You don't need years of graphics arts or marketing instructions.
All you need to do is to remember some simple tips that can turn a drab, mediocre ad into a powerful order-pulling masterpiece.
First of all, there are two ways to build an ad:
- Either fill it with text;
- Or- leave plenty of open space.
Both ways are good, depending on the type of product or service you're selling, and the crowd you're trying to reach.
If you're selling a product directly from your ad, and it requires a lot of explanation or description, pack that ad full of text.
This will create a block of gray text which will not stand out to the eye, so you'll need to put a strong black border around your ad.
If you're trying to solicit responses, which you'll follow up with more information, cut the text in your ad to a minimum.
The white space in your ad will draw the eye, so you won't need as strong a border. You still should put a border around the ad, but a thin double line will do-
So as not to attract attention away from the message of the ad.
Advertising in the Right Publication-
Although this may sound a little silly and you think it is only common sense to know this; people will often overlook this fact when choosing the publication they will be advertising in.
Instead, they will look for the lowest price for the amount of circulation they receive. Unfortunately, this does not work out.
Even though you need to look for good deals that make it easy on your pocketbook, you will be throwing money away if you don't pre-qualify the publication you choose.
One way of pre-qualifying the publication is to send for a sample copy. Most publishers will send them to you free of charge for the asking.
Study the publication to see what other people are advertising and how they are advertising it.
Contact some of the people who sell items similar to your own with the hope of networking with them.
You would be surprised how much free publicity you can get just from corresponding, calling and {JV} networking with others!
Once you locate a publication you want to advertise in, give it a try for 3 months.
If you don't get any response or only a few orders, try another publication.
There are millions of them and eventually you will hit the right target market that will be interested in what you have to sell.
Just because you locate the target market of people who are interested in purchasing your product there is no reason you can't advertise in more than one publication.
In fact, if you don't, your ad will become stale. If the same people continue to see your ad every month they will probably get tired of looking at it.
Besides, if they wanted the product they would have ordered it by now. Don't tire them out! Alternate different size ads and get rid of ones that don't work well.
Leave your ad running as long as it brings in orders for you but also advertise in 5, 10, 20+ other publications also to generate a steady stream of orders and to reach more people.
If you do decide to go with one or more off-line magazines-
You may do quite well and let the editor know that you'd like to do business with them; but before laying down your money, you'd like to acquire some market feasibility statistics first.
Ask the editor if they'd be interested in a P.I. Campaign [per inquiry]; which means that they will share in the profits of each sale generated- in turn for give you a test-run.
This technique can produce some highly-lucrative and mutually-beneficial JV action!
How and Where to Advertise-
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" as 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, money, and frustration, if you apply the same principles to every 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:
l) Who will I sell it to?
2) Do these people really want, and need it?
3) How large is the market?
4) How will I reach these people & get them to buy?
5) Is anyone else selling a similar product, service or book?
6) What makes my product & 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 & 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 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 analyze the product, and profile your prospective customer- the sale ability of your product, and the demand for such a product by the people you want to buy.
One other thing- don't ever overlook your potential competition.
When people neglect to analyze the product, and answer the basic market research questions- or overlook their competitors- they're almost certainly doomed to failure.
These are precisely the reasons for failure amongst people who attempt to start a mail order business.
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 pantyhose with an ad in a car care magazine; or socket wrenches with an ad in a magazine for brides-to-be.
In other words, design your advertisements to appeal to your kind of customer (i.e. “Send $5 for Report on How to Write Order Pulling Ads”).
I don't recommend that you begin, or attempt to launch your business via direct mail; but when the time comes for you to expand into direct mail, be discriminate-
Select mailing lists for your type of customer.
Do-it-your-selfers for shop tools, cosmetics buyers for jewelry and self-adornment merchandise, how-to-book buyers for your crafts, hobbies & self-improvement books, etc...
Mail Order Considerations-
Mail Order Ad Sheet: These reach beginning and small mail order dealers.
Their purpose is largely to see who is advertising, what's being advertised, and for the accumulation or compiling of mailing lists.
Mail Order Tab Sheets-
These reach basically the same audience as the M/O Ad Sheets.
Generally, they are more appealing because of the "instructional" articles and greater space devoted to mentioning who's doing what/names in print & free publicity.
Rate these according to the "information" being passed along in the articles. Usually, these publications pull a greater response than the ad sheets, but still, they're largest audience is one made up of sellers.
Mail Order Dealer Catalogs-
These reach the mail order dealers, plus a very large segment of specific buyers generally related to the overall kind of merchandise offered within the catalog.
Unless there are "business building" articles, the recipients generally toss them aside after a quick glance.
These are very good showcases for your dealer/distributor ads, and it it's an "established" merchandise catalog of the kind of product you're selling, these catalogs can be very good advertising outlets for you...
Extra Income Magazines [such as Money Making Magic, Venture and Entrepreneur]-
These publications individually reach a very loyal basic subscriber list, most of the people wanting to get started with/aready involved in a spare time extra income project-
And tremendously large numbers of "first time" readers with each issue.
Look for, and rate them according to:
- The balance of actual "business building" articles they carry, in relationship to their advertising;
- The audience each is trying to reach;
- Overall, according the quality of the publication.
Do the articles really help you, or are they "publicity write-ups" for the advertisers?
You'll find that these magazines are retained, and referred to by the recipients for years...
In almost every case, you can expect a good response from your ads placed in one of these magazines-
Provided you've got a good ad and it's geared to the readers of that particular magazine.
The Bottom Line-
Remember- The bottom line is knowing your type of buyer; presenting your product or opportunity in a style that appeals especially to that type of buyers-
And then placing your ad in the publication reaching your kind of buyer.
Besides matching the profile of your customer with the demographics of the publication, it's also important that you match your selling prices within the average price range of everything else offered in that publication.
Running an ad to sell a book at $65 in a publication featuring $20 books, probably won't pull for you.
By the same token, any ads attempting to promote "reproduction type" reports in a magazine selling $50 books, probably won't bring very many responses for you either.
To Achieve Success-
- Know your product;
- Profile your prospective buyer;
- Design advertising that appeals to the self-interests of that specific kind of buyer;
- Place your ads in publications reaching those kinds of buyers.
Very few people recognize a legitimate opportunity, even when you hit them over the head with it.
Even so, unless you've got something REALLY NEW, and a deal that really is THE OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME...
Save your money and don't try to push your program onto other mail order dealers; albeit mutually-beneficial JV's are often welcome.
Assuming that you "know" your typical customer, and the best media to reach this kind of customer-
The next step is putting your ad together.
It's been said millions of times before, but it's important that you UNDERSTAND, and REMEMBER:
- Your ad MUST appeal to the self-interest of your prospect.
- It must somehow be different, and better, than all the others, particularly if your product is being advertised in the same publication by other mail order dealers.
- Nothing beats originality.
Write your ads from a different angle.
Lead off with the answer to every customer's most important question:
What will I get if I send in my money?
Use words to paint pictures of success, wealth and happiness. Eliminate the customer's fears of being taken or ripped off.
Picture yourself in your prospective customer's shoes, and give him real reasons to send his money to you.
And finally, make it easy for him to order:
- Log on at...
- Call toll free...
- Use your bank card...
- Self-addressed envelope...
- Order now and we'll bill you later...
Don't be too determined to sell your primary product from your ad.
Chances are, if it's as good as you say it is- and you really want to make big profits-
You should use a sales letter 4 or more pages in length.
Consider a "leader" item, and run an ad such as this:
“FREE RAGS TO RICHES MAIL ORDER OPPORTUNITY guide! Send your name, address, zip code & two first class stamps to...”
Then in response to all the takers of this Free Offer-
Send them to your Web site or include the complete sales letter, brochure, order form, and self-addressed return reply envelope with the booklet you send out.
Using this 2 step method, some people have attained 30+ percent sales for their primary product- even far better working it into a high-quality auto-responder e-course!
Including a low cost, high-quality -unadvertised- Bonus Bundle is always a good tactic!
Another Angle-
“FREE BOOK! Mail Order Millions From A Shoestring Beginning! Send your name, address, and zip code, along with $1 for shipping and handling”
In response, you send out the book and a sales letter inviting the recipient to your mail order business consulting services.
In Review-
Determine who you want for a customer.
Get her undivided attention.
Sell her your product or service.
Learn what will entice them into future purchases.
Simple, easy, and it works every time! All it takes is a little bit of practical sense and creativity on your part!
A small, inexpensive classified ad offering a "most wanted" leader item, followed up with a dynamic sales letter...and your success is virtually guaranteed!
As a means to an end, particularly if you want to enlist people to sell your product for you:
Start an ad sheet- run exchange ads with every ad sheet publisher in the country-
There are literally thousands of them (Send $2 for our complete listing of mail order publications...).
But, instead of running ads to promote your ad sheet, run your "leader item" offer and follow up with your sales letter on your primary product.
From this, you'll get fantastic FREE exposure; inquiries from people you can actually sell to; and the virtual "no-cost" establishment of a nationwide sales force to promote your business.
Do chain letters really work? In no way, form or fashion!
But, this method of running your "leader item" ad as an exchange ad, will work -and besides, it's legal!
If you already have your own Web-based Affiliate program in place-
All the Better!
The end result will be what the chain letter promoters are promising you...
People all over the country/world promoting and selling your business for you.
You must multiply yourself -get other people to help you, and present your product offer to as many potential customers as possible [the Laws of Labor Replication definitely apply].
In Closing-
Do you have what it takes- the drive to go on studying, learning, testing and adapting; the guts to achieve to the kind of success you want?
It's important that you do your homework- product analysis and market research- the rest is merely common sense.
You've got it, now use it!
For sure, it won't be easy -there's work ahead, and lots of comprehension required.
If you’re absolutely determined- you WILL do it, and the end result will be well worth the investment. After all, what have you got to lose but a real shot at total success?
From here on out, the ball is in your court and an investment of dedicated action on your part is required!
Posts
