by William Rice
When you receive hundreds of
different informational packets from all over the country do you consider it
junk mail and file it in file #13 without even opening the envelope?
Tens of thousands of mail order dealers and enthusiasts send out informational packets every day. Combine this with all the other commercial advertising and promotional materials that float through the mail and its easy to see how the Postal Department stays in business. However, there is a big difference between so-called "Junk Mail" and "Big Mail".
Big mail consists of a great variety of advertising circulars, ad sheets, magazines, mail order and income opportunities, multi-level marketing concepts... and a million illegal chain letters every day. Most of the multi-level marketing programs are about as worthless as the chain letters, neither producing any money, not even for the ones who initiate the programs.
However when you look over the advertisements and offers in "TRUE" Big Mail you will find a great deal of interesting information, and quite often a good money-making proposition. You will find various articles written by publishers and mail order dealers that add to your knowledge. In fact if you are going into the mail order method of doing business, or if you are already heavily involved in mail order, the information you receive in the form of Big Mail is a must.
So... Make a trip to your nearest store. Pick up a copy of the latest business opportunity, and/or money-making magazine, review the thousands of classified and display ads. Send for the information and offers that appeal to you. You will be flooded with various material from all over, including every kind of marketing program and, eventually, 500 different kinds of illegal chain letters. Open it all! Stay away form the chain letters and "make a million dollars-overnight" deals but review it all... You will find some good and lucrative money-making plans... and many good ideas that may spark that million dollar idea that has been floating around in the back of your head for the past 2 years.
And of course, in the process of receiving, reviewing, analyzing and filing the valuable portion of the materials you receive you will be building up a good name list, to use for your own offers or for rent or re-sale to others. You never know, the next piece you open may spark than million dollar idea! A word of warning though... When it start coming it never stops... At least I still have it coming in by the ton... and it's 20 years and 2,000 tons later!
Money in "BIG MAIL"!
The amount of money you make with Big Mail depends primarily on how your programs are handled and on the materials you make available for the Big Mail Packet!
Unless you have a number of your own offers to include in the packet, to get started you may have to re-mail some of the big mail you receive from other dealers. They won't mind... If you are not buying perhaps your customer will. It is much better for them than to have it wind up in your file "13".
To get the Big Mails coming in, you will have to promote to the effect you are a professional mailer and for a reasonable fee will mail circulars, ad sheets, etc, to the inner circle, outer circle or both, depending on the best route for a particular offer. You can stuff many offers in a packet weighing just a few ounces.
A certain amount of free mailing of commission circulars which offer good selling products can also enhance your operation by keeping your inventory of "BIG MAIL" offers sufficient to fill demand.
On the outgoing side, promote the fact you have "thousands of offers" from "hundreds of dealers" available for a small fee (assuming, of course, this is fact). This is better than using the over-worked words "BIG MAIL".
Include your own offers with all the outgoing packets. Get 100% value for the high postage costs. Fill them right to the weight limit!
How to Mail 1,000 Big Mails Free!
Keep advertising.
Place at least one ad each day until you are receiving an average of 34 a day or 1,000 each month. If you will use the following ad, this plan will not be hard to implement as it should bring lots of orders:
"How to mail out 1,000 big mails free!" Complete plan 50 cents. (Your name and address)"
This 50 cent plan weighs only 1/10th of an ounce or less and will go for the minimum postage. You can fill the envelope with another 1 and 9/10 (Nine one-half sheets...or...Four 8-1/2x11 sheets.. or...almost 70 3x6's) for a free ride without paying additional postage i.e. You can make up a big mail weighing 1 9/10 ounces, or less, and you can mail it out free with the plans you advertise.
The "Big Mail" can include imprints that pay you a commission or you can charge others for mailing their circulars and include them. The main point is that ads selling the 50 cent plan will usually pull many more orders than just "Big Mail 50 cents". A good dealer will make extra income with ads like this.
And in the event you didn't understand what plan we're talking about, it's the one you are reading right now!
How to Get Your Circulars Mailed Free!
There is another way to get your circulars mailed free. As soon as you can afford it, become a supplier of commission circulars. The easiest way to do this is to take "all-profit" offers and have circulars printed on two sides. On one side have your own name and address printed. On the other side, leave space for a rubber stamp imprint.
Offer these circulars to circular mailers on a commission basis. They keep a commission from 50% to 100% on the one side, and you make your profit on the other. Use the same method for any offers that you develop for yourself.
You can reach these mailers by advertising in, or subscribing to several mail order trade magazines and ad sheets. Another way to locate mailers for your literature is to notice the ads by mailers; usually at the bottom of their ads they state "Commission circulars Mailed Free", which means they get one side and you get the other, as above.
If you really want to get rolling using this method, take two "all Profit" offers, one on each side, and give the mailer 100% on one side. You still make yours on the other offer.
Also, if you are interested in obtaining additional commission circulars for yourself, include "Commission Circulars Mailed Free", in your own ads.
Still another way to get your literature mailed free is to include this little note in all your advertising... at the end of the copy... "Stamp appreciated".
It only costs you two words, but it could save you a great deal in postage. If you are advertising in trade publications or ad sheets use "SASE" which means "Self addressed, stamped envelope". The savings for envelopes, addressing labor and postage can add up fast. Many small dealers use this method exclusively, even in the large circulation magazines. They have been using it for years and it still works!
Financial Considerations with "BIG MAIL"!
A 8-1/2x11 sheet of #16 bond paper weighs 8 pounds per thousand. (2 reams). (128 ounces or 7.8125 sheets per ounce). #20 bond paper weighs 10 lbs. per M. (160 ounces or 6.25 sheets per ounce).
If you are mailing out the "equivalent" of 100 8-1/2x11 #16 circulars for your clients at $2.00 and receiving $2.00 for 4 ounces of your big Mail, how do you come out? What are the costs involved? To start with we will have to figure in "equivalent" units because of dealing in circulars, ad sheets, etc., of all different kinds, sizes and weights. Also, some of the circulars will pay us a commission on sales made.
Due to the hundreds of variations in a program from one mailing to the next and the varying postal rates per ounce, it is difficult to write a set formula for cost determination. A simple rule of thumb will suffice much more adequately and with no big mathematical "Brain Drains" involved. Figure conservatively by allowing six 8-1/2x11 sheets of #16 or five sheets of #20 weight paper for each ounce. (Accurate postal scales are a necessity).
In equivalent units then, we can safely figure 12 (1/2 sheets) of #16; 10 (1/2 sheets) of #20; or 36 #16 (3x6's); or 30 #20 (3x6's); per ounce. In other words you can send out some 120 3x6's in a four ounce packet... etc...
Depending on the weight of each packet, it now costs some $2.50 to $3.50 average to mail 100 equivalent full sheet circulars, exclusive of envelopes, advertising, labor and general overhead expenses.
When preparing the mailing packets, sorting and stacking can be very time-consuming. If folding, cutting or stapling is involved it is just that much more out of potential profits. You must remember that "TIME IS MONEY"! Allocate your time to the programs that are bringing profits! Drop the non-producers.
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