The "Mail Order" business is not a business of itself, but is another way of doing business.  Mail order is nothing more norless than selling a product or service via advertising and the offers you send out by mail.

Therefore, to start and succeed in a mail order business of your own, you need just as much, and in some cases, more business acumen than you would need in any other mode of business.

Remember too, there are "good guys" in mail order, and there are "bad guys", just like in any other business.

So, your best bet for a "proper start" with the greatest chance for success is after a thorough investigation of the products
being offered and being sold; an analysis of the problems involved to get a fledgling mail order operation off the ground, and a good "sixth sense" of what your potential customers will
buy.

You'll need a great deal of patience, and persistence as well.

Mail order is over saturated with plans, directories, sales materials and products that have been around for ten, fifteen twenty years and longer.

Many of these materials were not that good in the beginning, and yet they're still being sold as "quick secrets to wealth and fame".

This is part of the reason for the "junk mail" reputation of mail order.

Just a little investigation on your part will show that the most successful people doing business by mail are always on the alert for "new products" and they quickly add these products to their
own sales inventories as they become available.

This is a "must for success" rule, regardless of whether you do or don't produce your own products.

It's almost impossible to gain much success with a single product - report, booklet, book or manual.

The best way is to search around for a number of related products, then, after arranging dropshipping deals with the suppliers of the products you want to include your listing, along with your own self-produced product, make up a catalogue listing.

It is best if this is a single A4 sheet of paper, printed on both sides, listing the titles of the reports and/or books you have available, including your own, with a "tear off" order coupon at the bottom.

But, let's get back to the beginning and help you to learn what it takes to succeed in mail order.  Don't believe those ads that tell you it doesn't take any money. First off, you are going to need envelopes: C5 mailing envelopes with your name and return address imprinted in the upper left corner.

You'll also need a return reply envelope with your name and return address on the face of the envelope with each C5 envelope you send out.  These can be either C4 or C5 return envelopes. Ask your printer or office suppliers to let you inspect samples.

To realise profits of any consequence, you'll need to send out at least a thousand, preferably five thousand letters per mailing.

And to beak this up, you'll need a supply of envelopes for your acknowledgement and follow-up offers.

You can purchase imprinted mailing and return reply envelopes from your local quick print shop; but for better prices, and with the thought in mind of keeping your costs in line, it's best to shop around for the best prices.

Generally speaking, you'll find the lowest prices offered by those printers who do business by mail. Look for "printing by mail" advertisements in all the mail order publications you come across. Write to them for a price list and a sampling of their work.

As you can see, the mail order business is very closely tied in with the printing business.

Unless you have your own printing plant, always shop around for the best prices and keep your "production costs" in line.

Once you have your envelopes ready, and your circulars made up, you'll need a potential customer list

Again, don't believe the advertisements and "free" advice which states that all you have to do is send your materials out to "fresh opportunity seekers" list.

We have found that the best prospects are those people who have purchased similar or related item.

When selecting a supplier to work with in the mail order business, always be sure they are quick to fill your orders.

Customer complaints are the last thing you want, and poor service leads to dissatisfied and lost customers.

Always be sure your supplier "protects" your customer list, and always make sure he goes that "extra mile" to work with you, and not just for his own profits. This is the kind of service you want from your supplier.

Finally, you'll need to consider advertising the different offerings you have for sale.