I did one several years ago. I gave something away in a  raffle.   THis info gave me a name a tel#. I never did call any of them but it was kind of fun! Back then.    

Did any of you see Angelo Mozilo--the founder of Countrywide Mortgage today?

He came out and said that it's not possible for the country to avoid a recession with the crashing housing market.

He points out that for most of us our home is a HUGE part of our net worth and that a house is only worth what a willing buyer and a willing seller are able to negotiate.

Without both a house is essentially worthless.

The wirehouse and institutional analysts are all over CNBC saying that there is nothing to worry about.

The one thing that is true throughout history is that brokerage houses almost never say sell.

Pollyanna, paging Pollyanna.  Please pick up the nearest red phone for a message.

I think I have to keep the raffle amount under $100, right?

Maybe a round for two at the local golf course.........

[quote=Greenbacks]I did one several years ago. I gave something away in a  raffle.   THis info gave me a name a tel#. I never did call any of them but it was kind of fun! Back then.    [/quote]

In addition on the bottom of the sign up put a place for them to check what they are interested in, IRA's, LI review, DI, REIT's, MF's, free conultation, etc.... If they dont check anything, save them for following up last.

Please stick to the topic I started…

[quote]

Please stick to the topic I started.........

[/quote]

You're a Newbie, you can't start topics.  Ask the administrator.

Plus, talking about what Mozilo had to say is more important to the greatest number of people.

Hey DaTwo, in case you haven't noticed YOU are a newbie too(hint...look below your name)

"Plus, talking about what Mozilo had to say is more important to the greatest number of people."

Yet has nothing to do with the topic. Just an opportunity for you to stir the pot.

I did one of those at the County Fair once, I mostly got a bunch of kids and deadbeats wanting free pens and pencils. 

You might have a drawing based on some sort of trivia questions based on the markets or investments in general.  That way you might get some people who are actually interested in investing instead of freeloaders who haven't got enough money to buy a corn dog. 

Here's one I did a long time ago and it was fun.  People are always interested in inflation type displays.  How much was a gallon of milk, pound of coffee, cost of a car, house, what was the minimum wage or average income in 1950, 1970, 1990 and today.  I used models of cars (my husband collects) and photos of houses from those eras and old collectible cans of coffee from a friend's collection of kitchen stuff.    I made a diorama/section for each era and put the prices on the displays. Its a good way to get into a conversation with people about inflation and the need to invest in something besides a CD.  Visual things are a draw instead of brochures and statistical charts.

It would also be very cool if you could figure a way to have an automated market ticker in the background for eye appeal.

Start another thread if you want to discuss Countrywide…

[quote=Dust Bunny]

I Here's one I did a long time ago and it was fun.  People are always interested in inflation type displays.  How much was a gallon of milk, pound of coffee, cost of a car, house, what was the minimum wage or average income in 1950, 1970, 1990 and today.  I used models of cars (my husband collects) and photos of houses from those eras and old collectible cans of coffee from a friend's collection of kitchen stuff.    I made a diorama/section for each era and put the prices on the displays. Its a good way to get into a conversation with people about inflation and the need to invest in something besides a CD.  Visual things are a draw instead of brochures and statistical charts.

It would also be very cool if you could figure a way to have an automated market ticker in the background for eye appeal.

[/quote]

Good ideas.  I am doing a Home Show in the Spring, and I could not think of anything unique to do that would draw some attention. 

I have done a smaller one previously, and did a raffle (restaurant gift certs), as well as some giveaways (zippy letter openers with my biz card - people love those and keep them).  They had to fill out name, address, phone, and investment interest check boxes.

[quote]

Good ideas.  I am doing a Home Show in the Spring, and I could not think of anything unique to do that would draw some attention. 

I have done a smaller one previously, and did a raffle (restaurant gift certs), as well as some giveaways (zippy letter openers with my biz card - people love those and keep them).  They had to fill out name, address, phone, and investment interest check boxes.

[/quote]

Boy those things are foolproof--good idea.

"Mike and Carol Johnson
2484 Sheridan Way
Denver, CO  58723
303-349-0823
Retirment Planning"

Bingo you've got a hot lead.

Or maybe not.

Ahhh…My first home show.  I just got out St Louis and the following weekend was the local home/garden/business expo.  I was pumped. Worked for the most unbelievable firm in the world.  We only do what’s right for the client…no one else. Put my booth up, had a 100$ gift card as a prize.  Had signup tablets asking if interested would you like me to call you on stocks, bonds, tax free investments, estate planning…blah blah blah.  176 leads I put into my computer.  Called all within the first week. GOT NOTHING…the couple who won the card, “We’re on social security, but we could give you 5$ to buy something”.  The next year, reluctantly, I did it again…had several who wouldn’t sign up because…drum roll…they didn’t want me calling them.  Lots of luck. I don’t do these anymore…

We used to reimburse for things like those registration fees.  We stopped doing it for "Home Shows" because they were little more than trades people looking at what is available young people thinking about buying a home and homeowners who are looking to spend their discretionary income on a new deck, pool or bonus room.

Why not get a booth at a retirement planning expo?

get 2 hot girls in bikinis to stand at your both

I am doing a senior expo … and also have coordinated an event on Elder Care… if you really want to light your phones up … get one of those going… 'cause odds are you are going to be getting son and daughter of mom …not necessarily just mom or dad… which works out well… I do agree with bspears though in some degree as I have done those other type of expo’s and got nothing …but for taking out 1/2 a day and the creating a mailing campaign that drips on them is not so bad a thing…

[quote=bspears]Ahhh...My first home show.  I just got out St Louis and the following weekend was the local home/garden/business expo.  I was pumped. Worked for the most unbelievable firm in the world.  We only do what's right for the client...no one else. Put my booth up, had a 100$ gift card as a prize.  Had signup tablets asking if interested would you like me to call you on stocks, bonds, tax free investments, estate planning...blah blah blah.  176 leads I put into my computer.  Called all within the first week. GOT NOTHING....the couple who won the card, "We're on social security, but we could give you 5$ to buy something".  The next year, reluctantly, I did it again...had several who wouldn't sign up because...drum roll....they didn't want me calling them.  Lots of luck. I don't do these anymore....[/quote]

That's what happened to me at the Senior Expo I did.  However, most of the people were REALLY old.  I won't do that one again.  Though I did get a few clients out of it that were exhibitors at the show.

As far as the Home Show, the one in our area is pretty big.  I talked to a friend that works for AGE.  She gets about 40% of her new business every year out of those shows.  The key is to talk to a lot of the vendors attending.  Many of them are business owners that don't mind chatting during down time (especially on multi-day events).

Here are a couple of Ideas that worked for me.  Try raffling off a gift certificate to the local golf shop and get the golf shop to loan you a set of nice clubs for you to display.  Most of the golfers are the type of investors we are looking for. 

The second is to give away bottled water that you picked up from Sams Club to give to people that stop and talk to you.  Slap a lable on it with your business information and keep it hidden.  People will hunt you down for cold water on a hot day and it will get them talking. FWIW

IndyEDJ

[quote]

Here are a couple of Ideas that worked for me.  Try raffling off a gift certificate to the local golf shop and get the golf shop to loan you a set of nice clubs for you to display.  Most of the golfers are the type of investors we are looking for. 

The second is to give away bottled water that you picked up from Sams Club to give to people that stop and talk to you.  Slap a lable on it with your business information and keep it hidden.  People will hunt you down for cold water on a hot day and it will get them talking. FWIW

IndyEDJ

[/quote]

Even at Sams or Costco bottles of water are going to run about 20 cents or more.

Seems a very expensive thing that will be thrown away as soon as it's consumed.

As for the gift certificate to a golf shop--not a bad idea, but it's misleading to have a $100 gift card sitting next to a $1,000 set of clubs.

Why not buy a decent putter or driver and raffle it so that the suspects will see what they'll get right then and there?

I also suggest that using a single anything--golf, skis, hiking boots--eliminates more people than it includes.

Why not raffle a $100 prepaid card for the local grocer?