Money For Your Business - Up To $750,000

Roughly 98 percent of the companies in the United States qualify as small businesses - and most of these businesses are eligible for U.S. Small Business Administration loans up to $750,000, available to build their operations. To these businesses, the SBA guarantees of 90 percent on lenders loans up to $155,000 and guarantees of 85 percent on larger loans. The SBA even makes direct loans to eligible individuals and companies.

As with any business loan, the SBA and its associated lenders look at the applicant's personal credit history, the business financial profile and management experience, and the growth trends in the applicant's industry. Among SBA objectives are greater support for women and minorities in business, aid to rural small business development, and urban business and job creation programs. The 7 (a) loan guarantee program is the SBA's standard program. It aids small businesses needing funds to buy fixed assets or for working capital.

In the 8 (a) program, the SBA acts as prime contractor, contracting with other federal agencies to negotiate subcontracts with small businesses owned by socially or economically disadvantaged individuals. In 1987, 370,000 companies in the U.S. were owned by Asians, American Indians and other minorities. The SBA made over 1600 loans totaling over $400 million to these companies. There were more than 420,000 Black-owned business in the U.S. in 1987, up almost 40 % from 1982. The SBA made more than 500 loans and over 1600 8 (a) contracts totaling over $1.4 billion Black-owned companies in 1990.

Over 420,000 businesses were Hispanic-owned in 1987, up more than 80% since 1982. A number of these firms took part in SBA programs. Disabled and Vietnam-era veterans who cannot secure business financing on reasonable terms from other sources can go to the SBA. Veterans can use these loans to start a small business, or to build an existing business. Small companies in the field of energy conservation can find financial support in the SBA's Small Business Solar Energy and Conservation Loan Program. Loans are available to a broad range of companies seeking ways to cut use of U.S. energy resources.

The SBA's Small Loan program encourages SBA-guaranteed loans of $50,000 or less. Applicants should ask for the SBA Form 4 short form to apply for the small loans. The recent microloan program offering loans of $200 to $15,000 makes SBA funding available to even tiny businesses.
The SBA HAL-1 and HAL-2 programs help handicapped individuals and non=profit workshops to establish, purchase or run a small businesses The SBA's Certified Development Company (CDC) loan program offers credit for small and medium sized businesses that fall between the cracks of programs covered by traditional lenders. And the Export Revolving Line of Credit program helps small exporters to obtain an SBA guarantee on a loan or line of credit. The SBA operates an information desk from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.
Monday through Friday. Call 1-800-827-5722 (1-800-U-ASK SBA)

Readmore »»

HOW TO WRITE A PRESS RELEASE

The word "Press Release" seems to scare most people to death. On top of that not many people take the time to even think of writing their own Press Release. We hope this brief article will help clear up some of the mystery's surrounding this simple form of marketing. The first thing you have to remember is that a Press Release is a "news" item. It needs to "inform" people, NOT sell them something. For example, you are reading this report because you want to learn something that will BENEFIT YOU.

You aren't reading it just so you can buy something else. If money is the deriving force in your business _ you won't go too far. Your main goals should be in pleasing customers, providing them with a high- quality product and more than their money's worth. The trick is to do all this while still making money. People don't care what mountains you had to climb, what seas you had to cross or what tribe of people you had to learn the ways of just to find a secret formula. Instead _ they want to know WHAT the secret formula is.

The sales circulars you print and mail sell your product. A Press Release informs others about your product. Instead of your main objective being to sell the product and have the customer send in an order immediately, a Press Release informs the customer exactly how your product will benefit their lives. This must be conveyed in the form of a "newsworthy" Press Release. If you have a sales circular to sell a product, you can easily turn it into a Press Release without much difficulty. It's just a new marketing angle of presenting your product to the public.

The following is an example of a typical Press Release for our publishing services: So many people are entering the mail order market these days, but so many of them are getting ripped-off by a bunch of hype. People are promised untold riches in a short period of time. The hype ads play with their emotions by making them believe it's so easy to make money through the mail. It's sad.

However, a new book has just been released to help solve these problems for the average person. For the first time in history _ a REAL directory has been compiled listing the ACTUAL name and addresses of 179 honest and trustworthy mail order folks. People can write DIRECTLY to these people and receive FREE information to get them started in their own business now! It's unbelievable. Without trying to sell you anything else, you can get this book for only $4.95 _ a price anyone can afford. Meet the real mail order dealers who care about their products and wants to help you get started doing what they are doing.

Only available from Graphico Publishing, PO Box 488, Bluff City TN 37618. As you can see, this is a short but sweet Press Release _ however, you should be able to see the "newsworthiness" in it. It's main focus is on the fact that most people get ripped-off when they start their first mail order business. The solution to this problem is a new directory that is available for the first time in history. The sell is slowly led into because the reader will naturally want to get their hands on this one. It doesn't ask for money it only tells the reader how to get a copy if they want one.

Here's a great test for a real press release. Since your final sales pitch is included in the last paragraph _ read the Press Release aloud. Would it still be worth reading WITHOUT your sales pitch? If so, it's probably a Press Release. Press Releases come in many forms due to the product you are writing about. However, the basic rule of thumb still applies. If you've never wrote one before _ it may be a little difficult. Don't despair. Grab the latest daily newspaper and read some of their informational articles. Notice how each article is written and pattern yours after the same format. After you do a few of them _ you'll be able to "get the picture."

When your Press Release is written to your satisfaction, the proper way to submit it to a publisher is: Be sure and type it on a typewriter or computer. Standard format is double-spaced and not longer than two 8 1/2x11 pages. Be sure and put your name, address and page number at the top of each page. Write the note: "For Immediate Release." at the top. If you are only sending the press release to one publication _ tell them it's a "first run."

Readmore »»

HOW TO SET UP YOUR OWN IN-HOUSE ADVERTISING AGENCY

With the high prices of placing ads today, why not save money? There's no special secret to writing and placing advertisements in magazines, tabloids and newspapers. And why not claim the discount given to advertising agencies? If you handle your own advertising correspondence, work with layout artists and write your own ads, it's well worth your while to set up your own in-house ad agency and save a ton of money.

Even if you don't create your own ads, you can profit from setting up your own agency and placing the ads that bring sales directly to you. If you have somethings to sell - especially by mail order - advertising is they way to make that product reach people. Although advertising agencies produce excellent ads of all types and sizes with every demographic appeal, they also charge for it. That's why they're ready to claim the fifteen percent discount usually granted for placing ads.

You can learn how to create and design your own ads - with no background in copywriting or art. And, you can set up your own ad agency to place these ads where THEY'LL MAKE MONEY FOR YOU. Do you have a product that you're ready to sell? Now's the time to find out the best angles to use and the tricks of the trade to putting money in your pocket.

STARTING YOUR BUSINESS
Do you have a mail order business? Maybe you sell clothing, camping supplies, or information through ads to the mail order trade. Perhaps you've run classified ads for years and are ready to branck out into larger display ads. Not only small home businesses, but larger mail order companies and hundreds of major advertisers everywhere set up their own in-house agencies to produce and place ads. Even magazines create in-house departments under another name to get the agency discount.

What might set advertising agencies apart from homemade operations is the appearance of the letterhead and the ad form. They must look sharp and professional.
Start with a name for the ad agency you want to establish. It can be anything, but must be different from the name of the company that will be using the space. Then register the name with the county clerk. Check first to be sure you're not using a company name already in business.

Desiging letterhead is easier than you think. You don't have to create an elaborate or clever logo - the initials of the company will do. You can choose the mark - the special type style - at a printers, or use one of dozens of press-on letter styles available at art supply stores. Using photo offset, an instant printer can run off a thousand sheets at a very low price. If you go to a printer, check and compare the total printing costs. Typesetting can be expensive and there's a minimum charge. You may want to wait to get all your typesetting and printing done at the same time - letterhead, ad form, ad copy and any sales literature you may be preparing. Investigate ways to get by with the lease expense.

Establishing your own ad agency is so easy that the most important part is the form you send in when you place ads. Although there are no federal restrictions for in-house ad agencies, some publications may quibble. If your form looks as good as the rest, you'll have no problems.
The following page is a representation of a sample ad order form. Just copy this form and have your company design or logo printed on top. You can choose a color paper to have the forms run off on - they'll be more noticeable. Then all you do is send in a copy of the ocmpleted form with your check and final artwork for your ad - and claim a big discount for being your own agency.

NAME OF ADVERTISING AGENCY

Address
To the publisher of: __________________________________________________
Order number: ___________________ Date: ____________________________

Please publish advertising of:
For (product):Space to be ordered within one year from ______ through ____________

Space ____________________________________________ Times ___________
Dates of Insertion:

Position ______________________________ Copy ________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Rate Less agency commission _______________________________ on gross
Less cash discount ____________________________________________ on net

Mail all invoices to:
Accepted for publishing on
PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN TO AGENCY

THE INSERTION ORDER FORM
The following will describe what the various terms on the insertion order form mean and how to fill them in. Space indicates what type of space you are buying: classified or display. If you want display space, indicate the size. Fill in the number of times you want the ad to be repeated. It will run in the number of consecutive issues you indicate. Then fill in the actual dates of insertion for the ad.

The position of the ad can be an important factor in selling. Although you rarely can be guaranteed a certain position in the publication, ask for it anyway. You'll probably get at least the nest best position. If you are running a short ad that will be printed by the publication, you can type out the copy in the instructions space at the bottom. The key designates the address code you'll use to analyze responses.

For example, you can use a letter to indicate the name of the publication, and a number for the month of issue. Insert this key in the address, perhaps as a department division or suite number. When you get inquiries or orders with that key, you'll know which ad pulled the response.

HOW TO DETERMINE RATES
Every publication that solicits advertising has a rate card. This card is available from the advertising coordinator, who is the contact for the publication and can be very helpful in assisting you. The best way to get a rate card is to write for one or call if the publication is in your city. The rate card has the general information you'll need for placing your ad. It should indicate the total circulation with a breakdown of subscriptions and newsstand buyers. Keep in mind that most publications have two to three readers for every one purchase.

The advertising rates may be broken down a number of ways, depending on how the publication sells space. Display rates may be sold by the column-inch or lines. Or, they may be broken up into fractions such as a half-page or quarter-page. Some publications have a minimum size space ad, so keep this in mind when designing the ads for certain publications. The rate card will tell you the amoung of discount you are entitled to as an ad agency. It will also give you the deadlines for placing the ads for the next issue and the issuance date, the actual day the magazine comes off press and goes to the newsstands and to subscribers.

If you have any questions concerning the type of space you need or the actual rate, just ask the advertising coordinator.

TAKE YOUR 15% DISCOUNT
As an advertising agency, you are entitles to a fifteen percent discount on the ad space, unless the publication grants only lower discounts. The easiest way to subtract a 15% discount is to multiply the rte charge by .85. Immediately, you have the exact figure for placing the ad.

TAKE ANOTHER 15%
Many publications realize that the mail order businesses don't operate with a high capital for placing ads. Because of this, they offer a fifteen percent discount for mail order display ads. To compute the fee for two discounts - fifteen percent for mpute the fee for two discounts - fifteen percent for mail order and fifteen percent for the agency discount, simply multiply the total rate charge by .70. This will give you the fee.

TAKE YET ANOTHER 2%
Whether you are an ad agency or not, you are entitled to take a two percent discount for sending your check with the order. Most publications offer this discount to discourage billing and encourage cash sales. To figure out the two percent cash discount, Multiply the total rate charge by .98 - after you have already taken the other appropriate discounts. That will give you the total you will pay for placing your ad.

WHERE TO PLACE ADS
The rule of thumb for placing ads, especially for mail order, is to look through the publications catering to the same product you are selling, and do the same. Although advertisers are always looking for new and innovative ways to sell products, they usually stick with the proven ways of selling. What are you selling? Where are the logical places these products are sold? Go there and place your ads where people will look for your products.

There is no reason you can't hit a successful ad campaign the first time, but more often, you'll find it necessary to spend some time testing different ads, different display sizes, and even different lead products. Testing is the name of the game, and if you're careful, you don't have to go for broke, but can build a sound winner. A number of significant successful companies have made a fortune from advertising an appealing product and delivering a good deal. There is no reason why you can't too.

BUYING SPACE
There are two types of advertising space in a publication - display space and classified ads. How you use ad space is entirely up to the type of appeal that will sell the product best, and the financial budget you are working with. Don't shortchange classifieds. A small, well-written classified ad can bring hundreds of responses on a continual basis.

Often, classifieds are used in a two-step approach of first placing an ad that has no price mentioned and soliciting the reader's response for free information. Then it is followed up with a sales letter or brochure - some kind of sales literature - that gives the pitch for the product. Classifieds are the least expensive ad to place. People who run mail order businesses find them to be the best dollar-for-dollar investment in advertising. Look at the classifieds section of the publications you are planning to place ads in. If your product could be sold with a classified ad, you should start there.

If you have actual products to sell, display ads are your better bet. You'll probably need an illustration to show the product - something to catch the eye. You can also include a line or two about sending for a catalog if that item doesn't appeal enough, but has captured interest.

TO BE CONTINUE........

Readmore »»

HOW TO ACCOMMODATE A HOME-BASED BUSINESS

Almost everyone needs or wants more money than they currently have, and with this desire most of these people would like to start some sort of extra income producing project. The trouble is, not many of these people seem able to fit "a second job" into their time schedules. It's true that people are very busy, but extra time for some sort of home-based extra income producing project can almost always be found. It may mean giving up or changing a few of your favorite past-times, such as having a couple of beers with the guys or watching TV - but if you score big with your extra income project, you will have all the time you've ever wanted for doing whatever you want to do.

The first thing to do is to sit down with pencil and paper, and list your daily schedule. What time do you wake up - then step-by-step, list everything you do each day. Most people will find that they have about 3-hours each day that can be utilized in a more constructive or efficient manner. As we've already noted, you may have to give up the time you waste in your local pub or a few of the television programs you watch, but it should be worth it in the long run.

Efficient time management boils down to planning what you're going to do, and then doing it without back-tracking. Start by making a list of the things you want to do tomorrow, each evening before you jump into bed. Schedule your trips to the store or wherever to coincide with other things you have to do, and with your trips to or from work. Organize your trips to take care of as many things as possible while you're out of the house. Take stock of the time you spend standing around shooting the breeze - especially the time you spend on the telephone - and eliminate all that isn't necessary.

Whatever chores you have to do at home, set aside a specific time to do them, and a specific amount of time to devote to them. For instance, just one hour a day on yard work would probably make your property the envy of all your neighbors. Don't try to do a week's work in one big flurry. Whether it's painting your house, fixing leaky faucets, or mowing your lawn and trimming your shrubs, do a little bit or one particular job each day and you'll be amazed at your progress.

Take care of all your mail the day you receive it. Don't let those bills and letters pile up on you. If you're unable to pay a bill immediately, file it in a special place that's visible and note on the envelope the date you intend to pay it. Answer your letters the same day you get them. The important thing is to think of your time as your most valuable asset - it is - so organize what you have to do, and what you want to do. From there, it's just a matter of arranging your priorities.

Once you start listing and planning what you want to do, and them carry out your plans, you'll find plenty of "extra time" for handling virtually any kind of home-based income-producing project. People in general may not like routines or schedules, but without some sort of plan relative to what is supposed to be done, the world would be lost in mass confusion. Laws, ordinances, and regulations are for the purpose of guiding people - we live according to an accepted plan or way of life, and the better we can organize ourselves - what we have to do, want to do, and end up doing - the more productive and happy we become.

The secret of all financially successful people is simply that they are organized and do not waste time. Think about it - review your own activities - and them see if you can't find a couple of extra hours in each day for more constructive accomplishments. When you begin planning, and then when you actually become involved in an extra-income-producing endeavor, you should work it exactly as you've organized your regular day-to-day activities - on a time-efficient basis. Do what has to be done immediately - don't try to get done in an hour something that's going to take a week. Plan it out on paper what you have to do, what you want to do, and when you're going to do it - then get right on each project without procrastination.

Finally, and above all else, when you're organizing your time and your business, be sure to set aside time for relaxation. Be sure to schedule time when you and your spouse can be together. You must not involve yourself in anything to the extent that you exclude other people - particularly your loved one - from your life. Taking stock of the time you waste each day, and then reorganizing your activities is what it's all about. It's a matter of becoming time-efficient in everything you do. It's really easy to do, and you'll not only accomplish a lot more, you'll become a happier person.

Readmore »»

Bookkeeping Techniques For "Morons"

Please don't think I am calling you a "moron" to hurt your feelings in any way. I was a moron when I first started setting up my files. I hated accounting in school and am the type that would much rather add 2+2 on a calculator than in my head -- but you have to do it. You have to force
yourself to do it NOW -- right at the beginning! Many of a business has collapsed simply because they lacked organization in their basic accounting business practices. Don't be one of them!

As a small mail order business you don't have to really do much in the beginning. Here is how to set up your files from ground zero:
1. Take out a hanging file folder and a label of any kind. (Hanging folders and labels for them can be purchased at K-Mart, Wal-Mart and any office supply store.)
2. Type or hand print "Receipts" on the label and place it on the hanging folder.
3. Now, place 5 MANILA file folders inside the hanging file folder (which you labeled "Receipts") and label each of the manila file folders with the following headings:
a. Advertising
b. Postage
c. Office Supplies
d. Utilities and Rent for the Office
e. Miscellaneous

You now have one large hanging file folder with 5 separate manila file folders inside it. Carefully place your hanging file folder in your metal file cabinet or cardboard banker's box. (A banker's box can be purchased at any office supply store also and normally cost around $4.) Now, wasn't that easy? Some of you reading this will think that I am attempting to insult your intelligence. This is NOT my intention. This report is broken down in a simple, step-by-step way so everybody can understand it -- regardless of their previous knowledge and experience.

Remember, some people have never worked in an office their entire life. What seems simple and accepted to some of us, may be something another person would never have known. Okay, let's go back to where we were. You now have one master file completed and we're ready to make another just like it. This time we'll name the hanging file folder "Income" and label 3 manila folders inside it with the following headings:
a. Completed and Shipped Orders
b. Inquiries and Correspondence
c. Open Orders Still Pending

See how easy? From now on, you simply make another folder as the need arrives and you're files will always be easy to maintain. (Once you get this concept down pat -- you can easily think about getting a computer. A computer organizes its information in the SAME manner. Believe me -- this same system works! You'll be amazed at how many mistakes it will help you prevent.)
Yes -- bookkeeping is a very simple process. All you have to do is keep the system going. For instance, every order that I process, I completely finish before moving on to the next order. Example:
1. Mail is received and opened. As each piece is opened it is placed into individual piles. Orders with pre-payment are placed in one pile, information and daily correspondence in another, and so forth.
2. Each order that has been pre-paid for is processed first -- with each one being processed individually to completion. (That means it is in an envelope, a label typed out and the completed order is ready to be mailed at the post office.)
3. During the process, the "date," "amount of check or payment" and "product ordered" is recorded on the outside of the envelope -- making sure the customer's full name, address and telephone number (if available) is on the envelope too.
4. Just before closing up the office for the evening, the envelopes are then keyed into the database on our computer (you can substitute a computer for the hanging files in the beginning.) We record all the information that was written on the envelopes during the processing of the order. (Don't think you will remember "what" the order was. That thinking will open you up to make human errors.)

As your business grows, your understanding and abilities will grow also. At that time you can grow into a more sophisticated means of keeping the books. In the meantime -- keep good records. They are the lifeblood of any business and can eventually make or break you. You'll thank yourself in the long run.

Readmore »»

You Can Be A Professional Engraver In Six Weeks!

Plastics (and some metal) engraving is accomplished with the aid of a pantograph -- a scissors-like device with tracing stylus on one end and a cutting tip on the other. It works something like a Le Roi set. The operator guides the stylus by following or tracing within the grooves of brass "masters" (letters or designs), which causes the other end to cut or scratch the identical design, but not necessarily the same size into material fastened beneath it. By adjusting settings on the pantograph, the operator can make the design the same size, twice as large, or up
to eight times as large as the pattern being traced by the stylus.

Plastic name tags, signs, etc. are made from layered plastic. The core is one color, coating another. When the top layer of blue is cut through, the white core shows -- which results in white letters on a blue background. Different sized cutting blades are used so that large letters have wider strokes and the edge of the name tag is beveled to frame the finished product. There are many combinations of colors; some even have three layers for usual effects. Metal name tags are similar except that the cutting blade does not rotate and the design is actually "scratched" into the surface. Metal tags are considerably more expensive and are probably not worth the extra cost. The metal is usually brass or some other soft material that comes with a plastic coating but still scratches easily.

The vast majority of name tags and engraved signs are on plastic, some of which looks very much like metal, but wear better and are easier to work with. Plastics engraving requires no special talent or extensive training. One only needs to acquire a little dexterity, which can be learned in a few hours and a high school understanding of measurements and ratios. Engraving is a business that grows amazingly fast and has very little competition. With an initial investment of $1,000 - $3,000 in equipment and startup materials, you can learn to operate the
machine, lay out copy and start turning out finished products.

It takes about 30 minutes for the average person to learn how to make a one line name tag, complete with cutting the letters, beveling the tag, and attaching the pin on the back. With a little time ( and a few mistakes of course), you can easily master multiple line layout and some of the other routines. Turning out a name tag only takes a couple of minutes for an experienced engraver, especially when many are made assembly line fashion.

Engraved plastic signs and badges routinely sell for ten to twenty times the cost of the materials because of operator skill, investment in the equipment, and the fact that there is not all that much competition. Used engraving machines (New Hermes are one of the better brands) are sometimes offered in ENGRAVERS JOURNAL for about half retail along with other pertinent equipment and supplies. There are two basic types of engraving machines -- manual and computer. They both turn out good quality work, but the computer is much faster.

The computer engravers run several thousand dollars, but are well worth that to large operations that turn out hundreds of badges and signs per day. Whatever machine you get, make sure it has multi-ratio adjustments. Some of the cheaper and older models will make letters only exactly 2 or 4 times the size of the pattern -- which just won't do. You must be able to adjust the size of the letters at fractions of those ratios, according to the length of the line. A name like Joe Doe, for example, should be in bold letters, while Frederick H Moskovitch must be adjusted down to fit within the width of the name tag.

With the cheaper models, you have little choice and sometimes have no choice but to make these names too big or too small. With an adjustable pantograph, you simply place the cutting blade at the margin of the name tag, and that is the setting All names will "look right." This multiple adjustment is even more critical when you get into logos and larger signs, where 4 times won't fit on the sign and 2 times the size will make the sign look like it has too much wasted space. With the adjustments, you can always have nice margins -- about the width of two letters.

This business is adaptable to wholesale or retail trade -- and there are plenty of places where you can send out work that you can't (yet) do -- large companies that "service the trade, and still leave you room for a modest profit. If, for example, you got an order for 1,000 fire escape signs that you simply could not do in the allotted time, you send the order out to a company that does the work by computer. You would not make as much doing the work yourself, but then you would not be doing the work either. In fact, you would be working on other jobs. Not only that, but your customer dealt with you -- he knows that you can take care of him.

To get a good look at the engraving industry, subscribe to THE ENGRAVERS JOURNAL (418 per year). Read a couple of issues, investigate some of of the advertisements, and notice the different companies that serve the industry -- these can help you get a good well-rouned business started. A special note of possible interest: rubber stamps can be made from engraved designs! Anything you can engrave into phenolics (hard plastics for outside use), you can make into a rubber stamp with a stamp or laminating press. Engrave the design fairly deep; clean and dust with talc ( baby powder is fine), cover with rubber and heat 5-7 minutes at 2-4lbs. pressure. When cured, peel off, trim and glue to a mount. Years ago, vendors would set up shop in heavy traffic areas and make rubber stamps to order in about 10 minutes.

It is easy -- almost unavoidable -- to add profitable sidelines, such as hot stamping, inside signs, rubber stamps and desk accessories to an engraving business once you get started. these require essentially the same skills, very little additional investment, but most importantly, you already have a ready-made market for these added products because it is the same as for your engraving business! Probably the biggest and most expensive headache encountered by engravers (as well as sign and rubber stamp makers) is getting the name or message incorrect. Most "pros" soon discover the value of repeating back, letter by letter, every word of copy that is to go on the product. There are some letters that some of us seem to have more trouble with (like "B" and "D") over the phone -- so if there is any possible doubt, it is a good idea to say "B as in boy or "D as in dog."

On a single name tag the loss is not much, but large orders could be disaster. Also, keep a dictionary handy (within easy reach of the engraving table) and look up any word that could even possibly be incorrect (call the customer if necessary). Last, but certainly not least, keep the order that shows the desired copy in full view during the engraving process -- and check it constantly.

BUSINESS SOURCES
THE ENGRAVERS JOURNAL, Box 318, Brighton, MA 48116, 313/229-5725.
The trade journal of the engraving industry. Subscribe to this as
soon as possible!
A TO Z ENGRAVING, 1150 Brown St.,Wauconda, IL 60650.
312/526-7396. Custom engraving and hot stamping for the trade.
NEW HERMES, INC., 20 Cooper Square, New York, NY 10003.
Manufactures high quality engraving equipment and sells high
quality (and high priced) parts, accessories and supplies. Their
engraving mechanical engraving machines have been industry
standard.
AWARD SUPPLY CO.,1212 California Ave.,Arlington, TX 76015,
817/465-7210. dealer in used engraving equipment.
ABILITY PLASTICS, INC.,3254 Laramie Ave.,Chicago, Il 60650,
800/323-2722. Engraving equipment, cutter sharpening, wide
assortment of supplies and materials -- excellent prices.
ENGRAVING MACHINERY AND SUPPLIES, 419 East 91st St.,New York, NY
100128. Wholesale engraving equipment and supplies.
DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC., 31 East 2nd St.,Mineola, NY 11501.
Discount books, clip art, stencils, etc.
QUILL CORPORATION, 100 Schelter Rd.,Lincolnshire, IL 60917-4700,
312/634-4800. Office supplies.
NEBS, 500 Main St.,Groton, MA 04171, 800/225-6380. Office
supplies.
IVEY PRINTING, Box 761, Meridan, TX 76665. Write for price list.
SWEDCO, Box 29, Mooresville, NC 28115. 3 line rubber stamps - $3;
business cards - 413 per thousand.
ZPS, Box 581, Libertyville, IL 60048-2556. Business cards (raised
print - $11.50 per K) and letterhead stationery. Will print your
copy ready logo or design, even whole card.
WALTER DRAKE, 4119 Drake Bldg.,Colorado Springs, CO 80940. Short
run business cards, stationery, etc. Good quality, but no choice
of ink or color.

Readmore »»

FACTS ABOUT ADVERTISING IN MAGAZINES

Successful mail order dealers realise that there are two very distinct groups of publications in which to place advertising for maximum results. The first group includes newspapers and magazines designed to fill the needs, wants and interests of the 'General Public'. These 'National' publications can be found on news stands across the Nation. The second group is what is called 'Trade' publications. This consists of dozens of mail order magazines, ad sheets etc. Contrary to what some publishers of these 'Trades' claim, very few copies ever get into the hands of the General Public. Over 90% of the readers are mail order dealers or those thinking of entering mail order.

Whilst an advert placed in one of the 'Nationals' may bring in astronomical results, the identical advert may fall flat when inserted in a 'Trade' publication. Likewise, an advert that has sensational pulling power in one of the 'Trades', may get little or no response when it appears in a 'National'. As with any other profession, most mail order dealers are interested in what is happening in their own field plus they may also read 'Nationals'. However, the general public reads 'Nationals' but about 99% have very little interest in the 'internal' affairs of mail order. They couldn't care less. This is very important to remember when placing ANY advert.

Readers of mail order publications are interested in two basic needs. Firstly, how they can build up their business and increase profits. Secondly, ways of saving money. Unless what you have to offer falls into either of these two categories, adverts placed in 'Trades' are a waste of money. With so many 'Trades' to choose from, the logical question is,'Where will an advert get the best results?' There is no 100% accurate answer. It is a matter of 'testing'. When selecting a publication to place an advert in for the first time, check the names of the advertisers appearing in each publication. If some of the better known names in mail order are represented, then you can be assured that it is a good publication to try. Most of these veterans know what they are doing and make certain that their advertising budget is wisely spent. So, follow the leaders.

Next, check the amount of 'filer' copy that appears in the publication. If more space is devoted to articles than to advertising, it is very possible that the publication is floundering. Remember, it is the adverts and NOT the articles that support any publication. Lack of adverts means that the publication does not have many advertisers. Lack of advertisers generally signifies that others have tried advertising in the publication and were disappointed with the results. They would then naturally stop advertising. However if you enjoy the articles and find them informative, it is much wiser to pay a small fee for a subscription and forget about advertising in them.

A second warning signal of where NOT to advertise is by the amount of space a publisher devotes to his own offers. Obviously, any publisher would rather fill their publications with adverts of cash-paying customers but if dealers are reluctant to buy space due to poor response from previous adverts, the publisher has no alternative but to fill up the pages with his own offers. Otherwise many of the pages would be blank.

Readmore »»