OCTOBER 2006
Greetings & Salutations:
Last month, I told you I was going to do more Questions and
Answers this month - but - last month some of you sent
me your Classified Ads for review ... some were pretty good;
most were pitiful. SO ...
This month, we are going to re-explore the world
of ...
Classified Advertising
When I have finished, you'll know more about the classified advertising
game than 90% of the self-styled mailorder "gurus"
who got rich selling "how-to get rich in mailorder"information.
To begin with, there are two reasons the self-styled mailorder
"gurus"don't show you their "successful"classified
ads. -- (1) They don't have any because they've never done it,
but they did read about it somewhere and copied the idea from
something a real mailorder professional wrote years ago ... you
are supposed to "do what they say, not what they do."--
(2) If they do, really, have a "successful"classified
ad, they don't want you ... and a few hundred others ...
using the same ad; diluting the effectiveness of the ad for them.
One of my all-time "big"response ads was:
FREE BOOK -- "Offshore Banking Is Not Evil."
By the way, if you want to read that book I have set it up as
a Free Report at: offshore.html
Over 50,000 people requested that "freebie" from 1986
to 1988. -- Every "Free"booklet I sent out cost me
nearly $3 ... plus the cost of the ads. Instead of the
usual 15% to 20% conversion rate (paying customers) I usually
got from "inquiry"ads, the rate was a low 2% to 3%.
-- That promotion ate my lunch.
In 1988, I changed the ad to read:
OFFSHORE BANKING is not evil. Free.
Each inquirer received a one-page flyer ... which cost me about
20¢ to send to them ... offering the book for $10. -- The
response to the ad was much, much smaller but the $10 price tag
on the book paid for my ads and my conversion rate went up to
30%, producing a significant profit on the very first mailing.
Unfortunately, when the self-styled mailorder "gurus"...
who got rich selling "how-to get rich in mailorder"information
... tell you that "you can get rich by running classified
ads,"almost everyone gets the impression that, all you have
to do is run a classified ad and your mailbox will be filled
with cash, checks and money orders. -- That's a misleading half-truth,
at best.
The truth of the matter is ...
There Are Three Distinct Purposes For Classified
Advertising!
One purpose ... the one most people envision ... is that of actually
"selling"something in the ad - or - getting people
to send you money for "information"about your product
or service (enough to pay for the ad and give you a profit).
That approach might work if you are "selling"a very
specific product or service (something you can fully and completely
define, in detail, in just a few words), to a very specific targeted
audience (so knowledgeable of the product or service your ad
will be readily understood), at a very "cheap"price
... usually less than $3. -- Or ...
You might be able to "sell"a Catalog ... for $1 to
$3 ... if the catalog itself appears to have a perceived "value"for
the reader ... such as: "WOOD WORKING Equipment,
Tools & Accessories - over 3,000 items. Catalog $2."--
That would work because the reader knows that a catalog with
3,000 items is worth something. Of course, you probably
aren't going to make any money directly from the ad because it
will probably cost you more than the $2 to print and mail the
catalog. -- But ...
If you are trying to get people to send you money for "information"about
your product or service ... no matter what it is ... you've got
to make your classified ad so intensely intriguing that the reader's
mouth waters in sheer anticipation of receiving it.
Granted, if you can get $1 to $3 for your information, you can
eliminate a lot of tire-kickers - but - you'll also get a much
smaller response to your ad - and - in most cases,
when the inquirer realizes they have "paid good money"(even
if it's only $1) for your "advertising"materials, you
have less chance of converting that person to a "paying
customer."-- That's why I never asked for even a SASE (i.e.
Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope) in any of my classified ads.
Unfortunately, the self-styled mailorder "gurus"...
who got rich selling "how-to get rich in mailorder"information
... know that their high-powered, bull-stuff (you know what I
mean) ads have mislead you into believing you can "get rich
selling stuff in classified ads." So, they attempt
to teach you the "art"of classified ad writing in their
"get-rich-quick-in-mailorder"materials.
Using the A.I.D.A. formula (i.e., Attention - Interest - Desire
- Action) ... although they have (probably) never done it themselves
... they try to teach you how to write hard-selling ad-copy in
50 words or less.
Hey! If you think it's hard writing a 4 to 16 page letter
to sell your products or services, try it in 50 words or less.
-- That's why they don't give you any real examples.
Okay! Selling something, or getting people to send you
money for something, is one purpose of classified ads. -- What
is the second purpose?
Believe it or not, the second purpose is ...
The original "How-to Make Money From Classified
Ads"method!
Nearly 40 years ago, I paid $1 for the report. -- it's bundled-up
in my old archives somewhere - but - I'll never forget the ad
it used to teach the method:
DINING ROOM SET. Table, 6 chairs, hutch, server.
Solid oak. (($25)) Moving. Must sell. (The
price was optional.)
Using that ad, the writer explained a little bit about the
psychology of the ad ... especially the "imperative"at
the end and, if memory serves, he gave a number of different
imperatives you could use in your ads. -- The price was optional
because he only recommended listing a price when it was so low
it made the reader's mouth water. -- The rest of the report was
about "how & where"to find old furniture, equipment,
cars, etc., to "sell"in the Classified Section of the
newspaper.
It ain't mailorder, but ... believe it or don't ... back in my
younger days, I made a nice piece-of-change using that method.
(I'm sure it'll work just as well today ... if'n you wanna try
it!)
That brings us to ...
The Best Purpose for Classified Advertising!
If you haven't already guessed it -- the best purpose for classified
advertising is Lead Generation ... getting inquirers ... building
your mailing list.
That's what the self-styled mailorder "gurus"... who
got rich selling "how-to get rich in mailorder"information
... really mean by what they say in their high-powered,
bull-stuff ads - but - they know That's "not" what
they mislead you into believing. So, they have to mislead
you further by trying to teach you to write hard-selling ad-copy
in 50 words or less. But ...
The BEST Classified Ads ONLY Locate & Identify
Your Prospects!
All you should ever want from your Classified Ad is for interested
readers to "raise their hands and be recognized."--
That's it. Nothing more.
Even the original "How-to Make Money From Classified Ads"method
only used Classified Ads to locate and identify those people
who might want to buy the used merchandise you had available.
When any "legitimate"mailorder marketer tells you that
you can make big money from small classified ads, they mean you
can use Classified Ads to locate and identify prospective customers
who want or need products or services like yours. -- Once you
have located and identified a prospective customer, it is up
to your sales material ... like any good salesman ... to "make
the sale."
Only the self-styled mailorder "gurus"... who got rich
selling "how-to get rich in mailorder"information ...
will mislead you into believing anyone gets rich "selling"products
or services in Classified Ads.
Although most mailorder marketers ... professionals and amateurs
alike ... make it a point to create a separate inquiry (classified)
ad for each of their products or services, back in the early
1980s, I realized that anyone who responded to a classified ad
about any kind of money making opportunity was a "prime"prospect
for any and all of my products.
So, I came up with 2 or 3 "generic"ads that pulled
the names and addresses of people who were interested in making
money ... the idea was very simple. All I wanted the reader
to do was "raise their hand,"then I could send them
mailers on any and all of my money-making products and services.
Here are a couple "generic" Classified Ads I have used
in the past...
MILLIONAIRE TELLS ALL. Learn to make all the money
you need, anytime you need it.
MAKING MONEY is Fun & Easy. Learn how.
Because there is no specific opportunity offered in the ad, I
can send them anything about making money.
Now, I'm gonna tell you ...
A REAL SECRET About Classified Advertising!
Classified Ads ARE NOT Intended
To Sell!
Classified Ads should "tell"- or - "arouse
curiosity"... get the reader to ask for more information
... not sell!
Think about it!
A Classified Ad is called a "classified"ad because
it appears under a "classified heading"in the publication.
Therefore, anyone reading that specific "classification"must
be interested in the products or services so classified.
So, all you have to do is "tell"them what you have
- or - "arouse their curiosity"about what you have.
-- Since they are already reading the "classified"ads,
they know they have to get in touch with you, somehow, in order
to get all the details. Your ad just has to tell them how
to contact you.
When you read the two "generic" classified ads I gave
you above, you will notice that neither one of them "sell"anything
- but - they do arouse the curiosity of anyone who reads them
who might be interested in making money. -- That's all I need
to do to get them to "raise their hand and be recognized."
Then, it's up to my sales material ... like any good salesman
... to "make the sale."
YES!! You can make a fortune from small classified ads
... once you realize that ...
Classified Ads Are Only a Tool For Prospecting!
It's up to your sales material ... like any good salesman ...
to "make the sale."
Well ... that's it for this month. -- In order to make every
issue responsive to YOUR needs, please send me your questions;
or tell me what sources or resources you need to build your business;
or give me any thoughts you want to share with your fellow members.
Believe it or don't ... I ain t a mind-reader. -- If n you
doesn't tell me what you need, I may never touch upon the information,
sources or resources you need.
This is your publication for you to use to your benefit ...
I am just your moderator.
Until next month, keep well ...
J.F. (Jim) STRAW
Grande Panjandrum
Can you stump the old master? --
Betcha can't!
Over the past 50 years (man and boy), I have made bundles
of money in direct selling, service contracting, wholesale merchandising,
entertainment (I was a professional Trumpet player, vocalist
& Radio Announcer), freight forwarding, import/export, retail
merchandising, warehousing, real estate, electronics manufacturing,
finder's fees, closeout merchandising, financial brokerage, business
consulting, steel fabrication, gold and coal mining, offshore
banking, mailorder, writing, and publishing. -- That being the
case ...
No matter what business you're in ... whether you're just
starting, well on your way, or at the top of the heap ... I've
probably been where you are, done what you are doing. -- So ...
Anytime you have a question about 'how' to do something in
your business - or - if you have any comments about anything
I've said in issues of this e-Letter; or if you want to add your
2 cents worth ... just "ask" me or "tell"
me.
Send your Questions, Comments or 2 Cents Worth
to ...
with "Question" - "Comment"
- or, "2 Cents Worth" in the SUBJECT.
If I, personally, don't have an answer to any question you
may ask, I will contact some of the professionals in your field
of endeavor (I will probably know one or more personally) to
get the real 'skinny' for you.
Note: If you want to ask a question anonymously
just tell me so when you send in the question. -- Nobody but
you and I will know who asked the question.
Copyright - 2006, J.F. (Jim) Straw. All rights reserved.