CaptShady is encouraging folks to disclose their ideas on this forum. Here's one of mine (at the risk that someone will steal it and make a billion dollars off it).

The idea involves a cross between a group funding site and a post card promotional mailing site ( sorta like http://www.fundable.org/ and http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm ).

The site will be a place for businesses to meet and co-op with each other in order to share the expenses of marketing and promoting their businesses.

This would not necessarily be limited to postcards. For instance, the partners will be able to buy into a website, flyers, newspaper ads, radio spots, anything that single businesses can do now but with a group of marketing/advertising partners.

The co-op user will be able to choose from different variables like non-competitors, proximity of partners, mode of campaignes, industries . . .

The user will also be able to set variables that determine when or whether a particular campaigne gets triggered and executed. For instance, one of the triggers could be a certain price, which in turn may be based upon reaching a certain amount of co-op partners.

Another application of such a site will be in lowering the costs for otherwise unequal campaingnes. For example, a real estate agent only wishes to send flyers to neighborhood A but a pizza place wishes to cover neighborhoods A and B. By co-opting, the two can save money and still reach their targets.

There you have it!

Wonderful idea, IMO. There's companies that package coupons together and deliver the whole packet in a sealed bag door-to-door.

I think in order to do this business, you'd need salesperson(s) to hit up small businesses, and focus your own advertising on how the small business can advertise just like the big business.

I'd imagine you'd need some desktop publishing knowledge, along with knowledge on creating effecive ad copy.

Anyone else's thoughts on this (currently) fictitious business?

Wait, there's more!

I've actually had that idea pre-internet.

Years ago I aspired to start a mobile catering business -sorta like those mobile BBQ catering trailers you may have seen. While dreaming up ways to market the business I came up with an idea to also take away the hassle that the host usually has with putting together such an event. The host would give me a list of names and then I would send out invites and collect confirmations. I would also collect fees from each individual if that was called for.

Now, when the internet came along it gave me more ideas. I could set up a website where event participants can go to to pay their fees, vote for menus, vote for locations, entertainment, etc . . .

Besides the traditional events (weddings, corporate functions, birthday parties) friends may decide to set up an event for any reason whatsoever without any risk usually associated with putting something like this together. You may decide, for instance, that you'd like to get together with your friends next saturday for an informal BBQ at the beach. You could put all of this together along with confirmations, payments, menus, and whatever else communications by just uploading an email list and choosing a few variables related to your event.

I've been finding most people prefer the flat rate over the hourly rate, but it probably just depends some on the person and the business. I think the flat rate allows people to more accurately budget things.

I still offer both when it comes to pricing and for some tasks I'll only work on an hourly basis.

You might be able to offer a flat rate up to a given number of hours and then give an hourly rate for any extra time.

Great idea. I'll let it stew in my head for a little bit but so far I like it.