Yell

[Adventurelife]

If it was me doing this I would spend exactly zero % of my time trying to sell advertising on the trikes. I would spend 100% of my time getting clients for the core business of being a courier.

This will have the very nice side effect of having businesses approach the business for advertising.

I also would not publish advertising rates. I would look at each business who made a approach and work with them to find a price solution that worked for both businesses.

Still think this s one of the best new business ideas I have seen in a while. Simple and does what it says on the tin and scores across a lot of in vogue issues

Peter

 

[Former Member 1]

I also would not publish advertising rates. I would look at each business who made a approach and work with them to find a price solution that worked for both businesses.

That's actually a VERY good point....

One thing I spoke about (loosely) in another thread was how, historically, we've arrived at the price point and marketing strategy we have.... What I didn't make so clear was the effect that has had on the higher end work; as much as we don't chase it, it doesn't come calling either...

Now; because of the 'homespun family business' tack TFGtv takes it's simply speaking the wrong language as far as the big corporates are concerned. However work of that nature does come through via old contacts and agencies. Generally though it will be debranded; in exchange for which we charge the agency at 'rack rate' which they then mark up and pass on...

In effect this puts our prices at, or maybe a tad below what everyone else in that sector is charging. And the client does get a different level of service in terms of tolerating re-writes, having crews on hand at the drop of a hat etc.. But the de-branding is as much about not having the client imagine they're paying £5000 for something another client coming directly to us might get for £3000...

Peter's point is important here because of course it's impossible for you to 'debrand'... And as much as you're scaring away the SMEs at the moment dropping your prices to their level might cheapen the product to the point where it's no longer particularly attractive to the large corporates...

Although we're baulking at the figure you propose there are probably very good reasons why your Girlfriend's colleagues are wanting to pitch it at that price point.

 

[johnthesearcher]

Hi Murray

Some great advice in response to your original post.

One thing you may consider is a listing in the Edinburgh Directory.

A Silver Listing in the Edinburgh Directory costs just £40 per annum (+ VAT). For that, you get the following benefits:

· Displayed above standard/free listings

· Entry can contain your logo

· Links to your website (optional)

· Include up to seven bullet points advertising your services

· Entry accessible from more pages on site

· The adverts, which help pay for this site, are displayed less prominently

· Occasionally listed in the Spotlight box on the home page

As an example; a recent listing added was Sara Sutherland who wanted to differentiate herself from the other interiors firms on offer at: Interiors & Furniture in Edinburgh Scotland - Edinburgh Directory.

They also have a Gold offering for £100 per annum. This lists above any Silvers in the same category, comes with added exposure to the Spotlight box, but is mostly used to give national exposure through our other Scottish Directories (Glasgow, Stirling, Perth, Dundee, St Andrews, Aberdeen, Inverness & Scottish Borders).

Hope this helps

John

 

[Scottish Business Owner]

Now there is a brilliant idea! Either here or as a post in blog - what do you reckon ?

I'm happy to look at developing something if collectively people thought it would be of use. It might actually sit better on the blog!

Let me go and do some digging and speak to a few people for a few pointers.

I'll come back to this soon

 

[TheVillageTrike]

If it was me doing this I would spend exactly zero % of my time trying to sell advertising on the trikes. I would spend 100% of my time getting clients for the core business of being a courier.

Agreed, the aim is to develop a profit from the couriering work, i view anything on top of that as a bonus.

I also would not publish advertising rates. I would look at each business who made a approach and work with them to find a price solution that worked for both businesses.

Perhaps, this is one that i will look at in due time. The mediapack was done by me rather than my gf as unfortunately she has been snowed under at work lately with real clients that will pay for her services!

For £15.5K per year I reckon I could BUY an ad bike and pay students to ride it about for me at peak times.... Actually I could probably put together something weirder and more eye-catching than a simple ad bike!

Oh you definitely could. The price of an adbike new can be as low as £1500. So if you are paying 60 a day for the rider you can still pay it off in well under a fortnight.

I think part of the thought process of the price was that the (high end) clients that my gfs work deals with expect to be charged large amounts. The person that actually does the negotiations told us to bump up the cost.

 

[stugster]

The person that actually does the negotiations told us to bump up the cost.

I think at the outset, if your heart is set on getting adverts on the bikes, you should (for the first 12 months) do it cheap. Get the adverts on the bikes within the week, and then look at ways to sell it to the corporates at your inflated prices.

Even using advertising space on the bikes as leverage for an exchange of services? "You do my accounting and I'll give you an advert on a bike". That's a brilliant method

 

[TheVillageTrike]

I think at the outset, if your heart is set on getting adverts on the bikes, you should (for the first 12 months) do it cheap. Get the adverts on the bikes within the week, and then look at ways to sell it to the corporates at your inflated prices.

Even using advertising space on the bikes as leverage for an exchange of services? "You do my accounting and I'll give you an advert on a bike". That's a brilliant method

I guess the one thing you have to remember is that when there is no paid advertising on the trike they still have advertising on them - for me. At this very moment i think their presence out on the streets with my name on their sides is more valuable than 50 quid a month to yell.

If anybody is willing to start up a sticky/blog page with details of places to advertise etc, i have been looking for these types of places for the last few days so i've got a few to share.