Geocaching - Can an Obscure Hobby Mean a Steady Trickle of Buying Customers?
Posted 12-05-2008 at 11:29 AM by Robert Plank
Tags dallas, geocaching, lead generation, seminar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IF8y-xN5j0
One of my hobbies is geocaching which is basically a GPS plus a treasure hunt. Recently I was on a business trip to Dallas, Texas, and when I had some time to kill, this hobby led to a visit to a local business establishment and a sale. If you're a small business owner, or an internet marketer trying to use the Internet to funnel offline leads into a retail establishment, keep reading to find out how this obscure pasttime can boost your sales.
Geocaching is a hobby that uses the GPS, or global positioning system. As of August 2008 over 640,000 caches have been hidden in every continent including Antarctica. The way geocaching works is, you go online or use your phone to type in an address or set of GPS coordinates and this service provides you with a list of hidden treasures located nearby. These caches have been hidden by other geocachers and contain a log book where you can sign your name. Caches might also contain small toys or even trackables. When you pick up a trackable, you submit the trackable's serial number to the geocaching web site and you can measure its progress as it travels throughout the world.
During my trip to Dallas, I visited the John F. Kennedy museum and wanted a place to drop off my trackable, also known as a travel bug. I picked it up in California and wanted to drop it off in Texas, so it could travel further. The nearest geocache appeared to be outside a local bar. It was a two part cache. They said you could sign your name at the log book outside, but there was a second larger cache inside where you can drop off and pick up trackable items.
I went inside and after a little bit of looking, decided I would order some food. I ate a beer and chicken salad sandwich for 11 dollars, then finally found the second stage of the geocache in the back of the bar, it was a cigar box with a combination lock. As I left my travel bug, a family from New Jersey who was also geocaching, happened to arrive and signed their name on the log book. They each ordered beers, which meant an additional 15 dollars profit for them.
Because of geocaching, that bar took in four extra patrons within 20 minutes and made an extra 26 dollars, all because some silly hobby led tourists to their location. One thing to watch out for is that official geocaching rules prohibit placing caches inside retail establishments, hence the need for the first cache outside and the unofficial cache inside.
If you are looking for a creative way to get just a few more visitors to your local business, consider geocaching.
Robert Plank, internet marketer, PHP programmer, and 23 year old homeowner, made an average of $10,000 per month every month in 2008. Check out his marketing ideas worth STEALING at: http://www.robertplank.com
One of my hobbies is geocaching which is basically a GPS plus a treasure hunt. Recently I was on a business trip to Dallas, Texas, and when I had some time to kill, this hobby led to a visit to a local business establishment and a sale. If you're a small business owner, or an internet marketer trying to use the Internet to funnel offline leads into a retail establishment, keep reading to find out how this obscure pasttime can boost your sales.
Geocaching is a hobby that uses the GPS, or global positioning system. As of August 2008 over 640,000 caches have been hidden in every continent including Antarctica. The way geocaching works is, you go online or use your phone to type in an address or set of GPS coordinates and this service provides you with a list of hidden treasures located nearby. These caches have been hidden by other geocachers and contain a log book where you can sign your name. Caches might also contain small toys or even trackables. When you pick up a trackable, you submit the trackable's serial number to the geocaching web site and you can measure its progress as it travels throughout the world.
During my trip to Dallas, I visited the John F. Kennedy museum and wanted a place to drop off my trackable, also known as a travel bug. I picked it up in California and wanted to drop it off in Texas, so it could travel further. The nearest geocache appeared to be outside a local bar. It was a two part cache. They said you could sign your name at the log book outside, but there was a second larger cache inside where you can drop off and pick up trackable items.
I went inside and after a little bit of looking, decided I would order some food. I ate a beer and chicken salad sandwich for 11 dollars, then finally found the second stage of the geocache in the back of the bar, it was a cigar box with a combination lock. As I left my travel bug, a family from New Jersey who was also geocaching, happened to arrive and signed their name on the log book. They each ordered beers, which meant an additional 15 dollars profit for them.
Because of geocaching, that bar took in four extra patrons within 20 minutes and made an extra 26 dollars, all because some silly hobby led tourists to their location. One thing to watch out for is that official geocaching rules prohibit placing caches inside retail establishments, hence the need for the first cache outside and the unofficial cache inside.
If you are looking for a creative way to get just a few more visitors to your local business, consider geocaching.
Robert Plank, internet marketer, PHP programmer, and 23 year old homeowner, made an average of $10,000 per month every month in 2008. Check out his marketing ideas worth STEALING at: http://www.robertplank.com
Total Comments 0
