W. E. Skinner

“ If you are doing a large mailing don’t neglect to make it a part of your duties to step in and watch the operations of your mailing clerks frequently. An employe sometimes forgets postal rates and wastes a great deal of money. We know an advertiser whose clerk sent out six thousand packages with four cents postage on each when the packages, consisting of printing matter, could have traveled at two cents. Most of the successful mail order advertisers keep their eyes on such details and they save money thereby. ”

“ The habit of purchasing by mail is rapidly assuming enormous proportions in this country, and the custom has been catered to, in such a manner, that the ranchman on the plains may wear a latest style metropolitan custom-made suit, while his daughters may equip herself a la Fifth Avenue—all by inspection of a catalogue, a postal money order and a letter. ”

“ One sometimes wonders where the crop of gold brick victims constantly comes from, where the green goods men continually find patrons, and why confidence men grow more numerous as their wiles become better advertised. There is a greater crop of “Free” victims growing somewhere. It is hard to believe that anyone answers a “Free” ad. twice, but this class of advertising grows and prospers. This is a large country, and the boys who are growing up must all learn by experience what their fathers learned likewise. No youth seems content to be taught in any other way. ”

“ Suppose an advertisement of an inch is placed in a list of publications by a watch dealer, a picture dealer, a medical advertiser, a novelty man and an agents’ supply house. There will be quite a striking difference in the ratio of results in each instance. A paper that pays one may not pay the other. We have seen this demonstrated so many times that we know whereof we speak.
Advertising Axioms.
“Virtue increases under a weight or burden” and results increase with a comprehensive expenditure of money in good advertising mediums. ”

“ Almost every intelligent [3] person has had more or less experience in buying through the mails, but the object of this little book is to show how a small business can be profitably conducted for this purpose.
Start Right.
One of the most essential things to start with is an attractive article or line of goods. Shall it be in the nature of a staple or a novelty? The difficulty in handling staple goods in a small way is the lack of profit. ”

“ They are a legion. About a dozen make a specialty of mail order advertising. [8] You can get further information by reading a copy of Our Silent Partner, which you can obtain free by writing to Fred Terry, Waterville, Maine. There are a large number of publications that pay for mail order advertising, and a much larger number which do not pay the advertiser.
Not Tolerated.
The U. S. and Canadian postal officials do not encourage so-called “work at home” schemes which usually take money out of poor people’s pockets. Many alleged offenders have been prosecuted for doing this sort of business. ”

“ Cheap books with attractive titles are usually fast selling property, and if contents are as advertised, always give satisfaction. The Keystone Book and News Co., 1111 Arch St., Philadelphia, are among the leading wholesalers. ”