THIS CAN WORK IF YOU WORK!

One beginner in business dropped by a large department store, just like the ones in your town, and he found an unusual device called a "windshield wiper sharpener." It was simply a little $3.95 gadget you run back and forth over your windshield wipers when they get dull, and it puts a new edge on them. The blades will last indefinitely, and you'll never have to buy new ones if you keep this gadget handy in your glove box.

Does this sound like an earth-shaking breakthrough product? Not at all. And this man wasn't even a distributor. He just saw the product and asked the manufacturer if they would drop-ship orders. They said okay. He wrote a simple news release and put it in an envelope along with a 4" x 5" black & white glossy photo (the manufacturer gave him the photo) and he mailed it to Popular Mechanics magazine. It only cost him a postage stamp.

Sure enough, the editors thought it might interest the readers of their automotive column, and they did a little news item on it. That lit- tle 3" x 4" news item brought this fellow about $5,000 in paid orders, of which nearly half was profit-and it was all drop-shipped so he didn't risk a penny on inventory.

Remember, drop-shipping is when the manufacturer stocks the in- ventory rather than you, and when you get an order from a customer you keep half the money and forward the other half to the manufac-

turer, along with your shipping label addressed to the customer. The manufacturer sticks your label on the box and ships the product to your customer for you. The advantage of this is, you don't tie up cash in in- ventory. Some suppliers drop-ship, some don't. How do you find out which ones do? You ask them.

Now, if he wants to, he can run an ad of that same approximate size and wording in Popular Mechanics, and he knows in advance it should be a success. Of course, he will pursue free publicity in many more publications, and whichever of them pays off, he'll advertise in them too, pyramiding profits. There’s absolutely no reason you can’t do this same process too.

Here is a copy of his little story.

The news article above appeared one time in one magazine and that free publicity brought in over $5,000 in orders, for a beginner just like you.

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6

treaking windshield wiper blades can really make a rainy trip seem twice as long. Don't squint or use up gallons of washer fluid trying to make up for worn blades. When the edge of your wiper blade gets rounded from wear and oxidation, it won’t squeegee the water away from the glass. As long as there is rubber left on the blade, don’t throw them away – Nu blade is designed to put a new wiping surface on old blades. The compact, 3-in.-long tool stores easily in the glovebox, and puts a new edge on a blade in seconds, without removing the blade

from the arm. Just wipe the $3.95 Nu blade along the wiper to shave a small amount of rubber from the worn edge. This will re- store the sharp edge of the rubber blade. Of course, if the rubber is in shreds, you are too late. Order direct from Holz Enterprises, 497 South 7th St. Helens, OR 97051.

Now you can save old wiper blades for another rainy day.

Here’s how it is done:

1. Stop by a department store and shop until you find an interesting product and buy it.

2. Look on the item or package and get the name and address of the manufacturer.

3. Write or call the manufacturer and ask them to send you their wholesale information.

4. Write up a news release on the item or have a journalism student or editor do it for you.

5. Mail it to some editors to try for free publicity.

6. When orders come in deposit the checks and ship the products or have them drop-shipped.

7. Add up your profits and take a vacation!

Now, why on earth can’t you do that? You can! Just try it! Another man I know found a simple arts and crafts product that the source agreed to drop-ship. He received a news story in House

Beautiful right around the holidays, and he said his net profit after all

his expenses was $8,000. That's a nice Christmas bonus, wouldn't you agree?

I can tell you story after story about businesses that have been launched or have been financed with cash flow generated from free publicity.

One woman I know of wanted to offer a catalog specializing in all types of products relating to cats. She was persistent and pursued every possible magazine and newspaper – not just the obvious ones relating to pets.

ton Post newspapers. Next, Cosmopolitan and Woman's Day maga-

zines contacted her. The Woman's Day magazine gave her three full- size, full-color pages that translated into approximately $200,000 worth of free display ad space at the going paid ad rate. Add to that the many thousands of dollars worth of space she received in other newspapers and magazines and she ended up getting over a quarter of a million dol- lars in free advertising.

This woman started out knowing nothing at all about business – no more than any other beginner. She simply loved cats and was will- ing to give it an honest try. Are you?

MAKING KEY CONTACTS:

In document Instant Cashflow by Mark G Nolan (Page 137-140)