The Beginner's Mail Order Opportunity Guide
By Deanna Spencer
The "Mail Order" business is not a business of itself, but
is another way of DOING business. Mail Order is nothing more
or less than selling a product or service via advertising and
the offers you send out by mail. Therefore, to start and
succeed in a mail order business of your own, you need just as
much, and in some cases, more business than you would need in
any other mode of business.
Remember too there are "good guys" in mail order, and there
are "bad guys", just like in any other business. So, your best
bet for a "proper start" with the greatest chance for success
is after a thorough investigation of the products being
offered and being sold; an analysis of the costs involved to
get a fledging mail order operation off the ground; and a good
"sixth sense" of what your potential customers will buy.
You'll need a great deal of practice, and persistence as well.
Mail Order is over saturated with plans, directories, sales
material and products that have been around for ten, fifteen
,twenty years and longer. Many of these materials were not
that good in the beginning, and yet they're still being sold
as "quick secrets to wealth and fame". This is part of the
reason for the "junk mail" reputation of mail order.
Just a little investigation on your part will show that
most successful people doing business by mail are always on
the alert for "new products" and they quickly add these
products to their own sales inventories as they become
available. This is a "must for success" rule, regardless of
whether you do or don't produce your own products.
It's almost impossible to gain much success with a single
product...report, booklet, book or manual. The best way is to
search around for a number of related products, then, after
arranging "drop shipping" deals with the suppliers of the
products you want to include in your listing along with your
own self-produced product, make up a "catalog listing". It is
best if this is a single 8x11 sheet of paper, printed on both
sides ,listing the titles of the reports and/or books you have
available, including your own, with a "tear off" order coupon
at the bottom.
One of the best programs available in mail order today is
offered by Premier Publishers. This company offers you a
variety of circulars, with an order coupon on the bottom of
each circular .At present, they can provide six different
circulars, listing over 100 different low-cost reports and
manuals, such as the report you are reading now. The circulars
are grouped according to price range and subject matter of the
reports described in the circular. There is an open space on
the order coupon for you to insert your name and address.
After inserting your name, you can take or send the circular
to the printer of your choice, and have copies printed in the
quantity you need. The next step is to insert these circulars,
along with one of your own product circulars, in all your
mailings. Premier Publishers allows you a full 50% commission
on each sale of items on their circulars .They will drop ship
you, keeping your customer's name confidential, and in no way
encroaching upon them. In addition ,discounts up to 80% off
the retail price are available to you when you are ready to
carry your own stock, and buy reports or books in quantity.
This is what you need for a "money-making" start in this
business: a full page circular advertising your own product,
plus another full page circular listing products or titles
related to your primary offering. Premier Publishers advise
you to send two full page circulars; one advertising your own
product (if you don't have a primary product of your own,
they'll furnish you a single book circulars to feature), and
another advertising a list of related products of titles
available to your customer.
Once you start receiving orders form this mailing, you must
immediately acknowledge receipt of the orders and follow up
with other offers. The "follow-up" offer is where most
beginners fail .Either they don't have follow-up materials to
send or they just don't send out these follow-up offers. Here
again, Premier Publishers can provide the material for the
follow-up. They can supply you with a 24 page Unique Books
catalog, which list 400titles for your customer to choose
from. These catalogs can be ordered in small quantities, with
your name and return address already imprinted. To follow-up
after receiving orders from your customers, simply write a
short note, thanking your customer for his patronage, and
advising him when to expect to receive his order, and then
include a follow-up offer, such as the book catalog, in the
mailing. And that's how you will build your business, and
attain success in mail order.
But, let's get back to the beginning and help you to learn
what it takes to succeed in mail order. Don't believe those
ads that tell you it doesn't take any money. First off, you
are going to need envelopes: #10 mailing envelopes with your
name and return address imprinted in the upper left corner.
You'll also need are turn reply envelope with your name and
address on the face of the envelope with each #10 envelope you
send out. These can be either #6 or #9 return envelopes. Ask
your printer or office supply store to let you inspect
samples.
To realize profits of any consequence, you'll need to send
out at least a thousand, preferably five thousand letters per
mailing .And back this up, you'll need a supply of envelopes
for your acknowledgement and follow-up offers. you can
purchase imprinted mailing and return reply envelopes form
your local quick print shop; but for better prices, and with
the thought in mind of keeping costs in line, it is best to
shop around for the best prices. Generally speaking, you'll
find the lowest prices offered by those printer who do
business by mail. Look for "printing by mail" advertisements
in all the mail order publications you come across. Write them
for a price list and a sampling of their work .For envelopes,
we suggest you contact any of the firms listed on the next
page for their current prices.
The mail order business is very closely tied in with the
printing business. Unless you have your own printing plant,
always shop around for the best prices and keep your
"production costs" in line.
Once you've gotten your envelopes ready, and your circulars
made up, you'll need a potential customer list. Again, don't
believe the advertisements and "free" advice that states that
all you have to do is send your materials out to a "fresh
opportunity seekers" list. We have found that the best
prospects are those people who have purchased similar or
related items.
When selecting a supplier to work with in the mail order
business, always be sure they are quick to fill orders.
Customer complaints are the last thing you want, and poor
service leads to a dissatisfied and lost customers. Always be
sure your supplier "protects" your customer list, and always
make sure he goes that "extra mile" to work with you, and not
just for his own profits .This is the kind of service you want
from your supplier.
Finally, you'll need to consider advertising the different
offerings you have for sale. We suggest that you start small
with a few experimental ads in your local paper or shopping
news. Then
you can move on to the bigger publications.
Copyright 2004 by DeAnna Spencer
DeAnna is the publisher of the ezine, Prospecting and
Presents.
Subscribers get one free ad per week.
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