# What to do with $200?



## 01tjay (Dec 27, 2006)

Okay... I've got a ton of marketing ideas that I am in the middle of implementing. But... A quick question for those with more experience....

If you had $200 today to spend on advertising/marketing, what would you spend it on? 

Thanks,
Jay


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## TMOGUL (Jun 15, 2007)

full color party flyers with your shirt images on them, you can get thousands of flyers for a couple of hundred.


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## sunnydayz (Jun 22, 2007)

I guess it would depend on whether you are doing advertising on line or in a local 
area. Online I use google adwords and they work pretty good. you can set up an account and put a certain budget per month on what you want to spend. If you are doing it in a local area maybe a newpaper ad or flyers you can take to local boutiques and such. Maybe look into your chamber of commerce and let them know you have a new business and see if there are any papers that do write ups on new business ventures in the area. 

Bobbie


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## Chani (Jun 18, 2007)

My first question is: Do you have business cards?


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## 01tjay (Dec 27, 2006)

I was kicking around trying adwords. I've got a ppc on yahoo right now but it's not really converting into too many sales. I just printed up 500 two sided large post card sized glossy ads with lots of pics and prices and what not. I don't really know what to do with them though? I have one buddy who runs a local tattoo shop. He is letting me put some clothes in his counter display. I will then display the large post card ads on the counter top in a nice acrylic display. I was thinking of hitting all of the local tattoo shops to see if I could display some stuff as that is my target market really.


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## BigBear (Aug 15, 2007)

01tjay said:


> Okay... I've got a ton of marketing ideas that I am in the middle of implementing. But... A quick question for those with more experience....
> 
> If you had $200 today to spend on advertising/marketing, what would you spend it on?
> 
> ...


Spend 20-25 bucks and buy any two books by Jay Conrad Levinson, located on this amazon.com page: Amazon.com: guerilla marketing: Books


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## 01tjay (Dec 27, 2006)

We have business cards. This is the second or third time I've run across the Jay Conrad Levinson books in my conversations with people. I'm headed to Borders right now.

Thanks!


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## BigBear (Aug 15, 2007)

01tjay said:


> We have business cards. This is the second or third time I've run across the Jay Conrad Levinson books in my conversations with people. I'm headed to Borders right now.
> 
> Thanks!


Good for you. While in some circles I am considered to be somewhat of a sales/marketing expert, I can assure you that I would quite willingly sit at the feet of Jay and listen to anything he cared to offer.

Reading one or two of his books is almost as good. I think I have read 6. The trick, after receiving good information, is to consistently work towards doing it.


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## TripleT (Apr 29, 2007)

> Spend 20-25 bucks and buy any two books by Jay Conrad Levinson, located on this amazon.com page: Amazon.com: guerilla marketing: Books
> __________________
> Jack - Alpha Supply Company - Dye Sub Tips
> Heat Press Equipment and Supplies


Totally Agree!


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## AustinJeff (May 12, 2007)

BigBear said:


> Spend 20-25 bucks and buy any two books by Jay Conrad Levinson, located on this amazon.com page: Amazon.com: guerilla marketing: Books


I agree. Levinson will really introduce you to a new way of thinking about business. One thing I really like about Levinson is that understands that enjoying what you are doing is perhaps the biggest key to success. Levinson is fun.

On the other hand, I do think his books tend to be a bit simplistic. Lots of big ideas, but little information on real-world implementation. And I am certain that many of the things that he suggests he has never tried himself (like opening a business selling blueprints of famous buildings. Are you kidding me? Just call it "Al Queda Info, Inc.")

Also, be sure to get his more recent books. I recently read one from 1999, and most of the things he suggested won't work anymore, or could be done much more efficiently, thanks to changes in the Internet.

Finally, his books tend to repeat each other. It's like he's written 4 or 5 books and then combined and adapted them in various ways to come up with 30 or 40 (or whatever number he's up to now.)

BUT, even with these criticisms, I agree that if you haven't read any of his books, picking up a couple would be one of the best investments you could make.


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## BigBear (Aug 15, 2007)

AustinJeff said:


> Also, be sure to get his more recent books.
> 
> Finally, his books tend to repeat each other. It's like he's written 4 or 5 books and then combined and adapted them in various ways to come up with 30 or 40 (or whatever number he's up to now.)
> 
> BUT, even with these criticisms, I agree that if you haven't read any of his books, picking up a couple would be one of the best investments you could make.


I concur. While mentioning that I have read about 6 of his books, I omitted the fact that each one contained less original information (which was ok because it did make for a fast read). That is never a problem for me because I rarely look for more than one or two interesting/useful ideas per publication.

I always suggest Levinson to the uninitiated first because he does offer basics. I think that is the reason he always sounds simplistic: good basics are crucial but can only be described so many different was. I sometimes have similar difficulties in my own monthly newsletter.

Discussing some of the most important business concepts are about as exciting as watching paint dry. They are also the easiest to forget/not do and are worthy of repetition.


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## TMOGUL (Jun 15, 2007)

I agree. even the older versions of Jay Conrad books such as guerilla marketing and guerilla sales are a good start


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## smclean06 (Jul 7, 2010)

BigBear said:


> Spend 20-25 bucks and buy any two books by Jay Conrad Levinson, located on this amazon.com page: Amazon.com: guerilla marketing: Books


Save the money and go to the library 
Biggest free resource we have an very few people utilize it.

But Levinson's books are really good.


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## vgary (Mar 31, 2010)

The best advertising is free...word of mouth. Use your $200 and make up some samples and give them to some key folks in the tatoo parlors (sales people preferably). Start a free FaceBook page and offer a special or discount or some other something to everyone who sees your offer and spreads your site. Start a Twitter account and get everyone who comes to your site to join your Twitter site too. And go back to your original stores where you gave out the samples often to check in and see how they are doing. Bring those key people goodies from time to time, candy, cookies, or another sample. You will then have a bunch of unpaid sales reps out in the field in no time. Make sure they have your tools to sell, like business cards, flyers, etc. Don't let them run out!


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