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  #1  
Old April 1, 2015, 03:18 PM
palmanator
 
Posts: n/a
Default Anyone Care To "Kick" Around This Idea?

I have been away from the forum for many years, and due to a number of life changes - I now have a lot of time to pursue ideas - compared to years ago.

Anyway, one of my recent ones is... a laminated 6x8 in card for display in cars on a car lot.

I have no idea if this is already being done - so if it is - I apologize.

I do know it ISN'T being done in my town - but it's a small town of around 30,000.

Anyway, I made up a "sample" to post here and see if anyone has any input.

The idea came from being the kind of buyer that HATES walking onto a car lot and getting hammered by a sales person.

So - when I'm "shopping" around for a vehicle, I go to a car lot when they are closed.

So - it occurred to me that IF there was one of these cards in the window or on the dash - I would scan it and get some additional of the details about the car.

Before I approach any dealers, I just wanted to see what y'all think.

I don't envision it being something the "big guy's" might want - but the small local guy's are the ones that I thought might be interested.

By the way - the QR code on the card can be changed at will - meaning it isn't a "use one time" sort of code.

The idea would be to make up maybe 25 of them - numbers 1001 to 1025.

Then - whenever the particular vehicle that card 1001 is being used for - sells - they just send you an email with a link to another vehicle - and you change the link to their web page that has the next car info on it.

The fees (and I'm just noodling this around - so this is just my first thoughts) would be on a "per card packet" size - meaning 1 to 25 cards might be X dollars, 26 to 50 would be Xplus, etc.

Now - here's the weaknesses I see thus far.

1.) Some of the smaller guys may not even have web pages built for their cars - so rather than trying to actually do that for them, I would just go to the ones that have pages.

2.) They could do it themselves - but as the case is with just about anything - there's always the fact that MOST things can be done - it's just that very few will actually - and consistently - do it.

I won't go on at this point - but just wanted to through it out there and see if it has any life - or if it just sucks like a Hoover vacuum cleaner.

John Palma

Again - I've been away for a long time - so if this has already been discussed and kicked to the trash heap - I apologize :-)
Attached Images
File Type: jpg QR-Car-Card-Rev-1.jpg (92.1 KB, 28 views)
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  #2  
Old April 1, 2015, 03:53 PM
teamplayer
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Anyone Care To "Kick" Around This Idea?

Hi.
To tell the truth I never really liked QR codes, I thought they were a gimmick,
but in this case it looks like a real use for it. I like your photo it looks professional. It is difficult to say if used car dealers will go for it.
I think you will just have to try it. looks like a good possibility.
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  #3  
Old April 1, 2015, 04:43 PM
Don Alm
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Anyone Care To "Kick" Around This Idea?

Holy Camoly.....it's John Palma....IN THE FLESH!

I used to "converse" with you on some of the Forums 10 or 15 yrs ago. Good to see you are "Still Alive & Kicking" (excuse my French)

So.....back in 1995.....there was a guy in my area who visited Used Car Lots every week.....about 8 a day....where he would print out an "Info Sheet" about each vehicle and....stick it on the INSIDE of the rear window (on the driver's side) of each vehicle and.....charge the dealer $8 per vehicle.

He built up a route of 32 Dealers.....visiting 8 Dealers a day for 4 days.

I don't know if he's still doing this BUT.....one of MY money-makers in 2005 was.....taking 3 photos of each vehicle the Dealer got in each week and....posting the photos UP ON their Website!....for which I charged $25 per vehicle.

So....what if YOU were to make a website where you uploaded Info of each vehicle (Miles, Age...etc) (and maybe 1 or 2 photos)......and....your QR Code would direct viewers to your site.....PLUS.....you could GRAB their "Contact Info" so that on Monday Morning.....sales people could PHONE the Sunday Browsers!

Seems to me you could EASILY get $50 per Vehicle for this service. 10 vehicles a day = $500 a 5 days a week = an easy $2,500 PER WEEK!

All it takes is the conyonies to put it together.

Don Alm.....long-time guy WITH Conjonies

Last edited by Don Alm : April 1, 2015 at 05:22 PM.
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  #4  
Old April 1, 2015, 10:17 PM
JohnP
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Anyone Care To "Kick" Around This Idea?

John Palma!

Good to have you posting here again. We exchanged emails a number of years ago on a program you had up and running in Las Vegas. I'm back again too and the posts here are still great.

I agree with Teamplayer's comments - the card looks good. Worth a try.

Don's ideas are always worth checking out. So many of them are PROVEN WORKERS that ADD VALUE beyond the card.

On that train of thought - You could start out with a simple survey (in person would be best) of local dealers who lack a window card like this one.

Questions that help you assess what the dealer is or isn't doing for website, auto photos, window info decals, etc.

If You can find out if any of those things are a PAIN to the dealer - you just might walk away with a LIST of products or services you could provide in addition to the Window Cards.

-John
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  #5  
Old April 2, 2015, 06:11 AM
Dien Rice Dien Rice is offline
Onwards and upwards!
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,357
Default Re: Anyone Care To "Kick" Around This Idea?

Quote:
Originally Posted by palmanator View Post
I have been away from the forum for many years, and due to a number of life changes - I now have a lot of time to pursue ideas - compared to years ago.

Anyway, one of my recent ones is... a laminated 6x8 in card for display in cars on a car lot.
Hi John,

Great to see you back!

Looks like a great idea to try to me. The way I see it, you've got nothing to lose!

Create a few samples and see what kind of reaction you get...

Looks to me like the risk is virtually zero...

I'd be curious to know how it goes!

You were always full of great ideas...!

If it works out, it would be a win/win situation for all...

Best wishes,

Dien
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  #6  
Old April 2, 2015, 10:05 AM
palmanator
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Anyone Care To "Kick" Around This Idea?

Thank ALL y'all for responding.

Man - it's dang good to be remembered.

It is amazing to read up on "Don The Doer" again :-)

I noticed that Don talked about a hotel QR coded card service - and I started one about a year ago.

I have 18 of the 20 hotels in my small city on the service, and am now getting around 5,000 page views per month.

Here's the link:

http://cedarcityrestaurants.mobi/

Maybe I can share some lessons I've learned over the year as I get back in the grove.

John Palma

I've attached a sample of the QR coded card I have in the hotels.

I also have a 9x12 display at the front desks, and the hotels LOVE the service.

Anyway, thanks for "allowing me back into the fold".
Attached Images
File Type: jpg laminate-room-card-2.jpg (90.5 KB, 23 views)
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  #7  
Old April 2, 2015, 11:20 AM
woof
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Anyone Care To "Kick" Around This Idea?

John this is very nice. Working on one in my town right now.
What do you charge your advertisers?
Do you have any tips for selling the listings?

Thanks for anything you want to share.

Quote:
Originally Posted by palmanator View Post
Thank ALL y'all for responding.

Man - it's dang good to be remembered.

It is amazing to read up on "Don The Doer" again :-)

I noticed that Don talked about a hotel QR coded card service - and I started one about a year ago.

I have 18 of the 20 hotels in my small city on the service, and am now getting around 5,000 page views per month.

Here's the link:

http://cedarcityrestaurants.mobi/

Maybe I can share some lessons I've learned over the year as I get back in the grove.

John Palma

I've attached a sample of the QR coded card I have in the hotels.

I also have a 9x12 display at the front desks, and the hotels LOVE the service.

Anyway, thanks for "allowing me back into the fold".
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  #8  
Old April 2, 2015, 04:34 PM
Don Alm
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Anyone Care To "Kick" Around This Idea?

Here's a "Hotel Mobile" program I started back in 2011 with a local Pizzeria.

I created a Mobile Website for a local Pizza guy.

I got 10 Hotels/Motels to place my Display (see photo below) on their Front Desk.

I then had the Pizza guy pay me $50/mo for each Hotel/Motel ($500/mo)

He got bizness up the ying-yang.

I then upgraded to a "Mobi Restaurant Directory" where again....if a restaurant wanted an exclusive for their Cuisine.....it'd cost them $500/mo or.....for a Non-Exclusive (max of 3 competitors in each category) I charged $250/mo for 10 Hotels/Motels ($25/mo each) Don't know whether I can get this much nowadays (2015) BUT.....I ain't going below $100/mo

AND.....NOW is the Time to get going on this BEFORE Memorial Day.

Don Alm...looking forward to a GREAT Tourist Season.
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File Type: jpg PizzaCounterDisplay2.jpg (32.6 KB, 23 views)
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  #9  
Old April 2, 2015, 04:44 PM
palmanator
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Anyone Care To "Kick" Around This Idea?

Man - you've been busy.

I think we've been doing some of the same things - but didn't know it

As always, THANKS!!!

John Palma
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  #10  
Old April 13, 2015, 01:30 PM
GordonJ's Avatar
GordonJ GordonJ is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
Posts: 3,471
Default Stories from the closed lot on Sundays.

We have a busy used car dealer nearby and on Sundays, he gets a lot of traffic. He has a single sheet of canary yellow paper with all the cars on them, price, mileage basic one line stuff.

I think your idea would find a welcome home at this place and other small lots. The people on Sunday don't want to be approached, although, the complaint I've heard over and over is

NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION

And your qr code idea would work great, a site wirh more information, maybe a video tour, or just a car fax report or blue book info.

Keep us posted John if you try this.

Gordon


Quote:
Originally Posted by palmanator View Post
I have been away from the forum for many years, and due to a number of life changes - I now have a lot of time to pursue ideas - compared to years ago.

Anyway, one of my recent ones is... a laminated 6x8 in card for display in cars on a car lot.

I have no idea if this is already being done - so if it is - I apologize.

I do know it ISN'T being done in my town - but it's a small town of around 30,000.

Anyway, I made up a "sample" to post here and see if anyone has any input.

The idea came from being the kind of buyer that HATES walking onto a car lot and getting hammered by a sales person.

So - when I'm "shopping" around for a vehicle, I go to a car lot when they are closed.

So - it occurred to me that IF there was one of these cards in the window or on the dash - I would scan it and get some additional of the details about the car.

Before I approach any dealers, I just wanted to see what y'all think.

I don't envision it being something the "big guy's" might want - but the small local guy's are the ones that I thought might be interested.

By the way - the QR code on the card can be changed at will - meaning it isn't a "use one time" sort of code.

The idea would be to make up maybe 25 of them - numbers 1001 to 1025.

Then - whenever the particular vehicle that card 1001 is being used for - sells - they just send you an email with a link to another vehicle - and you change the link to their web page that has the next car info on it.

The fees (and I'm just noodling this around - so this is just my first thoughts) would be on a "per card packet" size - meaning 1 to 25 cards might be X dollars, 26 to 50 would be Xplus, etc.

Now - here's the weaknesses I see thus far.

1.) Some of the smaller guys may not even have web pages built for their cars - so rather than trying to actually do that for them, I would just go to the ones that have pages.

2.) They could do it themselves - but as the case is with just about anything - there's always the fact that MOST things can be done - it's just that very few will actually - and consistently - do it.

I won't go on at this point - but just wanted to through it out there and see if it has any life - or if it just sucks like a Hoover vacuum cleaner.

John Palma

Again - I've been away for a long time - so if this has already been discussed and kicked to the trash heap - I apologize :-)
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