SELECTING YOUR FIRST COMPUTER

There are still a lot of mail order dealers and regular everyday people performing their daily office and accounting duties by hand. This is unfortunate because a computer system will cut your workload up to 80% — thereby leaving you more time to market and develop new products. Plus — it’s fun.

There has not been one single person that I have trained or knew, that after learning what a computer could do for them, thought it was a bad idea. In fact, everyone couldn’t understand “how” they did without one and will never go back to the old method again.

People are funny that way. They will resist change. I remember when microwave ovens first came out. My brother and I went together and bought my mother one for Christmas. As soon as she unwrapped it she jumped back and screamed: “Get that thing out of here. It emits ultraviolet rays that will give us all cancer.”

Although this sounds hysterical now, this was the immediate reaction to anything different from conventional ovens. And I bet your great-grandmother would have balked at the idea of replacing her scrubbing board with a Maytag automatic washer. Can you imagine where we would be at today if the automatic washer had not been invented? Women and men both hold full-time jobs. They barely have time to work all day, fix dinner and push a button just to do the laundry — let alone spend hours washing on a scrubbing board. Do you begin to see my meaning?

Of course, most people are either “afraid” or don’t feel they have the time to learn a computer system. They like the old way of doing things because it works for them. But — if you want your business to boom — you must invest in some type of computer system.

For the beginner to the world of computers, you really don’t need a system with a lot of “frills” to complicate your learning process. There are lots of older computers and word processors on the market in the $250-$400 range. That’s about the same amount you would pay for a typewriter and it’s much more efficient.

A basic system will handle mundane tasks without error, keep your mailing lists updated, labels printed and basic accounting functions. The best place to begin looking for a computer system for YOUR particular needs is a national, monthly publication entitled “Computer Shopper.” Their address is PO Box 51020, Boulder CO 80321 and a 1-year subscription is currently $21.97. This gigantic book/magazine It’s packed with over 700 pages per issue of the lowest prices and highest quality computer services around. In addition, if you study the contents you will gain a terrific computer education. Don’t be afraid to call manufacturers and ask specific questions on a system they are selling. Explain our needs (and possible future needs if you know them) and ask the sales person for advice.

Don’t take everything the salesperson says as “gospel” and call around. Don’t be worried about not understanding computer language. If you study the ads in your “Computer Shopper” things will begin to make sense. (I know, because this is where I first obtained my computer education.)

Check with other manufacturers to find out what they have to say. Compare prices. The only thing you need to keep in mind is determining exactly what you are planning to use your computer system for. Not everyone needs desktop publishing, engineering functions and costly word processing software. You may be able to obtain your software programs through Shareware and Freeware (low-cost or free programs). Take your time and ease into your new computerized office very slowly. You’ll love the change!

BE A PRIME SOURCE

I am not complaining, but one of the main problems I see within the “inner circle” mail order market is everyone selling everyone else’s products. I haven’t picked up a publication recently where the pages weren’t crammed full with commission dealerships. Now, don’t get me wrong. We sell commission circulars ourselves, so I’m certainly not putting down the idea — however, a good thing can get out of hand.

It’s been said over and over again, but newcomers to our industry should realize that they need to develop their OWN products and services. Commission dealerships are fine to compliment your business if the product is relative to your main product, but everyone should strive for developing their OWN product too. No one will ever get rich dealing in just commission dealerships. And people who think this way will give up over a period of time because they go broke. Let’s stop this madness and spread the word about becoming a Prime Source.

How do you develop your OWN specialized product or service? It may take a few months to get your “feet wet” in mail order to determine your particular “niche.” However, you should already know the talents you possess inside yourself and what your own capabilities are. There has to be more to your business than making money!

What are your hobbies and interests? What would you like to do more than anything else and would you do it if you were not getting paid? For instance, I personally enjoy publishing newsletters. I get a surge of electricity when I am working on them and wish my body would last 24-hours a day so I could work on them all the time. This is loving what you do.

On the other hand, this may sound really crazy to you. Perhaps you would rather write, edit, paste-up or seal envelopes. I remember Dorothy Christian (Shells 345) once explaining to me the “high” she used to get when doing a mass mailing. She loved peeling off labels, sticking them on envelopes and folding the materials to insert. She said that every envelope she stuffed, she felt it would generate a big customer order. This is enthusiasm!

Therefore, Dorothy could have developed a specialized or confidential mailing service. Unlike big mail, she would be mailing circulars in envelopes, but a targeted-mailing for different programs and products. (Example: A circular selling books and reports would be marketed only to book buyers from lists Dorothy would purchase and use for these types of mailings. She also would be careful not to put any conflicting information in this special mailing she was preparing for specific customers.)

You can take anything you sell and creatively turn it into your own prime source product. A good friend of mine, Helen VanAllen loved to prepare big mails so she created the “Design-Your-Own-Big-Mail-Package.” Customers were presented with a list of the circulars Helen had on hand and they checked off the ones that interested them. (This is one example of how an old concept can be turned into something new with a twist that makes it YOUR OWN product.)

Another friend, Max Ross, created a new product called “Business-In-A-Box.” He took 4 or 5 good commission circulars that he knew worked well and pulled orders. When people ordered his “Business-In-A-Box” they would receive the 4 camera-ready circulars along with 100 copies of them, 100 names from his own mailing list, 100 envelopes and an instruction sheet that gave the customer ideas and tips about direct mailing.

Another gal I know created a “Complete-Business-Start-Up-Kit.” She was a typesetter and went in 50% with a mail order printer. When the customer ordered this kit they would receive 100 letterheads, 100 envelopes, 100 memo sheets, 100 address labels and 100 business cards. Everything was personalized for the customer and included information on how they could order more as their supply ran out.

These are just a few ideas that other mail order folks used to create their own product. You can use the same concept locally also. If you sell vitamins, for instance, you could sell them in individual packets and label them for each day of the week. Use the vitamins from the company you are working with but the individual packets and labels would be your own product. You can also charge more for this personal touch.

You are unique! You are an individual who has special talents and interests. Your business should be a reflection of YOU and your own contribution to mail order. Mail order is a wonderful business, filled with some of the best people in the world. But it’s up to every one of us to keep it that way.

HOW TO WRITE A PRESS RELEASE

The word “Press Release” seems to scare most people to death. On top of that — not many people take the time to even think of writing their own Press Release. We hope this brief article will help clear up some of the mystery’s surrounding this simple form of marketing.

The first thing you have to remember is that a Press Release is a “news” item. It needs to “inform” people, NOT sell them something. For example, you are reading this report because you want to learn something that will BENEFIT YOU. You aren’t reading it just so you can buy something else. If money is the deriving force in your business — you won’t go too far. Your main goals should be in pleasing customers, providing them with a high-quality product and more than their money’s worth. The trick is to do all this while still making money.

People don’t care what mountains you had to climb, what seas you had to cross or what tribe of people you had to learn the ways of just to find a secret formula. Instead — they want to know WHAT the secret formula is. Get the idea?

The sales circulars you print and mail sell your product. A Press Release informs others about your product. Instead of your main objective being to sell the product and have the customer send in an order immediately, a Press Release informs the customer exactly how your product will benefit their lives. This must be conveyed in the form of a “newsworthy” Press Release. If you have a sales circular to sell a product, you can easily turn it into a Press Release without much difficulty. It’s just a new marketing angle of presenting your product to the public.

The following is an example of a typical Press Release for our publishing services:

So many people are entering the mail order market these days, but so many of them are getting ripped-off by a bunch of hype. People are promised untold riches in a short period of time. The hype ads play with their emotions by making them believe it’s so easy to make money through the mail. It’s sad.

However, a new book has just been released to help solve these problems for the average person. For the first time in history — a REAL directory has been compiled listing the ACTUAL name and addresses of 179 honest and trustworthy mail order folks. People can write DIRECTLY to these people and receive FREE information to get them started in their own business now!

It’s unbelievable. Without trying to sell you anything else, you can get this book for only $4.95 — a price anyone can afford. Meet the real mail order dealers who care about their products and want to help you get started doing what they are doing.

Only available from: Graphico Publishing, PO Box 488, Bluff City TN 37618.

As you can see, this is a short but sweet Press Release — however, you should be able to see the “newsworthiness” in it. It’s main focus is on the fact that most people get ripped-off when they start their first mail order business. The solution to this problem is a new directory that is available for the first time in history. The sell is slowly led into because the reader will naturally want to get their hands on this one. It doesn’t ask for money — it only tells the reader how to get a copy if they want one.

Here’s a great test for a real press release. Since your final sales pitch is included in the last paragraph — read the Press Release aloud. Would it still be worth reading WITHOUT your sales pitch? If so, it’s probably a Press Release.

Press Releases come in many forms due to the product you are writing about. However, the basic rule of thumb still applies. If you’ve never wrote one before — it may be a little difficult. Don’t despair. Grab the latest daily newspaper and read some of their informational articles. Notice how each article is written and pattern yours after the same format. After you do a few of them — you’ll be able to “get the picture.”

When your Press Release is written to your satisfaction, the proper way to submit it to a publisher is:

Be sure and type it on a typewriter or computer.

Standard format is double-spaced and not longer than two 8 1/2×11 pages.

Be sure and put your name, address and page number at the top of each page.

Write the words: “For Immediate Release.” at the top.

If you are only sending the press release to one publication — tell them it’s a “first run.”