Newspaper Route

PeeWee · #1 07-09-2005, 01:10 PM

I signed up to be a delivery person for my local newspaper. Im only doing it 1 day a week. The granddaddy of all newspaper days SUNDAY!!!

The premise is simple. Slip in a Party Poker flier in the box with every paper. The area I cover rotates. So I have fresh possible clients ever other week.

They way I rationalize it is this. I am getting paid suprisingly well for about 4 hours work. I am getting paid to market myself. It is a win/win situation.

The reason I came up with the idea to deliver is this. Every Monday I have been going to the most popular newspaper boxes in the area, buying a paper, then leaving behind a stack of 20 fliers in the box. I hit about 6-10 newspaper boxes.
The results have been very good.

Since I knew the newspaper angle worked, I needed to grab a larger audience. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Deliver the paper.

If you try this, I must warn you of something first. Do not put the flier in the paper with the other ads. Place it on top of the paper in the box. The newspaper might say you are stealing from them if you put it in the paper itself.

Has anyone else tried this?

Georgia Poker · #2 07-09-2005, 01:22 PM

I think you're facing some major legal risks by doing this. The paper can easily track who is doing this if people complain. You're also going after WAY too broad of an audience by stuffing them into newspapers and/or boxes. When I first started doing this I stuffed poker books at the Barnes and Noble book stores around town. I got virtually NO response to it. Over the years I've come to realize that targeted, well though out campaigns pay the biggest dividends.

If you're wondering whether I truly know what I'm talking about consider that I haven't seen a sub 10K MGR month from Party since March of 2004. And that's only one site that I promote B) Also keep in mind that the vast majority of my advertising is offline. I have a bunch of sites but better than 60% of my income comes from offline marketing.

PeeWee · #3 07-09-2005, 02:34 PM

I have many people stuff fliers in my paper box at my house. I doubt they have had any legal ramifications. Most people consider it junk and throw it away never giving it a second thought. The only way you get in trouble is putting something in the mailbox. That is mail fraud. By placing the flier on top of the paper, it is as if someone drove by and placed it there.

I understand where you are coming from and welcome your advice. I Think placing cards in poker books and poker chips is too narrow of a marketing approach. You are targeting a area that is hit way too hard.

There is no such thing as a market that is too broad. Especially since it is not costing me a dime to promote. I agree i could be taking a risk. But a very small risk since the flier is not incorporated with the paper itself.

PPP · #4 07-09-2005, 04:03 PM

I think breaking the law is a poor business model. But I know other people disagree.

And to be blunt, doing anything that Party could close your account for is crazy.

GregK · #5 07-09-2005, 04:26 PM

Has anyone tried legit bulk mailings thru USPS? 3x5 cards or ?

Been thinkin about it myself.

I helped with a few in the past for realtors, you can target a fairly small area using Zip+4

cheers

ICISIC · #6 07-09-2005, 04:58 PM

hey pewee u just leave a bunch of fliers ontop of the newpaper box? what keeps them from not flying away?

corpfan1 · #7 07-09-2005, 05:46 PM

No...he puts them in the box on top of the stack of papers.

ICISIC · #8 07-09-2005, 05:49 PM

pewee whats a good response? how much mgr?

PeeWee · #9 07-09-2005, 06:11 PM

Actually it is like this. The big metal vendor boxes are independantly owned. I know the person who owns close to 10 of them. I have permission to place my fliers inside the vendor box.

PPP I do not see how this is even close to breaking the law.

The other boxes are the residence box that is usually right next to the mail box. In my area it is perfectly legal and encouraged to place ad's or fliers in someones newspaper box. By placing mine in the box as I deliver the paper is just good time management on my part.

Again, I do not see how this is even close to breaking the law.

I have been putting the fliers in the vendor box's for about 3 weeks and have 32 RMP out of 60 total downloads. I have placed about 300 fliers. Costing me a total of $6.

ICISIC · #10 07-09-2005, 06:15 PM

ok now ur talking about the main newspapers like USA today? now what were to happen if the box is owned by the paper and you have no private owned boxes around u? also do u put the flier in the paper or do u leave them at the front of every paper?