Save snail mail… Touchscreen ads in bus stops… 1800-Got-Junk?

A way to save snail mail

Snail mail may have gone out of fashion, but most of us still send the occasional letter, even if it is just to grandma. But wouldn’t snail mail be so much more attractive if posting letters were free?

Springwise reports that for the lucky folk in the Netherlands, it soon may be. Dutch company Gratis-Post provides subscribers with five free, postage-paid envelopes per week. The catch? The envelopes are covered in advertising, and to get them you have to agree to receive advertising messages by email (ironically) for four weeks.

The free envelopes concept has got off to a flying start, with the first run of 52,500 envelopes running out just a few hours after they were launched last week.

As for advertisers, they can have their ads printed on 10,000 envelopes, an email to subscribers and a spot on the Gratis-Post website for €12,500 ($A20,600). Could be good value – after all, most people are usually happy when they’ve just received some personal mail. It could be the perfect time to get your ad in front of them.

Touchscreen bus stop ads

Here’s a new twist on advertising on a bus shelter. Nokia has launched a new series of interactive touch screen bus stop ads in London for anyone who gets bored waiting for the bus, reports trendhunter.com. The ads promote the new Nokia n95 phone and feature games. Apparently, it’s a version of the old tile matching game where you flip tiles and attempt to make a pair.

1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchises

The franchisepundit.com has given a positive review to 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise. The company, which operates more than 400 franchises throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and Britain, hauls away anything that is not environmentally hazardous.

Uniformed drivers remove junk from where it’s located, break it down to conserve volume, load it in the truck and haul it away.

The review says: “Believe it or not, the ‘800’ franchises tend to do well and receive reasonable flow given the name of their business is their telephone number (clever).

“Partnering/revenue sharing with local funeral homes, moving companies, or hardware/equipment rental stores is smart way to keep business volume high and expand with more trucks.

“The labourers you can obtain inexpensively from emove.com may dampen the business potential, but this would be a reasonable franchise for those with a strong back and keen marketing/partnering skills.”