Money

Can you make lots of money performing laser lightshows? Of course you can. Check back next week to see how (this area under construction).

In the meantime...

10 Ways To Make More Money With Your Laser

People often ask us, "How can we use our Laser system to generate more money?" So... by popular demand, here are the 10 most popular methods of squeezing that last dollar out your system.

1. Free advertising.

Have a special Laser event, and get a local radio station to co-sponsor. Just call them. You save hundreds, or even thousands, on advertisements. You may even be able to get them to supply the sound system, music, and on-air personalities.

2. Charge for special messages.

In a nightclub, you would be surprised to see how much someone will pay to put their message on the screen... from "FSU Rules" to "Happy birthday Mary", and the ever popular "John loves Judy". If your system supports "easy" scrolling text, you can offer the service for as little as $5-10, and bag an extra hundred bucks per night.

3. Save time.

Speed and ease of use is very important. The system you choose must be so easy to use that virtually anyone in the establishment can use it. Otherwise the system may not get the usage (and increased revenues) it should. Also, keep in mind that time is money... how long does it take you to make a new show from scratch? How long does it take to scroll a new message on the screen? If you have difficult software, you may not have enough time left to tend to other aspects of the show.

4. Rent your equipment out when not in use.

OK, so this is a rough one, but if you have a backup system, a lucrative contract, and good insurance against damage, you can make an extra couple grand every month. The easier the system is to operate, the more of a chance you have of renting it out.

5. Intermission.

It almost sounds too easy, but even a one hour show can benefit from a short intermission. Your vendors can sell something as trite as popcorn, or something as hi-tech as "rainbow" diffraction glasses, or even souvenirs. Be sure to keep the music going (at a lower level), and keep the lights dim, to perpetuate the "party" atmosphere. $200 to $2000 extra per show is not unusual.

6. Get people to come sooner, leave later.

In disco and bar locations, don't use the Lasers all the time. Let it be known that the most Laser activity is early (8-9 o'clock?) and late (1-2 o'clock). People will gravitate in earlier, and stay later. An extra hour of crowd in a bar can bring in an extra $100-$2000 per night...do the math.

7. Get repeat business.

People are bored easily. Change your images, animations, and beam patterns regularly - so as to not be projecting the same thing all the time. NML's X29 comes with hundreds of images and animations when you buy it, and thousands of additional low cost images are available when needed. Don't buy a system that has limited image availability.

8. Save on equipment and upgrades.

Use surplus or used Lasers with a good guarantee, from a reputable dealer. Get a controller that is low cost, high performance, and can be upgraded.

9. Charge for custom logos.

With most systems, digitizing custom logos by hand can take up to an hour of hard work. Before a show, customers may come up and say "Hey! Can you put my company's logo up there?". To which you should answer "Gosh, I have barely enough time to squeeze it in... but you'll have to chip in some overtime!" After the customer agrees to the extra $50 -$100 , and leaves, pull out our X29-RTV automatic digitizer and do it in three minutes.

10. Get advertising income.

While you're projecting all those hot laser images for peoples enjoyment, you may as well plug a non-competing local establishment (clothing stores come to mind)... and charge for it.