BONUS Biz Op today, for piles of moolah next year.

[GordonJ]

Over the last couple of years, I have attended many trade shows here in Ohio, and I've had several other people attend in there areas too.

I paid them to pick up EVERYTHING being handed out and to send me all the printed materials, especially Postcards, biz cards, flyers, sales sheets, Show offers, etc.

If you want some decent money, for not all that much effort...you might want to consider Trade Show Co-Op postcards. I know a couple of your have tried it without success, but, after gathering hundreds of items from across the country, I absolutely guarantee you there are dozens of people doing it.

The best might be a 4 business card, two per side or the HOST card with 6 slots on the back.

Wedding trade shows alone could keep you busy

Gordon

A couple days ago I wrote a sales letter geared towards getting meetings with bridal show vendors to pitch them on the idea of being a host and e-mailed 20 of them.

Yesterday, I got a call from the owner of a Dj entertainment company and photobooth.

We had a 20 minute meeting today and I showed him a sample. He was already doing something similar to this on an 8"x10" but they didn't have any offers. The ads were strictly business cards.

While discussing the amount of handouts, I was surprised to learn that he only estimates 100-200 brides per show for our local.

So the number of cards I quoted him on would be enough for the whole year.

He asked me how long my company had been in business and I was honest and told him he was my first customer and I'm just a freelance marketer. He ended up saying even tho he is already handing out the 8"x10" that this is a great idea and I'm excited to say he gave me 5 business cards of people from his 8"x"10 that he partners with and told me to have at it.

I plan on printing a map with a list of local "wedding photographers" etc. And going to the preferred "photographer" and offer them an exclusive spot.

Will update by next week.

People say you can't make money without money. This feels pretty close. Gordon, Appreciate you not only sharing great ideas but doing it over and over until a knucklehead like me finally takes action.

Looking forward to your update Benjamin. Thanks for sharing!

I started selling co-sponsor ads today and got 1 yes and 1 maybe. Both sales presentations took less than 5 minutes. I have also gotten times to go back and see two other potential co-sponsors that the decision maker wasn't there. So far, so good.

[GordonJ]

Originally Posted by Benjamin815

I started selling co-sponsor ads today and got 1 yes and 1 maybe. Both sales presentations took less than 5 minutes. I have also gotten times to go back and see two other potential co-sponsors that the decision maker wasn't there. So far, so good.

is an old saying mostly interpreted as "hard work". Truth: all selling is a grind.

Doesn't mean it can't be fun, doesn't mean it can't be lucrative, DOES mean, it is effort. Work. Continuous and constant.

I think selling advertising is one of the most started and STOPPED of any money making activity. If you follow help wanted ads, you'll see it is a churn and burn industry. It is not uncommon to see the same company advertising for the same territory, just a couple of months after hiring.

Two to three months is all it takes, and even less for the commission only guys.

That is why it is churn and burn.

My coming of age gift was a pocket knife and a whetstone. My father was a barber (and Goodyear employee as well)...and he was very good at sharpening shears, razors and using a grindstone. In fact, he had a little sideline business of sharpening.

But his lesson for me was, it requires you pay attention to the mundane and boring activity of sharpening your knife, lest you become known as "pinkie" or "lefty"... lose a finger or cut yourself.

The joy of the task was found in having a tool ready to do it's job with maximum effectiveness.

IF you understand that selling is grinding, and relentless grinding...you can do very well with direct selling.

Make it a game, have fun, keep copious notes of all calls, prospect excuses and rejections, successes and compile a system which works for you.

Good luck with this project, 9 out of 10 quit in less than 90 days, most, in fact after only a few tries.

GordonJ

Originally Posted by GordonJ

is an old saying mostly interpreted as "hard work". Truth: all selling is a grind.

Doesn't mean it can't be fun, doesn't mean it can't be lucrative, DOES mean, it is effort. Work. Continuous and constant.

I think selling advertising is one of the most started and STOPPED of any money making activity. If you follow help wanted ads, you'll see it is a churn and burn industry. It is not uncommon to see the same company advertising for the same territory, just a couple of months after hiring.

Two to three months is all it takes, and even less for the commission only guys.

That is why it is churn and burn.

My coming of age gift was a pocket knife and a whetstone. My father was a barber (and Goodyear employee as well)...and he was very good at sharpening shears, razors and using a grindstone. In fact, he had a little sideline business of sharpening.

But his lesson for me was, it requires you pay attention to the mundane and boring activity of sharpening your knife, lest you become known as "pinkie" or "lefty"... lose a finger or cut yourself.

The joy of the task was found in having a tool ready to do it's job with maximum effectiveness.

IF you understand that selling is grinding, and relentless grinding...you can do very well with direct selling.

Make it a game, have fun, keep copious notes of all calls, prospect excuses and rejections, successes and compile a system which works for you.

Good luck with this project, 9 out of 10 quit in less than 90 days, most, in fact after only a few tries.

GordonJ

The ad business is really a service business. The advertiser is going to need to advertise next month, next quarter and next year.

For the most part, the ad companies don't care. They have a churn/burn model going, for the advertisers and the reps. Guaranteed to burn out even the best and brightest.

When it's your company, you can do things differently. Focus on the long term. Build a herd. That's where the real money is...for everybody.

Ron

I believe i'm going to create a small one page flyer that highlights the benefits of co-op marketing to leave with everyone I visit to help build my credibility for the future.

Thinking long term, I want to try to develop my customers into a list that I can eventually e-mail weekly hotsheets of advertising spots available on wedding show cards to fill up empty co-sponsor slots.

I appreciate both of your advice, I am already documenting every interaction Out of the 5 people I was referred to. One said yes, right away. The next one was a florist and the business card I was given had someone listed as owner who wasn't and hadn't worked there in a couple years. The owner seemed off put from the start. The next person I talked to is actually attending most of the same shows and said they had to focus on their own hand out.

I didn't think to research how many brides our local shows average so my deal with my current host will cover the whole year (6-7 shows) because of this I didn't want to approach them about doing a co-op card because I believe I need to adjust my program numbers before I start working with another host.

I talked to a photographer who said she was interested but couldnt meet until after the holidays because of how busy she was so I gave her the spiel over the phone. She said she doesn't attend shows herself anymore and I pointed out she'd be on one of the hottest handouts in 2 shows already by the end of January. She said she needed to speak to her husband to see if it was in their budget and will call me back tomorrow.

My 5th recommended co-sponsor is a cake baker and I'm meeting him at his business tomorrow morning after speaking to him on the phone and basically giving him all the details.

[GordonJ]

Originally Posted by Benjamin815

I believe i'm going to create a small one page flyer that highlights the benefits of co-op marketing to leave with everyone I visit to help build my credibility for the future.

Thinking long term, I want to try to develop my customers into a list that I can eventually e-mail weekly hotsheets of advertising spots available on wedding show cards to fill up empty co-sponsor slots.

I appreciate both of your advice, I am already documenting every interaction Out of the 5 people I was referred to. One said yes, right away. The next one was a florist and the business card I was given had someone listed as owner who wasn't and hadn't worked there in a couple years. The owner seemed off put from the start. The next person I talked to is actually attending most of the same shows and said they had to focus on their own hand out.

I didn't think to research how many brides our local shows average so my deal with my current host will cover the whole year (6-7 shows) because of this I didn't want to approach them about doing a co-op card because I believe I need to adjust my program numbers before I start working with another host.

I talked to a photographer who said she was interested but couldnt meet until after the holidays because of how busy she was so I gave her the spiel over the phone. She said she doesn't attend shows herself anymore and I pointed out she'd be on one of the hottest handouts in 2 shows already by the end of January. She said she needed to speak to her husband to see if it was in their budget and will call me back tomorrow.

My 5th recommended co-sponsor is a cake baker and I'm meeting him at his business tomorrow morning after speaking to him on the phone and basically giving him all the details.

My opinion, your first two paragraphs are a waste of time. People who want to create flyers, need to become better at direct selling. It is a way for those who are fearful of direct sales to do an activity which convinces themselves they don't have to.

Also, most shows are annual or bi-annual, weekly mailings would be useless for this market. There are many other products and services to offer those who set up at trade shows, for the rest of their year.

Have you attended a show?

Here is what happens, brides and their entourages show up, get a goodie bag, and then visit the vendors collecting information.

They go home, dump it on a table and they go over it. I have a box full of show offers from the last year, and there isn't that much exciting or different.

Here is ONE secret: Your co-op has to have MORE value, so much more that it makes it impossible to throw away.

So the bride looks through the pile, and your card has $700 to $1,000.00 of value. 7 vendors offering 100 dollar off coupon, not an uncommon amount with these shows.

There could be 3 to a dozen or more photographers present, depending on size of show. Most of them are going to be offering similar discounts. Say, they each offer 100 off of down payment.

Now, you have one on the co-op, his hundred is one of several discounts, making the card much more valuable than any one photographer.

Which giveaway is going to be kept? They will get sorted quickly, often over a trash can, and the most valuable of the show handouts will be kept, and there you have your sales pitch too.

Get a mock up made. Easy to do if you have a color printer, if not, go to Kinkos or that type of place with a file. Use photo paper, create one side and then the other, put them in a plastic holder. This for now, until you have some cards to show them, and the response to the think it over or consult the hubby is

"Yes, I can appreciate you doing that, but, we only have room for one cake person on the card, and I'm obligated and under deadline to contact those on my list, just so you know, the slot may be taken, I don't want any hard feelings if you miss out on this card, OK?"

Please don't over complicate this, make it easy for you and for them, and get out and attend as many different shows as you can, gather their material and a year from now, you could be filling up several cards which makes the start of a new year a fun and lucrative way to start

GordonJ