How an "Entroopeneers" Mind Works

OK.....I'm making this post with the HOPE that some here may gain knowledge on the "workings of an Entroopeneers Mind.

I've been "my own boss" since a year out of college and I've created OVER 50 Money-Making enterprises in the years since then.....most from Scratch so.......when I see a "Problem"....I look at it and see if I can create a way to "earn money from it AND....just as important....could "My Way" IMPROVE the participant's businesses.

Case In Point; In my small town of about 20,000 I learned that in a few mos (around June of 2015) the Down Town area streets will be TORN UP..... causing LACK OF BUSINESS to an already hurting business area.

For years, our downtown streets have been Layered with Asphalt so that the Curbs are now about 2 inches above the street level.....so....our City Fathers have decided to go ahead with a "Street RE-Construction this summer ".

And.....when a certain "Group" of people heard this they chose to see if THEY could apply for a GUMMIT Grant....for their Group to receive GUMMIT Funds to...."Look At and Possibly come up with a Solution to the "Lack Of Business for Downtown Businesses!"

Well.....they GOT DA GUMMIT GRANT and.....in their attempt to "Do Something Fer Their Money" they looked around to find someone who could possibly give them an "Idea" OF ....."WHAT TO DO FER THEIR MONEY"!

So.....my "reason" to post this today is....YUP....I was asked to come in and "suggest" a "solution" to the problem.

Well.....I accepted and.....pay close attention to the following of what I'M going to propose;

1) The PROBLEM;......street re-construction will DETER Shoppers this summer from visiting downtown merchants (Hey....the streets will be torn up, let's go to the Mall and ferget about going downtown!)

2) MY Solution to; HOW TO GET SHOPPERS TO SHOP DOWNTOWN!!!!

So.....here's what I'm proposing;

1) GIVE SHOPPERS A REASON TO SHOP DOWNTOWN!
2) HOW!
3) By Offering a CONTEST where shoppers could WIN MERCHANDISE or SERVICES from downtown biznesses

Now.....Here's what I propose;

(2 people started a Newspaper 3 yrs ago to offer "Conservative Views". Their newspaper is gaining strength so.....here's what I'm proposing)

BUMPER BUCKS!

A Contest where consumers VISIT 20 downtown shops to pick up 2 things from their counter displays;
1) A "Removable Bumper Sticker" to place on their vehicle/s
2) A "Bumper Bucks" Coupon

The Newspaper runs a HALF Page on this program.....every week for 1 weeks(they publish every Weds) introducing consumers to the Contest AND..... showing 5 License Plates they saw WITH THE BUMPER BUCKS STICKER (that includes the Name of the Newspaper) (FREE of cost to me because of the Publicity they'll get)

And.....the FIRST PERSON COMING INTO THE NEWSPAPER OFFICE...each week (who's license plate numbers were Printed)....WINS....$50 in merchandise or services from EACH of the Bumper Bucks coupons she presents!...with a possibility of collecting $50 x 20 = $1,000 from 20 biznesses!

With 20 participating businesses offering $50 in merchandise or services, I'm thinking THAT will be enough of an incentive for consumers to SPEND THE TIME to visit EACH PARTICIPATING BIZ, put a Removable Bumper Sticker on their vehicle and.....buy the Newspaper to see if THEIR License Plate has been Listed.

So.....because the 2 people who started up a "Conservative" alternative newspaper to the "regular" newspaper, are looking for ways to Promote THEIR paper.....I'm thinking that they will go for MY Bumper Bucks program because this could bring more attention AND publicity and.....give me FREE space for the 13 week program. (I may be wrong)

So.....IF the newcomer newspaper owners go along with giving me FREE 1/2 page space for 13 weeks.....I think I can convince 20 local biz owners to give me $495 initially and.....$50 a week (maybe) in merchandise or services to weekly winners (granted....some of the WINNERS will NOT have collected ALL 20 Bumper Bucks")

I will collect $495 x 20 = $9,900 with my only expense being the Bumper Stickers and Bumper Bucks Coupons.

So......NOW.....it is YOUR TURN to give ME input as to what YOU think of THIS idea for helping get consumers to visit our downtown during the street re-construction.

What do YOU.....think of this OR.....DO YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT IDEA?

1) Do YOU think local consumers WILL place a Bumper Sticker ON their bumper.....even though it's "Removable"?...even though they have a chance of winning a "$1,000 Shopping Spree"

2) Do YOU think consumers WILL.....visit participating biznesses to pick up Coupons worth $50 from 20 different biznesses?

3) Do YOU think 2015 Shoppers will even be interested in a contest like this that involves they VISIT 20 different biznesses?

Thanks for reading

Don Alm.....long-time entroopeneer....looking for comments

[Dien Rice]

Originally Posted by Don Alm

OK.....I'm making this post with the HOPE that some here may gain knowledge on the "workings of an Entroopeneers Mind.

I've been "my own boss" since a year out of college and I've created OVER 50 Money-Making enterprises in the years since then.....most from Scratch so.......when I see a "Problem"....I look at it and see if I can create a way to "earn money from it AND....just as important....could "My Way" IMPROVE the participant's businesses.

Case In Point; In my small town of about 20,000 I learned that in a few mos (around June of 2015) the Down Town area streets will be TORN UP..... causing LACK OF BUSINESS to an already hurting business area.

For years, our downtown streets have been Layered with Asphalt so that the Curbs are now about 2 inches above the street level.....so....our City Fathers have decided to go ahead with a "Street RE-Construction this summer ".

And.....when a certain "Group" of people heard this they chose to see if THEY could apply for a GUMMIT Grant....for their Group to receive GUMMIT Funds to...."Look At and Possibly come up with a Solution to the "Lack Of Business for Downtown Businesses!"

Well.....they GOT DA GUMMIT GRANT and.....in their attempt to "Do Something Fer Their Money" they looked around to find someone who could possibly give them an "Idea" OF ....."WHAT TO DO FER THEIR MONEY"!

So.....my "reason" to post this today is....YUP....I was asked to come in and "suggest" a "solution" to the problem.

Well.....I accepted and.....pay close attention to the following of what I'M going to propose;

1) The PROBLEM;......street re-construction will DETER Shoppers this summer from visiting downtown merchants (Hey....the streets will be torn up, let's go to the Mall and ferget about going downtown!)

2) MY Solution to; HOW TO GET SHOPPERS TO SHOP DOWNTOWN!!!!

So.....here's what I'm proposing;

1) GIVE SHOPPERS A REASON TO SHOP DOWNTOWN!
2) HOW!
3) By Offering a CONTEST where shoppers could WIN MERCHANDISE or SERVICES from downtown biznesses

Now.....Here's what I propose;

(2 people started a Newspaper 3 yrs ago to offer "Conservative Views". Their newspaper is gaining strength so.....here's what I'm proposing)

BUMPER BUCKS!

A Contest where consumers VISIT 20 downtown shops to pick up 2 things from their counter displays;
1) A "Removable Bumper Sticker" to place on their vehicle/s
2) A "Bumper Bucks" Coupon

The Newspaper runs a HALF Page on this program.....every week for 1 weeks(they publish every Weds) introducing consumers to the Contest AND..... showing 5 License Plates they saw WITH THE BUMPER BUCKS STICKER (that includes the Name of the Newspaper) (FREE of cost to me because of the Publicity they'll get)

And.....the FIRST PERSON COMING INTO THE NEWSPAPER OFFICE...each week (who's license plate numbers were Printed)....WINS....$50 in merchandise or services from EACH of the Bumper Bucks coupons she presents!...with a possibility of collecting $50 x 20 = $1,000 from 20 biznesses!

With 20 participating businesses offering $50 in merchandise or services, I'm thinking THAT will be enough of an incentive for consumers to SPEND THE TIME to visit EACH PARTICIPATING BIZ, put a Removable Bumper Sticker on their vehicle and.....buy the Newspaper to see if THEIR License Plate has been Listed.

So.....because the 2 people who started up a "Conservative" alternative newspaper to the "regular" newspaper, are looking for ways to Promote THEIR paper.....I'm thinking that they will go for MY Bumper Bucks program because this could bring more attention AND publicity and.....give me FREE space for the 13 week program. (I may be wrong)

So.....IF the newcomer newspaper owners go along with giving me FREE 1/2 page space for 13 weeks.....I think I can convince 20 local biz owners to give me $495 initially and.....$50 a week (maybe) in merchandise or services to weekly winners (granted....some of the WINNERS will NOT have collected ALL 20 Bumper Bucks")

I will collect $495 x 20 = $9,900 with my only expense being the Bumper Stickers and Bumper Bucks Coupons.

So......NOW.....it is YOUR TURN to give ME input as to what YOU think of THIS idea for helping get consumers to visit our downtown during the street re-construction.

What do YOU.....think of this OR.....DO YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT IDEA?

1) Do YOU think local consumers WILL place a Bumper Sticker ON their bumper.....even though it's "Removable"?...even though they have a chance of winning a "$1,000 Shopping Spree"

2) Do YOU think consumers WILL.....visit participating biznesses to pick up Coupons worth $50 from 20 different biznesses?

3) Do YOU think 2015 Shoppers will even be interested in a contest like this that involves they VISIT 20 different biznesses?

Thanks for reading

Don Alm.....long-time entroopeneer....looking for comments

Hi Don,

First, I like how your mind thinks...

I had to read it a few times to "get it"...

Really, you're offering each consumer a chance to win up to $1,000 !

A chance to win a $1,000 worth of stuff, every week - are you kidding me? I think many will participate...!

And for 13 weeks too... That's around 3 months. It's not just a "once off!"

I think - if people know about it (i.e. through the newspaper promo) - then I think they'll participate. It should probably be promoted through the 20 stores, too... (Especially before the roadworks happen, so people will know ahead of time. It's still good for the stores, since they will "cross-pollinate" customers with each other...)

I'd put the "$1,000" figure in big letters! (Then later say, $50 from each of up to 20 businesses...) Saying they could win "$1,000" in merchandise/services (which is still true, but they'd have to visit all 20 stores), I think, would be a big drawcard...

How Don's brain works... In this case, take group A (downtown stores), entity B (newspaper), group C (consumers) - put them all together in a win/win/win way, and voila! Business "magic"...!

I think where this is different from your other programs is the extra "money" in this case comes from the Government grant... but it just shows, "Entroopeneerial" thinking can apply to many situations...!

Best wishes,

Dien