Advice on launching new marketing channel

[zed01]

I’ve got a strange question and am looking for some brutal feedback. I recently developed and launched a product – Kickstarter-funded, now sold on Amazon, and I’m also pursuing other retail distribution channels. But I think a good prospect for distribution could be as a new type of marketing channel for businesses. Brief explanation: the product is a laptop desk that’s made out of corrugated cardboard. It’s useful when lying in bed and working on the couch since it lifts the laptop’s weight and heat off the user’s lap- it holds up to about 20 pounds on a soft surface. It’s also handy as a mini-table while tailgating, for kids projects, etc. It folds flat, weighs 12 ounces, fits in a standard #7 padded envelope and is rated 5 stars on Amazon. Google ‘cardboard recyclable laptop desk’ if you’re interested in pictures and more info.
Since it’s corrugated cardboard, it’s inexpensive to produce, but its size makes shipping through the mail expensive, so mail order is not ideal.

Which brings me to my question: The product has a lot of printable real estate (when expanded it’s about 12x18x12inches) so I’m thinking about distributing it for free (door to door or other ways) and selling ads displayed on the product to local businesses. The product can easily last 6 months or more with regular use, so advertisers would get dozens of impressions to each user. I’m thinking of focusing on restaurants and other kinds of locally-focused businesses where repetition to a small audience is key. An ad would probably need to be about $1-1.50 per piece. I know that’s very high in comparison to direct mail, but this is something that could be used by virtually anyone for several months, so it would have more sticking power than a flyer, even if some are discarded or not used by recipients.
I plan to go talk to business owners for some feedback and I’d love to hear your views on this idea.
Thanks!

[Harold Mansfield]

Which brings me to my question: The product has a lot of printable real estate (when expanded it’s about 12x18x12inches) so I’m thinking about distributing it for free (door to door or other ways) and selling ads displayed on the product to local businesses. The product can easily last 6 months or more with regular use, so advertisers would get dozens of impressions to each user. I’m thinking of focusing on restaurants and other kinds of locally-focused businesses where repetition to a small audience is key. An ad would probably need to be about $1-1.50 per piece. I know that’s very high in comparison to direct mail, but this is something that could be used by virtually anyone for several months, so it would have more sticking power than a flyer, even if some are discarded or not used by recipients.
I plan to go talk to business owners for some feedback and I’d love to hear your views on this idea.
Thanks!

Why not get the cost down as much as possible, and sell it TO businesses as marketing swag that they can put their own stuff on?
Also, sell it on your own website along with all of your other channels. Nothing is as good as direct to consumer sales on a nice, easy to use website that you own and don't have to pay someone else per sale.

[David Hunter]

Wow! Never seen anything like it! ha

I have one of those laptop lap desks that go on my legs that are extremely comfy, and keeps the laptop off me and the heat away (They have them from Brookstone). How is yours better?

Also, I just searched around and found real wood lap desks, like this one: Furinno® Natural bamboo Adjustable Notebook Lapdesk | Staples® (http://www.staples.com/Furinno-Natural-bamboo-Adjustable-Notebook-Lapdesk/product_1381376)

Why would I buy one that will only last 6 months when I could get a real wood one that'll last a looong time?

How much are your desks going for?

[zed01]

Thanks for the feedback.
David, the idea is to give it away for free to consumers, probably distributed door-to-door. The money would come from me placing ads on it. It’s like swag that Harold mentioned, but for multiple businesses at a time, since there’s a lot of space on the product for ads. I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to post the link so you can see the product, but since I’m not explaining it very well I hope its ok! www.lapdeck.com (http://www.lapdeck.com)

So my question is: would businesses, especially ones focused on a specific local market (restaurants, etc), be interested in a new kind of advertising channel with very competitive CPMs, but that is used many times by the same users, instead of just 1 impression per user like most direct mail and other display advertising.
What do you think?
To answer your question I’m currently selling them for $8.99 plus shipping but its size makes it less than ideal for mailing. And Harold, I’m looking at selling directly to businesses for use as swag, but I’m wondering about this idea too…
Drew

[Harold Mansfield]

I don't think giving away a stand full of ads will excite anyone. Especially not door to door. Most people will toss it like a phone book. However, if I were opening a bank account, dealing with a realtor, or at a trade show and got a free one with a company's branding on it, I'd be more likely to actually take it.

If I were selling it on my own website I'd market it to travelers as well as other types of temporary uses, and may even try to get it in airport and rail station shops.

I like the product and think it can appeal to a lot of different markets and uses, but I do not like you idea for distribution or the business model you're considering.

[David Hunter]

I gotchya!

I'm with Harold on marketing them to people who travel, or even to like hotels (Maybe they could buy a bunch and offer them to guests... why use the computer desk when they could be on the bed). Then, you could possibly get local businesses to advertise on them like pizza shops and restaurants that cater to travelers.

And, I rarely use my lap desk. Only on the days when I don't want to move from the couch or bed. So, I don't see it taking off with local residences.

[Harold Mansfield]

It can also be used for other things where anyone needs a solid surface to do work or hold something. Don't limit it's reach by giving consumers or businesses the visual that this is for one thing and one thing only.

BTW, I like the name and the URL choice. Good job.

[zed01]

Thanks a lot for your feedback. I think you're right, at this point I'll focus on getting more retail channels, especially travel related. I've also heard some people tell me giving it away for free automatically de-values it in customers' eyes, even if they might like it.

[Harold Mansfield]

Thanks a lot for your feedback. I think you're right, at this point I'll focus on getting more retail channels, especially travel related. I've also heard some people tell me giving it away for free automatically de-values it in customers' eyes, even if they might like it.

Also, giving it away for free still requires marketing so that people know it's free. I don't think it's giving it away for free that devalues it. It's the giving it away for free because there are ads on it that devalues it. Why would I want a free thing with unrelated ads all over it? But I would think it's cool if it was branded with a product that I like and use, or had a custom design on it.

[zed01]

Gotcha, thanks Harold. I'll keep you posted how it goes.

[Harold Mansfield]

Gotcha, thanks Harold. I'll keep you posted how it goes.

Please do. There's a lot I like about it. Can't wait to hear what happens next.