New ideas

[Bill]

Hi Kevin,

There is nothing better than word of mouth from your existing customers.

How about printing up a form that has a blank space for your existing customers to write in their name, that if brought in by some one they have given it to, and results in a contract, offers both, a free months rent?. Leave one (or more) in each of your existing customers mailbox.

All three benefit; you, your existing customer, and your new customer.

Good luck,

Bill

[radioguy]

Have you let everyone in HPP know about your business?
No P.O. boxs there!
Have you posted here:
http://hppneighbor.proboards30.com/index.cgi

Have you checked the web sites of every sub division in east hawaii?

Do you have signs on your car/truck?
Do you wear a t-shirt with your company name and info front and back?
What about every construction site?
What about tax records which show sales of new homes with the new owners name and address. After I bought my house I was drowning in this kind of mail.
How is the sign outside your business? Put up a huge banner.
Put up a sign everywhere people are held captive.
Do you have a small area for ads in your place? Trade it for free with real estate agents to let them place ads and they can do the same for you.
Some restaurants have ads in their menus now.
Stand on the corner with a big arrow sign that says "P.O. BOXES HERE"

O.K. Where are the bagels?

[Lucy]

Kevin,
Just a suggestion.
As others have mentioned that this will take maybe a year to bring up to speed.
If you both are stuggling financially and only need one person at your business, one of you might need to be working elsewhere until your business warrants having you both there. It would seem like you are both used to the job that you are doing now, so that one of you could be gone part or full time.
Don't know myself, only you two can deciede it, but may work for you.

Aloha,
Lucy

Having another Great day in Paradise, Wherever that Maybe!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheLanai

[allensylves]

Kevin,
There was an article in the Wednesday USA Today about Google offering FREE coupon ads in their Local Locator (?) section. You do not have to advertise with them or have a website, but of course, they hope you will advertise with them eventually.
Sounds like it would be worth checking out for you, along with the other good ideas.

Allen
Baton Rouge, LA & HPP

[Hotzcatz]

Aloha Kevin & Meghan,

It would seem most of your potential new clients would be newcomers. I'm not sure how exactly you would target them with your advertising, but if you could then I would think it would save some advertising efforts.

Is your storefront easily visible? Is it clean and bright? Is there a sign which says "Post Boxes Available" posted in the window? Maybe with a price list so when you aren't open folks can still see what you offer and how much it is? A phone number or some way they can get in contact with you if they aren't able to get there during your business hours?

"Pushy New Yorker" attitude may not be an asset in this locale, maybe you could try switching to chamomile tea instead of your morning coffee? (just a joke!)

On this island we have lots of businesses which wear many hats in order to survive. Can you expand beyond just mail boxes? Perhaps you could add a small cafe on the side? Pick up your mail, buy a manapua and some coffee and have a small table to sit and read your mail? You could find out whoever supplies 7-11 and the gas stations with their manapua and other snacks and since they don't have certified kitchens it should be okay for you to sell them as well. Sort of a coffee shop with mail.

Actually, just a small table and some chairs might be a good addition so your clients could read their mail when they pick it up.

Well, anyway, patience is also good. From what I understand, it can take several years usually before small businesses do much more than break even. However, if you are doing what you want and something you like, then it should be less like "work" one would hope.

A hui hou,
Cathy

[mella l]

Kevin I haven't re read all the threads about the mail so someone might have already suggested this. Where is the internet cafe in Pahoa? Perhaps putting a flyer up there might help also, as even tho people who are internet dependent still receive packages and such.

mella l

[haoleboy]

I'd suggest you rent Jet Skis also.

"If ths is just friendly banter, well, that's wonderful. Is this the case?"- Fishboy

[1 STOP MAIL SHOP]

Hello All,
Thank you for all of your Ideas, we will be applying some of them this week, dont think we will be doing any jet ski rentals here though,again we thank you for your ideas, keep them coming

Aloha

Kevin Costello & Meghan Wobles

[radioguy]

I expect to see you holding a big sign on the corner.

[Kapohocat]

What would help me is a big printer.... right now I have to go to Office Max to get 11 x 17 or bigger printed..... 45 mins each way to print a document.....