OVERCOMING START-UP BLUES

OVERCOMING START-UP BLUES

Most small business owners who have managed to survive the

proverbial first 2 years in business probably started out thinking mail

order was an easy business to get into.

Chances are the experience would have been a fun-filled nightmare

they may not want to experience again. Sure, it was full of fantasy and

hope. But it also means a lot of hard work and long hours.

When trying to figure out where you want to take your business

financially, it is common for entrepreneurs to extrapolate numbers

based on their advertising budget.

This style is perrineal among mail order people who equate

advertising as the foundation of their operations.

This approach sounds very logical and statistical, but it doesn't

happen like that in the "real world" of mail order! Well... maybe once in

a blue moon, but most of the time _ it just don't happen. It's not always

because your offer is bad or the price is too high. And it's not always

because your mailing list was bad. Often times, the reason lies in the

fact that you and your company are unknown.

But one of the most important reasons this statistical data only works

well on paper is that most beginners are not skilled in the area of

TARGET MARKETING. Yes that word is vital to the money your

business will make.

Target marketing is the process of focusing on a select and specific

group of people you are advertising to. And it has everything to do

with the product you are selling.

For example, if you are marketing infant products, it would be very

unwise to stage a direct mail campaign on a random list.

How many times have you got a mailing that went in the trash just

because it was selling a product or service you have no interest in?

See what I mean. If the company mailing these catalogs and

advertisements would have pre-qualified you or I and target-marketed

their items correctly we would have never received them. It is wasted

money for the company!

But how can you pre-quality or target market your audience before

placing an ad? If you are a beginner, it will take some time before you

are experienced enough to do so. However, you can always get a

sample copy of the publication first and see what items other people

are advertising. Then, test your ads in the smaller mail order

publication that offer low-cost advertising until you refine your ad and

hit the right market. As soon as you begin generating responses to

your ads, keep in contact with these customers and grow from there.

They will bring you more customers like themselves because "birds of

a feather flock together."

Therefore take my advice and SLOW DOWN a little. I know this is

easier said than done but if you don't slow down, you could easily get

ripped-off and lose a lot of money. Just like attending college you

won't get a Master's Degree the same day you begin classes. It takes

3-4 years!

Take your time to get to know some of the pros and read what they

have to say. Survey and study the market. Read and educate yourself

by investing time into study. Start out in mail order like you would start

working for any company at the bottom. Learn the tricks of the trade.

Make friends and associates with "good" dealers and stick with them.

Honor your word and work dealerships to the advantage of yourself as

well as others.

Mail order is only a process by which products are advertised and

delivered to consumers. It works for any product and works for

anybody. You don't have to be rich, educated or a certain age, color or

heritage. You don't have to wear certain kinds of clothes or have your

hair styled in the latest craze.

The only limitations are your own abilities and confidence in yourself.

I know because I started out really poor and brought my business up to

a thriving, self-supporting home business!