| We've all known someone who needs to make | | | | need new tyres right?). |
| some cash real fast. Or perhaps we've been in | | | | Next stop was a florist (it happened to be the |
| that position ourselves. A friend of mine recently | | | | next shop I came to in the block). "Why would I |
| needed to pay a rather large bill and didn't have | | | | want to advertise on a board in a car auction?", |
| the cash to pay it. | | | | says the woman. "Well, the place is full to bursting |
| It made me recall a time when I needed the | | | | with guys twice a week", says I. "All these guys |
| same. Sometimes all it needs is to think outside | | | | have wives or girlfriends, who have birthdays, or |
| the box a little. | | | | they get a bunch of flowers 'cos the guy was |
| I was 19 years old ( loooong time ago now) and | | | | late home etc". She took an ad spot. |
| needed some cash to buy a second hand car I | | | | By the time I covered two blocks I had the spots |
| had my eye on. Here's what I did... | | | | sold. I also had cash and checks in my hand... in |
| I went to the local car auction and having been | | | | advance! |
| there before, I saw that the auctioneer was | | | | Then it was just a case of buying a couple of |
| standing up there on his dais while all these guys | | | | plywood sheets, painting them white, buying the |
| stood in front of him. I got to thinking that the | | | | stick on letters and dividing up the board into the |
| wall behind this guy was just a blank wall with | | | | separate ad blocks. I paid a friend, (who was a bit |
| paint peeling off etc. real scruffy. | | | | more nimble fingered than me) to put the |
| I approached the owner of the car auction place | | | | lettering on the board. Bought the clock from a |
| and offered to put up an advertising board behind | | | | second hand store. Installed it at the auction a |
| the dais. It would advertise local businesses and in | | | | week later. |
| the centre of the board would be a shiny brass | | | | The auction owner is happy with his freshened up |
| clock, with the name of the auction, phone | | | | backdrop, the local business owners are happy |
| number etc underneath as one of the ad spaces | | | | and feeling a bit smug that they are the only |
| on the board. | | | | business of their type on the board. I'm happy |
| 'OK, how much would this clock cost me?", says | | | | becuase i've got my dosh! And quickly. And I was |
| the guy. | | | | paid in advance. Bada Bing! |
| I was a bit dumbstruck because I was prepared | | | | I could have driven to the next town (in my 'new' |
| to cut him in on a percentage of the ads, but I | | | | second hand car) and done exactly the same |
| just told him I would do it all for free for him and | | | | again, but I kind of moved on to other things. |
| he'd have a much more professional and | | | | A quick $2,000 bucks by the weekend. Easy if |
| presentable backdrop for his wall. He agreed. | | | | you just think outside the square a bit! |
| Next step was that I went to the local tyre shop | | | | And, of course you can go back a year later and |
| and told the owner that an ad board was going | | | | see if the advertisers want to keep their spot on |
| up at the local car auction in a couple of weeks | | | | the board for the next 12 months or lose it to |
| and only ONE local tyre depot would be allowed to | | | | one of their competitors....So, another $2,000 in |
| advertise on it. $25.00 a spot or $40 for a double | | | | your sweaty little hands! |
| spot. | | | | These days though, it is far easier to earn money |
| He snatched my hand off (most car auction cars | | | | online! So that's what I do! |