THE SELLING SECRETS OF MILLION DOLLAR SALES LETTERS
Regardless of what you're trying to sell, you really can't sell
it without "talking" with your prospective buyer. And in
attempting to sell anything by mail, the sales letter you send
out is when and how you talk to your prospect.
All winning sales letters "talk" to the prpspect by creating an
image in the mind of the reader. They "set the scence" by
appealing to a desire or need; and then thet flow smoothly into
the "visionary" part of the sales pitch by describing in detail
how wonderful life will be and, how "good" the prospect is going
to feel after he's purchased your product. This is the"body or
guts" of a sales letter.
Overall, a winning sales letter follows a time-tested and proven
formula: 1) Get his attention 2) Get him interested in what you
can do for him 3) Make him desire the benefits of your product so
badly his mouth begins to water 4) Demand action from him-tell
him to send for whatever it is you're selling without delay- any
procrastination on his part might cause him to lose out. This is
called the " AIDA' formula and it works.
Sales letters that pull in the most sales are almost always two
pages with 1 1/2 spaces between lines. For really big ticket
items, they'll run at least four pages- on an 11 by 17 inch sheet
of paper folded in half. If your sales letter is only two pages
in length, there's nothing wrong with running it on the front and
back of one sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 paper. However, your sales letter
should always be letterhead paper- your letterhead printed, and
including your logo and business motto if you have one.
Regardless of the length of your sales letter, it should do one
thing, and that's sell, and sell hard! If you intend to close the
sale, you've got to do it with your sales letter. You should
never be "wishy-washy" with your sales letter and expect to close
the sale with a color brochure or circular. You do the actual
selling and the closing of that sale with your sales letter- any
brochure or circular you send along with it will just reinforce
what you say in the sales letter.
Ther's been a great deal of discussion in the past few years
regarding just how long a sales letter should be. A lot of people
are asking: Will people really take the time to read a long sales
letter. The answer is a simple and time-tested yes indeed!
Surveys and tests over the years emphatically proven that longer
sales letter pull even better than the shorter ones, so don't
worry about the length of your sales letter- just make sure that
it sells your product for you!
The "inside secret" is to make your sales letter so interesting,
and "visionary" with the benefits you're offering to the reader,
and he can't resist reading it all the way through. You break up
the "work" of reading by using short, punchy sentences,
underlining important points you're trying to make, with the use
of subheadlines, indentations and even the use of a second color.
Relative to the brochure or circulars you may want to include
with your sales letter reinforce the sale- providing the
materials you're enclosing are the best quality, they will
generally reinforce the sale for you. But, if they are of poor
quality, look cheap and don't complement thing, it will
definitely classify you as an independent home-worker if you
hand-stamp you name/address on these brochures or advertising
circulars.
Whenever possible, and so long as you have really good brochures
to send out, have your printer run them thru his press and print
your name/address- even your telephone number and company logo-
on them before you send them out. The thing is, you want your
prospect to think of you as his supplier- the company- and not
just another mail order operator. Sure, you can get by with less
expense but you'll end up with a fewer orders and in the end,
less profits.
Another thing that's been bandied about and discussed from every
direction for years is whether to use a post office box number of
your street address. Generally, it's best to include both your
post office box number, AND, your street address of your sales
letter. This kind of open display of your honesty will give you
credibility and dispell the thought of you being just another
"fly-by-night" mail order company in the mind of the prospect.
Above all else, you've got to include some sort of ordering
coupon. This coupon has to be simple and easy for the prospect to
fill out and return to you as you can possibly make it. A great
many sales are lost because this order coupon is just to
complicated for the would-be buyer to follow. Don't get fancy!
Keep it simple, and you'll find you prospects responding with
glee.
Should you or shouldn't you include a self-addressed reply
envelope? There are a lot of variables as well as pro's and con's
to this question, but overall, when you send out a "winning"
sales letter to a good mailing list, a return reply envelope will
increase your response tremendously.
Tests of the late seem to indicate that it isn't that big of a
deal or difference in responses relative to whether you or don't
pre-stamp the return envelope. Again, the decision here will rest
primarily on the product you're selling and the mailing list
you're using. Our recommendation is that you experiment- try it
boh ways- with different mailings, and decide for yourslf from
there.
it without "talking" with your prospective buyer. And in
attempting to sell anything by mail, the sales letter you send
out is when and how you talk to your prospect.
All winning sales letters "talk" to the prpspect by creating an
image in the mind of the reader. They "set the scence" by
appealing to a desire or need; and then thet flow smoothly into
the "visionary" part of the sales pitch by describing in detail
how wonderful life will be and, how "good" the prospect is going
to feel after he's purchased your product. This is the"body or
guts" of a sales letter.
Overall, a winning sales letter follows a time-tested and proven
formula: 1) Get his attention 2) Get him interested in what you
can do for him 3) Make him desire the benefits of your product so
badly his mouth begins to water 4) Demand action from him-tell
him to send for whatever it is you're selling without delay- any
procrastination on his part might cause him to lose out. This is
called the " AIDA' formula and it works.
Sales letters that pull in the most sales are almost always two
pages with 1 1/2 spaces between lines. For really big ticket
items, they'll run at least four pages- on an 11 by 17 inch sheet
of paper folded in half. If your sales letter is only two pages
in length, there's nothing wrong with running it on the front and
back of one sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 paper. However, your sales letter
should always be letterhead paper- your letterhead printed, and
including your logo and business motto if you have one.
Regardless of the length of your sales letter, it should do one
thing, and that's sell, and sell hard! If you intend to close the
sale, you've got to do it with your sales letter. You should
never be "wishy-washy" with your sales letter and expect to close
the sale with a color brochure or circular. You do the actual
selling and the closing of that sale with your sales letter- any
brochure or circular you send along with it will just reinforce
what you say in the sales letter.
Ther's been a great deal of discussion in the past few years
regarding just how long a sales letter should be. A lot of people
are asking: Will people really take the time to read a long sales
letter. The answer is a simple and time-tested yes indeed!
Surveys and tests over the years emphatically proven that longer
sales letter pull even better than the shorter ones, so don't
worry about the length of your sales letter- just make sure that
it sells your product for you!
The "inside secret" is to make your sales letter so interesting,
and "visionary" with the benefits you're offering to the reader,
and he can't resist reading it all the way through. You break up
the "work" of reading by using short, punchy sentences,
underlining important points you're trying to make, with the use
of subheadlines, indentations and even the use of a second color.
Relative to the brochure or circulars you may want to include
with your sales letter reinforce the sale- providing the
materials you're enclosing are the best quality, they will
generally reinforce the sale for you. But, if they are of poor
quality, look cheap and don't complement thing, it will
definitely classify you as an independent home-worker if you
hand-stamp you name/address on these brochures or advertising
circulars.
Whenever possible, and so long as you have really good brochures
to send out, have your printer run them thru his press and print
your name/address- even your telephone number and company logo-
on them before you send them out. The thing is, you want your
prospect to think of you as his supplier- the company- and not
just another mail order operator. Sure, you can get by with less
expense but you'll end up with a fewer orders and in the end,
less profits.
Another thing that's been bandied about and discussed from every
direction for years is whether to use a post office box number of
your street address. Generally, it's best to include both your
post office box number, AND, your street address of your sales
letter. This kind of open display of your honesty will give you
credibility and dispell the thought of you being just another
"fly-by-night" mail order company in the mind of the prospect.
Above all else, you've got to include some sort of ordering
coupon. This coupon has to be simple and easy for the prospect to
fill out and return to you as you can possibly make it. A great
many sales are lost because this order coupon is just to
complicated for the would-be buyer to follow. Don't get fancy!
Keep it simple, and you'll find you prospects responding with
glee.
Should you or shouldn't you include a self-addressed reply
envelope? There are a lot of variables as well as pro's and con's
to this question, but overall, when you send out a "winning"
sales letter to a good mailing list, a return reply envelope will
increase your response tremendously.
Tests of the late seem to indicate that it isn't that big of a
deal or difference in responses relative to whether you or don't
pre-stamp the return envelope. Again, the decision here will rest
primarily on the product you're selling and the mailing list
you're using. Our recommendation is that you experiment- try it
boh ways- with different mailings, and decide for yourslf from
there.
HOW TO START A PEN PAL CLUB
Pen pal clubs are very easy to start, and can provide a very
comfortable "by mail" income for the sharp operators.
The best way to operate is via monthly newsletter, and listing of
new members. We've found that a simple one page, typewritten
sheet is all you need to get started.This should be, or should
include a quick run-down on what your members are up to..ie:
Janice C is planning to vacation at Tahoe next month; Lisa S is
attending night classes for a real estate license; John R. is
thinking of changing jobs-he wants something more involved in
advertising sales; Bob L. is setting up his own Carpet Cleaning
Service; Dave A. is wanting to move to Denver...
This kind of reader membership involvement will get your
"newsletter" off to a running start, and keep your members loyal
to you because of the "gossip" you pass along in each issue.
You follow up your "gossip story" with either a question and
answer session or letters from readers a-la Ann Landers or Dear
Abby. Complete the newsletter with a short story on how to meet
men or women, what to say and how to develop a friendship. The
back page, or extra page, is then a listing of men and
women--including a short description of each, and their
addresses--wanting to correspond with or meet people with similar
tastes.
You'll need a typewriter, paper, and names of people interested
in writing and receiving Pen Pal letters. You can quickly secure
a start with names answering ads(classifieds) placed in local
papers, and several out-of-town papers you are familiar with, and
by checking your news stand for the magazines that carry such
ads--it won't take long to get a basic "100" to begin your
operation.
You should have letterhead and imprinted mailing envelopes and
return envelopes 1000 of each for $100.
Next, make up a sample copy of your newsletter, and an
application sales letter that will explain your membership fee of
about $10 per year for the newsletter, plus $1 per month each
time you carry a member's name & address in your "correspondents
wanted" section. Be sure to ask for reports on what members are
doing, and encourage them to bring up to date from time to
time---this keeps the "personal touch" gossip supplied.
Now, you send out your newsletter samples, with your sales
letter/membership application, to the list of names we've
supplied you with, or you may have purchased from other sources.
At the same time, you should run an advertisement in as many
small mail order publications, with names and addresses of
publishers, order Directory #3709 for $3 from your distributor.
your ad read something like this;
Pen Pal Listings! nationwide circulation!
$1 to: Your name, address & zip code.
Tom's pen Pal letter! Monthly club news and membership
listings! $1 to : your name, address & zip code.
Of course, you'll want to keep records on all your members, and
continue to up-date the listings you carry but basically that is
all there is to getting started. You could even run ads of this
kind in your local newspapers expect a good response. We
definitely recommend that you send for sample copies of other Pen
Pal bulletins to see how they operate and what ideas of theirs
you can adapt for use in your newsletter. By all means, become a
"brower" and look thru all the magazines related to pen pals and
mail order introductions everytime you pass a magazine display
rack.
Be sure to get your newsletters out regularly, and don't stop
advertising. keep up your efforts to sell as many issues of each
publication as you can, expand your membership list, and get as
many new listings for each issue as you possibly can.
Something you might want to consider--3 back issues of your
publication for 3 dollars, or as a free bonus to all new
subscribers. You could carry this idea as a free bonus in your
advertising, and as a special offer in your newsletter.
You might also want to expand your income potential by offering
booklets, books, tapes, motivational and informational. As the
dealer who supplied this report to give you all his listings.
By keeping good records of all the mail you receive, you can also
sell or rent name lists of people who have responded to your
offerings to other mail order dealers. Real opportunities exist
for sales mentioned in the paragraph above---the opportunities
limited only by your imagination.
comfortable "by mail" income for the sharp operators.
The best way to operate is via monthly newsletter, and listing of
new members. We've found that a simple one page, typewritten
sheet is all you need to get started.This should be, or should
include a quick run-down on what your members are up to..ie:
Janice C is planning to vacation at Tahoe next month; Lisa S is
attending night classes for a real estate license; John R. is
thinking of changing jobs-he wants something more involved in
advertising sales; Bob L. is setting up his own Carpet Cleaning
Service; Dave A. is wanting to move to Denver...
This kind of reader membership involvement will get your
"newsletter" off to a running start, and keep your members loyal
to you because of the "gossip" you pass along in each issue.
You follow up your "gossip story" with either a question and
answer session or letters from readers a-la Ann Landers or Dear
Abby. Complete the newsletter with a short story on how to meet
men or women, what to say and how to develop a friendship. The
back page, or extra page, is then a listing of men and
women--including a short description of each, and their
addresses--wanting to correspond with or meet people with similar
tastes.
You'll need a typewriter, paper, and names of people interested
in writing and receiving Pen Pal letters. You can quickly secure
a start with names answering ads(classifieds) placed in local
papers, and several out-of-town papers you are familiar with, and
by checking your news stand for the magazines that carry such
ads--it won't take long to get a basic "100" to begin your
operation.
You should have letterhead and imprinted mailing envelopes and
return envelopes 1000 of each for $100.
Next, make up a sample copy of your newsletter, and an
application sales letter that will explain your membership fee of
about $10 per year for the newsletter, plus $1 per month each
time you carry a member's name & address in your "correspondents
wanted" section. Be sure to ask for reports on what members are
doing, and encourage them to bring up to date from time to
time---this keeps the "personal touch" gossip supplied.
Now, you send out your newsletter samples, with your sales
letter/membership application, to the list of names we've
supplied you with, or you may have purchased from other sources.
At the same time, you should run an advertisement in as many
small mail order publications, with names and addresses of
publishers, order Directory #3709 for $3 from your distributor.
your ad read something like this;
Pen Pal Listings! nationwide circulation!
$1 to: Your name, address & zip code.
Tom's pen Pal letter! Monthly club news and membership
listings! $1 to : your name, address & zip code.
Of course, you'll want to keep records on all your members, and
continue to up-date the listings you carry but basically that is
all there is to getting started. You could even run ads of this
kind in your local newspapers expect a good response. We
definitely recommend that you send for sample copies of other Pen
Pal bulletins to see how they operate and what ideas of theirs
you can adapt for use in your newsletter. By all means, become a
"brower" and look thru all the magazines related to pen pals and
mail order introductions everytime you pass a magazine display
rack.
Be sure to get your newsletters out regularly, and don't stop
advertising. keep up your efforts to sell as many issues of each
publication as you can, expand your membership list, and get as
many new listings for each issue as you possibly can.
Something you might want to consider--3 back issues of your
publication for 3 dollars, or as a free bonus to all new
subscribers. You could carry this idea as a free bonus in your
advertising, and as a special offer in your newsletter.
You might also want to expand your income potential by offering
booklets, books, tapes, motivational and informational. As the
dealer who supplied this report to give you all his listings.
By keeping good records of all the mail you receive, you can also
sell or rent name lists of people who have responded to your
offerings to other mail order dealers. Real opportunities exist
for sales mentioned in the paragraph above---the opportunities
limited only by your imagination.
SECRETS OF SUCCESS WITH CHAIN LETTERS
Chain letter programs will not make you rich! All those claims
about the sender pulling in $20,000 the first time around;
$80,000 the second time; and $180,000 the third time; are just
outright lies!
It's best not to get involved in ANY kind of chain letter scheme
because they ar ALL illegal, and sooner or later, the postal
authorities will close you down. If they find that you are, or
have been a willing participant, you could be fined, imprisoned,
or face a penalty of both as punishment.
Don't get involved! Chain letters do not, and will not solve
any of your money problems. Anyone, and everyone, with any
experience in direct mail - and a sense of integrity or pride in
their business - will either quickly toss your letter into the
trash or else send it on to the postal inspectors for action on
their part.
Probably the biggest reason why chain letters don't work, is the
continuing efforts of reputable mail order dealers in snuffing
out these schemes. Any money actually made or collected by a
chain letter is pocketed by the perpetrators. Sometimes the
person starting, and promoting a chain letter is able to pull a
hundred dollars or so before the postal authorities "nail" him -
but getting in as the "third name" on a list has never brought
in more than $5 or $10 total - even after such participants have
gone to the work and expense of sending out 1,000 letters.
Chain letters do nothing except cost you money!
However, many people are foolhardy enough to "try anything
once", chain letter schemes being no exception. So if you're
one of these people, and you think that by offering some sort of
product, you can get around the postal authorities, listen:
Do NOT mail your chain letter to any established business.
Especially, do NOT mail to any "known" mail order dealers.
Instead, take your phone book and pick out every tenth name or
so, front to back, and send your letters to these people. An
even better way would be to pull the names from a city directory
- available at your public library - and concentrate on people
living in the less affluent section of town.
Generally speaking, these people are more "money-hungry", less
educated and completely naive to the "truths of mail order".
These will be the people "most-likely" to take you up on
anything with chain letter connotations.
When you receive a chain letter opportunity in the mail check
the names and addresses against those you already have on file,
and then discard. Do NOT get involved in or perpetuate incoming
chain letters!
IMPORTANT: Should you receive a chain purporting to sell books
or money-making reports, do as advised in the paragraph above.
If there is a book or report listed that does interest you,
write to the dealer who supplied you this report. You will be
able to secure it, or one that better fits your needs.
Whenever you get a chain letter suggesting the names of
companies selling mailing lists, turn it over to your local
postmaster. The only time you would ever want to rent or buy
names from those companies listed in a chain letter, would be
when you already have "tons of money" and you're doing research
to determine how many nixes you can accumulate from any one
list. Most of the mailing lists from any of the firms I've seen
listed as mailing list sources in chain letters, run about 80 -
85% undeliverable, and some of the companies listed aren't even
in business anymore!
Any kind of letter, but specifically chain letters, that require
you to send money to a "printing headquarters" for so many
copies of the letter you received in order for you to get in on
the "big deal", with your name and address imprinted - is
selling you printing services! They don't care whether you ever
make a sale, or even if you never mail out one of the letters
they're so willing to print up for you - they make their money
up-front by furnishing you with printed paper!
What about multi-level programs by mail? Most are simply
"people pyramids". Organizations that make their profits from
new member fees. Before you get taken in, determine if YOU
would like to have the product they're offering - if YOU want
it, send for it. And before you start sending out letters to
recruit new members, do some common sense market research -
what's the real value of the product; how many people will
stand in line to buy it; and how much of your time and money is
it going to cost you in order to make a hundred dollars a week
in clear profits,,,
Success with anything is simply a matter of having something
DIFFERENT that APPEALS to the WANTS and/or DESIRES of the
greatest number of consumers possible - TARGETING your sales
efforts to reach the people wanting it badly enough to STAND IN
LINE TO BUY IT - and then, make it as PAINLESS as possible for
them to achieve SATISFACTION by purchasing that particular item
that fulfills THEIR NEEDS from YOU!
With this report, you've got the answers to all your questions,
and most of your dreams - Good luck in all your money-making
ventures.
about the sender pulling in $20,000 the first time around;
$80,000 the second time; and $180,000 the third time; are just
outright lies!
It's best not to get involved in ANY kind of chain letter scheme
because they ar ALL illegal, and sooner or later, the postal
authorities will close you down. If they find that you are, or
have been a willing participant, you could be fined, imprisoned,
or face a penalty of both as punishment.
Don't get involved! Chain letters do not, and will not solve
any of your money problems. Anyone, and everyone, with any
experience in direct mail - and a sense of integrity or pride in
their business - will either quickly toss your letter into the
trash or else send it on to the postal inspectors for action on
their part.
Probably the biggest reason why chain letters don't work, is the
continuing efforts of reputable mail order dealers in snuffing
out these schemes. Any money actually made or collected by a
chain letter is pocketed by the perpetrators. Sometimes the
person starting, and promoting a chain letter is able to pull a
hundred dollars or so before the postal authorities "nail" him -
but getting in as the "third name" on a list has never brought
in more than $5 or $10 total - even after such participants have
gone to the work and expense of sending out 1,000 letters.
Chain letters do nothing except cost you money!
However, many people are foolhardy enough to "try anything
once", chain letter schemes being no exception. So if you're
one of these people, and you think that by offering some sort of
product, you can get around the postal authorities, listen:
Do NOT mail your chain letter to any established business.
Especially, do NOT mail to any "known" mail order dealers.
Instead, take your phone book and pick out every tenth name or
so, front to back, and send your letters to these people. An
even better way would be to pull the names from a city directory
- available at your public library - and concentrate on people
living in the less affluent section of town.
Generally speaking, these people are more "money-hungry", less
educated and completely naive to the "truths of mail order".
These will be the people "most-likely" to take you up on
anything with chain letter connotations.
When you receive a chain letter opportunity in the mail check
the names and addresses against those you already have on file,
and then discard. Do NOT get involved in or perpetuate incoming
chain letters!
IMPORTANT: Should you receive a chain purporting to sell books
or money-making reports, do as advised in the paragraph above.
If there is a book or report listed that does interest you,
write to the dealer who supplied you this report. You will be
able to secure it, or one that better fits your needs.
Whenever you get a chain letter suggesting the names of
companies selling mailing lists, turn it over to your local
postmaster. The only time you would ever want to rent or buy
names from those companies listed in a chain letter, would be
when you already have "tons of money" and you're doing research
to determine how many nixes you can accumulate from any one
list. Most of the mailing lists from any of the firms I've seen
listed as mailing list sources in chain letters, run about 80 -
85% undeliverable, and some of the companies listed aren't even
in business anymore!
Any kind of letter, but specifically chain letters, that require
you to send money to a "printing headquarters" for so many
copies of the letter you received in order for you to get in on
the "big deal", with your name and address imprinted - is
selling you printing services! They don't care whether you ever
make a sale, or even if you never mail out one of the letters
they're so willing to print up for you - they make their money
up-front by furnishing you with printed paper!
What about multi-level programs by mail? Most are simply
"people pyramids". Organizations that make their profits from
new member fees. Before you get taken in, determine if YOU
would like to have the product they're offering - if YOU want
it, send for it. And before you start sending out letters to
recruit new members, do some common sense market research -
what's the real value of the product; how many people will
stand in line to buy it; and how much of your time and money is
it going to cost you in order to make a hundred dollars a week
in clear profits,,,
Success with anything is simply a matter of having something
DIFFERENT that APPEALS to the WANTS and/or DESIRES of the
greatest number of consumers possible - TARGETING your sales
efforts to reach the people wanting it badly enough to STAND IN
LINE TO BUY IT - and then, make it as PAINLESS as possible for
them to achieve SATISFACTION by purchasing that particular item
that fulfills THEIR NEEDS from YOU!
With this report, you've got the answers to all your questions,
and most of your dreams - Good luck in all your money-making
ventures.
HOW TO SUCCEED WITH YOUR OWN MONEY-MAKING AD SHEET
Publishing and distributing a mail order ad sheet can be very
profitable. They are simple and easy to produce, with most
quick print shops able to handle the printing at fairly low
cost. The important consideration is that you can use them to
pull in advertising dollars for yourself, as a free advertising
media for your own products, and as an exchange medium with
which to get greater exposure for you own ads.
Before starting an ad sheet, you should plan it all out - decide
on an interesting, informative title, choose a masthead, lay out
your columns for size, determine if it is to be a simple 8 1/2 x
11 single sheet of paper or an 11 x 17 sheet folded in half.
you'll also need to know your production cost for the number you
intend to have printed, and the postage cost to mail them out.
Most of the ad sheets start out as single sheets of paper, 8 1/2
x 11, printed on both sides. Usually, the front side is divided
into three equal columns about 2 1/4 inches wide, with a 1/2
inch margin from the edge of the paper on both sides and top and
bottom.
Assuming that the space occupied by your title, masthead and
listing of rates for advertisers interested in placing an ad
with you is two inches deep, this leaves you about 24 inches of
advertising space to sell on the front side. Figuring a cost of
$50 for 1,000 copies of such an ad sheet, printed both sides,
and a third-class bulk-rate postage of $110, this means that
your 24 inches of ad space will have to be sold at a rate of
$6.25 each in order to break even. This means: You have to sell
all of the ad space on the front of your ad sheet at $6.25 each
in order to break even. This means: You have to sell all of
the ad space on the front of your ad sheet at $6.25 per ad - and
then expect to make your profits from the sale of the back side
of your ad sheet. Actually, it would be feasible to charge
$7.00 per inch for the space on the front side, and carry you
own full page ad on the back side. At any rate, don't box
yourself into a loss situation where you can't afford to place
your own ads in your ad sheet.
You get ads by making up an advertising solicitation sales
letter and sending it out to as many mail order dealers as you
can find. You can also run ads in other people's publications,
inviting the readers to check with you regarding placement of an
ad in your publication. And of course, you'll be wanting to
work out some exchange advertising deals (whereby another
publisher runs your ad in his publication, and you run his in
exchange). From the experience of many, many publishers, this
can be one of the most effective ways of getting your ads run,
at low/no cost, and it is recognized to be successful in the
field of Mail Order.
You probably won't be able to fill up all of your available ad
space with paid ads until you're well established - but no
problem - first you fill your ad space with paid ads, and then
you fill in the empty space with ads of your own. Some
beginning advertisers fill a part of their empty space with
complementary ads for other mail order operators, send them a
copy of the issue in which the complimentary ad appears, and
invite them to continue the ad on a "paid" basis from there.
Many of them will appreciate the favor and send you a check or
money order to continue running the ad.
If you undertake the publication of an ad sheet, be sure to
consider the possibilities of sending out 100 to 1,000 copies of
your ad sheet to other mail order operators to rubber stamp
their names/addresses as co-publishers and mail out for you.
Thus, if you had 50 other mail order operators sending out 100
copies each of your ad sheet, you'd be talking about a
circulation of 5,000 copies plus the number of copies you mail
out. If you can get this kind of program going, you'll quickly
build your reputation as well as your circulation, and at the
bottom line, your profits.
Some ad sheet publishers, once they've established themselves
and are putting out an impressive publication, set up
distributor networks. Generally, they run ads calling for
distributor/dealers and asking for a $5 to $10 registration fee.
In reply to the registration application, they send out a
letter explaining that each distributor can buy at half price,
so many copies of each issue of the ad sheet, rubber stamp their
name on each copy, and send them out as their own. In return,
the distributors usually get 50% of the incoming advertising
orders, a half-price ad for themselves, and an opportunity to
sell subscriptions.
The bottom line relative to becoming a successful ad sheet
publisher has to do with keeping your production costs -
printing and mailing - as low as possible, while putting out a
quality product that other people in the mail order business
will want to advertise in - while at the same time using it as a
advertising/selling vehicle for your own products.
My advice is that almost everyone involved in mail order selling
should have some sort of ad sheet - if for no other reason than
as a means to an end - an advertising vehicle for your own
products, an extra income form advertising revenues, and as an
exchange media with which to gain greater exposure for your own
products in other people's publications. Once you've got an ad
sheet, or any kind of publication set up and being seen by other
mail order operators, you'll quickly gain stature and a certain
amount of prestige.
As with any business, your ultimate success depends on your own
feasibility studies, and your "sharp-pencil" planning completed
before you order your first issue printed. Think about it,
weigh the pro's and con's, then go with your decision.
profitable. They are simple and easy to produce, with most
quick print shops able to handle the printing at fairly low
cost. The important consideration is that you can use them to
pull in advertising dollars for yourself, as a free advertising
media for your own products, and as an exchange medium with
which to get greater exposure for you own ads.
Before starting an ad sheet, you should plan it all out - decide
on an interesting, informative title, choose a masthead, lay out
your columns for size, determine if it is to be a simple 8 1/2 x
11 single sheet of paper or an 11 x 17 sheet folded in half.
you'll also need to know your production cost for the number you
intend to have printed, and the postage cost to mail them out.
Most of the ad sheets start out as single sheets of paper, 8 1/2
x 11, printed on both sides. Usually, the front side is divided
into three equal columns about 2 1/4 inches wide, with a 1/2
inch margin from the edge of the paper on both sides and top and
bottom.
Assuming that the space occupied by your title, masthead and
listing of rates for advertisers interested in placing an ad
with you is two inches deep, this leaves you about 24 inches of
advertising space to sell on the front side. Figuring a cost of
$50 for 1,000 copies of such an ad sheet, printed both sides,
and a third-class bulk-rate postage of $110, this means that
your 24 inches of ad space will have to be sold at a rate of
$6.25 each in order to break even. This means: You have to sell
all of the ad space on the front of your ad sheet at $6.25 each
in order to break even. This means: You have to sell all of
the ad space on the front of your ad sheet at $6.25 per ad - and
then expect to make your profits from the sale of the back side
of your ad sheet. Actually, it would be feasible to charge
$7.00 per inch for the space on the front side, and carry you
own full page ad on the back side. At any rate, don't box
yourself into a loss situation where you can't afford to place
your own ads in your ad sheet.
You get ads by making up an advertising solicitation sales
letter and sending it out to as many mail order dealers as you
can find. You can also run ads in other people's publications,
inviting the readers to check with you regarding placement of an
ad in your publication. And of course, you'll be wanting to
work out some exchange advertising deals (whereby another
publisher runs your ad in his publication, and you run his in
exchange). From the experience of many, many publishers, this
can be one of the most effective ways of getting your ads run,
at low/no cost, and it is recognized to be successful in the
field of Mail Order.
You probably won't be able to fill up all of your available ad
space with paid ads until you're well established - but no
problem - first you fill your ad space with paid ads, and then
you fill in the empty space with ads of your own. Some
beginning advertisers fill a part of their empty space with
complementary ads for other mail order operators, send them a
copy of the issue in which the complimentary ad appears, and
invite them to continue the ad on a "paid" basis from there.
Many of them will appreciate the favor and send you a check or
money order to continue running the ad.
If you undertake the publication of an ad sheet, be sure to
consider the possibilities of sending out 100 to 1,000 copies of
your ad sheet to other mail order operators to rubber stamp
their names/addresses as co-publishers and mail out for you.
Thus, if you had 50 other mail order operators sending out 100
copies each of your ad sheet, you'd be talking about a
circulation of 5,000 copies plus the number of copies you mail
out. If you can get this kind of program going, you'll quickly
build your reputation as well as your circulation, and at the
bottom line, your profits.
Some ad sheet publishers, once they've established themselves
and are putting out an impressive publication, set up
distributor networks. Generally, they run ads calling for
distributor/dealers and asking for a $5 to $10 registration fee.
In reply to the registration application, they send out a
letter explaining that each distributor can buy at half price,
so many copies of each issue of the ad sheet, rubber stamp their
name on each copy, and send them out as their own. In return,
the distributors usually get 50% of the incoming advertising
orders, a half-price ad for themselves, and an opportunity to
sell subscriptions.
The bottom line relative to becoming a successful ad sheet
publisher has to do with keeping your production costs -
printing and mailing - as low as possible, while putting out a
quality product that other people in the mail order business
will want to advertise in - while at the same time using it as a
advertising/selling vehicle for your own products.
My advice is that almost everyone involved in mail order selling
should have some sort of ad sheet - if for no other reason than
as a means to an end - an advertising vehicle for your own
products, an extra income form advertising revenues, and as an
exchange media with which to gain greater exposure for your own
products in other people's publications. Once you've got an ad
sheet, or any kind of publication set up and being seen by other
mail order operators, you'll quickly gain stature and a certain
amount of prestige.
As with any business, your ultimate success depends on your own
feasibility studies, and your "sharp-pencil" planning completed
before you order your first issue printed. Think about it,
weigh the pro's and con's, then go with your decision.
HOW TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS WITH YOUR OWN MONEY MAKING NEWSLETTER
Writing and publishing a successful newsletter is perhaps the
most competitive of all the different areas of mail order and
direct marketing.
Five years ago, there were 1500 different newsletters in this
country. Today there are well over 10,000 with new ones being
started every day. It's also interesting to note that for every
new one that's started, some disappear just as quickly as they
are started...lack of operating capital and marketing know how
being the principal causes of failure.
To be successful with newsletter, you have to specialize. Your
best bet will be with new information on a subject not already
covered by an established newsletter.
Regardless of the frustrations involved in launching your own
newsletter, never forget this truth; There are people from all
walks of life, in all parts of this country, many of them with no
writing ability what so ever, who are making incredible profits
with simple two-four- and six page newsletters.
Your first step should be to subscribe to as many different
newsletters and mail order publications as you can afford.
Analyze and study how the others are doing it. Attend as many
workshops and seminars on your subject as possible. Learn from
the pros. Learn how the successful newsletter publishers are
doing it, and why they are making money. Adapt their success
methods to your own newsletter, but determine to recognize where
they are weak, and make yours better in every way.
Plan your newsletter before launching it. Know the basic premise
for its being, your editorial position, the layout, art work,
type style, subscription price, distribution methods, and every
other detail necessary to make it look, sound and feel like the
end result you have envisioned.
Lay out your start up needs; detail the length of time it's going
to take to become established, and what will be involved in
becoming established. Set a date as a milestone of accomplishment
for each phase of your development; A date for breaking even, a
date attaining a certain paid subscription figure, and a monetary
goal for each of your first five years in business. And all this
must be done before publishing your first issue.
Most newsletter publishers do all the work themselves, and are
impatient to get the first issue into print. As a result, they
neglect to devote the proper amount of time to the market
research and distribution. Don't start your newsletter without
first having accomplished this task!
Market research is simply determining who the people are who
will be interested in buying and reading your newsletter, and the
kind of information these people want to see in your newsletter
as a reason for continuing to buy it. You have to determine what
it is they want form your newsletter.
Your market research must give you unbiased answers about your
newsletter's capabilities of fulfilling your prospective buyer's
need for information; how much he's willing to pay for it, and an
overall profile of his status in life. The questions of why he
needs your information, and how he'll use it should be answered.
Make sure you have the answers to these questions, publish you
newsletter as a vehicle of fulfilment to these needs, and you're
on your way!
You're going to be in trouble unless your newsletter has a real
point of difference that can easily be perceived by your
prospective buyer. The design and graphics of your newsletter,
plus what you say and how you say it, will help in giving your
newsletter this vital difference.
Be sure your newsletter works with the personality you're trying
to build for it. Make sure it reflects the wants of your
subscribers. Include your advertising promise within the heading,
on the title page, and in the same words your advertising uses.
And above all else, don't skimp on design or graphics!
The name of your newsletter should also help to set it apart form
similar newsletters, and spell out its advertising promise. A
good name reinforces your advertising. Choose a name that defines
the direction and scope of your newsletter.
Opportunity Knocking, Money Making Magic, Extra Income Tip Sheet,
and Mail Order Up Date are prime examples of this type of
philosophy...as opposed to the Johnson Report, The Association
Newsletter, or Clubhouse Confidential.
Try to make your newsletter's name memorable...one that flows
automatically. Don't pick a name that's so vague it could apply
to almost anything. The name should identify
your newsletter and its subject quickly and positively.
Pricing your newsletter should be consistent with the image
you're trying to build. If you're starting a "Me-too" newsletter,
never price it above the competition. In most instances, the
consumer associates higher prices with quality, so if you give
your readers better quality information in an expensive looking
package, don't hesitate to ask for a premium price. However, if
your information is gathered from most of the other newsletters
on the subject, you will do well to keep your prices in line with
theirs.
One of the best selling points of a newsletter is in the degree
of audience involvement instance, how much it talks about, and
uses the names of its readers.
People like to see things written about themselves. They resort
to all kinds of things to get their names in print, and they pay
big money to read what's been written about them. You should
understand this fact of human nature, and decide if and how you
want to capitalize upon it-- then plan your newsletter
accordingly.
Almost as important as names in your newsletter are pictures. The
readers will generally accept a newsletter faster if the
publisher's picture is presented or included as part of the
newsletter. Whether you use pictures of the people, events,
locations or products you write about is a policy decision; but
the use of pictures will set your publication apart from the
others and give it an individual image, which is precisely what
you want.
The decision as to whether to carry paid advertising, and if so,
how much, is another policy decision that should be made while
your newsletter is still in the planning stages. Some purists
feel that advertising corrupts the image of the newsletter and
may influence editorial policy. Most people accept advertising as
a part of everyday life, and don't care one way or the other.
Many newsletter publishers,faced with rising production costs,
and viewing advertising as a means of offsetting those costs,
welcome paid advertising. Generally the advertisers see the
newsletter as a vehicle to captive audience, and well worth the
costs.
The only problem with accepting advertising in your newsletter
would appear to be that as your circulation grows, so will the
number of advertisers, until you'll have to increase the size of
your newsletter to accommodate the advertisers. At this point,
the basic premise or philosophy of the newsletter often changes
from news and practical information to one of an advertiser's
showcase.
Promoting your newsletter, finding prospective buyers and
converting these prospects into loyal subscribers, will be the
most difficult task of your entire undertaking. It takes detailed
planning, persistence and patience.
You'll need a sales letter. Check the sales letter you receive in
the mail; analyze how these are written and pattern yours along
the same lines. You'll find all of them---all those worthy of
being called sales letters---following the same formula:
Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action on the part of the
reader---AIDA.
Jump right in at beginning and tell the reader how he's going to
benefit from your newsletter, and keep emphasizing right on thru
your "PS", the many and different benefits he'll gain from
subscribing to your newsletter. Elaborate on your listing of
benefits with examples of what you have, or you intend to
include, in your newsletter.
Follow these examples with endorsements or testimonials from
reviewers and satisfied subscribers. Make the recipient of your
sales letter feel that you're offering him the answer to all his
problems on the subject of your newsletter.
You have to make your prospect feel that "this is the insider's
secret" to the success he wants. Present it to him as his own
personal key to success, and then tell him how far behind his
contemporaries he is going to be if he doesn't act upon your
offer immediately.
Always include a "PS' in your sales letter. This should quickly
restate to the reader that he can start enjoying the benefits of
your newsletter by acting immediately, and very subtly suggesting
that he may not get another chance to get the kind of "success
help" you're offering him with this sales letter.
Don't worry about the length of your sales letter---most are four
pages or more; however, it must flow logically and smoothly. Use
short sentences, short paragraphs, indented paragraphs, and lots
of sub-heads for the people who will be "scanning thru" your
sales letter.
In addition to the sales letter, your promotion package should
include a return reply order card or coupon. This can be either a
self addresses business reply postcard, or a separate coupon, in
which case you'll have to include a self-addressed return reply
envelope. In every mailing piece you send out, always include one
or the other; either a self-addressed business reply postcard or
a self-addressed return reply envelope for the recipient to use
to send your order form and his remittance back to you.
Your best response will come from a business reply postcard on
which you allow your prospect to charge the subscription to his
credit card, request that you bill him, or send his payment with
the subscription start order.
For makeup of this subscription order card or coupon, simply
start saving all the order cards and coupons you receive during
the next month or so. Choose the one you like best, modify
according to your needs, and have it typeset, pasted up and
border fit.
Next, you'll need a Subscription Order Acknowledgment card or
letter. This is simply a short note thanking your new subscriber
for his order, and promising to keep him up to date with
everything relating to the subject of your newsletter.
An acknowledgment letter, in an envelope, will cost more postage
to mail than an simple postcard; however when you send the letter
you have the opportunity to enclose additional material. A
circular listing items available through you will produce
additional orders.
Thus far, you've prepared the layout and copy for your
newsletter. Go ahead and have a hundred copies printed, undated.
You've written a sales letter and prepared a return reply
subscription order card or coupon; go ahead and have a hundred of
these printed, also undated, of course. You'll need letterhead
mailing envelopes, and don't forget the return reply envelopes if
you choose to use the coupons instead of the business reply
postcard. Go ahead and have a thousand mailing envelopes printed.
You also need subscription order acknowledgement cards or notes;
have a hundred of these printed, and of course don't forget the
imprinted reply envelopes if you're going along with the idea of
using a note instead of a postcard. This will be a basic supply
for "testing" your material so far.
Now you're ready for the big move... The Advertising Campaign.
Start by placing a small classified ad in one of your local
newspaper. You should place your ad in an weekend or Sunday paper
that will reach as many people as possible, and of course, do
everything you can to keep your costs as low as possible.
However, do not skimp on your advertising budget. To be
successful--- to make as much money as is possible with your
idea--- you'll have to reach as many people as you can afford,
and as often as you can.
Over the years we have launched several hundred advertising
campaigns. We always ran new ads for a minimum of three issues
and kept close tabs on the returns. So long as the returns kept
coming in, we continued running that ad in that publication,
while adding a new publication to test for results. To our way of
thinking, this is the best way to go, regardless of the product,
to successfully multiply your customer list.
Move slowly. Start with a local, far-reaching and widely read
paper, and with the profits or returns from that ad, go to the
regional magazines, or one of the smaller national magazines, and
continue plowing your returns into more advertising in different
publications. By taking your time, and building your acceptance
in this manner, you won't lose too much if one of your ads should
prove to be a dud. Stay with the advertising. Do not abandon it
in favor of direct mail. We would not recommend direct mail until
you are well established, and your national classified
advertising program is bringing in a healthy profit for you.
Do not become overly ambitious and go out on a limb with
expensive full page advertising until you're very well
established. When you do buy full page advertising, start with
the smaller publications, and build from those results. Have
patience keep close tabs on your costs per subscriber, and build
from the profits of your advertising. Always test the advertising
medium you want to use with a classified ad, and if it pulls well
for you, go on to a larger display type ad.
Classified advertising is the least expensive way to go, so long
as you use the "inquiry method". You can easily and quickly build
your subscriber list with this type of advertisement.
We would not recommend any attempts to sell subscriptions, or any
product from classified ads, or even from small display ads.
There just isn't enough space to describe the product adequately,
and seeing the cost of your item, many possible subscribers will
not bother to inquire for the full story.
When you do expand your efforts into direct mail, go straight to
a national list broker. You can find their names and addresses in
the yellow pages section of your local telephone directory. Show
the list broker your product and your mailing piece, and explain
what type people you want to reach, and allow them to help you.
Once you've decided on a list to use, go slowly. Start with a
sampling of 5,00 names. If the returns are favorable, go to
10,000 names, and then 15,000 and so on through the entire list.
Never rent the entire list based upon the returns from your first
couple of samplings. The variables are just too many, and too
complicated, and too conductive to your losing your shirt when
you "roll out an entire list" based upon returns from a
controlled sampling.
There are a number of other methods for finding new subscribers,
which we'll explore for you here, detailing the good and the bad
as we have researched them.
One method is that of contracting with what is known as a "cash
field" agency. These are soliciting agencies who hire people to
sell door-to-door and via the phone, almost always using a high
pressure sales approach. The publishers usually makes only about
5% from each subscription sold by one of these agencies. That
speaks for itself.
Then, there are several major catalog sales companies that sell
subscriptions to school libraries, government agencies and large
corporations. These people usually buy through these catalog
sales companies rather than direct form the publisher. The
publisher makes about 10% on each subscription sold for him by
one of these agencies.
Co-Op Mailings are generally piggy-back mailings of your
subscription offer along with numerous other business offers in
the same envelope. Smaller mail order entrepreneurs do this under
the name of Big Mail Offers. Coming into vogue now are the
Postcard Mailers. You submit your offer on a business reply
postcard; the packager then prints and mails your postcard in a
package with 40 or 50 similar postcards via third class mail to a
mailing list that could number 100,00 or more. You pay a premium
price for this type of mailing---usually $1000 To $1500 per
mailing, but the returns are very good and you keep all the
incoming money.
Another form of co-op mailing is that where you supply a charge
card company or department store with your subscription offer as
a "statement mailing stuffer". Your offer goes out with the
monthly statements; new subscriptions are returned to the mailer
and billed to the customer's charge card. The publisher usually
makes about 50% on each subscription. This is one of the most
lucrative, but expensive methods of bringing in new customers.
Direct mail agencies such as Publishers Clearing House can be a
very lucrative source of new subscriptions, in that they mail out
more than 60 million pieces of mail each year, all of which are
built around an opportunity for the recipient to win a gigantic
cash sweepstakes. The only problem with this type of subscription
agency is the very low percentage of the total subscription price
the publisher receives from these subscriptions, plus the fact
that the publishers are required to charge a lower subscription
rate than they normally charge.
There are also several agencies that offer Introductory, Sample
Copy and Trail Subscription offers, such as Select Information
Exchange and Publishers Exchange. With this kind of agency,
details about your publication are listed along with similar
publications, in full page ads inviting the readers to send $10
or $20 for trail subscriptions to those of his choice. The
publishers receive no money from these inquires list of names of
people interested in receiving trail subscription. How the
publisher follows up and is able to convert these into full term,
and paying subscribers is entirely dependent upon his own
efforts.
Most major newspapers will carry small, lightweight brochures or
oversized reply cards as inserts in their Sunday papers. The
publisher supplies the total number of inserts, pays the
newspaper $20 per thousand for the number of newspapers he wants
his order form carried in, and then retains all the money
generated. But the high costs of printing the inserts, plus the
$20 per thousand for distribution, make this an extremely costly
method of obtaining new subscribers.
Schools, civic groups and other fun raising organizations work in
about the same manner as the cash-field agencies. They supply the
solicitor and the publisher gets 25% or less for each new
subscription sold.
Attempting to sell subscriptions via radio or TV is very
expensive and works better in generating sales at the news stands
than new subscriptions. PI (Per Inquiry) sales is a very popular
way of getting radio or TV exposure and advertising for your
newsletter or other publication, but again, the number of sales
brought in by the broadcast media is very small when compared
with the number of times the "invitation commercial" has to be
"aired" to elicit a response.
A new idea beginning to surface on the cable TV scene is "Product
Shows". This is the kind of show where the originator of the
product or his representative appears on TV and gives a complete
sales presentation lasting from five minutes to fifteen minutes.
Overall, these programs generally run between midnight and 2 AM,
with the whole program a series of sales presentations for
different products. They operate on the basis of the product
owner paying a fee to appear and show his product, and also from
an arrangement where the product owner pays a certain percentage
from each sale generated from this exposure.
Newsletter publishers often run exchange publicity endorsements
with non-competing publishers. Generally, these endorsements
invite the reader of newsletter "A" to send for a sample copy of
newsletter "B" for a look at what somebody else is doing that
might be of especial help etc. This can be very good source of
new subscriptions, and certainly the least expensive.
Last, but not least, is the enlistment of your own subscribers to
send you names of people they think might be interested in
receiving a sample copy of your publication. Some publishers ask
their readers to pass along these names out of loyalty, while
others offer a monetary incentive or a special bonus for names of
people sent in who become subscribers.
By studying and understanding the information in this report, you
should encounter fewer serious problems in launching your own
successful specialized newsletter that will be the source of on
going monetary rewards for you. However, there is an important
point to remember about doing business by mail---particularly
within the confines of selling information by mail---that is,
Mail Order is ONLY another way of doing business. You have to
learn all there is to know about this way of doing business, and
then keep on learning, changing, observing and adapting to stay
on top.
The best way of learning about and keeping up with this field of
endeavor is by buying and reading books by the people who have
succeeded in making money via the mails; by subscribing to
several of the better periodic journals and aids to people in
mail order, and by joining some of the mail order trade
associations for a free exchange od ideas, advice and help.
most competitive of all the different areas of mail order and
direct marketing.
Five years ago, there were 1500 different newsletters in this
country. Today there are well over 10,000 with new ones being
started every day. It's also interesting to note that for every
new one that's started, some disappear just as quickly as they
are started...lack of operating capital and marketing know how
being the principal causes of failure.
To be successful with newsletter, you have to specialize. Your
best bet will be with new information on a subject not already
covered by an established newsletter.
Regardless of the frustrations involved in launching your own
newsletter, never forget this truth; There are people from all
walks of life, in all parts of this country, many of them with no
writing ability what so ever, who are making incredible profits
with simple two-four- and six page newsletters.
Your first step should be to subscribe to as many different
newsletters and mail order publications as you can afford.
Analyze and study how the others are doing it. Attend as many
workshops and seminars on your subject as possible. Learn from
the pros. Learn how the successful newsletter publishers are
doing it, and why they are making money. Adapt their success
methods to your own newsletter, but determine to recognize where
they are weak, and make yours better in every way.
Plan your newsletter before launching it. Know the basic premise
for its being, your editorial position, the layout, art work,
type style, subscription price, distribution methods, and every
other detail necessary to make it look, sound and feel like the
end result you have envisioned.
Lay out your start up needs; detail the length of time it's going
to take to become established, and what will be involved in
becoming established. Set a date as a milestone of accomplishment
for each phase of your development; A date for breaking even, a
date attaining a certain paid subscription figure, and a monetary
goal for each of your first five years in business. And all this
must be done before publishing your first issue.
Most newsletter publishers do all the work themselves, and are
impatient to get the first issue into print. As a result, they
neglect to devote the proper amount of time to the market
research and distribution. Don't start your newsletter without
first having accomplished this task!
Market research is simply determining who the people are who
will be interested in buying and reading your newsletter, and the
kind of information these people want to see in your newsletter
as a reason for continuing to buy it. You have to determine what
it is they want form your newsletter.
Your market research must give you unbiased answers about your
newsletter's capabilities of fulfilling your prospective buyer's
need for information; how much he's willing to pay for it, and an
overall profile of his status in life. The questions of why he
needs your information, and how he'll use it should be answered.
Make sure you have the answers to these questions, publish you
newsletter as a vehicle of fulfilment to these needs, and you're
on your way!
You're going to be in trouble unless your newsletter has a real
point of difference that can easily be perceived by your
prospective buyer. The design and graphics of your newsletter,
plus what you say and how you say it, will help in giving your
newsletter this vital difference.
Be sure your newsletter works with the personality you're trying
to build for it. Make sure it reflects the wants of your
subscribers. Include your advertising promise within the heading,
on the title page, and in the same words your advertising uses.
And above all else, don't skimp on design or graphics!
The name of your newsletter should also help to set it apart form
similar newsletters, and spell out its advertising promise. A
good name reinforces your advertising. Choose a name that defines
the direction and scope of your newsletter.
Opportunity Knocking, Money Making Magic, Extra Income Tip Sheet,
and Mail Order Up Date are prime examples of this type of
philosophy...as opposed to the Johnson Report, The Association
Newsletter, or Clubhouse Confidential.
Try to make your newsletter's name memorable...one that flows
automatically. Don't pick a name that's so vague it could apply
to almost anything. The name should identify
your newsletter and its subject quickly and positively.
Pricing your newsletter should be consistent with the image
you're trying to build. If you're starting a "Me-too" newsletter,
never price it above the competition. In most instances, the
consumer associates higher prices with quality, so if you give
your readers better quality information in an expensive looking
package, don't hesitate to ask for a premium price. However, if
your information is gathered from most of the other newsletters
on the subject, you will do well to keep your prices in line with
theirs.
One of the best selling points of a newsletter is in the degree
of audience involvement instance, how much it talks about, and
uses the names of its readers.
People like to see things written about themselves. They resort
to all kinds of things to get their names in print, and they pay
big money to read what's been written about them. You should
understand this fact of human nature, and decide if and how you
want to capitalize upon it-- then plan your newsletter
accordingly.
Almost as important as names in your newsletter are pictures. The
readers will generally accept a newsletter faster if the
publisher's picture is presented or included as part of the
newsletter. Whether you use pictures of the people, events,
locations or products you write about is a policy decision; but
the use of pictures will set your publication apart from the
others and give it an individual image, which is precisely what
you want.
The decision as to whether to carry paid advertising, and if so,
how much, is another policy decision that should be made while
your newsletter is still in the planning stages. Some purists
feel that advertising corrupts the image of the newsletter and
may influence editorial policy. Most people accept advertising as
a part of everyday life, and don't care one way or the other.
Many newsletter publishers,faced with rising production costs,
and viewing advertising as a means of offsetting those costs,
welcome paid advertising. Generally the advertisers see the
newsletter as a vehicle to captive audience, and well worth the
costs.
The only problem with accepting advertising in your newsletter
would appear to be that as your circulation grows, so will the
number of advertisers, until you'll have to increase the size of
your newsletter to accommodate the advertisers. At this point,
the basic premise or philosophy of the newsletter often changes
from news and practical information to one of an advertiser's
showcase.
Promoting your newsletter, finding prospective buyers and
converting these prospects into loyal subscribers, will be the
most difficult task of your entire undertaking. It takes detailed
planning, persistence and patience.
You'll need a sales letter. Check the sales letter you receive in
the mail; analyze how these are written and pattern yours along
the same lines. You'll find all of them---all those worthy of
being called sales letters---following the same formula:
Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action on the part of the
reader---AIDA.
Jump right in at beginning and tell the reader how he's going to
benefit from your newsletter, and keep emphasizing right on thru
your "PS", the many and different benefits he'll gain from
subscribing to your newsletter. Elaborate on your listing of
benefits with examples of what you have, or you intend to
include, in your newsletter.
Follow these examples with endorsements or testimonials from
reviewers and satisfied subscribers. Make the recipient of your
sales letter feel that you're offering him the answer to all his
problems on the subject of your newsletter.
You have to make your prospect feel that "this is the insider's
secret" to the success he wants. Present it to him as his own
personal key to success, and then tell him how far behind his
contemporaries he is going to be if he doesn't act upon your
offer immediately.
Always include a "PS' in your sales letter. This should quickly
restate to the reader that he can start enjoying the benefits of
your newsletter by acting immediately, and very subtly suggesting
that he may not get another chance to get the kind of "success
help" you're offering him with this sales letter.
Don't worry about the length of your sales letter---most are four
pages or more; however, it must flow logically and smoothly. Use
short sentences, short paragraphs, indented paragraphs, and lots
of sub-heads for the people who will be "scanning thru" your
sales letter.
In addition to the sales letter, your promotion package should
include a return reply order card or coupon. This can be either a
self addresses business reply postcard, or a separate coupon, in
which case you'll have to include a self-addressed return reply
envelope. In every mailing piece you send out, always include one
or the other; either a self-addressed business reply postcard or
a self-addressed return reply envelope for the recipient to use
to send your order form and his remittance back to you.
Your best response will come from a business reply postcard on
which you allow your prospect to charge the subscription to his
credit card, request that you bill him, or send his payment with
the subscription start order.
For makeup of this subscription order card or coupon, simply
start saving all the order cards and coupons you receive during
the next month or so. Choose the one you like best, modify
according to your needs, and have it typeset, pasted up and
border fit.
Next, you'll need a Subscription Order Acknowledgment card or
letter. This is simply a short note thanking your new subscriber
for his order, and promising to keep him up to date with
everything relating to the subject of your newsletter.
An acknowledgment letter, in an envelope, will cost more postage
to mail than an simple postcard; however when you send the letter
you have the opportunity to enclose additional material. A
circular listing items available through you will produce
additional orders.
Thus far, you've prepared the layout and copy for your
newsletter. Go ahead and have a hundred copies printed, undated.
You've written a sales letter and prepared a return reply
subscription order card or coupon; go ahead and have a hundred of
these printed, also undated, of course. You'll need letterhead
mailing envelopes, and don't forget the return reply envelopes if
you choose to use the coupons instead of the business reply
postcard. Go ahead and have a thousand mailing envelopes printed.
You also need subscription order acknowledgement cards or notes;
have a hundred of these printed, and of course don't forget the
imprinted reply envelopes if you're going along with the idea of
using a note instead of a postcard. This will be a basic supply
for "testing" your material so far.
Now you're ready for the big move... The Advertising Campaign.
Start by placing a small classified ad in one of your local
newspaper. You should place your ad in an weekend or Sunday paper
that will reach as many people as possible, and of course, do
everything you can to keep your costs as low as possible.
However, do not skimp on your advertising budget. To be
successful--- to make as much money as is possible with your
idea--- you'll have to reach as many people as you can afford,
and as often as you can.
Over the years we have launched several hundred advertising
campaigns. We always ran new ads for a minimum of three issues
and kept close tabs on the returns. So long as the returns kept
coming in, we continued running that ad in that publication,
while adding a new publication to test for results. To our way of
thinking, this is the best way to go, regardless of the product,
to successfully multiply your customer list.
Move slowly. Start with a local, far-reaching and widely read
paper, and with the profits or returns from that ad, go to the
regional magazines, or one of the smaller national magazines, and
continue plowing your returns into more advertising in different
publications. By taking your time, and building your acceptance
in this manner, you won't lose too much if one of your ads should
prove to be a dud. Stay with the advertising. Do not abandon it
in favor of direct mail. We would not recommend direct mail until
you are well established, and your national classified
advertising program is bringing in a healthy profit for you.
Do not become overly ambitious and go out on a limb with
expensive full page advertising until you're very well
established. When you do buy full page advertising, start with
the smaller publications, and build from those results. Have
patience keep close tabs on your costs per subscriber, and build
from the profits of your advertising. Always test the advertising
medium you want to use with a classified ad, and if it pulls well
for you, go on to a larger display type ad.
Classified advertising is the least expensive way to go, so long
as you use the "inquiry method". You can easily and quickly build
your subscriber list with this type of advertisement.
We would not recommend any attempts to sell subscriptions, or any
product from classified ads, or even from small display ads.
There just isn't enough space to describe the product adequately,
and seeing the cost of your item, many possible subscribers will
not bother to inquire for the full story.
When you do expand your efforts into direct mail, go straight to
a national list broker. You can find their names and addresses in
the yellow pages section of your local telephone directory. Show
the list broker your product and your mailing piece, and explain
what type people you want to reach, and allow them to help you.
Once you've decided on a list to use, go slowly. Start with a
sampling of 5,00 names. If the returns are favorable, go to
10,000 names, and then 15,000 and so on through the entire list.
Never rent the entire list based upon the returns from your first
couple of samplings. The variables are just too many, and too
complicated, and too conductive to your losing your shirt when
you "roll out an entire list" based upon returns from a
controlled sampling.
There are a number of other methods for finding new subscribers,
which we'll explore for you here, detailing the good and the bad
as we have researched them.
One method is that of contracting with what is known as a "cash
field" agency. These are soliciting agencies who hire people to
sell door-to-door and via the phone, almost always using a high
pressure sales approach. The publishers usually makes only about
5% from each subscription sold by one of these agencies. That
speaks for itself.
Then, there are several major catalog sales companies that sell
subscriptions to school libraries, government agencies and large
corporations. These people usually buy through these catalog
sales companies rather than direct form the publisher. The
publisher makes about 10% on each subscription sold for him by
one of these agencies.
Co-Op Mailings are generally piggy-back mailings of your
subscription offer along with numerous other business offers in
the same envelope. Smaller mail order entrepreneurs do this under
the name of Big Mail Offers. Coming into vogue now are the
Postcard Mailers. You submit your offer on a business reply
postcard; the packager then prints and mails your postcard in a
package with 40 or 50 similar postcards via third class mail to a
mailing list that could number 100,00 or more. You pay a premium
price for this type of mailing---usually $1000 To $1500 per
mailing, but the returns are very good and you keep all the
incoming money.
Another form of co-op mailing is that where you supply a charge
card company or department store with your subscription offer as
a "statement mailing stuffer". Your offer goes out with the
monthly statements; new subscriptions are returned to the mailer
and billed to the customer's charge card. The publisher usually
makes about 50% on each subscription. This is one of the most
lucrative, but expensive methods of bringing in new customers.
Direct mail agencies such as Publishers Clearing House can be a
very lucrative source of new subscriptions, in that they mail out
more than 60 million pieces of mail each year, all of which are
built around an opportunity for the recipient to win a gigantic
cash sweepstakes. The only problem with this type of subscription
agency is the very low percentage of the total subscription price
the publisher receives from these subscriptions, plus the fact
that the publishers are required to charge a lower subscription
rate than they normally charge.
There are also several agencies that offer Introductory, Sample
Copy and Trail Subscription offers, such as Select Information
Exchange and Publishers Exchange. With this kind of agency,
details about your publication are listed along with similar
publications, in full page ads inviting the readers to send $10
or $20 for trail subscriptions to those of his choice. The
publishers receive no money from these inquires list of names of
people interested in receiving trail subscription. How the
publisher follows up and is able to convert these into full term,
and paying subscribers is entirely dependent upon his own
efforts.
Most major newspapers will carry small, lightweight brochures or
oversized reply cards as inserts in their Sunday papers. The
publisher supplies the total number of inserts, pays the
newspaper $20 per thousand for the number of newspapers he wants
his order form carried in, and then retains all the money
generated. But the high costs of printing the inserts, plus the
$20 per thousand for distribution, make this an extremely costly
method of obtaining new subscribers.
Schools, civic groups and other fun raising organizations work in
about the same manner as the cash-field agencies. They supply the
solicitor and the publisher gets 25% or less for each new
subscription sold.
Attempting to sell subscriptions via radio or TV is very
expensive and works better in generating sales at the news stands
than new subscriptions. PI (Per Inquiry) sales is a very popular
way of getting radio or TV exposure and advertising for your
newsletter or other publication, but again, the number of sales
brought in by the broadcast media is very small when compared
with the number of times the "invitation commercial" has to be
"aired" to elicit a response.
A new idea beginning to surface on the cable TV scene is "Product
Shows". This is the kind of show where the originator of the
product or his representative appears on TV and gives a complete
sales presentation lasting from five minutes to fifteen minutes.
Overall, these programs generally run between midnight and 2 AM,
with the whole program a series of sales presentations for
different products. They operate on the basis of the product
owner paying a fee to appear and show his product, and also from
an arrangement where the product owner pays a certain percentage
from each sale generated from this exposure.
Newsletter publishers often run exchange publicity endorsements
with non-competing publishers. Generally, these endorsements
invite the reader of newsletter "A" to send for a sample copy of
newsletter "B" for a look at what somebody else is doing that
might be of especial help etc. This can be very good source of
new subscriptions, and certainly the least expensive.
Last, but not least, is the enlistment of your own subscribers to
send you names of people they think might be interested in
receiving a sample copy of your publication. Some publishers ask
their readers to pass along these names out of loyalty, while
others offer a monetary incentive or a special bonus for names of
people sent in who become subscribers.
By studying and understanding the information in this report, you
should encounter fewer serious problems in launching your own
successful specialized newsletter that will be the source of on
going monetary rewards for you. However, there is an important
point to remember about doing business by mail---particularly
within the confines of selling information by mail---that is,
Mail Order is ONLY another way of doing business. You have to
learn all there is to know about this way of doing business, and
then keep on learning, changing, observing and adapting to stay
on top.
The best way of learning about and keeping up with this field of
endeavor is by buying and reading books by the people who have
succeeded in making money via the mails; by subscribing to
several of the better periodic journals and aids to people in
mail order, and by joining some of the mail order trade
associations for a free exchange od ideas, advice and help.
HOW TO RECRUIT DEALER/DISTRIBUTORS TO SELL FOR YOU
Everyone dreams of owning a super money-making business where
other people do all the work, and their only duties involve the
approval of sales and bank deposit slips. It's the only way to go
as a business owner.
The problem is however, not too many people seem to know how to "
put together" such a business. What you're really talking about
is an operation where you supply the product and other people do
the selling-A prime source with a dealer or distributor network.
Assuming that you have the product, you'll also need a sales kit
and plenty of impressive, eye-catching promotional materials. If
you don't supply or offer to supply materials with which your
sales force can sell the product, you'll have a hard time
enlisting people to sell for you, and you probably won't set any
sales records relative to your product either.
Let's assume that you've just written a book-HOW TO MAKE $100,000
PER YEAR AT HOME, WITH YOUR TYPEWRITTER..Okay, in order to sell
this book, you've got to get the word out to the people that you
have such a book available. Advertising on your own is going to
cost you money, and unless you've got a good understanding of the
advertising business, you may never reach your full sales
potential-besides, the time and effort expended in finding the
"right" place to advertise, the placing of your ads, monitoring
your returns, and the frustrations of dealing with the curiosity
seekers, will quickly wear you out. Such is not the way you
envisioned your life when you got the idea to write the book, get
rich and enjoy a life of leisure.
So, just as soon as you've got your book written-the book is your
product-get some "bids" out to the advertising agencies in your
area, the freelancers, and the advertising department at your
local colleges. What you want these people to do is make up an
advertising circular promoting and selling your book. Now then,
in a different-maybe smaller-type, and kind of like an
afterthought-at the bottom of this circular, you include the
phrase: Dealer Inquiries Invited...
Look over all the submitted circulars and choose the one (s) you
consider the best. then have a supply of these printed up at your
local print shop, obtain a mailing list of opportunity seekers,
and get them in the mail.
Just as soon as you've dropped these first circulars in the mail,
start writing your dealer/distributor letter. This should be
simply an explanation describing how you will dropship orders for
their customers, allowing them a certain commission on each sale
and, the price per copy you'll sell your book to them in
wholesale quantity lots. At the same time, this letter should
include a copy of your advertising circular, and an explanation,
reassuring these dealers that they can reproduce this circular
with their name/address in place of yours on the order coupon.
You might even include a brief note that you will pre-print these
circulars with the dealer's name/address and ship them to him for
a wholesale printing price. All of this boils down to your
supplying him or her with whatever is needed to promote and sell
copies of your book for you. The bottom line is simply that you
can only reach so many people, and sell so many books yourself.
With 1,000 people helping you-mailing out advertising circulars
and running small ads in hundreds of opportunity seeker
publications-your costs of running your business will be minimal
while your book sale skyrocket.
Remember though, you need an impressive, eye-catching advertising
circular or mailing package for your sales force to use as their
own, and you need a clear easy-to-understand books in wholesale
quantity lots, and the availability of advertising materials for
your dealers.
The advertising circular should be dual purpose- you send it out
to solicit sales of your product, and at the same time, recruit
dealers who are impressed with your advertising materials and
feel that they can make some money for themselves by promoting
your product. Again, this needn't be much more than a simple
"throw-way" line at the bottom of the circular: Dealer Inquiries
Invited...
Now that you're organized thus far, the next thing is to contract
to run as many small DEALERS WANTED ads in as many of the mail
order publications as possible. Such ads can be either a
classified or a small, but eye-catching one inch display ad:
DEALERS WANTED! Outstanding new book. Sells
like wildfire! Everybody wants a copy! Make
$10 profit on every $15 sale! Details for
SASE to:
Basically that's all your "dealers wanted" ad needs to say, and
then with plenty of exposure in all the mail order publications
over a period of six or eight months, you should have hundreds of
people all over the country selling your book for you. Simple,
easy, almost cut and dried, but it works!
In building my own business from scratch over the past 10 years,
I've found that once you've established a basic
dealer/distributor network-or a list of people selling for
you,you can add hundreds of related products, and the orders just
keep coming in. Give it a try and see for yourself just how easy
and profitable it can be for you!
other people do all the work, and their only duties involve the
approval of sales and bank deposit slips. It's the only way to go
as a business owner.
The problem is however, not too many people seem to know how to "
put together" such a business. What you're really talking about
is an operation where you supply the product and other people do
the selling-A prime source with a dealer or distributor network.
Assuming that you have the product, you'll also need a sales kit
and plenty of impressive, eye-catching promotional materials. If
you don't supply or offer to supply materials with which your
sales force can sell the product, you'll have a hard time
enlisting people to sell for you, and you probably won't set any
sales records relative to your product either.
Let's assume that you've just written a book-HOW TO MAKE $100,000
PER YEAR AT HOME, WITH YOUR TYPEWRITTER..Okay, in order to sell
this book, you've got to get the word out to the people that you
have such a book available. Advertising on your own is going to
cost you money, and unless you've got a good understanding of the
advertising business, you may never reach your full sales
potential-besides, the time and effort expended in finding the
"right" place to advertise, the placing of your ads, monitoring
your returns, and the frustrations of dealing with the curiosity
seekers, will quickly wear you out. Such is not the way you
envisioned your life when you got the idea to write the book, get
rich and enjoy a life of leisure.
So, just as soon as you've got your book written-the book is your
product-get some "bids" out to the advertising agencies in your
area, the freelancers, and the advertising department at your
local colleges. What you want these people to do is make up an
advertising circular promoting and selling your book. Now then,
in a different-maybe smaller-type, and kind of like an
afterthought-at the bottom of this circular, you include the
phrase: Dealer Inquiries Invited...
Look over all the submitted circulars and choose the one (s) you
consider the best. then have a supply of these printed up at your
local print shop, obtain a mailing list of opportunity seekers,
and get them in the mail.
Just as soon as you've dropped these first circulars in the mail,
start writing your dealer/distributor letter. This should be
simply an explanation describing how you will dropship orders for
their customers, allowing them a certain commission on each sale
and, the price per copy you'll sell your book to them in
wholesale quantity lots. At the same time, this letter should
include a copy of your advertising circular, and an explanation,
reassuring these dealers that they can reproduce this circular
with their name/address in place of yours on the order coupon.
You might even include a brief note that you will pre-print these
circulars with the dealer's name/address and ship them to him for
a wholesale printing price. All of this boils down to your
supplying him or her with whatever is needed to promote and sell
copies of your book for you. The bottom line is simply that you
can only reach so many people, and sell so many books yourself.
With 1,000 people helping you-mailing out advertising circulars
and running small ads in hundreds of opportunity seeker
publications-your costs of running your business will be minimal
while your book sale skyrocket.
Remember though, you need an impressive, eye-catching advertising
circular or mailing package for your sales force to use as their
own, and you need a clear easy-to-understand books in wholesale
quantity lots, and the availability of advertising materials for
your dealers.
The advertising circular should be dual purpose- you send it out
to solicit sales of your product, and at the same time, recruit
dealers who are impressed with your advertising materials and
feel that they can make some money for themselves by promoting
your product. Again, this needn't be much more than a simple
"throw-way" line at the bottom of the circular: Dealer Inquiries
Invited...
Now that you're organized thus far, the next thing is to contract
to run as many small DEALERS WANTED ads in as many of the mail
order publications as possible. Such ads can be either a
classified or a small, but eye-catching one inch display ad:
DEALERS WANTED! Outstanding new book. Sells
like wildfire! Everybody wants a copy! Make
$10 profit on every $15 sale! Details for
SASE to:
Basically that's all your "dealers wanted" ad needs to say, and
then with plenty of exposure in all the mail order publications
over a period of six or eight months, you should have hundreds of
people all over the country selling your book for you. Simple,
easy, almost cut and dried, but it works!
In building my own business from scratch over the past 10 years,
I've found that once you've established a basic
dealer/distributor network-or a list of people selling for
you,you can add hundreds of related products, and the orders just
keep coming in. Give it a try and see for yourself just how easy
and profitable it can be for you!
MONEY-MAKERS GUIDE TO EASY MAIL ORDER RICHES
Selling products and/or services through the mail is one of the
fastest growing methods of doing business in the world today.
It's estimated that sales for 1983 will top the 100 billion
dollar mark!
Millions of people from all walks of life, and in all parts of
the world are "into" mail order, with more coming in every day.
Some of them are grossing in the millions, others are chalking up
sales figures of several hundred per month, and there are others
who only give it a quick try, make a few dollars and drop out.
Mail order selling appeals to almost everybody with a desire to
get rich. Generally, it doesn't require complicated equipment, a
lot of start-up capital, or an expensive office. Mail order is a
kind of business that can be run by anyone from the comfort of
his or her own home.
About all that's required for success in mail order is selling is
an understanding of what you're doing--it's not a game or kind of
thing you want to just give a quick try...It's a way of doing
business, a requires a good understanding of what people buy, why
they buy, and an operational plan that will lead you to success.
In order to make it big in mail order, you must understand that
it's a selling business. Thus, you've got to decide on what you
want to sell--who your buyers will be--and know why they buy, and
then, program your selling efforts in such a way that these
people will buy from you.
The best, and the easiest selling product or service--because it
has the greatest appeal to the most number of people--is
information that gives people knowledge or instructions that will
enable them to get rich. The bottom line is simply that everyone
in the world wants to know how they can get rich--without putting
forth too much of an investment in either money, time or effort.
So, the first thing that you should do is some marketing
research: Look in all the publications running mail order
advertisements and opportunities--get a good understanding of
what they are doing--how they are doing it--and then formulate a
business plan of your own that will allow you to duplicate what
they're doing.
With get rich information or instructions--and knowing that to
make the really big money you have to be the author or a prime
distributor--there are two ways to go. You can become the author
with all the involved headaches and demands upon your time, or
you can buy the reproduction rights and re-sale or distribute
them as your own.
As the author, you'll have to do the research, the writing, the
printing, advertising, and order fulfillment.
As a prime source distributor, you can pay a one-time fee for the
reproduction rights--then spend your time and money on selling
efforts. You still have to handle the printing, the advertising,
and order fulfillment--but you have the advantage of "choosing
and picking" only what you feel will make money for you. With
most writers, only about 10% of what they spend hours, weeks,
even months researching and writing, ever sells for them. Writers
are just not geared to the profitable marketing of their
materials.
Your initial marketing research should give you a good idea of
what is selling--what the people are buying--and which titles of
any particular author you want to promote and sell for your own
profits.
The next thing is to look through all the publications you can
find that carry mail order ads--those that run issue after issue
(but not those run as fillers by the publisher) are usually the
ones that are not making money for the people selling them(or you
can bet they wouldn't still be running them).
Decide which kind of program you want to run, and how you want to
make money...The best ad to run is one that offers a free report
relative to a money making plan. Your ad might read: FREE REPORT!
Insider's Secrets to Your Own Million Dollar Multi-Level Empire.
Send SASE to (your name and address).
In reply to each of the responses you get to this ad, you send
them a one page report that briefly explains your multi-level
secrets, with an invitation at the bottom for those really
interested in multi-level marketing, to send in another $15 or
$20 for your complete multi-level marketing "how-to" manual. You
can then fill up their SASE with other offers, such as the
availability of mailing lists for rent, a multi-level program of
your own, and a listing of other business success reports you're
offering.
At the same time, you compile the names and addresses of all the
people sending for either your free report or their own
materials, and you have the beginning of a mailing list of your
own that you can rent out over and over again at huge profits to
yourself.
Clip the stamps off the envelopes as you receive them, and save
them in an old shoe box. When you have a box full, you can sell
them to any number of stamp collectors, and pocket an easy $10 or
$15...
Save all the envelopes with return addresses, and when you've
accumulated a thousand or two of these, you can send them in to
list compilers and pocket another $50 to $100...
The other way of advertising is the offering of your report or
book for sale from the ad. Such an ad would read about like this:
Insider's Secrets to Your Own Million Dollar Multi-Level Empire.
Dynamic new reports shows the easy way. Send $3 to (your name and
address).
It's very difficult to sell anything directly from a classified
ad because there just isn't space enough in which to do a
complete job of selling. Thus, if you try to sell from a
classified ad, be sure to keep your selling price under $5...
A $3 item should pull well with a classified ad--A $5 item will
take at least a one inch display ad--a $20 item will take a well
written sales letter.
When you're just getting started in mail order selling, stick to
small classified ads--test the pulling power of your ad, and your
product, as well as the publication your ad runs in...
Analyze and practice rewriting some of the ads other people are
running--experiment, and run a few ads in only one or two
publications--and then build upon your success. In other words,
if your first ad costs you $30, and you take in $90--take that
$90 and run the same ad again, not only in the same publication,
but in a couple of other publications as well. Use your profits
to expand the exposure of your offer--let as many people as
possible see it.
It's important to note that you cannot expect to "live off" the
income from your beginning efforts. You have to have "other"
money to pay your lights, water, and gas bills.
Mail order success is built upon the wise investment of your
advertising dollars. Take $100 and run a classified ad for your
reports in one of the big national publications. Figuring that
from that first $100, you can take in $300, run the same ad again
in that publication, and at the same time in two other
publications. Thus, your real profits should triple--and if you
keep on reinvesting your profits in additional advertising
exposure--conceivably within six months or less you should be
hauling in several thousand dollars per month in profits.
For complete reproduction and re-sale/distribution rights on this
report, as well as a list of other reports that will make money
for you, just drop a line to the mail order dealer from whom you
bought this one.
fastest growing methods of doing business in the world today.
It's estimated that sales for 1983 will top the 100 billion
dollar mark!
Millions of people from all walks of life, and in all parts of
the world are "into" mail order, with more coming in every day.
Some of them are grossing in the millions, others are chalking up
sales figures of several hundred per month, and there are others
who only give it a quick try, make a few dollars and drop out.
Mail order selling appeals to almost everybody with a desire to
get rich. Generally, it doesn't require complicated equipment, a
lot of start-up capital, or an expensive office. Mail order is a
kind of business that can be run by anyone from the comfort of
his or her own home.
About all that's required for success in mail order is selling is
an understanding of what you're doing--it's not a game or kind of
thing you want to just give a quick try...It's a way of doing
business, a requires a good understanding of what people buy, why
they buy, and an operational plan that will lead you to success.
In order to make it big in mail order, you must understand that
it's a selling business. Thus, you've got to decide on what you
want to sell--who your buyers will be--and know why they buy, and
then, program your selling efforts in such a way that these
people will buy from you.
The best, and the easiest selling product or service--because it
has the greatest appeal to the most number of people--is
information that gives people knowledge or instructions that will
enable them to get rich. The bottom line is simply that everyone
in the world wants to know how they can get rich--without putting
forth too much of an investment in either money, time or effort.
So, the first thing that you should do is some marketing
research: Look in all the publications running mail order
advertisements and opportunities--get a good understanding of
what they are doing--how they are doing it--and then formulate a
business plan of your own that will allow you to duplicate what
they're doing.
With get rich information or instructions--and knowing that to
make the really big money you have to be the author or a prime
distributor--there are two ways to go. You can become the author
with all the involved headaches and demands upon your time, or
you can buy the reproduction rights and re-sale or distribute
them as your own.
As the author, you'll have to do the research, the writing, the
printing, advertising, and order fulfillment.
As a prime source distributor, you can pay a one-time fee for the
reproduction rights--then spend your time and money on selling
efforts. You still have to handle the printing, the advertising,
and order fulfillment--but you have the advantage of "choosing
and picking" only what you feel will make money for you. With
most writers, only about 10% of what they spend hours, weeks,
even months researching and writing, ever sells for them. Writers
are just not geared to the profitable marketing of their
materials.
Your initial marketing research should give you a good idea of
what is selling--what the people are buying--and which titles of
any particular author you want to promote and sell for your own
profits.
The next thing is to look through all the publications you can
find that carry mail order ads--those that run issue after issue
(but not those run as fillers by the publisher) are usually the
ones that are not making money for the people selling them(or you
can bet they wouldn't still be running them).
Decide which kind of program you want to run, and how you want to
make money...The best ad to run is one that offers a free report
relative to a money making plan. Your ad might read: FREE REPORT!
Insider's Secrets to Your Own Million Dollar Multi-Level Empire.
Send SASE to (your name and address).
In reply to each of the responses you get to this ad, you send
them a one page report that briefly explains your multi-level
secrets, with an invitation at the bottom for those really
interested in multi-level marketing, to send in another $15 or
$20 for your complete multi-level marketing "how-to" manual. You
can then fill up their SASE with other offers, such as the
availability of mailing lists for rent, a multi-level program of
your own, and a listing of other business success reports you're
offering.
At the same time, you compile the names and addresses of all the
people sending for either your free report or their own
materials, and you have the beginning of a mailing list of your
own that you can rent out over and over again at huge profits to
yourself.
Clip the stamps off the envelopes as you receive them, and save
them in an old shoe box. When you have a box full, you can sell
them to any number of stamp collectors, and pocket an easy $10 or
$15...
Save all the envelopes with return addresses, and when you've
accumulated a thousand or two of these, you can send them in to
list compilers and pocket another $50 to $100...
The other way of advertising is the offering of your report or
book for sale from the ad. Such an ad would read about like this:
Insider's Secrets to Your Own Million Dollar Multi-Level Empire.
Dynamic new reports shows the easy way. Send $3 to (your name and
address).
It's very difficult to sell anything directly from a classified
ad because there just isn't space enough in which to do a
complete job of selling. Thus, if you try to sell from a
classified ad, be sure to keep your selling price under $5...
A $3 item should pull well with a classified ad--A $5 item will
take at least a one inch display ad--a $20 item will take a well
written sales letter.
When you're just getting started in mail order selling, stick to
small classified ads--test the pulling power of your ad, and your
product, as well as the publication your ad runs in...
Analyze and practice rewriting some of the ads other people are
running--experiment, and run a few ads in only one or two
publications--and then build upon your success. In other words,
if your first ad costs you $30, and you take in $90--take that
$90 and run the same ad again, not only in the same publication,
but in a couple of other publications as well. Use your profits
to expand the exposure of your offer--let as many people as
possible see it.
It's important to note that you cannot expect to "live off" the
income from your beginning efforts. You have to have "other"
money to pay your lights, water, and gas bills.
Mail order success is built upon the wise investment of your
advertising dollars. Take $100 and run a classified ad for your
reports in one of the big national publications. Figuring that
from that first $100, you can take in $300, run the same ad again
in that publication, and at the same time in two other
publications. Thus, your real profits should triple--and if you
keep on reinvesting your profits in additional advertising
exposure--conceivably within six months or less you should be
hauling in several thousand dollars per month in profits.
For complete reproduction and re-sale/distribution rights on this
report, as well as a list of other reports that will make money
for you, just drop a line to the mail order dealer from whom you
bought this one.
HOW TO MAKE BIG MONEY FAST, RENTING MAILING LISTS
Anyone wanting or needing to build a fast source of income should
definitely consider establishing a mailing list rental business.
All it takes to get started is your time, and once you're
organized, you can easily parlay this business into a $100,000 a
year income.
The first thing of course, is the compiling of names for your
mailing lists. This is done simply by noting or listing on 3 by 5
index cards the names/addresses on all incoming mail. Arrange
these in zip code and alphabetical order, and you're almost ready
for business.
To build your list of names simply run an advertisement in as
many of the mail order publications as you can afford, offering
free list of 100 mail order buyers for a self-addressed and
stamped envelope. And again, as you get these responses to your
ad, list their names/addresses in your card file system, and file
them alphabetically with your other cards.
Another way to build your list of names fast is to run a short
classified type advertisement offering a free report of some sort
of money-making idea, in exchange for a self-addressed, and
stamped envelope. As you do with all of your other incoming mail,
list the names/addresses on your index cards and file them with
the other cards.
When you've got a thousand names in your file, the next thing is
to purchase a box of self-adhesive or peel and stick labels, and
type your names/address onto these sheets of labels. Typing 31
sheets--33 labels to a sheet will give you 1,023 names on 31
sheets of labels. Take the sheets of labels to your nearest
photo-copy shop; copy them onto plain paper masters and you're
ready for business.
Meanwhile, be sure to file your plain paper masters and hold
them/guard them with your life. You can send out the labels you
typed on to your first customer.
Look thru all the publications offering advertising space for
mail order operators--clip out and study those advertisements
offering mailing lists--and from these, make up or have made up
for you, a similar ad.
You should be offering your lists for a one-time a $5 per 100
names; $20 for 500 names; and $40 for 1,000 names.
Check with your paper sources for best wholesale prices on reams
of plain paper, gummed labels, and the peel & stick kind. At the
same time, explain what you're about to do with the owner or
operator of your local copy shop, and arrange a deal where by you
can copy your names at reduced prices, so long as you provide
your own paper.
Then, when your orders start coming in--you simply take your
"master mailing lists" to the copy shop, copy them unto plain
paper, gummed or peel & stick labels, and send them out to your
customers. Basically, we suggest that you do all your copying
once a week, package all your orders, for that week, and drop
them off at the post office with just one trip.
Much of the time, you can get free advertising and at the same
time pull in a lot of new names of people who are interested in
mail order, by writing and submitting articles to the various
mail order publications. If you arrange such a deal with a
publisher, run your mailing list ad, and tag your articles with
something such as: For more information or if you have a
particular questions, write to met at...
It would also be a good idea to check out your own capabilities
of producing and mailing out a mail order ad sheet--just a
one-page flyer with 3-columns of ads on one side and a full page
advertisement of some program or product you're promoting on the
other side. The, with such an ad sheet, you contact all the mail
order publishers and offer to run their ad in your publication in
they'll run yours in their publication.
Whenever you're selling a new name/address to your card file,
always mark on the card whether or not you received any kind of
orders from that person. You should also number your mailing
lists--mark "01" on the cards of the first 1,000 names you type
onto your masters, "02" on the next thousand and so on until you
retire or sell your business.
Finally, when you've accumulated 5,000 or more names in your card
file. (incidentally, you can easily store your 3x5 cards in old
number 6 envelope boxes or even shoe boxes. Whenever you're out
shopping, simply ask the store manager or owners if they have any
such boxes that they can give you.)
Anyway, as I was saying, once you've got 5,000 names on file, you
can begin contacting some of the national list brokers and
setting up arrangements for them to a broker or rent your list
for you. Usually, they get 20% of the rental fee each time they
rent your list--a small price to pay when you understand that
these people can rent your list to 50 to 100 times per year. They
do all the advertising and selling for you with your only
responsibility being to work out arrangements to get the lists to
the rental customers.
THE END OF THIS REPORT
definitely consider establishing a mailing list rental business.
All it takes to get started is your time, and once you're
organized, you can easily parlay this business into a $100,000 a
year income.
The first thing of course, is the compiling of names for your
mailing lists. This is done simply by noting or listing on 3 by 5
index cards the names/addresses on all incoming mail. Arrange
these in zip code and alphabetical order, and you're almost ready
for business.
To build your list of names simply run an advertisement in as
many of the mail order publications as you can afford, offering
free list of 100 mail order buyers for a self-addressed and
stamped envelope. And again, as you get these responses to your
ad, list their names/addresses in your card file system, and file
them alphabetically with your other cards.
Another way to build your list of names fast is to run a short
classified type advertisement offering a free report of some sort
of money-making idea, in exchange for a self-addressed, and
stamped envelope. As you do with all of your other incoming mail,
list the names/addresses on your index cards and file them with
the other cards.
When you've got a thousand names in your file, the next thing is
to purchase a box of self-adhesive or peel and stick labels, and
type your names/address onto these sheets of labels. Typing 31
sheets--33 labels to a sheet will give you 1,023 names on 31
sheets of labels. Take the sheets of labels to your nearest
photo-copy shop; copy them onto plain paper masters and you're
ready for business.
Meanwhile, be sure to file your plain paper masters and hold
them/guard them with your life. You can send out the labels you
typed on to your first customer.
Look thru all the publications offering advertising space for
mail order operators--clip out and study those advertisements
offering mailing lists--and from these, make up or have made up
for you, a similar ad.
You should be offering your lists for a one-time a $5 per 100
names; $20 for 500 names; and $40 for 1,000 names.
Check with your paper sources for best wholesale prices on reams
of plain paper, gummed labels, and the peel & stick kind. At the
same time, explain what you're about to do with the owner or
operator of your local copy shop, and arrange a deal where by you
can copy your names at reduced prices, so long as you provide
your own paper.
Then, when your orders start coming in--you simply take your
"master mailing lists" to the copy shop, copy them unto plain
paper, gummed or peel & stick labels, and send them out to your
customers. Basically, we suggest that you do all your copying
once a week, package all your orders, for that week, and drop
them off at the post office with just one trip.
Much of the time, you can get free advertising and at the same
time pull in a lot of new names of people who are interested in
mail order, by writing and submitting articles to the various
mail order publications. If you arrange such a deal with a
publisher, run your mailing list ad, and tag your articles with
something such as: For more information or if you have a
particular questions, write to met at...
It would also be a good idea to check out your own capabilities
of producing and mailing out a mail order ad sheet--just a
one-page flyer with 3-columns of ads on one side and a full page
advertisement of some program or product you're promoting on the
other side. The, with such an ad sheet, you contact all the mail
order publishers and offer to run their ad in your publication in
they'll run yours in their publication.
Whenever you're selling a new name/address to your card file,
always mark on the card whether or not you received any kind of
orders from that person. You should also number your mailing
lists--mark "01" on the cards of the first 1,000 names you type
onto your masters, "02" on the next thousand and so on until you
retire or sell your business.
Finally, when you've accumulated 5,000 or more names in your card
file. (incidentally, you can easily store your 3x5 cards in old
number 6 envelope boxes or even shoe boxes. Whenever you're out
shopping, simply ask the store manager or owners if they have any
such boxes that they can give you.)
Anyway, as I was saying, once you've got 5,000 names on file, you
can begin contacting some of the national list brokers and
setting up arrangements for them to a broker or rent your list
for you. Usually, they get 20% of the rental fee each time they
rent your list--a small price to pay when you understand that
these people can rent your list to 50 to 100 times per year. They
do all the advertising and selling for you with your only
responsibility being to work out arrangements to get the lists to
the rental customers.
THE END OF THIS REPORT
THE DO'S AND DON'T'S OF PROFITABLE MAIL ORDER ADS
Regardless of how you look at it, the most important aspect of
any successful mail order business is its advertising. In fact,
mail order success is wholly dependent, and even predicated upon
good advertising.
First of all, you've got to have a dynamic, spectacular ad that
attracts the eye and grabs the interest of the people you're
trying to sell to. Thus, unless your ad really "jumps out" at the
reader, your sales won't live up to expectations, and your ad
money will be wasted.
The eye-catching appeal of your ad must start with the headline.
Use the headline to very quickly create a picture in the minds of
the reader--a vision of all their problems being solved, and
attainment of the kind of happiness they seek. If your headline
fails to catch the attention of your prospect, you cannot hope to
capture him with the remaining of the ad, because it will go
unread! So in writing your advertisement for just a little while,
so you must quickly interest him in your offer, show him how he
can get what he wants, and then cause him to send immediately for
your "solution" to his problems. Your copy must exude enthusiasm,
excitement, and a positive attitude. Don't be afraid to use a
hard-sell approach! Say what you feel and believe about your
offer. And use common, "everyday," but correct English.
Even so, you can and must remember to be honest. Don't exaggerate
or make claims you can't back up. Never make promises you cannot
or don't expect, to keep. To do so could get you in trouble with
the Federal Trade and Fair Practices people.
Stress the benefits of your product or service. Explain to your
reader how owning a copy of your book (for instance), or
receiving your services will make his life richer, happier, and
more abundant. Don't get involved in detailing all the money
you've spent developing the product or researching the
information you're selling, or you're selling, or your
credentials for offering it. Stress the "sizzle" and the value of
ownership.
It is important to involve th reader as often as possible through
the use of the word "you." Write your copy just as if you were
speaking to and attempting to sell just ONE person. Don't let
your ad sound as a speaker at a podium addressing a huge stadium
filled with people, but as if there were just one individual
"listening."
And don't try to be overly clever, brilliant or humerus in your
advertising. Keep your copy simple, to the point, and on target
toward selling your prospect the product or service because of
its benefits. In other words, keep it simple, but clear; at all
costs, you don't want to confuse the reader. Just tell him
exactly what he'll get for his money; the benefits he'll receive;
how to go about ordering it. You don't have to get too friendly.
In fact, becoming "folksy," and don't use slang expressions.
In writing an ad, think of yourself as a door-to-door
salesperson. You have to get the attention of the prospect
quickly, interest him in the product you're selling, create a
desire to enjoy its benefits, and you can then close the sale.
Copywriting, whether for a display ad, classified ad, sales
letter or brochure, is a learned skill. It is one anyone can
master with a bit of study, practice, and perhaps some
professional guidance.
Your first move, then, is to study your competition, recognize
how they are selling their wares. Practice rewriting their ads
from a different point of view or from a different sales angle.
Keep a file of ads you've clipped from different publications in
a file of ad writing ideas. But don't copy anyone else's work;
just use the ad material of others to stimulate your own
creativeness.
Some of the "unknown facts" about advertising--and ad writing in
particular--tell us that you cannot ask for more than $3 in a
short classified type ad. Generally speaking, a $5 item will take
at least a one-inch display ad. If you're trying to sell a $10
item, you'll need at least a quarter page--perhaps even a half
page of copy--and $15 to $20 items require a full page. If you
are selling a really big ticket item (costing $50 or more) you'll
need a four-page sales letter, a brochure, separate order coupon,
and return reply envelope.
If you're making offers via direct mail, best to get into the
postal system with it on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday, to be sure it
does not arrive on Monday, the first and busiest day of the week.
And again, unless you're promoting a big ticket item, the quality
or color of your paper won't have any great effect on the
response you'll get, but the quality of your PRINTING definitely
will, so bear this in mind when you place your printing order.
One final point to remember: The summer months when people are
most apt to be away on vacation are usually not good months for
direct mail. But they ARE good for opportunity and advertisements
in publications often found in vacation areas, and in motels and
hotels.
Again, it cannot be stresses too much or often: Success in mail
order does, indeed, depend upon advertising, and as with anything
else, quality pays off in the long run. Read this report again;
study it; let it sink in. Then apply the principles outlined in
it. They have worked for others, and THEY CAN WORK FOR YOU!
any successful mail order business is its advertising. In fact,
mail order success is wholly dependent, and even predicated upon
good advertising.
First of all, you've got to have a dynamic, spectacular ad that
attracts the eye and grabs the interest of the people you're
trying to sell to. Thus, unless your ad really "jumps out" at the
reader, your sales won't live up to expectations, and your ad
money will be wasted.
The eye-catching appeal of your ad must start with the headline.
Use the headline to very quickly create a picture in the minds of
the reader--a vision of all their problems being solved, and
attainment of the kind of happiness they seek. If your headline
fails to catch the attention of your prospect, you cannot hope to
capture him with the remaining of the ad, because it will go
unread! So in writing your advertisement for just a little while,
so you must quickly interest him in your offer, show him how he
can get what he wants, and then cause him to send immediately for
your "solution" to his problems. Your copy must exude enthusiasm,
excitement, and a positive attitude. Don't be afraid to use a
hard-sell approach! Say what you feel and believe about your
offer. And use common, "everyday," but correct English.
Even so, you can and must remember to be honest. Don't exaggerate
or make claims you can't back up. Never make promises you cannot
or don't expect, to keep. To do so could get you in trouble with
the Federal Trade and Fair Practices people.
Stress the benefits of your product or service. Explain to your
reader how owning a copy of your book (for instance), or
receiving your services will make his life richer, happier, and
more abundant. Don't get involved in detailing all the money
you've spent developing the product or researching the
information you're selling, or you're selling, or your
credentials for offering it. Stress the "sizzle" and the value of
ownership.
It is important to involve th reader as often as possible through
the use of the word "you." Write your copy just as if you were
speaking to and attempting to sell just ONE person. Don't let
your ad sound as a speaker at a podium addressing a huge stadium
filled with people, but as if there were just one individual
"listening."
And don't try to be overly clever, brilliant or humerus in your
advertising. Keep your copy simple, to the point, and on target
toward selling your prospect the product or service because of
its benefits. In other words, keep it simple, but clear; at all
costs, you don't want to confuse the reader. Just tell him
exactly what he'll get for his money; the benefits he'll receive;
how to go about ordering it. You don't have to get too friendly.
In fact, becoming "folksy," and don't use slang expressions.
In writing an ad, think of yourself as a door-to-door
salesperson. You have to get the attention of the prospect
quickly, interest him in the product you're selling, create a
desire to enjoy its benefits, and you can then close the sale.
Copywriting, whether for a display ad, classified ad, sales
letter or brochure, is a learned skill. It is one anyone can
master with a bit of study, practice, and perhaps some
professional guidance.
Your first move, then, is to study your competition, recognize
how they are selling their wares. Practice rewriting their ads
from a different point of view or from a different sales angle.
Keep a file of ads you've clipped from different publications in
a file of ad writing ideas. But don't copy anyone else's work;
just use the ad material of others to stimulate your own
creativeness.
Some of the "unknown facts" about advertising--and ad writing in
particular--tell us that you cannot ask for more than $3 in a
short classified type ad. Generally speaking, a $5 item will take
at least a one-inch display ad. If you're trying to sell a $10
item, you'll need at least a quarter page--perhaps even a half
page of copy--and $15 to $20 items require a full page. If you
are selling a really big ticket item (costing $50 or more) you'll
need a four-page sales letter, a brochure, separate order coupon,
and return reply envelope.
If you're making offers via direct mail, best to get into the
postal system with it on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday, to be sure it
does not arrive on Monday, the first and busiest day of the week.
And again, unless you're promoting a big ticket item, the quality
or color of your paper won't have any great effect on the
response you'll get, but the quality of your PRINTING definitely
will, so bear this in mind when you place your printing order.
One final point to remember: The summer months when people are
most apt to be away on vacation are usually not good months for
direct mail. But they ARE good for opportunity and advertisements
in publications often found in vacation areas, and in motels and
hotels.
Again, it cannot be stresses too much or often: Success in mail
order does, indeed, depend upon advertising, and as with anything
else, quality pays off in the long run. Read this report again;
study it; let it sink in. Then apply the principles outlined in
it. They have worked for others, and THEY CAN WORK FOR YOU!
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