Re: Skip's Auto Accident Kits

A question for Sowpubbers:

Anyone have any experience putting together and selling Skip Rossell's Auto Accident Kits?

I did and had some success with it at the time. That led to other ventures
and I never went back to it.

I ran across some sample kits I'd put together, while cleaning the other day.
I thought now might be a great time (pre-holidays) to re-introduce this idea.

Any thoughts?

Originally Posted by ron lafuddy

A question for Sowpubbers:

Anyone have any experience putting together and selling Skip Rossell's Auto Accident Kits?

I did and had some success with it at the time. That led to other ventures
and I never went back to it.

I ran across some sample kits I'd put together, while cleaning the other day.
I thought now might be a great time (pre-holidays) to re-introduce this idea.

Any thoughts?

Crickets!

The thread has slowed down a lot recently, Ron ...

My thoughts on the Auto Accident kit ... you probably could make some emergency cash or fill some free time with the project. But if it is a consistent and scaleable stream of income you are looking for, your time is probably better spent elsewhere.

What do YOU think about it? What attracts you to the idea?

You had some success before with it. What could you have done better before to make it even more profitable? What WILL you do differently if you do it again, starting today?

Robert,

Thanks for your response.
I appreciate your thoughts and questions.

SOWpub's going through one of it's slow cycles
I think. That will change.

Yes, the kits can produce emergency cash for someone
and fairly fast too. Or just be a holiday moneymaker.

Your choice.

Big selling point is the inexpensive "gift" angle.
They can give them out to their best customers.
"Customers will keep handy, see and be reminded
about your service." Don't need to say much more
than that, other than price and how many.

I stayed local, but that's not necessary.
There is a much larger market for these than
you might imagine. Do a Google search.

Scale up could be to add larger businesses like
credit unions and car dealers or to expand to
other areas.

I did my own version of scale up, which was to add
cross marketing between related businesses. That kept
it interesting and as I said, led to other things.

Thanks,
Ron

Skip's report, if anyone would like to see it, is available
free online. Just Google Skip Rossell auto accident kit.

Good topic, Ron!

I own just about everything from Skip I could afford ... have stuff all over the hard drives of three or four computers in my house! To save time, though, I googled Skip's guide, as you noted.

Wow, such a nice reminder of the awesome style Skip had in his writing. Makes me miss him even more ... but I did enjoy the chance to re-visit with him through the guide.

Good stuff!

Would be great to hear how you twisted the process to your benefit. Sounds like multiple advertisers on the package, using complementary services?

Were you including the cameras? In today's digital world of cell phones with cameras, that seems unnecessary, but is the package impressive enough without it? Hmm ...

Robert,

Thanks for the follow up questions.

Yep, Skip will be missed around here.
A very generous guy.

He was also right about the customized label. It really
catches their eye. Generic kits don't have that same value.

I started with the cameras and got a super deal on them at
the time from a local source, .99 each. Then realized that
they weren't necessary. The information about what to do
and the forms, along with the customization were the ticket.

The ads make the kits very profitable.

And the project is repeatable with the same participants
although I didn't do that.

Now ya got me thinking about it. Like I needed another project.

Darn Ya, Robert!

Ron

Originally Posted by ron lafuddy

Robert,

Thanks for the follow up questions.

Yep, Skip will be missed around here.
A very generous guy.

He was also right about the customized label. It really
catches their eye. Generic kits don't have that same value.

I started with the cameras and got a super deal on them at
the time from a local source, .99 each. Then realized that
they weren't necessary. The information about what to do
and the forms, along with the customization were the ticket.

The ads make the kits very profitable.

And the project is repeatable with the same participants
although I didn't do that.

Now ya got me thinking about it. Like I needed another project.

Darn Ya, Robert!

Ron

I am intrigued, especially with the ad part. Could you elaborate on that and how you went about it/thinking on how to go about it?

Would that be sharing the plastic bag label with 2 or more advertisers? My thinking is instead of sharing the outside label, stick a booklet in it with ads to 6-12 companies and make the ads in the form of coupons. Am I on the right track?

If so, how many ads would you do and how would you price them?

Eva

Eva,

I focused on the "gift" angle with the biz owners.

The holidays were coming up and so there was interest.
I started the same way Skip did, selling it directly to
the business owner. I received all kinds of input from
them and made changes as I went.

Talking to the business owners gave me my breakthrough.
They were in different but related businesses. They knew
each other and had their favorites (very important).

And, they shared the same target market.

Bang! The light went on. I had my "Don Alm Moment".

I could make more money, 2 to 3 times as much by giving the
kits away, rather than selling them directly.

From there it was just a case of lining up the advertisers
which the host business was happy to help with.

Initially I put a label for the advertisers on the other side.
Then I changed that to one label, with the host business and the
ads around the outside. Ads and host business info went on the forms
inside as well.

I don't know much about chargers or apps., but I'm sure the concept
could use some updating.

Ron

Originally Posted by ron lafuddy

Eva,

I focused on the "gift" angle with the biz owners.

The holidays were coming up and so there was interest.
I started the same way Skip did, selling it directly to
the business owner. I received all kinds of input from
them and made changes as I went.

Talking to the business owners gave me my breakthrough.
They were in different but related businesses. They knew
each other and had their favorites (very important).

And, they shared the same target market.

Bang! The light went on. I had my "Don Alm Moment".

I could make more money, 2 to 3 times as much by giving the
kits away, rather than selling them directly.

From there it was just a case of lining up the advertisers
which the host business was happy to help with.

Initially I put a label for the advertisers on the other side.
Then I changed that to one label, with the host business and the
ads around the outside. Ads and host business info went on the forms
inside as well.

I don't know much about chargers or apps., but I'm sure the concept
could use some updating.

Ron

This is how I would try it:

*Clear ziplock bag labeled with a 4x5 label, designed for the biz owner with picture/phone on it
*A 5.5x8.5 8 page brochure included, 6 1/2 page color ads with coupons, 4 1/4 page ads on back side
*Include 3 articles on what to do in case of accident in brochure
*The SR 1 form from DMV included outside of brochure (California)
*Mini notepad
*Ink pen
*Cordless USB Universal car charger

Sell 100 units for $5 each unit

Sell the ads for 2.500 units at $225/$125 for the smaller ones, total of 10 advertisers, approx $2,000 for all 10 ads combined.

Now, you are suggesting to GIVE the kits away? AND make 2-3 times more profit? Can you explain?

I am very familiar with Don Alm btw,

Thanks in advance, Eva

Originally Posted by Eva

This is how I would try it:

*Clear ziplock bag labeled with a 4x5 label, designed for the biz owner with picture/phone on it
*A 5.5x8.5 8 page brochure included, 6 1/2 page color ads with coupons, 4 1/4 page ads on back side
*Include 3 articles on what to do in case of accident in brochure
*The SR 1 form from DMV included outside of brochure (California)
*Mini notepad
*Ink pen
*Cordless USB Universal car charger

Sell 100 units for $5 each unit

Sell the ads for 2.500 units at $225/$125 for the smaller ones, total of 10 advertisers, approx $2,000 for all 10 ads combined.

Now, you are suggesting to GIVE the kits away? AND make 2-3 times more profit? Can you explain?

I am very familiar with Don Alm btw,

Thanks in advance, Eva

Eva,

Sorry about the confusion. It's important to keep a program simple
when you are starting out. I learned as I went. You will too if you
decide to give this one a go.

Keep your costs as low as possible.

Not suggesting here that you should give yours away. That's just what
I did and I have to tinker with things and test to keep it interesting.
It just sort of evolved in that direction, based on my experience.

Shouldn't have brought it up, as it's something for the advanced
course. Don't want to confuse anyone wanting to start this program
because I think it has potential - especially today.

Ron

Originally Posted by ron lafuddy

Eva,

Sorry about the confusion. It's important to keep a program simple
when you are starting out. I learned as I went. You will too if you
decide to give this one a go.

Keep your costs as low as possible.

Not suggesting here that you should give yours away. That's just what
I did and I have to tinker with things and test to keep it interesting.
It just sort of evolved in that direction, based on my experience.

Shouldn't have brought it up, as it's something for the advanced
course. Don't want to confuse anyone wanting to start this program
because I think it has potential - especially today.

Ron

Advanced? I can handle advanced, lol. I am more interested in your opinion on my ad fees and if I should include more ads/coupons. AS far as giving it away, you did but for a reason, a reason I need to know or I go with it my way anyway and learn as I go.

All that is outlined above is less than $3 and I am asking for $5. Profits from ads are additional,

Eva