Arizona Savings Book founder Ron Smith considers his business a perfect merger of business and charity. Ron enjoyed the job he previously held as a hydrologist for the state of California but always knew he had the entrepreneurial spirit and was just one idea away from striking out on his own. It was after being laid off while living in beautiful San Luis Obispo, California that he decided to put his ambition to the test.
He was fascinated by the dining/entertainment discount books that he had seen circulating in every community in which he had lived. The business model was truly a win-win for everyone involved. Charities help sell the books so the buying incentive is raised for the consumer while the charities benefit. The start-up costs are minimal and the key to a successful start-up is getting business owners and charities interested. Most books retail for around twenty dollars and can give the buyer the potential to realize up to a thousand dollars in savings.
“It was a product that I thought was a win-win-win for everyone involved. I contacted local printers to see what it would cost to print a similar book. I went to local business owners and started talking with them and I learned publishing on the computer myself. It took me about four months to put my first book together,” he explained.
Wanting to be closer to his family Ron relocated to Prescott, Arizona after running a successful charity savings book enterprise in the San Luis Osbispo/Santa Maria area for several years.
“I publish once a year,” Ron explains. “I get local businesses to advertise in the book for a year and a half worth of exposure. They receive free books so it ends up being free for a business to advertise. I go to local dining and entertainment establishments and offer to let them in the book for free, but they have put in a great coupon. A buy one get one free for example.”
Ron then contacts local charities which sell the books on consignment. “In Prescott, a city of about 100,000 people, it’s amazing. There are probably a thousand charities in a fairly small community. I offer to work with most any charity that would like to raise money and has the ability to go out and sell books. There is never an out of pocket expense a charity would have to bear to partner with me,” he elaborated.
Ron finds a local business establishment will often experience an increase in loyal, repeat customers as a result of advertising in the Arizona Savings Book. This relieves the local business owner of the expense of finding a cost effective and proven method of advertising their business. Ron says he has never had a restaurant advertise in his book that did not want to advertise again the following year.
He said he receives the same return rate from charities as he does from business owners. “We feel wonderful that we can help local charities raise 50,000 to 100,000 dollars or more by doing something a lot easier and more profitable than selling wrapping paper or cookie dough,” he added. Both often look forward to the book being published every year to reap the multiple benefits that the book provides.
Ron says he has no plans to stop his small publishing enterprise. He’s just having too much fun doing what he loves. After all, isn’t that what being an entrepreneur is all about?
To find out more about the opportunities available with The Arizona Savings Book visit their website at: http://savingsbook.net.