[quote=Whomitmayconcer]

kerho,<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Hold up there cowboy!

You are not hearing what is being said and you are like your own lemonade stand! You are spending more time convincing yourself of the goodness of your idea than you are hearing why it's NOT a good idea.

Keep in mind that seminars aren't free and the amount of time required to fill a seminar room is daunting, especially if you have a clock ticking overhead vis a vis AUM/Production levels. You have the expense of the room, of the eats, of the invites. You need to follow up on the invites at least three times to remind them of the seminar (and there are danged few people who will want to get into their car at 20 below when the push comes to the shove). You may say "Well, I'll use my office for the seminar!" to which I'll say, that will reduce your participation by 87.5%. Only one eighth of the people who would come to a seminar will come to a seminar they see as being on your turf.

You may be used to picking up clients from newspaper advertising at the rate you mention above. I say it depends on the product you are offering, and what you are able to do with it. If you are offering something that people need, like car insurance, you have a better response rate in that there are always a percentage of people who are up for renewal. If you are selling milk, and you are willing to advertise it as for sale at a loss leader price, then you are that much further ahead. But when you are advertising something that people don't see as a "gotta have it" <?:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />AND there is Jack POOP that you can do in terms of special offer (you can't offer American Funds at 20% off this week only!) then you are limited as to your maneuverability. Maybe you could advertise CD's or Tax Frees, but, from what I've heard, they are hen's teeth rare at EDJones and the problem with them everywhere is circling the inventory and lead times Vs the newspaper deadline (you need to give them copy on Thursday for bonds you are advertising on Sunday to be purchased on Monday or so.)

This business is not like the business you are coming out of. This business is very highly regulated, you might want to look at the Legal Issues thread and read RRBDLawyer's post about the nasd rulings. People get seriously banged for doing what a Mom/Pop shop owner would see as just plain ole Good Bidness sense.

And do yourself a favor steer cleer of Jones until you have investigated all

 of your other options and decided that you have no other choice.

[/quote]

Good info, thx for the response. 

[quote=Whomitmayconcer]

 "Wanting to live in real America, which is overwhelmingly conservative, it’s an issue with me. "

BTW, as a REAL AMERICAN who lives in New York! Get over yourself! Learn to leave your politics and religion at the door!

[quote=Indyone]A good seminar with 30-40 people can easily produce a
high level of success, unless you are in Florida where it’s just
considered a free meal for seniors…[/quote]



Yes, make sure to keep various senior center’s/55+ communities off your mailing list.

[quote=AllREIT][quote=Indyone]A good seminar with 30-40 people can easily produce a high level of success, unless you are in Florida where it's just considered a free meal for seniors...[/quote]

Yes, make sure to keep various senior center's/55+ communities off your mailing list.
[/quote]

Why is that?  the group of people I connect with the best are 55+ lol.  Older the better imo

[quote=AllREIT] [quote=Whomitmayconcer]

 "Wanting to live in real America, which is overwhelmingly conservative, it's an issue with me. "

BTW, as a REAL AMERICAN who lives in New York! Get over yourself! Learn to leave your politics and religion at the door!

[/quote]


   

Since when did flyover country become "real america"? Given that most american's don't live there.
[/quote]

You guys read into things too much . Nobody ever heard of rural America being considered real America?  As far as traveling TO the US is concerned?  Talk to Europeans who want to see real America and they go to fly over country, they consider Las Vegas, Los Angeles, etc as a different world, which they really are in comparison.

 It sounds like you drink Ed Jones "Koolaid" already.  You are the perfect fit for Jones.  If you are driven, and in a hoof-print town, you will do just fine. 

 my feet hurt

 ED

[quote=kerho]

 I'm used to gaining 5-7 clients on a 10,000 newspaper insert run costing $1,200-1,500.  Just looking for numbers really in forming this plan.  Knocking on doors when it's 20 below isn't gonna work.  I like the education/seminar idea, when starting out time is easier to come by than money.

[/quote]

They not only expect you to knock on doors at 20 below, they require it.  And they expect the same number of contacts and the same production as your peers in Arizona.

If you think you are going to join Jones and do your own thing, you are mistaken.  They have a formula and you are expected to follow it.  At some point if you are making enough money they won't care how you do it, but they will follow you very closely the first six months or so and if you fall below standard at any time they will be right back on you to do it their way.

You can do it however the heck you want so long as you hit their numbers, period.