The Great Ideas Letter Forum

Do it remotely

Posted By: Michael Ross
Date: Friday, 8 October 2004, at 8:23 a.m.

In Response To: renting Christmas decorations (Rod Newbound)

Thanks for your kinds words and ideas.

> Every year they have people approach them
> about buying their trees already decorated
> (and there is a a company which actually
> caters to that idea). The way they do it is
> they have a few standard pre-lighted
> "fake" trees from which the
> customer chooses. The customer orders from
> these and the tree is shipped directly from
> the warehouse to their home. For a 9'
> pre-lighted "flocked" fake tree
> the price is $300-$400. Some people buy even
> more expensive trees. And these trees have
> no ornaments.

How about creating such a tree, taking a photo of it, create a flyer which promotes "pre-decorated trees" and doing a flyer drop.

This way the lazy people wouldn't even have to go see the tree. And if you could do a deal with the same warehouse, you'd be a dropship seller.

> I worked for a place for a while in Seattle
> which paid a lot of money for
> "Victorian" dressed carolers to
> come in for about 30 minutes. Just another
> angle.

Hmmm.

CHRISTMAS CAROLERS WANTED. Cash daily. 555-5555

And provide them with costumes. You only need to pay them when you use them.

This way you could get into it even if you can't sing yourself.

> Think there isn't
> money in decorating? My wife's co-worker
> just told her she spent just one day doing a
> special decorating job for a single store
> locally which paid her $3400 for the
> job(this included the cost of the
> "set"). And this wasn't even for
> Christmas.

I wonder how much of that is the cost of the set.

The other day I was speaking with someone whose son-in-law does trade show exhibition set ups, or something like that (they weren't really too clear on it). What they did know was that the client paid to fly him across the country to set up the display; paid to fly him home again; then paid to fly him back and take down the display; and paid him something like $30,000 for his efforts - or so the story goes.

There is a bit more to it, I feel. But it is certainly interesting.

Michael Ross

Messages In This Thread

renting Christmas decorations
Rod Newbound -- Thursday, 7 October 2004, at 12:36 a.m.

Do it remotely
Michael Ross -- Friday, 8 October 2004, at 8:23 a.m.

Re: renting Christmas decorations
sandy -- Sunday, 10 October 2004, at 3:03 p.m.

Excellent idea!
Michael Ross -- Monday, 11 October 2004, at 8:18 a.m.