Making a CD brochure of your property

Using press and magazine advertising, brochures, mailings - old hat or still cost-effective?
Darren
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Post by Darren »

Has anyone thought of doing a CD brochure?

Download powerpoint installer from the microsoft website (for people who don't have powerpoint) design a presentation using photographs, of your property(s) text to describe the property, and a page for rental rates.

Transfer the powerpoint presentation and installer on to a CD and then when anyone asks for more information, ask them if they have a PC and send them the CD.

Okay, you can do the same in an email or a website, but it looks professional, and a unique way of marketing your holiday home.

Just an idea .. what do you think?

Darren :)
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Sue Dyer
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Post by Sue Dyer »

That is a great idea Darren, especially for folk on dial up. I mentioned in a previous post that I know (older) people who are under the impression their phone bill is racking up if they are on pay as you go service.

I once wanted to put a website onto a CD and make it autorun when it was put into the computer and be presented with an index - in all, just like any CD with menu choices. I downloaded some software to be able to make that happen but it was a bit complex for me so that idea died off. :( Has anyone else done that? The Powerpoint idea seems much simpler, I'll give it a try. These days, especially if you have access to a decent printer you could turn out a professional looking CD cover too. Thanks for that!
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livinginitaly
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Autorun CD

Post by livinginitaly »

It's pretty straightforward to setup autorun for a CDWebsite, though as 'soodyer' metioned you do need to download a free program.

The one i've used in the past is 'AUTOHTML' ... a quick download and really easy setup. Download from here (bottom left of page) http://www.avdf.com/oct98/art_ot005.html

Full instructions are included, but in my experience most instruction guides only serve to make things look more complicated than they really are so here's a simple 'walkthru' :)

Just copy your website onto a cd, making sure the 'index.htm' or 'index.html' is visible and not hidden away in any folders. Then copy the 'autorunpro.exe' file to the same disc, together with the autorun.inf file modified to show something like....

[Autorun]
open=AutoRunPro.exe /s

[AutorunPro]
Run1=index.htm

In the above example, on insertion of the CD, index.htm will be found and displayed in the default browser.

....... ok, i admit it, i've read back through my 'easy guide' and i've managed to make it look harder than it really is, lol

Any problems, feel free to send me a PM :)
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paolo
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Post by paolo »

I was following it really well until this bit:
Then copy the 'autorunpro.exe' file to the same disc, together with the autorun.inf file modified to show something like....

[Autorun]
open=AutoRunPro.exe /s

[AutorunPro]
Run1=index.htm
Can you explain modifying the file?

Thanks!
Paolo
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livinginitaly
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Post by livinginitaly »

Hi Paolo,

Yes, the autorun.inf file that is included in the download contains the following text...

===================

[Autorun]
; /s parameter no longer needed for version 1.2
open=AutoRunPro.exe

[AutorunPro]
; Here are some sample uses for Autorunpro. It keeps processing Them in Run1..RunN order until it doesnt find one.
Run1=notepad.exe
Run3=http://www.gui.com.au
Run2=Calc.exe
Run4=relpath\doguff.bat
Run5="mailto:rossmack@gui.com.au?subject=I have an Autorun Question"

===================

All the above shows is different examples of how the program can be used, but to simply load the 'index' of a website, just 'modify' it as I described ...

===================

[Autorun]
open=AutoRunPro.exe /s

[AutorunPro]
Run1=index.htm

===================

You can change the index.htm to index.html or default.htm or default.html - whichever is used as the homepage for the site.

Hope this helps :)
Darren
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Post by Darren »

That's an excellent idea too!

I'm going to have a look at that this weekend, see what I can get it to look like. I'm always reminding myself that not everyone has access to the internet at home AND there's many that don't have internet at all.

So providing something on CD either powerpoint or your website is a great way of showing people your holiday home.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Darren :)
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Alan Knighting
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Post by Alan Knighting »

I frequently find myself “burning� CD’s for all sorts of purposes. Also, I produce labels for all sorts of purposes including CD’s. For instance, labels for VHS tapes, labels for my wife’s home made jam, labels for mail shot envelopes, etc., etc…………….

To complete your brochure/Website on CD project you probably want to produce labels, case sleeves and inserts.

You could use a felt-tip pen but that doesn’t look very professional does it? Making your own labels and sticking them onto CD’s is not to be recommended!

There is a piece of Avery Dennison software, http://www.avery.com, which runs from the Menu bar in MS Word. Included are hundreds of different pre-set label formats. Alternatives could be Easy CD Creator or Nero Burning but I think they are limited to producing CD labels, case sleeves and inserts.

Avery, and a number of other companies, produces self-adhesive sheets of all the different label sets mounted on A4 (not for use on laser printers because of the heat involved).

To apply the label properly to your CD you would need something like CD Stomper.

It is all quite cheap, easy to use and gives professional results. Happy publishing!

Alan
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Sue Dyer
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Post by Sue Dyer »

thanks guys... This is where a forum like this comes into it's own, the sharing of the range of knowledge of the members and ideas. My husband has done a bit of programming in his time (when computers used to be the size of a room!) so I'll see what he makes of it.

That avery software is useful. I started a new job last year as an office co-ordinator and do labels for all of the post - (my colleagues didn't know how to do a one off label, only full sheets) none of them write envelopes out anymore and our post looks so much better than their scrawly hand written envelopes. (Yes, I know you can put envelopes in the printer...... in theory!)
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paolo
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Post by paolo »

livinginitaly,

Reading this thread I know what it must feel like for certain people who come to the forum, want to get involved, read the instructions on registering...and give up!

This has really hit me in the vacuum in my brain where the technical bit should be.

But I am going to have a go at following the instructions and doing it myself. This is all very informative, thanks for the contributions.
Paolo
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Darren
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Post by Darren »

I had a go this morning because I couldn't wait til the weekend to give it a go :lol:

It worked perfectly, and it is not difficult to do. If people would find a step by step instruction guide on how to do this useful then let me know in this thread and I'll write some instructions and post them tomorrow.

I get asked quite alot do I have a brochure - I can now say yes, but it's on CD!

Darren
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livinginitaly
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Post by livinginitaly »

Hey Darren .... Congratulations!

Great feeling when things 'go to plan' isn't it :)

I know how you feel paolo ..... i'm very much a 'hands on' person, who generally only reaches for the instructions when things go 'seriously' wrong!

Tony
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paolo
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Post by paolo »

If people would find a step by step instruction guide on how to do this useful then let me know in this thread and I'll write some instructions and post them tomorrow.
Definitely!
Paolo
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