Everybody wants to make more money. In fact, most people would like to hit upon something that makes them fabulously rich! And seemingly, one of the easiest roads to the fulfillment of these dreams of wealth is mail order or within the professional circles of the business, direct mail selling.

The only thing is, hardly anyone gives much real thought to the basic ingredient of selling by mail – the writing of profitable classified ads. If your mail order business is to succeed, then you must acquire the expertise of writing classified ads that sell your product or services!

So what makes a classified ad good or bad? First of all, it must appeal to the reader, and as such, it must say exactly what you want it to say. Secondly, it has to say what it says in the least possible number of words in order to keep your operating costs within your budget. And thirdly, it has to produce the desired results whether inquiries or sales.

Grabbing the reader’s attention is your first objective. You must assume the reader is “scanning” the page on which your ad appears in the company of two or three hundred classified ads. Therefore, there has to be something about your ad that causes him to stop scanning and look at yours! So, the first two or three words of your ad are of the utmost importance and deserve your careful consideration. Most surveys show that words or phrases that quickly involve the reader, tend to be the best attention-grabbers. Such words as: FREE… WIN… MAKE BIG MONEY…

Whatever words you use as attention-grabbers, to start your ads, you should bear in mind that they’ll be competing with similar attention-grabbers of the other ads on the same page. Therefore, in addition to your lead words, your ad must quickly go on to promise or state further benefits to the reader. In other words, your ad might read something like this: MAKE BIG MONEY! Easy & Simple. We show you how!

In the language of professional copywriters, you’ve grabbed the attention of your prospect, and interested him with something that even he can do.

The next rule of good classified copywriting has to do with the arousal of the reader’s desire to get in on your offer. In a great many instances, this rule is by-passed, and it appears, this is the real reason that an ad doesn’t pull according to the expectations of the advertiser.

Think about it – you’ve got your reader’s attention; you’ve told him it’s easy and simple; and you’re about to ask him to do something. Unless you take the time to further “want your offer,” your ad is going to only half turn him on. He’ll compare your ad with the others that have grabbed his attention and finally decide upon the one that interests him the most.

What is being said is that here is the place for you to insert that magic word “guaranteed” or some other such word or phrase. So now, we’ve got an ad that reads: MAKE BIG MONEY! Easy & Simple. Guaranteed!

Now the reader is turned on, and in his mind, he can’t lose. You’re ready to ask for his money. This is the “demand for action” part of your ad. This is the part where you want to use such words as: Limited offer – Act now! Write today! Only and/or just…

Putting it all together, then your ad might read something like this: MAKE BIG MONEY! Easy & Simple. Guaranteed! Limited offer. Send $l to:

These are the ingredients of any good classified ad – Attention – Interest – Desire – Action… Without these four ingredients skillfully integrated into your ad, chances are your ad will just “lie there” and not do anything but cost you money. What we’ve just shown you is a basic classified ad. Although such an ad could be placed in any leading publication and would pull a good response, it’s known as a “blind ad” and would pull inquiries and responses from a whole spectrum of people reading the publication in which it appeared. In other words, from as many “time-wasters” as from bona fide buyers.

So let’s try to give you an example of the kind of classified ad you might want to use, say to sell a report such as this one… Using all the rules of basic advertising copywriting, and stating exactly what our product is, our ad reads thusly:

MONEY-MAKER’S SECRETS! How To Write winning classified
ads. Simple & easy to learn -should double or triple your
responses. Rush $1 to BC Sales, 10 Main Anytown, TX 75001.

The point we’re making is that: l) You’ve got to grab the reader’s attention… 2) You’ve got to “interest him” with something that appeals to him… 3) You’ve got to “further stimulate” him with something (catch-phrase) that makes him “desire” the product or service. 4) Demand that he act immediately…

There’s no point in being tricky or clever. Just adhere to the basics and your profits will increase accordingly. One of the best ways of learning to write good classified ads is to study the classifieds – try to figure out exactly what they’re attempting to sell – and then practice rewriting them according to the rules we’ve just given you. Whenever you sit down to write a classified, always write it all out – write down everything you want to say – and then go back over it, crossing out words, and refining your phraseology.

The final ingredient of your classified ad is of course, your name, address to which the reader is to respond – where he’s to send his money or write for further information.

Generally speaking, readers respond more often to ads that include a name than to those showing just initials or an address only. However, because advertising costs are based upon the number of words, or the amount of space your ad uses, the use of some names in classified ads could become quite expensive. If we were to ask our ad respondents to write to or send their money to The Research Writers & Publishers Association, or to Book Business Mart, or even to Money Maker’s Opportunity Digest, our advertising costs would be prohibitive. Thus we shorten our name Researchers or Money-Makers. The point here is to think relative to the placement costs of your ad, and to shorten excessively long names.

The same holds true when listing your post office box number. Shorten it to just plain Box 40, or in the case of a rural delivery, shorten it to just RRl.

The important thing is to know the rules of profitable classified ad writing, and to follow them. Hold your costs in line.

Now you know the basics… the rest is up to you.

How are your managerial skills? Does there seem to be a gap like the Grand Canyon between you and your employees? Let’s see how we can change that.

If you gathered 100 experienced managers together and asked for their advice, it would probably sound like the roar of Niagara Falls until you got them talking in an orderly way. But there’s one thing for sure – they wouldn’t be saying much about “temporal rhythms,” or “competing values models.” Instead, this is probably what you’d hear.

“Don’t be afraid of the phrase, ‘I don’t know’.” If you don’t know the answer to an employee or board member’s question, don’t try to bluff your way through. If you’re at fault, take the blame. If you’re wrong, apologize. If you don’t have the answer at your fingertips then, promise to get back to the person with the answer within a specific timeframe.

“Never gossip.” If someone wants to gossip with you, politely say you’re not interested. The corporate adage, when someone gossips two careers are hurt – the person talked about, and the person talking.

“No task is beneath you.” Don’t think that as a manager you’re above anything. Be the good example and pitch in, especially if the job is one that nobody wants to do.

“Share the credit whenever possible.” A manager who spreads credit around looks much stronger than those who take all the credit themselves.

“Ask for help.” If you think you’re in over your head – then you are! Ask for some help and you’ll find most people enjoy giving a hand. Besides saving yourself from embarrassment, you’ll make a friend and an ally.

“Keep your financial remuneration from the business to yourself.” Discussing how much you’re making is a no-win proposition. Either you’ll be upset because someone is doing better than you, or someone will be upset with you.

“When you don’t like someone, don’t let it show.” This is especially true if you outrank them. Never burn bridges or offend others as you move ahead.

“Let it go!” What shouldn’t happen often does. You weren’t given the project you wanted, you were passed over for the promotion you deserved. Be gracious and diplomatic…and move on. Harboring a grudge won’t advance your career.

“When you’re right, don’t gloat.” The only time you should ever use the phrase, “I told you so” is if someone says to you: “You were right. I really could succeed at that project.”

Another aid to increase your art of management involves asking questions. If you really want to learn what the scuttle-butt within the troops is, ask questions as you travel throughout your organization.

Here are 10 questions that should get you all you want to know:

• What made you mad today?
• What took too long?
• What caused complaints today?
• What was misunderstood today?
• What cost too much?
• What was wasted?
• What was too complicated?
• What was just plain silly?
• What job involved too many people?
• What job involved too many actions?

Prepared with the above list as you travel through the ranks, you should get a pretty accurate reading of your business or organization. It will also get you the feedback from the customers that complained to your employees. What better way to know how your business is functioning, and where it needs tweaking?

Motivating yourself to excel at your job or to be an example to your employees, should not be something you do only when the spirit moves you. It’s an ongoing process that should include every facet of your business life. This means your mental attitude, physical well-being and appearance, work atmosphere, your interaction with others (clients and employees alike), and your off-the-job environment.

Motivational experts get paid big bucks to tell professionals, striving for success, that they must constantly examine these factors. How do you do that? Follow the 5 tips that follow, and watch the changes.

1. Maintain a Positive Attitude – Let’s realize that life is only 10% of what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. We’re responsible for our own actions and attitudes, and changing them when appropriate. When you’re around people/things that are uplifting and positive, you feel that way. You have more confidence in yourself, and know you can change whatever needs changing. If you can make your workplace such a place you’ll find happier workers and higher production. You might even find your employees look forward to coming to work!

2. Leave Personal Troubles Home – Everyone has problems, but they don’t belong at work. Turn your attention and energy entirely to your on-the-job tasks. This will actually be good for you because you’ll get a mental break from your troubles.
3. Create Positive Affirmations – The reason for writing goals for your business is the same as creating positive affirmations on paper. What your eyes see and ears hear, your mind will believe. Try it! After you’ve written them down, read them aloud to yourself – and do it every morning when you get into work. You’ll be amazed at what happens. Come up with a set of new ones every month. Statements such as, “I’m an important and valuable person,” or “I know I’ll make good use of my time today.” Repeating them out loud everyday at a set time will help reinforce positive actions.

4. Make Sure Break Times Are Really Break Times – This is an area where most bosses/entrepreneurs fall down. You become so intense about the project or situation you’re working on that you don’t ease up. Thinking that it’ll be solved in the next few seconds, and then you’ll get a cup of coffee can lead you right up to quitting time. Regularly adhering to a specified break schedule, even if you’re the boss, releases the tension. If you work on a computer this is even a greater problem because before you realize it – you’ve been working in that same position for hours. The best answer to this is to set yourself a reminder on your appointment calendar for every 2 hours, and let the computer reminder chime send you the alert to move around.

This is that point of year once we all begin obtaining those emails that wish to purloin our secret codes and passwords. you recognize those that have subject lines like: “Your Account Is getting ready to Be Closed,” “There’s A Block On Your Account,” “Could You facilitate Me Claim My Funds,” or my all-time favorite “Congratulations – You’ve Won the united kingdom Lottery.”

This is the time of year once we are all buying gifts for family or customers, and therefore the last item we’d like is for our bank or credit cards account to be hindered. that’s specifically what these “cyber grifters” are relying on, and sadly a number of us are tempted to follow the directions sent to analyze.

First and foremost, DON’T FOLLOW THE directions within the EMAIL! If you think that there may be a tangle, access the account in question as you normally do on your laptop and not with the link equipped within the phony email.

I’ve had some terribly authentic wanting email supposedly from banks, that even went up to now on copy the colours of the bank emblem and stationery vogue. But, don’t fall for the scam. In fact, don’t even open the e-mail, as a result of several are simply set to loose a deadly disease program on your pc by being opened. merely forward the suspicious email to the “spoof email” address equipped by your bank, or mastercard company.

Nearly ten million Americans fell prey to identity theft last year, costing businesses and people billions of greenbacks. Here are another tips to assist you:

1. perceive debit card dangers: bigger liability than credit cards. When it involves fraud, debit cards carry a lot of bigger personal liability than credit cards, looking on how quickly you report the loss of the cardboard. If you fail to report unauthorized use among sixty days of receiving your bank statements, you’ll lose all the cash within the account and be held to blame for the quantity of cash that has been tapped from your line of credit.
2. Rethink check writing: that tiny slip of paper has manner an excessive amount of info. Some specialists advise against check writing as a result of it provides away your address, checking account range, signature and license range to finish strangers. On high of that, there’s no federal legislation to limit your liability for solid checks (each state has its own set of rules). specialists advise that you simply check out automating your bill paying.
3. Secure your mail: Your mailbox could be a goldmine of knowledge. Between bank statement, bills, and every one those pre-approved mastercard offers, your mailbox is loaded with personal information that identity thieves will use to simply apply for a mastercard in your name. Unless you diligently check your credit report, you’ll never even comprehend it. a way to avoid this is often to possess your mailbox underneath lock and key, however most folks in Santa Clarita have our mailboxes at the curb in front of our house and therefore the postman frowns on carrying dozens and dozens of keys around. the opposite resolution is to possess a rented mailbox, or to foil “dumpster-diving” thieves by shopping for a shredder and destroy documents before discarding.
4. Go virtual: For searching on-line, there are “virtual” card numbers. These are randomly generated mastercard numbers that are disposable which on-line shoppers use once and throw away. It’s linked on to your real mastercard account thus purchases show up on your monthly bill. The service is straightforward to use – and it’s FREE! All you would like to try and do is register with corporations giving the virtual card, and that they are MBNA, Discover, and Citigroup.
5. produce an emergency identity kit: Would you recognize a way to contact your mastercard company in an emergency? produce an emergency kit that contains: your account range, expiration date, issuing company name, and emergency contact range for every card you own. whereas you’re at it, create copies of your driver’s license, social security card, birth certificate and passport and store them in a very locked box or file cupboard, or a secure deposit box. i favor the safe deposit box best, as a result of this offers you protection within the event of a catastrophe like fireplace, earthquake, etc.

This may all look like plenty of unnecessary work, however if you’re ever the victim of identity theft – even only once – you’ll understand that it’s well well worth the effort.

Many folks forget that were it not for what we stock in our wallets or in our purses, we have a tendency to’re all John and Jane Doe’s if we can’t speak thanks to injury or are unaccompanied by somebody who is aware of us. what quantity less stressful is it to understand that in a very bank box, regardless of where you’re, there are things which will verify your identity. higher to be safe, than sorry!

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