Suppose you’re new to mail order, and you want to put your ads into the many ad sheets, tabloids and publications you’re seeing in your mail box everyday.  The only problem is, you don’t HAVE any ads!  Here’s where a typesetting service comes into play.  Typesetting isn’t as hard as it sounds.  It’s just a glorified name for making a clean, clear, ad.  If you have a computer, you can produce professional quality typesetting easily and quickly.  However, typesetting can even be done with a regular typewriter.

If you are going to typeset with a typewriter, you should first visit your local office supply store and pick up a carbon ribbon for your typewriter (it prints darker and more evenly than a nylon ribbon), some rub-on transfer letters and borders in different sizes (don’t worry if they’re big, I’ll talk about that later), a “non-photo blue” pencil (which doesn’t show up when photocopied) and a book or two of mail-order or business related clip art.  You should be able to get all this for $15 or less.

Next place ads in ad sheets and other publications for your typesetting service.  Observe what other typesetters are charging and be competitive.  You should probably expect to get $1 – $3 per inch.  This doesn’t sound like much, but the work is easy, and you will be doing other things besides just typesetting, as you will see later in this report.  Typesetting should be offered as an “add-on” service, best in connection with your own ad sheet.  Your customers will be providing the ad copy, so all you have to do is arrange it.  Usually, around 35 words will fit into a one-inch ad, leaving room for a border and a piece of clip art.

Here’s sample wording for an ad:  “PROFESSIONAL TYPESETTING – Get your ad typeset and mailed to 1000 hungry buyers!  $5/inch (35 words max) $1 each additional inch.  You get 15 camera-ready proofs FREE!  Send payment & 2 first class stamps to:  (Your name and address).”  What you will be doing here is typesetting the ad, inserting it into one of your ad sheets, and sending the customer 10 extra copies of their ad, along with as many of your other offers as you can for 2 stamps.  You may be giving the typesetting for free, based on your ad sheet rates, but it’s worth it, as this is a great way to get new ads, as well as new customers.

So, here’s how to typeset a one-inch ad.  First, don’t worry about trying to fit everything into one inch!  That’s right.  Make it twice the size it will be when printed.  This gives you more room to work with, plus it will be a better quality when reduced to one inch on a photocopier (that’s the trick!).  For a one-inch ad, make a 2 inch tall by 4 1/4 inch wide border on a piece of white paper with your rub-on borders.  Next, make a light guideline with the blue pencil for the headline.  Use rub-down letters of the appropriate size to make the headlines, being careful to follow the guideline to keep everything straight.  Then, load the paper into your typewriter and neatly type the copy into the remaining space.  If your typewriter will do extra-bold words, use them to highlight important words in the ad, as well as the name and address.  When you type the ad, leave a bit of space on one side for an appropriate piece of clip art.  Cut the clip art from the book, and using either rubber cement, “spray-mount” glue or clear, non-shiny tape, attach it to the ad.  Use liquid paper to cover any specks or smears on the ad.  Then, reduce it 50% on a photocopier.  You’ve just typeset an ad!

You should always offer extra copies of the ad to your customers.  So, make five copies of the ad, cut them out, and place them straight face down on the copier glass.  Make two copies of that, cut out the ads from the copies, and you have fifteen copies to send your customer, plus the original to put in your own ad sheet.

If you have a computer, it can be much easier, especially if you have a laser printer and a good graphics program or word processor.  Use your graphics program to do the layout steps above.  You can add clip-art in the computer, or manually, after printing the ad.  You won’t have to worry about reducing the ad on a photocopier, as you can do that within your graphics program.  Plus, printing extra copies is a snap.  Most graphics programs will let you “copy and stamp,” which means making a copy of what you have made (your ad), and stamping it elsewhere on the screen.  Hence, you can make your fifteen copies all on one page and print them once, quickly and easily.  And, your typesetting will look super-professional!

Remember how I asked for two first class stamps in my sample ad?  That gives you plenty of “envelope space” for your other offers and ad sheets.  You should be sure to include a copy of the ad sheet your customer’s ad appears in, so they can be assured you delivered on your promises.

Offering typesetting will get customers who are new to mail order, as well as seasoned professionals who don’t want to bother with doing their own ads.  It will also expand the number of people who get your ad sheets and offers.

Anyone can lay out a good ad.  Anyone!  You don’t need years of graphic 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 grey 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 to 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.

A few words about wording your ad.  Make sure it follows a logical progression.  Start with a headline emphasizing the benefit the customer will get from your product or service.  For example, “Increase your business’s profits and lower its costs!”  Follow up with a subheading hinting at what will follow in the body of the ad (“Secrets of a professional marketing consultant revealed!”).  The body text of your ad should tell just a bit about your product, but should concentrate on the benefits your customer will receive.  Personal benefits, not features, are why people buy products and services.  End with your contact information how prospects can either contact you for more information, or how they can order your product or service.

Spice up your layout with a bit of graphic art.  Clip art is widely available at office supply and art stores.  It should be easy to find a book of art that will apply to what you are selling.  Cut the selected art from the book and paste into your ad.  Don’t overdo the art though.  Use only one graphic at the most.  More than one looks unprofessional.

What follows is the biggest, most important tip I can give.  When laying out your ad, USE A RULER!  The worst thing you can do is use an ad that has crooked text that is off center.  So many people try to do their own ads by “eyeballing” it, which will only yield unprofessional results.  A good idea is to get some layout boards, also available at office supply or art stores.  This is cardboard that has a blue grid printed on it that will not reproduce when copied.

Use rubber cement to attach your blocks of text.  Typewritten is ok, though computer laser-printed or “rub-down” text is better looking.  Check at the office/art supply store for rub-down text.  Attach or draw your art and borders.  Remember to emphasize benefits, keep things even and straight, leave white space if applicable, and use art sparingly as a compliment to your ad.  If you follow these suggestions, your advertising quality will improve vastly.

23.  A Professional’s Best Secrets For Powerful Ad Layouts.

Have you ever seen an ad in a publication that was just text, just a big block of words? I’m sure you have, and wasn’t it boring? If you’re scanning quickly through ad sheets, your eye won’t stop at a block of grey text. It’ll skip right over. What you need to use to make your ad interesting and eye catching is CLIP ART.

Clip art is ready-to-use pictures, borders, headlines and other little pieces of art, printed in groups on a page that you can clip out and use in your ads and publications. Clip art can be found at office supply stores, and from mail order dealers. Here’s how you can get into the business of selling clip art.

First, you need a source of clip art. If you, or a friend, are artistically inclined, draw your own. Don’t worry about having to draw it small enough you can reduce whatever you’ve drawn with a photocopier. It’s a good idea to make your art relatively free of small details since they’ll get lost when you photocopy the picture. Draw items that would be useful in mail order ads (business related pictures, money, mail, etc.). Then, reduce them and assemble them on one page. You now have a product you can sell!

Another source of clip art is other dealers. Many dealers sell copyright-free clip art packages that you can resell, either for 100% profit or for a commission. The only drawback is it will be the same clip art that others are selling. That’s ok, though, if you make sure to advertise it in places where other dealers aren’t.

Finally, if you own a computer, you have a wealth of clip art at your fingertips. Many graphics and sign-making software packages allow you to create your own graphics. These can be printed out and used as clip art. A laser printer will produce the best, professional quality clip art you’ll ever see. One thing to make sure of is that the clip art you sell is copyright-free. Otherwise you could find yourself in trouble. However, there are tons of copyright-free clip art collections available from public domain software dealers and computer networks.

Use your clip art collections as a way to expand your customer base and make a small profit. For example, you could use an ad like this: “100 pieces of professional quality clip art, and 50 ad frames and borders. Only $4 and two first class stamps. (Your name and address).” I’m sure you know by now what the two stamps are for, but in case you don’t, they give you plenty of “envelope space” for your other offers. This way, the clip art is an enticement for customers to send for your other offers.

Clip art collections can liven up drab, boring ads. They can also perk up your profit margins, and customer base! Be sure to use this easy business method in your own business!

10. SELL CLIP ART COLLECTIONS