Selling Tactics

Austinite asked:


I have my own wedding and event planning business and I am interested in selling in it. I really want to know the format of a business proposal for selling a business and I would really like to see an example of a business proposal for selling a business (comes with existing advertising and a website). I want a sample so that I can get an idea. Please do not tell me tips. I really would like to see a sample of a proposal for selling a business.

CHRISTIAN

Temitope Ogundiran asked:


21 Items Anyone Can Easily Sell By Mail

In order to make money by mail, you need to have something to sell which others will want to buy.  Everyone makes money by selling something of value to someone else.  Some folks arecontent to sell “a little of themselves” one hour at a time. Others want to work for themselves and sell their own products or services to others.

Those individuals who desire to make more than just a few bucks per hour need  to have their own product or service to offer to the rest of the world.  For those individuals, this presentation was prepared.  With the information, suggestions, and information listed in this report, you could Price It, Advertise It and Sell It!

You see… most of the guesswork, trial and error has been removed.  This report has 21 plans and suggestions.  It is NOT meant to be the “last and final authority”.  It is more than enough to give you a good idea, to encourage you to get started and to begin receiving money in your mail box often.  You’ll learn more as you go along.  You’;ll run across other offers and

maybe some better deals.  The best advice is:  go slow, test and try every offer that appeals to you!  See what works and what doesn’t.  Stay with the things that produce results.

So, To Begin With… What Can You Sell to Others by Mail?

If you have nothing, besides yourself and your time, it is quite simple to create  something to sell to others or to offer to do something for someone else that they can’t or won’t do for themselves.

What follows are IDEAS and TESTED PLANS (by others) which youcan begin to advertise and sell to others by MAIL ORDER!

1. A Circular Mailing Business.

Sample Ad:

FAST CIRCULAR MAILING

3×6 and 5×8…………… 1 cent each

8-1/2×11……………… 2 cents each

1000 8-1/2x 11………… $15.00 Minimum (200 of each kind)

This is an inexpensive and easy way to begin.  Offer to mail circulars (distribute them by mail) to prospective buyers. Youcharge a fee for this service, by asking for a set rate per week or per month or per sheet charge.  (Write and request information from other advertised offers.  Ask questions that you would like answers to on starting and operating this type of business.  Know what is involved and know what you are doing before you begin.)  If you advertise, let other companies know how much you charge to distribute their circulars.

2. Sell Packages of Mail Order Offers.

Sample ad:

QUALITY BIG MAIL! Packed with top mail order publications, discount ad rates, money making opportunities, dealership offers.  FREE mailing list, FREE Big Mail Listing and much more. Everything rushed to you first-class mail for only $2.00! Order Today!

This ad shows that one company usually charges $2.00 for their Big Mail.  You can offer a “BIG MAIL” for $1.00 or $2.00… Keep all the money and have this company fill your orders for free. Write the ones you like for details.  Buy other “Big Mails”. Offer your own for $1.00.  You make money both ways.  Companies pay you to distribute their circulars… AND your customers pay you to be sent one.

Note:  It is very strongly recommended that you first contact each company you are interested in doing business with prior to your placing any ads and offering any companies products to others by mail!

3. Operate a Commission Mailing Business

This is different from item 1 above, in that you are not paid a fee or collect any monies up front, to mail each circular.  If you mail “Commission Circulars” for other companies, you agree to “take your cut” or commission from the orders received.  This can be MUCH MORE profitable!  A lot of Mail Order companies are willing to allow YOU to keep HALF the money from each order as your commission for getting the order.  Usually each circular has a space for YOU to put your name on each one before you mail them out.  Your name will be the only one on each.  All orders will come to you.  You keep your share of each order, forward

the remainder onto the company that supplied that circular and they will (usually) forward the item direct to your customer for you, under your name.  (This is called “dropshipping”.  For Mail Order sources, you place ads which ask for “Dealerships” from such companies or look for ads which ask for “Dealers Wanted”.

4. Contact Sources to Sell Their Products

Sample ad:

Dealers Wanted.  Moneymaking Plans & Ideas!  Ideal home mailorder business.  Up to 1300% profit.  No inventory.  Wedropship.  Send $2.00 for 64-page catalog.  Dealer details and wholesale prices.  Satisfaction guaranteed.  ACT TODAY!

An ad like this one, is placed by a Mail Order company who are seeking dealers to sell their products.  Write them and ask for all necessary details.

5. Sell Money-Making, Mail Order Plans

Sample Ad:

$10 Orders Filled Free!  Easiest, most profitable mail order program yet.  Get easy $10 cash sales and keep all the money yourself.  Don’t wait - send now for free details now!!  Rush SASE to:

Write and ask for Dealer details, or their sales aids for Commission Mailers.  You may have to buy their book (or whateverthey are selling) before you can offer it to others.

6. Purchase or Type Up Your Own and Sell Short Informative Reports.

Sample Ad:

FREE REPORT$.  38 $MONEY MAKER$.  Fill YOUR pockets with $CASH$, plus FREE reprint rights.  Just a LSASE.

Besides selling a various list of suppliers, you can type up short, one to four page, reports on a multitude of subjects, like “Where to Get Free Advertising”, “Big Profits - Selling Information”, “How to Write Profit Pulling Sales Letters and Circulars”.  You can type up other reports that you create for greater profits.  Get reports Printed; Advertise; Sell It!

7. Type Up, Print and Sell Your Own Booklet or Directory.

A booklet of several pages in length is no more difficult than typing up a few reports and stapling them together.  Look at this short booklet:  It is a model for how to do it.  Have this “camera ready” booklet printed, (minimum 50 each) and sell it to others.  (You can give copies away, hoping for sales later on, from your ads that appear in this booklet.)  You can even sell

copies to other dealers and let them sell it as their own.  You can advertise and sell quantities direct.

8. Offer a Name Listing Service.

Advertise that you will send your customer’s name to hundreds of other Mail Order companies.  Charge a small fee for this service.  Once you have a few hundred names of interested, paying customers, type up their names on sheets and have copies made.  Advertise these as “Names of Prospective Customers”. Mail Order Dealers and other companies will pay you 3 cents,

current price or MORE for each name.  Sell the same names to ALL who are willing to buy them.  You get PAID to accumulate names and you get PAID when you sell the names.  You make money from both ends.  No way you can lose on this deal!  Keep advertising your listing service (charge $1 to $3 to each person to list their name).  This can be a “Money Maker”!!

9. Sell Names of Mail Order Buyers by Mail.

Sample Ad:

Mailing Lists.  Opportunity Seekers.  Fresh Daily.  On Peel & Stick Labels.  These “Hot Lists” really pull.  Buy direct from the source.

If you have your own names of past customers, type their names and addresses on sheets of paper or on labels.  Sell them for 3 cents to 6 cents each or current prices. Or buy names from others and sell their lists to your customers.  It can make money for you.

10. Start a Club and Sell Memberships To It.

What kind of club?  You can start any kind of club you want.  A stamp club, cooking club, pen-pal club, a writers or readers club, coupon or discount club, you name it.  Each new member joining pays a fee.  List all members on a roster.

11. Issue a Monthly Bulletin or Club “Newsletter”

Once you have your club going, ask for contributions of notes and news from members, including you own. Put it in a Newsletter, sell subscriptions to it.  Sell it to members,  for a fair monthly or yearly fee, but realize a small profit from it.  Sell ad space . Members can list their wants and needs in it and it will be read by all members.

12. Offer a Typing Service.

Many people don’t know how to type or even have a typewriter. Charge so much per page… $4 to $6 or more for difficult copy.

Type resumes, salesletters, college papers, reports, bulletins, circulars, instructions, copywriting, newsletters, etc.  It must

be sharp, clean and error free.  Advertise your services in local papers and/or yellow pages.

13. Offer a Card Mailing Service.

Others may be too busy or too forgetful so you do their card mailing for them… For a Fee!  Arrange in writing all details

to mail their birthday, anniversary, Christmas cards, etc. for them each year.  They supply the names and addresses, etc.

Advertise it and let others know.

14. A Mail Forwarding Service.

Forward mail for other people.  This is great if you live near some well known site.  Others send you their cards and letters,

you then remail them from your location, but charge them up front by the letter or a straight fee.

15. An Advice/Consultation Service.

People will be happy to pay some expert for their advice.  Why give away your knowledge or wisdom?  Charge people to hear your

advice.  This is accomplished in person, fact sheet, statistical sheet or by newsletter.  Financial advice, investment advice,

marriage help, crafts, building, planting and so many, many other topics.  Everyone of us knows something that few others

know.  Charge people to learn it from you.

16. Re-writing or Ads and Sales-Circulars, etc.

A great many people don’t know how to put their thoughts and ideas into simple, every day sentences.  If you know how to

string words together, sell that ability to others.  Re-write their ads and circulars, letters or reports or whatever.

Advertise it.  Charge by the hour, per item or by the inch.

Note:  Send LSASE means that the advertiser needs your help to get more details to you quicker.  He wants you to send a long

self-addressed stamped envelope along with your letter.

17. Make Money With Your Computer

Sample Ad:

HOW TO GET RICH with your Microcomputer.  SECRETS REVEALED.  No experience necessary.  Potential tax break!  Invest in YOUR

future.  CASH IN ON THE $100 BILLION COMPUTER INDUSTRY.  Order Book #XXXX.

Lots of people have their own computer and lots of people wish they could afford one.  If you have one, rent it out, sell its

abilities and make yours pay for itself.  With local advertising and word of mouth you may find more work than you can handle.

PLUS… receive a nice income doing something you enjoy. Visit your library or local book store for books or manuals regarding

how to start up this type of business.  Individuals, business persons, etc, need and will find your services very necessary.

18. Sell “Made to Order” Stamps by Mail.

Sample Ad:

RUBBER STAMPS.  Made to order and stock rubber stamps.  3 lines $2.25 ppd.  Additional lines 50 cents each.  Signature stamps

$7.00 ppd.  25 unmounted 1 line stamps $5.50 ppd.  Catalog 50

cents.

This is a VERY needed and popular item to sell by mail.  The cost is low and you make a nice profit per sale.  Read and study

ads you’ll always find in Mail Order publications.  Send for their rates along with a letter asking for ways on how to get

started in this type of business.

“PPd.” means the advertiser will pay all additional postage or shipping costs… And that you need not send along any extra to

pay postage.

19. Sell Labels and Stickers by Mail

Sample Ad:

DESIGN LABELS.  Designs created for product labels, stickers. Free details.

Again, your need to contact sources and ask for dealer details or sales aids for commission agents. Some may not want or need

dealers.  Some who advertise may not be the source.  They may be another dealer of the source.  Write and ask.

20. Start/Operate a Profitable Newsletter Home Business.

Join the smart ones who presently write simple or sophisticated styled NEWSLETTERS.  If you do possess GOOD IDEA, VALUABLE

ADVICE, OPTIONS OR INFORMATION or have access to any one of these, you will find that this is all that is really needed to

get you started in selling valuable information that thousands of people are looking for, and profit handsomely while doing so.

Thousands of newsletters are being published covering almost any subject you can imagine.  EVEN YOURS.

21. Selling Recipes.

Pick out one or several of your very best recipes.  Ask Grandma or Mom to write down their very own original delicious creations.  Whether from city, farm or the “old country” these unique recipes can be sold through classified ads.  Pin money or big money, it’s there waiting for you.

Let meet at the top!



ERNESTO

Eric Corl asked:


One of the primary driving forces that bring inventions to light is the profit motive. While Hollywood and the media tend to glorify the selfless inventor, the truth is that many of the most basic technologies we have would not have come to pass without the incentive of selling it. Venture capitalist Paul Graham explains this in his essay, “How to Make Wealth.”

“Developing new technology is a pain in the ***. It is, as Edison said, one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. Without the incentive of wealth, no one wants to do it. Engineers will work on **** projects like fighter planes and moon rockets for ordinary salaries, but more mundane technologies like light bulbs or semiconductors have to be developed by entrepreneurs.”

This leads into today’s topic: selling your invention, and fast. With any unnecessary guilt cleared out of the way, let’s get into the meat and potatoes of how to capitalize on your efforts. Essentially there are 2 ways of selling your invention: selling it to paying customers, or selling/licensing it to another entrepreneur or company who will sell it to paying customers. We will start with selling it yourself.

1) Selling your invention yourself

If your invention is finished, packaged, and ready to sell, your goal is probably getting it onto store shelves where customers can get at it. But how is this done? Most people do not have the first clue how the products they buy get into the stores. Indeed, it can at first seem like a mystical and confusing process that only the economic elite can understand. In fact, it is actually quite simple. A BusinessKnowHow.com article called “Selling to Retail Stores” offers some answers.

“So, as a supplier to the retail market, seek out the reps. Ask some stores that might be potential candidates for your line who they believe is the best rep that calls on them. Interview several reps, see what other lines they have that would cause them to call on the same type of firm you believe your goods could go into. They are your best bet for getting into all types of stores both large and small, that is their profession. And, lastly, don’t begrudge them the commission you pay them. Without them, you wouldn’t have the exposure or sales you’re enjoying.”

“Reps” are people who visit all the different stores and help convince them to sell merchandise. If the stores sell what the rep recommends, the rep takes a commission of the resulting sales. It is a pretty straightforward process, and the best way to get it underway is to visit the stores you want to sell in and ask who their reps are. Then, it is simply a matter of convincing the rep to pitch your product. Set up a lunch or dinner with them and make them see the value of your invention. With persistence and a little luck, you can have your invention on the shelves in no time!

2) Selling your invention to someone else

The other main way of selling your invention is selling it to another person, who will then sell it to customers. This can sometimes be easier and less of a hassle, but it is not always the best way to go. If you are not familiar with business and negotiation strategies, you may find yourself in over your head. To help prevent this, here are some tips for selling your invention to another entrepreneur or company.

Put some serious thought into who you want to sell to. Some inventors think selling an invention is as simple as calling anyone remotely involved with their market and asking them to buy it. In fact, this rarely works. Your best chance is to narrow down a list of companies that are very closely related to what you do. For example, if you have invented a new, lighter and more puncture-resistant bicycle tire, you might want to call BMX or Huffy. The idea is to look for an obvious fit between your invention and the goals of the company in question.

Do not be overzealous. There is an old saying that pigs get fed, while hogs get slaughtered. Nowhere is this truer than negotiations about selling or licensing a new, unproven invention. As a new inventor, you probably cannot demand a king’s ransom for your invention. After all, the company or entrepreneur buying it will be the one assuming the risk. Therefore, if you get an offer or convince a company to buy your invention, you should generally take the money. Unless the offer is insultingly low, you would do well to count yourself among the (relatively) few inventors who actually capitalize from their efforts.

Be direct. If selling quickly is your goal, you cannot afford to waste time on small talk and pleasantries. This does not rushing them to make you an offer before you have answered their questions, of course. But it does mean that you should not turn negotiations with them into an endless back-and-forth game of chit-chat. Keep your main goal in mind.

Take some time and decide which of these two selling strategies suits you best. Then, work quickly to take action. If you persist and keep your wits about you, you can sell your invention much faster than you thought!



JESS