An Offline Idea to Make $

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Dr_Ngo

Dr_Ngo

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Apr 1, 2008
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- Get a Booth at a Mall with about 4 Laptops
- Hire two people to offer people free credit reports
- People fill the affiliate offer on the laptops
- Profit

Any thoughts? I've seen some really shitty booths at the mall and think this idea has more potential then what I've seen out there.
 


could work i guess....all depends on how much you are investing in the booth rental and employees, i'm thinking you would need to do a lot of volume for this to be profitable
 
*yeah and the fact that middle America is paranoid about giving up their credit info to strangers. I like the whole 4 laptops/booth idea, I just think that there might be a an easier "free" product to market.

Ive actually had the exact same idea with a different distribution method.

A lot of community groups/multi service centers give free tax returns, mortgage advice and what not.

If you can get hooked in with them and do workshops, you can implement the same idea with a little more credibility behind you.


Hell, if you play your cards right you might even be able to qualify for government grants to sell affiliate offers to people. :)

I let this go because I didn't know if the submissions would be rejected out of hand for all coming from the same place.
 
People do it already. I was at the airport a couple weeks ago and got asked to sign up for privacy protection in exchange for a $5 Tim Hortons gift certificate.

The person was shocked to find out that I knew they were making $15+ per person that signed up.
 
This would actually work really well for lots of lead based services.

Job application kiosks - you get the link to the company's online application form, or create a form that prints out all the info the HR folks need. Sit in the mall promoting the jobs, getting people to apply.

Church Kiosks - Get leads from folks looking for a new, fresh, better, different church.

Simple Internet access. 4 laptops connected to a wireless broadband router. Stick some 'wireless access' software on it that links to your payment processor, charge by the minute/block of minutes.
 
i thought about tihs couple months ago, cuz at my place we're actually having a night marketing and the renting for a booth isnt that expensive. but one of the problems is the IP. even if u could get people to signup for stuff what u going to do with the IP issue?
 
Regarding the IP issue, you'd have to clear it with the advertiser first. Having several transactions come across with the same IP is a fast way to not get paid.
 
Yes, sit up in the right place this would kill, only one problem. Credit Bureaus do not let just anyone "rent" thier reports. The last time I applied to be able to "pull" credit reports they:

1) Ran background check
2) Vistied my place of business and conduct a face to face interview
3) Made sure the area I was pulling credit was secluded and secure from outside customers.

I may be wrong but I am not sure they would allow you to pull credit in a public place like an airport. At least mine frowned upon it.

Edit: One way my Loan Company got around this serveral years ago. We offered "Free Credit Scores" and had a wireless laptop at a home and garden show booth. When folks give us thier information we would send it to the main office where someone would pull a credit report and send back the score.
 
For the IP issue go with Copeac and speak to MKrongel (on WF) directly, I was going to do something like this at flea-markets and I was declined by Azoogle due to the IP issue but, Mike at Copeac said it was ok, just need to let them know upfront. Not sure if that's changed or not.

It's not that simple to get a kiosk at a mall though, at least not here. They review your business before just letting anybody in. If you're an affiliate they might not understand. Starting at a flea market would probably be simpler.
 
CPAEJonathan said:
The advertiser would have a serious issue with this.
Click to expand...

Just clear it first. If you are seeing the people in person, get a signature.
I used to work for a guy in New York. We gave out free candy (I'm not kidding) at colleges for credit card signups and columbia house too.

He paid me $1 or 2 bucks each and supplied the candy.

I was making 80-100 bucks a day as his employee, and this dude had kids working for him in 10 locations around the city.

3 of us per location.

At 10 bucks a pop profit per lead, 1000 or more leads a day, the dude was making out alright I'd imagine.

You can buy 6" subway coupons. College kids would go apeshit for those.

Spend $4 bucks make $11.

That's how I would approach this business. :rasta:
 
This is not a bad idea. I will look into it more. Maybe there is some sort of other product you can offer. T he 2 that actually come to mind are identity watch dog and lifelock
You could even offer free gift cards for the sign up. I think you would have to represent yourself as kind of the companiy though and not a go between thing.
 
Yea the Credit Offer was just a basic example.

If I were to really do this I'd definitely set the booth up to look legitimate as possible. Put the workers in some uniforms, get some professional signs.

You definitely have to incenticized the offer for them to work, I was thinking like $4 Starbucks gift cards.

About the IP issue you can work out a deal before hand with the advertiser. They can track and see if the leads are legit and they shouldn't have a problem with it, you're generating customers for them. Just make sure you don't misrepresent yourself.
 
From my past experience people at a flea market don't want to do anything with online, cell phones, etc. They are there for a deal and normally are not those kind of people. I have tried this many years ago with online sevices and even cell phone plans 95% of the people did not even read the booth, look at me, etc... I had no items out so they were not interested.

At a mall it may be different.
 
Those booths at malls - at least the premium ones I've looked into - ARE EXPENSIVE AS FUCK. The booth cost as much as a 1400 sq ft retail store in a nicely trafficked strip mall.
 
Enigmabomb said:
Those booths at malls - at least the premium ones I've looked into - ARE EXPENSIVE AS FUCK. The booth cost as much as a 1400 sq ft retail store in a nicely trafficked strip mall.
Click to expand...

I would imagine the mall kiosk get's a TON more traffic ;) Thus justifying the cost. It's like an ad on Google Page1 or an ad on HomieCornerLotSpecialSearch.com in the end you have to know the market and wtf you are doing or both will take your money.
 
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