Building a Mail Order Business: A Complete Manual for Success
With more than 60,000 copies sold, this amazing manual has become a classic in its field—and rightfully so. Nowhere else will you find—in one book—so much valuable information on achieving success in the mail order business. Dr. Bill Cohen has drawn on his decades of experience testing, researching, and constantly refining the mail order techniques described in this invaluable guide. Building a Mail Order Business offers a virtual treasury of techniques and methods guaranteed to work in the...
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With more than 60,000 copies sold, this amazing manual has become a classic in its field—and rightfully so. Nowhere else will you find—in one book—so much valuable information on achieving success in the mail order business. Dr. Bill Cohen has drawn on his decades of experience testing, researching, and constantly refining the mail order techniques described in this invaluable guide. Building a Mail Order Business offers a virtual treasury of techniques and methods guaranteed to work in the real world of selling through the mail. You'll get practical advice and learn tricks of the trade that will get you started quickly, with the fewest missteps and greatest chances for success. Thorough and completely up-to-date, this authoritative guide covers every aspect of the mail order business, from the basics of getting started to the details of product selection, preparing a marketing plan, copywriting, designing graphics, printing, protecting yourself from competition, telemarketing, and advertising through magazines, radio, and television. In addition, a handy appendix lists hundreds of valuable contacts with complete addresses. In this new Fourth Edition, you'll learn the latest trends in mail order—what works and what doesn't, the most effective look in ads and mailing pieces, how to put together the most attractive offers, and much more. For entrepreneurs, direct marketers, business owners, and others eager to get into the mail order business, Building a Mail Order Business has proven itself to be an indispensable resource for the ideas, techniques, and expert advice that will lead to success. All the success secrets ofone of America's best-known and most respected experts on mail order and direct marketing—Now in a new edition! BUILDING A MAIL ORDER BUSINESS Fourth Edition Complete, authoritative, and now in a new edition, this best-selling guide to mail order success covers everything from getting your business started to handling legal issues, preparing copy and graphics, selecting mailing lists, telemarketing, and advertising in all types of media—an unbeatable source of direct marketing ideas that really work. Here's what the pros have said about previous editions of Bill Cohen's Building a Mail Order Business: "Dr. Bill Cohen's book thoroughly explores the many facets, and pitfalls, facing the budding mail order entrepreneur."— Henry R. "Pete" Hoke, Jr., Publisher, Direct Marketing "It took a mail order businessman who is also an educator to put direct mail and mail order guidelines all in one place—and in language we can all understand."—Freeman F. Gosden, Jr., President, Smith-Hemmings-Gosden, one of the nation's largest direct marketing advertising agencies "An outstanding primer for our industry. It gives you the nuts and bolts necessary to carry you through almost every aspect of mail order from the very rudimentary basics to the same techniques used by the pros."— Joe Sugarman, JS&A "One of the best books I've ever read on the subject. I enthusiastically recommend Building a Mail Order Business to any man or woman who is serious about getting involved in this fascinating activity."— E. Joseph Cossman, President, Cossman International, Inc., author of How I Made a Million Dollars in Mail Order "An excellent, informative, comprehensive, illustrative workbook that will help anyone get started making money in the fascinating field of mail order. I highly recommend this professional book."— Melvin Powers, mail order entrepreneur "...must reading for the entrepreneur whose mind is on mail order."— Paul Muchnick, Chairman, National Mail Order Association "Its good sense and nuts-and-bolts, bottom-line approach make it a delightful guide through the mail order world."— DM News
ForewordPrefaceAcknowledgmentsCh. 1Making Your Fortune in the Mail Order Industry1Pt. IStarting and Growing Your BusinessCh. 2How to Start Your Mail Order Business29Ch. 3Important Legal and Ethical Issues51Ch. 4Maintaining Your Management Records69Ch. 5Bringing Your Product to the Customer79Pt. IIMail Order MerchandisingCh. 6Finding Profitable Products to Sell by Mail95Ch. 7Pricing Your Mail Order Product or Service125Ch. 8Developing a Unique Offer133Pt. IIIMail Order MediaCh. 9Making Money with Classified Ads165Ch. 10Making Money with Display Ads184Ch. 11Making Money with Direct Mail Ads219Ch. 12Maximizing Your Direct Mail Success with Lists257Ch. 13Making Money with TV and Radio Ads280Ch. 14Making Money with Your Telephone295Ch. 15Making Money with Your Own Mail Order Catalog300Ch. 16Making Money with 900 Numbers336Pt. IVThe Mail Order MessageCh. 17The Truth about Copywriting345Ch. 18How to Write Copy That Creates Sales370Ch. 19Preparing Art and Graphics at Low Cost391Ch. 20Saving and Making Money with Your Printing408Pt. VMail Order MeasurementCh. 21Testing to Find Out Whether You'll Be Successful before You Invest Heavily419Ch. 22Cost and Profit Calculations Made Easy438Ch. 23Developing a Mail Order Marketing Plan457A Personal Postscript from the Author477Appendix A: The Direct Marketing Association's Guidelines for Ethical Business Practices479Appendix B: A Potpourri of Mail Order Ideas and Techniques494Appendix C: Mail Order Associations and Direct Marketing Clubs521Appendix D: Some Mail Order Advertising Agencies531Appendix E: Some Sources of Mailing Lists533Appendix F: Mail Order Magazines and Newsletters535Appendix G: A Business Guide to the Federal Trade Commission's Mail Order Rule537Index557
