| Welcome to the World of Mail Order! | | | | you can write to major exhibition managers and get |
| Hundreds, even thousands, of dollars can come to | | | | their schedule for the next twelve months or more. |
| you through the mail, every day, when you build up a | | | | Ad or Brochure - Which Way for You? |
| successful mail-order business, and we're going to | | | | To start a mail-order business, we would suggest |
| show you how to do it! You don't need complicated | | | | placing small display ads at first, rather than creating |
| equipment, a lot of capital, or an expensive office to | | | | expensive mailing pieces and sending them out to a |
| start with. But you do need determination, a place to | | | | rented list. To create, print, insert and mail brochures |
| work (your home will do fine for a beginning), and a | | | | is a costly and very skilled affair, and is not usually |
| good product. | | | | undertaken by beginners. Also it is generally |
| Before you begin to sell anything, take a moment to | | | | necessary that the item(s) offered be relatively |
| think about the possibilities of mail order. In order to | | | | high-priced to assure a profitable rate of return - |
| hit the real jackpot in terms of money, your mail | | | | what with today's high cost of postage, not to |
| order business, whatever it is that you will eventually | | | | mention paper and printing. A single $1.95 item, no |
| sell, must be well planned, timely, and draw lots of | | | | matter how saleable, could never be profitable in a |
| repeat business. You are going to have to look at | | | | mailing - by the time you add up the cost of printing |
| what other mail order operators are selling, to see | | | | and postage you find there is nothing left for you! |
| what kinds of products sell well, week after week, in | | | | But if it is well-chosen, it could be a smash hit in a |
| the kinds of publications that you too are thinking of | | | | small ad, and make a lot of money for you, because, |
| running ads in. And don't forget to check back issue | | | | of course, if it works for you in one magazine very |
| of these same publications check out which ads | | | | well, the chances are very good (though not certain) |
| stopped running, which products flopped! | | | | that it will be at least profitable, even if not as |
| Remember that the better prepared you are before | | | | profitable, in other media. |
| you actually place your first ad, the better able you | | | | Markup, Markup, You Gotta Have the Markup! |
| will be to cope with buying, selling, shipping and all the | | | | Other than an unsuitable product, or one that people |
| other new responsibilities you will have. But don't let | | | | just don't want, the biggest other mistake you must |
| all this talk of responsibility scare you away - mail | | | | avoid is having insufficient markup. You cannot afford |
| order is still one of the least complicated ways to get | | | | to buy the same product that a retailer does, and |
| set on the road to financial independence, and | | | | expect to survive. Many retailers can do perfectly |
| possibly great wealth! | | | | well with an average markup of 100% over cost, |
| Let's Tackle First Things First! | | | | that is they buy the merchandise at 50% of its retail |
| If you're contemplating starting a mail-order business, | | | | price, or, to look at it another way, they sell at twice |
| the first thing you have to decide is what you're | | | | the net cost to them (this is a very rough |
| going to sell. both as to general category, and then | | | | approximation, retailers' margins vary all over the lot |
| specifically. Your wife's home-made candy; your own | | | | depending on the line of business they're in; for |
| greenhouse-raised plants; a small useful "novelty" | | | | instance, grocery supermarkets operate on far less |
| item; racing tips; or what? Try and ask yourself a | | | | gross markup than that). |
| few questions about what you intend to sell. Is it | | | | But you cannot exist in mail-order with a |
| exclusive? Or can your prospective customers get | | | | two-times-cost mark-up (potentially you might be be |
| the same thing more easily right at their | | | | able to with a very high-ticket item sellingfor $500, |
| neighborhood store? Is it really appealing, can you | | | | but we're not concerned with that here). You need |
| point out something (or many things) about it that | | | | at least a three-times cost multiple, and, if you can |
| make it something the customer's just gotta have? | | | | get it, four-, five-, six- or even ten-times is far far |
| And does it have a really sufficient mark-up (of which | | | | better. The higher your markup - the greater your |
| more hereafter). | | | | chance of success. Your costs are far higher than a |
| More mail-order failures can be traced to the lack of | | | | retailer's. Advertising space cost is your biggest |
| the right product than any other source. Sure it's | | | | expense, and then you have to handle each order |
| important to promote it right, write appealing copy, | | | | individually, pack it for shipping, provide a carton, take |
| be efficient in shipping, follow up the sale, etc, etc., | | | | it to the post office, etc., as well as pay your general |
| but if you haven't got what the people want, nothing | | | | overhead expenses. Always remember that the |
| else will help. | | | | higher the multiple, the smaller the number of items |
| So don't blunder into the business, plan it out. Think | | | | you have to sell to make an ad profitable. |
| about whether you have some special expertise | | | | Now to Prepare Your First Ad |
| which you can bring to bear in the selection of what | | | | You've chosen your "perfect product" for your first |
| you're going to sell. Always try to fill a need. Try to | | | | mail-order offering, and decided on the price you're |
| appeal to basic human instincts, acquisitiveness, | | | | asking, and now you are faced with making an ad! |
| curiosity, avarice, sexuality, greed, and so on. But | | | | Unless you are a writer/artist, this is a formidable |
| appeal subtly, on the subconscious level, don't let'em | | | | obstacle. But it can be surmounted. We don't suggest |
| know you know what makes'em tick. You've got to | | | | you call a big advertising agency. In short, they don't |
| be a sort of amateur psychologist, to have a high | | | | want you (you won't be spending enough), and you |
| percentage of successful items, or else you must | | | | don't want them (you wouldn't be able to afford |
| just somehow sense what will sell. | | | | their production charges!). If you're handy with |
| Two Great Ideas You Can Use! | | | | words, try writing the ad after all the usual 1", 2" or |
| If you haven't a specific field in mind, here are two | | | | 3" mailorder ad only contains 50 or 100 words of |
| suggestions for you. The first is to sell information, or | | | | copy (look at what others are doing in your favorite |
| to put it another way, "sell paper". Think up some | | | | magazine) - and show it to some friends to get |
| information you think many people would like to | | | | some criticism and ideas. If you get a thumbs-down |
| know, and try and assemble it for them in a handy | | | | reaction from your test audience, (or if you don't |
| form, using your own knowledge, or research you | | | | really feel that you want to tackle the writing in the |
| can do in books at your public library. For instance, a | | | | first place), locate a copywriter to help you through |
| list of hotels, by city and state, which agree to | | | | the classified columns of your local newspaper. Place |
| accept guests with pets - something very useful to | | | | a very short minimum-space ad, something like this: |
| animal-livers traveling with their dogs and getting | | | | COPYWRITER. Small mail-order co. needs occasional |
| turned away by the majority of motels they try to | | | | ads written, freelance basis. Call 123-4567.in the "Help |
| stop at. | | | | Wanted" section. You'll get plenty of calls, and this will |
| The second is how you can find the one really | | | | enable you to select someone with whom you're |
| special, really "cute" and exciting item that you can | | | | compatible, and who won't charge you an arm and a |
| promote the hell out of and (we hope) sell tens of | | | | leg! |
| thousands of. In this area of mail-order, fortunes can | | | | Appearance and Presentation Are All-Important! |
| be made overnight, if you "know how to pick 'em". | | | | The "look" of your ad is very important. Don't neglect |
| It's a knack, a "feel", and it's usually inborn, and not a | | | | it. Not only the picture of the product, whether that |
| product of training. You may have it, and not know it! | | | | be a photograph or a drawing, but also the layout, |
| If you are one of those people who can sense the | | | | choice and weight of typefaces used, and so on. |
| needs or desires of a large group, then before long | | | | Unless you are an expert, don't try doing it yourself . |
| you may locate an item that can bring you real | | | | . you need a professional. It is simple to find one. Just |
| money! | | | | proceed as above for the copywriter, but place an |
| How you can find your own special "hot item" before | | | | ad for an art director. He will take your basic |
| the public has even seen it anywhere is by attending | | | | thoughts, and transform them almost magically, into a |
| trade shows, given every year, and sometimes twice | | | | really "pro"-looking ad. He'll be able to "spec" the type |
| a year, in major cities. New York, Chicago and San | | | | for you, and recommend a typesetter who can set it |
| Francisco are the biggest centers, but local ones | | | | for you (or he may quote you a flat price for |
| appear also in Miami, Houston, New Orleans, and | | | | preparing the ad which includes the type). |
| many other cities. | | | | I hope there's enough here to have whetted your |
| You can find out about these shows by calling your | | | | appetite for a go at the fascinating world of |
| local convention bureau or exhibition hall, and enquiring | | | | mail-order. If you want additional information, consult |
| about their schedule for the year. Very big hotels | | | | a full-length book on the subject. |
| with exhibition facilities sometimes host them too. Or | | | | Good luck! |