HOW TO START A BIG MAIL SERVICE

A BIG MAIL SHOULD CONTAIN AT LEAST 3 OR 4:

* Mail order Magazines

* Circulars containing offers of interest  (to new mail order dealers)

* Circulars about other offers the Big Mail Dealer has 

BIG MAIL

    Do you enjoy reading the small Mail Dealer magazines?  Do you enjoy
    ordering and receiving "Big Mails?"  Do you enjoy working with new
    mail order dealers and opportunity seekers?  If your answer is "YES"
    to all of these questions, then it would probably be profitable and
    pleasurable for you to start a "Big Mail" service.

    In the pages that follow I will show you how to set up a Big Mail
    Service.  I'll show you how to advertise your service and I'll also
    show you how to use the Big Mails that you receive in your own mail
    to your own advantage.  I'll show you how to use commission
    circulars (and how to get a lot of them free!)  And I'll also show
    you how to keep track of them.

    We'll talk about co-publishing and we'll discuss circular mailing
    (you'll learn how to get people to pay you cash to mail their
    circulars for them!).  I'll show you a simple trick that will get
    you a lot of free advertising and I'll show you where to get a free
    mailing list that will create a lot of new customers for you, if you
    are willing to put in a little work to get them.

    But...before we get into all this...  I would like to give you a
    word of caution.  Big Mail selling looks easy and it sounds easy...
    but IT IS NOT! Selling Big Mails is a lot of work, HARD WORK.  And
    it is NOT a way to get rich quick!

    You will probably not make any money at all for at least a few
    months.  In fact, you will have to invest more than you take in. If
    you are willing to invest a little of your money, and a lot of your
    time, then you can gain invaluable experience selling Big Mails, and
    then you will make money.  You will gain experience that you could
    gain nowhere else in the whole world.  And if you are alert,
    creative, and AMBITIOUS, you can eventually turn your mailorder
    business into a very lucrative enterprise.

    If you are still interested... and I hope you are...  please read
    on!

    The first thing you should do is sit down with the latest issue of
    MAIL SALE ADVERTISER or POPULAR ADVERTISER and order at least twelve
    Big Mails.  After that, get into the habit of ordering at least one
    Big Mail EVERY DAY!

    Then devote a portion of EACH DAY to STUDYING them.  And I do mean
    STUDY!

    

    Feed your mind and your imagination with all kinds of ideas.

    The Mailorder Business is a very creative and imaginative one. The
    more you feed your imagination, the more it will do for you! Set up
    a personal notebook.  I would suggest you divide it into four
    sections:

        *       Commission Circular Sources

	* 	Sources of low-cost printing

        *       Prospective Mailing Customers (Save the circulars that
                other dealers have been paid to mail.  I'll show you why
                later on.)

        *       Good ideas

    You can set your personal notebook up any way you like. But I use a
    loose-leaf notebook and scotch-tape the ads, circulars, etc.

    Read and re-read every circular and mail order magazine that you can
    get your hands on.  SAVE ANY IDEA THAT APPEALS TO YOU! Start
    ordering SMALL supplies of "commission circulars" that APPEAL to
    you.  (Never try to sell anything merely because it pays a BIG
    commission.)

    When you are satisfied that you really want to start selling Big
    Mails, there are two very practical things you must do.

          1.  Order a name and address rubber stamp.  Be sure it is
              SMALL enough to use on commission circulars.

          2.  Open a PERSONAL CHECKING ACCOUNT.  Open it in YOUR OWN
              NAME. When you start to advertise, use your own name.  If
              you do that, there will be no problem when you go to the
              bank to deposit checks that your  customers will send you.

    Your next step is to place an ad in at least SIX mailorder magazines
    or ad-sheets.  In the beginning you will have to use publications
    that will accept handwritten or typewritten copy, since you do not
    yet have "camera ready" ads.  Your ad should read something like
    this:

                          BIG MAIL - $.25

                    Commission circulars mailed

                               FREE!

                       (Your name, address)

    A simple ad like this will pull better than one with a lot of words
    in it.

    You probably already know which magazines or ad-sheets you want to
    advertise in.  That is fine!  But I would like to suggest you start
    off by advertising in at least one or two of the following:

          * Mail Sale Advertiser      * Popular Advertiser

          * Mail Order Bulletin       * Timely Tips



    All of these are letterpress publications, which means they will set
    your ad up for you. They appear regularly EVERY MONTH ON TIME, and
    almost everyone interested in mail order reads them!

    Because these publications are CO-PUBLISHABLE, the publishers of
    each publication will send you 50-100 copies to include in your Big
    Mails.  Your name will appear on your copies as the CO-PUBLISHER.
    You will get to keep around 50% as your commission on any ads or
    subscriptions you sell.  If you are faithful in mailing your copies,
    you can often make enough profit on ads and subscriptions to pay for
    all your ads!  This way your ads actually cost you nothing.

    Each advertiser is also mailing his copies to his customers or
    mailing list, and every last copy mailed has YOUR ad in it.  The
    printer is also mailing a copy to every person on his subscription
    list... so, usually within about ten days after your ad appears in
    print, you will start receiving letters with quarters in them asking
    for your Big Mail.  Some advertisers, for one reason or another, are
    quite slow in mailing their copies, but this can work to your
    advantage.  You will often get orders two or three months after your
    ad appears!



COMMISSION CIRCULARS

    Long before you start receiving orders for your Big Mail, you should
    have acquired a starting supply of "commission circulars." You will
    want to include them in every one of your Big Mails.

    Commission circulars are usually 3X6", 6X9" or 8X11" circulars
    offering such things as:


	Rubber Stamps	Name-address Labels

	FoliosParcel	Post Labels

	Magazine	SamplesMailing Lists

	Envelopes	Printed Stationary

	Business Directories	Catalogue Samples

	Drop-ship	SamplesPrinted Circulars

	Formulas	Books

	Mail Order Plans	Magazine Subscriptions

	Name Listing Services	Pen Pal Clubs, etc., etc.



    Wholesale firms supply commission circulars to mailorder dealers,
    usually at cost. The dealer stamps his name in the blank space under
    "order From" and mails them to prospective customers. When he
    receives orders (and he will if he mails them regularly), he keeps
    his commission, which is usually about 50%.  He then sends the
    balance, along with his shipping label, to the wholesaler, who
    drop-ships the order directly to the customer under the dealer's
    shipping label.

    Commission circulars can be profitable for you, as a Big Mail
    Dealer, if you are very careful to select only those circulars which
    appeal to MAIL ORDER BEGINNERS.  You will soon learn that gift items
    and general merchandise rarely appeal to people who are ordering Big
    Mails, unless you are offering them on a wholesale basis.  (Safari
    boots, transistor radios, hunting knives, automatic can openers,
    $15.95 necklaces are nice, and they can be sold by mail...but not to
    mail order beginners!)

    If you work at it, you can make a lot of extra money by including
    good commission circulars in your mails.  Test a few hundred copies
    of each commission circular. If it evokes no interest, discontinue
    it.  But if it produces an order or two, then include one in every
    piece of mail you send.  When you have found a circular that
    "pulls," try to have them printed with your name and address on
    them.  (Printed circulars will often pull FIVE times better than
    stamped ones.)

    Don't mail poorly printed circulars.  They tend to make your entire
    mailing look sloppy. You will also find that 6X9" and 8Xll"
    circulars pull better than 3X6's, although some 3X6's pull
    surprisingly well.

    Once your ad appears (stating COMMISSION CIRCULARS MAILED FREE) you
    will start receiving free commission circulars.  Test every circular
    that is given to you.  Push the winners... discontinue the duds.
    Eventually you will develop a list of real money-makers to include
    in your Big Mails.

    Most of the suppliers of commission circulars are honest people.
    They offer items of real worth.  But occasionally you will find
    circulars that you should not mail.  They will get YOU in trouble!

        *       Adult Offers (pornography). Even if you do not object to
                this, some of your customers will, and some of your
                customers may be minors.

        *       "Stuff and Address Envelopes at Home.  Send $1.00 for
                your Starting Kit," etc.  These offers are illegal.
                People have been convicted in court for selling them.
                Besides, the plans are worthless.

        *       Chain Letters - These are also illegal.  Beware of any
                circular that says you will receive $20,000 in sixty
                days if you will mail a dollar and "follow instructions,
                etc."

    There is one other thing I would like to caution you about. There
    are about 40-50 standard folios that have been around the Mailorder
    Business for the last twenty years.  They are EXCELLENT folios,
    well-written, well-printed, and the advice in them is absolutely
    valid.  But it is a waste of time trying to sell them to mailorder
    beginners.  Most of them already know where to get them at wholesale
    prices!  If you receive FREE commission circulars offering these
    folios, by all means, mail them.  You may get an order or two. But
    if you are going to buy expensive circulars, be sure you are
    offering something NEW, something which EVERY mailorder dealer has
    not already seen at least one hundred times!



FACTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS!



    As a Big Mail Dealer, you will be selling many things.  So that you
    can fill each order accurately and promptly, I suggest that you
    start another looseleaf notebook.  Divide it into three sections;

                        1.  Commission Circular Information

			2.  Co-Publishing Information

			3.  Advertising Schedule

        1.      Commission Circular Information - Every time you receive
                a new supply of commission circulars, sit down and
                examine them. (Sometimes you will receive two or three
                varieties in one envelope.)  Tape one sample of each
                circular in your notebook. Underneath it write:

			*  Name and Address of the Drop-shipper

			*  Amount to forward to the Drop-shipper

                        *  How to obtain additional circulars.  (Are
                           they available with your name and address
                           imprinted on them?)

        2.  Co-Publishing Information - Most publishers of mailorder
            magazines will send you a "Fact Sheet," If they do, simply
            scotch-tape the sheet in your notebook.  If not, record
            these facts yourself:

			*  Name and address of the printer

                        *  How much to forward on new advertising,
                           subscriptions, etc.

        3.  Advertising Schedule - To keep your ads running
            CONTINUOUSLY, you will have to keep track of "closing dates"
            (the last date on which a publisher will accept advertising
            for his next issue.)  Here is a very simple method for you
            to use:

    Take a page of common notebook paper.  At the top of the page, write
    the name of the month.  Then number down the page from 1 to 31.
    (Use one line for each day of the month.)

    The closing date for Mail Sale Advertiser is the 15th of the month,
    but you will want to mail your ad on the 5th of the month (always
    mail your ads in TEN DAYS EARLY).  So next to number 5, write down
    the code letters "MSA."  If you will check this sheet religiously
    every day, you will never forget a closing date.

    Before you mail your ad, turn to the page for the following month
    and make notation of that month's closing date.  If you will use
    this system (or your own variation), you will remember every
    deadline, whether you are advertising in five magazines or five
    hundred!



CIRCULAR MAILING



    Once your Big Mail ads are appearing regularly, you will start to
    receive orders for them regularly.  As soon as you are averaging
    five a day, you can advertise yourself as a CIRCULAR MAILER.  It's
    easy to get started. Each time you renew your Big Mail Ad, send in
    another ad like this.  (As a co-publisher, your ads cost you half
    the advertised price!



		CIRCULAR MAILING

			           100     250     500

		3X6        .50     1.25    2.00

		6X9        .60     1.50    2.50

		9x12    1.00     2.00    4.00



    These prices are given only as EXAMPLES.  Postal rates and other
    costs change and you should check the ads of currently running
    Circular Mailers and charge about the same rates.  Cut-rate prices
    will NOT get you more orders.

    A circular mailing ad will almost ALWAYS pay for itself immediately.
    (Incidentally, many dealers have tried to run combination Big Mail
    and Circular Mailing ads.  They do not work half as well as TWO
    SEPARATE ADS!)

    As soon as you receive a circular mailing order, send your customer
    a sample mailing.  Be sure it is neat and be sure it includes the
    LATEST issues of several mailorder magazines. Then include ONE of
    his circulars in every Big Mail until you have finished mailing
    them.  If you have not received any more circulars to mail, send him
    a friendly thank you note and let him know that you have finished
    mailing his circulars.  Tell him you hope he receives some orders
    from your mailing.  Include some new circulars from new advertisers
    and a NEW magazine.  If he has any more circulars to mail, he will
    very likely send them to YOU!

    Remember, circular mailing depends on REPEAT customers.  Never
    exaggerate your mailing capacity (either in personal letters or in
    ads.)  If you really try to get orders for your customers, they will
    be back for more!


HOW TO GET FREE ADS


    There are many editors of mailorder magazines and ad sheets who will
    print your ads free if you will mail 100 to 200 copies of their
    publication.  Here is a very effective way to get them to run YOUR
    ads:

    Take a sheet of white typing paper.  Type the following words on it.

          PRINTERS, PUBLISHERS:  If you will print any of these
          ads in your publication, I will mail 100 copies for you
          FREE! (With co-publishing rights, I'll mail 200 copies!)

    Note that all of these ads are camera-ready for your convenience.

    Then use rubber cement to paste copies of all your different ads on
    the sheet!  (If your ads have been printed on colored poster paper,
    bleach them before you paste them up.  Pour a little clorox over
    them, until the color disappears.  Rinse them in water, and dry them
    on a piece of flat cardboard.)

    Once your circular is pasted up (camera-ready), take it to your
    local instant photo-offset printer and have 500 or 1000 copies
    printed on WHITE paper.  (Be sure its on white paper.) Enclose one
    of these circulars in every mailing.  You'll be amazed at the
    results!



WHERE TO GET GOOD MAILING LISTS FREE!



    If you advertise regularly, you will get a lot of response to your
    ads.  But if you will do a little specialized direct mailing, you
    can double your business almost immediately. Here's how:

    Imagine that you have just received your mailing copies of TIMELY
    TIPS from the printer.  If you look at your shelf, you discover that
    you still have 14 copies of last month's issue left to mail.  Sit
    down and make up 14 SPECIALIZED mailings.  In each mailing,
    enclosed:

	1.  One copy of last month's TIMELY TIPS.

	2.  One copy of each circular you have been paid to mail.

	3.  One copy of your new FREE MAILING FOR FREE ADVERTISING circular.

    To whom do you mail them?  COMPILE YOUR MAILING LIST FROM THOSE BIG
    MAILS YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERING EVERY DAY!  Mail them to:

        *       CIRCULAR MAILING PROSPECTS - Each time you receive a Big
                Mail, examine all the circulars.  Who has paid the
                dealer to mail circulars for them?  If they have paid
                him, THEY WILL ALSO PAY YOU... if you will take time to
                send them a sample mailing!

        *       NEW AD-SHEETS AND MAILORDER MAGAZINES - Whenever you see
                the announcement of a new publication, send a sample
                mailing and be sure to enclose your Free Mailing for
                Free Advertising circular.  You'll get many, many free
                ads, if you work at it!

        *       NEW MAILORDER ADVERTISERS - Save the names of new
                advertisers in the mailorder magazines or ad-sheets.
                You'll be amazed at how responsive they will be to your
                mailings!

    Every time you receive new mailing copies, mail out the remaining
    copies of last month's issues to the categories listed above and
    your mailorder business will grow faster than you ever dreamed it
    could.  You'll be surprised at the new business you will be able to
    generate using this method.



WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE?



    I honestly can't answer that question!  Only you have the answer.
    If you are ambitious - if you are willing to develop your
    imagination - if you are willing to experiment with new ideas... the
    sky is the limit!

    Don't let anyone tell you that Big Mail Selling and Circular Mailing
    is only for beginners.  There are SUCCESSFUL mailorder dealers who
    have been selling Big Mails and mailing circulars for twenty-five
    years!  If you really love it, don't ever give it up!

    What direction your mail order business takes is entirely up to you.
    I hope you will keep your ads running, and I hope you will expand
    your business by constantly adding new publications to your
    advertising list.

    Keep your eyes and your ears open.  Saturate yourself with fresh,
    new, and imaginative ideas.  I hope you'll keep excited about the
    Mail Order business...  I hope that ten years from now, you'll love
    it and be even more involved than you are today.

    Mail Order is far more than just a money-making business for me.
    It's a way of life! And I hope it is your way of life, too!