Big Box Retail as a Market

What do Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Sears, Bed Bath and Beyond... (you get the idea) have in common?  How about Cracker Barrel, Appleby's and the Olive Garden?  Then, think about all the businesses in between.

There are a lot of things I could say about what all the people working in these places have in common.  They need to work because they need money.  More often than not, they are non-union which means they have no rights and are working close to minimum wage. And, more often than not, they are (at minimum) receptive to evaluating a way to make more money.

We capitalize on this "market" with a simple little flyer like this, printed 14 to an 8.5 x 11 page.

We cut them up, and every time we are out in public they are either left behind, handed directly to people, put in magazines in doctors offices...   We also take them door-to-door in residential neighborhoods, post them in stacks on any bulletin board we can find...

This is an easy, inexpensive way to initially market if you are on a tight budget.  For $60.00 you can get 1000 copies made.  This translates to 14,000 of these little (smaller than a business card) flyers.

Obviously, the email address above is mine.  We teach how to set up a gmail account with the vacation responder permanently set to "on".  This is the only thing this email address does.  We provide the template you can play with, or simply just change the email address...

This is marketing at its most basic.  And here's the good part:  it works.  You have to understand and be realistic about the numbers, but it works.  At a 1% return, you get 140 people.  If you understand the compensation model of our business, please plug in and play with the numbers.

All it takes is a $60 investment (plus shipping) and the energy to get your message in front of people. You can retire and experience a 99% failure rate with this one method.  This is simple, but not easy.  It is work.

Play with the numbers, even at a half percent return and people only participating at the $25 level. Then, look at the next level, then the next.  What can you accomplish?

It all starts and ends with getting information in front of people for them to evaluate.  No matter wht you choose to do little flyer (or one similar to it) should be a part of your mix.

My Why

This is to share a philosophy about life, home business and making money with the internet.  The reason for this is to ensure that “everyone is on the same page” as a starting point in considering joining us in a money-making venture.

But first, let me tell you just a little about me.  I am a sixty year old father of three adult children.  I work for a local college as a mid-level manager.  Through the years, I have worked in a number of jobs that had 401K plans.  To respond to different situations in my life, I have liquidated two 401K’s and used the money to “stay alive” financially.  Bottom line to all this is that I have no retirement and I am 5-10 years (reasonably) to when I would have hoped to retire.  This is my “why”.  I need residual income in the absence a retirement plan.

Everyone you run into will have a different story.  I just thought, as you investigate ways to make money, that you would find it comforting to know I am a real person that wretches at things that don’t make sense. Everyone is our community is genuinely interested in helping ourselves by helping other people.  In short, we are interested in building community of people who share the common goal of greater financial stability, the values of “keeping it real” and marketing things that you don’t need to be embarrassed by.

There are literally thousands of business opportunities that have passed through our inbox(s) through the years.  We have all spent hours watching videos, doing Google research, reading reviews… most of us have joined a few, had little to no success - and then jumped back on to the merry-go-round of sifting through the inbox, doing the research… and more times than not found some reason that whatever it was - “whatever” was not a good fit.

Some of us are on most of the major guru email lists and get inundated by the same “launch” joint venture offers all within a couple of week time frame.  These happen over, and over, and over.  One of the newer ones is selling physical products on Amazon, there have been a million information-based courses to teach you how to do stuff, there are money-making “programs” with digital training as the product.  These programs range anywhere from $5 to $5000, have different compensation models… all have their pros and cons… but the trick is to find ONE to get started with and stick with it as you move toward profitability and developing your skills and knowledge to drive income growth.

That's all I will say on this post. There are plenty of other posts on this blog that elaborate on this central theme. I encourage you to read as much as you can to simply assess if any of this makes sense to you.

The Cathedral

In cathedrals, people preach doctrine to the masses and expect these teachings will inspire conformity. Any  level of "buy-in" is pre-supposed due to the values people bring when they voluntarily walk through the door.  Those preaching then set out to teach and imbue the followers with the creed of the institution.

How does this translate to us as marketers?  We have a temple of our own.  We preach hope through practicality.  On the far end is a goal.  This is where most marketing (today) starts.  Most marketing talks about the "result", not the process it takes to get there.  This is tantamount to assuming you will go to Heaven while not having a firm handle on your belief in God.

On this end (the here and now reality - and how we approach things) is a conscious decision to believe or reject the information presented.  In our "church" we want you to actively explore the tenets and come to your own conclusions about "truth".  By doing so, we understand the risk of not hyping, of not over-promising and to simply convey information in clear, candid, objective terms.

On this level, we need to apologize.  If you need to be moved by exhilaration to take action, we are probably not the best fit for you.  Do we want you to be excited?  To us, excited may be a bit of overstatement.  We would settle for confident and absolute resolve about the choices you are making - with your eyes wide open.

Here's why:  the last thing we want you to feel is being "sold".  Our goal, in our cathedral, is that we want you to feel educated and inspired by our refreshingly honest approach to making money.  We want to earn credibility and respect.  In this metaphor, we are independent of the "institutions" and reject most of "how" the gurus advocate marketing and growing a home business.

And to invoke Robert Frost, when coming to these two roads that diverge in a yellow wood, the one you choose will make all the difference.

People as Annuities

Our business model enables us to tap other peoples' funds on a recurring, subscription basis.  This subscription is no different than a magazine and we are the publisher, no different than a health club membership and we are the owner, or if your cable bill is automatically drafted from you bank account on a monthly basis.

The specific business we are involved with - is the vehicle (the structure) that makes this possible.

We build communities of people who (collectively) are an annuity.  We receive money on a monthly basis from them, who in turn, have the opportunity to build communities of their own. This perpetuates itself.  People buy into the shared values of financial independence through financial inter-dependence.

With incremental, small, low risk successes, we teach people to build this annuity.  It is a methodical, common sense approach to increasing levels of financial stability and with time - prosperity.

We provide the boat.  You have to get in and row.

The $60K Proposition

Many people understand that a million dollars invested at 6% will yield $60,000 a year in income. This is what any number of investment vehicles are designed to do... accrue a million dollars over a lifetime of savings and investing and then in retirement, live off of the interest.  Yes, this works for some, but not for a lot of people... for a lot of different reasons.

There is an alternative: monthly residual income that yields $60K a year.  I want to explain the numbers behind how this is possible with the income with one of the vehicles we use.

First, let me say we advocate building progressively by reinvesting profits to build to a $175 a month investment level.  Without getting too deep into the mechanics of this compensation plan, let me break it down as follows:  $60,000 a year divided by 12 months = $5,000 a month.  This compensation plan has three investment levels of $25, $50, and $100 for a total monthly of $175. Five thousand dollars divided by $175 equals 29 people participating at this level.

Twenty-nine people is a group (organization) number, not a personally recruited number.  Typically, with proper training and organizational growth, a group of 25 is possible through personally recruiting 8-12 people.

This is very simple in concept - and in math.  It is a straightforward way to change your finances.  All it takes to get there is skills, some discipline and the belief that it is possible.  Belief is backed by the reality of something credible, viable and real.

All you have to do is make a decision and apply some effort.

The Truth

How many times have you heard… the key is NOT to sell?. People do business with people? People don’t care how much you know until you know how much you care? There are a whole host of these phrases that have curb appeal but you never seem to get invited inside of the house to get a sense of what it really feels, smells and looks like.

Without taking this analogy to the front door and into the foyer, I want to respect your time and intelligence and talk in very plain terms about some very practical “stuff” you need to get your head around. I respect the fact that you are seeking to change your financial situation, this inherently involves risks; and your experience (in all probability) is littered with false starts, disappointments and skepticism. I’ve been there.

So , if the premise (the goal) here is to create and maintain a predictable source of income, what are the real world factors that enable it? There are a lot of people “out there” saying that your head-has-to-be-in-the-right-place (in so many words…) but still, this has the same curb appeal that I already have mentioned without feeling your toes in the carpet.

If we head down this path of right-headedness, then it should follow that there should be factors that are well marked, identifiable and able to be put into a formula or “system” that enable you and me to simply “plug into” and have some degree of certainty of success. Most people would have you believe it is just that easy, but our experience tells us that this just isn’t so.

The real question is what pre-supposes all of this? First, let me say that the financial “vehicle” that actually makes you or me any money is secondary. You have probably heard the expression, “there are a million ways to make a buck”. Sure, we all have dignity and reputations we seek to maintain, and the business or enterprise that we choose to affiliate with has to have merit and credibility. But, if the vehicle is secondary, then what is at the core of what makes all of this tick?
It gets back to your head being in the right place and understanding (and accepting) what this means in very real terms. The umbrella / dome / roof under which everything falls is culture. First, understand that you cannot and will not make money in a bubble. You will be part of an organization, group, entity… that has values that you can integrate into your life. This is where it starts at a foundational level. The first question is whether something “feels right” and fits with who you are morally and spiritually on one level, and as a practical matter, you would be willing to be “the face” of whatever it is you are representing.

Marketing: Easy Lifting

One of the bad raps throughout the history of Affiliate Marketing is that it is a family and friends business... make a list of your warm market (your dentist, landscaper and dry cleaner, etc) and then once that warm market "dries up" - then what?

We do not recommend going anywhere near your warm market until you have built a successful business and you have results to share and a story that demonstrates how you got there.

So, if we are advocating cold markets... and not wanting to sift through thousands of people to attract a very low percentage of them, then where do we find an easy, natural market?

The bottom line here is this:  choose something and get going.  Getting into profit as quickly as possible is essential to your business, both as personal motivation, as an example to those you are wanting to attract to your business.  "What you did" becomes a part of your story.  It gives you credibility and moral authority.  A reasonable "first goal" for this business is $500 a month.  If you are applying effort, this should be achievable within your first month.  If you are not there, ask for help.

Here's my list:

1. Business owners.  If you have a well crafted, highly reasoned letter (marketing piece) to share with any main street business owner, telling how they can leverage their existing customer base into another stream of income.  We have one to use as a template.
2. Big Box Retail.  Little business card sized flyers can produce huge results, see HERE
3. Fundraising Organizations.  If we combine social impact and elevating people's lives with the mission of a charitable or worthy cause, people who need to raise money for any number of reasons are a great source of people (organizations) to market to.  You can see a position paper on this topic HERE,
4. Teachers - Many teachers do well, many are maxed out and are looking for a Plan B.  We can help them.
5. Flea Markets.  You can purchase a 10x10 cabana tent for about $100.  With a table and a chair and some home-made marketing materials, you can get belly-to belly with a lot of people and explain what you do.  To set up at a flea market is as low as $10 and as much as $40, but it is always well worth the leads and interest you can generate and have great conversations with people.  As an example of costs (as of 2015), living in RI the biggest flea market in our area is in Raynham, MA.  An outside spot is $10 per day.  An inside spot is $40.
6. Flea Market Vendors - If you go to a flea market, pretty much everyone there is someone using a non-traditional way to make additional income.
7. Craft and Art Shows.  Obviously, these people are in business for themselves.  They are all entrepreneurs.  Having a business card and a high quality "elevator speech" can return great results.  Many of these folks are "artistic" (meaning eccentric and arrogant), but some are down to earth and willing to listen.
8. Neighborhood Marketing.  With a mini flyer, you can walk door-to-door and (masking / painters) tape a 1/4 page (or smaller) flyer to peoples' mail boxes or storm doors,  It is always best to tape to glass to avoid getting called to task for destroying paint.  Been there.  Done that.  No fun.
9. Bulletin Boards and Card Racks - Every grocery store has a bulletin board.  Many businesses have business card posted with a small stack available for people to "take one".
10. Social Media Marketing - Although this get into the "intermediate" skill level, setting up a Facebook business page, understanding Pinterest and Instagram, having a Twitter account... all have a place in your marketing mix.

If none of these "fit", we would need to talk about an alternative.  My experience with getting ghosted on CraigsList, Facebook sharing and posting to groups, and all of the digital / internet marketing methods require the development of additional skills sets, and in my experience are not highly duplicate-able.

Closing  thoughts.  If you were to enroll a Little League - League that ordinarily raises funds through raffles, bake sales and car washes, etc., their natural market is every other Little League - League in the world.  

If you find a business owner, or a flea market vendor, they immediately can create an additional stream of income.

All of this is presupposed by the notion that what we offer is viable and credible -which given the way we market - it is.  The only obstacle is the negative historical inertia of the pyramid and ponzi scheme notions, but can be dealt with constructively.  Dealing constructively with this topic is something that is dealt with in other places in this blog, as well as HERE.

Idiots, Tire Kickers and People Who Waste Your TIme

Provocative title?  If I were to paint the world with a very wide brush and allow my jaded skeptical side to be the paint, I could characterize every person who does not "see it" and join our business this way.

However, for better or for worse, I have come to learn and accept that people not "seeing it" boils down to one of three things;

1. The first is timing.  When your "thing" comes across the awareness of someone who may be potentially interested in your business, it may simply not be the right time in their life.  They may have all the skills and motivation, but due to other things going on in their life, it would simply serve as too much of a distraction to make everything make sense.
2. The second is lack of commitment and discipline.  To make a business work requires time and effort.  Many (most?) people simply do not have what it takes and can not change their lifestyles to the extent that it takes to focus on business building activities.
3. The third is skepticism and having been "burnt" in the past, and an overall notion that referral marketing "doesn't work".  I get it.  But the real question in the overwhelming majority of cases it whether the business didn't work, or the person did not work.  If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.

Therefore, I no longer judge people as idiots, tire kickers or people who waste my time.  I take the responsibility of being an educator who needs to explain "why".  If I do not do a compelling job of explaining - and attracting people who understand "why" what I am offering is a great thing to be involved with... I have to look myself in the mirror and ask why that is?

A Summary in Poem

If you have ever been swirling in debt; and-

If you currently have bills not met.

If retirement planning seems like a cruel joke

And in your golden years it appears you’ll still be broke.

If your fate looks cloudy and most unclear,

Then heed these words and face these fears.

With values and purpose people come together,

Interdependently, with great care and measure.

Supporting the idea of economic gain

And in the process shed financial strain.

Some call it community, some form a tribe,

Mastermind groups, there’s good reason why –

Common purpose, support and “group” thinking

Can buoy lives and keep them from sinking.

What we offer, or what we sell,

Matters much less than our ability to tell

A straightforward story that is clear and true

Develop trust and friendships for all they’re due.

Ambiguity, risk and lack of skills

Make those who stay poor head for the hills.

But those who give patience and knowledge a chance.

Can learn and grow and live a life enhanced.

The Problem Most of Us Share

There is a problem most of us share.  We struggle to get by, financially.  I am not certain you would want to wear the label, but I am certain I among the working poor.

In my view, this is a relative term based upon how your income stacks up against your bills.  I define the working poor more in terms of the amount of stress that is induced by not having enough money to do the things you want.

For most of us, there are reasons we have continued to live hand-to-mouth, have little to no investment income or simply have no money in savings.   We each have our cross to bear...  my wife characterizes our lifestyle as, "the very low end of comfortable".

What this means as a practical matter is that we can meet all of our bills, go out to dinner once in a while... but we do not hold season tickets to the theater, we drive a 3 year old sub-compact car and we have not gone on a real vacation in a few years.  When we did, we decided to splurge and blow our tax refund.  If any of this is beginning to sound familiar, you will understand that I "get" the first three sentences of this post.

The question is, "does this have to be our destiny", fraught with struggle, lack and stress?  Or might there be some common-sense, practical notions that can combine with education, tools and strategies that can lift you and me out of the class of "the working poor" to a position of greater financial prosperity?

This is what this blog is about.  It is about running counter to the current economy and the status quo of our being swept down the river.  It is about creating our own economy and providing the reasons and rationale for an alternative.  This blog is about education and modification of your mindset - ultimately leading to a change in your lifestyle, which can only be accomplished by having more money in your bank account.

To some, it will all make sense and you will want to join us.  To others, it simply may not be the right time, or strike the right chords.  However, to both, you will not be able to argue the authenticity or sincerity of our community's ethos to provide a viable and realistic path to greater financial security.

Opportunity Marketing

Of all the ways to make money, from the conventional to the less conventional, there has to be value in what is offered - significant enough to compel a purchase.  From a 6 year old selling lemonade in front of their house on a hot day, to a mansion on a bluff overlooking the ocean - both have to have perceived value.  A neighbor wants to quench their thirst and help a child, or a family with the means to afford it, wanting a stunning view of the harbor.  In either case, there is something driving the decision.

Opportunity Marketing is a bit different, in the fact that the "value" is in the "opportunity" to make money.  Although with all companies that promote money-making-opportunities, there has to be a product for sale, the real ethos that drives participation is not the products, but the money that can be earned.  The question is, is this inherently a good or bad thing?

So, let me ask a question:  Is earning money an end in itself?  Or, why do you go to work?  Or, if you don't really like your job, why do you go there every day?  Then, let me ask this question:  if there was a way to make money, where making money was the main aim of the endeavor, would this make sense to you?  This defines opportunity marketing.

Opportunity Marketing is about building a community of people who share your understanding and values regarding the notions of support, interdependence, education, continual improvement, growth, success... it is about understanding culture and "buying in" both financially and conceptually, to a set of norms that people share.

It is about honesty, transparency and helping to improve peoples' lives, one individual and one family at a time... and you are providing them the opportunity to take this step forward in their life.

So the term, Opportunity Marketing really has two connotations.  The first is the money being an "end" in itself, and the second is the impact this money can have on peoples' lives through providing an unconventional opportunity to elevate their current financial circumstances and build resources that will grow in residual fashion well into the future.

Our goal, as a marketing organization is to explain, in very simple terms, that we recognize that "unconventional" inherently means that it is not the same as selling hand-made picnic tables at a local craft fair.  In many ways, it is much more sophisticated than this.  It is a long-term proposition, that if entered into correctly - and understanding "what it takes" to be successful, that it is absolutely reasonable to expect that significant financial gain is possible, if not probable.

My job (our community's job) is to prepare you for the reality of what-it-takes; and support you in making the choices necessary to "change" how you invest very specific segments of your time in doing very specific things to build a business.  After all, opportunity is not the same as fantasy.  You create opportunity through focused effort.  We provide the structure to make it happen.