Business idea, please let me know what you think

**CharlieB** · 07-07-2010 08:28 AM

I've had an idea for a business which could revolutionise billboard advertising. My idea would be to have a giant animal holding up the billboard by the side of the road, this should draw publicity to the advert from the media and people will take more notice of it driving past. The company with the advert would pay extra (than a normal billboard) to have it held up by an animal and a further expansion range could be the animal in the form of a small child play toy. I know this doesn't solve a problem, and it is just an idea at the moment and I think it's quite creative but would this be a viable business?

Please let me know what you think

Thanks

Charlie

**Encrypted** · 07-07-2010 10:40 AM

Ehh, it's unique and creative, but I don't see you making any more money from that than you would a normal billboard. Not to mention that buying the animal base would cost more than a standard steel pole, due to its complexity.

**CharlieB** · 07-08-2010 09:13 AM

another idea ive come up with is magazines or books printed in reverse so you start reading from the back. This may sound weird but I think there may be a market for it, there is a group on facebook for this Reading Magazines From Back To Front | Facebook. Does this sound like a viable business idea?

**rogercbryan** · 07-08-2010 10:09 AM

Look up the advertisements that Chick-Fil-A does... they already do this... all that means is that you have a good idea...

**JKansas** · 07-08-2010 10:11 AM

Seriously?

That facebook group has 91 members....

**CharlieB** · 07-08-2010 10:34 AM

i know that group has only 91 members, i was just trying to prove that the concept exists. Albeit the market will be small.

I'd really appreciate it if some of you could give me some advice. I've just taken a summer job at a local pub and im about to get my first pay check, although i'm wondering whats best to do with my money in the short term. My dream is to have a multi national business but to get there I need to start somewhere first, I come up with ideas similar to those in my posts above a lot so do I wait until I come with a good enough idea to start a business (which could be a while, although I hope not!) but this is getting very frustrating and i'm worried im just procrastinating. Or should I try and flog wholesale brought products on ebay? My reservations on this are that i'm not passionate about this as i'd just be selling similar stuff to everyone else and only competing on price and my ideal business would be more unique.

Another idea ive had is to invest in stocks and shares but im not sure if i will have enough money (about £200) to do this.

Also im coming out to America soon so any businesses out there you think may give me inspiration or a concept which could work in the UK, id appreciate you recommending me some.

Thanks for reading and I hope you can give me a point in the right direction

Thanks

Charlie

**Mega B** · 07-08-2010 10:37 AM

Charlie i take it you are based out of the UK if so what area ???

**rogercbryan** · 07-08-2010 10:57 AM

Did you research the cost associated with a billboard? In the US they run $2000 to $10,000+ a month depending on the location. If you are going to be successful in this you'll need to strike a contract with a supplier of the billboards and then go out and sell the billboards at a mark-up based on your unique advertising perspective. It won't be easy but a lot of people make a lot of money working as a reseller of other peoples products.

Don't buy stocks... you don't have to invest your money so quickly. You need to save it until a real opportunity comes along. I spent almost 10 years trying to invest every penny I made into worthless ideas. Save your money so that you'll have it when the right idea comes along.

**CharlieB** · 07-08-2010 11:35 AM

Mega B- Yes i'm at uni in London doing business management

Roger- Thanks for the advice, i haven't yet done any research with the billboards. Its purely an idea at the moment and if I feel passionate about it (like it being an idea that keeps me up at night, which i've had a few of) and then if i feel its the right idea for me then ill go ahead with it and pursue the market research. Do you know of any unique/inspirational businesses I should look out for in the LA area?

Also leading on from the market research, i've never done any before but if i was going to do some online market research, ive thought of buying email addresses (maybe 1000) and holding a competition for the respondents. This should draw back enough responses to form a sample. What do people think of this?

Many thanks

**JKansas** · 07-08-2010 11:50 AM

I would suggest you spend your time reading around here and reading a few books on entrepreneurship and business. Check out yoru local library or spend that first check on some of those books. Learn some business basics and how to research properly.

Once you have this understanding then you'll know what to do when you have an idea like this! I am like you, I have several ideas and at the moment and no way of executing them. At this time I write them down, secure anything i'm concerned about losing (domains mostly) and spend a few minutes each day learning about the idea or researching it. This research should tell you how viable and if it's worth it! You probably won't find anything in your research that is a blatant yes! But hopefully you find enough in that reasearch to either kill the idea or go for it. If you decide to go for it then you've already helped out your execution by learning about it every day. There is a lot of great info on this forum with some really intelligent and helpful people.

Stocks are hard... if it's not your passion then I wouldn't suggest it. You can spend hours doing research on companies only to be wrong due to market conditions!

**Omniflux** · 07-08-2010 01:43 PM

I think the billboard idea would not be so great. You would have to get some kind of mold made for the giant animals and molds are EXPENSIVE! I know a guy that is starting a sunglasses company and to get the molds made for his sunglasses it is $1000 a piece. So I cant even imagine how expensive it would be to make a mold that huge. Then you need the cost for what your going to use in the mold whether its plastic or fiberglass it is going to break the bank. I cant imagine it being profitable.

**awayoflife** · 07-09-2010 01:42 PM

If you were interested in advertising, as I would be in the future, then I think that mobile advertising could be very promosing. Advertising trailers Extrawheel - Advert Trailer is one site that has a product that would enable this. If you purchashed several of these and paid people to cycle around London you could have a business. There are several products like this, including one that is more compact which I would have favoured but i can't find the site at the minute