To Don + everyone... Have you ever tried this?...

Step 1) Go to a company that is already sending out monthly invoices (like a garbage hauling company).

Step 2) Ask them if they'll let you pay for their postage to send out the bills each month.

Step 3) Tell them you want them to include a pre-folded one-page flyer in the bills they send out.

Step 3) Sell the space on the flyer to a non-competing biz or selveral biz's -- possibly in the form of a bunch of val-pak style coupons (all on ONE sheet -- or even HALF a sheet, to be sure the postage doesn't increase (make sure it doesn't weigh more)).

Has anyone ever done that?

Also, I need to brainstorm to make a LIST of companies that already DO send out monthly bills to their customers.

-- TW

I've done a variation on that theme by simply requesting (and paying a small fee if postage increased, which it didn't in most cases) my ad being included either on their statement or on an enclosure I provided.

I avoided extra charges sometimes by offering space on my enclosure for other ads they wished to place there. One was for a rural electric service that tied in with the other utility bill they were originally sending, for example.

Lots of ways to go about this. I did it a very long time ago and the idea then was novel enough that most folks wanted to participate. It'd probably be a bit tougher 'sell' these days. I found that rural services and utilities were often most receptive...which fit right in with our product.

Sandi Bowman

Back in the early 70's I had a Burglar Alarm biz in the North Shore of Chgo. My Target Market was well-to-do Home Owners.

I did the regular advertising stuff; Display & Classified Ads, Radio Ads, Direct Mailings and even Phone Calls. And...one day when I was looking over my monthly Bank Statement I received in the mail....I got a "Hot Flash".

"What if I were to PAY the bank to insert my Glossy Flyer in their Monthly Bank Statements?"

My wifee thought it was a great idea so I made up a Sample and went to the bank and showed it to a VP. He brought me to another VP....whereupon I explained I would pay them to include my piece with the Monthly Mailing to their accounts.

The Bank had my business and personal accounts so they "trusted" me and, agreed to include my flyers and they'd take out the fee from my business account. As I recall, I think I paid 3ocents per envelope.

This worked GREAT for me and helped build my business.

It could probably work today. One thing about having a Bank insert your pieces....the INTEGRITY question is answered.

Make up a Mock-Up and go talk to a bank.

Ya Never Know Unless Ya Try!

Don ALm

Nice. Love these out of the box-thinkings. But I'm curious, if it got good results, why did you stop?