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How Often Should I Promote My Services?

Aug5

August focus: Domestic Cleaning Service

 How Often Should I Promote My Services?

When it comes to leaflet distribution, once again the key to success is repetition. Obviously, you will need to keep within your budget when investing in printing and distribution, but be aware also that the promotion will create income for you, therefore paying for its own costs. On the first distribution people will probably pick up and read your leaflet, then either respond, store and keep it, or discard it altogether. If you market your leaflet/flyer correctly the ratios will look like this: Continue reading →

Direct Marketing for your Home Cleaning Service

Aug5

August focus: Domestic Cleaning Service

Direct Marketing for your Home Cleaning Service

Leaflet distribution is an ideal marketing tool for your Domestic Cleaning business. In fact, it is a great way to market any type of business, no matter whether it’s promoting a store that you own or manage, advertising new products, increasing your brand awareness or even testing a mail order system. Door to door leaflet distribution can help you reach both new and existing customers.

Below are some of the key ways in which leaflet distribution can benefit your business:

Continue reading →

Mail Order – Acting on Opportunity

Feb14

Mail Order - Acting on Opportunity

Mail Order – Acting on Opportunity

When commencing a mail order business it is important that you become aware of just how many companies are run via this method of doing business. It is a proven fact that dozens of small and large companies make great profits from the direct mail business – just think about what you receive in the mail! Almost everyday we get flyers and brochures from all sorts of companies selling magazines, books, clothing, household items – even vacation packages!

Some of them you may toss away without even looking at the flyer or brochure; some of them you may read; and some of the flyers or brochures you may buy from, especially if you know the company and have bought from them before.

A direct mail business is something to feel proud about. Just like opening a storefront – except this business needs so little investment and, with perseverance, you almost can’t help but win.

As with any other moneymaking enterprise – from working for someone else, to owning and operating your own company – the direct mail business requires energy. But it doesn’t take away enthusiasm or confidence. In fact, the more positive thought you put in the more rewards you will reap.

Decide on how much you want to earn, how much energy you can devote to this business and how much you want out of it. You can operate a successful direct mail business in your spare time, with very little financial investment, but it is up to you to make it work!

So then, what do you need to get started?

What you will Need

You can run a small direct mail business out of your home from the kitchen table. All you really need is a mailing address list, a few dollars for a classified ad that can either be placed on the social or classified sites on the internet, and a product that sells.

If you’re just starting in this business, you do not need to invest in elaborate equipment or expensive manufacturing. In fact, you may find several products to sell that require minimum investment and bring in a maximum profit.

Once you get going, you will need the usual stationery supplies such as a stapler, cellophane tape, mailing envelopes, address labels and file folders. You may invest in a filing cabinet and a desk. And, you will need to use a computer and printer to type up letters and mail-outs.

The most costly items are your computer and printer, but even when you have established a high profit business you can still operate it from home with limited resources.

 

Please read the next article for more on this topic……

Newspaper Advertising

Feb12

Although the information in this article was written a while ago now, there is still something that can be learned from it. I wrote this when I was running my workshops on how to set up your own business from home, back prior to the Internet. Even though the information might be old, the principles remain the same. Plus, you can still use this information in the larger newspapers that remain well circulated.

Newspaper Advertising Continue reading →

What Should You Charge?

Feb10

What Should You Charge?

What Should You Charge?

When you investigate the products you want to sell, consider the price you can get for them.  Is there an adequate profit margin? How many times might a customer purchase your line of products in a one-year period?  Your profit line is the guide for deciding not only what price to charge for your product, but also the manufacturing costs and the feasibility of the item itself.  The only way to know how to price the item is to test the highest prices the market will hold.  To test prices you send sales literature with two prices.

The results of the sales will tell you which one is best. For example, if you get twice as many orders for a product at a lesser price, it will mean a higher profit in the long run to keep it at the smaller price.  However, if there is no big difference in the number of orders received, go for the higher price when creating your next sales literature.

Consider the potential of your merchandise and the product line. You will want to expand into similar products and you will want to make a tidy profit from the time you invest.

Direct Mail Order Business – Your Product

Feb8

Direct Mail Order Business - Your Product

 

Direct Mail Order Business – Your Product

This is the fifth in a series of articles to do with Direct Sales and Marketing for the month of February. So let’s learn more about choosing your product……..

Product selection is very basic, and thus the most important first step. Stop and think – look around yourself – and listen to what the people are most clamouring for. You will find that the least expensive way to produce your product and fulfill orders to make a high profit is to put together and sell information. To do this, first test the market potential with photocopies of the report or booklet. Or, if you haven’t written your own book or report you may be able to revive an out-of-print publication by someone else.

In this day and age, much of the noise in the air has to do with: How can I find a job…. How can I put together a resume that will get me a job when I spot an opening…. Where are the jobs… If I can’t get a job, perhaps I can start my own business. But how do I do that?…… With these thoughts in mind, the person who writes, publishes, and gets an instructional manual or even a newsletter that is relative to these questions to the people, will sell as many as they can produce. Continue reading →

Finding What Sells, then Deciding on What to Sell

Feb6

Finding What Sells, then Deciding on What to Sell

Finding What Sells, then Deciding on What to Sell

This is the fourth in a series of articles to do with Direct Sales and Marketing for the month of February. So let’s learn more about how to find what sells and then how to decide on what is right for you to sell……..

The basic secret to success in the direct mail business is to follow the leader. This is especially true when you are just starting out. Why should you spend the money and time to test products, prices and places to advertise? Continue reading →

Mail Order – Acting on Opportunity

Feb5

Mail Order - Acting on Opportunity

Mail Order – Acting on Opportunity

This is the third in a series of articles to do with Direct Sales and Marketing for the month of February. So let’s learn more about Acting on Opportunity….

When commencing a mail order business it is important that you become aware of just how many companies are run via this method of doing business. It is a proven fact that dozens of small and large companies make great profits from the direct mail business – just think about what you receive in the mail! Almost everyday we get emails, flyers and brochures from all sorts of companies selling magazines, books, clothing, household items – even vacation packages!  However, just remember what I said in my article of February 1st when I mentioned the effect of using all that paper to create what some people would term ”junk” mail.  My advice is to utilise electronic methods of direct mail first, then if given permission to do so, send out catalogues, brochures or letters to those who have requested them or given you permission to send them. You can then directly address the information with the homeowner’s name and address, making sure that the item is read. Continue reading →

Benefits of Running a Direct Mail Business

Feb3

 

Benefits of Running a Direct Mail Business

Benefits of Running a Direct Mail Business

This is the second in a series of articles to do with Direct Sales and Marketing for the month of February. So here we go learning the benefits of running a direct mail business.

With the right product and the right system there are many advantages in operating a direct mail business – including: Continue reading →

Letters Catalogues and Postal Mailings

Feb1

For the month of February, I am going to do a series of articles to do with Direct Sales and Marketing.  So here is our first article this month.

Letters Catalogues and Postal Mailings

Letters Catalogues and Postal Mailings

Start and Operate your own Profitable Direct Mail Business from Home

How much money do you want to make? Do you need a steady second income? Obviously you’re reading this because you’d like to run your own business, be your own boss and make your own decisions. If you are ready to make a commitment to be successful – both financially and personally – then the Direct Mail business could be exactly what you have been looking for. Letters Catalogues and Postal Mailings can still make you plenty of money.

Whether you’re prepared to commit a small amount of time or all of your time, whether you want satisfaction of position, financial security – even social respect – the Direct Mail business is a vehicle that can create all that you want. Today, there are hundreds of opportunities to get into the profitable Direct Mail business. And, you don’t have to be creative or clever or have invented something new. You only need the desire and determination to achieve your goals. Continue reading →