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Don Alm
November 18, 2014, 07:36 PM
Here's how I've gotten so many "money-making" ideas (By being AWARE of what's going on around me)

When I sold my Burglar Alarm biz and went to the mountains of Colorado (Aspen) (from the suburbs of Chicago).....as I was driving into "SKI-Town USA" (as it was called in those days) in an evening when all the Town Lights were on......one thing that hit my brain was; "Holy Camoly! Look at ALL those biznesses that need help getting MORE bizness!

WOWEE! ZOWEE! I can't wait to get out there and begin "picking up money"!

So....indeed, entering the town of Aspen, CO....I decided to stop into a "Locals" bar. Why? Because....I knew (from personal experience) the "mover's & shakers" (also known as, the owners of local biznesses) usually stopped in for a "Toddy" around 3pm.

So...after asking a pedestrian where the "Locals" bar was.....I went in and got a seat at the bar and......as I was sitting there, sipping suds, I happened to overhear a conversation at the table behind me, where 4 guys were discussing how they were going to "Promote" the Radio Station they had invested in and just got approved to go "On-Air"...... next week.

THIS conversation caused me to reach back into my "Memory Bank" and pull up a "Radio Promo" I remember from a Radio Station in Arlington, Hts, IL. that they used every year to promote THEIR station.

Well.....as these guys were talking.....I was writing down stuff on
"NAPKINS"! .....WHO they were.....Names & Positions &.....WHERE's their office.

So.....I got a motel room....got settled in and......next morn.....I went to the local Office Supply place and bought a 3-ring binder, some "Sheet Protectors", a pack of blank paper, 2 Red Magic Markers.....and made up a "Sales Presentation" for .....what I called, "BUMPER BUCKS"

With the Red Magic Marker, I penned in my "Bumper Bucks" Radio Promo Program (A name I came up with)......went over to the new radio station, found the GM (owner was there too)......opened my Binder and proceeded to tell them how.....little ol' ME......could build instant interest in their Station and, after a few minutes "conference".....they GAVE ME PERMISSION to go out and Sell my program to local biznesses.

This was before digital stuff.....so they signed my "Hand-Written" Agreement (I didn't even have a typewriter) allowing ME to go ahead with my "Bumper-Bucks" program for the next 13 weeks.

Wowee! Yippee! Cowabunga Dude! I NOW had a way to earn money.

So......I put together a "Pitch" for the 13 week Radio Promo Program I called "Bumper Bucks"......which involved local residents going into participating biznesses and getting Bumper Stickers, with the Radio Station's Call Letters on them and......putting them on their bumpers.

I won't go into the details of this except to say.......I got 20 biznesses to pay me $495 each ($495 x 20 = $9,900) My costs were $900 so......I wound up with "Cash In Hand" of 9 GRAND!

Not bad for a guy who didn't know a soul and with an "investment" of about $10 initially.....go on to make $9,000.

THIS....gained me "respect, notice and TRUST" in my new community....so I could "Hit" the local biz with other marketing promos.

So....thanks for letting me toss this in here. Maybe this will inspire someone to......get a "Hot Flash" and ......Go Out and TRY IT!

Don Alm.......Idea-Guy and DOER


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