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How You Can Become a Direct Marketing Entrepreneur
By Lois K. Geller
When I started in direct marketing, it didn't occur to me that I would ever become a direct marketing entrepreneur.
My first job was in continuity publishing with Greystone Press. I wrote "The New International Art Encyclopedia." I enjoyed doing it, and I guess I did a good job because my employer asked if I wanted to take a shot at writing direct marketing copy.
I did. And as a result, I got more involved in learning about the direct marketing process. I studied list selection, offers and design, and I watched response rates every day.
I really liked direct marketing, but never as much as in that one crystal clear moment I will never, ever forget. That is when my son's dentist told me that my son would need braces. I was divorced and had no idea how I was going to handle the additional expense of straightening my son's teeth. So as a way to generate an additional stream of income, I decided to start a business on the side. I figured my best bet was to use my skills as a direct marketer.
I thought about what kind of product I could possibly sell. I wanted a product that was small. I didn't want to worry about warehousing dozens of Weber grills; I wanted something that I could just pop into a jiffy bag. I started my search.
One day, I was window shopping at Macy's jewelry counter when one necklace caught my eye. It had seven gold and silver stars hanging from a delicate chain. I loved it. I asked the saleslady who the manufacturer was. She explained she wasn't allowed to give out that information. So, I returned the following day and asked another salesperson the same question. She went into the stock room and came back with the manufacturer's name, number and address.
I called the manufacturer and explained I was interested in selling the star necklace via direct mail. He thought it was a great idea. I bought 144 of them.
I really loved the necklace, and I was able to communicate my excitement. I created a story about how these seven lucky stars each represented a day of the week. I had little money, so I had to be resourceful. I asked a friend to take the photos and agreed to pay him, "when the orders start coming in." Back then, magazines such as Woman's Day, Family Circle and Redbook had new product sections, so I sent the photo along with a press release about the necklace and the meaning of the seven stars. I got a good deal of free publicity. I also started getting orders.
By Lois K. Geller
When I started in direct marketing, it didn't occur to me that I would ever become a direct marketing entrepreneur.
My first job was in continuity publishing with Greystone Press. I wrote "The New International Art Encyclopedia." I enjoyed doing it, and I guess I did a good job because my employer asked if I wanted to take a shot at writing direct marketing copy.
I did. And as a result, I got more involved in learning about the direct marketing process. I studied list selection, offers and design, and I watched response rates every day.
I really liked direct marketing, but never as much as in that one crystal clear moment I will never, ever forget. That is when my son's dentist told me that my son would need braces. I was divorced and had no idea how I was going to handle the additional expense of straightening my son's teeth. So as a way to generate an additional stream of income, I decided to start a business on the side. I figured my best bet was to use my skills as a direct marketer.
I thought about what kind of product I could possibly sell. I wanted a product that was small. I didn't want to worry about warehousing dozens of Weber grills; I wanted something that I could just pop into a jiffy bag. I started my search.
One day, I was window shopping at Macy's jewelry counter when one necklace caught my eye. It had seven gold and silver stars hanging from a delicate chain. I loved it. I asked the saleslady who the manufacturer was. She explained she wasn't allowed to give out that information. So, I returned the following day and asked another salesperson the same question. She went into the stock room and came back with the manufacturer's name, number and address.
I called the manufacturer and explained I was interested in selling the star necklace via direct mail. He thought it was a great idea. I bought 144 of them.
I really loved the necklace, and I was able to communicate my excitement. I created a story about how these seven lucky stars each represented a day of the week. I had little money, so I had to be resourceful. I asked a friend to take the photos and agreed to pay him, "when the orders start coming in." Back then, magazines such as Woman's Day, Family Circle and Redbook had new product sections, so I sent the photo along with a press release about the necklace and the meaning of the seven stars. I got a good deal of free publicity. I also started getting orders.
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