How To Make $584 A Week Selling LED Signs

177 replies
A few month ago I got a wholesale novelty catalog in the mail from a company called Rhode Island Novelty. You can order their catalog by calling them at: 1-800-528-5599 or you can request one online at: www.rinovelty.com. In their catalog they sell 10" x 19" LED open signs for $10.80 each or you can order a case of 20 for $216.

I did a search online for the exact same 10" x 19" LED open sign selling at the retail price of between $49 to $99 per sign.

So, I ordered a case of 20 and figured I would sell the LED open signs to local businesses, such as corner stores door to door for $40 each.

All I did to sell my LED open signs was I walked into a store I noticed didn't have an LED open sign or I thought could use another one and ask if the owner or manager wasm in and then I simply showed them the LED open sign and asked if they would like to buy one for just $40.

I did this for 5 days, Monday - Friday working only 2 hours a day and I made 1-3 sales each day and ended up selling all 20 of my LED open signs at $40 each, for a profit of $584 for just 10 hours of work.

Now, that is great, but what I figured out while I was selling the LED open signs was that almost every corner store I went into had an ATM machine, but they didn't have a lighted ATM sign, only a sticker or paper sign on thier door or in their window, but that doesn't catch a customers attention as much a lighted ATM sign, so I did some searching online for a wholesale supplier of LED lighted ATM signs and I found a company called Alibaba, their website address is at alibabe.com and they sell LED lighted ATM signs for $10 each when you buy them in cases of 10 or 20.

So, I ordered a case of 20 for $200 and I did the same thing I did with the LED open signs and sold them door to door to corner stores for $40 each. Now, unlike to LED open signs that took me 5 days to sell working only 2 hours a day, the LED lighted ATM signs sold like hot cakes in 2 days, so I worked just 4 hours and sold all 20 lighted ATM signs at $40 each for a profit of $600.

Now, sense the first 20 lighted ATM signs sold so fast and easy, I decided to order another 40 and I sold all 40 of them in 7 days for a profit of $1,600.

This is a very simple money making idea that anyone can do to make some great extra money, so give it a try and let me know how things turn out?

UPDATE:

I now buy my open and atm signs from:

www.alibaba.com

you will also have to call or email each supplier to get the lowest price per sign if you order a case of 10 or 20 open or atm signs. I pay between $10 and $12 per sign.

I hope this helps and if anyone actually tries this idea, please post here your success story or email me, as i like to read them.

To your success,

Martin
#$584 #led #make #selling #signs #week
  • Profile picture of the author J Bold
    Wow, so simple, and yet it works.

    Takes a bit to get out there and overcome your fear of selling, but great job, man.

    And thanks for the detailed, in-depth report. Love it!
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      redicelander,

      Thanks and your welcome!

      Martin
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    • Profile picture of the author want2knowhow
      Originally Posted by redicelander View Post

      Wow, so simple, and yet it works.

      Takes a bit to get out there and overcome your fear of selling, but great job, man.

      And thanks for the detailed, in-depth report. Love it!

      You know what? No it don't. You know why? Because if you're hungry enough, tired (of being broke) (have no real workable ideas) enough and want it bad enough...? Nothing will stop you from going out there and kicking butt and taking NO prisoner's!

      When you KNOW you've got something they want (signs) and they've got something you NEED (money)...at a price they LOVE? You WILL get out there and make the sale--over & over, again & again! Trust me! :p
      Hell, I'll even ask for referrals! LOL!

      Thanks, Martin! YOU are truly a life...and a future saver!
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  • Profile picture of the author hisham88
    You have giving me an intereting idea to implement. Thanks!
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  • Profile picture of the author AppsFromHome
    Simple and effective idea! I am right down the 90 from you in Buffalo...I wonder if it would work in this market. Seems like a fast easy seller, but if you go on eBay the same signs sell for $10 but if you're in the business selling I could see where it is more of an impulse buy for the business owner.
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      SDotSpells,

      Yes, selling signs is a impulse buy for the business owners and most buy due to the fact that they get the sign now and don't have to wait, like they would if they bought it on ebay or online somewhere.

      Martin
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      • Profile picture of the author Alex Makarski
        That's a cool idea. I wonder is this could be used as a relatively simple "foot in the door" method to sell online / mobile services.
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        • Profile picture of the author tuscan
          Originally Posted by Alex Makarski View Post

          That's a cool idea. I wonder is this could be used as a relatively simple "foot in the door" method to sell online / mobile services.
          I'm thinking the same thing, Alex. Since you're already talking to the business owner, why not, after wrapping up the sign sale, give him/her a free report on the benefits of mobile marketing/SEO/etc., along with your business card. Low key but perfect timing since you've already earned his trust.
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  • Profile picture of the author seabro
    Another great idea! Thanks.
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  • Profile picture of the author Zesh
    This is why I love reading Offline stuff. Whilst being a lurker on this forum I think this is a smart idea and one that can work in the long-term.
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  • Profile picture of the author ikme
    Hi Martin,

    The cost you got the LED sign - are shipping included? Because I know Alibaba is actually a B2B platform that allows Manufacture to sell to wholesalers and usually are from China, which shipping can be more expensive than the product itself.
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    • Profile picture of the author escribe
      Congrats Martin! You are a true entrepreneur. May I ask how long it took to get your shipment from the time you placed your order?

      Was there no problem with them shipping to an individual rather than a company or did you order as a company?
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      • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
        escribe,

        It takes about 10-14 days to get the signs shipped to you regular rate once your order is placed.

        I have gotten my signs shipped to me both under my personal name and my business name, so anyone can order signs from the suppliers i mentioned above.

        I hope this helps,

        Martin
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        • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
          I just wanted to add that those of you who are thinking of using signs to get your foot in the door to offer services to offline businesses, is a great a idea and that there are signs that can be bought online cheap that will target certain businesses, such as bar signs, nail salon signs, pizza shop signs, auto repair shop signs, dinners, etc.

          I just thought i would make this point, so that it's understood my idea works with other signs other than just open and atm signs.

          To your success,

          Martin
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      ikme,

      What i did is call the supplier in china that i'm getting my signs from and made a deal with them for a set price for shipping if i buy 2 or more cases of 20 signs and so i pay around $2 per sign for shipping.

      If you order your signs from rhode island novelty and order a case or 2 of 20 signs from them you can usally get them to offer free shipping.

      I hope this helps,

      Martin
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  • Profile picture of the author bradstern
    I am just new in this forum and after reading this thread, I am greatly amazed at the wide array of knowledge I could acquire from here.

    This is a wonderful idea! Really great job.
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    • Profile picture of the author rugman
      I love this post!
      How about this - lets say you have a biz you are trying to get in with to do a website - mobile site - whatever. Box up a sign and send it to them for free with some sort of letter saying "now all the passerbye's will know you are open - how about all the web (or mobile) surfer/searchers?"
      Follow up with a visit and say "I see you got our sign - anything else we can help you with?"
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      • Originally Posted by rugman View Post

        I love this post!
        How about this - lets say you have a biz you are trying to get in with to do a website - mobile site - whatever. Box up a sign and send it to them for free with some sort of letter saying "now all the passerbye's will know you are open - how about all the web (or mobile) surfer/searchers?"
        Follow up with a visit and say "I see you got our sign - anything else we can help you with?"

        Now, that's a great idea!
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      • Profile picture of the author jameswatson2002
        Originally Posted by rugman View Post

        I love this post!
        How about this - lets say you have a biz you are trying to get in with to do a website - mobile site - whatever. Box up a sign and send it to them for free with some sort of letter saying "now all the passerbye's will know you are open - how about all the web (or mobile) surfer/searchers?"
        Follow up with a visit and say "I see you got our sign - anything else we can help you with?"
        Great idea!
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  • Profile picture of the author frachar48
    hi Martin,
    such a genius idea. thanks for sharing this
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  • Profile picture of the author NoGddy14
    Love this deal.
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  • Profile picture of the author gstalin
    excellent idea and easy to implement I guess..
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  • Profile picture of the author robitn4
    [DELETED]
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  • Profile picture of the author pcloadletter
    That's great. At that price, you could also toss one is as a freebie to get a hesitant prospect to sign (no pun intended) up.
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      I have been getting a few emails from people asking for me to supply them with the suppliers i buy my open and atm signs from, so i figured i better share that with everyone and not just a few, so here you go.

      I buy my open signs from: rinovelty.com

      if you call rhode island novelty and tell them you would like to order a case of 20 open signs, they will give you a discount price of just $10.80 per sign.

      and i buy my atm signs from:

      alibaba.com/product-gs/387058759/LED_Sign_ATM.html

      alibaba.com/product-gs/295079977/LED_Signs.html

      you will also have to call or email the 2 companies above to get the lowest price per sign if you order a case of 10 or 20 atm sign. I pay between $10 and $12 per sign.

      I hope this helps and if anyone actually tries this idea, please post here your success story or email me, as i like to read them.

      Thanks and I wish you much success,

      Martin
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  • Profile picture of the author mtnbiker50
    Nice and simple, Too often we want to make it much more complicated then what it has to be. Thanks for sharing Martin

    @rugman nice twist again simple
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  • Profile picture of the author ADukes81
    Either I am having Deja Vu or I read this story somewhere before.

    Am I crazy Martin or have you posted this before?

    Great way to make some cash!
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      ADukes81,

      You might have read the idea on a few of the other forums i post to or you might have read it on my website where i share my money making ideas for free.

      Thanks,

      Martin
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    • Profile picture of the author SCC
      Originally Posted by ADukes81 View Post

      Either I am having Deja Vu or I read this story somewhere before.

      Am I crazy Martin or have you posted this before?

      Great way to make some cash!
      Yep you've read this and the other items before... from Don Alm.
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      • Profile picture of the author want2knowhow
        Originally Posted by SCC View Post

        Yep you've read this and the other items before... from Don Alm.
        You mean, Zorro? :p He swoops in, builds the excitement, feeds off the lustful disires of the Who, What, When & How questions, then tells you he ain't helpin' ya, walks out the thread and slams the door in your face! :rolleyes:

        Yep, I've seen a couple of threads, so far, like that...

        Guess he does that (dangle a juicy carrot) to get on track to sell and ebook or something, (sigh)
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        • Profile picture of the author Vikuna2009+
          Originally Posted by want2knowhow View Post

          You mean, Zorro? :p He swoops in, builds the excitement, feeds off the lustful disires of the Who, What, When & How questions, then tells you he ain't helpin' ya, walks out the thread and slams the door in your face! :rolleyes:

          Yep, I've seen a couple of threads, so far, like that...

          Guess he does that (dangle a juicy carrot) to get on track to sell and ebook or something, (sigh)

          Originally Posted by SCC View Post

          Yep you've read this and the other items before... from Don Alm.
          There's NO BASHING allowed here guys! I bet you a dollar a dime that there are plenty of people with the same idea or similar. If this thread is going to prosper, refrain yourself please. Thank you, Eva
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      • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
        Don't assume that just because Don Alm posts an idea, that the idea was his as Don has read a few idea from my website Niche Biz Ideas and twisted it some and made the claim the idea was his when in fact it was mine.

        Martin

        Originally Posted by SCC View Post

        Yep you've read this and the other items before... from Don Alm.
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        • Profile picture of the author superpayouts
          Wow, that was a great post. I actually enjoyed it a whole lot and while I was reading I could actually picture the whole process happening. Really motivating to be honest and it just makes total sense. The fact that LED signs are so cheap to run, you could let those suckers run 24/7 and it wouldn't make a dent on your electric bill so it only makes sense for businesses to buy them. You just added another way to allow me to survive if ever I'm in a bad situation. Nice post way cool my friend!
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          • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
            superpayouts,

            I'm happy to hear you liked my idea and were motivated by it.

            I enjoy helping others and sharing my ideas for free here and at:

            http://www.NicheBizIdeas.com

            If you ever do impliment any of my ideas, please post back here
            and let us know your results.

            All the best,

            Martin

            Originally Posted by superpayouts View Post

            Wow, that was a great post. I actually enjoyed it a whole lot and while I was reading I could actually picture the whole process happening. Really motivating to be honest and it just makes total sense. The fact that LED signs are so cheap to run, you could let those suckers run 24/7 and it wouldn't make a dent on your electric bill so it only makes sense for businesses to buy them. You just added another way to allow me to survive if ever I'm in a bad situation. Nice post way cool my friend!
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  • Profile picture of the author Wilding
    I wanted to do this years ago. Nice job!
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    • Profile picture of the author macalixter
      Thats nice, man...

      I´m happy for you, the only reason I can´t do the same is that here in Spain the mindstate / culture are sooooo different.

      Almost imposible to do the same.

      but anyway.. kudos to you!
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  • Profile picture of the author rsteadm2
    Lots of great ideas bounced around here.

    Thank you for sharing this info.

    Great entrepreneurial spirit in this thread.

    Ray
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      Thanks everyone for all your input and positve feedback.

      I hope at least one person who read this post will take action on this idea and make money with it.

      Also, if anyone does try out this idea will you please post back here and share your results with all of us.

      To your success,

      Martin
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  • Profile picture of the author CrosbyChristian
    Banned
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author rsteadm2
      Originally Posted by CrosbyChristian View Post

      I paid $32.67 for a XBOX 360 and my mom got a 17 inch Sony laptop for $94.83 being delivered to our house tomorrow by FedEX. I will never again pay expensive retail prices at stores. I even sold a 46 inch HDTV to my boss for $650 and it only cost me $51.81 to get. Here is the website we using to get all this stuff, PennyJump.com
      I'm just curious, What does this have to do with the thread?
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  • Profile picture of the author Quentin
    Now just add a QR code on the back of each sign sending them to your website and boom more sales.

    Quentin
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      Quentin,

      Thanks for the QR code idea.

      I'm working on tieing in QR codes with some of my other biz ideas as they are becoming more and more popular as most people are only buying smart phones now.

      Thanks again,

      Martin
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      • Profile picture of the author todawg_not
        Hey Martin,

        Great Post. As I was reading it and keep scrolling down I see you could make more money by getting it from the supplier. hehe

        I've been importing for over 8yrs and sold millions of dollars of product.

        It's not really that hard, you just have to find that gem and then pour all your resources into it to dominate the market in the beginning.

        PM me and I'll send you a free copy of my Importing riches e-course I released last week for $17.

        Cheers

        Nigel
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  • Profile picture of the author RatRaceWatch
    This is a very interesting idea, but I'm curious how you pull this off, most buisnesses I know have a no soliciting policy and you can supposely get into trouble. How do you work around this, and when you go in, do you bring the sign in? Do you dress a certain way to? Formal? Informal? Thanks
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      RatRaceWatch,

      I don't worry about no soliciting policy, i just walk in wearing casual dress cloths with a sign in hand and ask for the owner or manager and i make my pitch. In 8 years of sales i have only had, that i can remember 2 businesses ask me to leave and don't come back. A tip i learned a while back from a top sales man was, if you see a No Soliciting sign on the door, that mean the owner can't say no, so come in and sell me something...lol

      I hope this answers you question's and helps,

      Martin
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  • Profile picture of the author dapirus
    What a great Idea. So many ways to make money in this economy. You just have to be williing to take action.
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  • Profile picture of the author markwarrior7
    Glad you had much success
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  • Profile picture of the author RatRaceWatch
    When you look for buisnesses do you target only mom and pop places. Or do you actually go in more corporate stores? I would love to try this, but knowing my luck most of the people wouldn't have the authority to buy anything haha, or they'd call the cops and i'd get a fine for soliciting (dunno if thats a real law in Florida) haha.
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      RatRaceWatch,

      I target mostly corner stores and retail stores. You have to let go of the what if thoughts you have and just do it and see what happens, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

      Good luck!

      Martin
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    • Profile picture of the author rsteadm2
      Originally Posted by RatRaceWatch View Post

      When you look for buisnesses do you target only mom and pop places. Or do you actually go in more corporate stores? I would love to try this, but knowing my luck most of the people wouldn't have the authority to buy anything haha, or they'd call the cops and i'd get a fine for soliciting (dunno if thats a real law in Florida) haha.
      I don't know of any 'no solicitation law' in Florida. This type of sale isn't something where that will even come up most of the time.

      If they have it (the sign), then you aren't even walking in.

      If they don't have it (the sign) then they need it. And most of the time, they have already thought about getting it but, just haven't. That doesn't mean that they will buy from you but it does increase your chances.

      You will literally know inside of 30 seconds of conversation whether or not someone you are talking to is a real prospect or not. Certainly not enough time for someone to call the cops on you.

      I bet if you put in a solid 8 hours of door knocking in a real closely targeted businesses area, especially where there are new businesses, you could go through a case in a day.

      Once you do a few hours of this, the fear is gone and it's all about the cash in your pocket.
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  • Profile picture of the author Christian Amador
    Great Idea and your signature looks very interesting too.
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  • Profile picture of the author sicnarf
    Absolutely brilliant! I've tried door-to-door sales before and I'm terrified of that type of encounter but you've made it work. Congratulations!
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  • Profile picture of the author LongTail Silver
    Excellent idea! Where I live, there are literally thousands of delis, restaurants, bars, pizza shops etc. with ATMs. There are also quite a few people in need of work. My time is limited, but I could see buying these in bulk and reselling for $20-$25 to people who would then turn around and sell them to the stores.
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      LongTail Silver,

      I would say you should place an ad on craigslist to hire sales reps on a commission basis to sell your signs, but your profits will be very low like $10 doing things this way and that's fine, but as easy as it is to make sales selling signs, I would just perfer to do it all myself and make bigger profits, but that's just me.

      I wish you luck and please keep me posted on your results if do end up selling signs.

      Thanks,

      Martin
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      • Profile picture of the author robitn4
        RI Novelty just told me this item has been discontinued. Any insight whether Alibaba connections are still good? Is this product still manufactured?

        Question: Let's expand on this general concept, shall we, because products can be discontinued at any time. What other kinds of gadgets or quick-to-render-services do shops readily buy from door-to-door peddlers?
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        • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
          robitn4,

          That's strange because i just got a catalog from them 3-4 days ago in the mail with a note asking me if i would like to order more sign. I will contact them and find out what the deal here is and i will let you know as soon i i find something out.

          To answer you question as far as what other products can be sold door-to-door or street sales i get alot of good ideas and find alot of quick sale products from the oriental trading catalog. You can view their catalog online at: orientaltrading.com

          I hope the helps,

          Martin
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  • Profile picture of the author big jeffrey
    Hello, quick question

    with alibaba have you run into people not shipping product etc? I know with the escrow this may not happen but i gotta ask
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  • Profile picture of the author TycoonRob
    Great ideas! I think it's a great strategy a) to make some nice extra cash, and b) to get your foot in the door to offer other offline services.
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  • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
    A new idea i just came up with today that i have not tested, but i can't see any reason why it wouldn't work is to go to your local county clerks office and ask for a list of all the new retail businesses that have been registered in the last month. The list may cost you money, but it will provide you with the businesses name and address and then take that list and go to those businesses and see if they need an open sign.

    Good luck,

    Martin
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    • Profile picture of the author want2knowhow
      Originally Posted by MartinBuckley View Post

      A new idea i just came up with today that i have not tested, but i can't see any reason why it wouldn't work is to go to your local county clerks office and ask for a list of all the new retail businesses that have been registered in the last month. The list may cost you money, but it will provide you with the businesses name and address and then take that list and go to those businesses and see if they need an open sign.

      Good luck,

      Martin
      Dammit man! You keep coming in and hitting us over the head with these awesomely brilliant #$!@* ideas! Every time I read this thread, it's like I'm reading something new! What are we going to do with you??
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  • Profile picture of the author ephame
    That's a good idea that would be an excellent way to shorten the time searching for customers.

    Unsure of your specific skill set but by knowing they are new businesses you could leave your card or mention after the initial sale of the sign about other services that you may be able to offer e.g- facebook pages, web-sites or other things that as a new business may not have in place yet.
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  • Profile picture of the author nagendrabandi1980
    This is good idea, thanks.
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  • Profile picture of the author stfuser
    can you recommend a good supplier that ships internationally? i can't find this product on rinovelty.com
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    • Profile picture of the author robitn4
      Originally Posted by stfuser View Post

      can you recommend a good supplier that ships internationally? i can't find this product on rinovelty.com
      Stfuser, please read the entire thread.
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  • Profile picture of the author mr2monster
    Do you charge them tax? I know in a lot of states, you have to charge and report sales tax for hard goods and some states even require a license to do so.
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      mr2monster,

      No, i don't add sales tax to my sign sales, i just clam my earnings at the end of the year and as far as a license goes, it might be better to be legal in your area, but in my area they don''t enforce it, so i'm not worrying about one untill i'm told to get one

      Thanks,

      Martin
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      • Profile picture of the author mr2monster
        Originally Posted by MartinBuckley View Post

        mr2monster,

        No, i don't add sales tax to my sign sales, i just clam my earnings at the end of the year and as far as a license goes, it might be better to be legal in your area, but in my area they don''t enforce it, so i'm not worrying about one untill i'm told to get one

        Thanks,

        Martin

        Understood. That definitely works for a little side business type thing. Good for you!


        You might want to take a look at your states laws on how they figure in sales tax or you may end up taking a decent hit at the end of the year should you ever get audited.


        I don't know about NY, but in AZ there is a difference between Sales tax and Income tax. Sales tax is assessed on a transaction, Income tax is assessed on earnings.

        i.e. in AZ if you sold those signs at $40 each, you're supposed to charge ~8% sales tax. Then, you're supposed to claim on your personal/company income tax that you made $40 in revenue (less $10.XX in expenses).

        If you don't get the person buying the sign to pay the sales tax, you're accountable.

        What that means for the math is that you aren't actually grossing $40 on those signs anymore, you're grossing $37.03 since you're picking up the tab on the sales tax for the buyer. Then you deduct the $10.xx as expense, and your net revenue is $26.XX... which will then be taxed at your normal income tax rate.


        Not trying to throw a big ole monkey wrench in here, I just thought it pertinent to say that when selling new, hard goods (unless you're in Oregon which from my understanding has no sales tax) you're "supposed" to be charging sales tax. And if you don't you could end up audited and accountable.


        That being said, this is an excellent post. Way to get out there and take some action. I'm actually looking into sending out a kid to do this for me here soon.

        Again, not trying to take away from your post, just trying to throw in some extra info for people to at least look into before they go out and make a sign selling business and end up owing cash at the end of the year because they didn't charge sales tax.
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  • Profile picture of the author pbdollars
    very good idea. But I am not good at this kind of sales. Anyways good job and thanks for sharing.
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  • Profile picture of the author big jeffrey
    the one i picked seems to not be offering low prices , i was qouted $30 per sign (at least for the supplier listed here). going to try a few others on alibaba

    i even tried to haggle a bit and up the order to 20 signs but they still wont budge
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      big jeffrey,

      I think what has happend is that the suppliers i listed have been getting a boost in orders or requests for their signs and have decided to raise the price as the demand for them has increased.

      I'm looking for new suppliers that have cheap prices on led open and atm signs and i will post here once i find some good suppliers.

      Thanks,

      Martin
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      • Profile picture of the author PSinPS
        Martin,

        Were you able to find a new supplier? It was a great idea, but need that good volume price.

        Aslo, I know the LED signs are sold at CostCo, too. But I have not been there for a while so I do not know if they still do or what their price is.

        Thanks
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  • Profile picture of the author manny2513
    Actually this is great bro. You can even sell much bigger LED signs and make that amount just from one sale. I know some great providers who give you the 4 color signs dirt cheap. Finest LED Signs- Our Tri Color and Full Color LED signs are electronic message centers for outdoors, indoor and window signs that will increase you business up to 150% will allow you to sell their signs and you don't even have to buy them up front the ship it to your customer once you closed the sale. There is Big $$ to be made from this guys.
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    • Profile picture of the author pplbronx2
      Martin, I just order 5 ATM signs from your new source. Plan to test the market here in NYC $40-50 for each sign . I will keep you posted.
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      • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
        Way to take action!

        Please post back here with your results and success story.

        To your success,

        Martin

        Originally Posted by pplbronx2 View Post

        Martin, I just order 5 ATM signs from your new source. Plan to test the market here in NYC $40-50 for each sign . I will keep you posted.
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  • Profile picture of the author Chicago87
    Interesting, has anyone tried doing this in the Chicago area?
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      There is plenty of room for you to make money with LED signs even if there was a few other people using this idea in Chicago I would say the chances of you guys bumping heads would be slim, so just run with it and see what happens, as you won't know until you try and take action.

      All the best,

      Martin

      Originally Posted by Chicago87 View Post

      Interesting, has anyone tried doing this in the Chicago area?
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  • Profile picture of the author agonce
    Just copying my post from the other thread that Martin has posted.

    "Okay I found another wholesaler here in the US who sells them for 17$ each when you order 20 or more. Shipping is included too. Pm me with your email if you want her contact details.

    Regards,
    Agon

    p.s. I have also started selling them personally using the method explained here and I sold 3 of them two days ago. I had to visit 8 stores. 3 not interested, two of them thought they were over priced
    I wish I had more time to do this for a longer time ... Some easy $$$ tho "
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      agonce,

      Way to take action!

      You are proof that my ideas are legit and profits can be made if you just take action.

      All the best,

      Martin

      Originally Posted by agonce View Post

      p.s. I have also started selling them personally using the method explained here and I sold 3 of them two days ago. I had to visit 8 stores. 3 not interested, two of them thought they were over priced
      I wish I had more time to do this for a longer time ... Some easy $$$ tho "
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  • Profile picture of the author Matt Lee
    That's a REALLY good idea. Goes to show "old school" techniques still work in today's business world. There's actually a great opportunity to upsell here too: Merchant terminals, Marketing Services, Coupon/Flyer design service etc.

    For offline marketers - weather they opt for the LED sign or not, leave them with your card & let them know you can help their small business on many levels.
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  • Profile picture of the author Moogie
    great idea and thanks for sharing it here
    Signature

    SG's is coming!!!

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  • Profile picture of the author Moogie
    Might be an idea to sell them online as well?
    Signature

    SG's is coming!!!

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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      There is to much competition online that is why this idea work much better offline selling the sign business to business as you know they need the sign and the business owner knows they need the sign, so as long as your price is good and your signs look good making sales is easy.

      Originally Posted by Moogie View Post

      Might be an idea to sell them online as well?
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      • Profile picture of the author agonce
        Just for your information, I checked locally, and honestly, the cheapest you can find the OPEN led signs is more than 40$ each, so I dont see a reason why a business owner shouldnt buy from you. They dont have to drive to a local store to buy it ,or order online , pay shipping and all.

        It is also a good idea to make some 'business cards' with your contact info there, for those who dont buy from you because i am pretty sure they will be checking prices online and offline and if they cant find any better deal they may call
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  • Profile picture of the author Melvin San Miguel
    Hi Martin,

    What a great idea! When I go shopping, I'm gonna carry with me a pen n notepad and look for signs!
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    • Profile picture of the author want2knowhow
      Originally Posted by Melvin San Miguel View Post

      Hi Martin,

      What a great idea! When I go shopping, I'm gonna carry with me a pen n notepad and look for signs!
      I'm going shopping tomorrow alright; shopping for stores needing signs!
      Signature

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  • Profile picture of the author LBO
    LED signs cost $584 a week to run. Shucks.
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    • Profile picture of the author want2knowhow
      Originally Posted by LBO View Post

      LED signs cost $584 a week to run. Shucks.
      !! They DO?!? For who? The business owner?
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      • Profile picture of the author want2knowhow
        Thank you Martin (for starting this thread!) and thank you, Ronr for posting about those flashing boards! I never knew either idea existed! And now that I do, you've both opened up a whole new world of mental and physical entrepreneurial possibilities! Those flashing boards are phenomenal and I am looking into the prospect of finding the right company...and selling them around town...and every where I go! 'Tis the season to be giving...and you've both just given me so much--when I'd just about given up hope! Thank YOU so much!!
        Signature

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  • Profile picture of the author Simon74
    What a great idea well done and thank you for sharing.
    Simon
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  • Profile picture of the author Ashley C
    Good work! You saw an opportunity and you acted on it. It's amazing how many opportunities like this are around us when we really think about it.

    Although those signs are easily obtainable at a low price, plenty of shop owners haven't even bothered to work that out. And like you say, it's an impulse buy, which helps. eBay has so many things you can sell to businesses in person like this.

    I think Alex made a good point in that you can get your 'foot in the door' by what you're doing. You can probably find some success in selling related items and services to the same businesses.
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  • Profile picture of the author AppsFromHome
    Even if it has been seen before, it's always nice to get a refresher or a new twist on an old idea...I appreciate people sharing what has worked for them and how we can benefit from it.

    I'd hate to see a Warrior hesitate to post an experience or idea because it may be similar to another post...sometimes what works is in the details and the execution. Thanks for continuing to share Martin and keep it up.
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  • Profile picture of the author Katie C
    Wow this is really interesting. I'm definitely going to be looking around at all the small business stores in my area now checking out if they have led signs
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  • Profile picture of the author SCC
    I never stated "who" created/originated the idea...
    either yourself or Don, I don't care...
    ADukes wondered where he had seen this before...
    and I answered him.
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  • Profile picture of the author RaptorGabe
    You are a brilliant crazy man lol love it
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    • Profile picture of the author Vikuna2009+
      After doing some research, I've come to realize that if you can buy an "Open" sign for $20 and re-sell it at $50, that is still a good deal for the merchant. Atm signs seems a little bit harder to find, still working on that.

      Now, here's an interesting twist that I don't mind sharing. And, I'm going to town this morning to do some visual research, lol. Since the economy is not he best (have you ever passed by or even lined up for food stamps or general relief), it's apearant that a lot of people are getting financial aid.

      I had no idea what an EBT card is until recently and what it is, it's like a credit card that gets loaded with government funds like food stamps, general relief etc. if you qualify.

      It is my understanding that most food stores accepts the car and some liquor stores and gas stations that sell food. The 99cent store and the
      Dollar Store accept them but not Big Lots. Anyway, you get the picture. Oh, and I also think that some fast food places takes them.

      Long story short but I also wanted to add that my area is really depressed and a lot of people that you would not even think, are actually living on food stamps. To reach a level of not being able to support yourself is embarrassing to many and they don't want others to know about it.

      Most stores or should I say all of them (that is why I am doing my research today) do NOT have a LED sign saying EBT ACCEPTED HERE! Question is, would the store feel weird about advertising that they do accept the card? I'm sure some will but that's probably only a small fraction.

      Online, these signs go for $89 to over $200. Alibaba hardly has ANY manufacturers. So, even though the concept is great, finding the signs and finding merchants to buy them might be a different story.

      Just thought I'd share, Eva
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      • Profile picture of the author ShayB
        Originally Posted by Vikuna2009+ View Post

        Question is, would the store feel weird about advertising that they do accept the card? I'm sure some will but that's probably only a small fraction.
        In my area, it is a HUGE thing that's advertised by a lot of stores.

        I'll give you a tip - take it for what it's worth.

        There are a lot of places that accept EBT cards that you normally wouldn't expect (like the Schwann man - home delivery food service). Some of the other businesses that do home food delivery also accept EBT.

        BUT...

        They aren't people you'd normally think of when you think of accepting EBT cards.

        Why? Well, they're more expensive than some places, and they aren't really the first thing you think of when you think of someone buying food with an EBT card.

        This means 2 things - they have a higher value per customer, AND they' benefit from getting the word out that they accept the cards.

        Might very well be a local niche market worth pursuing.
        Signature
        "Fate protects fools, little children, and ships called Enterprise." ~Commander Riker
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        • Profile picture of the author Magnum1
          First, I want to thank Martin for his many unique and helpful ideas for making money!

          Here is someting I came up with to almost double your profit! So lets say on average after paying freight/etc you have a hard cost of $15 per sign and sell for $40 which gives you a $25 profit.

          The obvious advantage to the business owner of having an ATM (and ATM sign) is to attract more customers that will use the ATM and buy additional items in their store.

          Here's where you make the extra profit: Get a domain and make a local Convenience Store ATM directory. Offer a package deal to the store owner for an extra $20 (or $59 total with the ATM sign) to give him a lifetime listing on your local ATM directory which will attract even more customers to his store that are searching for a local ATM. This will cost you almost nothing, yet will net you at least an extra $20 on every sale!
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          • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
            Magnum1,

            Your welcome and thank you for sharing your idea with us it's a great idea.

            All the best,

            Martin

            Originally Posted by Magnum1 View Post

            First, I want to thank Martin for his many unique and helpful ideas for making money!

            Here is someting I came up with to almost double your profit! So lets say on average after paying freight/etc you have a hard cost of $15 per sign and sell for $40 which gives you a $25 profit.

            The obvious advantage to the business owner of having an ATM (and ATM sign) is to attract more customers that will use the ATM and buy additional items in their store.

            Here's where you make the extra profit: Get a domain and make a local Convenience Store ATM directory. Offer a package deal to the store owner for an extra $20 (or $59 total with the ATM sign) to give him a lifetime listing on your local ATM directory which will attract even more customers to his store that are searching for a local ATM. This will cost you almost nothing, yet will net you at least an extra $20 on every sale!
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        • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
          Great tip and thanks for sharing it here.

          Here is a link to an EBT led sign sold on alibaba.com

          http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/44...Open_Sign.html

          Some other over looked led signs that could sell well are:

          * Food Stamps Accepted

          * WIC Accepted

          * Check Cashing

          All the best,

          Martin

          Originally Posted by ShayRockhold View Post

          In my area, it is a HUGE thing that's advertised by a lot of stores.

          I'll give you a tip - take it for what it's worth.

          There are a lot of places that accept EBT cards that you normally wouldn't expect (like the Schwann man - home delivery food service). Some of the other businesses that do home food delivery also accept EBT.

          BUT...

          They aren't people you'd normally think of when you think of accepting EBT cards.

          Why? Well, they're more expensive than some places, and they aren't really the first thing you think of when you think of someone buying food with an EBT card.

          This means 2 things - they have a higher value per customer, AND they' benefit from getting the word out that they accept the cards.

          Might very well be a local niche market worth pursuing.
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          • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
            Hi Guys,

            Now, I'm going to give you my inside secret, but is not really a secret and is public info. If you go to your county clerks office you can ask for a list of all the bussinesses that have opened or registerd a business name in the last 1-3 months and on that list will have some sort of contact info, so you can contact that business owner and ask them if they have a need for and would like to buy an Open or ATM sign, this will help you make some sales as it has for me.

            To your success!

            Martin
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            • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
              Hi Guys,

              Now, I'm going to give you my inside secret, but is not really a secret and is public info. If you go to your county clerks office you can ask for a list of all the bussinesses that have opened or registerd a business name in the last 1-3 months and on that list will have some sort of contact info, so you can contact that business owner and ask them if they have a need for and would like to buy an Open or ATM sign, this will help you make some sales as it has for me.

              To your success!

              Martin
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  • Profile picture of the author M_Jones
    open + atm + EBT = win.

    But is there enough profit margin to have this whole thing outsourced?
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    • Profile picture of the author Vikuna2009+
      Originally Posted by M_Jones View Post

      open + atm + EBT = win.

      But is there enough profit margin to have this whole thing outsourced?
      I would say a separate "Open" sign and one that says atm+EBT+cash, since with general relief lets people buy non-food items. There are signs like that but they are too expensive.

      As far as out-sourcing, Martin already touched on that in an earlier thread. I would tend to agree with Martin=out-sourcing does not give you the margin, Eva
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  • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
    I would like to thank everyone for all their positive comments and PM's. I really do enjoy helping others learn ways to make extra money and hearing success stories.

    To your success,

    Martin
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  • Profile picture of the author peter360
    Cool idea, thanks!
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  • Profile picture of the author yukinara
    ok I have seen people come up with a lot of ideas and tips in this thread, now a question for all of you: Have ANY of you taken ANY ACTION from this idea AT ALL?

    There is no point to sit in front of a computer, brainstorm, come up with ideas, post them on a forum so that people will look at you and say "hey this guy is so smart, I didn't think of that"

    At the end of the day, the one who TAKE ACTION is the real winner, and I don't think anyone here has done that
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    • Profile picture of the author Vikuna2009+
      Originally Posted by yukinara View Post

      ok I have seen people come up with a lot of ideas and tips in this thread, now a question for all of you: Have ANY of you taken ANY ACTION from this idea AT ALL?

      There is no point to sit in front of a computer, brainstorm, come up with ideas, post them on a forum so that people will look at you and say "hey this guy is so smart, I didn't think of that"

      At the end of the day, the one who TAKE ACTION is the real winner, and I don't think anyone here has done that
      If you read the thread more carefully there are actually action takers here. What about yourself, how many sales do you have? Me, yeah, I've been taking action but I'm working on a bigger project than what's suggested in this thread so yes, again, there's "action" going on.

      Looking forward to hear about your success, Eva
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      yukinara,

      There have been many people who have taken action on my money making ideas and have made money with then. My Pizza Cards Profits idea (see sig below) has been a huge success for many people, so for you to say without knowing that no one has taken action and made any money that is wrong and false, as i have many emails from students that are making money and taken action with my ideas.

      Thanks,

      Martin

      Originally Posted by yukinara View Post

      ok I have seen people come up with a lot of ideas and tips in this thread, now a question for all of you: Have ANY of you taken ANY ACTION from this idea AT ALL?

      There is no point to sit in front of a computer, brainstorm, come up with ideas, post them on a forum so that people will look at you and say "hey this guy is so smart, I didn't think of that"

      At the end of the day, the one who TAKE ACTION is the real winner, and I don't think anyone here has done that
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      • Profile picture of the author Classic
        Martin, thanks for sharing!

        This is a great idea and I hope people take action on it. If you need money and willing to do just a little work, this seems like a sure winner.

        All the best to you!
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        • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
          Yes, you are right a little work and taking action is all it takes to make some easy money, but many people have fears and are affraid to take a chance, but I hope people will take this idea and go out and make some money with it.

          All the best,

          Martin

          Originally Posted by Classic View Post

          Martin, thanks for sharing!

          This is a great idea and I hope people take action on it. If you need money and willing to do just a little work, this seems like a sure winner.

          All the best to you!
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  • Profile picture of the author VictorDamasio
    Really AWESOME!

    There are TONs of things that work like a charm!
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  • Profile picture of the author arnarn13
    This is an interesting idea. Great job! I wanna try it myself. LED signs can really make your business more popular and visible to anyone because of its great features.
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  • Profile picture of the author WarriorBank
    hmm interesting.
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  • Profile picture of the author saras
    Thanks for sharing - you do know that you could have turned this into a 22 page report and sold for at least $10 on the WSO thread.
    Seriously I like this idea, its something else to put in the tool kit for local business marketing.
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      saras,

      I am actually working on a WSO that will be sharing 10 unique and creative ways I have made money with offline, but thank you for your support and positive comments.

      All the best,

      Martin

      Originally Posted by saras View Post

      Thanks for sharing - you do know that you could have turned this into a 22 page report and sold for at least $10 on the WSO thread.
      Seriously I like this idea, its something else to put in the tool kit for local business marketing.
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  • Profile picture of the author AppsFromHome
    Hey Martin,

    That's great news you're working on a WSO - I'm sure the people familair with the content you share on the WF will jump all over it! It's always quality stuff.

    It's even more motivation to sell when you hit the streets with this weather in NY!

    Do you still employ the same tactics in the Winter?
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  • Profile picture of the author NewParadigm
    Why not just go right to the credit card equipment provider or ATM distributor/servicer and sell them the signs in bulk, just have them drop shipped. Their customer svc/sales people would make the end user sales.

    Obviously, they would have sourced the signs themselves already if they were going to ever. Give them a new source of income for their customers. You could sell ten's or hundreds in one whack pushing paper. Just make sure drop shipper doesn't have any contact information on the package, or warehouse them yourself and reship them if you are worried.

    You could go to a bank or any other business that targets new businesses to buy them in bulk from you as a gift for new businesses. Or you could hand deliver them to the business, courtesy of the bank (for an extra fee to the bank
    Signature

    In a moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing. ~ Theodore Roosevelt

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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      NewParadigm,

      Thank you very much for the great ideas and I will looking into your ideas more to see if they can be implimented and be profitable.

      All the best,

      Martin

      Originally Posted by NewParadigm View Post

      Why not just go right to the credit card equipment provider or ATM distributor/servicer and sell them the signs in bulk, just have them drop shipped. Their customer svc/sales people would make the end user sales.

      Obviously, they would have sourced the signs themselves already if they were going to ever. Give them a new source of income for their customers. You could sell ten's or hundreds in one whack pushing paper. Just make sure drop shipper doesn't have any contact information on the package, or warehouse them yourself and reship them if you are worried.

      You could go to a bank or any other business that targets new businesses to buy them in bulk from you as a gift for new businesses. Or you could hand deliver them to the business, courtesy of the bank (for an extra fee to the bank
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  • Profile picture of the author celente
    THis is one of those posts that makes you go, why didnt i Think of that. Genius.

    Lots of great ideas in here. Thanks. My offline business needs a real boost and I feel like I just got a dose of steriods. Legal ones of course! *touches nose*
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  • Profile picture of the author saras
    Yes I will be looking out for you in the WSO thread - you obviously can think outside of the box
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  • Profile picture of the author kylemarvin
    I actually looked at tons of these LED signs when I was last in China, and thought of ways to sell them, silly me, not thinking of door to door. Us IMs can be so 'online' focused. I wonder about applying a sales rep method. Essentially outsourcing the sales portion of this. Put an ad on craigslist and offer sales people $5-10 per sign to sell.
    Some other signs I saw while there that might be sellable: "coffee", "pizza", "take away"
    Signature

    kylemarvin.com

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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      kylemarvin,

      Hiring sales reps on a commission basis works as that is one of the ways I was selling my LED signs, so if you can get a great price on signs and can still make a decent profit for yourself after paying your sales rep commission, then by all means do it and save yourself the time and energy having to do all the work on your own.

      To your success,

      Martin

      Originally Posted by kylemarvin View Post

      I actually looked at tons of these LED signs when I was last in China, and thought of ways to sell them, silly me, not thinking of door to door. Us IMs can be so 'online' focused. I wonder about applying a sales rep method. Essentially outsourcing the sales portion of this. Put an ad on craigslist and offer sales people $5-10 per sign to sell.
      Some other signs I saw while there that might be sellable: "coffee", "pizza", "take away"
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  • Profile picture of the author drewcpappas
    Thanks for the ideas
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  • Profile picture of the author cash89
    Does anyone know if there's an import fee when ordering from Alibaba in China and bringing it in to the US?
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      cash89,

      I have been finding good or better deals on eBay over Alibaba for buying wholesale or bulk led signs, so check out eBay first before ordering from any where else.

      All the best,

      Martin

      Originally Posted by cash89 View Post

      Does anyone know if there's an import fee when ordering from Alibaba in China and bringing it in to the US?
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    • Profile picture of the author Silas Hart
      Originally Posted by cash89 View Post

      Does anyone know if there's an import fee when ordering from Alibaba in China and bringing it in to the US?
      Yes, you will have to pay import fee's - unless you get the sender to lie and say they are samples or a gift, but if its looked at by customs and noted, the second time you try to buy 2 or more of these and have to import them, you will have to pay fee's.

      Another thing to pay attention to is that a lot of the signs bought from taobao (which is the cheapest), non U.S. eBay, Alibaba and Aliexpress is that the electric plugs aren't made for U.S. sockets so you have to change them over or buy an adapter. A lot of the sellers won't tell you this because they are just middlemen and aren't actually from a factory.
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      • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
        Silas Hart,

        Thanks for answering the question and for providing the great details regarding the taobao sign and the plugs, that's very helpful to know.

        All the best,

        Martin

        Originally Posted by Silas Hart View Post

        Yes, you will have to pay import fee's - unless you get the sender to lie and say they are samples or a gift, but if its looked at by customs and noted, the second time you try to buy 2 or more of these and have to import them, you will have to pay fee's.

        Another thing to pay attention to is that a lot of the signs bought from taobao (which is the cheapest), non U.S. eBay, Alibaba and Aliexpress is that the electric plugs aren't made for U.S. sockets so you have to change them over or buy an adapter. A lot of the sellers won't tell you this because they are just middlemen and aren't actually from a factory.
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  • Profile picture of the author MalBryc
    Great idea, MartinBuckley! I like the idea of a QR code on the back of the sign also.

    Keep up the great work!
    Signature
    "Before you save the world. Save yourself first." ~ Mike Litman

    twitter.com/MalBryc - My twitter, why not @MalBryc me?
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  • Profile picture of the author patriciaC
    That's a great idea. I love in person sales =)
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  • Profile picture of the author Fat Wolf
    That is so cool, seeing lot of led sign before, but never thinking about selling it
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      Fat Wolf,

      Sometime the things we see around us every day are the things we over look and don't see the opportunity right in front of us to make money with it, there are ways around everyone in their area to make some money if they just take notice.

      All the best,

      Martin

      Originally Posted by Fat Wolf View Post

      That is so cool, seeing lot of led sign before, but never thinking about selling it
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  • Profile picture of the author AndrewCavanagh
    Martin you could make yourself a potentially significant income from
    the businesses you've already sold a sign to by doing two things:

    # Make a deal with an internet marketer here who specializes in
    doing internet marketing for brick and mortar businesses.

    # Go back to the businesses where you sold your signs and tell
    them you have a friend who is an expert at helping businesses
    like theirs make more sales and profits using the internet.

    Tell them that you twisted his arm and he's willing to give them
    a phone consultation worth $250 as a gift where he'll give them some tips
    on how to improve what they're doing with the internet to bring
    in more sales.


    # Any of those free consults that turn into sales you can take
    10% to 20% of the fee.

    If you're working with someone who charges $1,000 to $5,000
    a project you could be making $100 to $1,000 for each project the
    consultant sells for just dropping in on businesses you've already
    sold a sign to.

    Kindest regards,
    Andrew Cavanagh
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    • Profile picture of the author Teamnork
      I subscribe to the well-established rule - "Know your market". Before investing in 20 signes, I'd drive around the business areas I hope to target, to insure someone else hasn't already sold many of the potential customers.
      If some stores already have the same "Open" or "ATM Inside", it could take longer to sell the 20 and might even require selling for less, or driving further which would limit the profits.
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      • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
        Teamnork,

        I can understand your thinking and I have done things that way in the past, but I have found that if you go around and ask if people are interested in buying somethings they will say yes, but when you go back they then say no, so I find that actually having the product on hand and putting the customer on the spot to buy is much better, just my 2 cents

        All the best,

        Martin

        Originally Posted by Teamnork View Post

        I subscribe to the well-established rule - "Know your market". Before investing in 20 signes, I'd drive around the business areas I hope to target, to insure someone else hasn't already sold many of the potential customers.
        If some stores already have the same "Open" or "ATM Inside", it could take longer to sell the 20 and might even require selling for less, or driving further which would limit the profits.
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  • Profile picture of the author craigslist
    Congrats! Nice work this is a great way to earn extra money!
    Signature
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  • Profile picture of the author svaningen
    Great idea, May think of doing this one day
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  • Profile picture of the author kirbymurphy
    I did the same thing with fake domed security cameras. I think with shipping I paid about $1.50 and sold them all day long for $12 to $18, depending on my appraisal and how many they wanted.

    I did a little door-to-door but mostly just kept a case in my van and brought them in when shopping. Then maybe hit the stores on either side. Ran a few Craigslist ads and offered free delivery in nearby zipcodes if they bought 3 or more.

    There are many things you can sell casually to businesses. I suggest selling them as a lead to another company so you don't get bogged down with paperwork. If you want to do the paperwork, you can earn more.
    1. Equipment Leasing Services
    2. Alarm Systems
    3. CCTV Surveilance Systems
    4. Credit Card Services
    5. Cash Advance Loans (Merchant Cash Advance on CC)
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      Lol, I made some money back in the day with the fake security cameras and I was a little sneaky and sold the name and address of everyone that bought one from me for a fee to a real local security company

      All the best,

      Martin

      Originally Posted by kirbymurphy View Post

      I did the same thing with fake domed security cameras. I think with shipping I paid about $1.50 and sold them all day long for $12 to $18, depending on my appraisal and how many they wanted.

      I did a little door-to-door but mostly just kept a case in my van and brought them in when shopping. Then maybe hit the stores on either side. Ran a few Craigslist ads and offered free delivery in nearby zipcodes if they bought 3 or more.

      There are many things you can sell casually to businesses. I suggest selling them as a lead to another company so you don't get bogged down with paperwork. If you want to do the paperwork, you can earn more.
      1. Equipment Leasing Services
      2. Alarm Systems
      3. CCTV Surveilance Systems
      4. Credit Card Services
      5. Cash Advance Loans (Merchant Cash Advance on CC)
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      • Profile picture of the author kirbymurphy
        Originally Posted by MartinBuckley View Post

        Lol, I made some money back in the day with the fake security cameras and I was a little sneaky and sold the name and address of everyone that bought one from me for a fee to a real local security company

        All the best,

        Martin
        Smart!

        {I'm adding this because the software said my message was too short.}
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      • Profile picture of the author Estrelita
        Hi Martin,

        I bought your program re Craigslist ... Payment receipt from paypal but no acknowledgment from you and no instruction on how to access the program.
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        • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
          Estrelita,

          Sorry about that, not sure what happend, but I just sent you
          an email and a PM here on the forum with all the details to
          get access to the Easy Ad Profits system.

          All the best,

          Martin

          Originally Posted by Estrelita View Post

          Hi Martin,

          I bought your program re Craigslist ... Payment receipt from paypal but no acknowledgment from you and no instruction on how to access the program.
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  • Profile picture of the author Nowaystr
    thanks for sharing this .I like this topic.
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  • Profile picture of the author meeka87
    hmmm.....never consider making money with LED Signs
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  • Profile picture of the author hobgoblin
    Hey I am starting to see these neon open signs pop up all over downtown Fullerton! LOL Ok, so who is it?!?!
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  • Profile picture of the author genuinenine
    Great information! I also enjoyed your Niche Biz Ideas site. I am a newbie and I can definitely see myself making money with your tips. It all makes so much sense. Thanks for sharing!
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      genuinenine,

      I'm happy to hear you enjoyed the free money making ideas on my
      site http://NicheBizIdeas.com and I do hope you are able to make
      some moneywith them and if I can be of any help to you, please
      feel free to ask.

      All the best,

      Martin

      Originally Posted by genuinenine View Post

      Great information! I also enjoyed your Niche Biz Ideas site. I am a newbie and I can definitely see myself making money with your tips. It all makes so much sense. Thanks for sharing!
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  • Profile picture of the author rajmeej
    Really awesome idea think to start in my city. thank u once again
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  • Profile picture of the author jking1
    That was really cool but my problem is that I'm not good in making sales talk and I don't know if people in my place will purchase led signs. However, it was really a great and profitable idea.
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    • Profile picture of the author Justin T Wells
      I like seeing other people say they tried the idea and it worked for them, even if just a little. Anyone selling these signs should definitely buy a handful of the other varieties and throw them in the trunk. I would put together a catalog and order form for every sign you keep in stock and some others. It's very possible to still sell people on signs you have sold out of or don't normally buy. Now, I think there's a limit to the number of signs one business owner can really throw in one window, but it's good to be able to sell. For businesses that already have an "open" sign, go ahead and walk in and see if they have an atm if it's the type that might. Anyone with a lot of traffic or a need for people to have cash may have one. If they don't have an atm maybe they want one...? ATM companies will place free ones if it makes good business sense and give the store owner a cut. Otherwise they can buy one and make more profit per atm use and take on the risk of it not giving a good ROI.

      I'm actually just starting out selling merchant accounts and there's a big fear of wasting my time or not doing well (i.e. not paying the bills). I've sold all sorts of low ticket products in the past to consumers, and I've provided customer service to big time executives and other high net worth individuals, but something about walking into a business to sell merchant services gives me pause, even though I know what I will generally say and so forth.

      I might try something like this- a quick and easy sale to break the ice and get a small relationship built- and an easy way to quickly identify the decision maker. Then say something like, "by the way, who are you using for your credit card processing?" followed up by some sort of statement that I happen to sell that and focus on low pricing and a local point of contact. Get a monthly statement to send off to the analysis team and set up an appointment a few days later to go over the savings with them. I could be wrong, but this might give me the motivation I need to get out there. The reasoning is I would get upfront cash in my pocket everyday while I go out and sell merchant accounts, which pays more but takes a bit longer to get paid. Any thoughts on that?

      As far as the LED signs, I think some store managers would also pay for this- either from a small discretionary fund they can use or out of their own pocket to get more business. It's not hard to imagine the additional sales that will come in during the early morning and evening hours and typically a store manager gets a good amount of income from bonuses tied to store sales.

      Also, if you are able to sell a chain store you have 2 huge advantages. Let's say for example you are able to convince a local CVS drugstore (or whatever is common in your area.) You can immediately go across the street and tell the Walgreens manager that you just sold a sign to CVS and maybe they want one too. You can also then go to all the other CVS stores since you now know that particular store (or whatever works for you) is able to buy one. Now these are just examples- can be any type of retail location.

      Sometimes it can be challenging to think up different areas to visit after you have been to a bunch of the major areas around you. Now, you could just drive down a street for 30 miles or so, stopping in as many places as possible. Something else you could do (if you have found a chain you can sell to) is find some free routing website and plug in all the locations for that chain. Along the way, you'll likely drive on some roads you never thought of before. I know there's a free website that optimizes the route for free, but I forget the website (I used it to maximize a store circular sale one day LOL)

      *edit* Also, combine this b2b idea with a b2c idea such as knocking on doors selling discount cards or whatever. You can prospect during the daytime when small business owners are likely in their stores and in the evening go around to homes selling something else.
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      • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
        Hey Justin,

        I was just wondering if you are implementing the LED sign idea and if you have any update to share with your results, etc.?

        Thanks,

        Martin
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        • Profile picture of the author armadillo
          I've been buying these signs for a couple years now.... I keep a box of them in my motorhome. I'm a fulltimer snowbird...live off my military retirement and travel around the country. If I run a little short on cash, I pull out an OPEN or ATM sign and visit the first mom & pop store I see that doesnt have a sign. Sell rate is pretty close to 100% Sell four or five signs and you can put gas in the tank and move on. Easy peasy, works like a champ.

          Armadillo
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  • Profile picture of the author byrle
    That's a great idea.
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  • Profile picture of the author IMBlest
    Thanks, Martin for sharing your brilliant idea.
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