Tuesday, 9 June 2015

How To Write Money-Making "How-To' Reports

This is the "real" Money Maker in the Mail Order business - the basic "How To" Report.  It's something anyone can produce, and with all the proper ingredients at the right time, you can become independently wealthy!  The hard part, of course, is getting all the proper ingredients at the right time.

Your basic "Money Making report" is usually two pages in length, sells for $3, and outlines instructions, details, or a "How-To Method" for solving a problem:  making more money, saving money, attaining greater happiness, or fulfilling an ambition or desire.

One of the most successful reports was and still is, a short report on "How To Keep Moles Out Of Your Yard", by one of the deans of self-publishing, Jerry Buchanan.  Another of the most successful and biggest money-makers ever written, had to do with the many different ways to prepare and serve hamburger.  Simple, basic, grass roots kind of information is what we're talking
about.

Any man, woman or child can write a saleable report on any subject - providing he or she has knowledge of that subject through personal experience, research, or both.  A lot of women write successful money-making reports based upon better ways of solving household problems.  And a lot of men write successful
money-making reports on how to get  greater pleasure from leisure time activities such as fishing, woodworking or other hobbies.  The list of subjects one can write about is endless, and reports on how to make more money easier and faster are no more limited to male authors than expertise in cooking is
limited to female authors.

Writing your report is easy and quite simple.  However, it does take longer, and requires more sweat, blood and anguish for some people to produce a "finished" product than it does others, even
if they are equally intelligent and knowledgeable.

The best advice anyone can give you on how to write a money-making report is to advise you to write as though you were talking to someone - as though you were instructing your next door neighbor via the telephone on the subject at hand.  I use the word telephone here to point out that regardless of how much
you wave your arms, point your finger, or even draw pictures, you aren't getting the message across, and your neighbor won't "see" what you're talking about until you tell him in the kind of language he can understand.

Write in a style similar to the book reports you used to give when you were in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades.  Do you remember the "theme papers" you used to have to research, outline and write for term finals?  You got a good grade if you presented your material in a straightforward style, had the facts, an didn't pad out your paper.

Be factual, and be clear.  Know your reader and use the kind of language he expects you to use.  This does not mean that you should drop to the level of military barracks talk or that you should elevate yourself to the level of a pseudo Rhodes Scholar.  It just means that in writing the basic "How-To" report, you
should bear in mind that these reports serve as personal one-to-one consultations between you and your reader, and that your language should establish a rapport he can feel.  Outline what you want to say before you write it.  This helps;  in fact I very definitely recommend it.  Many writers "think" as they're typing or writing what they want to say, myself included.  But believe me, everything flows smoother, with a lot less rewrite involved, and the finished product is always much better when you've outlined what you want to say before you start.

When doing business by mail, these Money-Making "How-To" reports we've been talking about are known by many names:  folio, booklet, pamphlet, guide, or even Personal Success Plan.  In reality, these reports are written guidelines that give the reader more information on a subject he wants to know more about.

Money Making reports have been, and can still be written to show other people how to start, develop, enjoy or expand a hobby; how to learn and develop new or greater abilities;  how to start, develop and operate a new business, or even expand a current one;  how to develop and prepare for a new career;  how
to make more money;  how to save money, better one's standard of living and have more time for leisure;  how to solve personal problems and enjoy life more;  how to attain success in any endeavor.

You'll find that the better selling reports are well researched, authoritative, factual and helpful to the reader in the  achievement of his goals.  Your report can be put together and sold as anything from a two-page typewritten paper to a multipage typeset and professionally bound book.  an important point to remember here is that the people who are going to buy your report are going to be interested in the information it
contains - not how long it took you to put it together, the reason you wrote it, or the number of pages you've written - so long as it contains the information he wants.

Picking a subject to write about - one that has sales appeal and that will sell well for you - is not as hard as it sounds.  The best rule to follow is to write only about something you already know a great deal about.  With this advice in mind, it will follow that your best writing will be about those subjects that particularly interest you.  And remember, the more you are involved or interested in the subject, the easier it will be for
you to write about that subject in a manner that will hold your reader's interest.  Your knowledge and enthusiasm will show through -  causing your reader to overlook any technical writing weaknesses.

How do you determine the subject that's best for you to use for your first report?  Channel your thinking along these lines:  If you love to fish, you could probably put together a money-making report on "How To Catch The Big Ones".  If you love to sew, you could probably write a report on "Tips for Beautiful Sewing".
If you have experience in advertising, you could write a report on "How To Write An Ad For Best Results";  experience in printing, a report on "How to Prepare Copy and Layout for Best Printing Results"; experience in business, a report on "Better Business Operating Techniques".

It's worth repeating:  Whatever you write about, make it something you know about, and are especially interested in.  Art Fettig writes about motivation and ideas for selling because he has spent many years doing just that - motivating people toward larger sales volume and "brainstorming" new ideas for more sales.  Doug Hooper writes about the power of positive thinking because he has practice it and believes in it;   it works for him and he knows it can work for you.

 Paul J. Micali writes about the techniques of closing more sales.  He has spent all his life teaching people to become better sales people, and he never tires of talking about how easy and rewarding selling is with the proper thinking and approaches.  Maryanne Raphael writes for
all of us about the many and different writers' markets open and available to freelance writers, because she has spent many years searching and learning all about these markets as a freelance writer.  Whenever we talk with her, she's always "neck-deep" with assignments from countless publications.

 She knows the problems of the freelance writer, and she passes along information of great value because she's been there.  Dottie Walters writes about the opportunities for women in business because she's been "down to her last dime", started a business on sheer determination alone, and knows the tremendous potential of women in the business world.  Today, she is one of the most sought-after women in this country as an inspirational speaker for women's groups.

 She gets paid for speaking before these groups, and sells thousands of dollars worth of books at these engagements besides!  I could go on and on - naming friends and telling you how they have taken a subject they were interested in, found out everything about it they could, and parlayed it into a fortune by starting with the writing of a "How-To" report.  Rather than go on with these stories of how others have done it, and are doing it, let's get on with the task of showing you how you can write your own "How-To" report and parlay it into a personal wealth vehicle of your own!

Once you've decided on the subject you're going to write about, the next step is thorough research.  Visit your public library and "bone up" on your subject.  Read as much about it as you can find - newspapers, magazines, books - everything!  Start collecting clippings, talk to your neighbors, your friends and relatives, and take notes on all information you gather from reading and personal discussion.


When you've spent a good six weeks intensively researching your subject, gathering notes and discussing it as often as you can with as many different people as possible, you should be ready for the next step - the sorting, compiling and assembly of your notes.  Simply read through all the notes and clippings you have
accumulated, discarding those that are repetitious, and organizing those you're going to use according to your "subject coverage" outline.  Don't let the outline part of your project become an obstacle.  An outline is simply listing the order in which you want to write about or discuss each aspect of your subject.

Everything that's written should have a natural beginning, a body and an ending.  When you outline your subject, and your "subject coverage", which can be likened to a table of contents, you'll find it easier to say what you want to say.  You'll be ABLE to say everything you want to say.  You won't have to worry
about forgetting or leaving out an important point you want to make.  The coverage of your subject will be more complete, and your writing will be much smoother.

Once you've completed your research, organized your notes, and have your "subject coverage" outline set, you're ready to write the money-making report that just might make you rich!

Start writing, and write as though you were talking to someone, because writing, after everything has been analyzed, taken apart, studied, improved upon, and put back together, is still nothing more or less than a written conversation between two people.  Write your how-to report as though you were instructing
a high school graduate in how to do something his first day on the job.

It makes no difference whether you write it all out longhand or pound away at a typewriter.  Just get it all written!  Once you've got your material organized, start writing and don't stop until you're finished!

When you have finished, be proud of yourself!  Take a break, go out to dinner, enjoy a night on the town!  In other words, put this first draft of your report aside for a few days and allow your brain, your body, and your creative juices to rejuvenate themselves.

After a couple of days off, take up your report and go through it with a sharp pencil, just as you imagine an editor would do. Strike out, rewrite and polish each paragraph for clarity, accuracy and flow.

This is the time to make sure that what you've written is easy to read, easy to understand, and each sentence follows the one before it just as surely as spring follows winter.  The smoother the conversation or the writing of your report flows, the easier it'll be to read, and the easier it is to read, the more copies you will sell.

Now you have a money-making report that has the potential of making a great deal of money for you.  If you are a good typist, go ahead and type it out in finished form.  If you're not a typist, you can have it typed by someone who is, or even have it typeset for a small fee.



Big Money With Folios


One of the easiest, if not the easiest, ways of getting started with a profitable mail order business of your own is through the promotion and sale of money-making folios or reports.

Generally, the beginner purchases a series of these reports-complete with reproduction rights. He reproduces them in whatever quantity and as often as he likes-usually at a cost of less than 5 cents each, sends out an advertising circular.

As has been said so many times in countless mail order advice publications, you never really make any real money until you control the product. When you buy the reproduction rights to a set of reports, you control the product. You can advertise the sale of these reports individually via national classified ads, and follow up with your advertising circular as a "full page" advertisement or send it out as part of your direct mail packages. The bottom line is simply that when the orders come in, you keep all the money for yourself, reproduce the reports for pennies and end up with a profit that's beyond the belief of other people in other types of businesses.

It's virtually impossible to convince most people that you can make a profit of at least $1.00 per sheet of paper, but it's being done every day of the week, and is actually the easiest way there is of making money! Give it a try yourself, and you'll probably be flabbergasted too.

The best part of getting started with these folios is that you'll have an opportunity to see how they're written, precisely what kind of information they contain, and from there, the background you'll need to start writing similar folios and reports of your own.

Let's say you send for the group of reports on the many ways of making money in various small businesses. Just as soon as you get them, read them over carefully. Make sure you understand and fully comprehend the information and instructions in each report because any one of them-all of them-are very definitely
problem-solving reports that can aid you in your own quest for success. Jot down a few notes relative to those you want to use, and/or pertinent information you might want to incorporate into a report of your own-one that you write yourself and not only set the selling price on, but also who or how people sell it.

The next thing is to take this series of reports to some of the print shops in your area and ask them for a bid on their costs to print up an inventory supply for you. When you finally find a shop that'll print them at a cost that's agreeable to you, have a supply printed up. After they're printed, be sure to separate your originals or masters from the supply you're going to be selling. It's best to keep these master copies in a file cabinet or someplace completely removed or separate from where you store your inventory.

You're just about ready to start raking in the big money-but first-you have to get the word out that you've got these reports ready, and for sale to anyone that wants to buy a copy. We suggest that you select one of the reports you fell will interest the most people-Such a report might be "How to Get Big $$$....."

Make up a simple classified ad:

FREE REPORT!
"How to Get Big $$ in Your Mailbox--Everyday! Send SASE to CASH,
Box 123, Anywhere USA 01020. Place this ad in as many of the
national coverage mail order publications as you can afford to
advertise in, and then hang on for a deluge of orders.

With each order, simply take a copy of this report and include it with a copy of your advertising flyer listing all of your other reports---with your name/address in place ours, of course-and send it back to them in the self-addressed, stamped envelope that they sent you. In most cases, you'll find that about half of
those people who have sent in for a copy of the free report, will turn around and send you $15 for the complete set with reproduction rights.

Simple-easy-and with a profit potential in the hundreds of thousands of dollars because you'll find that every one of these reports will sell for years and years to come!

As mentioned earlier, you should study the reports you buy and from them, eventually write your own reports, making up your own advertising circulars, and not only set your own selling price,
but control the number of people selling them. Writing and selling simple "business success" reports is how most of the "biggies" in mail order got their start-it's the bread and butter of most mail order businesses-and the only right way to go if you're trying to make it with a minimum investment.

 GET STARTED RIGHT AWAY:

Send for your FREE listing of the many "How To" reports that you can purchase and reproduce for pennies and sell for dollars. Infopreneur Box 96, Purdy, MO 65734-0096.

How To Write Profitable Classified Ads

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 the utmost importance and deserve your careful consideration. Most surveys show that words or like this. MAKE BIG MONEY! Easy & Simple. Guaranteed! Limited offer. Send $1.00

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 the 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 might want to use, say to sell a report such as this one...Using all the rules of basic advertising copywriting, and saying exactly what out product is, our ad reads:

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

The point we're making is 1) You've got to grab the reader's attention...2) You've got to go "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 ad 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--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 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 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 RR1

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.



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