Neon Signs:Rainbow

[Elihu 0]

Hello, everyone. I know signs have made everybody on here alot of money. But, are there any investors on this site who knows putting up signs is wrong, (if their area suggests that it is), and has decided out of good morality that they will not put up signs anymore? If so, please, I would like to talk with you on what other creative ways you have used in the past and present to market your business. Also, can you explain what really works and doesn't. Here is my situation: I am a novice investor who has networked his way up to building a business with a big player/investor in Jacksonville, Fl. He has agreed to become my mentor and teach me the business. He is very good at what he does in this business. However, he constantly tells me that signs are the lifeblood of the business, (bandit signs). He makes his biggest deals from them, so at the beginning I went on ahead and helped put out signs with him, but then found out that I was breaking the local ordinance in that city, and that it is illegal to put out signs without a permit. So, then I said I will try and get a permit, but the city doesn't issue permits for bandit signs. So, as time went on I kept putting them out knowing that it was illegal, and finally my conscience just wouldn't let me do it anymore. I told my coach that this is wrong and I can't do it anymore. He said he understands, and now he has given me the task of finding other ways to drum up leads. I put doorknockers out but, man, that is some hard work to put out a 1000 or more. But my conscience doesn't bother me any more because there is no ordinance against doing it that way. However, I'm not getting any calls from them. 1 maybe per 500. So, guys and gals, please share with me a way that I can prove to my coach that there are other better legal ways to get deals, than doing it illegally. Please share your answers. Sorry for the length, but I wanted everyone to know exactly where I'm coming from with this question. Thanks.

[Doug Pretorius (ON) 9]

First of I'd just like to say that I think it's GREAT that you listen to your conscience, that's a rare thing these days, most people have beaten their consciences down so much they hardly function anymore.

 

On the sign issue, I would suggest reading the actual ordinance to find out where the loopholes are. It's easier for a code officer to tell you: "You can't put up any signs." Instead of telling you what you can do. In many places there are exceptions to the rule, for example: you may be able to put signs up on weekends, or during elections (since the candidates are doing so many), or in certain areas in certain ways.

 

My own market is made up of 3 cities, and each city has it's own regulations. But in each city I can put signs up in a certain way. For example, in the city I live, I can put posters of a certain size on poles which the city has put "poster sleeves" on. These are plastic sleeves that cover 3-4 feet of the pole and can be easily removed by the city, taking all the unsightly rusted nails and staples with it. The other cities have more lenient rules for signs that advertise your business.

 

And in each of the cities, I'm free to place signs for SELLING houses, on poles or stakes anywhere.

 

So read the actual law, and ask what the city does about realtors and builders signs, and see what you can do with signs that won't bother your conscience.