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WHERE TO PURCHASE YOUR OFFICE SUPPLIES

Whatever you do, DO NOT, purchase your office supplies at your local drug or grocery store. The office supplies sold here are only for people who want to write a letter back home to Mom and Dad, or to send an occasional greeting to a friend. Businesses do not purchase their office supplies from these types of stores because of the extreme difference in price. My mother used to always purchase her business envelopes at the grocery store. She thought the price was very cheap when she only paid $1.29 for 50 envelopes. Her lined writing tablet contained 100 sheets for around $1.29 also.

However, I can drive right down the street to Staples Office Supply and purchase 500 envelopes for $4.00 — 10 TIMES the quantity for only $2.71 more. In addition, I can buy 500 sheets of 8 1/2×11 laser paper for $2.99. So not only am I getting TWICE more the size of paper (her writing tablet was approximately a 6×9 area) but I also got 5 TIMES the amount of paper — and all this was only $1.70 more! What a difference! So don’t be fooled on supposedly cheap pricing of office supplies.

If you live in a small area that does not have any office supply stores, you need to contact: Quill Corporation, PO Box 94080, Palatine IL 60094-4080 and request their latest catalog. Since I have been in business-related situations all my life I have had to learn how to cut corners all the time — I have found Quill to have the best mail order prices around. Not only is everything reasonably priced — they don’t have a sale and raise prices on everything else like some other company’s do. This tactic that some company’s use is blatant abuse and demonstrates bold faced greed!

What Do I Buy?

Most every small business will need the following “staple” supplies to start with:

• paper (typing paper or paper for your computer printer)
• ink pens
• tape and tape dispenser
• stapler and staples
• paper clips and dispenser
• 1 or 2, 3-ring binders
• 3-hole punch
• envelopes (business size #10)
• 8 1/2×11 paper trays or wire baskets for organizing the “to do” and “to do later” pile manila file folders and labels
• hanging files to fit in your file cabinet (I started out using a banker’s cardboard storage box so the hanging files would fit; since I didn’t have the money to afford a metal file cabinet)
• ruler
• scissors
• staple puller
• rubber bands
• glue stick or other paper glue
• highlighter markers
• scrap note paper or post-it note pad (get in a habit of writing everything down so you can follow-up effectively)
• roladex or address book

This should be enough to set-up any basic office. Your filing system is the most important thing to your business right now. If you start it out right you can keep up with it. Neglecting to set it up correctly in the beginning will start a pattern that is very hard to break later on — and can eventually destroy your business. Let’s take a couple minutes to discuss some basic accounting procedures so you can set your files up correctly from the very beginning.

The Next Step

As soon get your beginning office supplies, before you do any business by mail you need to get a letterhead and envelope. People will not take you seriously until you do. One simple and easy way to get these two items is to type your name, address and phone number at the top of a piece of white paper. Either print it out on the laser printer of your computer or have a competent typesetter like Muchmore Marketing, PO Box 50027, Reno NV 89513 do it for you. (The cost is around $5.)

You then purchase some nice letterhead stationary at your office supply store and copy your letterhead onto the paper. Letterhead stationary is not expensive either and the best grade only runs about $7 for 250 sheets. It’s money well spent.

To obtain your business envelope, check with mail order printers. Prices normally are $24 per 1,000.

COMBAT DEPRESSION!

Last week when I visited the post office my post office box was overflowing with orders. I had so much mail that they left little Notice Cards in my box everyday stating “Too Much Mail to Fit in Box.” One day, I had to get a plastic container just to carry the mail home. At the end of the week, I had made about $1,200 in orders!

What an ego rush! I was flying high and soaring in the clouds. However, I forgot the money I needed to spend to fill the orders. I thought, “Oh, I’ll make it. It won’t cost much!” Unfortunately, I spent money unnecessarily because I anticipated receiving the same type of business the next week to make up for any overspending I had done this week. But guess what? The next week brought in a total of $150 in orders — and the week after that brought in only $10! Can you believe it? I was heartbroken!

After the $10 week, depression set in. I kept saying “What will I do now? I spent the $1,200 and only have $80 to my name. Rent will be due in a couple weeks and I’m flat broke — simply because I let money go to my head because I was temporarily “rich.”

This is one example of how a business works sometimes and it’s important to not take everything for granted. As employees of other companies, we were use to the fact of receiving a paycheck every week. Whether we worked, hard or not, our paycheck was always the same, and always on time. All we had to do was put in our 8-hours, 5-days a week.

Also, we were not used to spending any money to fill orders. If we needed to mail something, we sent it to the mail room or ran it through the postage meter. As employees, we didn’t pay for the postage out of our own pockets. Our employer took care of it. That also goes for supplies. If we ran out of paper for our typewriter, we went to the supply cabinet and got a pack out. We never worried about spending our own money to pay for office supplies.

But when you own and operate your own business money is hard to come by — especially the first few years. You generate your own income! So instead of thinking about riches and glory — think about improving upon what you already have. If you have a $1,200 week, pat yourself on the back — but don’t be stupid like I did and spend it thinking you’ll have the same amount next week. This may not happen for another 6 months!

Instead, find out “why” you generated this much money one week and hardly anything the next week. Did you stop marketing because you didn’t think you had to anymore? Did you spend time filling all those $1,200 worth of orders and generating back-end sales? (A back-end sale is placing some form of advertising in with the orders you fill that will generate additional sales. These items should be for products and services that either compliment or are the same as the product the customer purchased.)

Were all the orders that made up the $1,200 week for the same product or different ones? Where did you advertise in order to generate this response?

Was it a specific publication or a combination of several of them? Were the orders for something that people run out of frequently (i.e., printing, typesetting and advertising?) If so — you can have a special offer for these same customers in a few weeks with a money-saving coupon for them to use. This will generate repeat business and the likelihood of another $1,200 week in the near future.

However, if you do spend the money like I did, and depression sets in — just sit down for a moment and reflect on what you do have: a roof over your head, food to eat, a legitimate business that will grow and possibly steady out in the future, peace of mind and the ability to work on your own without employers and people breathing down your neck!

In addition, if you spend the money and cannot buy the supplies to fill the orders DON’T just avoid your customers and hope they’ll understand. Instead, send them a postcard that simply explains that you had such a large response that you sold out of the item. Tell them approximately “when” their order will be filled and “when” to expect it. If you can’t possibly fill the order within 30 days, give your customer the option of getting their money back or better yet — issue them a Credit Voucher to use on future purchases.

If you have no income at all and cannot possibly refund people’s money offer them something in return that you can provide. You need to find some way to compensate your customers. Remember that they trusted you enough to see your ad, write out a check and spend their hard-earned money on you. They may not have a lot of money either. Avoiding them will turn you into a “rip-off” artist with no future in the industry!

MAKING TIME FOR THE FAMILY

When you first begin your business, everything is fine and dandy. It’s like bringing home the new baby from the hospital. Everyone visits to see the new baby. Everyone thinks the baby is cute and wants to hold it. Everyone “oohs” and “awes.” After a few months though, the newness wears off. Now it’s time to get down to raising this new baby and preparing him or her to be successful for their role in life.

A new business suffers about the same type of beginning. You talk the decision over with your family and involve them in hearing your initial business plans. Everyone gets excited and tells you to “go for it.” Everyone agrees to help out and the whole house is buzzing about with visions of big bank deposits dancing in their heads. After a few months though, the newness wears off. Since you probably haven’t made any money, family members may grow tired and discouraged. They begin degrading your motives for opening the business in the first place. They may even embarrass you and make you feel like a total failure without even realizing it.

Eventually, if you stay with the business and exclude the family, they will begin feeling rejected. A spouse may be upset because you don’t go to bed the same time you used to. He or she may pressure you into spending more time with them and the children. You love your family and don’t want to hurt them — but you don’t want to hurt your business either. You are torn between two decisions, and sometimes this decision is extremely difficult to make.

What are you supposed to do? It’s only common sense, if your spouse gets ill and you have to take care of him or her, that this situation would demand more attention than your business. But, most situations are not this severe. Often times, family pressures only come from the fact that the family member feels left out and rejected. Naturally, when you are building your business, your time is occupied in this field — much more than when you didn’t have a business. Your spouse may be used to falling asleep with you while watching television. You can still do this! Just take a break and watch television with your spouse until he or she falls asleep. In turn, he or she should have the understanding that you will probably be working on your business for a few hours while they are sleeping. Give a little!

If the children are used to you spending more time with them, try and involve them in some aspect of your business. Take them to the post office with you to pick up your mail. Talk with them about school or other things that interest them while you’re both in the car. Ask them to drop the mail in the mailbox while you are cleaning out your post office box. Even a small amount of responsibility in your business builds up a respect for your work and they will give you more space when you need to take time away from them.

If your children are young — take a nap when they are asleep and work longer hours after they go to bed at night. If you work a full-time job, take some lunches by yourself and study your business-related materials. You’d be amazed how much research and new ideas you can come up with in 1 hour at lunch undisturbed over a peanut-butter sandwich. Save money too!

Carry a mini-cassette recorder or pad of paper with you every place you go. Write down ideas that come into your mind and review these ideas while eating supper or watching television. I’m sure you can find time to build your business — it just takes a little thought. It may not always be the amount of time you want and need — but you can squeeze some time in somewhere. Just find out “what” method works the best for you!

There are a lot of excellent books on the market about managing your time successfully. Find one and read it. Your family, friends and other human relationships are very, very important to your mental attitude. Don’t alienate them completely. Just find ways you can enjoy the best of both worlds and everyone will be happy — including you and your business.

Some other ideas:

• If you are involved in mail order, start an adsheet for your kids or spouse. Involve them in their own money-making plan!
• Have a business name that includes the names of members of your family. It will make them feel that they are a important part of what you’re doing.
• Agree to give your family a certain amount of the profits from your business.
• Set up a vacation fund or other goal that benefits your family!

BOOKKEEPING TECHNIQUES FOR “MORONS”

Please don’t think I am calling you a “moron” to hurt your feelings in any way. I was a moron when I first started setting up my files. I hated accounting in school and am the type that would much rather add 2+2 on a calculator than in my head — but you have to do it. You have to force yourself to do it NOW — right at the beginning! Many a business has collapsed simply because they lacked organization in their basic accounting business practices. Don’t be one of them!

As a small mail order business you don’t have to really do much in the beginning. Here is how to set up your files from ground zero:

1. Take out a hanging file folder and a label of any kind. (Hanging folders and labels for them can be purchased at K-Mart, Wal-Mart and any office supply store.)
2. Type or hand print “Receipts” on the label and place it on the hanging folder.
3. Now, place 5 MANILA file folders inside the hanging file folder (which you labeled “Receipts”) and label each of the manila file folders with the following headings: 

•  
  •  Advertising
  • Postage
  • Office Supplies
  • Utilities and Rent for the Office
  • Miscellaneous

You now have one large hanging file folder with 5 separate manila file folders inside it. Carefully place your hanging file folder in your metal file cabinet or cardboard banker’s box. (A banker’s box can be purchased at any office supply store also and normally cost around $4.)

Now, wasn’t that easy? Some of you reading this will think that I am attempting to insult your intelligence. This is NOT my intention. This report is broken down in a simple, step-by-step way so everybody can understand it — regardless of their previous knowledge and experience. Remember, some people have never worked in an office their entire life. What seems simple and accepted to some of us, may be something another person would never have known.

Okay, let’s go back to where we were. You now have one master file completed and we’re ready to make another just like it. This time we’ll name the hanging file folder “Income” and label 3 manila folders inside it with the following headings:

1. Completed and Shipped Orders
2. Inquiries and Correspondence
3. Open Orders Still Pending

See how easy? From now on, you simply make another folder as the need arrives and you’re files will always be easy to maintain. (Once you get this concept down pat — you can easily think about getting a computer. A computer organizes its information in the SAME manner. Believe me — this same system works! You’ll be amazed at how many mistakes it will help you prevent.)

Yes — bookkeeping is a very simple process. All you have to do is keep the system going. For instance, every order that I process, I completely finish before moving on to the next order. Example:

1. Mail is received and opened. As each piece is opened it is placed into individual piles. Orders with pre-payment are placed in one pile, information and daily correspondence in another, and so forth.
2. Each order that has been pre-paid for is processed first — with each one being processed individually to completion. (That means it is in an envelope, a label typed out and the completed order is ready to be mailed at the post office.)
3. During the process, the “date,” “amount of check or payment” and “product ordered” is recorded on the outside of the envelope — making sure the customer’s full name, address and telephone number (if available) is on the envelope too.
4. Just before closing up the office for the evening, the envelopes are then keyed into the database on our computer (you can substitute a computer for the hanging files in the beginning.) We record all the information that was written on the envelopes during the processing of the order. (Don’t think you will remember “what” the order was. That thinking will open you up to make human errors.)

As your business grows, your understanding and abilities will grow also. At that time you can grow into a more sophisticated means of keeping the books.

In the meantime — keep good records. They are the lifeblood of any business and can eventually make or break you. You’ll thank yourself in the long run.

If you sell computer programs that you’ve written, shareware programs, or information products on computer disc, there are two little-known ways to make extra sales that most people aren’t using. Use these methods and your sales will increase!

Custom Disc Sleeves

The first way is to use a custom disc sleeve. Disc sleeves are those paper sleeves that the disc is enclosed in. Most are plain white. That’s a waste! You can make your own CUSTOM disc sleeve that can act as an information flyer for the disc it carries, as well as a catalog of your other products. If you have a laser printer, you can even customize these for each individual customer.

Here’s how I do it. Use an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of white paper. On the 8 1/2 inch side, measure four inches from one of the long sides. Do the same on the opposite 8 1/2 inch side. Now fold the long way at this four inch point. Hold the paper so that the 11 inch side is horizontal, and the four inch high side is in the front. Next, measure 2 1/2 inches from each side along the 11 inch side. Fold each side, at the 2 1/2 inch point, to the back. You now have a disc sleeve! You will need to alter these measurements for a CD.

I use my laser printer to print a catalog of my products on the side of the paper that will be the inside of the sleeve. Then, I turn the paper over, and print information about my disc product (a newsletter on disc) on the front side. When folded as above, the front of the sleeve has information about what is on the current issue of the newsletter. Turning the sleeve over, subscription information is printed on the flaps. When you open the flaps, you see display ads on the rest of the front side. I printed a message saying “See inside for free info and special offers!!” in small print on laser printer labels, six times per label, and then cut them into small individual labels. I use these labels to hold the back flaps closed, until the customer opens the sleeve.

By doing this, I make use of what would otherwise be blank space and extra mailing weight. My sleeve weighs only a fraction more than a regular sleeve, so it doesn’t affect postage costs, and it sells products for me! Sure, printing and folding the sleeves takes a little extra time, but its easy work that brings in sales I otherwise wouldn’t have, which makes it worthwhile.

Catalog on Disc

The other way to increase your sales is to include a catalog on the disc itself. This is as easy as typing a letter, and will work with any computer.

With your word processor, type a letter to your customer, telling them that you have some resources that they can benefit from. Then, list your other products and services. Be sure to tell the customer exactly how they will benefit from each particular product/service. Then, when your letter is finished, save it as an “ASCII text file.” Almost all word processors will have this option. An ASCII text file can be loaded into any word processor, or can be displayed by typing “TYPE (file name)” to show it on the screen, or ” TYPE (filename) > PRN” to print it out. Save your letter with a name like README or READTHIS, something that will get your customer’s attention when they look at the directory of the disc.

On your disc sleeve, label, or instructions that you include with the disc, urge the customer to look at your file. Tell them you have important information for them.

Including your product listing this way will add NO weight whatsoever, and will only add the time it takes to create it. A short text file such as this shouldn’t effect how long it takes to copy the disc for the customer.

Summary

When you sell products on disc, you have two easy methods to use to increase your sales potential. Use both, if you want, and you’ll see a marked increase in your sales!