Business Lyceum
e-Letter
Practical
Instruction in the Arts and Sciences of Making Money
SEPTEMBER 2001
Greetings & Salutations:
Each month, as I answer questions, respond to comments and
reply to follow-up requests, I save my answers, responses and
replies in a special folder. Then, sometime during the
month, I begin putting some of those messages into my e-Letter
template for the next issue (there are usually a few left over;
which I keep for another issue). -- Near the end of the month,
I write my editorial, add it to the template and have the e-Letter
ready for distribution.
Well ... this month I find I have an issue filled with so
many go-o-o-d messages from you readers, I'm not even going to
write an editorial. -- I'll just share with you a ho'bunch of
...
Questions & Answers, Comments
& Other Good Stuff!
To get started, Dena wanted to
know:
"I am trying to find out a low cost way to patent an
invention without the lawyer run around and how to market the
product. If you can give me any helpful web sites or people
to contact I would greatly appreciate your time."
Dena:
Patenting an invention doesn't necessarily have to be expensive
-- in most cases, you can do it yourself. As a matter
of fact, there are a multitude of good books on "do it yourself
patents" available in most bookstores or on Amazon.com.
To advise you on possible marketing methods I would need to
know what the product is, what it is used for, who uses it, etc.,
etc., etc. -- the list goes on & on because every product
has its own unique uses & users that must be made aware of
the product's availability.
While you are spending your time getting your patent, spend
some more time reading & studying the ads that sell "similar"
products. That way, you can better know who, and where,
your market may be.
Keep me posted as your progress.
Then, Sandra had some
...
"Advice for Paralegals: Paralegal's can make a
living; but the key is to specialize and target a market ...
several markets are hot right now: 1)people who want to do their
own divorces, 2) workers compensation injury consultation 3)
consultation and help in filling out forms for SSI (supplemental
security income) 4) consultation on illegal job terminations
...
"A paralegal who has narrowed their market to one of
the above niches are in a prime position to make money because
people in these areas often want to minimize the amount of money
they spend for legal services ...
"Also it's been my experience many attorneys lack "time"
to spend with their customers ... A paralegal filling a niche
can provide quality information products. One resource to inspire
along these lines is a website called http://www.nolo.com
... this company was started by an attorney who recognized the
value of paralegal help and self help in the legal field...hope
this information will help anyone with a paralegal background
...
"A paralegal can spend time online visiting message boards
which deal with the niches above and developing products to address
the 'wants' of the groups. -- Hope this helps."
Thank You, Sandra.
Paul Reynolds asked:
"I really enjoy your e-zine! I am trying to find companies
that have products which I can sell via catalogs they have created.
Ideally these companies would create the catalog in such a way
that the end customer couldn't reach the manufacturer directly
( I would distribute the catalogs ) which would ensure that I
would receive the orders. Do you know of any resources that I
could use to find these kind of companies?"
Paul:
The "American Drop Shippers Directory" is filled
with all kinds of companies that drop ship their products.
Many of them have catalogs you can have imprinted.
You can get a copy of the latest "American Drop Shippers
Directory" for $18 ($15 + $3 s&h) from Selective
Books, Inc., P.O. Box 4342, Dalton, GA 30719 - Phone/FAX:
(706) 272-3750
You have probably been seeing all the advertising frenzy about
Mark Joyner's traffic generating program ... "StartBlaze."
-- I looked at it and, frankly, I wasn't impressed. It
looked like just another multi-level traffic generating dealie.
One morning, as always, after quickly reviewing my emails
and segregating the orders for processing, I reviewed by web
site Traffic Report for the previous day. -- I was amazed to
see a bunch of solid hits from one of my affiliates ... with
a couple orders from those visitors.
When I traced back the hits, I was flabbergasted to find that
my affiliate had simply listed the URL to one of my pages on
the "StartBlaze" with their affiliate id# at the end
of it. -- That affiliate has already had a ho'bunch of hits -
and - earned a couple commissions, too ... all from their StartBlaze
listing.
This might just be a solid traffic generator after all - and
- when you list the URL, list one of your affiliate pages, to
get people to come to a sales page you like ... and earn some
commissions to.
You can learn all about StartBlase at: http://www.startblaze.com/cgi-bin/intro.cgi?27736
Hey ... I still don't consider myself to be an Internet Marketer
- but - I just might be someday (when my Internet sales are greater
than my Mailorder sales).
Jeff wanted to know:
"I am interested in mailorder and I've asked you before
about the amount of money needed to get into the business. You
said it would take $500. to $1,000. What I'm wondering
is this; if I attempt mailorder with this much capital would
this simply be a learning/testing phase or is there a good chance
I could turn a profit?"
Jeff:
With $500 to $1,000 you CAN begin making a profit - BUT -
it will take more time than it would if you had more money to
spend.
Then again, even with a $50,000 beginning budget, it is possible
to lose it all without making a dime.
No matter what business you go into ... including mailorder
... there is always a learning curve. Some people learn
faster than others. Some people never learn.
Chris Smalley needed some
help getting started:
"I am in the process of starting my online business.
I have some really great and very hot, in-demand products.
Because I'm a computer technician, I understand how to get my
web site domain registered and get it uploaded to the Internet.
But, when it comes to getting a merchant account or being able
to take credit card orders on my web site, I'm a novice.
"Do you have any advice or can you point me in the direction
of a good place to start? I want it to be secure so that
my customers can feel safe when ordering from my site.
I also don't have a whole lot of money to get it all setup.
I do have some funds set aside for getting it started, but I
hope it's not going to take 'an arm and a leg' to do it. -- I
look forward to your newsletters all the time, especially now
that I'm very close to getting my business up and running."
Chris:
Here are a couple items that have appeared in recent issues
of my "WorldWide Business Exchange." --
They might have what you need.
Since we have had our own Credit Card Merchant Account since
1974 ... we were one of the first to accept credit cards on mail
orders ... I don't know how true it is but, this contact says,
"You can increase your sales by from 75% to 100% by accepting
credit cards." -- Then again, I understand that many (if
not most) small businesses ...e specially those selling by mail
or on the Internet ... can't qualify for their own Credit Card
Merchant Account. -- "How to Accept Credit Cards Without
a Merchant Account" explains how to do it using Third
Party Processors ... then it gives you a list of those processors.
-- Contact claims using these Third Party Processors, there are
No Expensive Fees, No Wasting Time Punching Numbers, No Credit
Checks, No Equipment to Buy, No Paperwork, No Dealing with Merchant
Banks, No Customer Hassles, No Credit Card Fraud, No Limit on
Sales Volume, No Dealing with Credit Card Companies - and - your
account is Not Affected by any New Regulations. Bankruptcy
on your record is No Problem. -- This short course & directory
of processors has sold for from $29.95 to $39.95 - but - contact
can send you a copy for only $19.95 (postpaid). -- Order
your personal copy of "How to Accept Credit Cards Without
a Merchant Account" today. -- Contact: MICHAEL
RODRIGUEZ, United Marketing, 6905 Drexel Dr., Austin, TX
78723 -- (512) 928-2786
When you need a Credit Card Merchant Account, this contact
has'em. -- No application fee. No site inspection.
No tax returns. No bank statements. No purchase required.
-- Don't worry about credit...you are automatically approved.
(The only reasons for denial are open bankruptcy or credit fraud.)
-- Increase your sales by 20% (or more) with your own Credit
Card Merchant Account. -- Contact: DONALD ELLIGAN, Jr.,
P.O. Box 68, Greensboro, NC 27402 -- (800) 675-6573
Ext: A7553
Robert Maroney ran into a brick
wall:
"I'm interested in finding out if, by any chance, you
would be able to help me or maybe give me some advice on where
I might be able to locate someone who may have had a very profitable
direct mail or mail order marketing campaign in the past that
still would be very viable in today's business. I would like
to discuss with them the possibility of purchasing all their
sales promotion material as well as where the best place to advertise
the program. I have been searching for a while and just haven't
been convinced that there is such a person or company available
. I have been reading your posts on some forums and also subscribed
to your Lyceum e-Letter and believe that you are indeed a pretty
straight forward person who will give me a straight forward answer
whatever it may be."
Bob:
Hate to tell you this - but - you may never find one. -- Why?
-- Because, if an ad campaign is a money maker it usually gets
passed from the originator to his progeny ... whether an offspring
or someone else who follows in the originator's footsteps; or
it is sold while it is still making a bundle (usually for a bigger
bundle).
The very, very few cases I have seen, where a profitable campaign
has been picked-up by someone not associated with (or related
to) the originator has been when the originator has died with
no one to carry on. In those few cases, an unrelated party
has been able to negotiate for the rights to the campaign through
an heir who knew nothing about the business.
Keep looking ... you might get lucky.
Rev.Gerry Straatemeier, MSW had this
to say:
"I am a new subscriber and enjoyed your first newsletter,
which I received tonight. Thanks for your effort.
I have sent out regular missives myself, and know it doesn't
just happen. -- I am trying to discover how to build a business
on-line after 9 pm, as I have a day job and children and don't
get around much," except on Sundays - and church is
really the wrong place for a minister to pursue personal business
interests. I market legal services policies. I do have
an autoresponder service but no one to autorespond to. -- I have
a comment, a question and then, being an entrepreneur,
albeit a fairly inexperienced one, an offer.
"First the comment. I want to heartily endorse
your comment about MLMs that aren't focused on selling a product
- we call it "laundering money amongst friends."
And very soon you become a member of the NFL club ( no friends
left) when people have been burned. Watch out too
for companies that require you to purchase a lot of front-end
product to sell ( garage-qualifying) - I have friends who will
be giving away unused products for Xmas and birthdays until their
grandchildren are old, so much do they have left.
"Next the question - What is your recommendation for
finding customers on line without spamming?
"Finally, the offer. -- PrePaid Legal offers FREE legal
and business resources on hundreds of issues, on line.
We do this through distributor web sites, both in the spirit
of service, and hoping that if someone has a further need, they
will look to us. I would invite you to review the website's
Legal Resources and Business Resources and let me know what you
think.
"If you like what you see, and believe your readers can
benefit from these resources, there are 2 ways to go. The
first way is to just place a button on your web-site, directing
traffic to my website. This way, if someone
decides they need more than the information available free,
I receive a commission. The second, of course, is
to become a (passive) distributor yourself, resulting in commissions
to you and over-rides to me. -- Here is the URL: http://www.prepaidlegal.com/go/gerrycoach
Sister Straatemeier:
One of the beauties of Internet Marketing is ... it doesn't
care (or matter) what time of the day you work; it is open 24
hours a day. So, anything you can do on the Internet can
be done after 9 p.m. ... or whenever.
Thank You for your comments about MLM. -- How true they are.
Your question is probably the most asked question by Internet
Marketers ... beginner and old pros alike. But ...
In Mailorder Marketing, YOU FIND YOUR CUSTOMERS by targeted
mailings and space ads to demographically profiled lists. --
In Internet Marketing, YOUR CUSTOMERS HAVE TO FIND YOU ... which
is an entirely different circumstance.
I am NOT an Internet Marketer ... I am a Mailorder Marketer
who happens to sell my products very profitable on the Internet.
Because of that, for the past couple months, I have been experimenting
with some rather unique new marketing methods to better adapt
mailorder marketing to the Internet. -- Stay tuned to this channel.
I will be telling you all about it as soon as I have the kinks
worked out.
By the way, I was associated with PrePaid Legal 20-odd years
ago when they first started in Oklahoma.
Ever so often someone will ask me what I read on the Internet.
-- Well, here's one I really like ...
http://www.mgiftline.com
Richard Langkamp wants you to
know:
"I have recently joined one of the most advanced data
base to thousands of buyers and sellors. I was wondering that
if yourself, or others you know are searching for something that
may be a little tough for you to find, or just don't have the
time, that you use me as a finder for these products. I can find
many sources of buyers or sellors to many thousands of products.
-- Please feel free to use me as your finder. You may even wish
to give others my name and email address. Thank you. I hope we
can all do a ton of business together."
Clay Parkinson wrote to tell
me:
"My wife and I are going to start a freight brokerage
business from our home. She has over twenty years as a
transportation specialist with a local manufacturing firm.
I would appreciate any tips you care to give us on what to do
and what not to do."
Clay:
Glad to hear you and your wife are venturing into the small
business arena.
First ... instead of being a "brokerage," be a "Freight
Forwarder." -- That will at least get you noticed by those
who use such services.
Now ... the hardest thing about "working at home,"
is "working" at home. The only two rules I followed
for the 15 years I worked at home were: -- 1) have a specific
place to work and don't take work anywhere else in the house.
-- 2) always dress for work just like you were going to
a job (working in your underwear might sound great but it don't
work).
Liz Roberts wanted everyone
to be aware of this:
"In your next newsletter could you let people that market
on the internet know that their website content is being altered.
-- There is a company called Ezula that allows people to download
software called KaZaa that is supposed to search for videos &
mp3s. Its extremely popular with Cnet stating over 6 million
people have already downloaded it worldwide.
"Anyway, it also installs a program that highlights keywords
on web sites these people visit. On my site I have a page
where I advertise credit reports for Consumer Info. Consumer
info has paid this company so that everywhere it says credit
reports, a yellow line appears and they can click directly to
Consumer Info, by passing my link and stealing money from my
pocket.
"I checked your site and nothing popped up...yet.
Right now I think they only have a few dozen advertisers but
I guess as their network grows, who knows what can happen.
"Here is a link to a site that a group of webmasters
that want to do something to stop this company.
http://gethighforums.com/Forum10/HTML/001386.html
Anyway, I thought with all your subscribers, you might be
able to help get the word out."
Thank You, Liz ...
According to what I have read about this deal, the following
meta tag is supposed to block it:
<DEFANGED_meta name="MSSmartTagsPreventParsing"
content="TRUE">
Hey, I don't even know if it will work - but - you might want
to try it.
Koffi Amouzouvi has written an
article ...
"A Wealthy Future for Online Newsletters and
Newspaper companies."
You can read it online at: http://www.gemini3style.com/wealthy-future.htm
Would you believe, I was chosen as one of the
'World's Top Internet Marketing Experts' in a new Ebook "Guru
Magic". (Got'em fooled; ain't I??)
All the experts were asked to supply their top tips for Internet
marketing success.
The advice supplied from 35 gurus should be a boon to
the would-be entrepreneur and anyone building an online business.
And the cost of this collection of marketing gems ?
It's FREE!
And you can use the book as a free gift to promote your very
own business.
"Guru Magic" is now available FREE at:
http://www.supertips.com/gurus/
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
Business Know-it-all
Can you stump the old master? --
Betcha can't!
Over the past 40 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.
Return to the Archives
Copyright - 2001, J.F. (Jim) Straw. All rights reserved.