WANT TO BE A PUBLISHER?

Does the job sound prestigious to you?  If so - you have never been a publisher; especially a mail order publisher.  Overhead expenses for printing and mailing are financially draining and every month you are held to stringent deadlines.  You also must know what you're doing to generate enough paid advertising to meet expenses for every single issue.  Sometimes, you have to take a big loss and end up spending your own money just to get the issue out.  Yes - there is a bad side to being a publisher!

But if you are just starting out and you want to become a publisher, you should start small and get your "feet wet."  One easy and excellent way to start your publishing career is to start your own short and simple 3" x 6" or 5" x 8" unclassified ad column.

Choose a publication that you wish to run your small unclassified ad column in.  Try and start with a minimum 5,000 circulation.  Your first issue will probably cost you money out-of-pocket to get the thing rolling.  Don't fill it with all your own ads though.  Instead, select some well-known publishers who advertise in adsheets and tabloids and print their ads instead.  Make sure they get a copy of your unclassified ad column with a note explaining that you ran their ad free of charge so they could give your publication a try.  Most of these advertisers will send you a PAID order back because they will appreciate your generosity.

However, they will also tell others about you and generate free word-of-mouth advertising.  Word soon gets out about people who try to help others and your business booms!  Publishing any type of publication that is dominated by your own ads certainly shows that you are a new publication without any advertisers.  This is bad publicity - especially since this is your first issue and you're trying to generate much needed business.

All that's left to do is typeset these paid ads onto your 3" x 6" or 5" x 8" unclassified ad column.  When full, send to your chosen publisher just like you would any ad of this size and your circulation is met to your customers.  (You might also want to request extra copies to send checking copies to the advertisers on your sheet.)

As more people send their unclassified ad orders to you, the size of your publication will grow.  Pretty soon, you can publish a full 8 1/2" x 11" unclassified ad sheet.  Who knows?  If business keeps growing, you may join the ranks of the Big Guys and Gals making lots of money publishing their monthly or bi-monthly publication!

Give it a try.  Unclassified ads are not as popular as display advertising, but with a smaller format (3" x 6") you can generate enough paid orders to pay for the printing and mailing.  Besides, the customers' ad will be easily noticed in a smaller publication than a large one and people will look forward in sending you their monthly ad orders.  Hope to read your column in a future mail order publication!  Good Luck!