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HOW TO START YOUR OWN
BULLETIN BOARD ADVERTISING SERVICE
Believe it or not, bulletin boards actually work as traffic builders for just
about any small business location. They serve to enhance the
community relations image of a business, and the space required to
locate a bulletin board can be written off as a tax deduction by that
business when listed as advertising or public relations expense.
People use these "business provided" bulletin boards to advertise things
they want to sell, home-based businesses, and whatever they might
want to trade for or buy. Then, they come back, sometimes morning, noon, and
evening every day, to check on them, or to see who else has an announcement
posted. Each time they come into the business owner's store or shop, they may not
feel an obligation to buy something, but of course the business owner has another
opportunity to sell them something.
Just about anybody can organize a route of bulletin boards; charge the advertisers a
small monthly fee; keep them up-to-date and neat, (which will make the business
owner happy) and make some really easy money in the whole process.
The first step is to contact as many businesses in your area as possible. Grocery
stores, drugstores, barber shops, beauty salons, service stations, quick print shops,
rental shops, mobile home parks, shopping centers, apartment complexes that have
foyers or recreation rooms - and the list goes on endlessly.
Sell them the idea of allowing you to install and maintain a bulletin board service for
them at no cost to the host business. Emphasize the community service, the tax
write-off, and the fact that you'll keep it neat. When you get ten or more signed to
allow you to install a bulletin board, you're ready to start making your bulletin boards.
The best plan (and of course the most economical) is to make your own. Cut a piece
of corkboard 3 feet by 4 feet, mount a 3/4 by 1 inch frame around the edge, and
cover this frame with a 3-foot by 4-foot piece of clear Plexiglas. Mount the plastic
with hinges at the top and a hasp and padlock at the bottom. On the back of the
corkboard, install a couple of hooks for hanging it and you're ready to go.
Make up a sign - you can even type it out and use it as another bulletin board
announcement - something like this:
BILLY’S BULLETIN BOARD SERVICES!
Your announcement or advertisement
displayed here for only $5 per month!
For more information
Call 770-123-4567
Put your sign or announcement on each of your bulletin boards, lock them up, and
install them in all your locations. Ten such bulletin boards with only 20 ads and
announcements per board will bring you an easy $1,000 per month. 5 more ads per
board raises your income 25%, up to $1,250 per month! In a few months, you can
pay cash for a $5,000 car and 6 months of insurance!
When you put an announcement from the same person up on more than one board,
charge them $5 per month for each announcement on each bulletin board. If they
want to advertise on every board, you may want to offer a “Package Discount.” For
example, charge just $40 to advertise on all 10 boards. The benefit to you is less
work. Usually you would rather deal with 25 $40 customers each month than with
200 $5 customers. Even though it is less money, it gives you more time to get more
customers (or even place more bulletin boards!)
And one other thing: The date the "run of display" ends should be marked on each
announcement you put up on each of your bulletin boards. That way you’ll know
when to take down the announcement or call the advertiser to see if they want to
continue to advertise. And be sure to call! It’s easier to keep a customer than to find
one!
At first, you may want to be more proactive and contact some of your fellow
TeenBoss alumni to advertise their lawn service or dog walking service. Don’t just
put up the board and wait for customers to contact you. Get out there and drum up
some business! Contact businesses that do not compete with your host (don’t ask a
restaurant to advertise in another restaurant), and ask them to advertise. Tell them
what you are doing and where and bring a photo of your board hanging in a local
business so they will know that you are offering a professional looking service.
Churches, PTA groups and other civic organizations may want to post ads on your
boards for upcoming events or fundraisers. Look at every event and business in your
area as a potential customer for your business.
Speaking of customers, talk with your parents about any advertisers you think might
be offering something that sounds too good to be true. You do not want to be part of
promoting a scam or anything illegal. Also, you may want to set a policy that you do
not take any advertisers who promote anything you don’t believe in, like smoking or
alcohol.
And be prepared to hear the word NO. Even the best salesman in the world does not
make every sale. Remember that every NO puts you closer to the next YES!
In all likelihood, within a couple of months, you'll have people waiting for space on
your bulletin boards. Keeping records should be very simple and easy. Start with a
loose leaf notebook, blank paper and a couple of packages of 3 by 5 cards. In your
notebook, write down the date, the amount of money received and the number of
announcements on display, and the contract expiration date. On the 3 by 5 cards,
write the name, address, phone number and expiration date of each contract, and the
location(s) of the bulletin board(s) that particular announcement is on. Arrange the
cards in chronological order according to expiration date, and file them in a storage
box.
Once you get rolling, you shouldn't have to service your bulletin boards more than
once a week, and as more people see them, more businesses will want you to put
one in their business location, and more people will want to display an
announcement. It’s simple, it’s easy, and it can be a real money-maker for you.
Be sure you decide the size of a $5 advertisement. You don’t want someone taking
up your whole board with a poster of their concert. BUT if someone has a larger
announcement and they are willing to pay for extra space, happily take their money.
You may even decide to section off your board with ribbon or yarn. If you draw a line
on it, make sure it looks professional. DO NOT PUT UP A BOARD THAT LOOKS
SLOPPY! And since there will be a cover on the board, you may want to use tape or
flat thumbtacks to post the notices.
This kind of business is what newspapers like to write about, and the TV stations like
to carry as news of what people in their areas are doing as entrepreneurs, especially
young business people. So call the newspaper or TV stations and push for all the
free publicity you can get. When you talk to the press, be sure and tell them what
you are working for – college tuition, paying cash for a car or some other big goal,
assuming you have one!
Once you get started, you could do all of your customer contact by e-mail. Set up a
business e-mail address and make it promote your business. For example you could
get [email protected]. If your name is not available from one provider,
try another (hotmail.com, yahoo.com or another free service. Another advantage of
e-mail over a phone number is that you can always get your e-mails, but you might
miss a phone call while you are in school or at the movies. The customer could send
you their information, then you print it up and post it. They can even pay by PayPal
so you don’t have to go visit them to collect the payment (see the banking information
on the Secrets to Starting Your Business resource on this website).
You still have to go to the bulletin board sites to maintain the boards, but your
customers can enjoy the convenience of e-mail customer service while you make $$$
at home in your pajamas!
If you don’t have much money to start, and you can’t do ten boards to begin with,
take it slow. You can begin with one board and use the money you make in the
beginning to expand your business.
WARNING: This is a high maintenance business. If you can’t be counted on to go
EVERY week and keep up with keeping the boards neat and up to date, don’t even
think about it. But if you can do the job, the rewards are super!
Oh, and on your board, make sure you post this notice in BIG letters across the
bottom:
That way your customer knows that their advertising money was well spent.
That's the plan. It's simple, easy, and depending upon the population density of your
area, it could very well be the thing you've been looking for to supply you an extra
income. It demands little investment, not much of your time, and no special training
or education. But, as with any business venture, it takes ACTION on your part. You
must get out there and set it up, and work at making it a success for you! It's really
up to you, and we wish you success in it.