"The Lightning Speed Internet Sales Success Course"
          
                                  LESSON #3
          
                             © 1997 B.S.A. / F.M.
                    http://web.idirect.com/~bsa/index.htm
                       _______________________________
          
                                  THE TOPIC:
          
          How to use catalogs and newsletters to a) find hot 
          topics; b) find customers; c) find the best places to 
          advertise; d) get incredible ideas for new products; e) 
          find out where to send press releases and letters to the 
          editor.  
          
                                 THE ANSWER:
          
          A) Finding Topics/Products. If you see great potential in 
          a product you've found in a catalog or newsletter, get in 
          touch with the producer. His goal is to sell as much of 
          that product as possible, therefore it is likely that he'll
          want you to help him do so! Try to bundle the product or 
          target it in a new way. Use all the guerrilla marketing 
          skills that the other guy doesn't have!  
          
          Brainstorm and figure out what the needs are of the 
          market that the catalog is targetted at. What is the 
          ultimate need? Is it being fulfilled? Can you provide the 
          market something that they're begging for - but doesn't 
          yet exist?  

          Special-interest catalog and newsletter publishers have done
          the exhausting job of creating niche-markets for you. All you
          have to do is swoop in with something that market wants.
          
          B) Finding Customers. Most catalog and newsletter 
          publishers make their mailing lists available for rent. 
          Simply contact the publication and ask how to get in 
          touch with their list broker. Newsletters may contain 
          additional hidden ways of finding more customers - like 
          pointing out trade shows where you could gather more 
          customers.  
          
          C) Knowing Which Ones To Advertise In. 1) compare 
          advertising cost to circulation. 2) try to establish an 
          advertising cost that isn't too high, and a product price 
          that isn't too low, so that you can attain break-even 
          with just THREE sales! 3) haggle with the advertising 
          manager of the publication. Don't pay "rate card" rates 
          or you're throwing away up to $100's! Always negotiate with
          the publisher before buying advertising 4) get in the game 
          - be a player, and do actual mathematical testing to find 
          out which publications return a bottom line profit. As 
          Woody Allen says "80% of success is just showing up." 
          
          Most people who have expert knowledge of direct marketing 
          are "studiers" that haven't jumped into the business with 
          a full time commitment. Simply being active and 
          persistent will give you an advantage over non-players 
          and those who quit too easily.  
          
          D) Getting New Ideas. Study the products in niche-
          targetted newsletters and catalogs. Are there emerging 
          trends you should be paying attention to? New products 
          you should be selling? The "Letters to the editor" 
          section of any special interest publication is a goldmine 
          of clues about what is really on people's minds. People 
          have problems. To some degree, everything sold in our 
          society is targetted at solving a problem.  
          
          E) Issuing Press Releases And Letters. No two "Free 
          publicity experts" will give you the exact same advice 
          about writing press releases.  
          
          The important thing is that the headline be powerful and 
          original enough to grab the attention of the editor of a 
          large publication. The "copy" should fit easily onto a 
          single page, double spaced.  
          
          Writing a letter to the editor of a newsletter or 
          magazine may be a wise 5 minute investment. Sneak in a 
          contact method (phone number, email address) that isn't 
          blatant advertising. Mention an award you are giving out, 
          or a contest, or charitable activity, or some good advice 
          in response to somebody else's letter or a previous 
          article. Slip in your contact information as a way of 
          urging other people to freely avail themselves of your 
          help. Of course, when they contact you, they go onto your 
          mailing list!  
          
                        How to get a free subscription 
                           from Paul Hartunian, the 
                            world's leading expert 
                            on free publicity ...  
          
          Send a message to publicity@netrageous.com with the word 
          SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. Or ...  
          
          Go to http://www.netrageous.com and browse around!  
          
                        Where Do You Find The Catalogs 
                         And Newsletters You Need To
                              Do Your Research?
          
          Go to any Internet search engine (my favorite is 
          http://www.altavista.digital.com ) and find web sites 
          that contain the word "newsletter" or "catalog" AND 
          another keyword or two relevant to the topic that 
          interests you. Also try http://www.savvy.com !
          
          This, and a visit to your local library, will provide
          you with the publications that'll help you profit.