A
Quick Study in marketing, plus recommended advertising/mailing
list
sources.
More
than anything else, the key to success in business depends on
how
and where you advertise.
You
must advertise or forever remain unknown.
If
you have "the better mousetrap", you have to let the people
know
about it, or your ideas and efforts will come to nothing.
Everybody
seemingly has an idea for a product, a service, or a
"how
to" manual of some kind.
Many
people spend half their lives perfecting a product, learning
how
to perform a special service, or writing a book - only to end
up
penniless and heartbroken because "no one beats a path to their
door"
to buy whatever it is they're trying to sell.
In
most cases, it's a matter of whether you want to "go down in
history"
a just another inventor, hard worker, author or you want
to
"sell a product and enjoy the rewards".
Always
do some basic common sense product analysis and market
research
before you begin building, learning or putting together
something
you want other people to buy.
The
same kind of "research" will save you time, frustration, and
money,
if you apply the same principles to every "selling
opportunity"
that arouses your interest.
Make
up a check list of questions that must be answered before you
embark
upon any project, or get too deeply involved in any selling
situation.
Such
a check list should answer the following questions:
1)
Who will I sell to?
2)
Do these people really want, and need it?
3)
How large is the market?
4)
How will I reach these people and get them to buy?
5)
Is anyone else selling a similar product, service or book?
6)
What makes my product and strategies different?
7)
Can I supply the product at a price the customer will pay, and
still make a profit for myself?
8)
How much time, effort and money will I have to invest in order
to reach my profit goals?
9)
Do I really have the resources and the stamina to carry this
idea through to success?
Once
you've answered these questions - completed this bit of basic
product
analysis and market research - then you can start planning
exactly
how you intend to sell it, and map out your advertising
strategy
from there.
You'll
find success in any selling effort, much easier, and much
more
profitable, if you honestly and objectively answer these
"check
list" questions before you begin.
It's
absolutely imperative that you analyse the product, and
profile
your prospective customer - the salability of your
product,
and the demand for such a product by the people you want
to
buy from you.
One
other thing. Don't ever overlook or
"poo pah" your real
and/or
imagined competition. When people
neglect to analyse the
product,
and answer the basic market research questions they're
almost
certainly doomed to failure.
These
are precisely the reasons for failure amongst people who
attempt
to start a mail order business.
I
get literally "tons of mail order offers" for products that are
losers;
and even offers from people trying to sell us our own
materials
and/or related items which we can buy at wholesale
prices.
When
Freemans sends out a new catalogue or sales circular, do you
really
think they send one to Selfridges?
Another
thing, this "we're all friends and in the same business,
so
you buy from me and I'll buy from you" philosophy may keep you
busy,
and your post box full, but it'll never result in profits on
your
Profit and Loss sheet.
Advertise
in the media that reaches your buyers, and send your
direct
mail materials to people most likely to buy - not to
sellers!
Remember,
your first task is to determine who your most likely
customers
are, and then design your advertising campaign to reach
those
specific people.
Generally,
you wouldn't try to sell ladies tights with an ad in a
car
care magazine; or socket wrenches in a magazine for
brides-to-be.
In
other words, design your advertisements to appeal to "your kind
of
customer", and then, place these advertisements in the
publications
these people buy and read.
If
you're selling gift items, crafts and other merchandise,
advertise
in those kinds of publications - general merchandise
catalogues,
catering to that kind of buyer.
By
listening to the cries for help, and catering to them, you will
not
only have "discovered" the proper product, you will have also
"identified"
your buyers.
Do
not try to interest the people in something that does not
specifically
fulfil one of their wants.
Don't
mistake a casual interest or complaint as "the voice" of the
masses. Spend some time listening, and then write to
satisfy what
"the
people" want.
Once
you've got your product ready for customers to buy, you
should
spend some time creating the proper sales letter and/or
circular
you'll use in presenting it to your potential customers.
Above
all else, your sales materials must radiate an image of
professionalism
and sell - sell - sell.
Use
quality paper and printing in presenting your sales message.
Present
what you have to say, not in a manner which tells the
prospect
who you are, how well qualified you are to write on the
subject,
or how much work you put into the project; but from a
stand
point of how the customer is going to benefit from buying a
copy
of your manual.
As
an example - Ford doesn't advertise cars by telling you how
they
were designed and engineered by college graduates or union
members,
nor have you ever heard of someone walking up to a car in
a
dealer's showroom, kicking the tire and exclaiming, "Boy, this
sure
looks like a safe one ..."
In
fact, new cars are sold by the smell and the image of the
prospective
owner sitting in the driver's seat and showing off by
driving
through his neighbourhood - just climb in there behind the
wheel
and see how she feels to you - go ahead and take it for a
test
drive - drive it home and see what your neighbours think.
The
benefits your prospective buyer is going to receive - that's
the
starting point from which all "winning" sales letters are
written,
circulars designed, and the "secret" of getting people to
spend
money on a product or service.
Student
from the advertising classes at your local college,
freelance
advertising agency personnel, and - believe it or not -
car
sales advertising managers, are the people to turn to for
ideas
and help.
Next,
is your follow-up piece.
Ideally,
this is a simple one page listing of other "related"
materials
for your customers.
So,
assuming you've sold him a manual on how to land a job, your
follow-up
piece might list manuals on how to dress to project a
winning
image, how to breeze through job interviews, and what to
do
after the interview, perhaps an opportunity for your buyer to
subscribe
to a quarterly newsletter listing job availabilities.
It's
important that you have your follow-up piece put together,
and
ready before you make your primary offer available to the
public.
Then,
when you start receiving orders, along with the manual the
customer
has ordered, simply also enclose your follow-up listing
of
other materials available.
Thus,
you make one sale and as a result of the first sale, you
make
further sales of related materials - the kind of "back end"
sales
that will keep you in business, and your profits
multiplying.
Don't
neglect the follow-up piece.
Getting
your offer to your most-likely buyers is going to cost you
money,
and here's where most direct mail beginners drop the ball.
Do
not try to save money, and send your offer out to just any old
list
of names.
Contact
a reputable mailing list broker - visit your public
library
and ask the librarian for a copy of the Standard Rate and
Data
Services directory pertaining to mailing list brokers - tell
the
mailing list broker about your offer and ask for his help in
choosing
a mailing list that will be profitable for you.
You'll
probably have to rent a minimum of 5,000 names at a cost
ranging
between œ35 and œ120 per thousand, but in the end you'll
save
a lot of time and money because with a good offer and a good
mailing
list you count on a tremendous response.
For
instance, the one-time rental of a good mailing list may cost
you
œ475 at œ95 per thousand ... but then a 20% response from such
a
list on a œ20 manual, would mean œ20,000 in your pocket.
To
spend your time compiling names and addresses from incoming
mail
order offers, or to rent and use a mailing list from any
source
other than a reputable broker, is not only foolish but a
short
cut to the poor house!
Identify
your most likely buyers, contact a reputable mailing list
broker,
match your "buyer profile" to his most responsive list,
and
you'll make money - lots of money - every time.
Anything
less is just an exercise in futility!
There
you have it - short and sweet - cut and dried - and, the
"easy
way" to the big profits in mail order starting from scratch.
These
are the basics - the secrets of how others have done it, and
how
you can do it too - organise yourself, follow these guidelines
and
it'll be next to impossible for you not to succeed.
Remember
though, your best product will be "how to" information.
Something
the people "want" to learn.
Something
you can research, write about, and produce for pennies,
and
then sell for pounds.
And
don't forget, once you're ready to start taking orders, make
sure
that you get your offer to the most likely buyers.
Get
out of the "mail order circle" and to the people who want and
will
spend money for your product.
It's
easy - simple - and very rewarding. This
time next year, you
really
could be a millionaire!!!
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