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By N. Johnson- MediaTek Associates
Have you noticed that here lately there are lot's fewer mail order publications in your mail box? If you have not, then you must have not placed any advertising recently.
We thought about advertising in Grimco's Opportunity News so we contacted the publisher, Bob Grimes. Bob informed me he had ceased publishing his mail order newspaper. He didn't say why but the answer is pretty obvious. The cost for printing and mailing publication's like Bob's has gone up drastically over the past several years. He had to increase his ad rates in order to cover his costs and make a small profit.
In Issue 111 Bob stated: "Issue 110 was mailed to 1500 current and past advertisers and 100 copies went to subscribers. The remaining 3400 copies went out to Business Opportunity Seekers. The results of the survey confirmed something that I was fairly sure of before I even wrote the article about attempting to return to a monthly along with the survey. It is quite apparent that either everyone especially those that have run ads in this publication are running their business as a hobby or don't understand the importance of advertising in their mail order business which is an integral part of any business. To be successful in your business you must advertise and do so on a consistent basis. Our goal for us trying to make this publication monthly and in circulation on a consistent basis is so advertisers could get their ads in front of potential customers every month on a regular schedule. The only thing we needed in order to accomplish this was for 100 advertisers step up to the plate and make a commitment to their mail order business is to place a one inch ad in Grimco's Opportunity News every month for $12 which is a bargain. The cost of a one inch ad is now $18, however if .there are 100 of you advertisers out there that want to work with us your cost for that ad will still be $12. The remaining funds needed to accomplish going monthly would come from other things that we are doing. Of 5,000 copies mailed we received 15 responses to our survey. If 100 advertisers decide to step up we will go out monthly so let us know that you believe in your business as a business and not just a hobby that isn't paying you what you would like to be earning. Until then this publication will remain on a PRINTED WHEN FULL basis."
Due to the lack of thanks from us by not sending Bob ads to run, he had to throw in the towel and not even print when full. How sad. I and the rest of us so called mail order dealers must bear the blame for Grimco's Opportunity News demise.
WE'VE ALL GOT SPOILED ON CHEAP ADVERTISING. WELL-IT GONE! AND IF WE DON'T PAY A LITTLE MORE TO ADVERTISE IN THE PRINT PUBLICATIONS STILL ALIVE, SOON THERE WON'T BE ANY
LEFT! AND THAT MY FRIENDS MEANS WE WON'T HAVE ANY PLACES LEFT TO ADVERTISE!
Then what? We'll all pay much, much more to advertise. How? Through U.S.P.S. mail? (Maybe then they'll not loose billions). Over the internet? How then are we to get traffic to the site we advertise on or to our own site?
IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP IF WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT A MAIL ORDER OR DIRECT RESPONSE BUSINESS. IT'S TIME THAT WE ADVERTISE REGULARLY IN THE PRINT PUBLICATIONS LEFT OR TO JUST HANG IT UP!!!
Let's thank Heaven there are a few publications like the one you are reading that are still around-for now. If we want to keep them around, we need to step up and advertise in them. Yes- advertise!
Via the internet too? Yes, that too but not to the point of deserting the print publications left. Some print publishers now have online editions so we can do both. That's a smart move and we get more people seeing our ads too. Looks like the bottom line is to embrace both advertising worlds. It's time to get serious about our mail order and direct response businesses and advertise them. To survive" Advertise, Advertise and then Advertise some more!
N. Johnson operates a mail order business-MediaTek Associates, 340 Hickshollow Road, Kingsport, TN 37660-6752. MediaTek offers mail order dealers and direct marketers several 50% to 100% commission niche marketing programs.
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