Home Based Business Mail Order

Many mail order businesses started as home based businesses, such as Lillian Vernon. The business can be started part-time. You need to select a good product and build the advertising material around it.

You can sell via direct mail (brochures, sales letters, catalogs) or the Internet. Succeeding in a home based mail order business requires hard work, patience and preserverance. It takes planning and managing.

You can use direct mail inyour home based business in two ways. One is by sending a sales letter, brochure, order card, and reply envelope to the customer and asking for the order. In the second method, you advertise in a magazine or newspaper offering the customer more information about your product. They request the information and you send your sales material. Mail order companies are now advertising and selling their products on the Internet.

In your home based business, you can stock the items you sell (inventory) or you can use a droppshipper. A dropshipper is a company who stocks the product you sell. You advertise the product. The customer orders from you. You send the order minus your profit to the dropshipper. The dropshipper mails or ships the product to your customer. You retain the customer.

This home based business can be profitable if you offer quality consumer items at a good price.

What does it take for this business?

This home based business takes hard work, patience and perserverance. You must dedicate yourself to employing the proper strategies for selling your merchandise, getting, and retaining customers.

You must have excellent organizational skills. You will need to track your advertising compaigns to determine which ones work. You need to build a database of customers to track their responses. You need to be able to write persuasive sales letters and descriptive brochures. You should choose a product or service based on your interests. You will be able to sell your product or service better.

You need to learn about mail order, its marketing strategies and be cost-effective in all aspects of the business. You should purchase items by mail order, study the packaging, pricing and marketing materials. You should continually do research on trends in the marketplace.

What do I need to operate this business?

You need an area to package your product which could double as your home based business office. If you stock inventory, you will need a place for storage.

The start-up cost for this business is low, depending on the product or service, and whether you have the basic equipment and supplies you need.

You will need to advertise your product or service to develop a mailing list. Or, you can rent a mailing list. You should determine your target market and work with a list broker to develop names of people interested in your product or service.

You need a way to maintain your mailing lists, preferably a database.

Basic Equipment and Supplies:

• Computer
• Printer
• Mailing Permit
• Mailing supplies
• Business phone line/toll free number for ordering
• Equipment and supplies needed to create your product or service
• Assembly and packaging area

You can review resources for this home based business here.

What services or products do I provide?

You can sell virtually any legal product through mail order. There are some exceptions and you should review postal regulations and shipping company regulations.

• Crafts
• Toys
• Telephones
• Home furnishings
• Clothes
• Electronics (DVD players, TVs, Stereo components and so on)
• CDs and DVDs
• Food products
• Medical Supplies
• Books
• Pamphlets
• Newsletters

Check various mail order catalogs for the different types of products that can be sold.

What are my potential earnings?

$100 to $100,000 + annually

How much do I charge for my services?

The amount you charge for your product or service depends on the marketplace. You should research similar products and services.

How do I bill for my services?

There are several billing methods you can use in your home based mail order business.

If you advertise in newspapers, magazines, catalog, or by direct mail, you will ask your customers to pay by check, money order, or credit card.

If you sell your product via the Internet, you can accept checks, money orders, or credit cards. To accept credit cards, you need a merchant account and a secure Web site.

How do I market my business?

Offline

• Advertise in newspapers and magazines.
• Buy or rent mailing lists from list brokers.
• Issue a press release.
• Create a catalog or brochures of your products or services.
• Create direct mail pieces for your home based business products or services.

Online

• Create an informative Web site, describing your products or services and listing your prices.
• List your home based business Web site in online directories.
• Issue an online press release.
• Link your Web site to related businesses.
• Publish customer testimonials on your Web site.
• Use "Tell a Friend" and "Bookmark This Page" viral marketing techniques.
• Follow-up with customers about the quality and value of your products or services.

A mail order home based business takes patience and a lot of work to be successful and profitable. You can review the resources for this home based business here.