| I recently purchased an online business. When I | | | | So off I went, removing all of those prospects,so |
| bought my independent business it was explained | | | | much work for nothing. Can you say |
| to me that there would be a learning curve. Boy | | | | disheartened? Tail between my legs I retreated |
| they weren't kidding! I'm not complaining but this | | | | to my vehicle. There I sat thinking, and |
| was going to be like going back to school. | | | | thinking,trying to shake off the thoughts of |
| After reviewing a wealth of material, I put my | | | | marketing meltdown. What shall I do now? |
| business plan into action which includes both on | | | | Ahh a small stroke of genius, I'll put them in |
| and offline strategies. One of my offline strategies | | | | residential mailboxes. So there I go again, mailbox |
| was implementing the use of flyers. So I | | | | after mailbox after mailbox. Determined to get |
| developed my flyers, printed them up and headed | | | | back my numbers. I had distributed about 100 |
| out to the local mall to place them on as many | | | | flyers, and then it happened. "Hey! what are you |
| windshields as I could find. | | | | doing" came a voice from behind. I reeled around |
| Jackpot! There must have been 600 or 700 cars | | | | and that's right you guessed it, the postman. Long |
| just waiting for my little money makers. Away I | | | | story short. It is against post office policy to put |
| went scurrying from car to car 1, 2, 5, 10, 50 and | | | | flyers in residential mailboxes. Not again. Luckily he |
| before I knew it I had distributed about 300 | | | | didn't make me remove any of them. |
| flyers. O.K. great, time to move to the other side | | | | Well that was enough for the day so I went |
| of the mall. | | | | home and I called my local post office and sure |
| Here I go again, 1, 5, 50 and so on.This was | | | | enough the postman was right.They did suggest |
| fabulous because I knew that sales are all about | | | | that I could subscribe in a mail out for a couple of |
| having big numbers (and of course the follow ups). | | | | hundred bucks. Then I called city hall and they told |
| I was up to at least 500 cars by now and I knew | | | | me there was a bylaw in place about placing |
| for sure that I was well on my way to becoming | | | | flyers on car windshields, but I could place them |
| an offline marketing guru. hhum! | | | | on residential doors. Voila! problem solved. |
| Huh! what's this? A man in a uniform."Can I help | | | | So the lesson here is (at least to me) before you |
| you" he asks. "No sir I'm just promoting a new | | | | deliver flyers, make sure you check with local |
| online business" "Did you know it's against mall | | | | authorities about the laws and bylaws governing |
| policy to solicit anywhere on the mall property, | | | | such actions. Also if you do decide to go door to |
| and if you don't remove all of those flyers we will | | | | door wear appropriate clothing, take snacks and |
| levy a fine against the owner of those flyers" | | | | plenty of fluids. |
| Gulp! HUH! ahh...arghh! | | | | Till next time Gary H. |
| Well let me tell you did that ever take the wind | | | | P.S. BEWARE OF DOGS! |
| out of my little sails! | | | | |