I bought a book once that had a business card tucked in to it. It related to the topic of the book I bought so I thought it was something the publisher tucked in there. I realized later that it wasn’t. I was not bothered in the least by finding the card there. I think it’s a clever idea that could be seen as a form of trespassing :). And the only reason I say this is that the retailers and/or publishers may get upset. I imagine they would want to get paid. Just think if everyone started doing this. I would be miffed if I picked up a book and a bunch of cards fell out. I still like the idea though, and may even use it some day, but I can see why some might not be happy about it.

“I am kind of proud of my aggressiveness and coming up with the clever idea.”

Oh, come on, Ron…Now you’re just getting down-right ridiculous!? How the hell did you manage to get the Handi-Straps on that there Gorilla anyway?!

Did you know Ed…I was going to use a guerrilla wearing Handi-Straps in a cartoon figure as my logo. Hmmm…we may have something here!

ron, very clever….

um, do it and then beg for forgiveness?…or until you get sued?

i echo margaret—-i think it’s borderline tresspassing

but then again, how about all those flyers i’ve received on my windshield?…

I think I might write a book about fighting cancer and winning. It has been 23 years and 4 times that tumors have come after me but I win every time and just keep getting stronger from it. I had bladder cancer and now lung. If it wasn’t for fighting cancer I think I might have run for President or something big by now.

That fight may be enough for a good inspiring story…and then throw in inventor with no money because of fighting cancer all the time sells product worldwide….I know I can make many people with cancer feel better. Not even Lance Armstrong has as much experience with cancer as me nor a more inspiring story I say.

I will then propose a marketing concept to the book companies doing what I’m doing…pick up one major sponsor per printing, so I am actually doing free research for the book publishers!

Should I send the book publishers a bill then? They should pay for some of this research…no?

Ron Komorowski
Inventor of Handi-Straps
www.handi-straps.com

My opinion…. if it’s leagal and you can get away with it – it’s fair game. I think it’s pretty clever.

uhhhhh…that would be “legal” eom

I like the idea and think it is clever as long as it does not get you in trouble. Why should you get in trouble when you get tellermarketers calling your house, cell phone, mailings, pamphlets on your windshield, in the john, elevators. You can’t go anywhere without getting some advertising so why should they mind if you do it?

http://www.rogerbrown.net

“I was going to use a guerrilla wearing Handi-Straps in a cartoon figure as my logo. Hmmm…we may have something here!”

Hmmm…? Well, I guess I can safely assume that Magilla-Gorilla wouldn’t be one your first choices of characters to represent Handi-Straps then, huh?!

Hmmm Ed…that looks awfully good and Magilla Gorrilla was one of my very favorites. Maybe I’ll check to see who controls the copyrights.

I gotta say Ed…I appreciate very much how you entertain us all here and give us a few laughs. I hope everyone here really appreciates your efforts!

I also hope you are making money with your creative talents in graphics!

Trespassing? That’s a pretty strong word for what you’re doing. I see no harm at all. And if the card has your avatar photo, it would make the book customer smile. So what’s the problem?

Write that book, Ron. Sure, it’ll be inspirational, but it will also push Handistraps. Be sure to include your “bookmarks” with each copy. (;^)

Maybe put both your avatar AND Ed’s Handistraps-wearing Magilla Gorilla on the card . . . . (;^)

Yes Linda…the book would push me further with my inventions….but ya know….one beautiful thing about inventing stuff…part of you seems like it will live on…even when the rest of you don’t.

Eventually people all over will be using Handi-Straps in the streets. If I’m not here atleast my daughter can be very proud….and very rich….and then I have my writing invention which must go to market as it is proven over and over with medical tests…can’t argue that.

Thanks Linda for the support on the tiny brochures I stick in books…I’ll have you know…put a handful in last night at the supermarket I frequent.

I got 10,000 business cards that I made with color pictures and one marketing line “Superman is now real” or on the other for the holidays “Give a gift that helps you lift” . I got them at VistaPrint.com for $160 total at one of their sales. Can’t beat that! At that price I leave one on counters, ATMs…everywhere.

Ron Komorowski
Inventor of Handi-Straps
www.handi-straps.com

I’m more interested in knowing the percentage of sales you’ve gained from doing this. Has it panned out in the form of leads? Is there an offer on the card that you can track it’s effectiveness?

Stephanie…AND IMPORTANT FOR ALL…the trick on this inventing business is to keep trying. I know better than anyone here. You try for the long shots that pay off a jackpot and the smaller pay offs but much more sure.

You pass the brochure off to a friend who hopefully passes it on to something that will pan out and that same day you try to get your invention on the news. You do not know which will pay off but you keep trying CONSTANTLY if you want to make it in, inventing, selling, marketing, branding etc.

One of those cards reaches the right CEO’s wife…well then I scored big…you never know…and what you expect to pay off never does in this business…mever comes through…and the leads you thought were dead seem to come back big.

Why is that? Because us inventors do not have the patience it takes. You take a shot and you think it pays of in a month at most but actually it takes about 6 months….even to get a writeup in a magazine…and the inventor has “written off” that lead 4 months ago.

Just keep trying…even if you think it is just a bit above hopeless because you don’t know. When I filmed for the Discovery Channel I never thought I would be on. They gave me 16 minutes running time about me and my invention.

You just never know…and the inventor that pushes open every door wins…but you will never even know which door really paid off…that information rarely comes back to you…you just know something good just happened…but you don’t know where it started from

“Eventually people all over will be using Handi-Straps in the streets.”

“In the streets”, huh? Well, I guess Riot Police could always use some help while haulin’ unruly protesters away, huh?! Perhaps, they could also start carrying heavier clubs, too…Without worrying about lower back strain?! Sweet!

P.S. Thanx for the nice words!

Ron is right. You never know who will see your card, video, story, etc. A good example of that is this interview I did in 2005 http://toys.about.com/od/hotnewtoyreleases/a/to... for About.com
I get emails all the time from people that have never heard of me,EN, Inventorspot, Inventright, or Inventorsmentors. They were searching for toy inventions, toy Inventors or toy brokers and found me.
Now that they found me they are asking for advice and help. I tell them about the above listed sites and try and answer their questions.
I have been contacted by CEO’s of companies that found me the same way and asked to submit ideas to their companies. You just never know where any kind of publicity will take you.

http://www.rogerbrown.net