Brainstorming A New Business Concept

February 9th, 2010

John Schulte

As I’ve said before, I like to mix concept development lessons in with real life opportunity. I have a new one today for you to learn and possibly earn from.

A few weeks ago some friends invited my wife and I to go with them to a comedy club. As we were sitting at the table having a drink, our conversation turned to a neon beer sign on the wall. I said if I ever built a bar in my house I’d like to have a neon beer sign on the wall behind the bar. My friend mentioned he just missed buying one at an auction for a friend. A “Fosters Beer” one.

We have a friend in common whose last name is Foster and he just happens to be finishing off his basement and he’s putting in a bar. Then I started thinking, wouldn’t that be cool, having a neon beer sign at your bar, and the name of the beer is the same as your last name. I’d like one. Then I thought — I bet a lot of people with bars would like a neon beer sign featuring their last name. Maybe they wouldn’t even need to have a bar to want one. I know custom or personalized stuff is popular. Just think how many people have personalized license plates on their car. Neon is also very popular. I now realize I’m on-to a pretty good idea.

Then I remembered a mail order item from the sixties that made a guy a lot of money. (know your MO history) He sold family crests and coat of arms posters that hung on the wall — by mailing to lists of people that shared the same last name. The same basic concept as this idea. He’d pick a popular last name, then got a list of everybody he could with the same last name. He then had his product customized to that particular last name and sold it like crazy. When that surname stopped making money he went to the next.

What if somebody was to offer neon beer signs customized with peoples last names. You could easily get a mailing list of people selected by last name, that have either shown an interest in personalized stuff, have bought bar supplies, or beer making supplies. (There’s other criteria you could look for too)

Then send a personalized and limited time offer to these people. An offer featuring a beautiful photo of the one and only beer sign that bares their name. Showing how great it would look on their wall, behind their bar. Wouldn’t their friends be impressed, what a conversation piece.

The up-front costs to test the idea are also good. By concentrating on one last name at time, you only need to design and make one sample sign in the beginning to use for promotional photos. The template for making the sign would be used over and over.

Your only other up-front costs for testing the idea is printing, mailing and list rental. You may even be able to use one of those telephone book CD’s to develop a mailing list to test. The product is also unique enough to get some free press.

My next thought goes to future sales, what to sell these people next. How about their own six pack of beer. Bottles of beer with fancy labels personalized with their name as the brewer. Or maybe personalized beer mugs, or cocktail napkins. Maybe you could tie in a micro beer of the month feature. Yep, plenty of options here.

So far so good. But what about having the signs made? Then I thought about all the neon sign makers I’ve seen around town. I bet one or more of these artists are looking for more work. If I were to outline the idea to one of them, and ask if they would be interested in designing such a sign that could be interchangeable with different names, (starting with your own) with the possibility of making and selling a lot more, I would find someone happy to do it.

You just witnessed a brainstorm that developed a core product for making money with direct marketing. One that would be cheap to test and has big potential. For those of you that are looking to develop your own thing, remember to consider the possible use of other peoples skills. In most cases, teaming up with someone helps a lot. Also keep an eye open for what’s popular and how it can be applied to other things. We know that personalization is always popular, we see examples of it everyday. We also see that neon is once again very popular. So are micro beers. This is history repeating itself. Learn from it.

Yea! Yea! Yea! But will this sign idea make someone money? I can’t predict absolute success or failure, no one can. Success depends on more things than just the product. But, this idea has a lot of favorable points. Enough points that if I had the time, I would try it. The losses are minimal if it doesn’t work. If it does work, the total universe of potential customers is fantastic. In my opinion the rewards outweigh the risks.

The only problem I see is shipping, glass is fragile. But you might make a positive out of this by shipping the sign in a big fancy wooden crate, maybe stenciled with the last name giving it value…and signifying it’s importance. Maybe the shipping crate could be also made to double as a wine rack. All said and done, the launching of any new concept, division, or catalog, ends with somebody having the guts and making the decision to…Do It!

As a final reminder, remember that this is a demonstration in brainstorming that can be applied to many things; you don’t have to work in neon or beer signs, just plug the concept into the toolbox of your mind for future reference to apply to your own particular business and thought processes.

John Schulte is a 30-year veteran of advertising, marketing, publicity, promotions and sales. He is an internationally recognized direct marketing expert and president of the National Mail Order Association, NMOA, and author of the Direct Marketing Toolkit for Small and Home Business and the How to Create Successful Small Business Advertising

Where to Post Free Online Classifieds

February 9th, 2010

Jason Kay

We all look for different ways in which we can earn some money and in some cases even create some much needed space in our home. We can sometimes decide to give away certain items to loved ones or others in need, but in during this time with the financial issues which have hit us as a society, giving away items for free is not always an option. In order to be successful in earning some cash for the items you are looking to sell, it is a good idea to advertise the product, providing the potential buyer with an appealing description of the item, a reasonable price, and where possible an image of the item in question. We may also be looking for something to better our lives, such as a love match or a new place to live. In today’s society, the internet is a key tool in gaining quick and easy knowledge, and in terms of selling a product, it provides us with an easy way in which to get a successful sale. If you are looking to post a classified online, there are a wide variety of different sites which are specifically aimed at what you are looking to achieve.

If you are looking to sell an item or large good, there is a wide variety of sites on the web which will allow you to advertise to a large audience, providing you with a better chance of being successful. However, in some cases, this may be under the requirement that you pay a small fee. We may not always be financially able to pay a fee for advertising, especially when the case is that the longer the advertisement runs for, the more it will cost you in the long run. This is why fee online classified websites are extremely advantageous for those who are a little strapped for cash.

There are many sites which offer its users the use of a free classifieds service. Before submitting your ad to a site, research carefully into what the site aims to do and other adverts which it includes to get a grasp of whether it appears to be a trustworthy site or not. Also, when looking at the site, think about whether it is suitable for your target market or not as some sites may allow slightly inappropriate or crude material. Before submitting your ad, read any policies which are included on the site, as well as any testimonials from other members who will give a good indication of how helpful the tech support are. Also be aware of any hidden policies they may have, including the promise of a free classified post when in actual fact you will be required to pay a fee. If you are looking for a slightly more reliable source of a free classifieds ad, then take a look at eBay. EBay has been a forerunner of free advertising for well over a decade, allowing people from all over the world to advertise and sell almost anything they want. By using images and in depth descriptions, you can easily and quickly pitch the object you are looking to sell, and are even given the opportunity to provide an ideal price. Potential buyers can then bid for this price or a price which they feel is more justifiable, but you never have to go with a bid which you do not agree with. Another method of free advertising comes with social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. These types of sites are free but offer you the chance to reach millions of people at the touch of a button-this is one of the reasons why they have become so popular with many businesses. Using a group page, fan page or simply your own personal account, you can advertise your goods and make this visible to either a specific group of people or any user of the site.

Posting a classified doesn’t need to be an expensive worry when there are so many free services available on the internet at the moment. By carefully thinking about which site is best for you and presenting a perfect pitch, you will soon see yourself with a quick and easy sale or find.

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How to Send a Press Release

February 9th, 2010

Jason Kay

In order for a piece of news or an event to become well known and grow in popularity, it requires a strong announcement which will make the public aware of its existence. The media plays a strong role in many things being brought to our attention and without this media coverage, there is very little chance that the news of the event/product/etc will reach its targeted market. With the right writing skills, almost anyone can write a good quality press release without any need for money in order to distribute it. The main thing you require is a well researched, planned and executed press release which reveals the important facts in a positive tone, whilst also keeping a sense of appeal about it which in turn will help make the public interested in its content. However, the key with producing a successful press release is not overly promote the event/product/service, but instead leave the listener wanting to know more. If you are able to produce a good quality press release, only half of your work is done. In order for the press release to accumulate the amount of hype you are hoping it will, you need to ensure that you send it out to the right places in order to get the best coverage possible.

You can send your press release to media contacts in a variety of different ways depending on the urgency of its release. The first important note to take is that you should never send a summary of the press release. Sending a link or an additional location where you can find the full press release is not only unprofessional, but it takes away the aim of your press release. You should also aim to include a catchy title, both at the beginning of the press release and if sending via email, within the subject box to catch the readers eye. Email is seen as one of the fastest ways in which people communicate with one another and the same can be said in terms of sending out your press release. When sending it through email, send the document through as text and not as a HTML. This will make it easier for all recipients to read and take facts from, and will also be much quicker to send with less chances of an error occurring on the document. Never include the press release as an attachment or a link to its location, but instead include it within the email. This takes away any issues with having to download the file, and can also ensure that the press release is read straight away. You can also fax a press release which is also a quick method, but will not always offer the same level of quality as an email will.

Mailing out a press release is not as commonly done nowadays due to the advancements which have been made in information technology but allows you to send out more detailed press releases with extra hand outs and photographs for a more detailed information source. This also allows the media to take away more information for their own coverage of your press release. Regardless of how you choose to send the press release, ensure that you include contact details of yourself or the company’s office, as well as stating clearly what the name of the company/product/service is. If the launch is for a specific date, ensure that this is also clearly noted within the release so that it can be noted in the media coverage.

Sending out a press release can make or break your launch, so before you send it out, think carefully about whom the right contacts will be to receive it. Once you have chosen your contacts, plan carefully every aspect of the press release, down to the day you are planning on sending it. You should check that all aspects of it are correct, including any facts you have included and your contact details. Then simply send out your press release to those you have chosen. Depending on what you are launching and to what scale, will heavily determine what the best method of distribution will be for you. By planning this down to the letter, you will not hit your target market, but you will also have a greater chance of making your press release a great success.

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Tips to Buy Car CD Players

February 9th, 2010

Jack Wylde

No one who buys the car says no to CD player ,a car without a CD player is something like life with no fun. Moreover CD players sounds good than any other audio systems that you know like tapes and even radios.No one prefer to travel boredom in their car i guess that you too belong to the same category.Everyone knows why they need a CD player in their car but only some know How to buy car CD player.Those who know how to buy can also know more intresting things in buying CD players.

One has to know basic things before buying a CD player such as selecting the player which would be more perfect for your car,and knowing your needs and buying the player is also an important criteria finally the CD player you buy should suit your budget.

First we can know about selecting the suitable CD player for your car.CD player can be selected based on the car you have ,we can see cars in different sizes and shapes CD player that you buy also should match your car otherwise the money you invest in buying it is a waste.You might have noticed panel size of the player varies from car to car .So the most important thing is to select an apt player so that it does not spoil your car’s look by any means.

It is preferable to buy a Player with all necessary and up to date features such as using drives in your player,whether DVD can be used,should make sure of digital displays without that which will be much more difficult to operate in dark.And knowing about the built in amplifiers would be better before deciding a Player of your choice.It is not necessary that you have to buy players with all the features in it you may neglect a few which ever you think as it wont serve your purpose.

All cant buy all CD players ,So it is mandatory to know How much you are going to spend for buying the same.One can buy a CD player in $99 or else can get it for $1999 also.It is recommended to buy a CD player in a branded shop which will reduce your risk of being cheated from fake sellers.

Most of them show no interest in seeing a demo for Players though they buy a car after a demo.Listening to an audio player is necessary before you buy a new one.You can ask a demo from the shop you buy some sellers will allow and some may not permit but any dealer who is good enough wont say no for a demo.It is better to reject the shop instead of buying the player without a demo in order to be in safer side.

Make sure that the retailer from whom you get make provisions for setting Player in an economic rate . Some sellers may install with no cost. For any product you buy, warranty is a must which abides for players too.

With this you can also teach your friends on How to buy car CD player.

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Methods to Repair a Car Stereo System

February 9th, 2010

Jack Wylde

When anyone travels for long distance, the music system of the car can be very entertaining. It is important for the lone driver to learn how to repair a car audio system since without music the drive could be very boring. There might not be any service stations in reach and with the help of few basic tools that are always kept in the car, it can be achieved. Some problems can be very minor and needs little effort. This also helps the owner to save money by not going to the service station for some minor faults.

Some tools must always be kept in the car in case of emergencies. This procedure will also use only such tools like the screwdriver, and a puller for the pulling out the fuses. The major problems faced by the audio system are due to the blown out fuse. It is hence advisable that few fuses may be kept as safety in the car always.

The first step after disconnecting the battery of the car is to remove the dashboard. This can be removed by taking out the screws that support the dash around the stereo. After it is unscrewed, the dash is removed and placed aside. The screws that were removed are also kept careful.

The harness for the wires which is placed in the rear of the stereo is disconnected from the stereo. This is done by pinching the harness on both the sides and pulling out. The cable for the antenna is then unplugged. This is generally black in colour.

Then, the fuse is pulled. This is present at the rear of the audio system and can be pulled with the help of fuse pullers. The fuse is then checked for any kinds of damage. In case of blown out fuse, it may be blackened. The other case can be a broken line that goes across the old fuse. In either case the fuse is replaced with new fuse.

The harness for the wires is then replaced and plugged back in position. The antenna cable is also plugged back. The respective screws are replaced. After this, the dash is kept back in its position and screws are screwed back.

By doing the above steps, the audio system is generally fixed. In case it does not get proper, there could be a problem in the fuse of the car that connects with the audio system. Using a manual of the car, the fuse box is located. In that, the fuse that connects the radio can be located with the help of the diagram in the manual. After that it is removed by using a set of fuse pullers. The fuse is examined. If there are signs of the fuse being blown out, it is replaced with new fuse.

This article on how to repair a car audio system discusses on two major types of faults that occur with the stereo. There could be a blown out fuse either in the car or in the radio.

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Methods For a Simple 6 CD-MP3 Changer Installation

February 9th, 2010

Jack Wylde

A compact disc changer is very useful and can be installed readily to an already existing stereo set. It can accommodate the discs on tap and therefore makes it easy to change among your favourite discs. This avoids the problem of searching for the CD and playing it. It can also be located anywhere in the car. The one more advantage is that the controls of the CD changer can be done with the help of stereo controls. This article teaches how to install a 6-disc CD changer with no professional help.

The things that must be available to do this are a drill, mounting hardware for the changer, screwdriver, and receiver that is compatible for the changer apart from the CD changer.

Firstly, the location for the installation of the changer is picked. The location can be either easily accessed in case the discs have to be changed from time to time or it can be away when there is less need to change the set of discs. In either way, the location must not interfere with the usage of the space in the car. The cable must be available in a length so that it connects from this chosen location to the stereo.

The mounting hardware that comes with the changer is then installed. The changer is generally available with a bracket set that helps in mounting the changer. It can be mounted in a flat way, vertical position or also hung in trunk. The necessary holes are drilled for these brackets. They are then screwed to its position.

The control cable for the changer is the routed from the stereo set to the changer in its location. The cable is then plugged in the port that is available in the rear of the stereo. This needs the stereo to be pulled out from the dash. This can be done according to the model of the car. The cables are routed by placing it below the carpet of the car. This gives a neat finish.

The cable is plugged in the changer’s port which is generally present in the changer’s side. Angle adjustment is then set on changer. The switch on CD changer must also be set according to the mounting angle of the changer in such a way that they both match.

Then, the changer is placed in the brackets. The screws are then screwed back to keep the changer in position. By doing this the installation is completed.

Some tips on how to install a 6-disc CD changer that must be kept in mind are that the compatibility for the stereo and changer must be checked since both might not be compatible sometimes. There are additional feature such as that of a transport screw. This helps in preventing the movement of the changer when it is being transported. This must be removed before using the changer. It is usually red in colour and tagged for convenience.

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Instructions For a 6 CD-MP3 Changer Installation

February 9th, 2010

Jack Wylde

A cd changer is a type of cd player which is capable of holding more than one compact disc in it. It can have five to six cds in it generally. In the case of stereo systems used in homes, it is integrated as a part of the deck. In the case of automobiles it works with the dash player. The cd changer has now been used by many music lovers for their convenience. Care has to be taken in buying a changer. It is better to go for a standard company. This article is about how to install a 6-disc cd changer.

The process will require a screwdriver, a drill, a cd changer, a mounting hardware and a compatible receiver. The steps to be followed during the installation process are described in the following paragraphs.

The first step is to decide where the changer has to be placed. You will have to consider two important factors for that. First you have to check whether the place you have selected is comfortable for you to change.

The next one is that the place should not occupy space which will disturb the normal arrangements. A cable is used to connect the changer to the stereo of the car. The length of the cable is chosen according to the location of the changer.

Then the mounting hardware of the changer is installed. Brackets are provided with the changer. This will enable us to get it placed in any orientation. It may be horizontally placed or vertically placed. It can be placed even as a hanging type. Holes are drilled in the required locations. Then they are fixed to the place with the help of screws.

The speaker has to be connected to the changer through a cable. The port for this connection is provided in the stereo’s backside. Thus the stereo has to be moved from its original position for this connection. The way this step has to be done will depend on the type of car and way of installation. The cable has to be placed under the carpet of the car. This is done when the changers are chosen to be placed in the car’s rear side.

The port for the connection of the cable to the changer is provided on its sides. This cable is now connected to that port. Next step is to adjust the angle. The angle is set according to the angle at which the changer is placed. A knob is provided for this process. If it is horizontal the angle is 0 and when vertical it is 90. The changer is placed inside the brackets and fixed using screws.

There are a lot of chances for the driver to get distracted when he is listening to music, especially when he wants to change the cd. The cd changer will eliminate this risk. This will enable you to drive safe as well as enjoy the music. This article would have given you an idea of how to install a 6-disc cd changer.

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Instructions For a Vehicle CD-MP3 Player Installation

February 9th, 2010

Jack Wylde

If you are tired of the outdated cassette player audio system in your car then here are a few simple steps to replace it. This article will give you the steps on how to install an in-dash CD player. If you are interested in having a modern disk player in your car for a low price then this article will show you the way. This new CD player will snugly fit into the place where your cassette player was previously located. Be sure to keep in mind the make and the model of your car when buying the compact disk player and the wiring kit for a perfect fit.

Here is the list of the things that you will need for completing the switch over; wire strippers, car stereo wiring connectors, 20 vinyl butt splices that are insulated awg 16-14, needle nose or combination pliers and 1 CD player dash install kit.

Remove about quarter to 1/8 of the total insulation from the ends of each wire coming out of the disk player. Repeat this task to the wires coming out of the car stereo wiring connector. Avoid damaging the wires when removing the insulation. If the wires get damaged then it is necessary to replace them.

Insert an end of the orange wire coming out of the wiring connector of the car stereo into the vinyl insulated butt splicer. Now close this side of the splicer. This can be easily done using the nose pliers. Make sure that the butt splicer holds the wire firmly. Now insert the end of the orange wire that is coming out of the rear end of the CD player into the other end of the butt splicer and close this end with the use of the nose pliers. Be sure that there are no loose connections and the wire is held firmly by the butt splicer. Repeat this step for all the wires that can be seen in wire connecting the stereo. Make sure that each wire is matched very well with the similar colour and size of the player.

With the help of your car owner’s manual remove the dash board covers from its place. Now take the new disk player and stereo wiring connector that you have purchased from the market and insert it into the dash install kit. Now connect the automobile’s connector to the car stereo wiring connector. Push the connectors together. You will hear a click when the connection is complete.

There will be a vacant space available just to the back side of the CD player. Use this to place the remaining wires securely. Now place the disk player and the dash installation kit inside the automobile. Now to keep the CD player secure, screw the dash installation kit to the automobile using the same holes left by removing the old cassette player.

To make sure that all the connections are properly made and the stereo is working properly, turn on the ignition and check. After checking, replace the dash board coverings.

With the help of these easy-to-do steps, remove your old fashioned cassette player and install an in-dash CD player.

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