Reviews (36)

Great book, great value, buy it today!
If you have even a little bit of interest in writing or editing or working in any kind of advertising, even if it is just a simple flyer for your business or nonprofit fund raiser this book will easily pay for itself.

I've read and reviewed a few books on writing, from Stephen King's nonfiction work on writing fiction to books on writing nonfiction. This work stands up there with the best of them, and I'd recommend this work to writers of all types. Joseph Sugarman explains the purpose of the headline. It's to get the second line read. The purpose of the second line, well, that's to get the third line read. If fiction writers followed this formula, they'd sell more books. I can't count how many books, both nonfiction and fiction, I put down after a short time because I just find no reason to go on.

But this book isn't about writing fiction or nonfiction, it's about writing great copy. The reason I bring up other types of writing is that they all have the same strengths or weaknesses' going for them that get them read or ignored.

A copy writer has a short time to get the reader to either send money or request more information or act in some way. The fiction writer has to grab the readers attention and I mean now. See my review for Noah Lukeman's "The First Five Pages", basically he's got the same advice for fiction writers, you better grab the readers attention, and you better be flawless, because you have about the first five pages to win or lose the game. Often less.

In copy writing you have the first five words. Often less. Same idea.

I highly recommend this work to writers of all types. If you're in advertising, even if just for your own small business, you'd be foolish to pass on this one.

An Advertising Bible for the Ages
If you are writing ads for magazine and newspaper placement, this is a superb Bible. As I travel the world I see ads written based on Sugarman's philosophy and each time I return, I see the same ads running again and again. The sign of success. I've always found Joe Sugarman's work to be remarkably effective in helping our direct marketing programs. Sugarman has truly got decades of experience to back up his marketing directives. What I found most useful in this book were the many sample full page advertisements which are replete with crisp and powerful writing. At kevinhogan.com we utilize Sugarman's approach and continue to be profitable year after year. This book is a heck of a good read and should be read in conjunction with the marketing book in the same series.
Kevin Hogan
Author of The Psychology of Persuasion
and
Talk Your Way to the Top

An Excellent Primer on Creating Effective Ad Copy!
This book can be described as WOW! As a copywriter I implemented many of Joseph Sugarman's strategies in this excellent manual. It's not just another advertising book - it's a book on persuading on paper. He gives some great examples from his own ads too. Though I have many of his ads in my swipe file - this resource explains the psychological points that went into creating those ads. He takes you by the hand and guides you to creating ads that really works - that is to get the reader to read and to take action.

This book is one of my top ten books on business - especially advertising.

WOW - Perhaps the Best Book EVER Written on Copy!
I just finished reading "Advertising Secrets of the Written Word" for the second time! ...And now I'm about to go back and begin studying it with a highlighter.

After being completely disgusted with a few other books on copy writing, I was so pleased to find this jewel. In this day and age, with so many books being simply manufactured or compiled by people with no experience or real knowledge (you know, they send a hundred letters to people in an industry and then compile the responses into a book), this book is actually written by a true master who not only knows what he's taking about, and has truly lived it - but more importantly he know how to teach it.

Honestly, if you only buy ONE book on copy... make sure it's this one!

If You Could Have Only One Book on Copywriting, This is it!
On a scale of 1 to 10, this book is a 20. Truly the ultimate course on copywriting. My library is filled with books on how to write advertising copy. My shelves brim with books by Gary Halbert, Jay Abraham, John Carlton, John Caples, Brian Keith Voiles, Michael Masterson, and many other outstanding, top-notch copywriters. Joe Sugarman's Advertising Secrets of the Written Word is my all-time favorite. The absolute best book on the subject, period. ... Read more

Book Description

According to bestselling marketing expert Sergio Zyman, many companies rely tooheavily on innovation to solve their problems. Whenever a brand or business getsold andtired, the impulse is to scrap it and start over with something fresh. It soundsgreat, butmore often than not, innovation simply doesn’t work. Zyman knows this firsthand— hewas the chief marketing officer at Coca-Cola during the disastrous launch of NewCoke.

So what’s the alternative? Zyman now preaches the power of renovation, notinnovation.Recapture the essence of your existing brands, products, and core competencies,and domore of the things that made you great in the first place. For instance, Coca- Cola’sessence was about authenticity, continuity, and stability, and New Cokeundermined allthree qualities. It seems obvious in retrospect, yet too many managers are soimpressedby innovation that they approve ideas no one will buy, such as premoistenedtoilet paperor smokeless cigarettes.

With Renovate Before You Innovate, Zyman explains the tools managers need torevitalize their marketing strategies and improve their growth rates. This bookwillchallenge the conventional business wisdom and help companies make smarterdecisions. ... Read more

Book Description

With more than 60,000 copies sold, this amazing manual has become a classic in its field—and rightfully so. Nowhere else will you find—in one book—so much valuable information on achieving success in the mail order business. Dr. Bill Cohen has drawn on his decades of experience testing, researching, and constantly refining the mail order techniques described in this invaluable guide. Building a Mail Order Business offers a virtual treasury of techniques and methods guaranteed to work in the real world of selling through the mail. You'll get practical advice and learn tricks of the trade that will get you started quickly, with the fewest missteps and greatest chances for success.

Thorough and completely up-to-date, this authoritative guide covers every aspect of the mail order business, from the basics of getting started to the details of product selection, preparing a marketing plan, copywriting, designing graphics, printing, protecting yourself from competition, telemarketing, and advertising through magazines, radio, and television. In addition, a handy appendix lists hundreds of valuable contacts with complete addresses.

In this new Fourth Edition, you'll learn the latest trends in mail order—what works and what doesn't, the most effective look in ads and mailing pieces, how to put together the most attractive offers, and much more.

For entrepreneurs, direct marketers, business owners, and others eager to get into the mail order business,

Building a Mail Order Business has proven itself to be an indispensable resource for the ideas, techniques, and expert advice that will lead to success.

All the success secrets of one of America's best-known and most respected experts on mail order and direct marketing—Now in a new edition!

BUILDING A MAIL ORDER BUSINESS

Fourth Edition

Complete, authoritative, and now in a new edition, this best-selling guide to mail order success covers everything from getting your business started to handling legal issues, preparing copy and graphics, selecting mailing lists, telemarketing, and advertising in all types of media—an unbeatable source of direct marketing ideas that really work.

Here's what the pros have said about previous editions of Bill Cohen's Building a Mail Order Business:

"Dr. Bill Cohen's book thoroughly explores the many facets, and pitfalls, facing the budding mail order entrepreneur."— Henry R. "Pete" Hoke, Jr., Publisher, Direct Marketing

"It took a mail order businessman who is also an educator to put direct mail and mail order guidelines all in one place—and in language we can all understand."—Freeman F. Gosden, Jr., President, Smith-Hemmings-Gosden, one of the nation's largest direct marketing advertising agencies

"An outstanding primer for our industry. It gives you the nuts and bolts necessary to carry you through almost every aspect of mail order from the very rudimentary basics to the same techniques used by the pros."— Joe Sugarman, JS&A

"One of the best books I've ever read on the subject. I enthusiastically recommend Building a Mail Order Business to any man or woman who is serious about getting involved in this fascinating activity."— E. Joseph Cossman, President, Cossman International, Inc., author of How I Made a Million Dollars in Mail Order

"An excellent, informative, comprehensive, illustrative workbook that will help anyone get started making money in the fascinating field of mail order. I highly recommend this professional book."— Melvin Powers, mail order entrepreneur

"...must reading for the entrepreneur whose mind is on mail order."— Paul Muchnick, Chairman, National Mail Order Association

"Its good sense and nuts-and-bolts, bottom-line approach make it a delightful guide through the mail order world."— DM News ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Outdated
This book is outdated for the 21st century. The basics are there and in great detail but most of the information is useless for today.

Good, if old fashioned, basics
Whilst the core business ideas of this book are very sound and there is a lot of very useful and specific information I can't help feeling that it's a bit dated. It needs a big revamp to include the whole Internet world. I also felt that the copywriting examples, whilst they probably still work, are representative of the 50s and 60s rather than the 21st century.

GREAT book for entrepreneurs and beginners alike
This book gives you an exact idea of what you can do to expand your business, if you an entrepreneur or give enough information to a fresh person to start his/her own business. This is a must buy book for people thinking of becoming self employed or those who have been in business for a long time and need to know the trends of the business world.

Commonsense advice, but author's heros sell dubious products
If you believe Cohen, all the people who ever hit it big in "mail-order" did it selling some sort of "how-to" books (Hmmmmmm . . . . .). There is some useful information here, but it is not a guide to becoming the next L.L. Bean or Amazon.com. If you have studied marketing and business in general, you don't need this.

I wish I had this book when I got started.
Read my lips- "Do not attempt to start a Mail/Internet order business without this book." William A. Cohen does a great job telling you quite simply, what works, what doesn't, and why. This book has paid itself off 100 fold in the last week or so since I bought it. And no, I'm not exagerating. There were so many things in the book that seem so simple...and make you think, "Why didn't I think of that?"

You are thinking..."okay, this must be the author's cousin or something." Trust me, this book is not like most of the 'make money fast' crap you see in book stores etc. William A. Cohen is real, honest, and full of knowledge he never should have let out. In summary, If someone ever asked me how I did well in the mail order business, I would mention this exact book among my thank you's. If I could, I would offer you a money-back guarantee out of my own pocket! Honest. ... Read more

Book Description

An exclusive insider's look at the art and science of direct mail creative technique--copy approaches, design, formats, offers--unlike anything ever before assembled. In addition to the successful mailings shown and described in this updated edition of Million Dollar Mailings, new topics include killer fundraising letters, the illustrated history of the magalog, and using direct mail to make money on the internet.This insider's look at the art and science of direct mail also contains an overview (complete with illustrations) of new trends in direct mail. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Like a marketing course in school
I got this book, despite the high price, because I needed to write some copy and was trying to get some good advice. The book is well organized and has lots of examples. The negative is that some of the sections probably won't be good examples to each reader so that even though something here will be helpful, not all of it will, but you still have to pay for it all. The other problem is that most of it is geared towards the big players, those with national scope and budgets.

I don't necessarily regret getting this however, because the cost, if you consider the cost of taking a class, isn't really that bad, the book has value and I did learn some new things. I'd also recommend Sugarman's book on copy writing, he doesn't get as much into layout as this one does, but he really gets into the nuts and bolts of writing stories as copy and compelling people to act. This book is less of a "how to" course and more of a "here it is" now go and do likewise course.

Hatch has spent years collecting and organizing mass mailings and here he presents the best of the best and gives advice on how to use some of this information in your own campaigns. Highly recommend to people in the field or people that want to learn.

Imitation--the sincerest form of flattery, and success!
Denison Hatch has gathered together proven winners in direct mail marketing.

For those of us whose job it is to write sales letters and direct mail, we know that reading the works of others, studying what works and what doesn't is one of the quickest ways to be successful as a direct mail/sales letter writer.

By perusing this book and studying the way these direct mail packages were put together and the techniques that were used is a veritable classroom between to covers for those wanting to know more. And if you are in direct marketing, you are always learning something new!

A good read and a valuable addition to your business bookshelf.

Holy swipefile batman - this thing is like 20 pounds!
When I ordered this book I had no idea how absolutely H-U-G-E this thing is. I got this massive and heavy package from Amazon and couldn't think of what it was. As I split through the brown paper I was happily surprised to find Million Dollar Mailings.

If you write copy you must own this book. It's a veritable swipefile in a book. Everything is organized for you!

Just imagine how much this book would be worth to you if you could take just one idea from it and increase your response rate by say 1%. And think about time savings when you can have this thing right next to you you while you're writing your copy.

The way to get good at copywriting is teh same way you get good at painting - study the masters. You better bet that this book won't be far from my side.

A Must!
Do you own a copy of the Bible?

A Fantastic Resource!
At first I hesitated ordering this book because of the price...now I 'kick-myself' for not getting it sooner. From my point of view, a top-notch marketing book has to have information that is relevant, easy to understand and applicable to the point that I can go out and use it immediately. Theory doesn't pay the bills. I want facts, I want to know exactly how others have done it successfully. This book does just that. While the book deals with direct marketing issues, its lessons can be applied to virtually anyone that has to market a product from the Main Street retailer to someone supplying a service to a manufacturer. It is that good. You'll see example after example of direct mailings that have made their respective companies millions upon millions. You not only see every piece in detail, quite often you get the inside thoughts from person that actually developed the piece. Sort of like finding out why a famous artist drew the nose a certain way. To me, that insight itself is priceless. Again, someone that owns a retail store could take loads of info out of this book and apply it to their own situation. Same thing could be said about anyone that needs to 'market' in order to survive. As far as the price goes, yeah it's a few bucks. But I'll tell you, I've spent hundreds of dollars on individual marketing seminars and courses in the past that don't measure up to the value this book provides. And while many of these courses and seminars give you bits and pieces of what works and what doesn't, this book gives you the details. I've read Denny Hatch's other books and should have known that this was going to be 'winner' also. The only negative I have is that the book is huge, I'm going to have to clean out a few of my not-as-useful marketing books in order to have room. Now that I think about it though, I can see it being used as reference so often that maybe it just needs to stay on the desk. The bottom line is that I'll make far more money with this book than I would without. ... Read more

Book Description

"Jack's in-depth knowledge of the catalog market and his exceptional talent for articulating a precise set of how-tos for seemingly every aspect of this complex business are unrivaled. . . . A masterful volume of a highly complex and challenging topic, written by one of the best catalog consultants around." -- Laura Beaudry, Editorial Director Catalog Age"Creating a Profitable Catalog is a comprehensive guide to modern-day cataloging. It includes up-to-the-minute information on concept and creative development, design and production, merchandising, circulation planning, database marketing, operations, and financial management. All of these topics are analyzed in intricate and careful detail as author Jack Schmid guides the reader through every step of building a successful catalog--either in print or on-line. This is a must-have for any aspiring cataloger's library and a welcome addition to the bookshelves of catalog industry veterans. Praise for Creating a Profitable Catalog by Jack Schmid"Jack Schmid is one of this country's best catalog marketers, and he has packed this book full of detailed, practical know-how on each and every aspect of cataloging. This book is important to anyone already working in our industry, but it is indispensable for someone just getting into the business." -- Bill Spaide, Partner Spaide, Kuipers & Company"I consider Jack Schmid to be the number one catalog strategist of our time. His magnificent new book, Creating a Profitable Catalog, is a treasure chest that starts with the year 2000 and goes beyond." -- Bob Stone, Chairman Emeritus Stone & Adler Author of the bestselling Successful Direct Marketing Methods ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Don't start a Catalog until you've read this book!!!
This is such a great book for a company that is starting a Catalog business or thinking about it. It covers all aspects of the Catalog business and gives you a checklist of all the necessary tasks to launching a successful catalog. Great book...

Comprehensive Overview
A wonderful overview of the catalog world with plenty of real-world examples including: ROI calculations, promotions, customer segmentation.....
Worth its wieght in gold!

Terrific book
Great guide to the numbers behind starting and running a successful catalog-based business. What it will cost. Where you can save money, and calculating how time to profits.

That Why My Products Didn't Sell
This book is to die for. After ten years in the candle making business I had big catalog publishing companies telling me that "My product were the reason for not selling". I read this book and bingo it wasn't my products it was my prsentation of the products. Don't waste your time on big catalog publishing companies, just read this book and learn a greater insite of your products and how to sell them. ... Read more

Book Description

How similar are problems faced by families who work in business together? More often than not, family businesses throughout the world share common problems as they work to create a successful business without destroying the family. In Love, Power & Money: Family Business Between Generations authors Dean Fowler and Peg Masterson Edquist share the stories of countless businesses run by generations of families. Through the use of family business stories, the authors explore the powerful emotional forces unleashed in the running of a family-owned business. The chapters cover topics ranging from family dynamics, to employment strategies, business plans, and management and estate succession methods. By sharing the unique solutions that these families implemented, the book helps other families in business find the balance among love, power and money in order to master the complexities of family business transitions. The solutions show that healthy family relationships coupled with a strong business produce an enduring and successful family business, generation to generation. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Challenges faced in family business
At last, here is a book that holds up a mirror to the reader. No one can read these cases without relating to and empathizing with these families and their stories: how they each grappled with the common dilemmas and challenges that must be faced when you own a family business. The most important theme runs like an artery through every case: healthy, adult family relationships and a strong business lead to successful family businesses generation after generation. 

Barbara Murray, PhD   Editor in Chief -- Families In Business Magazine of the Family Business Network

Excellent Family Business Resource
Fowler's book is an excellent resource for business owning families. Having worked in several family businesses and on the boards of several family companies, I am acutely aware of the potential for heartbreak. A rare few worked. The opposite is the general case. After a family/business conflict, it is not uncommon for family members to never talk again for the rest of their lives. Some family business consultants, like Dean Fowler, have found better ways. His book describes through case studies how successful family businesses thrive from generation to generation.

Things I really needed to know
This book opened my eyes about the challenges of being in a family business. I'm involved in a family business right now, and there are things I definitely have to start talking about with family members. Many of the issues in the book have never been discussed in our business and it makes me want to start asking questions and getting answers. The stories in it are very believable (sp?) and I really enjoyed reading it - along with getting excellent information about the pitfalls of family business. ... Read more

Book Description

This bestselling guide contains the most current information on ordering products and services online, by phone, and by mail at savings of up to 80 percent off the retail price. While finding the best outlets and sources for bargains, consumers will learn how to "shop smart" for every product imaginable-from caviar, gourmet coffee, and clothing to linens, snow tires, and carpeting, and more. Full of large and small businesses that have found innovative ways to save consumers hundreds of dollars on the highest quality goods and best-known brands, this tome of money-saving advice offers tips on how to minimize shipping and handling fees, keep credit card information secure on the Net, and access sites and savings unknown to the common consumer. Meticulously researched and actively tested by 23 successful years on the market, this bargain hunter's classic proves to be a resourceful and indispensable sourcebook for those shoppers who refuse to pay market prices. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Don't waste your time or your money.
I could write a book as long as this one about its deficiencies. My suggestion: buy a copy of a good general wine book, subscribe to a reputable wine publication and make friends with the owner of a local wine shop with whom you can develop a relationship of trust and seek his/her advice.

Useless
I have gotten away from writting reviews, but I needed a forum to vent my dislike for this book. Fortunately for me, I borrowed a copy from the library. I cannot imagine paying anything for this book. I do not understand the point of the book. I only used listings that had websites and I found them all to charge as much as a local vendor for their products. How this is supposed to be wholesale is beyond me. For auto parts it lists only one site and they were higher than local stores. They listed a textbook selling site that supposedly charges cost, again I can do much better right here at Amazon. I was hoping to find a book telling me how to buy things at wholesale prices, then I would resell them and make extra money. This book told me how to buy things at retail prices, which I had already figured out on my own. I just cannot understand why this book was published.

A Disapointment
This book is not for people looking for serious wholesaling.
All this information can be found by doing a search on the internet. I found very few true wholesalers. I have been able to find much better pricings at alternate sites. Find a different book to buy if you're truly looking for real wholesale companies.

If your looking for true WHOLESALE, don't buy this book
If you are looking for BARGAINS and you are incapable or just impatient to use a search engine like Google or Yahoo, buy this book. If you are looking to buy at WHOLESALE (as in having a re-seller's liscense as I was), DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK. The word "wholesale" was greatly misused in the title of this book and interestingly enough, when I purchased this book (thankfully on a bargain rack) at my local book store, the lady told me that the name had changed beginning in 2003.....interesting.

It's worth the price
I paid all of about $8 for this book and, within a week, had made more than my money back in savings on purchases. Although the book misses several of my favorite bargain websites - so it only gets 4 stars instead of 5 - it lists a huge number more that I was previously unaware of.

The book is conveniently organized into sections on furniture, clothing, sporting goods etc, with a page devoted to each website or catalog under each heading. Given the huge number of websites and catalogs out there, it's useful to have a book like this to help sift through them. ... Read more

Book Description

A treasure trove of guidance, ideas, resources and information that will lead to new horizons of money-making profits and success. Coverage includes ways to beat the competition, product-service suggestions, the latest direct mail ideas along with specific ways to upgrade direct mail profits, advice on mailing lists, opportunities in Europe with the EEC, successful techniques to emulate, helpful hints on writing ad copy, ways to save money in advertising and how to choose the right product to sell by mail. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Informative
This book was a pretty good book. It gives lots of examples as what to do, and what I learned from, what not to do. Very informative and the information can be used to look back on. Lots of examples to writing classified ads as well as sales letter that will get you the responses you are aiming for.

Very Informative
This book is a good book to start off with. Im starting my own home based business and I felt like I was about ready to start after reading this. He gives you good examples of classfied ads that he has used and shows you how to write sales letters that will pull responses. He tells you what you should and shouldnt do. I will probably always refer to this book. You should also try Melvin Powers mail order books but dont try 101 Great Mail Order Businesses by Tyler Hicks.

ex cell ent, wold recommend to others
experienced writer, philospher, adult, creative, thoughtful, kind, generouse, genius, lazy, reliable, acgive, energi

AN EXCELLENT INTRODUCTION TO MAIL ORDER!!
If you are interested in mail order this book will get you off to a good start. Wilbur is honest and straightforward and illustrates his points with REAL anecdotes.The only drawback is the complete lack of any information concerning the internet and world wide web. ... Read more

Book Description

In the workplace, the best managers are incorporating the essence of coaching into their leadership style. The Coaching Revolution, now available in paperback, presents the best practices of today’s managers—strategies that can turn good companies into stronger and better ones.

With experts David Logan, Ph.D., and John King’s specific coaching elements for managing employees, manager-coaches learn to transform their office environment into a more productive and effective one. For the best results, Logan and King advise managers to follow these three basic principles:

·SEE: Help employees get to the root cause of performance gaps and find ways to realize more of their potential.
·SAY: Outline a plan that clearly states goals for improvement and a strategy to achieve it.
·DO: Hold employees accountable to deliver what they "SAY" they will.

Coaching has been around for a long, long time. Now managers can use The Coaching Revolution to easily help them develop individual employee skill sets, which improves the company overall. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Inspired Reading
While reading "Revolution" I had a conversation with a freind, Linda, and she just purchased "The Coaching Revolution" on-line. I told Linda, I read through half of Logan and King (finishing up the excellent Core Values section), and said "You gotta look at getting this book..." Reading Logan and King is different experientially-- being that I'm reading some of what I have heard in conversations with John King. The book is an easy and quick read.

I'm reading Logan and King... and don't read books. I read text books and periodicals. I like Shakespeare and Eliot-- very prolific and also VERY dead.

Love the book. And it was particularly inspiring. Today I put my name in for a Function Manager position-- one that I am likely to be considered for, and also for a lead position in another project entirely. Thank you. ... Read more

Book Description

New Coke. The Walt Disney Company's aborted theme park near the Manassas battlefield. AT&T's acquisition of NCR Corp. Were these merely the gaffes of individual decision makers, or do they represent larger, organizational deficiencies in critical thinking?

How confident are you in the collective brainpower of your organization?

The most crucial task facing any business leader in today's brutally competitive economy is to sharpen his or her organization's ability to effectively solve problems, make decisions, and cut through the information clutter. In Heads, You Win!, Kepner-Tregoe's CEO, Quinn Spitzer, and executive Ron Evans cite the experiences and share the advice of the presidents and CEOs of some of the world's most innovative companies -- organizations like Johnson & Johnson, Chrysler Corporation, British Airways, and Harley-Davidson, Inc. -- that are successful because they capitalize on the brainpower of every employee.

Filled with practical tips and techniques, and lightened with amusing, real-life anecdotes, Heads, You Win! is an indispensable tool for sorting through the complexities of running a business today and identifying the essential skills that determine a company's success. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (6)

Good tips and insight, but not applicable to all
Read this book from the library as ongoing market research. The book hit on many good points for where to begin, following effectiveness, etc., but felt somewhat outdated in other parts - the author places a lot of emphasis on using the fax versus email/online. Also would have liked to see more about sending mail for different types of services & products.

We are implementing some of the author's ideas at Anchor Digital - we'll be using the same messages found at anchordigital.com and putting them into direct mail pieces. Hopefully they will have the same effectiveness as the ones on the website.

I recommend this book as part of research for mail-order businesses, but be sure to include other, more varied books as well.

Barry Rosenstock
Anchor Digital Inc.
anchordigital.com

Lots of Great Ideas
How to Start a Home-Based Mail-Order Business is, at its core, a how-to. But, it is not satisfied with providing the basic bones and goes on to provide excellent elaboration and detail that helps answer questions. Well-written and researched. It covers all the basics--marketing, sales, promotion, etc, without getting bogged down into details that could lead Fiumara away from her basic thrust of the book. Given how much today's world relies on the Internet, her chapter on Success in Cyberspace is especially helpful. While it has its own chapter, using the Internet to promote your business is so critical that I would recommend Guerilla PR: Wired, which covers that same subject far more in-depth.

Step-By-Step Insider Information
Most books on starting a mail order business are written by men who claim you can make $100,000 or more at home. This book is different.

How To Start a Home-Based Mail Order Business is written by a woman who gives you all the information you need to succeed in a mail order business -- but without all the bull. Georganne Fiumara takes you by the hand in the very first chapter and leads you to success, step-by-step. Thanks to the author, my home business dream has come true.

I especially appreciated the chapter called Success In Cyberspace because most successful mail order businesses now include web promotion. The author's web site, HomeWorkingMom.com, shows that she knows what she is talking about.

I took her advice and put my business online at MoneyandShopping.com and have not looked back since.

If you are looking for a straight-forward, insider's guide to mail order, this is the book to buy.

Angela Smith

Very Basic Information
I recommend this book to anybody who knows nothing about starting business in General. It gives you very basic information on Marketing, Inventory Control and Accounting, thats all. Oh yes, it also gives you some of the advantages of a home based business.

Informative Book
This was the third "how to" book I have read and this one really does help! The other books I read on this subject were terribly written and the author was just trying to sell stuff from his mail order business. Not this book! The author really explains how to get things going and she presents the information in a well written organized manner. I just finished this book and I now know where to start. Other books are just direct mailers this book really informs you. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Best Study Guide
NOTE: My class is using the third edition of the "Principles of Microeconomics" by Mankiw, but the second edition study guide is completely useable with the 3rd edition of the book.

This study guide is comprehensive. It gives the reader a chapter review, hints that really are helpful, matching terms to definitions, problems and short answer questions, an abundance of True/False and multiple choice questions, and finally, "advanced critical thinking". This is exactly what a study guide should be.

very helpful
i found this study guide extremely helpful. in fact, i used it much more than i used the textbook. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

If you are selling information, this is a great manual !
If you are selling information by direct mail - manuals, brochures, designs, books - this is MUST HAVE BOOK! Most of the examples are from Author's own experience, but this should be considered a strong point of the book, not a weakness - providing the author is truthful. He shows you what worked and what did not work for him, and it is up to you to extrapolate his experiences to your own situation. I bought my copy at second hand markets for AU$2.00 one morning when the sun was really shinning. Even at the full price the value of this info could be immense! Go for it!!!

I don't know about this one...
I see these great reviews to this book and wonder if we read the same book...

I wasn't impressed with this book at all. I never give this low of rating but I felt I totally wasted my money and gained nothing from the book.

Like the other reviewers say full of other mail order campaigns. That is right, most of the entire book. If you are looking for ideas as what to see then maybe that can help you. If you already know what you want to mail order I didn't see where this book helped at all. The book is full of photocopies of others campaigns and I got absolutely nothing out of the entire book that helped, enthused or motivated me at all.

Melvin Powers Is A Gifted Author & A Class Act
"How To Get Rich In Mail-Order" is an incredible source of examples, knowledge and inspiration from a man who has been successful marketing several products through mailorder.

I'm not sure why one of the reviews on this book states that Mr. Powers doesn't spend much time on "How To". I believe that this book does provide you with exactly that.

You are not provided with a step by step process because the product that you may want to market and your audience will be different then mine - but the author gives you everything you need and prompts you with thought provoking questions and exercises.

You are also provided with suggested reading to maximize your own mailorder campaign.

You can't go wrong with this book. I devoured it in two nights and at the end of my read, I picked uo the phone and called Melvin Powers. Guess who answered the phone? His wife. She passed me to melvin who appeared to be in his kitchen.

He really does run a million dollar company out of his home. Now I do too. Thanks Melvin.

Steal this one if you have to. It's top of the line.

As an author, I found this book invaluable....
Im JB Stevenson and I have to admit that Mr Powers has been germain to my success as an author and mail order entrepreneur. I used his street savy and implemented many aspects into my own venture, creating a successful INTERNET mail order business. His book also helped me write my book, "Building An Internet Based Mail Order Business First Class" (ISBN 0-9666403-0-6). If you think you want to go into the "mail order" business, take it from someone who has been there and done that, do not begin without his book. JB.

Provides good examples of successful mail order campaigns.
A good historical review of successful mail order campaigns. Contains a lot of print advertising examples with some background information about the sales it generated and the company behind it. Does not really spend a lot of time showing you "How to". ... Read more

Book Description

Your Complete Guide to Mail-Order Success!
Is owning your own business your goal? Then mail order is the low-cost, high-profit way to go. Imagine walking out to your mailbox and finding it stuffed with checks worth hundreds—even thousands—of dollars! Imagine being able to start your own profitable mail-order business on just a few dollars—then building it into a prosperous income source! Tyler Hicks, one of the foremost small business experts in the country, shows you exactly how to turn these dreams into reality.
In this invaluable book, you'll learn how to:
·Start your own mail-order business
·Find your products or services to sell
·Make big money with low-cost publicity and ads
·Reap huge sales on the Internet
·Increase your wealth through overseas markets
·Promote your business using e-mail and the Internet as well as mail, TV, fax, and radio
·And much, much more!
Be your own boss. Build your income and family security. Name the mail-order income you have as a goal—then reach it. Now you can latch on to prosperity. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Even Rich Daddy is better
Another shameless self-promotion with no substance. Push his newsletters on your face like a used car salesman. Even Rich Dad, Poor Dad disguise itself better than this. Don't waste your time and money.

Better books on this subject
This book was okay and it did have a few good ideas. But overall it was more of a marketing ad for the author's products then a book. I would choose another book on the subject of mail order business instead of this one.

Tyler is a class act, this is another one of his good books!
This is a good book for anyone who wishes to start a mail order home-based business. It is even very useful to someone who is already experienced in the mail order trade like myself!

Great Book and Informative
An informative book. I had to write a review because the other reviewer has a totally negative and unimportant opinion. Yes the author does advertise his products, but he gives you valuable information all the same. In fact his offers could be useful to someone getting into mail order. It is a completely legitimate book. I am in no way affiliated with the author. The book is packed with valuable info on all aspects of mail order. Packed with lots of detailed tips to help out the budding mail order business owner.

Not a book, but an advertisement for the author's business
What a disappointment to purchase a book and be left with a 315 page advertisement for the author's business. There is no thin veil to disguise the author's intentions. In fact, on page after page there are blurbs about the author's get rich quick schemes. In short, this should not be sold to people as a book. I had a great laugh at the bibliography entitled " Profit Building Tools from Tyler hicks ( the author) International Wealth Success Library. Hand picked by the author. ... Read more

Book Description

This book addresses the concept of knowledge, and its use in the contexts of work and organizations.It provides a critical understanding of current approaches to knowledge management, organization and the 'knowledge economy'. The author describes a number of cases of 'knowledge intensive firms', including IT firms, management consultancy firms, advertising agencies and life science companies.He emphasizes the ambiguity of knowledge in the input, process, and output of professional work, and suggests that we should be careful in assuming too much about the nature, role, and effects of 'knowledge' in business life.Instead, we should understand the constructed nature of knowledge and scrutinize knowledge claims carefully. Alvesson looks at several aspects of management and working life, including human resource management issues, client control and the regulation of identity. Rhetoric, symbolism, image, the politics of knowledge claims, and identity are all shown to be crucial for understanding the management of 'knowledge intensive firms'.By challenging key assumptions in current thinking about knowledge and organization, a novel theoretical approach is suggested. The book will be of interest to business and management academics concerned with issues of knowledge and organization and will serve as supplementary reading for graduate and final year undergraduate business and management students. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Needs more examples from OTHER companies catalogs
After reading this book, I found it to have some good ideas, but it was too specific. I thought the author was just writing a book to promote his catalog because, unlike other catalog books, he used examples from HIS catalog. While the page with the Highland attire was a good example, all of the pages from his catalog just became overkill. It would have been much better had to also used examples from a variety of catalogs.

What A Book--It Got Me Thinking
Our business is thinking about producing a catalog. We purchased several catalog books. "The Catalog Handbook" was great. He walks you step by step in how and why he designed his catalog--even some of his mistakes. Just reading it, I got some great ideas on how to create our catalog. This is for the first-timer and small business cataloger. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Master of This Craft
Lewis is the undisputed master of his craft, and this small book does an excellent job of distilling and presenting the basics. As a writing teacher, I recommend it to all of my classes.

Great for the basics, but ...
... it's not about riding the cutting edge. You've got to learn the rules before you can break them with impunity. And this book is all aobut the rules. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

From Debt to Success
E.J. Cossman's book is part of my support system and changed my life for the better. E. Joseph Cossman advice helped me to go from debt to success (out of debt) in less than 3 years. The book contains advice to help anyone. The advice is not limited to mailorder, and applicable to all businesses and professions. Yes, your job can benefit from the advice. Don't be afraid to invest in this book and use the advice to help yourself from debt to success. Sounds like a good title for a book.

All the best, Franklin

Cossman Changed My Life
I work a lot with new businesses. In fact, that has been a ministry of mine for the past twenty years. This book is the book I recommend or out right give to anyone who is just starting out in business. Just the first chapter alone is worth the price of the book. Those who have sour grapes concerning this book are just ignorant. My father used these same principles to start a successful catering truck business that lasted until he was too old to do it anymore. So, what he has to say REALLY, REALLY works! The book is cheap, gives good advice and is funny as well. What more could anyone ask for? BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!! You won't be sorry!

Motivational at best
Mr. Cossman probably inteaded this book to help others on the road of financial prosperity through a home based mail order business. However he falls well short by only going into little detail on many areas instead of great detail in some areas. If you are looking for a wonderful motivation tool than this book is for you. However, if you are looking to make a million I suggest you purchase something else.

more BS hype
Cossman serves up a bunch of hype that has little or no contact with the real world that he claims to have made it in. THis guy is so full of himself you wonder why the EPA hasn't declared him a walking toxic waste site! Save your money and your time - this book is only a waste of good trees and ink.

Excellent book about Business
E. Joseph Cossman has had a positive effect on my life. This book contains foundation information for any entrepeneur. Business is like a safe with 3 number combination. This book is one of the numbers to unlock the safe to become wealthy. As a Cossman Seminar graduate, I personally endorse his books and materials as very helpful for any person in business. This book is part of any entrepeneurs' foundation. The entrepeneur must add the product and/or service, capital management, innovation & imagination, and the personal drive & desire to become wealthy. This book is part of the entrepenuer's mix. ... Read more

Book Description

Save Hundreds By Shopping From Home!

A consumer's favorite for more than two decades, this bestselling guide shows you how to find incredible bargains when you shop by mail, phone, or mouse click. No matter what you're looking for, you can get it cheaper and delivered right to your doorstep: carpeting, caviar, snow tires, organic citrus, kitchen gadgets, clothing and footwear, jewelry, cameras, pet supplies, coffee, toys, seniors' needs, garden tools, art supplies, cigars, leather goods, car parts-and almost anything else imaginable!

Totally updated and revised, Buy Wholesole by Mail 2001 contains the "best of the best" in discount Internet and mailorder shopping, with reviews of over 500 vendors in all--from little-known companies selling hard-to-find items to the all-around best businesses with the best bargains in every category. You'll also find:an all-new chapter full of resources and expert advice for Internet novices--you'll learn how to get online and get shopping!a fun and quirky "Gift Guide" for finding the perfect, affordable surprise for romantic occasions, hard-to-please teens, cranky in-laws, and everyone elsetips for dealing with the tricks and traps of shipping and handling fees, Internet credit card security, your rights as a consumer, and more. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Not Wholesale
This may be a good book for bargain hunters who are looking for discounted goods, but legitimate wholesale requires a license and a retail resale number.

If You Really Want Wholesale, Look Elsewhere
The book's title is rather misleading. While there are some wholesale businesses in the book, they are in the vast minority. If you are a bargain-hunting consumer then you might find this book helpful, although your local yellow pages will probably work just as well. If you are looking for real wholesale resources, check to see if your local library has a directory, or make the $200-300 sacrifice and buy your own. This book was a waste of my time and money.

Bargain Shoppers Dream!
Buy Wholesale by Mail lists incredible companies with unbeatable deals. Many companies I've never heard of combined with some well known favorites. I searched through my favorite topics, bookmarked them, looked up listings with websites, and had a fabulous learning experience. From buying chickens and farm items, locating auto parts, or remodeling the house-this book is your ultimate resource guide. Why would you pay more, when you can buy it wholesale? It's worth every penny!

A must have resource for everything you might want or need
Enthusiastically recommended, as a invaluable resource. You will want to buy the latest addition each year! ... Read more