My Business - What do you think?
Discussion
Dear PHers,
I am after some advice from the older and wiser members of the boards....
I have started a business called Blow Me (don't worry its not rude) I am at the stage where I am ready to create a big launch!
I have tested the idea at a few venues (all of which have paid me) so I know that the idea does work.
All I am after is your opinions on the service and the way its presented. (Dont worry about spelling etc as i'm pretty bad at that) also any ideas on how to launch. I think media intrest will be high mainly because of the service and the fact that drink culture is always in the press. I am also quite young. Whats the best way to go about contacting them and would it be worth it? I would like to speak to a PR company but I hear figures of 5k for a good campaign? On the other hand I have got this far so I do want to do it properly.
Any advice you have is appreciated.
www.blow-me (.co.uk)
I am after some advice from the older and wiser members of the boards....
I have started a business called Blow Me (don't worry its not rude) I am at the stage where I am ready to create a big launch!
I have tested the idea at a few venues (all of which have paid me) so I know that the idea does work.
All I am after is your opinions on the service and the way its presented. (Dont worry about spelling etc as i'm pretty bad at that) also any ideas on how to launch. I think media intrest will be high mainly because of the service and the fact that drink culture is always in the press. I am also quite young. Whats the best way to go about contacting them and would it be worth it? I would like to speak to a PR company but I hear figures of 5k for a good campaign? On the other hand I have got this far so I do want to do it properly.
Any advice you have is appreciated.
www.blow-me (.co.uk)
sam_r said:
Alcohol breath testing service for nightclubs, parties, corporate events etc.
Been done and failed. Landlords put them in their bars, people blew in them before driving home, the machines weren't accurate enough, police do your customers for drink driving and the landlords got sued.
I for one wouldn't put one in my Bar. Your going to have to ensure your machines are more accurate than the police or be prepared for the court cases.
Seriously I would be prepared for the court cases anyway, get yourself some impressive public liability insurance, if you can what with the above, insurance companies might view this unfavourably.
You also have this history against you. Your going to have to overcome existing negative publicity for these devices before you start.
Also the police are going to be on the landlords backs, new licencing Act main priority is Drink Driving and Binge Drinking, by putting your machines in licenced premises we could be viewed as encouraging drink driving, ie you can drink up until Sam_r's machine says no. Well not really you shouldn't be drinking and driving at all.
Your right - I tried the machines and failed - main reson being that the calibration of the machines are rubbish.
The way we opperate now is have Blow - Me reps at the venue. The machines we use are hand held breath testers. They are the ones many police forces in the UK and Europe use.
We write the reading down on a card which has our disclaimer on it.
The way we opperate now is have Blow - Me reps at the venue. The machines we use are hand held breath testers. They are the ones many police forces in the UK and Europe use.
We write the reading down on a card which has our disclaimer on it.
sam_r said:
We write the reading down on a card which has our disclaimer on it.
I presume the disclaimer is along the lines of...
"the number on the card is just a number - it does not provide any evidence that you blood-alcohol level is x mg/ml at time y - and is not proof that you are fit to drive"
?
FunkyGibbon said:
sam_r said:
We write the reading down on a card which has our disclaimer on it.
I presume the disclaimer is along the lines of...
"the number on the card is just a number - it does not provide any evidence that you blood-alcohol level is x mg/ml at time y - and is not proof that you are fit to drive"
?
I've never done disclaimers before but after reasearch and asking about this is what's on there....
Use of our service implies acceptance of the following. Because of the variables in the timing of Alcohol consumption,
individual metabolism and the way Blow Me administer the testing equipment, Any individual to test or be tested by Blow Me or any of our products must agree to:
(i) Not to hold the manufacturer, dealer, wholesaler, distributor, Blow me or any of its founders or employees responsible for the consequences of any decision based on the use of our service, to operate any vehicle, boat or aircraft or other equipment or to take part in any activity where the effect of alcohol may be a factor and to hold them harmless from the claims of others arising out of any such decision.
The effects of alcohol on the person are unpredictable and vary from person to person. Blow Me do not condone the irresponsible consumption of alcohol in any circumstances and recommend that if any doubt exists the user should refrain from making any decision that may be impaired by alcohol and should not carry out any act where the effect of alcohol consumption may be a factor. The equipment Blow me uses are tested under controlled laboratory conditions which cannot be reproduced by Blow me. The only way to be certain that their is no residual alcohol in the blood is to abstain from any from of consumption for a period of at least 24 hours or more, depending on the quantity consumed.
Blow Me's products and service should be used only to give an indication of the possible presence of alcohol in the blood. The user must not rely solely upon the indications provided by this equipment and must use his/her own judgement, taking in all factors into account, to determine whether it is safe and/or legal to operate a vehicle, boat , plane, use any other equipment or carry out any other function where their ability to do so may be impaired by the effects of alcohol.
Thanks for the comments...
FunkyGibbon said:
sam_r said:
We write the reading down on a card which has our disclaimer on it.
I presume the disclaimer is along the lines of...
"the number on the card is just a number - it does not provide any evidence that you blood-alcohol level is x mg/ml at time y - and is not proof that you are fit to drive"
?
I hope so.
You should issue Red cards to the ones that fail. You are too drunk to drive, go back to the bar get another beer and phone a taxi
This is a bit like Dragons Den. You bring your product to the PH Den and we analyse its likely success.
Now ive not read your website and this question is bound to be answered in there. But how do you make a profit? You have staff working the evenings in Pubs and Clubs testing people, do the licencees pay you or do the punters? Or both?
Now ive not read your website and this question is bound to be answered in there. But how do you make a profit? You have staff working the evenings in Pubs and Clubs testing people, do the licencees pay you or do the punters? Or both?
Interesting idea, top thinking.
I forsee a number of issues though.
The inclusion of the disclaimer to cover you from a legal point of view somewhat undermines the value of the service.
If someone is knowingly going to drink drive they arent going to blow in the machine
If you are in a nightclub chances are you've been on the piss for some time and you arent planning on driving home.
Your prospect list on a given evening is tiny, certaintly in nightclubs. In pubs, early doors, say between 5pm and 8pm theres a bigger prospect list as people who may have had a pint or two maybe unsure as to their blood alcohol limit.
I think the way I frame it would be to provide free testing to the public and free service to pubs/clubs and get paid on referral to cab firms in the area.
I forsee a number of issues though.
The inclusion of the disclaimer to cover you from a legal point of view somewhat undermines the value of the service.
If someone is knowingly going to drink drive they arent going to blow in the machine
If you are in a nightclub chances are you've been on the piss for some time and you arent planning on driving home.
Your prospect list on a given evening is tiny, certaintly in nightclubs. In pubs, early doors, say between 5pm and 8pm theres a bigger prospect list as people who may have had a pint or two maybe unsure as to their blood alcohol limit.
I think the way I frame it would be to provide free testing to the public and free service to pubs/clubs and get paid on referral to cab firms in the area.
Plotloss said:
Interesting idea, top thinking.
I forsee a number of issues though.
The inclusion of the disclaimer to cover you from a legal point of view somewhat undermines the value of the service.
If someone is knowingly going to drink drive they arent going to blow in the machine
If you are in a nightclub chances are you've been on the piss for some time and you arent planning on driving home.
Your prospect list on a given evening is tiny, certaintly in nightclubs. In pubs, early doors, say between 5pm and 8pm theres a bigger prospect list as people who may have had a pint or two maybe unsure as to their blood alcohol limit.
I think the way I frame it would be to provide free testing to the public and free service to pubs/clubs and get paid on referral to cab firms in the area.
I forsee a number of issues though.
The inclusion of the disclaimer to cover you from a legal point of view somewhat undermines the value of the service.
If someone is knowingly going to drink drive they arent going to blow in the machine
If you are in a nightclub chances are you've been on the piss for some time and you arent planning on driving home.
Your prospect list on a given evening is tiny, certaintly in nightclubs. In pubs, early doors, say between 5pm and 8pm theres a bigger prospect list as people who may have had a pint or two maybe unsure as to their blood alcohol limit.
I think the way I frame it would be to provide free testing to the public and free service to pubs/clubs and get paid on referral to cab firms in the area.
Theres an idea. Charge Cab firms to have their advert on the back of your card. ie your too drunk to drive home but look whos on the back and has paid thousands a year in advertising.
The way we operate is thus...
Charge the club / bar / event say £500 per night. This is for unlimited tests for their punters. It's aimed at the drinkers and NOT the drivers purely to see how alcohol effects their bodies compared to others.
We set up a display in the corner of the venue (couple of banners nothing special) The reps have black shirts with the logo BLOW ME in the middle. It looks very professional (well it is!)
This service is compared to other things that go on in clubs / bars. These are, Laughing gas, choclate fountain (£1000 per night) Human statues, fire breathers, photoshoots etc.
I dont think this has been done before and I think it could be sucessful for a short period of time (it might not be a long term thing as there is a lot of novalty involved)
It is like Dragons den here - some members knowledge is fantastic to people like me trying to make our first million!!
EDIT - that cab idea is a good one... Any national cab numbers?
Charge the club / bar / event say £500 per night. This is for unlimited tests for their punters. It's aimed at the drinkers and NOT the drivers purely to see how alcohol effects their bodies compared to others.
We set up a display in the corner of the venue (couple of banners nothing special) The reps have black shirts with the logo BLOW ME in the middle. It looks very professional (well it is!)
This service is compared to other things that go on in clubs / bars. These are, Laughing gas, choclate fountain (£1000 per night) Human statues, fire breathers, photoshoots etc.
I dont think this has been done before and I think it could be sucessful for a short period of time (it might not be a long term thing as there is a lot of novalty involved)
It is like Dragons den here - some members knowledge is fantastic to people like me trying to make our first million!!
EDIT - that cab idea is a good one... Any national cab numbers?
Edited by sam_r on Thursday 7th December 15:41
Whats that?
I wasnt clear in the last post if you mean that.
Punter blows amber on the Lion. Thinks, ooh, best get on the lemonades, bit dodgy.
Now the publican/nightclub manager has a punter in his establishment that up until he made use of the service that the publican is paying for was spending cash on product with good margin, now hes on the lemonade and the margin per customer isnt as good.
Thats why I think getting cash downstream of the test is a better bet, asking the pub/club to pay is in effect asking them to host a mechanism to potentially cut their margins.
With cabs it doesnt need to be national, if you franchised it out the franchisee would be responsible for sorting out a local firm in their local area.
I wasnt clear in the last post if you mean that.
Punter blows amber on the Lion. Thinks, ooh, best get on the lemonades, bit dodgy.
Now the publican/nightclub manager has a punter in his establishment that up until he made use of the service that the publican is paying for was spending cash on product with good margin, now hes on the lemonade and the margin per customer isnt as good.
Thats why I think getting cash downstream of the test is a better bet, asking the pub/club to pay is in effect asking them to host a mechanism to potentially cut their margins.
With cabs it doesnt need to be national, if you franchised it out the franchisee would be responsible for sorting out a local firm in their local area.
Edited by Plotloss on Thursday 7th December 15:51
Plotloss said:
Have you conducted market research with publicans and nightclub managers?
I test, blow amber and go on the lemonades.
That service, which I've paid for, has dented my revenue stream.
I test, blow amber and go on the lemonades.
That service, which I've paid for, has dented my revenue stream.
He is right but there may be a way round this. You pitch it to the drinks companies under their PR budget. Or you ask everyone to pay for a test but they get a free drink with it. Most drunk person wins a prize, and they are too wasted to remember in the morning that you never gave it to them!
Cab ads make perfect sense. Possibly even a discount / booking service.
Plotloss said:
I think the way I frame it would be to provide free testing to the public and free service to pubs/clubs and get paid on referral to cab firms in the area.
Now that's a good idea. You wouldn't need national cab numbers as your local francisee could make their own contacts with local cab firms.
edited to add "beaten too it - just how quick is Plotloss at typing
" Edited by FunkyGibbon on Thursday 7th December 15:55
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