Mailbox Millions
July 28, 2009 by admin
Filed under Business Ideas
What do Benjamin Franklin, Arthur Murray, and Arnold Schwarzenegger have in common?
Successful direct mail order businesses!
Franklin’s “Poor Richard’s Almanac” made him anything but in the 1730s while Arthur Murray waltzed right into a fortune the 1920s with his “Correspondence School of Dancing.” And long before Hollywood came knocking, Arnold pumped up his fortune by selling “How To” info through the mail.
You know direct mail works–the number of catalogs you receive September-November tells you as much. People like to shop by mail, in the convenience of their homes, with no pressure from salesmen.
So how can grab your share of the “mailbox millions”? There are several great ways to make money with direct mail, including:
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Sell a Great Product. Clothes, shoes, food, cars, brides–you name it, it is probably shipped by direct mail. Start with a product you feel passionate about, perhaps a hobby or favorite topic, and do some market research to determine if there’s a need. If so…fill it!
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Generate Leads. If you have a high end product, you can sort the lookers from the buyers through an effective mail piece. People will qualify themselves by contacting you or visiting your website.
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Sell to Your Customer List. Once you have a customer who’s bought something, sell to him again and again and again. It’s “easy” money, yet 95% of businesses fail to make full use of their databases. Why? They overlook the potential. If this is you, dust off your database, send a direct mail piece, and inject some cash into your business.
With a great product, the right offer, and the right mailing list, fortunes can literally be made overnight. Sound simple? It is–if you know what you’re doing. If you don’t, it can eat a hole in your bank account. It’s a viable marketing method that translates well to the web while still being effective by “snail” mail. If mail order piques your interest, you owe it to yourself to learn more.
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