Don't Just Rely on Signages. Use the Power of Word-Of-Mouth

(courtesy of safetysign.com)

Imagine being relocated from a very high-traffic part of the Mall to a virtual DEAD ZONE and you can imagine the anxiety and worry that I went through when that just happened to my Lotto Outlet just last week.

To top it all, there are about 5 or 6 other lotto outlets within spitting distance (5o meters or less) from where I was located. The new site is exactly 80 steps (50 meters) away from my high-traffic site.

I knew my lotto customers will not be able to find me as they got used to just seeing my lotto outlet just upon entering the mall.

I placed a Tarp signage (in Bright Yellow background and Blue "Lotto" word across it) but only a handful saw the sign during our first 7 days and you know what brought my loyal lotto customers back , it was WORD-OF-MOUTH, to wit:

1. I stood on my old site and started giving out PCSO Lotto Playcards for them to place their bets and directed (escorted) them to my site;

2. The sales personnel of former

neighboring tenants who also pointed my lotto customers in the right direction;

3. Security Roving Guards also played a prominent role as many lotto customers asked the guards where my lotto outlet is now located;

4. And like a snowball effect, those lotto customers who were fortunate to find my lotto outlet during the crucial first 5 days also spread the word to their neighbors and friends who were also my lotto customers.

Signages are good but nothing like going out there and talking to your loyal lotto customers.

Yuppie Market presents The Scramble Clone Wars

If my post title sounds Luke Skywalker-ish, it is because I am a Star Wars fan and I especially liked the original versions--Star Wars, the Empire Strikes Back.

During the WOFEX 2010, there is this company called Ferna Corporation, a supplier of food ingredients. I understand from the Ferna Saleperson that they can provide the food ingredients to make your own Zagu or Scramble. In fact she showed me a bag of strawberry powder.


Chef Ronald of the Ferna Morning show was on hand fielding questions from a big crowd of would-be small business owners about products to sell using Ferna's food ingredients.


(Ferna's range of products from soft serve ice cream --think Mr softy, etc, shake powder -- think Zagu?, and other food powders-- Do-It-Yourself Scramble)

While it can be said that there is nothing like getting the original franchise (Icebreaker Scramble, Buzzbox Scramble, Scramble King) as presumably they have the system in place, some questions come to mind:

1. Wont the Scramble buyers get so tired with seeing so many brands of scrambles (both good-taste and bland-taste)?

2. Since Scramble has basic components, can't outfits like Ferna concoct the taste of any Scramble-type and copy it in a way that the customer can no longer differentiate? (Filipinos are known to be good copycats OUCH!)

3. Packaging will spell the difference but as I wrote in a previous blog post, Icebreaker Scramble and Scramble King have similar product and packaging appearances (http://wp.me/pBaHK-9F)

4. From the side of the cannot-afford small business owner, does it make business-sense to forgo the P200,000 franchise fee and have Ferna make your own Scramble and then, get a professional printer with a good graphic artist create a drop-dead bad-ass kind of packaging to wow the scramble crowd?

I might be inclined to get the Market leader of the Scramble craze based on taste, market reach which correlates to market promotion, quality of organization, efficiency of logistics and lastly, profit margin for me.

It is no easy thing to make your own product and brand but what if you cannot swing the high cost of entry of the franchisor?


I hope you guys reading this can send me your comments. See ya! http://wp.me/pBaHK-9F

Cheap but Delicious: Roadside BBQ Resto

My friend Vangie sent me a couple of SMSs today about a Roadside BBQ restaurant that has been packing in the motorists:

1. They serve BBQs like squid, chicken, pork loin & other meats and served with Java rice ( just like other BBQ stands) but what makes them standout is the SAUCE.

2. Customers are the Class B, C and D travelling their part of Cavite (southeast of Manila)

3. The structure is not even made of concrete hollow blocks but rather a patchwork of different pieces of wood nailed together.

4. There are wooden tables and seats all around.

5. The owner has 4 boys who do the BBQing, cleaning etc.

6. Vangie thinks the owner probably did not spend a lot in investment.

7. The restaurant is surrounded by rice fields (so nothing spectacular)


What do you think?

Today My PCSO Lotto Outlet is Now 2 Years Old!!!!

Today, OUR LOTTO OUTLET IS NOW 2 YEARS OLD.

We have faced many challenges but as we start our New 2nd Year, we look at it with High Optimism are are EXCITED TO START A NEW DAWN.

Thank you to all our VALUED CUSTOMERS AND SUKIS!!!!

Following are some pics of our HOME AWAY FROM HOME:



Our Lotto Customer was SURPRISED when after scratching just 3 PCSO Lotto scratch it cards, she won P50,000!!! Since then, she goes to my Lotto Outlet almost everyday to play the Lotto Scratch It Card!!!



My supervisor and operator took turns decorating our Lotto Ticket Trash bin with PCSO Lotto Scratch It cards which are more pleasing to look at than an ordinary trash can.



We turned our Lotto Terminal Front Windows into a Glass Billboard of PCSO Lotto Scratch It cards and it really never ceases to fascinate first-time Lotto scratch it players as they try to decide which among the 20 or so choices to pick.



STILL OUR BREAD AND BUTTER BUSINESS, WE WILL ALWAYS DO OUR BEST TO SERVE OUR PCSO LOTTO PLAYERS IN THE MOST EXCELLENT WAY WE CAN. WE OWE OUR LIVELIHOOD TO THEM. THANK YOU TO OUR SUKIS AND FIRST-TIME PLAYERS.



The Front Lotto terminal windows and top of our Lotto Outlet serves as an INFORMATION CENTER FOR EVERYTHING "LOTTO". Out Lotto customers get to know the Lotto Games Scheduled, the Jackpot amounts for all Lotto and Digit Games, the results of the EZ2 2pm and 5pm draws (very important to our Lotto custoimers who visit our Lotto outlet 3 times a day 7 days a week!!!) and more.




Official Price List of all PCSO Lotto and Digit Games




Lucky Cat watching over my Lotto Customers as she dispenses LUCK to one and all



The All-important DAILY LOTTO RESULTS to guide our lotto customers for the today's lotto games.



OUR MONTHLY SUMMARY OF LOTTO RESULTS for our Lotto aficionadoes who do their Statistical Analysis of the Winning Numbers and have been know to stare at the Monthly Summary for an hour or so before they actually play the day's lotto games.



The search for Small bills and Coins is a constant struggle every day of a Lotto Outlet's operation. We have customers who insist on paying for their P10 bet with a P1,000 bill!!!!



The PCSO EZ2 Digit game has 3 draws every day at 2pm, 5pm and 9pm. Monday to Sunday, our Lotto customers would visit us 3 times thorughout the day to play the game 3 times and to check the Lotto results twice a day!!! WE DARE NOT BE LATE IN POSTING THE 2PM AND 5PM RESULTS.



WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED OUR SHORT SHORT STORY ABOUT OUR SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF OUR LOTTO OUTLET. WE HOPE TO AROUND FOR YEARS TO COME, OUR HUMBLE SMALL BUSINESS PROVIDING LIFE TO US.

Should you wish to know How to Setup and Operate a Lotto Outlet, you can text me at 0922-8831225. See ya!

My Debatable List of Places to Drink Coffee

1. Starbucks - A place to think of serious stuff like business ideas and posting on blogs



2. Dunkin Donut Dine-in - Enjoy good & cheap coffee on the run

3. Not Top-10 brand name coffeeshop/ Burger King - Free WIFI

4. Forgot-the-Name Coffee shop at 4th Floor Farmer's Mall - 3-In-1 coffee for P8 when am super "barat" (cheapskate)

4. Nescafe 3-In-1 Sachet while at Home - Grouchy on waking up

PFA 2010 Franchise Expo: JapDog, New Concept for a Traditional SnackTesting Filipino Appetites

JapDog is a new variation of the Hotdog stand.

JapDog looks like a chopped hotdog sprinkled with seaweed shavings on top and with a sweet teriyaki-like sauce (according to my tongue) and retails for P35, You may also order an Apple-flavored drink with it.




My problem is if the Filipino will like the taste of seaweeds (as in that paper-like green thing wrapping your sushi) and I think I would prefer the sauce to be sweet and spicy to add bite. Feedback is that some customers are asking if it can be ordered with rice (Filipinos need rice to survive)

Siomai (Chinese Dimsum) Saleable Here, but Not There

Siomai (Steamed Chinese Dimsum made of Pork) is one of the bestselling franchise businesses in Manila. It is usually paired with Gulaman Juice (Filipino drink made of Caramellized Sugar and Gelatin). Its popularity is because for a total of P35 (US$0.70), you get 4pcs of Siomai (P25 or US$0.50) and Gulaman Juice (US$0.20), you get a meal that could last maybe a while till you can eat a regular meal at home.

The Siomai business tends to work with branded names Siomai House ( US$5,000 franchise fee), Master Siomai or HenLin (the former and longest running name). The meal attracts a lot of Office workers and salespersons as it fits their minimum salary wage level.

In the mall where I operate, there is an own-brand siomai that is doing very well selling up to P25,000/day (US$500) on a rent of P30,000/month (US$600) and food cost of maybe 25%. The thing is they tried duplicating the business in other places (the airport, across a school) but from what I have heard, they have not been that successful.

Maybe you readers could offer up some reason by clicking the Comment button below the Post Title.

EARN EXTRA MONEY NOW! No. 002

B. FOR SALE

1. 2007 Chrysler 300C Sedan Black 7,000km only. Impressive to
look at. Imposing to Drive.

2. Fishmeal for Poultry growers and Piggery Owners. Minimum Order
One truckload. High-Quality. In short supply.

3. For Film Lovers, CAnon EOS 300 with 298-85mm Lens, Original
Canon Strap and Steel Protective Grill. P3,888 nego.

4. Warehouse 1,000sqm Floor Area, Standard Ceiling Height,
Flood-Free, Not affected By Ondoy, Can handle space and
weight of 40-footer Container van Drive-thru.

EARN EXTRA MONEY NOW! NO. 001

A. LOOKING FOR

1. High-Quality Print Shop to print Logo and Text both-sides
on 1,000pcs T-Shirt with Collar and Front Pocket.

2. Supplier for 1,000pcs T-Shirt with Collar and Front Pocket (Polo)

3. Studio or 1-BR Condo near Technopark, Santa Rosa, Laguna

4. Supplier for 3 units Vespa Compressor 2hp 120-liter Tank
capacity with Auto-shut switch and Pressure gauge

5. White Standard Uniform and shoes for Nurse and Doctor

6. Doctor's medical bag

7. Supplier of 1,000pcs Olympic-brand Hand Towel with Logo and
Text print on one side

8. 2,000sqm Warehouse Flood-free Standard 8-meter height and
can accommodate 40-footer container van truck-mounted
Location: Davao and Cagayan de Oro

Call me at pldt 514=2905 or text me 0922-8831225