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"HOW TO USE YOUR ANSWERING MACHINE
TO MAKE A FORTUNE"
AN OVERVIEW
"Mail Order", it's a term that just about all of us have come to know over the past many
decades. Some of us may be very familiar with most methods of mail order selling. However
sometimes you may see things for sale and not even realize that it's all part of that ever growing
business activity called mail order. No matter where you look, there is mail order. TV, radio,
magazines, newspapers, your mail box, telephone and various other avenues are being used to offer
every kind of product or service you can imagine.
There have been thousands of books written on the subject of mail order selling. These
books cover every conceivable angle of mail order business.
After spending many years reading these books, I could never seem to find a simplified
way to get started. Many of these books were written by entrepreneurs who had made fortunes in
that business - various methods that I tried from those books and failed miserably for one reason or
another. In mail order you can lose more a lot faster than in any other business.
So the answer for me was to devise a method that required very little money and eliminated
all risks of mail order business without sacrificing any of the benefits.
As you will observe in any magazine or on TV, that most popular mail order method relies
on prominent display advertising which requires a lot of money. This restricts the majority of
people from ever getting into that business. Even if you have big money, that type of business will
not be right for you unless you are absolutely certain about what you are doing.
This system gets around these problems and allows you to reap the rewards without risk.
You see, in order for you to learn the ropes, you have to start really small. This is where
this method comes in. It allows you to put really small classified ads in your local newspaper and
sell whatever you want to sell, by using your answering machine. In the following sections I will
help you to find a product that you can sell, without any financial risk. I will show you various
methods to use with your answering machine. By the time you finish reading this manual, you will
know exactly how to go about making maximum amounts of money with minimum effort.
FINDING A MONEY MAKER
As you already understand, the scope of this manual is to show you how you can earn
money by using your answering machine. First you need to develop a product that you can sell
using your answering machine.
This product is one that you can create using your own time, effort and personal skills.
Such a product will not require any form of monetary investments on your part. Hopefully it will
be inexpensive to produce so it will give you maximum profits.
The best kind of product to develop for this program is selling "information" in the form of
booklets. As one can easily observe in their day to day life, we are living in an "information" age.
There are big companies that are conducting multi-million dollar business just by selling
information. There are many reasons as to why you should sell information. Here is an overview.
The purpose of any business is to identify a demand and than fill it up by providing
product or service. There is a continuous demand for information in our society and people will
pay considerable amounts of money if you can help them find the right information. People are
looking for information for various reasons. Such as to improve the quality of their lives, to solve
certain problems, to acquire new skills, to acquire wealth, etc.. A good information booklet can
help them to find specific solutions to their problems.
This is where you come into the picture. You can make a fortune by simply putting
together a booklet or manual that will satisfy a certain need.
You see, the information that most people are looking for, can be easily obtained by simply
searching for it at a library, in books or magazines. But most people can't be bothered by that.
How many people do you know that spend their time in a library? People are either too busy in
their lives or simply don't have the drive. However, if the same information can be offered to them
in an easy to digest booklet, where they don't have to put forth too much effort to benefit from it,
they will welcome it anytime.
If your mind is not being flooded right now with all kinds of ideas for an information
booklet, then don't worry. Let me show you how you can find a topic that can be made into a
booklet.
Study the included free list of ideas. You may be able to choose one from it. Think about
how people may be able to benefit with something that you have mastered in your work or in your
education. Should you have difficulty coming up with a topic, than look in the magazines and
many such information books. Try to notice what type of information books are being advertised
month after month. You can even order some just to see what they have to offer. Create a booklet
along the same lines only make it better.
I can say with a lot of confidence that you are (no matter what your background is) fully
capable of coming up with an information product. Ask your family and friends for ideas. You
will be surprised how much you can gain by picking other people's brain.
Until you decide on a topic, keep a list of all the topics you have bounced around.
Remember, a successful booklet does not necessarily have to be a fine example of English
literature. It can be a simple, brief and plain booklet in easy to read English. It should however
address a certain demand and satisfy people's needs. That is the only requirement for a good
information booklet.
Keeping in mind that our purpose is to identify a demand and satisfy it with an information
product. This product does not even have to be a booklet. It can be in another form such as an
audio tape, video cassette or even a computer disk. So do not restrict yourself to think only in
terms of a booklet. This will widen your options.
HOW TO WRITE YOUR OWN BOOK
An old Chinese proverb goes "Do not give a man a fish, teach him to fish".
This section will show you how to fish. Your endeavors will be most effective when you
take your own thoughts and put them on paper by yourself.
Writing a good booklet or manual is not as difficult as it may seem at first. There are
some simple rules that you can follow and as long as you do that you cannot go wrong. Let's just
go back to the basics for a moment. Written language was invented so that people can
communicate with each other. When you choose to write a booklet or manual keep this sole
purpose in mind. You have to communicate with people by putting your thoughts on paper. Do
not worry about proper grammar or punctuation. As long as you can get your point across you
can become a successful writer. If you feel that your writing needs some polishing, you can get
someone else to do that for you. Perhaps a friend or relative can help in that area.
While writing a booklet use these simple pointers:
1. Design a format which you will follow throughout your booklet.
2. Think of all of the things you might want to say and divide them into different categories
or headings. Once you have your headings you can start to elaborate on each one.
3. Keep your language simple and clear. Your sentences short and concise.
4. Do not use technical terms and jargons. Use layman's terms so everyone can understand.
5. When you start writing you will notice that your thoughts are faster than you can write.
To avoid losing any good ideas, keep a tape recorder handy and record your comments.
You can then play it back and put it into writing anytime.
6. In your writing, try to communicate at a personal level. Imagine that you are speaking to
the most important person you know.
7. When you finish your booklet or manual put it away for a few days. Perhaps even a few
weeks. Then go back and read what you have written. You will find that there are several
sentences or paragraphs that need to be fine tuned. You can also re-write some points or
sentences that don't quite fit right.
8. Remember this very important point. Always give people their money's worth. Make it
the best darn booklet to the best of your ability and skill. Do not hold back anything. You
will come to learn that a little honesty in business - or for that matter in life - goes a long
way.
9. During the course of writing, remember that every sentence and paragraph should have a
point and should be focused to get that point across. Re-write all the sections and
paragraphs that don't have a focus.
10. Do your writing when you feel you are most productive. Some people are really sharp at
night while others are at their mental peak in the morning. Just sit 1 to 2 hours a day. At
the end of the month you will have 30 to 60 hours spent on the book. You will be
surprised to see how much material you can write in that time.
Do not let little details such as lack of a typewriter, weak grammar or need for a
dictionary, etc. bother you. You can always get somebody else to fix your grammar or type your
material.
If you find that you are having difficulty putting your thoughts into book form then get
somebody else to write your book. Give them the raw material. A friend or a family member
might be able to help. You may be able to get a journalism or law student to draft your book for a
small fee. Don't rule out taking a small classified ad in the newspaper. If you don't have the
money up front to pay the writer than perhaps you can offer them a percentage of the sales as
royalties. You can make this arrangement by signing a simple contract.
LIST OF IDEAS FOR CREATING A BOOKLET
1. 501 money saving tips
2. How to save money (in whatever field you have expertise in)
3. How to get a job in (a certain field)
4. How to get a raise from your boss (should you have some tricks)
5. Cheap places to shop (in a certain place)
6. Garden tips
7. Carpentry tips
8. Assemble or build your own (whatever you might be good at building)
9. Tips for improving (any hobby)
10. Hobby kits for any hobby
11. Really unusual recipes (ethnic, old family recipes, etc.)
12. Really unusual barbecue recipes
13. Language courses
14. Joke book (dirtiest, funniest or party jokes, etc.)
15. Music instruction (guitar, piano, etc.)
16. How to repair (anything)
17. IQ tests
18. Legal documents (if you have a legal background)
19. A computer program
20. How to avoid rip-offs in (car repair, VCR repair, renovations, etc.)
21. A Canadian ÎWill' kit (for use in different provinces)
22. Architectural plans/ideas for renovations
23. Children's storybooks (addressing certain subjects, moral issues, etc.)
24. Fishing tips
25. Landscape design (ideas for do-it-your-selfers)
26. Sex tips (only if you are a liberal type)
27. Sex talk (on tape)
28. How to quit smoking (there are a million methods)
This is just a sample list. You are only restricted by your imagination. If you think about
it for a while, I am sure you can come up with a great idea for a booklet perhaps even better than
the ideas listed on the preceding list.
BRIEF BUT POWERFUL - CLASSIFIED ADS
In order for us to make money from our answering machine, we must get people to call us.
In order to do that we can use print medium (or any medium for that matter) to advertise whatever
we are selling. We could place large colourful display ads in mass circulation publications.
People are sure to notice that. There is only one problem. That type of advertising does not come
cheap.
The solution! Classified ads - every newspaper has them. They are brief, simple, cheap,
diverse and very very effective. Some people skip over them but many people use them to buy and
sell just about everything under the sun.
Classified ads are the backbone of this system. Classified ads have the power to produce
incredible results that you may find hard to believe.
Many multi-million dollar operations are a direct result of successful classified advertising.
Even big corporations that have diversified themselves into other forms, of multi-media advertising
find it difficult to not advertise in classified columns of various newspapers.
I can go on and on about the power of classified ads. However, let us just get into Îhow to
write a classified ad' and how to effectively use this medium.
Classified ads should be a brief two to four lines. They could also be called "inquiry-
getting" ads. While writing a small classified ad, one must keep this in mind. You can never hope
to sell anything through a four line ad. However, you can use it to generate inquiries about
whatever product you are selling. Once you have got the reader curious, your answering machine
and other follow-up material will do the rest of the work for you.
In order to develop a good understanding about writing classified ads, I recommend that
you observe the classified section of your newspaper. Try to notice what techniques are being used
to draw your attention in the ads. Also observe which ads are being run over and over. You
should call the listed phone number and get some idea of what exactly they are selling. If they
want your name and address to mail further free information, give it to them. When the free
material arrives you will be able to see exactly what the offer was behind the ad.
Once you locate successful ads, keep them on file. Create a collection of classified ads.
To become proficient at writing good classified ads, I recommend that you use ÎParaphrase
technique'.
Find an ad that you like. One that in your opinion will draw the most attention. Convert
the ad from its original form to suit your product. Paraphrase it in such a way that its essence
should be retained. Do not lose focus of the ad. When using your answering machine to respond
to callers, always mention it in your ad - for example - "computer program will monitor your entire
house against intruders - Call for amazing recorded details tel. - xxxxxxx."
People find it non-threatening to listen to a recorded message. If you had a salesperson
answering your calls, many people will simply avoid calling you. Be sure to use an adjective such
as Îamazing', Îexciting', and Îastonishing', etc... This arouses people's curiosity and gets them to
call you.
The next section teaches you various methods of using your answering machine together
with your ad.
SELLING WITH YOUR ANSWERING MACHINE
*Two-Step Method: - This is the most effective and quick method of converting inquiries into
potential sales. This method uses a three to four minute tape to sell the product. The tape explains
the benefits of ordering your product. It gives them complete information about the product and
offers a guarantee. There are two ways to utilize the two step method. A) You can ask the
customer to order the product by phone asking them to leave their name, address and phone
number. The product is then sent to them using C.O.D. The post office or U.P.S. will collect
money on your behalf. B) You can give the customer your mailing address at the end of the tape.
Then you ask them to send you money by cheque or money order. When you receive orders in the
mail, you simply keep the money and send the product. This is called two-step variation method.
*Three-Step Method: - This method works extremely well. It is frequently used by many mail
order companies. When people call you in response to your ad, you play them a two to three
minute tape. This method uses a shorter message because you do not rely on your answering
machine to make the sale. Simply give them enough info. to spark their curiosity. At the end of
the tape, offer them a free, no-obligation, information package. Ask people to leave their name and
address. The next day you mail them a two to four page sales letter that explains complete benefits
of your product. Customers can fill out the order form and send you payment by cheque, money
order or credit card. For every sales letter you mail, you will have 10 to 25% come back with
orders and money.
*Trial Method: - Using this method you play a three to four minute tape to the customer. At the
end of the tape you will ask the customer to leave an order. In return you ask them to postdate the
cheque for thirty days so that they can examine the product risk free. They can return the product
within the thirty day trial period if they are not happy with it.
This method works extremely well for most products as it gives the customer a great deal
of confidence in your offer.
When using Two-Step Method (asking your customers to send you money) or Trial
Method, be sure to request them to find a pencil and paper so they can write down the information
you will give at the end of the tape. Make your request at the beginning of the message.
THE RIGHT SALES METHOD FOR YOU
Let me start by saying that all sales methods are good methods as long as they make
money for you. However there are pros and cons associated with each one. This section will give
you a run down on all the benefits and short comings of each method. This will help you to decide
which method you should use with your answering machine.
The Two-Step Method when used in combination with C.O.D. arrangement can be most
lucrative for you. It makes it extremely easy for people to order your product. All they have to do
is speak into their phone at the end of your sales tape.
This method also eliminates the need for investing in a sales letter.
The drawback is that you will get a 40% to 50% return ratio. Sometimes people simply
don't have the cash, they are not home or they have changed their mind.
The C.O.D. will cost you three to four dollars even if it is not accepted by your customers.
The way to get around this problem is to charge $8.00 to each customer in order to recover all the
C.O.D. charges you have incurred.
When using the Variation of Two-Step Method (as explained in the previous section) your
customers will send you money. The only drawback of this method is that it gives customers too
much time to change their mind. The benefit of this method is that you have your money even
before you ship the product.
The Trial Method is best to sell to all the reluctant customers. It gives you credibility as
you can't have the money for four weeks after you ship the product. The downside of this method
is the same as described above. It offers the customer too much time to change their mind. This
method will also give you a poor cash-flow situation as you will continue to ship the product in the
beginning and keep incurring various costs yet you will not have the money for 30 days.
The Three-Step method is good for keeping a smooth cash flow. Customers keep sending
you orders and payment even before you ship the product. The other great thing about this method
is that you will have a higher sales ratio (up to 25% of all the inquiries). The reason is the
customer is being sold three times.
The down side is that it takes a lot of work. To transcribe the names and mail them the
sales letter costs time and money.
SELL! SELL! SELL! - USING A GREAT SALES LETTER
As mentioned earlier, you will need to prepare a sales letter that can be mailed to your
prospects in response to their inquiries. This letter will be used as the final step in the three step
method.
As you can understand your success or failure can depend on the quality of your sales
letter. A good sales letter will bring tremendously better response (a higher sales closing ratio)
than a loosely written letter.
The sales letter is your last ammunition against the prospect. Its only purpose is to make
them buy.
In order to write a good sales letter, you must gain an understanding of the sales process.
The complete process of selling a product or service has been summed up by experts into these
four steps.
1. Attention: Get their attention. Without attention they will not read/listen carefully.
The best way to get attention is to describe your product and ask them questions. Such as, "Do
you make long distance phone calls?" (If you were selling a long distance savings package).
2. Interest: Get their interest. Tell them what's in it for them. People are self centred and
like to hear about things that may benefit them. Tell them the benefits of your offer, i.e. "You can
save up to 80% on long distance calls by joining..."
3. Desire: They may be interested in your product, may be convinced that it is a good
product, but they will still not send in the order unless you address this critical step, arousing a
desire to own/use your product. At this stage of the selling process, you should also handle any
hesitations or objections that a prospect might have. Offer them a warranty. Remind them of the
benefits, i.e. "You will be able to call your out of town friends and family more often" - create
urgency, e.g. "Limited time offer, limited stock, etc.".
4. Action: Even with the above steps completely satisfied, they may still not order - unless
you remind them. Ask for the sale. Make it easier to buy. Mention the price and the benefits.
Compare the price to something that is routine and ordinary and short-lived. Such as "for less than
the price of a tank of gasoline..."
Here are some more pointers for a sales letter:
- If possible, offer a free giveaway with your product - mention it repeatedly in the sales
letter. The give-away should be related to the primary item that is being offered for sale.
- Be sure to offer a guarantee - and be prepared to honour your guarantee.
- Become a member of the Better Business Bureau or some other related organization. The
benefits will go a long way.
- Use true and honest testimonials in your sales letter. Keeping in mind that due to extreme
enthusiasm, some people may give testimonials that your product can do things that it is
not capable of doing. To use such quotes is fraud.
- If you happen to sell your product to a celebrity or a prestigious firm, get their permission
to use their name or logo in the sales letter.
- And finally, do not forget to implement all four steps of selling that we have listed earlier
in this section.
THE RIGHT PUBLICATION FOR YOUR PRODUCT
In order to be really successful at selling your product you must advertise in the right
publications. Depending on the nature or subject of your product, you will need to make a choice.
Notice that most newspapers have quite a wide range of headings in their classified
section. Study the paper and find the most appropriate heading for your product. This is just as
important as finding the right publication. Your newspaper's classified department can help you to
find the right section for your product! For example, if you were offering a booklet on "how to
find the right mate" then you are not going to place it in the ÎBusiness' section of your newspaper.
The right section of the classifieds will be where they have the Îpersonal' ads. By the same token
you may find that certain products can be effectively advertised in more than one column. Test it
first under the most appropriate column or heading. If it works, you can then choose to place a
second ad in the other column. You will likely get more response. A word of caution is in order
here. Be sure to "key" your advertisements. This will let you know how much response is coming
from each ad.
More often than not, you will find the products that are highly successful are the ones
which have universal appeal. Try to stay with a product that has such appeal. This way it does
not have to go into specialized publications. You can advertise in any daily or weekly paper.
As common sense will dictate, test your product in one or two papers first. No matter how
promising the product appears to you, do not take a chance and spend your money in more ads
than you have to. Just two or three ads will be sufficient to give you enough information about the
feasibility of that product. While running the test ads, do not advertise in the same paper for a
complete week. Just a few days in each paper will do the trick. Another word of caution. Most
people do not read classified ads on the weekends. So avoid putting a lot of ads on weekends,
especially in the business section.
To find various publications and newspapers throughout the country, go to a library. Get
them to help you locate names and addresses of all newspapers of interest in various cities. You
may also wish to consult a directory that lists all the publications in your country. This directory
can be found in most major public libraries. One such directory in Canada is published by
McLean Hunter Publications. It is called "Canadian Advertising Rates & Data".
Whenever you wish to advertise in a publication, it is advisable that you read at least one
issue of that publication. This way you can determine the suitability of that publication as it
relates to your product.
MULTIPLY YOUR EARNINGS
In the beginning you will start out by putting small ads in your local newspaper. You may
even consider distributing flyers or posting them around town in high traffic areas. This will get
you started right away without spending too much money. It will hopefully give you positive
response which will lead to some earnings.
The income that will result from initial response may not seem much at first glance.
However, let's try to visualize what just $20.00 from one ad in your newspaper means. We will
recommend that you test your idea in at least three different newspapers. If your idea is a success
in three newspapers then chances are it will be a success every time you place it in new
newspapers. The reason is that with each new ad, you are reaching a new group of individuals
who will respond to your ad in the same way as others did from your previous ad.
Taking an average profit of $20.00 per ad daily, you need to place 100 ads to make
$2000.00 per day. Notice how quickly the picture changes as soon as you start to expand your
horizon.
You see, every time you run an ad, you are kind of hiring a new sales person. New
potential customers will be reached and your sales letter and answering machine will do the selling
for you.
In order to earn really big money in this business you will need to think of numbers. You
will have to constantly re-invest your earnings into advertising. In order to reach a large income on
a daily basis you'll have to constantly expand your advertising budget. Don't get me wrong. I am
not advocating that you put lots of your own money into advertising or all your earnings from the
previous ad, however, I am suggesting you use a big percentage of your earnings from current ads
to multiply the number of ads out there. For example, one ad should be able to pay for the next
two, two ads should pay for four, four ads for eight and so on.
It won't be long before you notice that you have re-invested all the money that you need to
re-invest.
There are thousands of newspapers in North America. You don't need to advertise in
every one of them. However, you should advertise in a few dozen papers. At the end of a six
month period you will see how much income can be earned using this technique. You will be
astonished.
It is not a very difficult task to keep track of a few dozen ads. I will recommend that you
re-new them on a monthly basis. This way you will only need to remit just a few dozen payments
each month.
The method I have suggested here for multiplying your income is exactly the same as used
by all big businesses and millionaires. You have to think big numbers if you want to get rich.
MANAGING THE BUSINESS
Here are some tips that will save you time and money. During the course of running this
business you will face various situations. In this section we have tried to prepare you for some of
those situations.
Registering Your Business - Once you get past the test stage of your business, you
should make a point of registering it as a sole proprietorship or as a partnership. You need to do
that for various reasons. You will have to report all the income that you will earn to the
government. There are local and federal taxes applicable which you will need to remit. For
complete information on this you should contact appropriate government agencies.
Open a Bank Account - You will also need to open a bank account in your business
name, in order to deposit cheques, etc.
Choosing a Name - You should choose a name that somehow reflects the nature of
business that you are involved with. A name should sound powerful and should have a certain
appeal to the consumer. Observe the names of some successful businesses and you will know what
type of name to choose.
Day to Day Tasks - If you are using a Two-Step or Three-Step method, you will have lots
of people leaving their names and addresses on the machine. You will need to transcribe the
cassette on a daily basis. In order to transcribe the tape, take it out of the answering machine and
play it in a cassette player. This way you won't miss any calls. This will also give you better
control over the playback. If you miss a word you can play it again.
Transcribing the Tapes - One of the biggest problems you will face is that many names
and addresses of people will not be easily understandable due to various reasons. Some people
might have a heavy accent, bad connection, complex or unfamiliar name or street that they have
not spelled out for you. Perhaps they have a cold or they simply talk too fast. If you do not
understand a critical part of the order than simply discard it. You are no worse-off doing it as
chances are that product may come back to you undelivered due to wrong address. If they really
want the information or your product, they will call you back.
Choosing an Answering Machine - If you already have an answering machine, you are
all set. Use it regardless of its make, model or lack of features. Your purpose is to get started
right away. No matter what type of machine you have, it will do in the beginning. When you earn
some money, be sure to get yourself a state-of-the-art answering machine. I recommend the dual
full size cassette styled machines with time/day stamp features by either Sanyo or Panasonic.
Believe me it will save you a lot of headaches in the long run.
Keeping Track of Inventory - In any business, a good practice is, to know exactly how
much stock you have of the product you are selling. This allows you to re-order your inventory in
time so you will not lose any business. Be sure to have enough inventory at any time. You may
ask what is enough inventory? Let's say our average sales are ten pieces per day. If you have 100
pieces in stock, you have inventory for ten days. However, if it takes you two weeks to get your
product from the supplier (or printer) then you are in trouble. You will lose business as you will
be without inventory for four (and possibly more) days so always keep an eye on your inventory.
Note: Should you run out of inventory by mistake, it is good practice to right a concise letter to
your customer explaining the situation. This will help you to keep good terms with your
customers.
When Business Starts to Grow - In the beginning you should test your idea in one or two
newspapers. Should you get good response and start making money, you can expand into many
other newspapers. This will increase the volume of calls into your answering machine. You will
reach a point where your answering machine will not be able to handle all the calls. What should
you do? The answer is to rent a Îvoice-mail' box. A voice-mail box is an electronic facility that
works the same as your answering machine. You can rent a voice-mail box for a monthly fee
ranging from $15.00 to $30.00. There are many companies listed in the yellow pages under
"Electronic-Equipment-Rental" or "Voice Mail". A voice-mail box will give you clearer sound and
increased volume handling capacity.
Keeping Track - Once you get past the test stage of your business, you will have various
ads running in different publications. The only way you will make money is that if you keep a
close watch on each ad. You will have to keep a separate sheet for each ad where you will record
the number of responses. If you keep Îtrack-sheets' for each ad, you will know instantly if an ad is
making money or not. In order to identify each ad properly you will have to Îkey' them
individually. This is done by putting a separate extension number on each ad. You may want to
ask your customers to tell you the name of the publication when they leave their order. Most
people will comply with your request.
10