Advertising Secrets for Mail Order Selling: Unlocking the Power of Effective Marketing
Discover the Winning Strategies to Propel Your Mail-Order Business to Success
In today’s fast-paced world, effective advertising is the lifeblood of successful businesses. Large corporations invest millions of dollars in developing persuasive ad campaigns to captivate consumers and drive sales. But what if I told you that you can harness the same powerful techniques for your mail-order business? In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the secrets of successful mail-order advertising, unlocking the potential to transform your business into a winner.
Unveiling the Power of Classified Ads
Classified ads, without a doubt, are the most responsive and cost-effective advertising medium available. These ads, often costing only pennies per word, offer an incredible return on investment. Many beginners mistakenly assume that writing a classified ad is simple, given their brevity. However, crafting a profitable classified ad requires more than just a basic understanding of your product.
To maximize the effectiveness of your classified ads, it is crucial to approach your planning with precision. While your product may be a good buy, it’s essential to ensure it is well-promoted. Placing a cheaply worded ad in any publication won’t guarantee success. Only ads that generate profit can be deemed worthwhile, regardless of their cost.
So, how can you identify the best ads that offer value for money? Start by considering the circulation size of publications. Ads in magazines with the largest circulation tend to have a lower cost per 1,000 readers. Additionally, pay attention to publications with prominent classified sections. Contrary to popular belief, these sections often provide the best advertising space, ensuring your ad stands out and pulls in orders, regardless of its location.
Successful classified advertisers rely on constant testing. They place multiple ads in the same publications, targeting different classified sections. Embrace their experience and advertise in several sections, carefully selecting the wording of each ad. By tracking and measuring the responses to each ad, you can identify the best-performing ones. Remember, the key to success lies in continuous testing and refining your ads.
Mastering the Art of Keying Classified Ads
To gauge the effectiveness of your classified ads, keying is an invaluable technique. By including coded information in your return address, you can identify which ads generate responses. This information helps you track the performance of your ads, determine if any changes are required, and identify the magazines or papers that yield the best results. Let’s explore a few examples of keyed ads:
- Use a different letter after the box number to key an ad:
Kashbuilder
Box 123-A
Anytown, USA 12345 - Utilize different addresses to key your ads:
Kashbuilder
114 Main St.
Anytown, USA 12345 - Vary the spelling of your company name in each ad:
Cash Builder
Box 123
Anytown, USA 12345
In addition to finding the right publication, you must also test for the most effective ad content. Place two ads in the same publication, differing only in their content, and measure their performance. By alternating the position of the ads in subsequent months, you can eliminate any bias based on their placement. This rigorous testing will allow you to identify the winning formula for your classified ads.
The Irresistible Allure of Direct Response Classified Ads
When it comes to classified ads, a powerful approach is to entice readers with a teaser and offer additional free details rather than selling directly. This strategy has proven to be highly profitable, considering the limitations of selling high-priced products directly through classified ads. A $3 book, for instance, may not generate substantial profits on its own. However, by enticing readers to request further details, you gain a valuable prospect who is inclined to make a purchase.
Research shows that the average conversion rate for classified ads, transforming an initial inquiry into a customer, stands at approximately 5%. Thus, an ad generating 100 inquiries would likely result in 5 sales from the initial mailing. The subsequent mailings involve sending free details to the inquirers, usually in the form of a sales letter, sales circular, flyer, order coupon or reply card, and a reply envelope. It is crucial to tailor your sales package based on the price and value of your product.
Furthermore, remember that your interaction with prospects does not end with the initial mailing. You can continue making additional mailings to the same prospects. Each subsequent mailing typically yields 50% to 75% of the response from the first one. To optimize your results, aim to make at least three mailings to your original inquirers, spaced several weeks apart. This multi-stage approach can result in a total conversion rate of 10% or higher. Once the response rate starts to diminish, consider offering a follow-up item or renting your mailing list to other advertisers, further amplifying your profits.
The Path to Rapid Success with Classified Ads
Success with classified ads can quickly snowball, propelling your business to new heights. Suppose you have a modest budget of $100 for your first ad campaign. With $40, you can secure a couple of small classified ads, leaving $60 for producing copies of your sales literature and covering postage for sending out details to inquirers. Now, let’s take a closer look at the potential progress:
| Ad Number | Total Investment ($) | Gross Return ($) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 | 300 |
| 2 | 300 | 900 |
| 3 | 900 | 2,700 |
| 4 | 2,700 | 8,100 |
| 5 | 8,100 | 24,300 |
| 6 | 24,300 | 72,900 |
| 7 | 72,900 | 2,187,000 |
As you can see, the results can be truly astonishing. With each successful ad campaign, you can reinvest your profits to expand your advertising efforts. Over time, you may exhaust the available advertising sources as you saturate the market with your ads. However, this is not a setback; it’s an opportunity for growth. Simply start over by inserting new ads in publications with high circulation. You can even include multiple ads in the most prominent magazines. While these additional ads may not double your response rate, they will expand your reach and attract more potential customers.
Display Ads: Standing Out Amidst the Crowd
Display ads offer a powerful complement to classified ads, amplifying the number of responses you receive. However, it’s essential to carefully test the effectiveness of display advertising, considering the higher costs involved. A well-designed display ad can make a significant impact, but you must ensure that the response rate justifies the added expense.
One crucial factor to consider when creating display ads is the size. A very small ad may not be sufficient to sell high-priced books effectively, while a massive ad for inexpensive books may be excessive. Testing different ad sizes and analyzing the corresponding sales volume can help you determine the most effective approach for promoting your books.
To master the art of display advertising, turn to the magazines themselves. They serve as a treasure trove of knowledge, showcasing various ads and their strategies. Pay particular attention to direct response ads that facilitate sales directly from the ad itself. Study these ads meticulously, focusing on elements such as headlines, subheadings, accompanying photographs or illustrations, promised benefits, persuasive copywriting techniques, and compelling calls to immediate action. Take note of features like toll-free telephone numbers for convenient ordering. By deconstructing and analyzing successful display ads, you can emulate their techniques and create your own impactful advertisements.
Unleashing the Potential of Direct Mail Book Selling
While classified and display ads are effective, some mail-order booksellers swear by the power of direct mail. Others advocate for a combination of direct mail and other advertising methods. Regardless, seasoned advertisers unanimously agree that following the principles of direct mail marketing is a surefire path to success.
Direct mail offers several advantages, including controlled testing, cost-effective implementation, and the ability to refine your approach. Unlike expensive display ads, direct mail allows you to start small and gradually expand your campaign. The cost of preparing your mailing can be minimized by handling tasks like inserting, addressing, sealing, and affixing postage yourself during the testing phase.
Just as magazines serve as textbooks for display advertising, your mailbox becomes a source of inspiration for effective direct mail packages. Set aside the flashy and costly mailings and focus on the standard packages you can afford to use. These packages typically consist of a sales letter, brochure or sales flyer, order card, and return envelope. While optional, including additional elements enhances the credibility of your package to recipients.
Obtaining brochures or sales circulars is relatively easy, as many wholesale book dealers offer them at affordable prices. Some even provide free camera-ready copies that you can personalize with your business information. Sales letters play a vital role in establishing a personal connection with your prospects. Draw inspiration from the letters of successful advertisers, emphasizing the key points highlighted in your brochure, sharing personal testimonials, and urging readers to take immediate action.
When it comes to sales letters, simplicity is key. Opt for white paper and a typewriter-style font, such as Courier, for a more authentic and personal touch. If using a typewriter, ensure you have a courier-style paintball or printwheel. Avoid the temptation to use fancy papers or colored inks, as testing has shown that only the signature section benefits from a touch of color, preferably blue. You can initially sign test quantities of letters by hand in blue ink to enhance their personal appeal.
A well-crafted sales letter acts as the backbone of your direct mail package. Its simplicity fosters a sense of exclusivity and inside information. As you compose your letter, remember to include a postscript (PS) that reinforces the call to action, restates guarantees, or offers a bonus for immediate ordering. The outer envelope also plays a crucial role in enticing recipients to open your mailing. While a professionally imprinted envelope with a return address and sales teaser is ideal for future endeavors, testing shows that a rubber-stamped return address often yields higher open rates. Experimentation will reveal the best approach for your business.
Another important aspect of direct mail is the reply envelope. Providing a reply envelope in which customers can conveniently mail their orders increases response rates. However, consider the costs associated with a business reply envelope where you cover the return postage. During testing, assess the impact on response rates and weigh it against your budgetary constraints.
The order form or reply card is the pinnacle of your direct mail package. Through extensive testing, it has been established that prospects tend to follow a predictable order review process:
- Open the envelope.
- Scan the first few sentences of the letter or brochure to understand the offer.
- Glance at the PS section at the end of the letter.
- Immediately turn to the order form to ascertain pricing and terms.
- Proceed to read the remainder of the letter or brochure if their interest is piqued.
- Complete the order form, insert it into the envelope, and mail it. Some may prefer to call if a telephone number is provided for convenient ordering.
Direct mail campaigns can be scaled up, much like classified and display ads. Beginning with as few as 1,000 names, you can gradually increase the size of your mailings to thousands of recipients at a time. Unlike classifieds, direct mail allows for shorter intervals between each ad sequence. When mailing first class, a 10-day gap between mailings is recommended. To estimate potential profits, multiply the total dollars received by two, subtract the cost of filled orders (multiplied by two as well), and then deduct the total printing and mailing costs. The remaining amount represents your projected profit from the mailing.
By reinvesting your profits into promotional activities, you can generate a steady cash flow from your direct mail campaigns. As your mailing volume increases, you can take advantage of bulk mailing rates, reducing your costs. Additionally, printing costs per piece decrease as you print in larger quantities. As your business expands, you can invest in automatic folders, stuffers, and sealers, further optimizing the cost-efficiency of your mailings. Purchasing books in larger quantities also leads to lower costs. The best part? You can manage all these operations from the comfort of your home, providing you with a flexible and advantageous business opportunity.
Embrace Your Journey to Success
Now is the perfect time to embark on your bookselling promotion. There is no reason to delay. Once you dive in, you’ll realize that bookselling can pave the way to your ultimate happiness. Best of luck as you unlock the secrets of effective advertising and take your mail-order business to unprecedented heights!