Iguanadon Posted June 8, 2018 Report Posted June 8, 2018 Well, I've been so busy with my new map business that I have not cut a puzzle in over 2 weeks... The map came out and it has rave reviews, folks love it. So I've been distributing it and getting it into the hands of tourists at key locations. Then, literally 3 weeks ago I came up with an idea... What's the most common question by visitors... "Where should we eat?" Not an easy decision when you don't know your options... so, how about a Dining Guide? Full page per restaurant showing their entire menu. Many hotels, motels and rental houses might have a basket full of take-out menus, many of them outdated. So something consistent and easy to read is needed. Each page has a similar layout and design. Key information about the restaurant at the top, then show their entire menu. Page after page. Rather than wait a year I wanted to get it created this summer. By July 1st in time for the next major holiday. So, I spent 4 days visiting every restaurant on the island and got 21 of them to sign. Then I had to create each of their pages, keying their menus and now my wife is formatting and making them look nice. Printing begins this Monday and then I have to bind them (myself)... 800 copies for every hotel, motel and as many rental condos and houses as possible. Images show my map, front and back and my new dining guide. I had 2 printed as prototypes to check the thickness of paper, colors, etc. It's been quite a whirlwind. Next year, the Dining Guide is going to become the Everything Guide (not the real name) which will include Restaurants, Bars, Ice Cream Shops, Retail Shops, Entertainment and Lodging... I can sign just about every business on the island in theory. I'll start the selling process in September so I can have it created and ready for distribution in March. Goal is to sign 100 businesses to be in it in 2019. If I'm successful at doing that I'll be able to let Mrs. Iggy quit her day job. Whew, I'm exhausted... Oh, and I'm still selling puzzles every Saturday at one event or another. Glad I stockpiled over the winter. Iggy munzieb, Phantom Scroller, meflick and 4 others 7 Quote
Woodmaster1 Posted June 8, 2018 Report Posted June 8, 2018 That's too busy of a schedule for me. Good luck on your new business to go with your two or three other enterprises. OCtoolguy 1 Quote
Iguanadon Posted June 8, 2018 Author Report Posted June 8, 2018 6 hours ago, Woodmaster1 said: That's too busy of a schedule for me. Good luck on your new business to go with your two or three other enterprises. Seriously, this one almost knocked me out... Way too aggressive of a timeline, but it's getting done. Oh, and I may be changing jobs within my company which will mean a little more "actual work", but still work from home and no travel, so that's good. OCtoolguy 1 Quote
orangeman Posted June 8, 2018 Report Posted June 8, 2018 Wow! Amazing! I was wondering just the other day how the map thingy was coming along. Thanks for the update. Will there be discount coupons in the dining guide? Folks love coupons. bb OCtoolguy 1 Quote
Iguanadon Posted June 8, 2018 Author Report Posted June 8, 2018 43 minutes ago, orangeman said: Wow! Amazing! I was wondering just the other day how the map thingy was coming along. Thanks for the update. Will there be discount coupons in the dining guide? Folks love coupons. bb Good thought about coupons. I leave that up to the restaurants. Most, if not all don't really need to do them during the summer season, but it would be great to offer discounts for residents during the off-season. OCtoolguy 1 Quote
stevan Posted June 8, 2018 Report Posted June 8, 2018 When do you find time to sleep!?!?! OCtoolguy 1 Quote
orangeman Posted June 8, 2018 Report Posted June 8, 2018 1 hour ago, Iguanadon said: Good thought about coupons. I leave that up to the restaurants. Most, if not all don't really need to do them during the summer season, but it would be great to offer discounts for residents during the off-season. And if there were coupons you would have print more booklets as folks would tear out the coupons and then render those booklets useless. OCtoolguy 1 Quote
Iguanadon Posted June 8, 2018 Author Report Posted June 8, 2018 2 hours ago, stevan said: When do you find time to sleep!?!?! What's funny is I do all of this between 7am and 5pm. I don't do any puzzle cutting or anything else in the evenings and I cherish my 7 1/2 hours of sleep every night. danny and OCtoolguy 2 Quote
Iguanadon Posted June 8, 2018 Author Report Posted June 8, 2018 2 hours ago, orangeman said: And if there were coupons you would have print more booklets as folks would tear out the coupons and then render those booklets useless. On the maps, coupons would be ok, but yep, couldn't do them in the guide/book... Each place gets 1 copy. They'll have to pay for replacements. OCtoolguy 1 Quote
Rockytime Posted June 9, 2018 Report Posted June 9, 2018 WHEW! You have exhausted me! OCtoolguy 1 Quote
Iguanadon Posted June 9, 2018 Author Report Posted June 9, 2018 (edited) And for the record, for those sitting there thinking "Just pull everything up on your phone!" Sure, that's somewhat handy, but imagine sitting in your rental condo or house with 6 people trying to decide where to go eat... Yelp, Tripadvisor, etc are OK, but it's not easy pulling up the menus of 21 restaurants and sharing and comparing. The hotels and motels are ecstatic that I'm making this guide. They get asked dozens of times every day and night from guests where they should go eat. And as mentioned, the rental condos and houses, at best, have a basket full of outdated take-out menus. Old school is coming back into play. Internet/phones simply have too much to try to sort through. 2019 is going to be amazing when I expand it to beyond restaurants. I want it to be the "go to guide". No other pamphlet or booklet dedicates a full page to every business. I can't wait to start selling it in starting in September. Edited June 9, 2018 by Iguanadon OCtoolguy 1 Quote
wombatie Posted June 9, 2018 Report Posted June 9, 2018 I once told you I would hate to be in your head because it is sooooooooooooooooo busy, it is not slowing down any, is it??????????????????????????? These images are whats inside your head. I am happy for you Scott, it was a fabulous idea. Today Carolina Beach, tomorrow the State, next week the country, next year THE WORLD. Marg meflick, OCtoolguy and Iguanadon 1 2 Quote
Iguanadon Posted June 9, 2018 Author Report Posted June 9, 2018 10 hours ago, wombatie said: I once told you I would hate to be in your head because it is sooooooooooooooooo busy, it is not slowing down any, is it??????????????????????????? These images are whats inside your head. I am happy for you Scott, it was a fabulous idea. Today Carolina Beach, tomorrow the State, next week the country, next year THE WORLD. Marg Oh Marg, you have no idea all that rattles around in my head... my newest idea has major potential... I've only shared it with a couple of close friends because I don't want anyone to steal the idea... It's a big undertaking logistics wise, but not a huge initial investment. If I can get the ducks in a row, maybe in January I'll be able to share my latest brainstorm. LOL wombatie and OCtoolguy 2 Quote
rjweb Posted June 10, 2018 Report Posted June 10, 2018 Sorry I was late to the party, I didn’t see you around, and forgot about the coffee house, glad to see you didn’t fall off the earth, RJ Quote
Iguanadon Posted June 12, 2018 Author Report Posted June 12, 2018 (edited) 800 copies being printed right now. But here is the dining guide online... http://coastalbizmaps.com/dining.html I'm picking up 450 copies tomorrow so I can start binding them. I'll quickly see how exciting that's going to be. LOL Edited June 12, 2018 by Iguanadon Quote
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