Starting a placemat ad business can create more business for you; free advertising and income all while helping other local small businesses advertise their business all at a reasonable price.
This is an idea not new by any means, but it can prove to be very profitable to you if done right. After you have your clients lined up, you will target small local diners, many will jump at the chance especially when you explain it is "free" it is key to stay away from large establishments like McDonalds or Burger King since the franchise probably supplies the placemats they use.
We all have seen placemats with ads of business offers discounts, coupons or just an announcement of community events. Most placemats have games, pictures for kids to color, word find puzzles.
Placement ads can be the right vehicle that allows you to advertise your business
without paying the costs to do it. Here is what you do; go around to local businesses like the pizza shop, new laundromats, auto body shops, new businesses in your local area.
You can call around or visit these businesses offering ad space on your new 'Jonas Placemat Ads Service' give them the best price, target 8-10 businesses
the first time around offer them an introductory price, one that will cover your costs for printing, and mileage and other related costs for getting the placemat ads made.
Try to get these businesses to offer a coupons like buy 1 get one free or $10 off your first order over a certain amount. Something that will get them reading the ads as they are waiting for their meals to be served, don't forget to make it fun for the kids as well, remember many of these ads are targeted for kids, you can add a twist by adding the ads of local businesses as well.
Don't forget to leave at least two slots empty for your ad and one for the printer so that you can negotiate the price for getting your monthly, or quarterly printing done.
It may be a good idea to offer the printer the free ad space on each printing as long as he is willing to give you the absolute lowest and best price. If this does not work shop around someone will be willing to take you up on this offer it can be a win-win situation for both of you.
Start with 2,000-3,000 at first make sure you make it clear to your clients that the price they are buying the advertising at is only an introductory price of $59.95 or whatever ever you decide, so when you follow up with them in a few weeks or a month or two later they are aware that the cost is up a little because the initial price was the introductory price. Going up $10.00-$20.00 dollars may not seem so bad especially when you explain that they could not get such a wide audience at this low of a price elsewhere.
Try to keep the cost under $99, it hard to find good advertising without have to spend a great deal of money. Be sure to point out the number of people who will see the ad daily especially if you will be using eating establishments.
The key here is for you to get 1) free advertising for your business and 2) the printing costs (at least a large part) paid for by your clients who have brought ad space in the service you are providing.
In conclusion, as you can see just from some of the ideas presented here this could be something that could be very profitable for you plus the possibility of a new side business as well. While creating a vehicle for you to advertise your business for free. It is key to keep it at a reasonable price so that other business will be happy to give it a try.
