Feedback on my marketing Idea

I paint these extraordinary ceiling murals. These murals are done with a very special glow in the dark paint (non-toxic & non-radioactive). The murals I paint are an accurate replica of the star filled night sky with 1000’s of dazzling stars, the constellations in there astronomically correct location, the milkyway and maybe even a shooting star or two, they are very realistic. The reaction from people is always the same, they gasp, and they can’t believe it’s possible; they’re mesmerized and completely astonished because it appears so real and 3-demensional. I get that reaction every time I do one, so I know that people absolutely love them. I’ve been doing them for about 3 years. I do about 4 to 6 a month at about $200 a room. I would love to do them full time but I have another business that takes up most of my time.

My Marketing Idea Is:

Approaching Hotel, Motel, Resort and Bed & Breakfast Owners and showing them how I can install my Star Gazing Ceiling Murals and it won’t cost them a dime.

Here’s How I’ll Do It:

Example: I do a room, and then what we do is place a sign on the front counter where guests check in, say’s something like:

Sleep Under The Stars In Our Exotic Planetarium Rooms.

(A nice picture of the stars here)

and some bullets about how great it is.

They charge an extra $10.00 a night for There “New Incredible Star Gazing Rooms”. Then at the end of 90 days they pay me that extra $10 they collected times how many nights that room had been rented in the last 90 days, that’s it… Then it all there’s. So the end cost is NOTHING!

Some Feed Back Would Sure Be Great!

Success Belongs To The Relentless,
Jason Hatchett




STARGAZING CEILING MURALS

Hi Jason,

What a wonderful idea! I want one - but doubt if you'll travel all the way to London for $227!

First - your website isn't working. None of the images are displaying, so it is kinda frustrating!

I really like your hotel idea. On the basis that these are hard-nosed businesses though, I wouldn't go down the 'add $10 for the room' scenario. Margins are tight enough without asking them to charge a premium. Go with the cards/leaflets in reception and consider the cost of painting the room to be your marketing overhead.

While we are talking hotels, why not suggest that they have the ceiling of a public room painted as well? That way, all guests could enjoy the 'planetarium experience' and your market would be bigger.

Perhaps you could also produce a small booklet explaining the sights - and including your ad.

Where else could you market this?

Here is an idea. About a year ago, some people visited my kids junior school with an inflatable planetarium. The kids went inside 3 or 4 at a time. They all raved about it for days!

So here is the deal - build a portable planetarium that you can visit schools with. You will have to get permission from the head teacher, but as an educational program it shouldn't be a problem. Inside the structure is painted your star fields.

Now comes the fun.

You, or your assistants, give each child a 10 minute show. All the wonders of the universe are explained through your paintings, and each child goes home with a lovely set of pictures, an educational booklet, your advertising materials and best of all - a new-found burning interest in astronomy.

I bet a lot of parents will be 'persuaded' to have their kid's ceilings repainted!

Another thought would be to contact local astonomical societies. Maybe you could do a room for the president at no cost in exchange for some very valuable testimonials. And the members might well find the whole idea fascinating as well!

I think you have a great idea here. My only small concern is that it doesn't sound as if you are charging enough! How long does each ceiling tale to paint, anyway?

Best wishes,

Martin


Kickstart Your Life and Your Success - my new ebook!

Hi Martin,

Thank you for your idea's, you showed me some other idea's I didn't see. I'm not sure what you ment with this one.

> Go with the cards/leaflets in reception and
> consider the cost of painting the room to be
> your marketing overhead.

I'm not sure why the pictures didn't work, they are working fine for me. It's hard to fix when I can't see what'S wrong. I'll get my web guy over here to see if he can fix them.

It takes me about 2 to 3 hours to do a ceiling. I will try diffetent prices to see what the market will bare.

Success Belongs To The Relentless,
Jason Hatchett


STARGAZING CEILING MURALS

Great idea, but don't forget to get a lawyer to write the legal stuff for you, just in case the other people don't stick to their end of the bargain.

Another point - I think your product is very unique and most good hotels etc would pay for it right away, why take the longer route by installing it for free first? I'd say just charge upfront and if possible show someone how to do it and you can employ them to do it full-time.

If saw one of your ceilings in a hotel, I'd probably ask them where they got it from and get one myself.

Jane


Need Cash Urgently? Click Here

where is their payback? If you collect the extra $10, then what do they get out of it?

And, how does a smoking room vs. a non-smoking room shorten the life of your star chart?

You might offer them a discount because of the numbe r of rooms they will have you do, but DON'T do anything for free because some clerk, just might pocket your $10 and that is that.

You have NO CONTROL over their front desk... Or their books to double check your occupancy rate.

unless the stars bleed through new paint. You have to paint the ceiling every so often... And if you are painting the room, you could get some paint rolled up on the ceiling.

So, maybe you should think about modifying that statement a bit...

Jason:

What's In It For Them?

Your "model" doesn't have them getting anything extra out of it. And creates extra work for them - taking your money and handling it for you.

Aint gonna happen.

Of course, if they charge $20 and give you $10, then they at least get something out of it. But they still have the "work" of handling money for you.

For them, it would be cheaper to just pay you for the ceiling from the get go and be done with the hassle of figuring your take at $10 per room per stay.

But paying up front might be something they don't want to do.

So here's another take...

You can still do the room for free - if you want - and charge a Maintanence Fee. Then stop by once a month to make sure the stars are all still there, not covered with dust, do touch ups, etc.

Charge $1 per day per room ($30 per month per room), and each room will make you $365 by the end of the year. Two month minimum "contract."

Offer to repaint the room back to normal if they are unsatisfied - take their risk away.

And speaking of risk... they will be concerned with the flamable rating of your paint and how it might hinder their "anti-fire" paints and how that will relate to their insurance costs.

Another thing you can do is Offer Terms - let them pay off the room at $10 per week. This lets them make money on the room while paying you for it.

Michael Ross


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There is a guy here who paints very realistic/very soothing ocean murals on peoples walls.

He charges $900 per wall and has a steady business with no marketing expenditure other than WOM.

If your paintings are that good and I don't doubt they are, $200 is way too low for specialised mural work

If you went to a muralist, a good one and wanted a special job done, just like you do, it'd be more than $200 especially on the ceiling.

Your work is too good and too specialised to be too cheap.

Just my 2 cents worth.

As for the Motel angle, offer them the straight $900 or what ever you put it up to deal, don't complicate your business by offering a profit split or share.

Practically all business people price what they do and what they have too low.

Get that price up!!

MW

Hi Jason;

Jason, you do great work if the photo on your page is any indication. I do believe that with a little strategizing on your part, you could turn it into a full time business as quickly as you want. : )

In 22 years working with small and mid-sized businesses, I've seen small mistakes prevent business growth time and time again. I've seen small mistakes kill businesses that 'could have' succeeded.

I've also worked with business owners to help them double and triple their profit. I've helped small "home" businesses become companies that need to hire employees.

Whether you grow or not will be determined by the decisions you make right now. While it's still a part time business that you'd like to turn into a full time business.

I'd be happy to offer some feedback, since you asked, and hope you find it helpful. : )

1) Your motel idea will not work.
Firstly, it would be creating work for the owners, which they are not going to go for. Secondly, it may even be in violation of the regulations for running a motel/hotel. (Is it called the Innkeeper's Act there, too?)

Thirdly - and worst of all - it makes you look desperate for business. When you look desperate for business, you don't get any.

A better idea would be to offer a free ceiling job to ONE small (perhaps small, family owned) motel - in return for being able to take professional photographs of it. If you already have high quality photos, you can skip that step.

Then, create a VERY high class brochure highlighting the exotica of a "starlight" room. Don't cut corners on the design of the brochure.
Quadruple the price of a job. Hit the $799 to $999 range. Include touch ups for six months.

Heck, at that price, you can even offer to give the hotel a framed poster for the lobby to help "sell" the room(s).

Send the brochure to hotels and motels.

Did you know that in the West Edmonton Mall, which is the world's largest shopping & entertainment center, they have "theme" rooms. Arabian Nights, etc. Those rooms cost WAY more than a regular room SIMPLY because of the themed decorations. There are posters showing photos of the "theme" rooms in the lobby and in elevators through the mall. The first time I went there, I didn't stay in a theme room... once I saw the posters, you can bet I booked one for the next visit.

Some other food for thought....

2) Professionalism;
People will judge your company by little things that you won't even think of. Things like the quality of your business cards and brochures, and even the appearance of your website. If you want to do business with professionals, you must look like one.

No one ever hires "down" - if you look amateur, you are only going to attract people that are less professional than you LOOK. Not than you "are" but than you "appear to be" by your business presentation materials.

Home owners might pay you a couple of hundred if you look amateur. Get a more professional look, and home owners will pay you more. Get a highly professional look and businesses will be knocking on your door.

3) Your website.
In all honesty - your website needs serious help. It does not look professional, and will not do anything to help you grow your business.

If anyone found you through your website, they "might" be willing to pay you a couple of hundred. Maybe. But I'd bet as many would just leave. With professional design, you could command a much higher price - and get it. You could promote the url to hotels and have chains contacting you. But not with the site you have now.

4) International Sales.
I have an idea for making sales internationally, too... without you needing to travel to do the work. If you're interested, drop me an email and I'll explain my thoughts to see if you could make it work for you. If you can, there is HUGE potential for what you do.

In reading all of this, feel welcome to check out my site and see 'what I do'..... the link is below.

Jason, I do see a lot of potential for you... but you need a little help to get there. Feel welcome to email me to discuss your business in greater detail.

: )
Linda Caroll


http://www.lindacaroll.com