Your Questions About Direct Marketing Association

Jere answers:

I don’t like the website the first guy directed you to.

I think he was trying to send you there becasue its simple and he probably makes money somehow asking those companies to pay to be on his site…

Whatever…

First things first go online to www.SBA.gov this is the small business administration and they will have a listing of their workshops. I think you should find a local workshop that you could bring some examples and ask that same question to one of their mentors that show up.

I also think you should go to score.org and set up a time to meet with one of their mentors…they are a free service and would love to help you more than anything.

I like the idea alot that you have…

You might even want to see about coordinating with your local chamber of commerce to see if tey woould sponsor you or help you somehow.

Also you should join the American marketing association at www.marketingpower.com

Jere answers:

Try calling 1-888-567-8688.

Or you can write to the following;

Direct Marketing Association
Mail Preference Service
P.O. Box 9008
Farmington, NY 11735

Jere answers:

We are getting inundated with junk mail, so I’ve decided it makes sense to send one dollar to the DMA and get off a lot of these lists. It supposedly is very effective, per our consumer protection folks here in Nevada. Since I just sent mine off yesterday, I will have to wait a bit to see if it really cuts down on the solicitations. Here is a copy of the letter to send, and be sure to enclose the $1 (no, this is not a scam, it’s for real, came out in our local paper by respected columnist AND the form was sent to me by the University of Nevada). Good luck. Http://www.lvrj.com/news/15934232.html

I know it may be tricky, though, to get your relative to sign the form. But it is really important to take care of our elderly relatives–when my stepmother died at age 85, she had a room full of junk stuff she had ordered–boxes and boxes. The nursing home said it was very common to see this type of thing; they try to alert relatives but apparently her daughter (my stepsister) was not able to convince her mom that this was a waste of money.

You can also check out the DMA website at http://www.dmachoice.org

Here is the form letter to send:

Direct Marketing Association
MAIL Preference Service
Box 282
Carmel, NY 10512
1-212-768-7277
www.dmachoice.org

Date:_____________________

RE: Stop Junk Mail

Dear DMA:

This letter is a request for you to remove my name from your members’ mailing lists. I do not wish to receive these mail solicitations at any time. I have enclosed my $1.00 processing fee.

I am:

_____________________________________________________________
Name

_____________________________________________________________
Address

_____________________________________ __________________
City State Zip Code

(________)____________________________
Area Code Phone Number

Thank you,

____________________________________
Signature

Jere answers:

I for one would love to help you or create a business to business association with you.

I lived in NYC for 10 years ! I loved it.

I am a marketing professional and a printer….I would first encourage you to read my business card and direct mail tips at www.doranpeck.com

If you would like to have a professional quality printing source, go ahead and register at www.myezprinter.com

we can set up a special discount for you through that site.

Another thing to consider is designing forms and other interoffice printed materials. Alot of busineses use forms on NCR (carbonless paper)

email me and we can talk more about it

Jere answers:

Sometimes 3rd party validation can be beneficial when we’re evaluating something of importance. Here is some information that helped me better understand how Corporate America views Networking and Direct Sales.

In a past issue of Fortune Magazine (the one with Bill Gates on the cover) there was an interesting article focusing on the sputtering economy, and the independent contractors (associates) who are re-energizing the retail industry through the art of direct selling.

Here are a few paragraphs I that caught my attention:

“Call it the age of direct selling. With its emphasis on personal, one-on-one relationships between distributor and consumer, convenience, and a high degree of consumer education, the industry may be tailor-made for today’s consumer and company.

“The result: The industry, with sales of $28.7 billion in the early 2000’s, up 7.5% from before, has become a magnet for both corporate behemoths lured by its efficiencies and dozens of entrepreneurs attracted by the lower cost of market entry .

“…for example, Warren Buffett’s biggest purchase was The Pampered Chef … Hallmark’s Binney and Smith is launching its own direct-selling company, called Big Yellow Box by Crayola .

“Most direct-selling businesses now employ a multilevel system, in which distributors earn money on their own sales in addition to those of people they recruit (called the ‘downline’) and individuals brought in by their personal recruits.

“That’s different from the single-level approach, in which you only get commissions on your own sales. In 1990, about 20% of the Direct Selling Association members in the used the multilevel plan; today, it’s about 80% …

“‘I saw … Something that I could do with my sons,’ said Russ Widger Sr., a former manufacturing company owner … ‘I thought, with this business, they could do in about 10 years or less what had taken me more than 20 years with my conventional business.’

“‘[Direct sales] provided me with security that I would not have achieved if I had continued working a regular job,’ claimed Meg Kelly-Smith, a former banking executive. ‘I compressed an entire career’s worth of earnings into about five or six years.’

“A growing number of distributors are placing orders through their company’s web site instead of using the usual faxes or snail-mail orders. Distributors are using … Web sites for help in recruitment and training … And as a channel for customer reordering.

“In 1990, Lisa Wilbur was laid off from her $15,000-a-year secretarial job, living in a 12 by 70 foot trailer with her husband, and trying her best to stave off creditors. Then she decided to sign on with Avon . Over the past ten years she’s made more than $1.4 million in bonuses … Not every representative makes nearly that much money or wants to. Many reps … Get into the business with the intention of working part-time or even, say, earning a little extra around the holidays.

“Although today’s economic times offer a variety of challenges, solutions are available for those individuals willing to seek them out. With direct selling companies providing alternate avenues for income generation, more and more people are able to give their current jobs the pink slip.”

– Fortune, The Power Issue, vol. 148, No. 3

This industry is being embraced by not only corporate America but business minded people around the globe. Network Marketing is no longer considered fringe. It is turning into mainstream business.

If you’d like to discuss this with me personally I’d be happy to give you a call. Make sure you leave your contact information at my website and I’ll get in touch with you right away.

Http://www.maximumglutathione.com

Best Wishes
Rex White
503-463-7336