| A BIG MAIL SHOULD CONTAIN: | | | | if you will mail a dollar and "follow the instructions, etc." |
| At least three to four Mail order Magazines Circulars | | | | There is one more thing I would caution you about. |
| containing offers or interest to new mail order dealers. | | | | There are about 40-50 standard folios that have been |
| Circulars which the Big Mail Dealer has been to mail. | | | | around the Mail Order Business for the last twenty |
| Do you enjoy reading Mail Dealer magazines? Do you | | | | years. They are EXCELLENT folios, well written, well |
| enjoy ordering and receiving "Big Mail?" Do you enjoy | | | | printed, and the advice in them is absolutely valid. But it |
| working with new Mail Order dealers and opportunity | | | | is a waste of time trying to sell them to mail order |
| seekers? If your answer is "YES" to all of these | | | | beginners. Most of them already know where to get |
| questions, then it would probably be profitable and | | | | them at wholesale prices! If you receive FREE |
| pleasurable for you to start a "Big Mail" service. | | | | commission circulars offering these folios, by all means, |
| In the pages to follow I will show you how to set up a | | | | mail them. You may get an order or two. But if you |
| Big Mail Service. I'll show you how to advertise your | | | | are going to buy expensive circulars, be sure you are |
| service and I'll also show you how to use the Big Mails | | | | offering something NEW something which EVERY |
| that you receive in your mail to your own advantage. I'll | | | | mail order dealer has not already seen at least one |
| show you how to use commission circulars (how to | | | | hundred times! |
| get a lot of them free!) and I'll also show you how to | | | | FACTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS! |
| keep track of them. | | | | As a Big Mail Dealer, you will be selling many things. So |
| We'll talk about co-publishing and we'll discuss circular | | | | that you can fill each order accurately and promptly, I |
| mailing (you'll learn how to get people to pay you cash | | | | suggest that you start another looseleaf notebook |
| to mail their circulars for them!).I'll show a simple trick | | | | Divide it into three sections: |
| that will get you a lot of free advertising and I'll show | | | | 1 Commission Circular Information |
| you where to get a free mailing list that will create a lot | | | | 2 Co-Publishing Information |
| of new customers for you, if you are willing to put in a | | | | 3 Advertising Schedule |
| little work to get them. | | | | 1. Commission Circular Information---Every time you |
| But...before we get into this...I would like to give you a | | | | receive a new supply of commission circulars, sit down |
| word of caution. Big Mail selling looks easy and it | | | | and examine them. (Sometimes you will receive two |
| sounds easy IT IS NOT! Selling Big Mails is a lot of | | | | or three varieties in one envelope.) Tape one sample |
| work,HARD WORK. And it is NOT a way to get rich | | | | of each circular in your notebook. Underneath it write: |
| quick. | | | | * Name and Address of the Drop-shipper |
| You will probably not make any money at all for a | | | | * Amount to forward to the Drop-shipper |
| least a few months. In fact, you will have to invest | | | | * How to obtain additional circulars. (Are they available |
| more than you take in. If you are willing to invest a little | | | | withyour name and address imprinted on them?) |
| of your money, and a lot of your time, then you will | | | | 2. Co-publishing Information--Most publishers of mail |
| gain invaluable experience selling Big Mails, and then | | | | order magazines will send a "Fact Sheet." If they do, |
| you will make money. You will gain experience that | | | | simply scotch-tape the sheet in your notebook. If not, |
| you could gain nowhere else in the whole world. And if | | | | record these facts yourself: |
| you are alert, creative, and AMBITIOUS, you can | | | | *Name and Address of Printer *How much to forward |
| eventually turn your mail order business into a very | | | | on new advertising, subscriptions, etc |
| lucrative enterprise. | | | | 3. Advertising Schedule--To keep your ads running |
| If you are still interested...and I hope you are..read on! | | | | CONTINUOUSLY, you will have to keep track of |
| The first thing you should od is to sit down with the | | | | "closing dates" (the last date on which a publisher will |
| latest issue of MAIL SALE ADVERTISER or | | | | accept advertising for his next issue.) Here is a very |
| POPULAR ADVERTISER and order a least twelve | | | | simple method to use: |
| Big Mails. After that, get into the habit of ordering a | | | | Take a page of common notebook paper. At the top |
| least one Big Mail EVERYDAY! | | | | of the page, write the name of the month. Then |
| Then devote a portion of EACH DAY to STUDYING | | | | number down the page from 1 to 31. (Use one line for |
| them. And I do mean STUDY! | | | | each day of the month.) |
| Feed your mind and your imagination with all kinds of | | | | The closing date for Mail Sale Advertiser is the 15th of |
| ideas. The Mail Order Business is a very creative and | | | | the month, but you will want to mail your ad on the 5th |
| imaginative one. The more you feed feed you | | | | of the month (always mail your ads in TEN DAYS |
| imagination, the more it will do for you! | | | | EARLY.) So next to the number 5, write down the |
| Set up a personal notebook. I would suggest you | | | | code letters "MSA." If you check this sheet religiously |
| divide into four sections: | | | | every day, you will never forget a closing date. |
| * Commission Circulars Sources | | | | Before you mail your ad, turn to the page for the |
| * Sources of low-cost printing | | | | following month and make a notation of that month's |
| * Prospective Mailing Customers (Save the circulars | | | | closing date. If you will use this system ( or your own |
| that other dealers have been paid to mail. I'll show you | | | | variation), you will remember every deadline, whether |
| why later on .) | | | | you are advertising in five magazines of five hundred! |
| * Good ideas. | | | | CIRCULAR MAILING |
| You can set your personal notebook up any way you | | | | Once your Big Mail ads are appearing regularly, you will |
| like, but I use a loose-leaf notebook and scotch-tape | | | | start to receive orders for them regularly. As soon as |
| the ads, circulars etc. | | | | you are averaging five a day, you can advertise |
| Read and re-read every circular and mail order | | | | yourself as a CIRCULAR MAILER. It's easy to get |
| magazine that you can get you hands on. SAVE ANY | | | | started. Each time you renew your Big Mail Ad, send in |
| IDEA THAT APPEALS TO YOU! Start ordering | | | | another ad like this. (As co-publisher, your ads cost half |
| SMALL supplies of "commission circulars" that | | | | the advertised price!) |
| APPEAL to you. (never try to sell anything merely | | | | 100 250 500 |
| because it pays BIG commission.) | | | | 3x6 .50 1.25 2.25 |
| When you are satisfied that you really want to start | | | | 6x9 .60 2.50 2.50 |
| selling Big Mails, there are two very practical things you | | | | 9x12 1.00 2.00 4.00 |
| must do. | | | | These prices are given only as examples. The postal |
| 1. Order a name and address rubber stamp. Be sure it | | | | rates and other costs change and you should check |
| is SMALL enough to use on commission circulars. | | | | the ads currently running Circular Mailers and charge |
| 2. Open a PERSONAL CHECKING ACCOUNT. Open | | | | about the same rates. Cut-rate prices will NOT get |
| it in YOUR OWN NAME. When you start to advertise, | | | | you more orders. |
| use your own name. If you do that, there will be no | | | | A circular mailing ad will almost ALWAYS pay for |
| problem when you go to the bank to deposit checks | | | | itself immediately. ( Incidentally, many dealers have tried |
| that your customers will send you. | | | | to run a combination Big Mail and Circular Mailing ads. |
| Your next step is to place an ad in a least SIX mail | | | | They do work half as well as TWO SEPARATE |
| order magazines or ad sheets. In the beginning you will | | | | ADS!) |
| have to use publications that will accept handwritten | | | | As soon as you receive a circular mailing order, send |
| copy, since you do not yet have "camera ready" ads. | | | | your customers a sample mailing. Be sure it is neat and |
| Your ad should read something like this: | | | | be sure it includes the LATEST issues of several mail |
| BIG MAIL-25 cents Commission circulars mailed FREE! | | | | order magazines. |
| (your name and address) | | | | Then include ONE of his circulars in every Big Mail until |
| A simple ad like this will pull better than one with a lot | | | | you have finished mailing them. If you have not |
| of words in it. | | | | received any more circulars to mail, send him a friendly |
| You probably already know which magazines and ad | | | | thank you not and let him know that you have finished |
| sheets you want to advertise in. That is fine! But I | | | | mailing his circulars. Tell him you hope he receives |
| would suggest you start off by advertising in at least | | | | some orders from your mailing. Include some new |
| one or two of the following: | | | | circulars from new advertisers and a NEW magazine. |
| Mail Sale Advertiser | | | | If he has any more circulars to mail, he will likely send |
| Popular Advertiser | | | | them to YOU! |
| Mail Order Bulletin | | | | Remember, circular mailing depends on REPEAT |
| Timely Tips | | | | customers. Never exaggerate mailing capacity ( either |
| All of these are letter press publications, which means | | | | in personal letters or ads.) If you really try to get orders |
| they will set your ad up for you. They appear regularly | | | | for your customers, they will be back for more! |
| EVERY MONTH ON TIME, and almost everyone | | | | HOW TO GET FREE ADS |
| interested in mail order reads them! | | | | There are many editors of mail order magazines and |
| Because these publications are CO-PUBLISHABLE, | | | | ad sheets who will print your ads free if you will mail |
| the publishers of each publication will send you 50-100 | | | | 100 to 200 copies of their publication. Here is a very |
| copies to include in your Big Mails. Your name will | | | | effective way to get them to run YOUR ads: |
| appear on your copies as the CO-PUBLISHER. You | | | | Take a sheet of white typing paper. Type the |
| will get to keep around 50% as your commission on | | | | following words on it. |
| any ads or subscriptions you sell. If you are faithful | | | | PRINTERS PUBLISHERS: If you will print any of these |
| mailing your copies, you can often make enough profit | | | | ads in your publication, I will mail 100 copies for you |
| on ads and subscriptions to pay for all your ads. This | | | | FREE! (With co-publishing rights, I'll mail 200 copies!) |
| way your ads actually cost you nothing. | | | | Note that all of these ads are camera ready for your |
| Each advertiser is also mailing his copies to his | | | | convenience. |
| customers or mailing list, and every last copy mailed | | | | Then use a rubber-cement to paste copies of ALL |
| has YOUR ad in it... The printer is also mailing a copy to | | | | YOUR DIFFERENT ADS on the sheet! (If your ads |
| every person on his subscription list...so, usually within | | | | have been printed on colored paper, bleach them |
| about ten days after your address appears in print, | | | | before you paste them up. Pour a little clorox over |
| you will start receiving letters with quarters in them | | | | them, until the color disappears. Rinse them in water, |
| asking for Big Mail. Some advertisers, for one reason | | | | and dry them on a piece of flat cardboard.) |
| or another are quite slow in mailing their copies, but this | | | | Once your circular is pasted up (camera-ready), take it |
| can work to your advantage. You will often get orders | | | | to your local instant photo offset printer and have 500 |
| two or three months after your ad appears! | | | | or 1000 copies printed on WHITE paper. (Be sure its on |
| COMMISSION CIRCULARS | | | | white paper.) Enclose one of these circulars in every |
| Long before you start receiving orders for your Big | | | | mailing. You'll be amazed at the results! |
| Mail, you should have acquired a starting supply of | | | | WHERE TO GET GOOD MAILING LISTS FREE |
| "commission circulars." You will want to include them in | | | | If you advertise regularly, you will get a lot of response |
| every one of your Big Mails. | | | | to your ads. But if you will do a little specialized direct |
| Commission circulars are usually 3x6" or 81/2x11" | | | | mailing, you can double your business almost |
| circulars offering such things as: Rubber Stamps | | | | immediately. Here's how: |
| Name-address Labels Folios Magazine Samples Mailing | | | | Imagine that you have just received your mailing |
| Lists Envelopes Printed Stationary Business Directories | | | | copies of TIMELY TIPS from the printer. If you look at |
| Catalogue Samples Drop-ship Samples Printed | | | | your self, you discover that you still have 14 of lasts |
| Circulars Formulas Books Mail Order Plans Magazine | | | | month's issue left to mail. Sit down and make up 14 |
| Subscriptions Name Listing Services Pen Pal Clubs, etc, | | | | SPECIALIZED mailings. In each mailing, enclosed: |
| etc. | | | | 1. One copy of last month's TIMELY TIPS |
| Wholesale firms supply commission circulars to mail | | | | 2. One copy of each circular you have been paid to |
| order dealers, usually at cost. The dealer stamps his | | | | mail. |
| name in the blank space under "Order Form" and mails | | | | 3. One copy of your new FREE MAILING FOR FREE |
| them to prospective customers. When he receives | | | | ADVERTISINGcircular. |
| orders (and he will if he mails them regularly), he keeps | | | | To whom do you mail them? COMPILE YOUR |
| his commission, which is usually about 50%. He then | | | | MAILING LIST FROM THOSE BIG MAILS YOU HAVE |
| sends the balance, along with his shipping label, to the | | | | BEEN ORDERING EVERY DAY! Mail them too: |
| wholesaler, who drop-ships the order directly to the | | | | * CIRCULAR MAILING PROSPECTS--Each time you |
| customer under the dealer's shipping label. | | | | receive Big Mail, examine all the circulars. Who has paid |
| Commission circulars can be profitable for you, as a | | | | the dealer to mail circulars for them? If they have paid |
| Big Mail Dealer, if you are very careful to select only | | | | him, THEY WILL ALSO PAY YOU...if you will take the |
| those circulars which appear to MAIL ORDER | | | | time to send them a sample mailing! |
| BEGINNERS. You will soon learn that gift items and | | | | * NEW AD-SHEETS AND MAIL ORDER |
| general merchandise rarely appeal to people who are | | | | MAGAZINES--Whenever you see the announcement |
| ordering Big Mails, unless you are offering them on | | | | of a new publication, send a sample mailing and be |
| wholesale basis. (Safari boots, transistor radios, hunting | | | | sure to enclose your Free Mailing for Free Advertising |
| knives, automatic can-openers, $15.95 necklaces are | | | | circular. You'll get many, many free ads, if you work at |
| nice, and they can be sold by mail...but not to mail order | | | | it. |
| beginners!) | | | | * NEW MAIL ORDER ADVERTISERS--Save the |
| If you work at it, you can make a lot of extra money | | | | names of new advertisers in the mail order magazines |
| by including good commission circulars in your mails. | | | | or ad-sheets. You'll be amazed at how responsive |
| Test a few hundred copies of each commission | | | | they will be to your mailings! |
| circular. If it evokes no interest, discontinue it. But if it | | | | Every time you receive new mailing copies, mail out |
| produces and order or two,then include one in every | | | | the remaining copies of last month's issues to the |
| piece of mail you send. When you have found a | | | | categories listed above and your mail order business |
| circular that "pulls,"try to have them printed with your | | | | will grow faster than you ever dreamed it could. You'll |
| name and address on them. (printed circulars will often | | | | be surprised at the new business you will be able to |
| pull FIVE times better than stamped ones.) | | | | generate using this method. |
| Don't mail poorly printed circulars. They tend to make | | | | WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE? |
| your entire mailing look sloppy> You will also find | | | | I honestly can't answer that question! Only you have |
| that 6x9" and 8 1/2x11" circulars pull better than 3x6", | | | | the answer. If you are ambitious--if you are willing to |
| although some 3x6's pull surprisingly well. | | | | develop your imagination--if you are willing to |
| Once your ad appears ( starting COMMISSION | | | | experiment with new ideas....the sky is the limit! |
| CIRCULARS MAILED FREE) you will start receiving | | | | Don't let anyone tell you that Big Mail Selling and |
| commission circulars. Test every circular that is given | | | | Circular Mailing is only for beginners. There are |
| to you. Push the winners, discontinue the duds. You will | | | | SUCCESSFUL mail order dealers who have been |
| eventually develop a list of real money makers to | | | | selling Big Mails and mailing circulars for twenty-five |
| include in your Big Mails. | | | | years! If you really love it, don't ever give it up! |
| Most of the suppliers of commission circulars are | | | | What direction your mail order business takes is |
| honest people. They offer items of real worth. But | | | | entirely up to you. I hope you will keep your ads |
| occasionally you will find circulars that you should not | | | | running, and I hope you will expand your business by |
| mail. They will get you in TROUBLE! * Adult Offers | | | | constantly adding new publications to your advertising |
| (pornography). Even if you do not object to this, some | | | | list. |
| of the customers will...and some of your customers | | | | Keep your eyes and ears open. Saturate yourself with |
| may be minors. | | | | fresh, new and imaginative ideas. I hope you'll keep |
| * "Stuff and Address Envelopes at Home..Send a | | | | excited about the Mail Order business...I hope that ten |
| $1.00 for your Starting Kit," These offers are illegal. | | | | years from now, You'll love it and be more involved |
| People have been convicted in court for selling them. | | | | than you are today. |
| Beside, the plans are worthless. | | | | Mail Order is far more than just a money-making |
| * Chain letters--These are also illegal. Beware of any | | | | business for me. It's a way of life! And I hope it is your |
| circular that says you will receive $20,000 in sixty days | | | | way of life, too! |