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| Interested
Parties. |
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| Investment/Business/Joint
Venture/Sponsorship Opportunity??? |
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| Our requirements may appear
to be rather vague... but, to use a rather complicated metaphor... we have started on
our journey and just completed Stage 1... and hopefully we will get through Stage 2 even if it
means walking all the way. Just because we have started our journey walking
there is no reason why we shouldn't stick out the 'metaphorical thumb' and
try to hitch a ride as we go. When you hitch a ride you might
display your destination but you don't stipulate all the different kinds
of vehicles you're prepared to accept a lift in. If anyone stops...
you find out where they're going... you look at the vehicle... you look at the
people inside... you assess the offer... and depending on your
circumstances...
you either accept the lift... or you don't. This way, you may get to
your destination a lot quicker... and if no one stops... you're no worse off! |
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| So... our requirements will
remain deliberately vague... we are not going to make any wild exaggerated
claims... we are not going to make any promises we can't keep... we are not
going to try and hard-sell this concept to anyone. We will just lay out in basic
terms the potential for this Project, as we see it... No Guarantees!
Any interested
parties will have to make their own assessments based on their own
circumstances, priorities and objectives. |
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| The Project. This is not a
Project we can
complete on our own... it will take a lot of work... from a lot of people... with
a whole range of different skills. There are a
number of ways we could do this... we could try and become a volunteer
organisation: we could
try and raise some funds ourselves through donations and out-source some of the work: we could try
and raise more funds from commercial Investors and take on a few employees: or we could partner to
some extent with an outside party that already has some level of
expertise and/or financial resources available. |
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| What we are looking
for... could be described as a kind of "Dragons' Den" type
scenario. Any
interested parties should read the 'Investment' sections: have a good
idea what the Road Supervisors Concept
involves: read the Help Us section: and
The Project
section... so they know what the Project is all
about. Then formulate their own ideas... know exactly what level of expertise
and/or financial resources they
have to offer... outline their Plan for advancing the Project through Stage 2 and
beyond...
the level of Active Involvement they would like... have
a very good idea of what they expect in return... and their exit strategy
if required. |
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| Who... again, this
criteria is going to be extremely vague. It could be anything from a
single, talented individual right through to a large Multi-National
Corporation. The possibilities are almost infinite: it
could be... someone who would like to become actively involved for purely altruistic
reasons: a group of people who are just looking for a good financial
opportunity: a small company that sees this as a cost
effective way of marketing their products: a large
Multi-National looking for an innovative way to improve its image through
a Sponsorship??
The basic motivation doesn't really matter...
the most important thing is that they can help us to reach our
objectives... and that we can help them to reach theirs! Some
possibilities... |
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| An Individual... who
can see the potential of this system to reduce accidents: are not
particularly concerned about the financial aspect: and would like to do
something which would benefit Society... for purely altruistic reasons.
Or could be someone that would still like to achieve something which would
benefit Society... but are perhaps... sick of the rat-race? perhaps only
have their time, energy and expertise to invest... but would rather work
on a Project which they find interesting... and can also see the potential
to earn a decent living at the same time. Or could be a 'Super Geek' with
very good technical and marketing skills... and an eye for a profit.
[If it just so happens that you
start by partnering with one individual... it does not mean that you can't
go on to find a Sponsor... or some other kind of Investor.]
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| Investors... who see
this purely as a good medium to long term investment. The degree of
involvement might vary depending on the type of Individual: [Business
Angel] or Company: [Equity Partner: Venture Capitalist??] involved.
[Although
this route is unlikely as these people usually want to see some definite
'Figures'... and decisions are generally made by the 'Bean Counters'.]
Because of the very nature of this Project there are no 'Figures'... there
are no 'Projected Revenues' for the coming years... there is no set Budget.
So, any potential Investors would have to make their own judgements.
If you have a clear vision of what the website should be... the type of
marketing required... the type of skills or resources you possess... you
may be able to estimate how much this would cost yourself. Finally, decide how long
you would want to be involved... and what kind of exit
strategy you would like to see.
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| Manufacturers...
looking to safeguard the long term future of their company. Any
company that manufactures high quality, high performance vehicles are
likely to lose sales due to the blanket coverage of Speed Cameras... and
could face financial ruin if it becomes compulsory to have all vehicles
fitted with electronic limiters which are controlled by Satellite:
[something that could be implemented throughout the E.U. within a decade.]
Who is going to spend a fortune on expensive engineering which cannot be
used anywhere?
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| These Manufacturers need to get their act together and start
addressing this problem as a matter of urgency. They need to establish the principal in the public mind
that the problem is not
their vehicles... the problem is just some drivers. And the
solution? effective control of the
irresponsible minority! not stricter control of the law-abiding
majority... and certainly not the re-engineering of all their
vehicles!
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If Manufacturers... simply oppose the introduction
of this New Technology because it is detrimental to their commercial interests
they could leave themselves wide open for damage
claims. You do not have to stretch the imagination very far to foresee a
scenario where people are killed or injured by an irresponsible driver
travelling at a speed greater than the National Speed Limit. The basic
argument would be... how can a Manufacturer justify selling a vehicle which can
do 150mph+ when there is a maximum speed limit of 70mph covering the whole
country?
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| Eyeballs on screens...
to any company that has a product which could be sold online: [or... give
a quote: generate a lead] it doesn't really matter why the eyeballs are on
the screen... just as long as they are the right kind of eyeballs: [i.e.
those that might be interested in their products] that potential customers
are just one click away from their Website... and that it is cost
effective.
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| Example... if
you look at a company that sells car Insurance and which has a Website...
they still have to advertise their product somewhere... they still have to
get their Web address into the minds of potential buyers. Some of
these companies spend a small fortune advertising on television... any
potential buyer has to be watching very carefully... will probably have to
write down a phone number or Website address. |
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| Visitors... are not going to
come and spend time on a Website that only sells Insurance... [just those
already looking for a quote.] But, if a Company has a close
association with another Website which does attract a high number of
Visitors: [especially the right kind of Visitors] they could have a lot of
Advertisements which are seen on a regular basis... potential customers hanging around
'just outside
their front door': no need to write
anything down... when their Insurance is due... they are just one click
away.
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| For a Multi-National...
not selling online... like a large Oil company. Maybe operating in
dozens of different countries... spending a absolute fortune advertising in
every one of them... and in direct competition with similar companies
spending equally enormous sums on advertising... this might be a cost
effective alternative.
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| Why do some
drivers pull onto one forecourt and other drivers a different
forecourt? Sometimes it's price... sometimes it's convenience... but in
many cases it's just habit! a lot of people fill up at the same time, same
place, every week. Others might use the same company because they have one of their
charge cards... get a new customer to use one of your outlets just once... and you might have their business for years to
come.
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| There is clearly a great
benefit for any company that can successfully re-direct some of
their advertising budget into more innovative and cost effective
areas. This kind of close
association would offer many opportunities for mutual promotion: for
instance... an Oil company could display our Website address at its outlets and on some
of its literature: [at relatively little cost] and any promotions [which
could be anything... like picking up some free bumper stickers... giving fuel
vouchers as prizes] could be funnelled through their outlets... which would
get drivers into the habit of pulling onto their forecourts... and
obviously might fill up while they are there. [Something for the
future!?!]
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| Sponsoring a Concept...
such as this would also make any company look like a good corporate
citizen... for
actively trying to address the long term problems of reducing Road
Accidents. If the Website produced strong online Communities...
their commitment to the Project may translate into brand loyalty for those
who support the Project: [particularly if Members are offered some kind of
incentive.]
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| Other
Enterprises... there are a whole
range of other Enterprises that could see
this as a logical extension of what they are already doing... or could bring
benefits for a lot of different reasons... i.e.
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- A Media group who see this
as an exercise in Online Publishing... [Like News Corp buying up MySpace.]
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- A Road Safety Organisation that see
this as a means of furthering their own agenda.
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- A Newspaper which is
campaigning against current Government policies.
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- An Internet or Publishing company which
has experience in building Network Communities and knows how to
make the most of affiliate advertising... direct marketing... etc.
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- A Software company looking to develop a software
programme to use if such a system was ever introduced... or an outlet
where people can download their products.
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- Insurance companies
exploring ways of reducing their payouts for accidents... etc. etc.
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| The
Bottom Line...
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| If we make significant
progress into Stage 2 under
our own steam and no longer require any outside assistance we will simply
delete this section from the Website. In the mean time... for anyone
who might be interested in becoming involved in this Project in a
fairly substantial way... you can contact us by e-mail
on: awmacnamara@aol.co.uk
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| Following notification by
e-mail: you can also write to us at... |
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The Road Supervisors Network.
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| 3, Barnett Lane,
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Guildford,
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Surrey, GU5 0SA,
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England.
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