BJM Free Press |

WHY IS THERE SO MUCH JUNKY STUFF IN THE MAIL THESE DAYS?

I hear it all the time: “There is so much junky stuff in the mail. Most of the stuff is crooked, hard to read, copied 100 times and ugly. I wouldn’t order from them regardless of what they were selling.” I agree!

In fact — I have wondered what would possess people to actually send out some of this “junky” stuff. Don’t they realize it will cost them a great loss in potential sales? Don’t they care? Don’t they realize that they are actually LOSING money?

However, remember the old saying: “The rich get richer and the poor get poorer?” While a poor person of today can be a rich person of tomorrow — a person that stays poor their entire life does so because they have made themselves that way. They have never learned the proper way to conduct business in order for it to turn a profit for them. Some of them may have tried and tried — but for some reason, they continually made bad decisions to keep themselves poor.

Let me give you a common example of what I mean. Around the first of the month, go grocery shopping. This is the time that people shop who are on fixed incomes and draw food stamp benefits. (I consider this the poor side of America.)

Now — watch their buying habits very carefully. Very rarely will you see someone use manufacturers’ coupons to save money. Very rarely do you see them purchase a brand name product (unless its cigarettes or beer.) Most of the poor people ALWAYS purchase unbranded products. These are fine in some circumstances, but if a poor person buys a unbranded name of laundry detergent or dishwashing liquid — it will run out 3 or 4 times faster than name brands like Dawn, Ivory and Palmolive. Sure — the name brand costs more in the beginning, but the long term effects will save the poor person lots of money!

What does going to the grocery store and watching poor people have to do with junky mail? Plenty! Junky mail is created by people who will never be more than they are today — OR they are people who have been taught by bad teachers and are trying to do what they are told. The fact remains through — ANYBODY can look at other things that come in the mail and learn from them. EVERYONE gets mailings from large companies that are written by professionals to sell products. All the mail order dealer has got to do is READ them.

When a piece of mail arrives that appears professional and looks like it came from a company who had a lot of money — dissect it. Find a way that YOU can make your materials look like theirs for a price within your budget.

One problem that some dealers have who mail this “junky” stuff is that they don’t believe they can look good without investing a lot of money. It doesn’t take a lot of money to look good. Just like it doesn’t take a lot of money to take a bath every day! You can still be poor but accomplish the same goal.

Another downfall for “junky” mail pieces is that quick-copy machines have made it easy for anyone to make copies. Copy machines are at most grocery and drug stores, libraries and convenient marts across America. Some people buy a desktop copier for $300 or $400 and use it to make copies of their adsheets; while others order typesetting and make copies of their camera-ready ads so they’ll have more copies.

This is all fine and dandy if you are copying a first-generation master, but if you are running a program or commission circular dealership you can’t get by with making quick copies and expect the quality to hold up. Suppose you have a typesetter design you a 8.5″x11″ circular for your program. You will give new dealers a copy of the circular from your original master the typesetter designed.

The new dealer now has a second-generation copy. He or she signs up new dealers and makes a copy of your copy. Those dealers are now getting a third-generation copy, which is probably looking poor and worn-out by this time.

Now, the guy with the third-generation copy sends it to a tabloid publisher who prints and mails it in their publication. This particular printing is now in it’s fourth-generation. Can you imagine what it looks like now?

Don’t believe me? Try it on a copier yourself. Take a camera-ready master and make a copy. Take the copy and make another copy from it. Compare the difference between this second copy and the camera-ready master. You’ll see how the circular is deteriorating — regardless of how professional it was originally typeset! This is one reason mail order is looking “junky” and it’s up to everyone to put a stop to it!

And don’t make the decision to keep your business poor and non-productive! Instead, you could be the next Montgomery Ward!

HOW TO GET DOLLARS IN YOUR MAILBOX THRU MAIL ORDER

There are a wide variety of ways that you can get dollars in your mailbox through mail order. In fact, there are so many this report doesn’t even begin to have room to list them all. However, we will attempt to help you to get started in the fascinating business of mail order. It isn’t difficult at all if you learn to take it slow. Save your money! It won’t cost you a lot initially and you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to generate a second income quickly.

A word of caution though; people everywhere are in constant need of information. And they’ll pay you money to get it. The only problem is that some mail order reports you see advertised have been on the market for over 40 years. Everybody, including their mother and cousin has seen these 1,000’s of times and already know what they are.

As a beginner to the mail order world, you naturally have never seen these old reports and think they are something brand new. The publisher will sell you a package of them with reprint rights and never give you information about promoting them to make money. Therefore, before you get involved in any programs that claim to make you lots of money be sure and check them out. Don’t fall into the same trap everybody else does that begins a mail order business. Instead, discover the vast array of products and services being offered by millions of reputable and down-to-earth folks!

You do this by writing to some of the honest mail order dealers who have been in business for a long time. One of these people is Gloria Rivers, 5308 NE 49th Street, Vancouver WA 98661 and another is Gary Davis, PO Box 80, Foyil OK 74031. Both of these reputable people will help steer you in the right direction.

In the meantime, how can you get dollars in your mailbox through mail order?

Just follow the steps below:

1. If you have never read a mail order publication of any kind, write to Gloria or Gary (above) and ask them to send you a “Big Mail” filled with tabloids, adsheets and other publications. Be sure to enclose $1 or 4 first-class postage stamps to pay for the postage to mail the package back to you.
2. Go through the publications you receive and study the advertisements that other people are running.
3. When you find something that interests you, order the product or request more information. Don’t spend a lot of your hard-earned money until you know what is involved in selling the particular item you have selected.
4. Some programs will give you free camera-ready ads (just like the ones you read in the mail order publications) that have your name and address already on them if you decide to sell the product or service they offer.
5. All that’s left to do is to run the camera-ready ads with your name and address on them in other mail order publications. (You can receive a collection of these over a period of a few weeks simply by writing letters to publishers who are advertising in the same publications Gloria and Gary send you.) You’ll be surprised how much valuable information and contacts you can get just from studying the tabloids and publications — which are free.
6. When people respond to your ad they will send you money.
7. You either fill the order yourself or send it to the “prime source” to complete. Then you simply pocket your commission.

The mail order business is a fascinating business that anyone can get involved in. In fact, once you are exposed to the products and services you can purchase through the mail, you will never go back to paying retail prices again. You can buy everything from groceries to shampoo to printing to publishing services through the mail. And the prices are always 50% (most even 80%) less than you would pay locally.

Why are prices so low? Because you are dealing with people who actually make the product or perform the service. No middleman. No secretary at the front desk. Mail order is filled with mom-and-pop operations who take good ole’ American pride in what they sell. You’ll get better service and better products at affordable prices.

If you would like an up-to-date directory of 179 other people who are honest and reputable dealers, send $6 to Graphico, PO Box 488, Bluff City TN 37618 and request a copy of their “Good People” book. One will be shipped within 24-hours.

We hope you join our world!

Write to these companies for more information on the business opportunities they have available.

PHOTO BUSINESS CARDS

AM Marketing
694 Center St.
Chicopee, MA 01013

Color Fast Marketing Systems
9522 Topanga Canyon Blvd.
Chatsworth, CA 91311

Fotokad Inc.
7033 Canoga Ave #12
Canoga Park, CA 91303

Image Makers Unlimited
1018 W. El Norte Pkwy #200
Escondido, CA 92026

Kustom Cards Int’l Inc.
219 Walnut Ave.
Vinton, VA 24179

Photo Card Specialists Inc.
1726 Westgate Rd
Eau Claire, WI 54703

Photo Express
3572 Hancock St.
San Diego, CA 92110

Tomorrow Advertising Products
4060 Peachtree Rd., Ste. D-328
Atlanta, GA 30319

IMAGE TRANSFER SYSTEMS

CASI
156 Fifth Ave. #323
New York, NY 10010

Charco Enterprise
7820 SW 188th Ave.
Dunnellon, FL 32630

Colors By Simpson
228 Midland
Poplar Bluff, MO 63901

Creative Photo Concepts Inc.
1233-164th St. SW, Ste. G-386
Lynnwood, WA 98037

Foto Fantasy Inc.
302 Winchester St.
Newton, MA 02161

Glazer-Pro
66 Marion St.
Boston, MA 02128

Image-Wear Int’l Inc
4312 N. Federal Hwy.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33308

Millford Heirloom Inc.
108 W. Main St.
Milford, CT 06460

New Venture Video Imaging Systems
PO Box 834
Laurinburg, NC 28352

RMI
14832 Venture Dr.
Dallas, TX 75234

RPL Supplies Inc.
280 Midland Ave.
Saddle Brook, NJ 07662

Tech Systems Inc.
66 Marion St.
Boston, MA 02128

The Mug Factory
4310 S. Semoran Blvd #590
Orlando, FL 32822

Universal Artek Inc.
4312 N. Federal Hwy
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33308

MISCELLANEOUS

Active Audio Video Comm. Svcs.
3 Chenango St #200
Buffalo, NY 14213

Group M Productions
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901

Hi-Shots Aerial Photography Ltd.
210-A W Main St.
Salem, IL 62881

Keyscenes
4379 Walden Cir.
Lantana, FL 33463

Neil Enterprises Inc.
940 Forest Edge Dr.
Vernon Hills, IL 60061

Photo Advertising Industries Inc.
262 S. Coconut Ln.
Miami Beach, FL 33139

Photo Sculpture Marketing Inc.
4013 Hwy. 620 N.
Austin, TX 78734

Photo Sculptures Inc.
32 Heritage Ct.
Lockport, NY 14094

Photography Studio Consultants Inc.
311 Sumneytown Pike Ste. 3A
North Wales, PA 19454

Surf Foto Co.
1030 Vale View Dr.
Vista, CA 92083

Underwater Video Training Centers
650 Redwood Ave.
Sacramento, CA 95815

Write to these companies for more information on the business opportunities they have available.

CARPET DESIGN SERVICES

Carpet Artist Assoc. Of America Inc.
1628 W. Northwest Hwy.
Arlington Heights, IL 60004

Carpet Sculpture Gallery
510-A W. Central Ave.
Brea, CA 92621

National Carpet Equipment Inc. Of Minnesota
6801 Winnetka Ave N.
Brooklyn Park, MN 55428

Sacramento Carpet Service Inc.
PO Box 13574, Market Branch
Columbia, SC 29201

HOME FURNISHING ACCESSORIES

Amerilok Corp.
410 Atlas Ave.
Madison, WI 53714

Bunk Bed Bargains Co.
4808 Bywood W.
Minneapolis, MN 55436

Diversified Arts
15 Palmer Rd.
Box 603
Waterford, CT 06385

Furniture Classics Inc.
PO Box 571853
Houston, TX 77057

King Koil Bedquarters
770 Transfer Rd.
St. Paul, MN 55114

Martek Ltd.
PO Box 15160
Charlotte, NC 28211

Nationwide Carpet Brokers
PO Box 1472
Dalton, GA 30722-1472

Rickshaw Collections
311 Richert
Wooddale, IL 60191

REFINISHING & RESTORATION SERVICES

Clear Image
PO Box 4984
Seminole, FL 34642-9998

Faux Effects Inc.
1613 10th Ave.
Vero Beach, FL 32960

Homewood Industries Inc.
PO Box 1535
Homewood, IL 60430

Master Finishers
372 S. Saginaw
Pontiac, MI 48053

Minuteman Furniture Restoration Inc
115 N. Monroe St #10
Waterloo, WI 53594

WALL-PRINTING SYSTEMS

Decowall Company Inc.
5413 Rhea Ave.
Tarzana, CA 91356

Euro-Wall Styles
10022 Iroquois St.
Apple Valley, CA 92308

The Unwallpaper Co.
PO Box 757
Silver Spring, MD 20918

MISCELLANEOUS

Anchol Industries Inc.
PO Box 3477
Evansville, IN 47711

Classy Closets
2001 W. Alameda Dr.
Tempe, AZ 85282

Closet Classics
3311 Laminations Dr.
Holland, MI 49424

Intellitricity Inc.
3307 Northland Dr., #130
Austin, TX 78731-4941

Mastervoice Inc.
10523 Humbolt St.
Los Alamitos, CA 90720

Silks By Rose Inc.
2060 Lincoln Way E.
Chambersburg, PA 17201

Stony Brae Ltd.
16 Wilton Rd.
Westport, CT 06880

TransDesigns
1000 Transart Pkwy
Woodstock, GA 30188

Sounds pretty unusual, doesn’t it? Well, if you run this business right, you can make a lot of money with advertising placemats.In a nutshell, you will be giving free paper placemats to restaurants in your area with either a prominent color ad or their menu in the middle, and two-inch by two-inch ads around the edge. These ads will make so much profit for you that if you run up against a stubborn restaurant owner, you can even pay him or her to take your placemats and come out way ahead. They’d be a fool to refuse!

Figuring out your costs

The first step in this business will be to figure out your costs and prices. Contact a good number of printers in your area and find out what kind of blank or ready-made thin paper placemats they can either print or have printed for you. There should be a variety of sizes and styles. Get quotes for at least 5000 mats in two-color printing. Compare your quotes and find the printer that will do the best job for the best price. Make sure this is a printer that will work with you on the layout of the placemats, if this is new to you.

Once you have your printing costs, which will be your primary costs, you can figure out how much profit can be made. Your profit will depend, in part, on how many ads you can put around the perimeter of the placemat. For example, if the placemat is 11×15, you can put a total of 20 ads around the sheet, leaving a one inch margin around the edge for the printer. Divide the printing cost, together with your other estimated costs (phone, postage, travel) by the number of ads, and you have your cost per ad.

For example, suppose your estimated expenses will be $600. Divide that by 20 ads and you have $30. This is how much each ad contributes to covering the cost of the placemat. Now, figure a target profit margin. In my area, an ad that will be seen by 5,000 people over an extended period of time could go for $90. This would be a $1,200 profit!

Finding your clients

Now, make a list of restaurants that would be likely prospects for this service. The best prospects will be locally-owned family-oriented restaurants that are visited by residents of the area. Don’t try truck stops or restaurants by toll-road exits, as most of their customers are just passing through, and won’t patronize any of the advertisers. Also, big-name chain restaurants and fast-food places may be a waste of time, as most of them, if they use placemats at all, have their own already. Smaller, particularly family-owned, restaurants will be your best bet.

Here’s the approach to take. Tell the restaurant owner that you can provide 5,000 free paper placemats with either a large color ad or a color menu printed in the middle of the placemat. Local advertisers will be featured in small ads around the outside. When you say the words “5,000 free paper placemats,” you probably won’t even have to go any further! If the owner’s a hard case, offer to pay them to take your placemats! Offer $50 and 5,000 placemats. This will break down more barriers than you can imagine!

If the restaurant owner has a pre-made ad or menu available, this can be reduced or enlarged by your printer to fit the center area of the placemat. Be sure the restaurant’s section dominates the placemat.

Finding the advertisers

Now, contact businesses that are in the immediate area surrounding the restaurant. Good prospects will be video stores, dry cleaners, grocery stores, book stores, any business that is frequented by families. Tell them that you have an advertising opportunity which will put their name and offer in front of 5,000 people for an extended period of time. Explain the placemat system, and which restaurant the placemat will be at. Break down the ad price to the person. For example, a $90 ad to 5,000 people will only by 1.8 cents per person. This is very inexpensive.

Again, most businesses will have a two-inch by two-inch ad, or one that can be resized, ready for use. If they do, you’re home free! If they don’t, get information about what they’d like to have the ad say, then ask your printer for layout help. You’ll probably only need to do this for your first placemat, as layout is easy to get the hang of. Encourage advertisers to make their ad into a discount coupon with dotted lines around it. This will increase the response to their ad.

Contact as many possible advertisers as you can. The more you contact the more ads you’ll sell. If your prices are competitive and you deliver honest facts, you should have an easy time selling the placemat ads.

Bringing it all together

Now, take the ads to your printer and layout the placemat. Put the restaurant’s ad/menu in the center, and the other ads around the perimeter. Have the printer print the requested quantity, and deliver them to the restaurant. It’s that simple!

This whole process can be done easily in less than a month. But, even if it takes you a month, the example above cleared $1,200 profit (or $1,150, if you actually had to pay the $50). Once you’ve done your first one or two and know what you’re doing, you will find that you can run more than one at a time. If you run four placemats per month, you could clear over $55,000 per year! This is just an example, and your profits could be higher or lower, depending on your area. But, it should be fairly obvious that this can be an easy-to-run, profitable business that you can start part-time and quickly move into a full-time business!