SECRETS OF SUCCESSFUL AUTHORS

When the writing bug hits you, get out your pencil, typewriter,
word processor or tape recorder and go to work.

Personal wants and desires, such as "How to Make Money" can put
you on the road to success in the writing field. there are five
main emotional appeals for selling this kind of publication: 
Money, Self Preservation, Family, Romance, Recognition. These
appeals can all be built into your writings.

It pays to make up a good advertising schedule several months in
advance and when you do hit the pages with your ads, be sure
they "Drip" with enthusiasm!

The title is of the greatest importance. It alone can determine
the sales volume to a large degree. Price your report so that
you can come out with a good profit. You will want to make
tests to see if your publication will bring in the required
price before going into full scale advertising.

Most people are dreamers not "do'ers". It is only a short step
to be a do'er... Just do it!

Sometimes it is better to write a strong ad before you write the
report, then make the report live up to your ad. Make your ads
friendly.

Write about a special subject in a unique way: Strive to write
in such a way that you will get repeat orders or will receive
orders from the same customers for your other books and
products. Have a follow-up program ready to go.

Ship your orders without delay. Don't hold them up for checks
to clear. It will do you much more damage than getting a few
bad checks. Offer a free bonus for "buying today".

Get quality printing for use with all your paper needs
(letterheads, envelopes, circulars, sales letters, return
envelopes, order forms, etc.)

You can set up a distributor program, sell your publications
direct to the consumer, or use both methods.

It's a good idea to give your other publications a boost within
the pages of your other reports and books, but don't brag about
your accomplishments or try to sell all your own products in the
body of your publication.

HOW TO PRICE YOUR BOOK!

Whatever amount you come up with for the price of your book,
remember that advertising expense will usually take 50% to 60%
of your selling price if you are to promote your book properly
and get into the mass market. This only leaves 40% to 50% of
the sales proceeds for all your other expenses and a reasonable
profit for your efforts. And don't forget "all other expenses"
include not only the cost of typesetting, printing, mailing and
other direct expenses, but also includes numerous variable and
indirect expenses; such as auto, depreciation, insurance, and
all the other "general overhead", even if you only work
part-time from your home. Then you must have enough left over
to "pay yourself" a reasonable draw for your time, effort and
risk!

Failure to understand the "Mathematics of Mail Order" is the
basic reason most people do not succeed when trying to sell
books by mail.

One of the most important points to learn about mailorder
mathematics is just exactly where your break-even point is. 
This varies drastically depending on the total units produced
and sold. The more units sold the less the cost per unit. In
other words, the more you sell the more flexible you can be in
pricing your product.

Never price a publication at less than total cost, just to
increase sales, unless you have computed correctly that the
increased sales will reduce you unit cost sufficiently to
overcome any potential loss.

On the other side of the "coin", if the price of your
publications is too high, you could be in a worse position than
if selling for only half the price. Maybe a price reduction of
50% will get you 500% more sales thus lowering your variable
costs per unit sufficiently. The loser is immediately turned
into a blockbuster! Only tests will tell!