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Downtown
Business
Blasts
Surprise employees of businesses with a small gift such as
a basket of candy. Bring in one package to be shared by store employees
and leave a connect card. What to say?
"We appreciate how you serve the community with your business,
and we wanted to share God's love in a practical way." Make sure
you only give items to employees, so they don't think your are "soliciting"
customers.
Cappuccino
Portable espresso machines can be purchased at a reasonable
rate. This outreach has been very popular on campuses. While the coffee
drink is being made (takes a minute or two), a great conversation can
take place.
Polaroid
Photos at Carriage Rides
A couple will hold on to a decent photo of themselves for
years. If you want to get fancy, have a photo frame that is tailor made
for the instant photo sized picture. Attach a sticker of your church’s
logo and phone number.
Shoe
Shines
Small investment + some elbow grease = big return. Set this
up in front of a grocery store on a Saturday or in front of a barbershop.
This is a great project for talking to folks. You have a captive audience
while you serve them!
Hand
Cleaning Towelettes
Pretty much everything in downtown shopping areas is a bit
dirty. Problem is there's no place to wash up. Give people towelettes.
Stamps
in Front of the Post Office
One church holds a major stamp outreach on April 15th for
late tax filers. Not only do they give out stamps, but they also offer
coffee and donuts – stress recovery food. They just stand by the
mail drop-off boxes with a card table filled with food and stamps.
Soft
Drink Giveaway to Employees
What can you do when denied permission to give away soft
drinks in front of a prime retail location? Offer to give soft drinks
to the employees. As usual, place the connection
card on top.
Cookies
Everyone likes a cookie. We purchase these in small packets
of four. Although manufactured cookies aren't as good as homemade, folks
are reluctant to receive unpackaged food from strangers. We have had
our greatest success with this in downtown business areas.
Flower
Seed Packets on Parked Cars
Give out flower seeds to celebrate Spring. Place flower seed
packets (with stapled connect card)
on driver side window between rubber and glass. Don't place on the windshield
because sometimes the driver doesn't notice it until they begin driving.
Some parking garages don't allow this — so curbside parking is
the best place to begin.
Windshield
Washing
Some years ago when we started serving, this was one of our
first projects. We still do it just about every weekend. The materials
list is short and inexpensive: a good squeegee, a wiping rag, a connection
card, and windshield cleaner (We recommend you not use Windex style
cleaner – ask your car parts store what they recommend). If it's
too hot (above 85°F) or too cold (below freezing), you might end
up making a dirty windshield even worse. If you are doing this at random
in a parking lot, don't wash high-end cars. Their owners are unlikely
to see your service as helpful. Car alarms? If you accidentally set
one off, finish cleaning, and move on. We've set off plenty. They will
reset themselves shortly.
Soft
Drinks for Shoppers
Fill coolers with ice and drinks. We always offer at least
two options. We set up at store entrances and say, "Hi, would you
like regular or diet?" (It's easier to say yes when there are only
two options!) Small home use coolers usually are too small for this.
We have purchased the mega Igloos that hold over 100 cans with ice.
We usually buy name brand drinks instead of the cheaper stuff. Our connection
cards on this one are coated to be water and wilt resistant. The card
goes under the opener — we now affectionately call these "card
holders."
Parking
Meter Feeding / Coins Attached to Cards
For years we have "fed" parking meters in Cincinnati.
We changed tactics one Fall when Sylvia Stayton was arrested. Perhaps
you read about the "meter feeding granny" in your local paper.
We were not aware that feeding someone else's meter was taboo. The law
in Cincinnati is rather vague. Until it is clarified, we have chosen
to attach a coin to a card that reads "It's time for some change!"
We place the card between the driver's window and the bottom rubber
seal. When the driver returns he/she can use the coin for his/her meter
or a phone call. This is a high volume project. One person can place
close to 200 of these an hour in a crowded parking area. To attach the
coin, use either rubber cement (smelly and slow), or a roll-off adhesive.
Several types of these are sold in the tape section of most office supply
stores. Unless the weather is remarkably hot, even a quarter will stay
attached.
Thief alert: Often young kids or street people will follow and swipe
the cards from cars. Ask them if they need money and how much. Usually
they will ask for a buck or two. Make them a deal — allow these
folks to get a quarter and give them two dollars.
Umbrellas
Escort
Moms and the elderly find it tough to make it from a store
to their car in the rain. We use huge golf umbrellas to help them to
their car with as little wetness as possible.
Business
Window Washing
Requires the purchase of good equipment in order to do a
decent job. You will need several different sizes of brass squeegees,
a special wide mouthed bucket, a lambs wool cleaning head, and cleaning
solution.
Once you get the hang of using a squeegee it's not that difficult,
it's quick and actually fun.
Toilet
Cleaning
There's nothing like walking into a gas station, restaurant
or retail store and offering, "I'd like to clean your toilet for
free!"
Put a little cleaning kit together. The essentials: brush, air freshener,
window cleaner, paper towels, toilet bowl cleaner, rubber gloves, doorstop.
There's nothing magical about the technique here. We've cleaned commodes
all over the world and discovered they are all pretty much the same
as the ones in your own home.
This is probably one of the most frequently rejected projects we do
– probably because the offer to clean a toilet is a bit overwhelming.
No matter. Give them your connection card,
smile, and say, "OK! We'll come back some other time and clean
when you need it. We're just trying to show you God’s love in a
practical way."
Cart
Token for Shopping Carts
Some grocery stores in urban areas require a token in order
to get a shopping cart. Provide the tokens to shoppers as they enter.
           
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