ...

have a good one

I am currently working on putting one together myself, but am having a tough time trying to convey the value to hotel owners to have this card. Pretty much trying to answer, "what is in it for me?". Could you provide some insight?

thanks justin for asking

the approach is to save the clerk's time, eliminate phone calls to the desk bout restaurants...

and

a little money for them..

bob

Thank you Bob! I will use this approach to try and close this deal out. Thank you again!

1) I don't like spending more than $1,000 on ANY program. THIS here program requires you to print THOUSANDS and cost a few thou to produce.
Which brings me to...
Problemo 2) You have GOT TO BE ONE HECK OF A "SALESPERSON"....to cover yer costs BEFORE you make any profit.

If you are promising a printed piece to be handed to each and every guest of a 100rm Hotel (for example)....with a 60% Occupancy....yer providing 60 pcs a day....a 30 = 1,800 a month x 12 = 21,600 pieces.

Now...to print 21,600 pieces of anything is gonna cost ya 2 or 3 thou.... which you have to cover BEFORE you can think about puttin' anything into yer pockets.

With my "Menu Books" program....I had to make 10 Books....with 25 full Color pages in them. Each Book cost me about $50. 10 Books cost me $500. My FIRST advertiser PAID FOR THE PROGRAM?

With a program I'm doing now (TV Channel Guides) my costs for a 100 room hotel is 50cents a room ($50 TOTAL)....and "I" am able to get $2750 from advertisers.

WHY get into something that's gonna cost ya an "arm ana leg" BEFORE ya make any profits (which is da name o' da game)

When my wife and I had an Antique Shoppe in Aspen, CO....our costs BEFORE WE OPENED THE DOOR EVERY MONTH WAS $2200. This meant, we had to sell $2,200 worth of merchandise BEFORE we could put anything into OUR pockets. We "got tired or makin' da landlord rich"....and moved down valley to a less expensive location AND....we could still grab the Aspenites with a little more advertising.

Same way here....you is makin' da printer rich.

Find programs to sell that "Make YOU Rich"....NOT your suppliers!

Don Alm
http://www.donalm.com
Some of my Unique, Home-Based business programs

With a program where ONE Sale PAYS FOR THE PROGRAM....you do NOT have to be a "Pro" salesperson....the "Low-Entry Cost" allows...even neophytes... to go out and "stumble around" until they get the necessary sales....AFTER the 1st one to stuff cash in their pockets.

When I entered a town with my "Hotel Lobby Menu Books"....all I had was a sample book and the OK from 10 Hotels. The FIRST restaurant I sold for $790 PAID FOR THE ENTIRE PROGRAM!....ANY SALES & MONIES AFTER THAT WERE PURE GRAVY!....AND WENT RIGHT INTO MY BANK ACCOUNT!

So...because of the "Low-Cost Entry" into programs I've done....ONE account paid for the deal. If I couldn't get 1 paying customer....I dropped the deal.

However.... years ago....when I was first venturing out into this "vast gravyland" of businesses "HUNGRY" for NEW IDEAS & PROGRAMS to help their businesses....I chose some "HIGH COST" deals where it would take 7 or 8 participants to pay the costs....BEFORE I made 1 dinero profit.

And....once you accept ONE DINERO from your 1st Paying customer....you have to decide....after you've gotten turned down from a few potential customers... whether you are going to continue with the program OR...return the money you've gotten thus far.

In my entire career of putting together "Group Deals" where I needed 5 or more participants to make the deal profitable....I've only had to return money ONCE.

This was a program where I got the OK from the local Visitor Center to place an "Ad Board WITH a Phone" ....mounted on the outside of the Visitor Center....where visitors could phone and make reservations with local hotels. or restaurants....even after hours.

My "Visitor Center Board" had spaces for 30 Sponsors....and....I would need 7 sponsors to pay my costs. However (this was Springtime April of 2002...right after Sept 11 of 2001 when the Travel Industry went into the toilet)

I got 6 sponsors BUT....got turned down by twice that and...after looking around at the remaining group of potential prospects...decided to "back outa the deal" and refund the monies I had already collected cause...NO WAY was I gonna sell anywhere near 30 sponsors on THIS deal at THIS time.

So...my advice is...if your program needs 3 to 5 sponsors to pay your COSTS....you better have a LARGE POOL of prospects to draw from...otherwise...you'd better be a "Super-Sales Whiz" to get the greater percentage of potential clients.

That's why....I've stayed away from programs that cost more that what 1 to 3 customers are willing to pay.

Don Alm

Originally Posted by Don Alm

1) I don't like spending more than $1,000 on ANY program. THIS here program requires you to print THOUSANDS and cost a few thou to produce.
Which brings me to...
Problemo 2) You have GOT TO BE ONE HECK OF A "SALESPERSON"....to cover yer costs BEFORE you make any profit.

If you are promising a printed piece to be handed to each and every guest of a 100rm Hotel (for example)....with a 60% Occupancy....yer providing 60 pcs a day....a 30 = 1,800 a month x 12 = 21,600 pieces.

Now...to print 21,600 pieces of anything is gonna cost ya 2 or 3 thou.... which you have to cover BEFORE you can think about puttin' anything into yer pockets.

With my "Menu Books" program....I had to make 10 Books....with 25 full Color pages in them. Each Book cost me about $50. 10 Books cost me $500. My FIRST advertiser PAID FOR THE PROGRAM?



With a program I'm doing now (TV Channel Guides) my costs for a 100 room hotel is 50cents a room ($50 TOTAL)....and "I" am able to get $2750 from advertisers.

WHY get into something that's gonna cost ya an "arm ana leg" BEFORE ya make any profits (which is da name o' da game)

When my wife and I had an Antique Shoppe in Aspen, CO....our costs BEFORE WE OPENED THE DOOR EVERY MONTH WAS $2200. This meant, we had to sell $2,200 worth of merchandise BEFORE we could put anything into OUR pockets. We "got tired or makin' da landlord rich"....and moved down valley to a less expensive location AND....we could still grab the Aspenites with a little more advertising.

Same way here....you is makin' da printer rich.

Find programs to sell that "Make YOU Rich"....NOT your suppliers!

Don Alm
http://www.donalm.com
Some of my Unique, Home-Based business programs

Originally Posted by Don Alm

1) I don't like spending more than $1,000 on ANY program. THIS here program requires you to print THOUSANDS and cost a few thou to produce.
Which brings me to...
Problemo 2) You have GOT TO BE ONE HECK OF A "SALESPERSON"....to cover yer costs BEFORE you make any profit.



If you are promising a printed piece to be handed to each and every guest of a 100rm Hotel (for example)....with a 60% Occupancy....yer providing 60 pcs a day....a 30 = 1,800 a month x 12 = 21,600 pieces.

Now...to print 21,600 pieces of anything is gonna cost ya 2 or 3 thou.... which you have to cover BEFORE you can think about puttin' anything into yer pockets.

With my "Menu Books" program....I had to make 10 Books....with 25 full Color pages in them. Each Book cost me about $50. 10 Books cost me $500. My FIRST advertiser PAID FOR THE PROGRAM?

With a program I'm doing now (TV Channel Guides) my costs for a 100 room hotel is 50cents a room ($50 TOTAL)....and "I" am able to get $2750 from advertisers.

WHY get into something that's gonna cost ya an "arm ana leg" BEFORE ya make any profits (which is da name o' da game)

When my wife and I had an Antique Shoppe in Aspen, CO....our costs BEFORE WE OPENED THE DOOR EVERY MONTH WAS $2200. This meant, we had to sell $2,200 worth of merchandise BEFORE we could put anything into OUR pockets. We "got tired or makin' da landlord rich"....and moved down valley to a less expensive location AND....we could still grab the Aspenites with a little more advertising.

Same way here....you is makin' da printer rich.

Find programs to sell that "Make YOU Rich"....NOT your suppliers!

Don Alm
http://www.donalm.com
Some of my Unique, Home-Based business programs

Sounds like a good idea.

Could you explain why it would cost ME anything if I collected half of the money upfront and the rest in 30 days?

If you Break it into a 13 week program that is about 5,500 that should be printed for the program period.
The most you would pay for a double sideded 8.5x11 sheet of 20 b paper is 50 cents which translates into a $2750 print job (at most).

If you divide that by the number of advertisers (8 for example) $344 per advertiser to break even and is also the amount that you would collect up front to over your print costs.

For certain you are looking to profit from the deal so you need to double that number to $688 in order to make a profit.

So you would profit about $2,750 for every 13 week program (or $11,000) / year/ hotel.

All without ONE dime out of pocket.

As far as cutting down on the number of calls to the front desk clerks......
I am not certain how a book sitting in a lobby would do it, but I can see how it would help cut down the calls by handing each guest a sheet of paper that listed the answers to many of their questions along with ads that support the program.

I would also prefer a professional printed piece in my hotel over a photo album with a sheet of paper taped or glued to the front.

In any event, the only way to know is to get out there and try.
Don is correct by..
If you are not willing to try, you are guaranteed to fail!
Jason

Hello Don,
Thank you for your insight. However I sent you an e-mail requesting additional information on your tv guide program , and you still haven't gotten back to me. Can you please reply? Thank you.

Originally Posted by Justin M

Hello Don,
Thank you for your insight. However I sent you an e-mail requesting additional information on your tv guide program , and you still haven't gotten back to me. Can you please reply? Thank you.

I wonder Justin.....
Has Don gotten back to you yet?



While CS may not pay today, it will pay 10 fold by the relationships that are built over time.

The clients or potential clients that you treat with a high level of attention and respect will gain you larger profits in the long run.


Would the best approach be.......

Email me for further info!
Followed by no or a late response?


Or would it be better to as a client to contact you for further info and then send them an auto responder with the more info that they request?

I think that you (Don) should employ something similar.

An auto responder will free up more of your time as well as a prospective customer will get a timely response.

Plus, the only people that you will need to talk to are the ones that have thier CC #'s ready for you

Jason