Spin off business opportunities and getting buyers!

[eimanshalash]

My original business concept was to create ready-made resources for science lessons.

This hasn't changed but a recent project has propelled the business a little further. I have already spoken to several people about this on here. But the Top Careers in Science has been such a great concept that I am now working on the Top Careers in the Motor Industry, Top Careers in Maths and Top Careers in Construction.

Each generates approximately £24,000 worth of sponsorship (per game). However, the sponsorship basically pays for everything up to production and marketing.

These sorts of games are more commercial than educational (played smilarly like Top Trumps) although they are also bought by schools.

I am on a steep learning curve and realised the following major weaknesses:

1) Marketing the concept
2) Obtaining a distribution link e.g with major retailers to get the cards in stores.

Since I realised this major weakness I began sending press releases and approached a few stores...lots of rejections but WHSmith in Ilford said they will trial them.

So two articles have now been written in my local papers. See link here to one of the articles (the other one didn't show me in a flattering light!):

http://www.guardian-series.co.uk//di...ards_right.php

Last week I attended a meeting at the South Bank Innovation Centre (I think it's LKIP??). And they advised me to focus on the current games I had rather than on developing more games. So that I have to build the brand and company name. This I really agree with.

So although my strength is creating projects and obtaining sponsorship reletively easily (takes up to 10 months from beginning to end where the end is having the games marketed to all secondary schools) my weakness is forging links so that the product itself is out in the public arena so to speak.

i parallel my business, rather flattering myself!, to Rachel Lowe's Destination London. She managed to obtain sponsorship and match it with a bank loan to create the game. Then she successfully obtained an order from Hamley's to get the games 'out there'. I'm at the stage where I need to get the games out there and need to understand how?

It sounds like a long rant but I sincerely am working really hard at this approach. Today is my last day for business time before I collect my daughter from the babysitters. I have a couple of hours left! So would appreciate any nuggets of wisdom from others here.

Eiman

P.S I met Rachel Lowe at the Toy Fair this year and she also gave a great inspiring talk about her experience at an award ceremony for the awardees at the Insititute of Bournemouth/Enterprise pavilion...wish I could find the podcast for you.

[propertybytube]

Sounds like you have achieved a lot in a very short period.

What is the purpose of this post, are you looking to sell your company or are you looking for someone to help you to market your product?

quite interested in your product, if you want to tell me more about the product, please email me at

greencarclub @ yahoo. co. uk

[eimanshalash]

I'm sorry it's not clear what my point was...I was after some advice on strengthening my weakness which is getting the games to the shops

I thought if I gave a little more detail to where I am then it is clearer..shows what I know!


So if anyone has ideas or contacts that may help then I'm all ears.

[propertybytube]

Have you patented the game?

[eimanshalash]

Originally posted by propertybytube
Have you patented the game?

As I mentioned the game is based on Top Trumps..a generic game which isn't patentable as far as I'm aware.

There have been many types of these sorts of games e.g Chemistry Trumps see my website: www.loopgames.co.uk/games.aspx

Mine focuses on careers only.

[propertybytube]

ok, then who is your target market? Career advisors?

I think this product is more suitable to market it via direct marketing by someone who is familiar with education sector rather than through mainstream retail route.

Correct me if I am wrong.

Can you create this game for other career like accountancy?

What your contact detail that I could reach you?

[eimanshalash]

Originally posted by propertybytube
ok, then who is your target market? Career advisors?

I think this product is more suitable to market it via direct marketing by someone who is familiar with education sector rather than through mainstream retail route.

Correct me if I am wrong.

Can you create this game for other career like accountancy?

What your contact detail that I could reach you?

That's right..there's so many spin offs from this I could go on forever with them. Top Careers in Finance, Top Careers in IT & Technology are currently being researched for the University market.

And further still each major conglomerate can produce their own pack for their own company e.g Top Careers in PWC etc etc.

That's what I mean by spin off projects from a simple concept.

If you have any questions just contact me otherwise I'll just be repeating myself with an e-mail to you..my add is e munro at loopgames dot co dot uk.

[eimanshalash]

BTW Target market for the Top Careers in science are Science teachers and Career advisors. Clearly career advisors are more appropriate for ALL the games but each subject specific attracts their specialist teachers.

For example I'm a science teacher by profession and would use the game to do a project on the variety of careers in science for pupils..that how the original concept started by getting more children interested in science through playing card games.

Although it's moving on to doing that AND being a potentially commercial project rather than JUST a social enterprise.

[Genesis77]

Originally posted by propertybytube


Can you create this game for other career like accountancy?

Brilliant.

[propertybytube]

Originally posted by eimanshalash
BTW Target market for the Top Careers in science are Science teachers and Career advisors. Clearly career advisors are more appropriate for ALL the games but each subject specific attracts their specialist teachers.

For example I'm a science teacher by profession and would use the game to do a project on the variety of careers in science for pupils..that how the original concept started by getting more children interested in science through playing card games.

Although it's moving on to doing that AND being a potentially commercial project rather than JUST a social enterprise.

Have you heard of Rich Dad's cash flow Quadrant?

I will send you an email to discuss further of what I think you could do.

[eimanshalash]

The difference with this product is that it is paid for directly.

As I said I can create a Top Careers in Accountancy through my sponsors who pay to help me produce it.

I can also market it to the Universities and Schools including Secondary, Primary and Colleges. These are already my customers.

But I am taking the business up a notch to the commercial sector and have visions seeing the cards next to The Economist at Borders!!!!

Or near the Career shelves!

It's a great concept but very expensive.

'Luckily' I'm a fund raiser for voluntary organisations as well and one of my colleagues is an international fund raiser so I work to develop proposals and 'sell' them to sponsors directly.

It's a sort of win win if you see what I mean i.e. no need for a loan to develop it.

[broadman]

Email me if you want some marketing help

cheers

Jason

jason@broadbasemarketing.co.uk

[eimanshalash]

Originally posted by propertybytube
Have you heard of Rich Dad's cash flow Quadrant?

I will send you an email to discuss further of what I think you could do.

Thank you I look forward to receiving it.

I'm kind of curious because I've read the whole Rich Dad Poor Dad series including the Cashflow Quadrant.

Coincidently I'm reading the one titled 'Before you quit your job'!

I quit my job in Aug 2005 to begin this business!

[propertybytube]

Oh, really, I am listening to the audio book of 'Before you quit your job' at the moment.

Plenty of things for us to talk about then.

Back to your game thing, are you telling me that you got some companies to fund the development of the games and then you sell the games to career advisors without paying the money back to the sponsors?

In other words, you don't have to pay for the cost of the product and keep all the sales proceeds!!!!

[eimanshalash]

As the business is growing (rather fast and difficult to keep up with my limited time) I need to ensure I have a really good environment care policy due to the potential grand number of card games being produced.

This is something I'm researching further too.

The great thing is I used to source my printers overseas but when the UK printing firm caught site of my site they gave me a major discount compared to my overseas printers. This means that it works out far more cost effective to print the games in the UK. Plus they are far more reliable with the best quality I have seen so far and have their own environment policy so this adds value too.